Miscellaneous. 



459 



the store-houses of the depot costs about 20 copecks ; from thence the 

 coal is transported to Pekin upon camels. In the city the price of 

 coals is 1 1 rouble per poud. 



There is besides a kind of coal met with at Pekin, brought from 

 the neighbourhood, which is much cheaper, particularly when it is 

 mixed in the proportion of one-half with coal-gravel (or detritus). 

 This coal sells for only 1 rouble per poud, but it gives out but little 

 heat, and is very quickly consumed. The coal-gravel in question is 

 previously mixed with yellow clay, to give it greater consistence. The 

 process is very simple ; eight parts of coal-gravel are mixed with two of 

 clay, pouring into the mixture as much water as is required to ren- 

 der it a thick paste. When the whole of the mass has been well 

 mixed, it is put into moulds, in the same manner as in the manufacture 

 of bricks. The pieces thus prepared and dried are used as coal ; they 

 produce little heat, and the fire must be constantly fed with fresh 

 doses. This fuel is only made use of among the indigent classes. 



Russian Linear Measures. 



The Sagene, or Russian toise, is divided into 7 feet, or into 3 archines, 

 The foot, ... ... ... into 12 inches, 



The inch, ... ... ... into 10 lines, 



The archine or ell, ... ... into 16 vershoks, 



The vershok, ... ... into §, i, 



The verst, or mile, is 500 sagenes in length, and is equal to 1067 French kilometres. 



A verst is nearly f of an English mile, or exactly 5 furlongs, 67 yards. 



Weights. 



The Russian poud is divided into 96 zolotniks, 



The zolotnik into 96 doleis or parts. 



The poud consist of ... 40 pounds, 



The berkovetz 10 pouds. 



Coins. 



The silver rouble is worth 4 francs (French), 



The copec is the ~ part of the rouble, worth 0.04 centimes, 



The paper rouble varies according to the exchange, from 110 to 116 centimes, 



The copper copec, the ~ part of a paper rouble, is consequently worth 1 cent ~ 



or 1 cent i , according to the course of exchange. 

 The Chinese li is equal to 274| sagenes of Russia.— Edinburgh New Philosophical 



Journal. 



