Steamship Clarion and Anthracite Coals. This packet ship, provided, as our readers are aware, with an auxiliary steam power and the Erricson Propeller, made a trial excursion in the Bay last Saturday, the result of which may be considered of some importance in connexion with the progress of American steam navigation. It has long been urged by grave authorities, that nature has interposed an effectual barrier to prevent the United States from competing with Great Britain in steam navigation, owing to the scarcity and inferior quality of our bituminous coals. The absurdity of this opinion was strikingly illustrated in the trial alluded to. Revolutionary Reminiscence. It has been stated in several of the papers that Mr. Squiers, of Ashford, Connecticut, who died a few weeks since, was the last of the survivors of the battle of Bunker Hill. This is not correct. Philip Bagley, Esq. of this town, now eightysix years of age, and enjoying a healthful old age, in the full possession of all his faculties, was in that battle. Being in our office the other day, we procured from him some facts which we have thrown together for the benefit of those of our readers who love to indulge in these old reminiscences of the times of devoted and unselfish patriotism. Mr. Bagley was a private soldier in Capt. Sawyer's comThe public generally are not aware that the Clarion's boilers have been constructed for burning anthracite coals pany, and Col. Frye's regiment of Massachusetts minute men, having enlisted in this regiment, in December 1774.only, and that artificial draught is employed in order to dis- He left Haverhill, on the Merrimack, at 1 o'clock on the pense with the usual tall and cumbrous smoke-pipe. Hith-19th of April and arrived at Cambridge, at 10 o'clock the erto some difficulty has been experienced in keeping up a sufficient supply of steam in the "Clarion;" but by the addition of a small steam cylinder for working the blower ap plied to the boiler, this difficulty has now been most completely removed, and nothing could be more perfect than the control which the engineer had over the steam during the trial. By simply turning a stop-cock attached to the small cylinder, the quantity and pressure of the steam in the boilers were raised at pleasure. next day. Nothing worthy of notice, he says, transpired until the evening, of the 16th of June. On that evening, Col. Frye's regiment, together with Col. Dodge's of Connecticut, crossed the neck, and went on to Bunker Hill, where the British troops had previously halted on their retreat from Concord, in April. After remaining there about an hour, both regiments proceeded to Breed's Hill. Here they commenced breaking grounds for their entrenchments, Considering the small quantity of stowage room required between 10 and 11 o'clock at night, working all night so secretly and silently that the Glasgow sloop of war, lying in by anthracite coals, its cleanliness, powerful heating quali- the river at a short distance, did not discover them. At day ties, and the perfect absence of smoke, we hazard nothing in light they were discovered and a fire was opened upon them asserting, after what we witnessed on board the " Clarion," that so far from the United States laboring under any disad-hauled up the stream, in order to rake the Neck with her from Copp's Hill and from the shipping. The Glasgow soon vantage respecting coals for steam navigation, we possess, shot, and prevent reinforcements from reaching the hill.— in our inexhaustible stores of anthracite coals, an absolute Notwithstanding the shot and shells continued to pour in advantage over our transatlantic neighbors. And in warfare upon them, the Americans continued to work upon their enwe have an advantage of the most vital importance. trenchments, and but one man was killed by the cannonade. Sentries were stationed to watch the flash from the gun, and on their calling out "shot!" the men would lie down flat upon the ground, and then rise and resume their work. This when the Americans were compelled to leave the spade and continued until the British troops landed at Charlestown, pick-axe, and resort to their guns. The first division of the British troops, on landing, halted till the second had crossed the river, when both formed, and advanced up the hill, under cover of the fire from Copp's Hill, and from the sloop of war and the gun boats. Steamers burning bituminous coal can be "tracked" at sea at least seventy miles before their hulls become visible by the dense columns of black smoke pouring out of their pipes, and trailing along the horizon. It is a complete telltale of their whereabouts, which is not the case with those burning anthracite coal, as the latter kind sends forth no smoke. Therefore all steamers like the "Clarion" and “Kamschatka," are decidedly superior to all others in time And we regret very much that our two new war steamers, the "Missouri and " Mississippi," have been constructed to burn foreign bituminous coals only! We regret very much that the "Board of Construction" had so little foresight. But this en passant. of war. Having had the advantage of conversing with some thorough-bred engineers who were on board the Clarion, we cannot avoid noticing the performance of the propeller