and it was discharged in fine weather. As a rule, salt from Figuera will generally turn out from 5 to 7 cent. short of the measurement there. Coarse well-made salt from Liverpool, will generally make out as shipped.

960. The barque Eliza, of Drontheim, Capt. JOHN MARTENS, 114 commercial lasts Swedish, 257 tons English, took in at Cadiz, in February, 1864, 189 Spanish lasts of salt (say 388 tons) which occupied perhaps a little more space than a cargo of coal. She is 115 feet long, 23 broad, and has 174 feet depth of hold. With the salt she drew aft 14 feet, forward 11 feet 9 inches. With 386 tons Cardiff coal, carried more easily than the salt, she drew aft 14 feet 4 inches, forward 11 feet 5. In her best trim for sailing she is 3 feet by the stern. The Eliza is sharp-bottomed; her salt was dunnaged with 100 bundles of brushwood; an ordinary vessel with a flatter bottom might require 200 bundles. Salt measure at Cadiz : 4 barrels 1 cahice, 6 calices=1 last. The brushwood, 100 bundles cost $4, and 60 mats at 6 reals=$18, being at the rate of 20 reals to a Spanish dollar. 51 Cadiz lasts of salt make about 100 tons English.

961. Large quantities of salt are imported annually into the River Plate for the purpose of pickling beef and hides. Of this a considerable proportion comes from Cadiz, where it is sold by the last, 5,000 lbs. Sp. nominal, but which is said to weigh occasionally little over 4,000 lbs. Sp. Capt. FEENSTRA, of Amsterdam, from whom most of this information is obtained, states that the first time he loaded at Cadiz he was charged for 161 lasts, the second time 160, and on the third 143 lasts; on each occasion the ship was filled, so that there must be considerable discrepancy in the mode of weighing. With the smallest quantity, nominal, 143 lasts, his vessel was deeper than with the larger quantities, nominal. She could not take 160 lasts 310 tons English. Dunnage is seldom used when the ship is perfectly dry, clean, and in good condition. The ordinary price of salt is four Spanish dollars last, but sometimes it is $12. The charges in connection with the proceeds of a cargo of Cadiz salt delivered from a ship of 320 tons, have been

This account does not appear to include the cost of the salt, say 160 lasts at 4 dols.-40 ozs. An onza or oz. of gold is worth 16 dols.- a dollar 4s. 2d., and a real 2d.; say 4 dols. 7 reals £1.

Ordinarily ships chartered with salt for the River Plate, have 30 running days to discharge; larger ships more; and even then they have to fall upon demurrage, being generally used as floating stores from which small parcels are taken day by day to suit the convenience of vessels loading hides. The salt is sold and delivered by the fanega (100 fanegas = 19.426 quarters English), and it is customary to pay freight 7 fanegas to the ton. The fanega is divided into four quartillos, and one of these, in the form of a tub, is used by the lighterman, who it is alleged sometimes retains a portion of the contents of each tub, to the loss of the purchaser. The quantity of salt put out by a ship, on which she is entitled to charge freight is governed by several contingencies. First, there is the irregularity of the lastages at Cadiz; then there is the natural evaporation on the passage, calculated at 5 cent., but which of course depends much on its dryness or dampness when shipped, the condition of the ship, and the state of the atmosphere. Thirdly, we have to look to the correctness of the discharge. Generally the delivery is equal to 15 or 16 fanegas last received, and more if the measurement at Cadiz is good. The price of salt at La Plata varies considerably ; sometimes it is 20 reals; in 1855 at Monte Video it was 5 reals. The rate formerly was greater in the river than at Monte Video and Buenos Ayres, but the difference now is not much. More salt is required in December, January, February, and March, than during the other part of the year. [Experienced merchants at Buenos Ayres calculate the ordinary cost of salt delivered on board in Cadiz at 10s. ton of 20 cwt., and the price obtained in the River Plate to range from 10 to 16 reals fanega delivered over side, which is less than Capt. FEENSTRA calculates-15 reals. They calculate 15

fanegas to the last, and 74 fanegas to the ton, which will give 48 lasts to 100 tons English. The manner in which the salt is measured to the lightermen requires close attention by the master or his officers, for if thrown into the tub heavily and in any way pressed down, the measurement will go much against the ship.]

