404 
NATURE 
[August 27, 1885 
the stream which flows near Phy6ng Kang ; the uniform depth 
of the lava is about 100 to 14o feet, and it has a continuous and 
gradual ascent towards the north. Local statements as to its 
extent beyond Pai-namou-tjang were vague, but the plain could 
be seen stretching 13 miles farther up the divide of the eastern 
and western watersheds. Twenty miles north of this divide 
Mr. Carles left a similar plane last year, stretching from An- 
by6n to Kosan, but nearly rooo feet below the level of the 
present plain. There are thus three great oval fields of lava 
passing almost in a straight line through the mountain chain 
which runs from the north to the south of Corea at a height of 
about 1500 feet above the sea near the divide, and of 500 feet 
in the lower levels. There is also another plain about 4 miles 
wide and 12 miles long to the east in Keum-song district, the 
direction of which is not so well defined, but in which the depth 
of lava is apparently even greater than that in the others. No 
crater is visible in any direction to account for the enormous 
mass of lava ; no hot springs were heard of within 30 miles, 
and sulphur is said to be imported from China, so that the 
gigantic overflow would appear to have taken place in the 
valley, and to have completely buried the volcano from which it 
came, if such were its source. At the first gold-washing visited 
about 270 men were said to be employed. Trenches were being 
dug in a bed of shingle by the river-side, and being driven 
parallel with the course of the stream. The men worked in 
parties of six, with one washer, who managed his wooden 
bowl very cleverly. Only small particles of gold are found, but 
the results seemed uniform and far superior to those of any other 
place visited by Mr. Carles in Corea. At two different wash- 
ings which he witnessed, and which were said to give about the 
average yield, three basins of good earth, representing less than 
an hour’s labour of six men, produced about fifteen pieces of 
gold—small indeed, but clearly visible at three yards’ distance. 
Farther up the valley, where the men were working in smaller 
gangs, the yield was about the same in proportion to the num- 
ber of men. On the western slope are other workings, where 
some 300 men are engaged, but these do not appear to be so 
productive. It appears that this valley has never before been 
worked for gold ; in other places it has been sought for ages, 
and always found after the summer floods had brought down 
fresh detritus ; but here the shingle seemed never to have been 
disturbed, or, rather, arranged in walls, before. The country 
here also seemed more promising than elsewhere, and to be 
worth the visit of an experienced miner. 
For many years it was believed that the highest mountain in 
Sweden was Sulitjelma, on the frontier between Sweden and 
Norway, the height of which is about 6000 feet. A couple of 
years ago it was, however, discovered that the mountain of 
Sarjektjakko, in Swedish Lappland, was a thousand feet higher. 
Lately, Dr. Svenonius, well known for his explorations of this 
province, has declared that neither of these mountains is the 
highest in Sweden, the honour belonging to Kebnekaisse, another 
peak in the same province, which the topographical surveyor of 
the province of Norrland has measured and found to be 7192 
feet in height. 
ACCORDING to recent advices from the Faroe Islands, a well- 
known landmark has disappeared there, viz. the rock called 
“the Monk,” situated about five miles south of Sumbo. Its 
height was nearly roo feet. On the top of it lay some 
large boulders, which could be seen distinctly. Already last 
year part of the top fell down, but the body remained until last 
winter or this spring, when its disappearance was discovered. 
MINERAL PRODUCTS OF THE UNITED 
STATES 
THE second Report on ‘*The Mineral Resources of the 
United States,” by Albert Williams, jun., Chief of the 
Division of Mining Statistics and Technology, United States 
Geological Survey, is now in press and will be issued shortly. 
This Report is for the calendar years 1883 and 1884, and con- 
tains detailed statistics for these periods and also for preceding 
years, together with much descriptive and technical matter. 
The following are the totals of the production of the more 
important mineral substances in 1884 :— 
Coal.—The only statistics in which the trade is interested are 
those relating to the amount of coal which is mined for and 
reaches the market. There is, besides, a local and colliery con- 
sumption which is usually disregarded in statistics, and which 
ranges from § to 6§ per cent. of the total shipments. Of what 
may be called the commercial product the quantities in 1884 
were as follows:—Pennsylvania anthracite, 30,718,293 long 
tons ; bituminous and brown coal, lignite, and small lots of 
anthracite mined elsewhere than in Pennsylvania, 66,875,772 
long tons ; total, 97,594,065 long tons. The spot value of the 
commercial product was : Pennsylvania anthracite, $61,436, 586 ; 
bituminous and all other coals, $70,219,561 ; total, $131,656, 147. 