during the trial. The speed of the engine being accurately tried, it was found to give 4,700 revolutions to the propeller in running over a space of 14 miles. Now, the propeller being 6 feet in diameter; and its spiral plates being set at an angle of 46 degrees at the circumference, its progressive movement through the water will be precisely 20 feet for each revolution; had therefore the resistance of the water been perfect, the vessel could only have passed over a space of 95,900 feet. But 14 miles is equal to 73,900-thus it will be seen that only 2-9ths was lost by slip on the receding of the watera remarkable fact, considering the large midship section of the "Clarion," compared with the small dimension of the propeller. Respecting the consumption of fuel in the "Clarion," it has now been fully ascertained 320 pounds per hour is the average, which is less than that required by a British steamer of forty horse power.-New York Herald. Oldest Man in New England. Deacon John Whitman was born in Bridgewater, March 25, 1735. and entered upon his one hundred and seventh year last Friday, (March 26th.) His bodily health is good, and he is able to walk out without a cane. His mental faculties have failed him, and he has lost his eye-sight. He has been a temperate man all his life; not having tasted ardent spirits for the last fifty years. As is well known to every reader, the Americans reserved their fire, until the British were within a hundred yards, when they opened so deadly a fire upon them, that they twice repulsed them, and it was not until the third rally that the British succeeded in surrounding the lines, so as to rake the breast work, and compel the Americans to retreat. Fifty years after this memorable battle, Mr. Bagley was present, with Lafayette, and other survivors of the revolution, at the laying of the corner stone of the Monument, and on the 10th of September, 1840, he was there again at the Great Whig Convention, in the full vigor of manhood, and he mental pile.-Newburyport Herald. hopes yet to live to see the top stone laid upon the monu Gold Mines in Georgia. We have been favored by a friend with the following extract of the letter received a day or two since, from a gentleman of high respectability residing in the Cherokee Country. Sixes, we are informed, is an old Indian town, where several lots of land were found to have very rich surface, deposit and vein mines of gold. Some four years since we understand $12,000 was taken from a branch on its margin, and many other lots near by were found to be valuable. [Savannah Repub. HICKORY FLATS, Cher. Co. October 1, 1841. S The gold mine of Gerald's continues to be pretty good; they have taken some 800 dwts. from it, one piece weighing 18 dwts. About the Sixes they continue to take it with great success-three hands frequently make from 50 to 100 dwts. in a day. The proportion stands thus: Horses. 30,260,082 Chat preelving m 1440 34 2,129,47%. The crop of Mica, berriz, oste, rja, bork wheat and Indian corn Crees! the fight, mumber 6, page 95, amounted to 51,816 State of New York, (horses and mules) 1 to 5 1-10 inhab brom brushela, out about 21 1 The population of Căreat Britain in 1831 was Deduet Heatland bushels for each inhabitant. 16,530,818 2,363,114 14,154,904 Total, England and Wales Great Britain, (horses) . 1 to 11 2-100 1 to 11 1-4 * The division line is the meridian of Paris, which severs the kingdom into two nearly equal parts, both in respect to territory and population, leaving on each side also 43 de The proof wheat, fouley and rye, nate and beans in Eng Partments, NB being the whole number in France. Jaud and Wales Ce Northern Light, number 1, page 87,)! they are not taken into the account in the statistical returns The number of mules in Great Britain is so small that of the kingdom. the bad ball of the kingdom, he making up the amount for Mance, we, of course dou Then ng the my parents to be opral with her our farms are large and imperfectly cultivated.These are defects which we might profitably correct now, - 1 to 1 1-10 inhab. without waiting till we are impelled to it by the necessity of - 1 to 3 17-100 - 1 to 3 9-10 providing for a greatly increased population. The same labor and expense devoted to the cultivation of one half the surface occupied, would, in many cases, be a source of econo 2 1-5 for each inhab, my and profit, as well as comfort. or one sheep for every 1 1-10 inhabitant. In live stock, therefore, we are in advance of Great Britain, except in respect to sheep, and in this respect we fall but little behind her. This fact is calculated to excite some sur prise, as Great Britain has long occupied so high a rank among wool-growing countries. A comparison with France exhibits us far in advance of that kingdom in live stock, considering the countries relatively to population. The aggregate agricultural product of a country is not, for obvious reasons, to be relied on as a criterion of the condition of its agriculture. We must see what proportion the product bears to the surface under cultivation, and the number of persons employed. Unfortunately we have not the means of testing the productiveness of our agriculture by the first of these standards. The extent of our cultivated surface