ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 77 
commerce was then in connected circles, like links of a chain; each orbit of 
trading fleets communicating at its extremes with others farther east and 
west. Thus the silk of China and Japan, unknown in Europe, found its way 
into ports on the Baltic Sea, through several limited districts of trade, each 
keeping within its natural limits, but acting as a medium for circulating the 
products of one extreme to the other. All trade being more or less a monop- 
oly, the point of production of many valuable commodities was frequently 
concealed. 
Certain terminal points exist in all trade where one system of commerce 
links into and connects with another reaching beyond. Such were Gadir, 
Massilia, Alexandria, Tyre, Sidon, Taprobané (Ceylon), Molucea, Seres, ete. 
Thus legends and traditions of far distant countries were communicated in 
advauce of their discovery, and although at first deemed mythical, were gen- 
erally founded on facts, and largely confirmed by later discoveries and ex- 
plorations in the field, and since found fully detailed in Oriental histories yet 
extant. Every variety of enormity has in all ages been the characteristic 
ascribed by ignorance to unknown nations, and these have been gradually 
removed farther and farther as discovery advanced. 
Great numbers of people were distributed by this early commercial enter- 
prise, and how large indeed must have been the number of ancient Phceni- 
cian and Malay wrecks, if the Japanese wrecks of the present day may be 
accepted as any criterion. Nature is universally consistent. 
In future papers I shall discuss the different origin of the Chinese and Jap- 
anese races, and conclude by expressing the opinion that early races have 
been far more spread and intermixed by early maritime intercourse, than 
the casual observer would suppose, and that, however distinct any type of 
mankind may appear, all will be found to be more or less composite, except- 
ing, perhaps, some remnant of early aborigines, driven into a forced seclusion 
among the fastnesses of interior mountain ranges. 
The authorities adduced in this paper might be greatly increased, but I 
have studied to be as brief as possible, aiming only to show the progressive 
quality and universality of natural law, whereby analogical reasoning is ren- 
dered comparatively safe, and to establish the fact of early intercourse among 
maritime nations of the West, rather than to fully illustrate either, by elab- 
orate details. 
Dr. Brigham read an invitation to attend the International 
Congress of Americanists, to be held at Nancy, France, July 22, 
1875. 
Judge Hastings called the attention of the Academy to the 
fact that the work of the State Geological Survey on the ‘‘ Bot- 
any of California”’ would shortly be published. As the flora of 
the Pacific Coast develops some characteristic species, novel and 
interesting, worthy the attention of the students of this science, 
is is highly to be desired that the work on the botany of this 
State should be published. This publication is now secured 