962. In the port of Rio Grande salt is received by half alquiere measure or larger, at master's option; each alquiere is assumed to contain 80 lbs. Brazilian weight (equal to 80-95 British) more or less, and as freights are usually paid by ton weight delivered, the master should ascertain the average weight of the measures of salt he delivers. He is allowed by the custom-house a margin of

10 cent. over or under the manifest; but if the quantity delivered should pass this limit either way, he becomes subject to a fine, unless there is proof of damage by stress of weather.

963. Salting. A ship well salted is allowed one year longer on the first letter at LLOYDS. Some ships, especially North American, are, in order to preserve the timber, supplied between the skins. with rock salt, or waste pickling salt from beef, pork, hides, &c., which is thrown into the air-holes in the hold and 'tween decks, and under the covering boards, until the entire space is filled. Forward and aft, pickle is injected by a powerful syringe. Ships thus supplied require particular attention with dry cargoes, as a certain degree of dampness always pervades the sides and bottom in wet weather. They should be provided with cell pieces sloping outwards, and the skin ought to be caulked tight enough to keep the salt from the hold when it dissolves.

At

Tonnage. The Admiralty allows 10 sacks of salt, 2,240 lbs., to a ton for freight. Bengal and Madras ton 20 cwt. 7 River Plate fanegas go to an English ton. At New York 36 bushels from Europe, or 31 from the West Indies. Baltimore 40 bushels Liverpool brown salt in bulk, 34 ditto ground salt, 31 St. Ubes, Cape Verde, &c., in bulk, or 30 West India salt in bulk. When Mediterranean wheat is freighted at 1s. quarter, salt is rated at 4s. 9d. per ton

of 20 cwt.

Foreign Lasts. At Riga 18 barrels make a last; 4 tons rock salt, or 2 tons Liverpool white salt is about a last. At Memel a last is 6,000 lbs. At Bremerhaven the ship last is 12 barrels. At Hamburgh it is 2 to 2 English tons. At Cadiz the last is 5,000 lbs.

Measures. A peck of salt weighs 14 tbs. ; a bushel 56 lbs. ; a bushel of rock salt 65 lbs. Fine stove lump salt is made up in blocks, three of which ordinarily weigh 1 cwt., but they vary considerably; sometimes four, five, and even six blocks weigh only 1 cwt. according to size.

Foreign Measures. A Prussian scheffel of salt is 51lbs.; Portuguese raza 1 bushels. At Lisbon the moyo is divided into 15 fanegas, 30 alquieres, 210 quartos, 480 selemis, &c.; the moyo=23 bushels. At the Cape Verdes the alquiere contains 817 cubic inches; 50 alquieres 19 bushels; the moyo or moio 22} bushels, or say 2 tons. At Genoa salt is sold by the mondino of 8 mine; 1 mana=34 bushels nearly. Cephalonia barile usually 67-244 lbs. A centinago in the Ionian Isles 4,410 lbs.; American barrel fine 280 lbs., coarse 320 lbs. ;- a bushel fine 55 lbs., coarse 50 lbs.; Brazilian alquier 80 lbs.; Bombay parce or parah 1,607.61 cubic inches 6 gallons; a rash is about 40 tons, nearly 114 lasts; Ceylon parah 52 to 55 lbs.

964. SALTPETRE, NITRATE OF SODA, &c. The terms saltpetre and nitre are occasionally used by masters of vessels and others as if they were the same. In speaking of nitrate of soda from Peru, &c., it is frequently termed South American saltpetre, but it means

Some

nitrate of soda, and is so understood in the London market. times nitrate of soda is called Chili saltpetre, but of late this is going out. In commercial language, and in chemical works of repute, saltpetre is nitrate of potash; nitrate of soda is sometimes. called cubic nitre. Nitrate of potash is not imported from South America.