is not exhibited by the returns we have received of our agricultural statistics as ascertained by the cen-sus of 1840. The area of the State of New York comprises 45,658 square miles. This includes rivers and small lakes, which may cover 1600'square miles, making the territorial surface in round numbers 44,000 square miles, or 28,160,000 acres. Of this surface 9,655,426 acres, somewhat more than one-third, had in 1835 been improved, (i. e. set. tled,) though it was supposed that not more than one-half (or one-sixth of our whole area) was under profitable culti The area of England and Wales is 57,812 square miles, or 36,999,680 acres. The land under tillage in England and Wales, including 1,650,000 acres under fallow, is 13,650,000 acres. The number of acres under tillage and fallow in this State does not probably exceed 5,000,000 acres. Our annual crop of cereal grains ought to be at least onethird of that of England and Wales to be equally productive -or about 78 millions of bushels, whereas it is less than 52 millions, or less than one fourth. We do not pretend to give this comparison as an accurate one, as the basis of the vation. estimate is not to be relied on. But in respect to the number of persons employed, a nearer approximation to the truth may be attained. In England and Wales, as we have seen the number of persons of 20 years of age and upwards engaged in agriculture is 1,233,057. Dividing the crop of cereal grains by this number, it will give 191 1-100 bushels for each person employed in agriculture. Dividing our crop by the number of persons so employed, it will give 112 1-2 bushels for every such person, or not quite 6 to 10 compared with the annual crop of cereal grains in England and Wales, relatively to the number of persons employed in producing it. From this comparison it results that our aggregate annual crop of grains greatly exceeds that of England and Wales, considered in reference to population: but considered in reference to the number of hands engaged in producing it, we are greatly behind that country. This indicates with us a less improved state of husbandry-a fact which has long been well understood. The prevalent tendency in old countries is to a greater sub-division of the soil among the class of occupiers, the same tendency prevails with us, but to a much more limited extent; and so it will be, as long as we have immense tracts of unoccupied land within our own bounda ries, and in the new States and Territories west of us.Where lands are abundant, the system of husbandry is naturally superficial and careless. An agricultural population, restricted as to the surface it occupies, must compensate itself by improved modes of culture, increased labor, and a more generous application of fertilizing agents. This is the condition of England; and it has produced a perfection in her agriculture, with which few districts of the habitable globe will bear a comparison. If we compare ourselves But, on the whole, the view we have presented of our agriculture is highly gratifying, both in respect to the rank it holds in the scale of our domestic industry, and in respect to the comparison it bears with the agriculture of two of the principal countries of the old world. Yet there is a vast deal to be done to bring it to perfection, to develop fully the powers of the soil, and give it all the productiveness of which it is capable. Illinois Tobacco. It will be seen by the annexed article from the Chicago American, that a new section of country is beginning to be devoted to the cultivation of tobacco: our resources just beginning to develop itself. Our readers We congratulate our citizens upon the great accession to generally, we presume are not aware that tobacco is now grown to a considerable extent in northern Illinois. This, we believe, is its second season. The counties of Winnebago and Ogle have the credit of adding tobacco to the other great staples of the northern portion of the State. Large quantities are raised in and near Bloomingville in the former county. Mr. Martin, late of Alabama, now residing about two miles from Rockford, recently cut a leaf from one of his stalks measuring three feet in length by two in breadth. Most of the farmers in the above mentioned counties have engaged in the cultivation of this crop. From two to ten raise it to its culture. So far it has produced from one thouacres is the quantity of land appropriated by those who sand five hundred to two thousand five hundred pounds to the acre. The net profits on each acre are calculated at from seventy to one hundred dollars. Much of the tobacco raised in these counties has been already harvested and is now drying under sheds which have been erected for that tion, both are declared to be as suitable as any portion of the purpose. With regard to our soil as adapted to its cultivaUnion. It grows luxuriantly as may be readily inferred from the size of the leaf to which we have alluded. Southern men engaged in the cultivation of this tobacco say that our soil and climate are decidedly favorable to its growth. With regard to its quality it may be considered good to say the least. Cigars have already been manufactured from it, and a friend of ours who is both a lover and a judge of the weed