September 12, 1912] 



NATURE 



61 



AMERICAN MINERAL STATISTICSJ 



THE annual report of the production of minerals 

 in the United States has been issued for igio 

 by the United States Geological Survey in the form 

 of two bulky volumes dealing with metallic and non- 

 metallic products respectively. Most of the statistical 

 information had been already published in the special 

 pamphlets issued from time to time by the Geological 

 Survey, so that the present volumes contain no new 

 facts, although they add a great quantity of important 

 and interesting details, whilst the study of the sub- 

 ject is, of course, greatly facilitated by the collection 

 and juxtaposition of all the various items. 



The total value of the mineral production is given as 

 a little more than 2,000,000,000 dollars, an increase of 

 6'2 per cent, over that of 1909. This figure is quite 

 comparable with the values of output of the United 

 States for previous years, but is not comparable with 

 those for other countries, because of a number of in- 

 exactitudes due to the method in which the returns are 

 presented. As has more than once been pointed out, 

 the grand total contains a number of reduplications, 

 in spite of the statement in the report itself that " all 

 unnecessary duplication has been excluded." The 

 report directs attention to the fact that the value of 

 the coke produced, practically 100,000,000 dollars, 

 is excluded from the total, because "the quantity and 

 value of the coal used in its manufacture are included 

 in the statistics of coal production." It neglects the 

 equally important fact that practically the whole of 

 this coke is consumed in the production of metals, 

 such as pig-iron, copper, and lead, and as the value of 

 these metals is given, and not merely that of the ores 

 from which they are extracted, the cost of the coke 

 is really included in the value assigned to the metals. 

 If the total value assigned to mineral products is to be 

 correct, the value of all the fuel used for metallurgical 

 purposes, and for burning clay products, lime, cement, 

 &c., should be deducted from the grand total; this is 

 by no means a trifling correction, for it would probably 

 mean a diminution of the total by something like 10 

 per cent. 



Care has been taken in this report to include only 

 metals produced from domestic ores as far as pos- 

 sible ; this brings out the very interesting fact that 

 the recovery of metals from residues, by-products, 

 waste materials, &c., is assuming very important 

 dimensions. Thus in 1910 the production of zinc, here 

 called " primary spelter," direct from domestic ores 

 amounted to 252,479 tons, and that of zinc from 

 imported — chiefly Mexican — ores to 16,705 tons, whilst 

 the quantity of so-called " secondary zinc " recovered 

 from waste and scrap materials of various kinds was 

 no less than 68,723 tons, or about a quarter of the 

 production of primary spelter. In the case of tin the 

 figures are still more striking ; the quantity of tin 

 obtainable direct from ores is not stated, but appears 

 to be of the order of some 40 tons, whilst the recovery 

 of secondary tin from scrap of all kinds amounted to 

 no less than 13,903 tons. It is calculated that the 

 recovery of secondary tin throughout the world is only 

 27,000 tons, so that one-half of this production takes 

 place in the United States. Seeing that the world's 

 output of primary tin was about 115,920 tons in 1910, 

 the recovery of tin from scrap is assuming very im- 

 portant dimensions. 



Amongst the non-metallic minerals, coal is, of 

 course, by far the most important, the output for igio 

 exceeding 500 millions of tons, this being the first 

 time that this figure has been attained. The mineral 



1 "MinemI Rewurce? of the United States, Calend.ir Year. 1910." 

 Part i., Metal-^. Pp. 796+plate. Part !i.. Non-metals. Pp. loos+pl.ates. 

 ^^'ashincton : Covernment Printing Office, 1911.) I 



output shows Steady and progressive development in 

 practically all directions, and these volumes afford con- 

 clusive evidence of the prominent position that the 

 mineral riches of the United States hold amongst the 

 sources of national wealth. It should, however, in all 

 fairness be added that these two fine volumes of 

 mineral statistics are not unworthy of the flourishing 

 industries, the progress of which they chronicle. Is it 

 too much to hope that we may have some day in this 

 country a record of mineral statistics that might 

 worthily sustain comparison for accuracy and com- 

 pleteness with that issued by the United States Geo- 

 logical Survey? H. L. 



INCOME OF AMERICAN COLLEGES OF 

 UNIVERSITY RANK. 



THE second volume of the report of the United 

 States Commissioner of Education for the year 

 ended June 30, 191 1, has now been received from 

 Washington. It is chiefly devoted to statistical details 

 concerning the development and present provision of 

 educational facilities in institutions of all the grades 

 included in the American system of education. 

 Especially interesting are the facts which may be 

 gathered respecting education of university rank. 



The total receipts of the universities in the United 

 States are given as 18,934,410/., derived from a variety 

 of sources, as shown in the following table : — 



Total Receipts of Universities and Colleges for the 

 ] year ended June 30, 191 1. 



Tuition and other educational fees ... 3,698,600 



Room rent 381,700 



Board and other non -educational fees ... 1,218,970 



Productive funds 2,658,700 



State or city for increase of plant 932,430 



,, ,, current expenses 2,941,450 



United States Government 1,175,040 



Private benefactions for increase of plant .. 1,144,700 



,, ,, endowment ... 2,753,970 



,, ,, current e.spenses... 693,950 



.\11 other sources 1,334,900 



Total receipts 



18,934,410 



More detailed information is provided as to _ the 

 benefactions given during the year under review, 

 which exceeded four and a half millions sterling, or 

 4,592,620/. to be precise. We notice, for example, 

 that the total is more by 845,200/. than was received 

 during 1909-1910. Fifty universities and colleges each 

 received gifts amounting to more than 20,000/., and, 

 as the following table shows, seven universities and 

 colleges were fortunate enough to benefit to the extent 

 of 100,000/. or more. 



Universities and Colleges receiving 100,000/. or more 

 in Benefactions during 1910-11. 



Columbia University 507,010 



Harvard College, Massachusetts 349,090 



University of Chicago 271,790 



Yale University ... •■ 226,880 



New York University 185,690 



Dartmouth College, New Hampshire ... 156,890 



Amherst College, Massachu>etts 101,950 



A separate chapter in the report deals with agricul- 

 tural and mechanical colleges, but the Commissioner 

 is careful to point out that some of them are also 

 included under universities and colleges, so that over- 

 lapping occurs. The following table shows the total 

 income of the agricultural and mechanical colleges for 

 the year under consideration. Grants for experiment 

 stations, farmers' institutes, and other means for 



NO. 2237, VOL. go] 