Including the local consumption, &c., the total product in 1884 
may be stated at 106,906,295 long tons—namely, 33,175,756 
long tons of Pennsylvania anthracite and 73,730,539 long tons 
of bituminous and all other coals ; and the value at the mines 
was: Pennsylvania anthracite, $66,351,512; bituminous and all 
other coals, $77,417,066 ; total, $143,768,578. The total pro- 
duction (that is, including colliery and local consumption) of 
anthracite was 1,160,713 long tons less than in 1883, while its 
value was $10,905,543 less, the disproportionate decline in value 
being due to a fall of 25 cents. per ton in ‘spot price ($2°25 to 
$2). The total bituminous coal production increased 5,199,039 
long tons over that of 1883, but its value was $4,820,734 less, 
the average valuation at the collieries haying fallen from $1°20 
to $1'05. The total output of all coals showed a net gain in 
tonnage of 4,038,326 long tons, and a decline in value of 
$15,726,277. : 
Coke,—There were 4,873,805 short tons of coke made in 
1884, worth $7,242,878 at the ovens. This production con- 
sumed 7,951,974 short tons of coal. The amount of coke 
made was 590,916 tons less than in 1883, and the value was 
$878,729 less. 
Petroleum.—The production of crude petroleum in 1884 was 
24,089,758 barrels of 42 gallons each, of which the Pennsylva- 
nia and New York oil-fields produced 23,622,758 barrels. The 
total value, at an average spot price of 85 cents, was $20,476,294. 
As compared with 1883 the production was 689,529 barrels 
greater ; but the total value was $5,263,958 less, the average 
sp t price having fallen from $1°10, or 25 cents per barrel. 
Natural Gas.—The estimated value of the natural gas used in 
the United States in 1884 was $1,460,000, as against $475,000 
in 1883. The value is computed from that of the coal superseded 
by natural gas. 
Jron.—The principal statistics for 1884 are as follows :—Iron 
ore mined, 8,200,000 long tons; value at mine, $22,550,000. 
Domestic iron ore consumed, 7,718,129 long tons; value at 
mine, $21,224,854. Imported iron ore consumed, 487,820 long 
tons ; total iron ore consumed, 8,125,949 long tons. Pig iron 
made, 4,097,868 long tons—a decrease of 497,642 tons as com- 
pared with 1883 ; value at furnace, $73,761,624, or $18,148,576 
less than in 1883. Total spot value of all iron and steel in the 
first stage of manufacture, excludingall duplications, 107,000,000, 
a decline of $35,000,000 from 1883. Fuel consumed in all iron 
and steel works, including blast furnaces, 1,973,305 long tons of 
anthracite, 4,226,986 long tons of bituminous coal, 3,833,170 
long tons of coke, and 52,110,660 bushels of charcoal, besides a 
notable quantity of natural gas. Limestone used as flux, 
3,401,930 long tons; value at quarry, $1,700,965. 
Gold and Silver.—The mint authorities estimate the produc- 
tion in 1884 at $30,800,000 gold and $48,800,000 silver (coining 
rate) ; total, $79,600,000. This was an increase of $8co,000 
gold and $2,600,000 silver as compared with 1883. The gold 
production was equivalent to 1,489,949 troy ounces, and the 
silver to 37,744,605 troy ounces. 
Copper.—The production in 1884, including 2,858,754 pounds 
made from imported pyrites, was 145,221,934 pounds, worth 
$17,789,687, at an average price of 123 cents per pound in New 
York City. The amount was 28,070,139 pounds greater than 
the production of 1883; but the value was $275,120 less than 
that for 1883, owing to the decline in price. In 1884 4,224,000 
pounds of bluestone (sulphate of copper, ‘‘ blue vitriol”) were 
made ; worth, at 4°3 cents per pound, $181,632. 
Lead.—Production, 139,897 short tons. Total value, at an 
average price of $75°32 per ton on the Atlantic sea-board, 
$10,537,042. The production was 4060 tons less than that of 
1883, while the decrease in value was $1,785,677. The pro- 
duction of white lead (carbonate) is estimated at about 65,000 
short tons, worth, at 4% cents per pound, $6, 337,500, almost all 
of which was made from pig lead. The production of litharge 
and red lead has not been ascertained. 
Zinc.—Production of metallic zinc, 38,544 short tons ; worth, 
at an average price of 4°44 cents per pound in New York City, 
$3,422,707. The output was 1672 tons greater than in 1883, 
