the Quicksilver Mines of Idrla in Illi/ria. 311 



Two or three principal Imildings are here remarkable: — a fine 

 parish church, and a castle for accomniodatiiig the chief director 

 of the mines, and for containing the treasure ; the magazine for 

 the products of tlie mine; the hall of the comicil of administration; 

 and all the public offices ; a very fine granary or store-house for 

 the inhabitants as well as for the workmen ; a very fine forge ; 

 some houses for those employed by Government, for the cure 

 and his vicars, &;c. 



There is also a public school with six professors, and a female 

 to superintend the education of the young girls ; a very fine 

 liospital, to which two physicians and a surgeon are attached, 

 and a dispensarv for giving miHlicines to the sick. These were 

 among the improvements executed under the inspection of the 

 French. 



The situation of the town of Idria does not expose it to the 

 tempestuous winds which are common on the shores of the 

 Adriatic. The Borra and Sirocco, which are the most violent 

 of the season, pass above the chain which overhangs Idria, follow 

 the course of the torrent, and are consequently but very little 

 felt by the inhabitants : the air, however, is not stagnant ; for it 

 is constantlv renewed in consequence of the vicinity of forests, 

 an active vegetation, and a rapid torrent. It is remarked that 

 a current exists constantly in the atmosphere, from the direction 

 taken by the vapours which rise from the furnaces for the distil- 

 lation of mercurv, and those for the fabrication of mercinial 

 productions. 



The variations of the barometer are neither very frequent nor 

 very con6ideral)le at Idria. The mean height of the mercury, 

 according to my observations for four years, on a baron^eter of 

 tiie diameter of eight lines, was 27 inches 5 fines*. 



The seasons are less iiiconstant at Idria than in many other 

 countries of the globe : they are generally rainy in autumn, very 

 cold and snowy in winter. Thunder storms are very frequent 

 during summer, and there are sometimes two or three in a day; 

 or rather the great atmospherical currents carry them there. 



The snow covers the mountains of Idria as well as the valley 

 nearly six months in the year, and is often five feet deep : the 

 great road from Layback to Idria is then intercepted ; and the 

 administration is forced to employ three or four hundred work- 

 men to clear it, in order to convey provisions to the popula- 

 tion. 



* It may be of importance to remark tliiit ati iiibtrumoiit of n Inrge dia- 

 meter is requisite for observations wiiicli require great precision. The 

 i-scillatioiis of the cnerciiry in hirgc diameters are constantly inore sensible 

 and more regular : attraction and theriiiomctrical cfl'ccts may also be re- 

 i^urded as insensible in these large instruments. 



U 4 The 



