Miscellanies. 207 



tors of science in this country, through the rector, a " microscope and 

 apparatus, value one hundred guineas ; with the following inscription : 

 ' Presented to Gideon Algernon Mantell, Esq., LL. D., F. R. S., &c. 

 by his friends in Clap ham and its vicinity, in testimony of their grateful 

 sense of his kind and effective exertions among them for the advance- 

 ment of scientific knowledge, Feb. 3, 1842.' " — From the Lancet, {med- 

 ical journal, London.) 



4. Steam Navigation in the Pacific. — In Vol. xli, p. 358, we gave 

 some account of the success of Mr. William Wheelwright in the efforts 

 made by him to establish navigation by steam along the coasts of Peru 

 and Chili. 



Letters from him to the senior editor, dated at Guayaquil, October, 

 1841, and on board the steamer Chili, December 5, 1841, furnish the 

 following additional particulars. In the letter of October, he says : — 



" I now take the liberty of sending you a sample of coal from the 

 isthmus of Panama, which you will find bearing a remarkable resem- 

 blance to that of Talca — a parcel of which I forwarded to you. We 

 have not been able to discover any coal in the mining districts or rather 

 the mineral districts of Peru or Chili, but the mines in Talca are every 

 day improving in quality, and the quantity is unlimited : in fact, the 

 whole southern country is nothing but a mine of coal. I have sunk a 

 shaft about fifty five feet through a bed of sandstone, and there are 

 already evident geological signs of the vein existing below. The rains 

 have deterred me from continuing the work during the winter, but I 

 intend resuming it in the spring. 



" The progress of our steamers here has been in a measure interrupted 

 by an unfortunate accident which occurred to the Chili — she having 

 struck on a ledge of rocks — which has delayed her six months, but I 

 hope in a few weeks to see her again at work. 



" The prosperity of the entei'prise is no longer doubtful. The coal 

 of Talca will not exceed $2 50 per ton, put on board. The number of 

 passengers has been doubled already, and one year more will fill the 

 steamers constantly. I am waiting the arrival of one more steamer to 

 complete the line to Panama." 



The second letter we insert entire, as all the information it contains is 

 interesting. 



Steamer Chili, December 5, 1841, 



My dear Sir — I am exceedingly indebted for your letter,* dated 

 July 20, 1841, and for the information it contains on the subject of 

 coal, which is most satisfactory. Since my last, we have mined about 



* See this Journal, Vol. xli, p. 362. 



