THE CHARACTER OF AMERICAN JEWELRY.

A correspondent of the New York Times, writing from Paris, and praising a regulation of the French Government, which requires that articles manufactured of gold shall bear the stamp of the Mint, as a certificate of their genuineness, states that in consequence of this, the standard is so pure that American gold articles are nearly worthless in Paris, and tells the following stories, which, if true, are worthy of general circulation, as a caution to purchasers of articles made of the precious metals, letting them know that "all is not gold that glitters," and, if false, should be contradicted from some responsible quarter :

"I remember to have bought an article in Broadway, which pretended to be genuine, and I have no doubt it was so, as much as anything of the kind sold there. I paid five dollars for it, and for curiosity sake, had it proved at the Mint here some time afterward. They told me there was 81 80 worth of gold in it. The work upon it was very slight. I consider all articles pretending to be gold, manufactured in America, as very indifferent stuff. And I may say the same of silver articles. A gentleman, many years ago, ordered a silver milk-pitcher of one of the houses of Boston, and he stipulated that it should be made of United States half dollars. The bill guarantied that it was so made. Well, this milk-pitcher has since come to Paris, and has been assayed here. The Assayer, who is a sworn officer of the Mint, gave its value in metal as just one third of the price that had been paid for it. He thought that there were no half dollars in it. I may add that the firm which furnished this article is one of the very highest respectability."

DIVIDENDS ON MANUFACTURING STOCKS IN BOSTON.

A table of manufacturing companies paying dividends in July, 1853, showing the amount of dividend, etc. :

Some months ago the British government transferred the control over the Australian gold mines to the legislature of that country, giving the local government the right to fix the rates at which licenses to work in the diggings should be granted to miners, &c., and we believe, allowing whatever revenue might be realized from this source, to be used in maintaining the colonial government. Previous to this transfer of power, the miners, whether resident or foreigners, were taxed about thirty shillings ($750) per month each for the privilege of mining. Now, however, a new license law is in force, which taxes foreigners sixty shillings ($15) per month, and continues the former price for citizens of the country. This act has caused great dissatisfaction throughout the diggings, as all the miners required a modification of the old law. Meetings have been held at which resolutions, memorials, &c., have been adopted, urging the governor-general to call an extra session of the legislature, to repeal this odious enactment. Among other reasons for repeal it is asserted that the new act seeks to take advantage of the destitution, of the very hunger of the foreigner-compelling him to work at the greatest disadvantage in a mining district, or otherwise compelling him to accept of bondage and a squatter's wages."

MANUFACTURE OF LOCOMOTIVES, ETC., IN ALEXANDRIA.

ZERAH COLBURN, good authority, writing from Alexandria, Va., says that Smith and Perkins have been engaged for more than two years in building locomotives, marine engines and cars-400 of the latter having been made. This firm are making exten sive improvements, to enable them to complete and deliver three first-class locomotive engines per month. They will occupy three acres of ground, including a foundry of the best arrangement, and having a furnace expressly for casting chilled wheels. A large steam hammer is in use, under which they work all their heavy forgings from the best American stock. They are now building a very beautiful and highly finished engine of forty horse power to propel their additional machinery. Vessels of the largest class can load directly at this wharf. Their heaviest orders have been from the Manassa Gap, Baltimore and Ohio, Pennsylvania Central, and Hudson River railroads, for the last of which they are now completing some very superior coalburning engines. To Mr. Perkins belongs the credit of the introduction of two of the best improvements upon locomotives. We allude to the slip-tire and the heater. The former, always efficient and durable, has effected an unparalleled saving in the repairs of the heavy engines on the Baltimore and Ohio R. R.; the latter, simple and effective, tends to a very material saving in the fuel for locomotives. Both are adapted to nearly every class of engines in all parts of the country. Mechanics will find this establishment worthy of their notice. The shop is now in want of good hands, and will pay the best wages to such as can do first-class work.

PLUMBIC-ZINC, LEAD AND ZINC COMBINED.

