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Leader (1850-1860), 28th April 1860, Edition 2 of 2, Page 13

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      Shall To-*!/Sayj5rs Have A Statue?. Rjni...

      a complete'knowledge of its mineral wealth , its useful rocks , its subsoils , and its general theological structure . Bishops are very valuable , but India " mig-hVdo without them better than without coal . Archdeaeons are excellent ;' but so are stone quarries ; and while for the whole order of the clergy we have tlie greatest veneration , yet we are apt to think the natives of India would , for the present , prefer good ' roads , good building stone , and available'iron .. It is very wicked and perverse , but people are disposed to think that , well - arranged iron works would be of more service to India just now than 111 1 the ' ecclesiastical' benedictions which iawned and - mitred and bcLjovvned Oxonians could bestow . is than 20

      The total area now mapped geologically more , 000 square in lies ; but if previous geological maps , be added , the total area is-38 , 000 square miles . The area of the districts the survey of which is now first published , is more than 14 , 000 square miles , ( exclusive of the part of Talcheer included ) , extending along the right bank of the Hooghly and the east shore of the Bny of Bengal , from Burd-wnn , in north latitude 23 deg . 13 min ., to ( Janjam ; in latitude 19 deg . 22 min . The river Diimoodah forms the northern boundary of this area , and the Chilka . Lake its southern extremity . Within this area the following classes of rocks are found : —1 . Hypogene and metamorp-hic rocks : various forms of gneiss and quartzitcs , with intrusive igneous rocks . 2 . Sandstones . 3 . Laterite . 4 . Older alluvium and alluvium of the deltas ' of . rivers . 5 . Blown sands . All the hills of the district , with one exception , are composed of inetamorphic rocks ( rocks presumed to be changed by volcanic heat and pressure ) , with associated ¦ igneous rocks , or such as were once melted , and are the result of the action of . beat . Such a district , with such

      rocks , cannot , of course , bo ' very interest ing ,. , as- we cannot expect fossils or any physical features of particular interest . Of course an enthusiastic geologist would ! find even here , and , in fact , anywhere where there are rocks , themes for profound investigation and scientific inquiry . ! Theonly - . substance of general interest amongst those named is the peculiar and Widely-prevalent rock -which is termed Laterite . Respecting its origin we have a good theoretic paper in this volume , but it will mily ' ¦ be read by geoluyists who can respect and -esteem the driest sentences . Tiiegeneral reader will , be chiefly interested in the economic : and (• oininon uses to which this rock has * been and may yet

      be put . It is the material most frequently used tor building- m the districts where it prevails . "Walls , houses , and buildings of greater pretensions are constructed of it . Its peculiar characters may have caused its selection ; for it is easy to cut and to shapenwhen first dug , and it becomes -hard and toiigh ' after exposure to the air , and yet seems to be very little acted upon by the weather . Indeed , in ; many of the sculptured stones of some . of the oldest buildings and temples , the chisel marks are as fresh and sharp cut as when they were first formed . It is not so . strong nor so capable of resisting great pressure-as some of the sandstones , or the more compact kinds of gneiss ; but it is of adequate strength fur all ordinary purposes . From the earliest periods , from which the temples and other

      buildings of the country can date , down to the present day , laterite has been largely employed . Its nodular structure and irregular surface have not hindered , elaborate carvings and ornaments , while its facility of transport , in consequence of its bviug generally found in the low grounds , and at no great distance from many streams , lias been another , advantage contributing to its general use . Slabs of from four to five feet " long-are easily procurable , and are easily though rudely quarried . A groove ,, is cut with a rudely-pointed pick round tiie slab , another is made underneath , and then a few wedires driven in split off the block . The more loose mid gravelly forms of laterite are universally used for road-metal , for which

      purpose they are particularly suitable . In the province of Orissa Bengal , laterite prevails very widely , especially in its southern portion . It forms a terrace-like plain , surrounding the hills , and vising to a greater height above tho sea towards tlio west than to ( he cast . In Orissn , and Bonyal , the term laterite is usually confined to tho dark reddish brown subatfuico so commonly soon upon the surface of tho ground , and which , . when exposed to tho action of the weather , assumes a rough nodular surface , and becomes covered with n , glu / , e-liko coating of brown peroxide of iron ; but tho same term Iui . h boon applied more vaguely to many varieties of rock , varying- in coherence and in composition , but nil agreeing in being ferruginous . One of tho surveyors has examined the lutorito of Oritssa . in considerable dotajl , and with a view to ( lotevmino its origin . Wo "my eilhor suppose that it was oriirinnlly a detritnl deposit ( ono derived from a wornrode

      down older rock ) , and that it and tho underlying were together impregnated with iron , and that the source of the iron was extraneous , or that the latcrite is an original ferruginous deposit ; which latter tho surveyor takes to be the nioro probable hypothesis . Tho lutorito of OriflHft has undoubtedly been suhjc 3 ctc . < d to innnno action , im shown by tho boulders which aro found in and around tho hills ( once islands ) ' which clot the plains of the country . § t The pructioiil quoslion concerning it is this : Can this lmmeneo xnnsH of ferruginous ( iron-bearing ) . stone bo used and smelted lor iron P If it am , thon in llmt of Oriwsa , and in the enormous musses which cap tho Kajmalml Hills , thuro is a vast stovo of iron ore tor India to be employed iu tbo future . Unhappily , tho dcopor the section tho loss appears to bq tho quantity of iron , and the smaller the number of ferruginous lump ' s , until at length tho bed passes into a while oluy '