says they are superior to the common American article. We anticipate with no small degree of pride the time when we shall add Tobacco to our "Chicago Market." Silk Culture. Robert Sinclair, of Baltimore, a member of the Society of Friends, raised in his cocoonery the present scason, as a commencement, one hundred bushels of cocoons, which he has sold very advantageously. Mr. Allen of Brockport, in this State, who devoted 8 acres of his farm the present year to the silk culture, has raised a very large crop of silk, and is so well satisfied with his success that he is now ploughing up 14 acres more for planting mulberry trees. Several of his neighbors have with trifling attention raised 50 to 60 bushels of cocoons each, and in all cases at less expense than the bounty allowed by the State.-N, Y. Sun. A Large Cargo. The steamboat Louisa left our wharf yesterday, for New Orleans, with about as large and probably the largest cargo which has ever been carried from this port by one vessel.-She took in tow the two relief boats, and on them and in her hold she had exceeding 900 tons of freight, chiefly flour and lead, besides a large drove of horses. She will also take in more freight between this and the mouth.-St. Louis Res publican. Agriculture of New York. The following is an extract from an article published in the last number of "The Northern Light," on the agriculture of New York, by John A. Dix, Esq. The degree in which agriculture ministers to our wants and to our prosperity, may be best comprehended by comparing it with other pursuits in our own State; and by comparing it with the agriculture of other countries, we may be the better able to determine whether it has attained the perfection, of which it is susceptible. The comparison must necessarily be brief; but the facts which it will enable us to bring together and exhibit in connexion, cannot fail to be interesting, if not useful. By referring to the account of the statistics of this State in the 6th number of the Northern Light, page 95, it will be seen that of 623,157 persons engaged in various departments of industry, 456,475 are employed in agriculture; while in manufactures and trades there are 102,576; in commerce 28,395; and in navigation, ocean, lake, river and canal but 15,601. More than two-thirds of the persons employed in the principal branches of industry, and more than one-sixth of our entire population, are engaged in tilling the earth. The persons enumerated are presumed to be such as are of sufficient age for actual labor, and not the whole number (young and old) belonging to families sustained by agricultural employments; or in other words, not the entire agricultural class, which must constitute a much larger proportion of the entire population. Thus in France the agricultural class is estimated at two-thirds of the entire population, but the number of persons actually engaged in the labors of agriculture must, of course, be much less, for in a population of 33,540,910 in France in 1836, 18,774,676 were children or unmarried. So in the State of New York, of a population of 2,429,476 in 1840, 955,593 were under 15 years of age. The persons, therefore, enumerated as engaged in agriculture in this State must be of sufficient age for labor;-whereas in France the entire class engaged in agriculture, including both young and old, must be included in the estimate. In Great Britain the enumeration is more specific than in France or New York. The number of persons engaged as occupiers of land or laborers, of twenty years of age and upwards, amounts to 1,233,057 in a population of 16,539,318. It is impossible to institute a comparison between the State of New York and France as to the proportion of the population respectively engaged in agriculture, as the enumerations are not made on the same basis. But between New York and Great Britain the comparison would furnish a nearer approximation to fairness, as our enumeration includes persons of sufficient age to labor, and that of Great Britain includes persons of 20 years of age and upwards.Taking the estimates as they are, the number of persons, of the ages referred to, engaged in agriculture is one in about 13 2-5 of the entire population of Great Britain, while in New York the number of persons so engaged is one in about 5 1-3 of the population. The total product of our agricultural industry, compared with our entire population, affords a not less gratifying result. Our population in 1840 was 2,429,476. The crop of wheat, barley, oats, rye, buckwheat and Indian corn (see Northern Light, number 6, page 95) amounted to 51,376,908 bushels, or about 21 1-7 bushels for each inhabitant. The population of Great Britain in 1831 was 16,539,318 Deduct Scotland 2,365,114 14,154,204 Total, England and Wales | is an excess, therefore, comparing our product with that of England, of nearly eleven millions of bushels; or, in other words, the production of cereal grains in the State of New York exceeds that of England by about one quarter, when considered in reference to the population of the two countries. Nor is the basis of the comparison favorable to us. The population of England and Wales, as above given, is according to the enumeration of 1831, whereas the crop is taken