Saltpetre, nitre, or nitrate of potash, is a species of salt found on the surface of the earth. It seldom comes from anywhere except India, usually Calcutta, where the best and purest is shipped; Bombay saltpetre is less pure, has a much smaller crystal, and is of a darker colour. Fine saltpetre has a large hexagonal crystalsometimes two or three inches long, and laminated; the larger pieces are generally tubular, but the size of the crystals varies very much in different lots even without a corresponding variation in quality. It is slightly deliquescent, as much almost as common salt, but is easily sweated," and becomes damp and liable to damage other cargo through the dampness of a ship's hold, or if stowed with moist goods, such as sugar. It is soluble in three and a half times its own weight of water at a temperature of 60°, and in rather less than its own weight of boiling water. When exposed to a heat of between 600 and 700° Fahrenheit, saltpetre melts, and becomes an opaque mass, which, on cooling, has been called mineral crystal or sal prunella. At a red heat it is discomposed, giving off oxygenthe great promoter of combustion. When ignited, it produces a white flame and burns with little noise; but when impure, it sparkles and crackles. It is used in the composition of gunpowder, and should not be stowed with inflammable materials, such as oil, tallow, &c.; it is perfectly harmless of itself, but in case of fire, when combined with those articles, produce a compound having all the dangerous properties of gunpowder. The same contingency occurs with sulphur or brimstone; see jute, combustion, general cargo, and sugar. Care should be taken that drainage of saltpetre should not be absorbed by any of the materials mentioned. By steeping fibrous matter, &c., in a solution of this salt, a powerful kind of gunpowder is made. The stains caused by the leakage from saltpetre will continue in the skin of a ship many months after. Dunnage 9 to 12 inches each side of the keelson, and 12 to 15 inches in the bilges, carried well up. When saltpetre, sugar, and rice form the dead-weight, it is recommended to stow the saltpetre in the after hold, to keep the ship in trim and the cabins free from the exhalations of the sugar, which should go in the main hold; rice in the fore hold. Saltpetre ought to be covered with mats to receive bales or cases. At Trieste, when

saltpetre appears on the bills of lading as merchandize, the vessel is liable to confiscation and a heavy penalty. Saltpetre is considered one of the most risky articles to deal with in the long list of imported goods, owing to its liability to be washed away by sea-water, while other goods are more or less damaged by it. The underwriters, who will assure against almost any casualty, halt at saltpetre, and will usually assure only against total loss, thus avoiding average of any kind. Saltpetre is generally sold on a guarantee of a "refraction" not exceeding say 5 cent.; the remainder, say 95 nitrate of soda. When refined, the refuse of the 5 petersalt. There is some difficulty in determining cubic foot of saltpetre. By experiment good dry 5 weighs 25

cent., is pure cent. is termed the weight of a cent. saltpetre cent. more than water, and the English refined saltpetre cent. rough as imported Nitrate of soda is rather

of commerce 30 cent.; a cubic foot of 5 75 to 80 lbs. when well shaken down. heavier than saltpetre.

965. Nitrate of Soda, nitre, cubic nitre, sometimes Chili saltpetre, is chiefly imported from Iquique and other ports on the west coast of South America. This nitrate has many properties common with saltpetre; fuses at much the same temperature; at a red heat is decomposed, and forms also dangerous compounds when in contact. with organic matter, &c., with some of which it explodes just like saltpetre. It is soluble in about twice its weight of water at 60o, is so much more deliquescent than the former that it becomes moist much quicker. When the difference between the two nitrates has been once observed, they can never after be mistaken for each other. Nitrate of potash (saltpetre) has larger, longer, cleaner, and better defined crystals than nitrate of soda, the crystals of the latter appearing, in general, more dirty and confused, ill-formed and granular, having a rather flatter form than saltpetre, and always much smaller; in fact, more like coarse common salt. On the tongue nitrate of soda melts quickly; nitrate of potash is more difficult of solution. Nitrate of soda is not used in making gunpowder, but chiefly for the manufacture of sulphuric and nitric acid, and for a top dressing in farming operations. By a chemical process which sets free its soda and throws the nitric acid into combination with potash, it can be converted into saltpetre, It is usually sold at

£12 10s. ton when saltpetre is £36; some calculate 20s. against 50 or 55s. Being deliquescent it requires good dunnage, and to be stowed in a dry position, apart from brimstone and under sugar, from which it should be well blocked off. A cubic foot well pressed down weighs about 88 lbs.