while we imported 23,330 tons. In fact the
importation has exceeded the home product ever since 1850 with the
exception of one year--1860. This improper "balance of trade" was due
to the system and intelligence with which foreign smelting works are
conducted, and the ignorance which prevailed in our own country where
the mining resources are really superior to those of Europe. But this
state of things has changed with the foundation of mining schools and
the spread of mining knowledge in this country. In 1873 the "balance"
turned the other way. The importations have been since then 22,114,
17,674, 7,305, and 4,685 tons; while the home product shows a rise
corresponding closely to this falling off, being for the same years,
37,983, 46,500, 53,250, 57,210 tons. In fact we export as much as we
import, for the 4,300 tons of pig lead imported is balanced by the
quantity sent back to Europe in the form of bullets. This change in the
business is traceable to the fact that refining has been found to pay
in America, and our lead is thus in request by the white paint makers.
For years our product lay under a stigma, and it was said that it was
not suited to the manufacture of the best lead. This evident error has
been corrected; the refined virgin lead of Missouri and Illinois makes
the best white lead, and the mining of the metal is not likely to
suffer from so many causes of depression again. The Territories are now
large producers, the five principal sources of supply being in 1876--

Tons.

Importation 4,685
Sales of Government old lead 1,050
Missouri 17,165
Galena district 6,425
Utah, Nevada, California 33,630
------
62,955

The production of some few selected places was: Palmer mine, 466 tons,
Mine LaMotte, 1,657, St. Joseph mines, 1,938, Granby mines, 4,423 tons,
these being all Missouri; Omaha smelting works, 11,336 tons, St. Louis
and Pennsylvania smelting works, 8,000 tons, New York and Newark works,
7,776 tons, California, Nevada, and Utah works, 6,518. The latter four
items amount to 33,630 tons, which is all made from silver-lead ores,
mostly by the zinc process of refining.

ARCTIC EXPLORATION.

In fitting out the lately returned Arctic expedition the English
government attempted to make it the las