S60 Intelligence and Miscellanies. 



The average price in the New-York market is ^8,53 per 

 chaldron of thirty-six bushels, making a gross sum of ;^478,- 

 000 per annum paid out of the State for coal in the present 

 amount of population. The quantity of Rhode Island coal 

 consumed cannot be accurately ascertained ; but it is thought 

 not to exceed 40Q0 chaldrons at an average of ^6,50 per 

 chaldron. 



The annual consumption of wood fuel in this city may be 

 considered as amounting to 280,000 cords, and it is stated 

 in a publication recently made, that the steam vessels which 

 ply from New-York consume annually more than 200,000 

 cords beside Valuing the whole 480,000 at ^5 per cord, we 

 have a gross amount of two millions and four hundred thou- 

 sand dollars annually expended for wood fuel. It is univers- 

 ally known that this article is becoming scarce, and with a 

 population rapidly pressing upon us, the substitution of coal is 

 the only measure that can save us from the inconvenience of 

 a scarcity of timber. 



In bringing these important facts and general views before 

 the Legislature, your memorialists have been solely govern- 

 ed b} the desire of making the sciences they cultivate, con- 

 ducive to the advantage of the country ; and they respectful- 

 ly hope not to be deemed obtrusive if they express a confi- 

 dent expectation, that the Legislature will take the subject 

 into consideration and make provision by law for a practical 

 and efficient examination of the mineral formations of this 

 State for bituminous coal. 



And your memorialists will ever pray. 



Signed Jos. Delafield, Pres't. ^c. 



Lyceum of Nat. History of New-York, ) 

 February 2, 1829. 5 



4. Gold mines of North Carolina. — This remarkable local- 

 ity of the most precious of the metals, continues to attract an 

 increasing share of pubhc attention-; and the territory of the 

 " Gold Country," has within three or four years been greatly 

 enlarged. Until within a short period, these mines were 

 supposed to be confined to the small county of Cabarras, in 

 the western part of North Carolina. The neighboring coun- 

 ties of Montgomery, Anson, and Mecklenberg, were succes- 

 sively found to contain a share of the same treasure ; but in 

 1823, the extent of the gold country was estimated by Pro- 



