In the report of the Military Commission to Europe it is well stated that "our regular army never can, and perhaps never ought to be large enough to provide for all the contingencies that may arise, but it should be as large as its ordinary avocations in the defence of the frontier will justify; and the greatest possible care should be bestowed upon the instruction in the special arms of the artillery and engineer troops. "The militia and volunteer system should be placed upon some tangible and effective basis; instructions furnished them from the regular army, and all possible means taken to spread sound military information among them. In the vicinity of our sea-coast fortifications, it would be well to provide a sufficient number of volunteer companies, with the means of instruction in heavy artillery; detailing officers of the regular artillery as instructors. In the time of war, or when war is imminent, local companies of regular artillery might easily be enlisted for short terms of service, or for the war, in sea-coast towns. The same thing might advantageously be carried into effect on a small scale in time of peace."-McClellan's Report. These remarks, which are the deductions of scientific and military men, need no argument from us to corroborate their worth, and are to us a convincing proof of the necessities of the organization referred to. All of which we respectfully submit for your Excellency's consideration. BROWN, BROTHERS & Co., N. L. GRISWOLD, WM. WHITLOCK, Jr. JOURNAL OF MINING AND MANUFACTURES. NEW SILVER ALLOY-STATISTICS OF LOWELL-MICHIGAN COPPER MINES-FRENCH WINES-FLAX COTTON-NEW MINERAL DISCOVERIES IN CALIFORNIA. NEW SILVER ALLOY. A BEAUTIFUL new alloy is stated by foreign contemporaries to have been invented recently, after many experiments, by Messrs. DE RUOLZ and DE FONTENAY, France. It is said to be well adapted for small coins and industrial purposes. It consists of one-third silver united with 25 to 30 per cent. of nickel, and from 37 to 42 of copper. Phosphorus is used as a flux in making the metals combine, but when first made and cooled it is very brittle. To render it ductile, the phosphorus must all be removed by reheating, after which the alloy resembles a simple metal, and presents in a very high degree the qualities to which the precious metals owe their superiority. It resembles platinum and silver of in color; it takes a very brilliant polish. Its tenacity and hardness are extreme. It is ductile, malleable and very difficult of fusion; very sonorous, unalterable in the air, and attacked only by the most energetic re-agents. It has no odor, and its specific gravity is but little inferior to that of silver. It is easy to estimate the important part such an alloy is calculated to play in the industrial arts, and especially in the silversmith's art—in, to a great extent, replacing silver, of which its price is 40 per cent. less, and as its hardness gives it a marked superiority. Again, articles which are merely silvered or gilt have, it is true, a great advantage in their low price; but they quickly deteriorate, and can be re-silvered or regilt only a very few times, after which they must be replaced by new ones, and, in the long run, entail such an outlay as to confirm the old adage, that "the cheapest is the dearest in the end." PRODUCTS OF THE MICHIGAN COPPER MINES. The following is an approximate estimate of the product of native copper from the opening of the Lake Superior mines, in 1845 to 1860, inclusively, in tons of 2,000 lbs.: PRODUCE FROM 1845 TO 1857, INCLUSIVELY. The principal copper mines of Cornwall and Devon are comprised within a zone of a mile and a half in width, and thirty-three miles in length. The product of that district in 1860 was 13,212 tons, 1,507 tons less than in 1856. This result has been obtained after workings of 250 years. The Lake Superior metalliferous belt extends within the limits of Michigan alone, as measured on the range, 160 miles, and averaging five miles in breadth. The present and perhaps prospective low price of copper will prove no serious detriment to the mining interests. On the contrary, the lessening of the cost of production will be hastened. The success of some of the leading mines has led to some extravagance of management. The isolation of the country has rendered it difficult to get a resident mining population. The peculiarity of the deposits of mineral wealth, and the want of economical machinery for reducing the stamp work to marketable shape, have been especial hindrances to the accumulation of profits. In some instances there has been an unwise holding back of capital, the shareholders preferring, even after a certainty of success, to defer dividends, by making the product of the mine furnish its own resources. But, in the mean time, there has been developed an energy not less indomitable than has been exhibited in the final successful establishment of many other industrial enterprises. The difficulties of navigation have disappeared since the opening of the St. Mary's ship canal, and of the entry into Portage Lake. The problems of machinery and labor are being rapidly solved. The comforts of a refined civilization are increasing with the extraordinary growth of population, so that with a prospect of 7,500 to 8,000 tons of ingot copper for 1861, even at an average price less than that of 1860, there is much encouragement in the future.-L. S. Miner. FRENCH WINES. The Aigle de Toulouse publishes a decree from the Minister of Finance, extending to all France the permission to mix alcohol with wines intended for exportation. Hitherto only certain departments possessed the privilege, which has been frequently solicited by the Chamber of Commerce of Toulouse and the wine-growers of the Haute Garonne. The decree provides that the addition of the alcohol must always be made in the presence of government officers, who are to take note of the natural strength of the wines and of the quantity of alcohol added. FLAX COTTON. The Fibrilia Felting Company, organized under the general laws, have issued their legal notices, from which we condense the following: This corporation is formed to carry on the business of manufacturing flax, hemp, jute, China grass, silk, wool, cotton and like fibrous substances in the various forms of manufacture necessary for yarns, cloth and felt, as well as the bleaching and coloring the same. The capital stock is $10,000, which has been paid in, and has been expended in the purchase of machinery, patent rights, &c., for carrying on the business. The par value of each share is $100, and the business is carried on in Winchester, Middlesex