Miscellaneous Notices. 237 



mine may continue to be wrought for centuries. If the rich ores 

 alone be wrought, and should they diminish, the mine is abandoned 

 and is regarded as being no longer valuable. 



Again, when left to individual enterprise, the shafts and galleries 

 are so lined and supported, as only to answer for the present purposes, 

 without regarding the permanent stability of the works. 



The mineral resources of the United States, are known to be very 

 great, but of how small a portion of its territory, have we accurate 

 information, as to its mineral products, or geological constitution* 

 The United States are in want of a corps of engineers of mines, 

 whose duties should be, to develope the mineral resources and geolo- 

 gical structure of the country; to give advice and information, in re- 

 lation to all the operations of working mines and ores of all kinds, and 

 minute statistical information, as far as relates to mines and the mar- 

 ketable products of mines. 



Art. II — Miscellaneous Notices, in a letter to the Editor, dated 

 from an American National Ship, off Cape de Gatt, in Spain, 

 August 11, 1832. 



Dear Sir — We are at length upon the blue waters of the Medi- 

 terranean, its surface just ruffled by a gentle breeze — a dozen of the 

 light and graceful vessels of this sea are gliding around us, while 

 close on our left, rise the grand and picturesque mountains of Grena- 

 da, now dressed in most splendid coloring by the declining sun. I 

 suppose you will imagine us now all gay of heart, rejoicing in the 

 beautiful scenery, and our thoughts full of Italy, Athens, Ionia, Syria, 

 and Egypt. The case is far different. We are all out of humor, 

 and our conversation is all about health officers, lazarettos and quaran- 

 tine. It will be well for us if we are allowed to set foot in any of the 

 countries around us for many a week to come. We are, in short, in 

 a singular dilemma. We dropped anchor in Gibraltar bay, last Fri- 

 day, after a passage of forty three days, via the Azores, Madeira 

 and Lisbon, and were in high spirits at the idea of getting once more 

 among old friends and familiar scenes. But a sad disappointment 

 awaited us. They had heard of the Cholera in New York, and were 

 disposed to be rigid : the health boat came along side, and in answer 

 to their questions, our surgeon most unfortunately dropped an expres- 

 sion, conveying to their alarmed minds the idea that we had that dis- 



Vol. XXIV.— No. 2. 31 



