310 
SEALING SCHOONERS IN TUSCARORA DEEP 
tliat Congress did not appropriate but half the money sum I desired for 
tlie expedition, the salaries of all are far less than they should he; but it 
is certain tliat if the objects of this expedition should he fully accom- 
))lished every soul of it that shall have been energetic, faithful, and true 
will on the return of the expedition he abundantly rewarded by our lib- 
eral country through her noble-minded, appreciative U. S. Senatoi's and 
Representatives. I have been thus assured by many of these Senators and 
Representatives. 
Yours, C. F. Hai.t., 
Commanding U. S. North Polar Expedition. ■ 
MINERAL PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES 
The United State.s Geological Survey has issued, under date of 
August 1, a statement of the mineral production of the United 
States in 1895 differing materially as to one or Uvo important prod- 
ucts from its recently published statement, quoted from and com- 
mented upon in the July number of the National Geographic 
Magazine, the corrections being rendered necessary by the issu- 
ance by the Director of the Mint of revised figures of the })ro- 
duction of the precious metals. The production of silver is now 
given as 55,727,000 ounces instead of 47,000,000 ounces, as in 
the former statement, a supposed decrease of about two and one- 
half million ounces giving place to an actual increase of over 
(3,200,000 ounces. The production of gold is given as $46,610,000 
instead of $47,000,000. The total production of minerals is 
valued at $622,230,723 instead of $611,795,290, as previously 
stated, the amount now found to have been produced during 
1895 being nearly one-fifth greater than that of the preceding 
year and exceeded in value only in 1891 and 1892. 
REPORTS OF SEALING SCHOONERS CRUISING IN 
THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF TUSCARORA DEEP IN 
MAY AND JUNE, 1896 
.\ resident of Hakodate, whose business connections are largely 
with the sealing schooners that cross from British Columliia eacli 
spring to hunt along the Japanese coasts, has given me, inform- 
ally, several hitherto unpublished notes wdiich would definitely 
indicate a submarine volcanic explosion or eruption in Tusca- 
rora deep, and show' that unusual disturbances exi.sted there 