from the estimate of a subsequent year; and in 1838 the population was estimated at 16 millions. In our product, Indian corn and buckwheat constitute important items, but they are not to be found in the English returns. The former is not raised at all in England as a crop, and the latter is rarely seen, though in a few cases it is allowed to ripen in small quantities, and in others it is cut down while in flower as a manure. On the other hand beans, which are an important crop in England, and are grown under the plough, are not included in our returns. But striking out Indian corn from our returns, a crop second only to wheat, and constituting more than one-fifth of our whole annual product of cereal grains, and we still show an annual crop of 40,294,746 bushels, equal within a fraction, to the product of England, considering the difference of population. The population of France in 1836 was 33,540,910. The crop of wheat, rye, meslin, (rye and wheat mixed.) barley, oats and Indian corn, was, in 43 departments in the northeast and south-east of France, 84,595,773 hectolitres, which at 3 bushels for 1,090 43 hectolitre, amount to 238,243,004 bushels. This fact is taken from the report of the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, for 1840, which embraces about one-half the territory and population of France. The agricultural statistics of the other half have not yet been obtained. If the product above stated be doubled, it will give for the whole kingdom a product of 476,486,008 bushels of cercal grains or about 14 1-4 bushels to each inhabitant.— This is somewhat more than two-thirds of our product and not quite seven-eighths of the product of England, considering them relatively to population. The three countries, therefore, stand thus: The division line is the meridian of Paris, which severs the kingdom into two nearly equal parts, both in respect to territory and population, leaving on each side also 43 de The crop of wheat, barley and rye, oats and beans in Eng-partments, 86 being the whole number in France. land and Wales (see Northern Light, number 4, page 57,) is 29,450,000 quarters, which at 8 bushels the quarter is 235,600,000, or about 16 3-5 bushels for each inhabitant. If our product of cereal grains had been in the same proportion to our population as that of England, it would have been but 40,381,634 bushels instead of 51,376,908. There The number of mules in Great Britain is so small that they are not taken into the account in the statistical returns of the kingdom. In making up this amount for France, we, of course double the number actually obtained in one-half of the kingdom, supposing the two portions to be equal. 1 to 1 1-10 inhab. 1 to 3 17-100 1 to 3 9-10 with her our farms are large and imperfectly cultivated.These are defects which we might profitably correct now, without waiting till we are impelled to it by the necessity of providing for a greatly increased population. The same labor and expense devoted to the cultivation of one half the surface occupied, would, in many cases, be a source of econo 2 1-5 for each inhab. my and profit, as well as comfort. .2 2-5 or one sheep for every 1 1-10 inhabitant. 0-90 In live stock, therefore, we are in advance of Great Britain, except in respect to sheep, and in this respect we fall but little behind her. This fact is calculated to excite some sur prise, as Great Britain has long occupied so high a rank among wool-growing countries. A comparison with France exhibits us far in advance of that kingdom in live stock, considering the countries relatively to population. The aggregate agricultural product of a country is not, for obvious reasons, to be relied on as a criterion of the condition of its agriculture. We must see what proportion the product bears to the surface under cultivation, and the number of persons employed. Unfortunately we have not the means of testing the productiveness of our agriculture by the first of these standards. The extent of our cultivated surface is not exhibited by the returns we have received of our agricultural statistics as ascertained by the census of 1840. The area of the State of New York comprises 45,658 square miles. This includes rivers and small lakes, which may cover 1600'square miles, making the territorial surface in round numbers 44,000 square miles, or 28,160,000 acres. Of this surface 9,655,426 acres, somewhat more than one-third, had in 1835 been improved, (i. e. set. tled,) though it was supposed that not more than one-half (or one-sixth of our whole area) was under profitable cultivation. The area of England and Wales is 57,812 square miles, or 36,999,680 acres. The land under tillage in England and Wales, including 1,650,000 acres under fallow, is 13,650,000 acres. The number of acres under tillage and fallow in this State does not probably exceed 5,000,000 acres. Our annual crop of cereal grains ought to be at least onethird of that of England and Wales to be equally productive -or about 78 millions of bushels, whereas it is less than 52 millions, or less than one fourth. We do not pretend to give this comparison as an accurate one, as the basis of the estimate is not to be relied on. But in respect to the number of persons employed, a nearer approximation