Geographical Notices, 99 
From this communication we gather such facts as are of 
most interest to scientific readers. 
1. The Si-Shan fills, 
Passing south from Peking to Kai-fung, the writer thus re- 
fers to the metallic deposits of the Si-Shan hills, which meet- 
Most precious of all metals. Iron founderies are in operation 
i at least two districts—one near Peking and the other in 
Hooh-lu-hien, about two hundred miles to the south. As we 
passed the latter place, we met a vast number of carts convey- 
ing its productions to all parts of the province. These ranged 
from kitchen utensils up to salt boilers, five or six feet in diam- 
eter, see appeared to be well executed and the metal of 
ity. 
only with the latter variety. With the exception of places 
hear the Hwangho, it is transported mainly by land carriage— 
hear Peking on the backs of camels, further south on mules, 
donkeys and wheel-barrows, The consequence is, that while 
at Some points, it is cheap and abundant, at intermediate 
Places it becomes so costly that the people are obliged to burn 
7 ds and millet-stalks or glean a scanty supply of fuel from 
their stubble fields. 
“Here then, on the line of this imperial road, and along the 
of this range of hills is the track for the first grand 
trunk railway in the Chinese empire. Not only would it find 
Close at hand iron for its rails and coal for its motive power ; 
Put the carriage of coal and iron to all the cities on the line 
including aay and Tientsin would constitute one of the 
Nichest sources of its revenue. With Ta-ku for one terminus 
aed Kai-fung for the other, it seas ag through the capital 
: an pe Sapir, through two provincial capitals, six fw cities, 
h 
ca’ 
finite number of chows and-hiens. 
