338 
Prof. Milne — Across Europe and Asia. 
in anytking. In such a case, or where it is desired by the Student 
to become acquainted witk only one or two of the many subjects 
which are discussed in Mining Schools, the English System; wliere 
one branch after another is successively commenced and ended, 
appears to be undoubtedly superior. At any period of bis course a 
Student may retire, and gain a benefit from the instruction he has re- 
ceived. Looking at the course of instruction which is appointed in 
the St. Petersburg School of Mines, there is an element of theory 
which strikingly preponderates. This is apparent not alone in 
theoretical subjects, but in those which would of themselves ad- 
vantageously admit of practica! application. Thus in Matkema- 
tics a first-year student must become tolerably master of the 
Calculus, but as a Zoologist he must become effete with lectures. 
Amongst the long list of subjects which are discussed, there are 
several, such as Jurisprudence, Statistics, Political Economy and Re- 
ligion, whicli at other schools are only conspicuous by their absence. 
The painful way in which some subjects clash is also observable, 
— thus in one chamber the probability of kinship between men and 
apes is treated of, whilst in the next chamber such doctrines are 
dogmatically exploded. Overlooking tliese glaring inconsistencies, 
the political advantages of an ecclesiastical element in a semi-military 
school may perhaps be recognized. 
The vacations. which are of about three months’ duration, are spent 
in making geological surveys, attending metallurgical and other 
practical works. The preliminary training, such as is necessary 
for a mining engineer, being completed, the studies take a more 
decided form, and the students qualify themselves as geologists, 
metallurgists, or in that branch to which they may have devoted 
special attention. 
Altogether the course is a severe one, as may be judged by making 
a comparison between the number of students in each of the five 
years. If there are 450 in the first year, about 400 are found com- 
petent to pass into the second year, 100 to the third, 60 to the fourth, 
whilst to the fifth there will not be more than 18 or 20. It is a kard 
gauntlet to run successfully. The course being completed, the student, 
before actually taking Charge of works, may, if he desire it, proceed 
to some government works to further qualify himself, where he will 
receive a small salary. 
In the School there is a large collection of models and of mineral s. 
These latter are especially worthy of attention, as presenting, in the 
case of minerals peculiar to Bussia, specimens which may in many 
cases be regarded as unique. A large block of malachite, weighing 
29 cwt., said to be the largest ever obtained, at once strikes the 
attention. Besides this, I noticed several fine ckrysoberyls. One of 
the clear ones was nine inches long, and from three to four inches 
in thickness. The emeralds and topazes are also conspicuous. 
In the basement of the School there is a model of a mine, where the 
appearance of lodes, faults, and Underground workings of various 
deposits are demonstrated in a manner intended to approximate to 
reality. 