      , . .. . . ., Oonl is not largely trontod of in tins volume , but tlio surveyors lmvo estubliHhod tho oxintoucQ of a vwy large and abundant source of coal in a deposit to thu west of the river Hurakur , whoro it was not previously known to occur . Tho few notices of other coal deposits

      hi this volume are not so full as could be desired , and evidently because these have not been wrought . Coal-mining remains to be promoted , and then we may expect analyses of coals , particulars of depths and extent'Of beds , qualities , values , and , means of excavation and transport . The expense of transport , in the present . state of the country , seems to put a veto upon immediate working . Railways must first be laid down ; though * in all probability , cheap wooden plank-ways might be employed for early use / In all such undertakings , however , that great want of India , capital , is essential . The scanty accounts of gold districts and former diamond mines afford us little of general or present value . The fossils are more important . We find notices of an'nelide tracks upon rippled sandstones , such as we alluded to in our recent article on " First Traces of Life in the Earth ' s Crust ; " and some very interesting remarks upon and illustrations of fossil teeth of extinct genera of fishes ( Ceratodus ) which are near resemblances of specimens in our own cabinet , and in' our public museums , collected from English localities . . ¦ We are glad to find that progress has been made in the establishment and arrangement of a good Indian museum in connexion with this survey . Very large additions have been made to the series of Indian fossdls , including a cretaceous series , an interesting fossil flora , and remains of the larger animals from Nebrudda and elsewhere . The Museum already contains nearly 7 , 000 specimens of fossils , and 1 , 560 specimens of simple minerals , with other specimens of rock , & c , amounting in all to about 1 . 1 , 00 ' 0 specimens . A good result this of little more than two years' existence as a museum for the . reception of specimens . May it soon increase and superabound , lilrp . our own national Museum ! ..-. ¦

      April 23/1860.] The .Leader And Saturday...

      April 23 / 1860 . ] The . Leader and Saturday Analyst . 401

      George Yilliers, I)L T Ke Of Buckingham....

      GEORGE YILLIERS , I ) L KE OF BUCKINGHAM . * I T is no easy matter to form a thoroughly correct estimate of the character of a favourite . The sources of our information are tainted by adulation or hatred . Whilst the minion basks in the sunshine of royal favour , is the fountain of all honour , and the dispenser of all rewards , he is pourtrayed as a very mirror of justice , wisdom , and virtue by servile pens , all other mention of him being silenced by the feay of his wrath . When he falls or dies , can no longer favour or punish , he is depicted , as well by his whilom admirers as by those who have always -hated him , as a monster of vice and a curse to the realm . The colours employed by the first set of limners fade away ; -those applied by the second stand , and posterity accepts the favourite as the bad man his foes have depicted him . Unjust as tliafc easy judgment may seem , it really does little injustice . A royal favourite generally deserves the reprobation lavished upon him . If he has not commenced his career with tainted-morals or

      gross vices , if he did not gain his place by unworthy recommendations , it bus seldom required more than a few months of unbounded power to awaken in him the arrogance , extortion , avarice , and immorality , which are the recognised attributes of tho haled race . Although GjEORGii Vit . lie . us ,. Dnke of Buckingham . , was not guilty of all the misdeeds imputed , to him in the times of wild suspicion and blind oppression which preceded and followed his death , nil that can be said in his favour , despite tho strenuous efforts of Mrs . Thomhim

      son in the interesting and-able , biography before us to present in an amiable light , is , that he was not quite so bad as his bitterest foes have represented him . The career of Buckingham is most remarkable fur the rapidily of his rise . " Never in any ago or land , " says Claukndox , " did a man rise so high or so fast upouno other advantage or recommendation than of the beauty and gracefulness and becoming-ness of his person ; " and certainly with no other monarch than James I . would such recommendations have worked so potently . Hut tho failing of Jambs were known , and . Buckingham was trained up to profit by them . He was of a good but not wealthy Leicestershire family . His fnther , Sir GiiOUUR ViLlilEK ' s , who had been knighted when high sheriff of his county , married , upon the death of his first wi / o ,. by whom ha hud five children , n very handsome young servant of his household , Mali * Beaumont , afterwards represented us horsolt' good family ,

      although with- but slight foundation . This waiting-woman , who was as clever us she was beautiful , and easily adapted horsolf to her now station , presented Sir Ctaoltdk with four children . Tho second son ,.. Gisoko-e , was born at Brokesby , the famil y seat , in August , 1502 . His futhor died when ho wiw still a boy , and his mother rutircd . toher dower house of Godby . The fair dame , wo may observe , married again twice , her last husband being Sir Tuomah Comi'To . v . Tho greater part . of Sir Gkoucus ' s ostatos wore settled upon th < i children , of tho first inurringo , ro that , although his wife hud a sufTioioub xn ^ come—O & akismdon calls it " a good jointure i'h tho apoount of that njpo , "—hor children were but ill provided for . Gjsojwe was < i youth of singular beauty and grace , but not at all inclined to study . His mother , therefore , cultivated those personal charms , « nd had him instructed in till tho outside accomplishments of the age . In 1010 , when he wiw eighteen , she sonb him to Puna , where ha remained , about three year ' s . roturniiif ? thoneo an excellent fencer , an

      admirable dresser , nn incomparable dancer , and of very winning manners . Ho knew French , but that was the only foreign Inngiuigo with which ho was acquainted , find us to books he was very illiterate . For some time after hia return ho stayed at homo , and might par * hups have nettled down into u quiet country gentleman , but that ho was unublo to settle upon tho daughter of bir K . Aston , whose hand ho Bought , and who would have brought him

      • Tho Jjft And Times Of Toeavgo Villlora...

      • Tho JJft and Times of toeavgo Villlora , Jhiko of Itmktngham . A ' rora OriBlKl •"'«! Authentic Sourcea . By Mr » . Thomson . Throo Vol » . London : llurat and Rluclcott .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 28, 1860, page 13, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_28041860/page/13/