ITALY. LETTER XXIII. 303 



to Turin ; nay, beyond that place to the foot of 

 mount Cenis, a calcareous Alp. Of that nature 

 is likewife the whole country, and all the hills of 

 Piedmont. Blunted rollecj pieces of Gabbro, and 

 fome petrifactions of marine bodies, are frequently 

 found in it. But befides thefe there are other hills 

 in Piedmont, calcareous and quartzous ones, which 

 are veined with fmall flripes of mica. Such are 

 the hills next to Turin ; and that fort of flone is 

 called Sarris, commonly employed in foundations 

 and columns. 



The Arfenal at Turin deferves the attention of a 

 friend of Natural Hiftory and Chemiftry, becaufe 

 it contains a collection of minerals, a good che- 

 mical laboratory, a library of mineralogical and 

 metallurgical books, and well-directed furnaces for 

 calling guns. As chemiftry is of great ufe in the 

 artillery, and the principles of mining may prove 

 highly ufeful to a part of military architecture, the 

 court has been induced to make thefe ufeful efta- 

 blilhments in the Arfenal, which are calculated for 

 the inftruction of engineers as well as for that of 

 young miners. I need not tell you, that there is 

 no want of matters in the mathematical, mecha- 

 nical, an d other arts relating to tactics ; but I 

 fpeak only of what is to my purpofe. 



The Cavalier Rubilante was fome years ago or- 

 dered by his Majefty the King of Sardinia to make 



and 