The London correspondent of the National Intelligencer writes, that among the new inventions may be mentioned a patent for a combination of lead and zine, under the name of plumbic-zinc. It consists of distinct layers of each metal, perfectly united in a peculiar process of manufacture-one side thus presenting a surface of pure lead, the other of pure zinc; combining the stiffness of the latter with the durability of the former. A sheet of metal is thus produced, which proves as hard and durable as of lead several times its weight and thickness; while, in peculiar situations, the zine is laid undermost, and is thus protected from atmospheric action, or the affect of acid vapors or liquid, by the preservative power of the lead. The Mining Journal thinks highly of the invention.

MANUFACTURE OF COTTON IN SPAIN.

The manufacture of cotton in Spain has its seat in the provinces of Catalonia. During these latter years many large factories have been established in this district, some of which, as the Espana Industrial, will have 25,000 spindles and a suitable number of looms. Their standing capital may be estimated at a value of £3,500,000, with a sum in circulation no less than £280,000. In Malaga, Cadiz, and other places, there are also very remarkable cotton factories, which, together with all the others of the kingdom, consumed, in 1850, a quantity of raw cotton that may be estimated at 29,000,000 lbs., with more than 900,000 spindles.

SUPERIORITY OF AMERICAN WOOL.

According to the following, from the Economist, the United States can produce the best wool of any country in the world:

By recent scientific researches on the part of Peter A. Browne, Esq., of Pennsylvania, it has been established that the United States can outrival the world in wool as in cotton. Thus, Spanish sheep, yielding naturally wool 2,000 to the inch, carried to England, degenerated to 900 to the inch, and, brought to the United States, recovered to 2,100, or finer than the original. The fact being once established that our soil and climate produce finer wool than other countries, will give to our manufacturers invariably the superiority in cloths, if the manufacturer is allied in his interest to the grower.

BRITISH WOOLEN MANUFACTURES.

It appears from a British Parliamentary paper just issued, that, in 1852, the declared value of British woolen manufacture and woolen yarn exported was £10,161,074, or about $50,000,000.

STATISTICS OF POPULATION, &c.

IMMIGRATION INTO NEW YORK.

The number of immigrants that arrived at the port of New York in 1852, was 296,438, being 6,829 more than the year previous. There was a large increase in German immigration. The statistics of the Commissioners of Emigration show the arrival of Germans to be 48,623 more than in 1851, and a decrease of 45,122 in the number of Irish immigrants. Besides the above, 39,151 citizens arrived. We have obtained the following statistics through Mr. H. DE BURGH, Clerk in the Emigration Office :—

Totals..

118,134 118,706 30,972 7,640 2,531 6,878 468 6,469 1,023 1,889

::::12

14 5

3 14

9

3

2

12

51

11

4

45

20

6

11

Dec....

19

13

Totals.. 2,068 158 359 37 82 265 73 68 122 48 14 42 22 34 18 4 6 186

CENSUS OF PERU IN 1850.

PERU IS DIVIDED INTO 11 DEPARTMENTS AND 2 LITORAL PROVINCES.

Carabaya..

22,138 285,661

Total population..

2,106,492

Peru is in

Area, 43,800 square leagues, 20 to 1°. Extent of coast 1,240 miles. cluded between 3° 35', and 21° 48′ S. Latitude, and 64° 20′ and 78° 10′ W. Long. of Cadiz, from the mouth of the River Tumbes, to that of the River Loa.

POPULATION OF CITIES IN EUROPE AND AMERICA.

WEBER'S Volks-Kalender (People's Almanac) for 1853, published annually at Leipsic, furnishes the following table of the population of the principal cities of Europe and North America. Of European cities, London stands first, Paris second, and Constantinople third. New York stands fourth on the list—no other city having so large a population except the above named cities of Europe; Philadelphia, ninth; Baltimore, twenty first; and Boston the twenty-eighth. As a matter of curiosity and reference, the table may be worth preserving in the pages of the Merchants' Magazine.

We may remark that there are several cities in India, China, and Japan, which are

12. Moscow

reported to contain a larger population than that of Paris; but not being in Europe or North America, they are of course excluded from the above list, in which also is omitted the city of Mexico, (which should not have been omitted,) containing a popu

11. Glasgow

13. Manchester

PRODUCTIONS IN THE STATES OF NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA.

Unimproved land.

Cash value of farms..