county. STEPHEN M. ALLEN is President, GEO. L. FALL is Treasurer; and they, with S. P. WHITE, are the Directors. NEW MINERAL DISCOVERIES IN CALIFORNIA. A recent number of the San Francisco Alta California furnishes accounts of new and extraordinary rich veins of gold and silver ore that have lately been brought to light in the eastern slope of the Sierra Ne vada range. Mines that bid fair to equal, if not surpass, any thing known in the history of California, are now being opened up in Mariposa and Tulare counties, in the southeastern section of the State. In the Coso district, in the eastern portion of Tulare county, the gold and silver ores have assayed at the rate of $1,500 to $6,000 per ton, from pieces chipped off from the weather-worn outcroppings with sledge-hammers, crowbars, &c. But as if this were not enough to excite the cupidity of lucre-loving humanity, a startling discovery of gold and silver bearing antimonial ore has recently been made, specimens of which have been assayed at San Francisco, and yield the astonishing amount of more than sixteen thousand dollars to the ton! This extraordinary "lead" is in the hands of parties who, naturally enough, do not court publicity in regard to the locality of their splendid prize. Besides these dazzling discoveries, the Mono Lake district, which is located at the junction of Calaveras, Mariposa and Fresno counties, is known to be a prolific field for mining operations, both in silver and gold: while it has been demonstrated that the vast mountains of quartz which comprise the great portion of Mariposa county, known for their prolific gold yield, are even richer in silver. A richer vein of silver has been traced across the northeastern section of Mariposa county, on both sides of the mountain range, which leads to the belief that it is the initiative of a vast bed of silver ore on the west side of the Sierra. In Calaveras county numerous discoveries of extraordinary richness have been made, and it is further stated that discoveries have been made as far east as the Mohave and Colorado rivers, which promise to be of vast importance. The silver lead in Mariposa county has a somewhat romantic history, as told by the Alta: "This silver lead, it is stated, was discovered in 1856, but the discoverer was unaware of its nature until last winter. In his wanderings about Mariposa, where he mined, he at different times prospected, carefully marking the rock he returned with. In 1856, while hunting, he discovered what he thought to be a lead mine. He pocketed the prospect, but thought it of no value in comparison with gold. In 1858 he went east to visit his relatives, taking with him his collection of minerals and gold specimens. Last Februrary he saw a specimen of Washoe ore at W. T. COLEMAN & Co.'s, in Wall-street, and remarking the resemblance to his lead specimen, procured a piece to compare with his own. He was so well satisfied that they were identical in nature that he had each assayed, and his lead specimen' proved to be rich silver ore. Keeping his own counsel he returned to California last spring, and has spent the intervening time in retracing his footsteps over the chemical and chaparral hills of Mariposa, and his investigations have resulted in his discovery as above named." Mining and scientific parties are now engaged in exploring these new mineral regions, and the stream of adventurers is already setting eastward, across the Sierras, from the southern country, and next spring and summer that whole region will be filled up with eager treasure-hunters. From these new discoveries California derives additional resources and importance. Fresh streams of emigration will pour into the State, and new and increased impetus will be imparted to its industrial and commercial activity, while the commerce of the world will be stimulated by the increased production of the precious metals. FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE AND COMMERCIAL REVIEW. To the Editors of the Merchants' Magazine: LONDON, July 1st, 1861. I CANNOT, I think, do better than proceed at once to put your readers in possession of an opinion advanced to me the other day by a leading public man, who has been out and in Downing-street for nearly half a century. He says that, in any eventuality, England will not go to war with the Federal government, as war is not desired by any class of politicians nor by the mass of the English people; secondly, because no present necessity exists for it on the plea of cotton; and, in the third place, should the war not be ended before the present English stock of cotton fails, it is not improbable that the Federal government, while vigorously carrying on the war with the Confederate States, would permit cotton to be exported from New-Orleans, rather than to provoke war with a foreign power. Such is the view of the American question as taken by one of the foremost men in England; and when submitted to your readers it will be as fresh and assuring as if submitted to them to-day. From all that I can see and hear and read, there is but the one conclusion to which I am forced, namely, that the present British government have no American policy whatever, and that the conservative opposition are in precisely the same state. The conservatives will do nothing and say nothing to involve the whigs in war, and were the whigs unhappily to become involved in war, the conservatives would condemn their policy, and do their best to carry an adverse vote against the government. Were the government to be upset on any question, between now and the end of the session, and the conservatives to take office and go to war with the Federal government, I firmly believe that the first act of Lord PALMERSTON's party opposition would be to condemn the war policy of Lord DERBY, and try to regain office on the strength of such opposition. Whig and Tory are conscientiously opposed to engaging in the present struggle; and, notwithstanding speeches in Parliament and articles in newspapers, you may feel perfectly easy as to the attitude this country will assume, or the course which its statesmen of any party may choose to take. If you can see your way by and by to a regulated cotton trade, through the Upper Mississippi and the New-York railways, if not from New-Orleans, JOHN BULL will be the close and faithful ally of the North, during at least the whole of Mr. LINCOLN's presidential term. Passing from this unusual but highly important topic, the next important subject is the harvest prospects of the United Kingdom. These were never more satisfactory, and the probability is that a larger quantity |