to the truth may be attained. In England and Wales, as we have seen the number of persons of 20 years of age and upwards engaged in agriculture is 1,233,057. Dividing the crop of cereal grains by this number, it will give 191 1-100 bushels for each person employed in agriculture. Dividing our crop by the number of persons so employed, it will give 112 1-2 bushels for every such person, or not quite 6 to 10 compared with the annual crop of cereal grains in England and Wales, relatively to the number of persons employed in producing it. From this comparison it results that our aggregate annual crop of grains greatly exceeds that of England and Wales, considered in reference to population: but considered in reference to the number of hands engaged in producing it, we are greatly behind that country. This indicates with us a less improved state of husbandry—a fact which has long been well understood. The prevalent tendency in old countries is to a greater sub-division of the soil among the class of occupiers, the same tendency prevails with us, but to a much more limited extent; and so it will be, as long as we have immense tracts of unoccupied land within our own boundaries, and in the new States and Territories west of us.— Where lands are abundant, the system of husbandry is naturally superficial and careless. An agricultural population, restricted as to the surface it occupies, must compensate itself by improved modes of culture, increased labor, and a more generous application of fertilizing agents. This is the condition of England; and it has produced a perfection in her agriculture, with which few districts of the habitable globe will bear a comparison. If we compare ourselves But, on the whole, the view we have presented of our agriculture is highly gratifying, both in respect to the rank it holds in the scale of our domestic industry, and in respect to the comparison it bears with the agriculture of two of the principal countries of the old world. Yet there is a vast deal to be done to bring it to perfection, to develop fully the powers of the soil, and give it all the productiveness of which it is capable. Illinois Tobacco. It will be seen by the annexed article from the Chicago American, that a new section of country is beginning to be devoted to the cultivation of tobacco: our resources just beginning to develop itself. Our readers We congratulate our citizens upon the great accession to generally, we presume are not aware that tobacco is now grown to a considerable extent in northern Illinois. This, we believe, is its second season. The counties of Winnebago and Ogle have the credit of adding tobacco to the other great staples of the northern portion of the State. Large quantities are raised in and near Bloomingville in the former county. Mr. Martin, late of Alabama, now residing about two miles from Rockford, recently cut a leaf from one of his stalks measuring three feet in length by two in breadth. Most of the farmers in the above mentioned counties have engaged in the cultivation of this crop. From two to ten acres is the quantity of land appropriated by those who sand five hundred to two thousand five hundred pounds to raise it to its culture. So far it has produced from one thou the acre. from seventy to one hundred dollars. Much of the tobacco The net profits on each acre are calculated at raised in these counties has been already harvested and is now drying under sheds which have been erected for that purpose. With regard to our soil as adapted to its cultivation, both are declared to be as suitable as any portion of the Union. It grows luxuriantly as may be readily inferred from the size of the leaf to which we have alluded. Southern men engaged in the cultivation of this tobacco say that our soil and climate are decidedly favorable to its growth. With regard to its quality it may be considered good to say the least. Cigars have already been manufactured from it, and a friend of ours who is both a lover and a judge of the weed says they are superior to the common American article. We anticipate with no small degree of pride the time when we shall add Tobacco to our " Chicago Market." Silk Culture. Robert Sinclair, of Baltimore, a member of the Society of Friends, raised in his cocoonery the present season, as a commencement, one hundred bushels of cocoons, which he has sold very advantageously. Mr. Allen of Brockport, in this State, who devoted 8 acres of his farm the present year to the silk culture, has raised a very large crop of silk, and is so well satisfied with his success that he is now ploughing up 14 acres more for planting mulberry trees. Several of his neighbors have with trifling attention raised 50 to 60 bushels of cocoons each, and in all cases at less expense than the bounty allowed by the State.-N. Y. Sun. A Large Cargo. The steamboat Louisa left our wharf yesterday, for New Orleans, with about as large and probably the largest cargo which has ever been carried from this port by one vessel.-She took in tow the two relief boats, and on them and in her hold she had exceeding 900 tons of freight, chiefly flour and lead, besides a large drove of horses. She will also take in more freight between this and the mouth.-St. Louis Res publican. |