SCIENCE. 



[Vol. X. No. 245 



of October in Nicaragua, and in the beginning of November in 

 Costa Rica and Panama. In Guatemala they blow from the middle 

 of October until the end of April, in Costa Rica from the beginning 

 of November until the end of March. At the end of this season, 

 calms prevail for two or three weeks ; then the south-westerly 

 monsoon sets in, and tropical thunder-storms with heavy rains occur 

 every day. This period begins in Panama and Costa Rica in April, 

 in Nicaragua in May, and in Guatemala in June. 



It is difficult to estimate the traffic that would make use of a 

 canal through the American isthmus, as its opening would result in 

 a complete revolution of trade. The route through the Suez Canal 

 is taken by about two-thirds of the ships plying between Europe 

 and Asia. According to C. Eggert the whole traffic of Europe 

 with India, East Asia, and Australia, in 1883, required 5,707 ships 

 of 7,773,658 tonnage. 



From May i, 1882, to April 30, 1883, 3,154 steamships, of 4,889,- 

 928 tons, and from May i, 1883, to April 30, 1884, 3,407 steam- 

 ships, of 5,585,504 tons, passed through the canal. Therefore it 

 will be safe to suppose that in the beginning about two-thirds of 

 the whole traffic which might avail itself of the American canal 

 would make use of it. It may be that the figure will be a little 

 lower, as some seamen will object to the locks of the canal, but this 

 objection will readily be overcome. According to statements fur- 

 nished by the Bureau of Statistics, the number and tonnage of ves- 

 sels that could use a canal through Central America, amounted, 

 in 1879, to 2,647 vessels, of 2,671,886 tons; in 1885, to 4,139 ves- 

 sels, of 4,252,434 tons. From data furnished by the Statistical 

 Bureau of Hamburg, the same traffic amounted, in 1883, to 2,404 

 vessels, of 2,337,346 tons. In these compilations the figures for 

 the trade between the United States and foreign ports fairly agree, 

 as the following table will show. The first line refers to vessels 

 entered at and cleared from Atlantic coast ports of the United 

 States in trade with foreign countries west of Cape Horn ; the 

 second, to vessels entered at and cleared from Pacific coast ports of 

 the United States in trade with foreign countries east of Cape Horn. 

 The first and third columns are according to the Bureau of Statis- 

 tics of the Treasury Department ; the second, from the Hamburg 

 Bureau of Statistics. 



The figures showing the trade between European ports and for- 

 eign countries other than the United States, and using the route 

 around Cape Horn, do not agree as well : — 



In the figures compiled from the data of the Hamburg Bureau 

 the traffic between the Pacific and Atlantic ports of North America 

 is not included ; but there can be no doubt that this trade will 

 rapidly develop after the opening of the canal, and that it will form 

 one of the most important items of income of the canal. The 

 United States Bureau of Statistics states that vessels of 4,252,434 

 tons might have passed the canal in 1885. If the increase should 

 continue at the same rate, 6,506,214 tons might use the canal when 

 opened, on Jan. i, 1893. The Suez Canal route is used by two- 

 thirds of the whole traffic ; but it must be considered, that, on ac- 

 count of the winds of the Red Sea, sailing-ships cannot make use 

 of the canal, while on the coast of Nicaragua the winds are more 

 favorable. But, even if we suppose that from 70 to 80 per cent of 

 the whole traffic will take this route, the income will be very con- 

 siderable. Taking 70 per cent of the whole probable traffic of 

 1893 passing the canal, not less than about 4,700,000 tons would 



take this route. But to this must be added the trade between the 

 interior of the United States and eastern Asia, the greater part of 

 which takes now the route of San Francisco, and part of the trans- 

 continental trade : therefore it is probable that the figure is too low 

 rather than too high. 



The figures given above show that the tonnage of the vessels which 

 will use this canal averages about 1,000 tons. Therefore the traffic 

 would amount to about 3,500 vessels annually. The average ton- 

 nage, however, will rapidly increase after the canal is once open to 

 navigation, as was the case with vessels passing the Suez Canal. 

 The average tonnage of vessels passing that canal is g^ven here : — 



This increase is due to the increase in the number of large 

 steamers trading between Europe and Asia. The same will be 

 the case after the opening of the Central American Canal. Though 

 the navigation of the neighboring seas by sailing-vessels is not so 

 difficult as that of the Red Sea, steamers will more and more 

 monopolize the trade. 



It is hardly possible to say which country will be most benefited 

 by the opening of a canal through Central America. For the 

 United States it is of the greatest importance, as it will open a new 

 and important route from the Atlantic to the Pacific ports, as well 

 as to the west coast of South America and to the islands and west 

 shore of the Pacific Ocean. Dr. Franz Boas. 



SEARCH FOR GEMS AND PRECIOUS STONES. 



The insatiate desire for ornaments and articles to decorate the 

 person, and hence the race for the acquisition of wealth, gives em- 

 ployment to thousands of persons in different parts of the world, 

 who are kept busily engaged in searching for gems and precious 

 stones ; and in this aspect Prof. P. L. Simmonds considers it in a 

 recent number of the Journal of the Society of Arts. It is some- 

 what difficult to know where the line of demarcation as to ' gems 

 and precious stones ' is to be drawn, and what properly come 

 within this category ; for tastes differ materially, and fashions 

 change from time to time. About one or two, however, there can 

 be no doubt as to classification. Diamonds and pearls have al- 

 ways been highly esteemed and appreciated, and the demand for 

 these is universal. But there are some stones and substances that 

 have value chiefly in special localities : such, for instance, as jade 

 among the Chinese and Pacific Islanders, from its hardness and 

 rarity ; amber among the Chinese, Turks, and Russians ; and coral 

 among the East Indians, Chinese, and Africans. The African race 

 appreciate the artificial Venetian beads above any valuable gem, 

 because they have long been familiar to them, and are the fashion. 



Precious stones have been prized in all ages for their portability,, 

 and high intrinsic value in a small compass. In Christopher Mar- 

 lowe's celebrated play, ' The Rich Jew of Malta,' the merchant is 

 represented as having before him 



" Bags of fiery opals, sapphires, amethysts ; 

 Jacinths, hard topaz, grass green emeralds, 

 Beauteous rubies, sparkling diamonds, 

 And seld seen costly stones of so great price, 

 As one of them, indifferently rated, 

 And of a carat of this quality. 

 May serve, in peril of calamity. 

 To ransom great kings from captivity. 

 This is the ware wherein consists my wealth ! " 



A glance over the various regions of the globe will show us merb 

 of all races, in large companies, delving in the ground or diving in 

 the sea for this commercial wealth. Indeed, scarcely a sea or a 

 river but has its fleet of boats at certain seasons laden with men 

 eagerly searching for pearls, although it is chiefly in the tropics that 

 these boats congregate. It may prove interesting to gather a few 

 facts connected with this important quest, taking the searchers on 

 land first, and then investigating the rich produce gathered from 

 the sea. 



In the Indian Empire there is a great commerce carried on in 

 gems and precious stones, although no reliable data are available. 



