pensable to enable any individual to be appointed to the command of a ship (antè, p. 824.). During the last war with France, 32 ships of the line went to the bottom, besides 7 fifty-gun ships, 86 frigates, and a vast number of smaller vessels. And the losses sustained by the navies of France, Spain, Holland, Denmark, &c. must have very greatly exceeded those of ours. Hence, as Mr. Lyell has observed, it is probable that a greater number of monuments of the skill and industry of man will, in the course of ages, be collected together in the bed of the ocean, than will be seen at one time on the surface of the continents. — (Principles of Geology, 2d edit. vol. ii. p. 265.) Y. (See WEIGHTS YARD, a long measure used in England, of 3 feet, or 36 inches. AND MEASURES.) YARN (Ger. Garn; Du. Garen; Fr. Fil; It. Filato; Sp. Hilo; Port. Fio; Rus. Prusha), wool, cotton, flax, &c. spun into thread. Z. ZAFFER, OR ZAFRE. After the sulphur, arsenic, and other volatile parts of cobalt have been expelled by calcination, the residuum is sold, mixed or unmixed with fine sand, under the above name. When the residuum is melted with siliceous earth and potash, it forms a kind of blue glass, known by the name of smaltz- (see SMALTZ), -of great importance in the arts. When smaltz is ground very fine, it receives in commerce the name of powder blue. Zaffer, like smaltz, is employed in the manufacture of earthenware and China, for painting the surface of the pieces a blue colour. It suffers no change from the most violent fire. It is also employed to tinge the crystal glasses, made in imitation of opaque and transparent precious stones, of a blue colour. It is almost wholly brought from Germany. The duty of 1s. a cwt. produced in 1840 2334, showing that 4,660 cwt. had been entered for consumption. ZEA, INDIAN CORN, OR MAIZE. See MAIZE. ZEDOARY (Ger. Zittwer; Fr. Zédoaire; It. Zedoaria; Sp. Cedoaria; Arab. Judwar; Hind. Nirbisi), the root of a plant which grows in Malabar, Ceylon, CochinChina, &c., of which there are 3 distinct species. It is brought home in pieces of various sizes, externally wrinkled, and of an ash colour, but internally of a brownish red. Those roots which are heavy and free from worms are to be chosen; rejecting those which are decayed and broken. The odour of zedoary is fragrant, and somewhat like that of camphor; the taste biting, aromatic, and bitterish, with some degree of acrimony. It was formerly employed in medicine; but is scarcely ever used by modern practitioners. ·(Milburn's Orient. Com.) ZINC, OR SPELTER (Ger. Zink; Fr. Zinc; It. Zinco; Sp. Zinco, Cinck; Rus. Schpiauter; Lat. Zincum), a metal of a brilliant white colour, with a shade of blue, composed of a number of thin plates adhering together. When this metal is rubbed for some time between the fingers, they acquire a peculiar taste, and emit a very perceptible smell. It is rather soft; tinging the fingers, when rubbed upon them, with a black colour. The specific gravity of melted zinc varies from 6.861 to 7·1, the lightest being esteemed the purest. When hammered, it becomes as high as 7.1908. This metal forms, as it were, the limit between the brittle and the malleable metals. Its malleability is by no means to be compared with that of copper, lead, or tin: yet it is not brittle, like antimony or arsenic. When struck with a hammer, it does not break, but yields, and becomes somewhat flatter; and by a cautious and equal pressure, it may be reduced to pretty thin plates, which are supple and elastic, but cannot be folded without breaking. When heated to about 400°, it becomes so brittle that it may be reduced to powder in a mortar. It possesses a certain degree of ductility, and may, with care, be drawn out into wire. Its tenacity is such, that a wire whose diameter is equal to th of an inch, is capable of supporting a weight of about 26 lbs. Zinc has never been found in a state of purity. The word zinc occurs for the first time in the writings of Paracelsus, who died in 1541; but the method of extracting it from its ores was not known till the early part of last century. (Thomson's Chemistry.) The compounds of zinc and copper are of great importance. (See BRASS.) Manufacture of Zinc, &c. There used to be 2 smelting-houses for the preparation of zinc near Bristol, and 3 near Swansea, but they have been all abandoned, with the exception of 1 of the latter. The material used by the English manufacturer is blende, or black jack (sulphuret of zinc); it is commonly found with lead, and is procured of the best quality in Flintshire and the Isle of Man. Besides its em ployment in the manufacture of brass, bell metal, and other important compounds, zinc has of late years been formed into plates, and applied to many purposes for which lead was formerly used, such as the rooting of buildings, the manufacture of water-spouts, dairy pans, &c. Foreign zine, being less brittle, is better fitted for rolling than that of England. The duties on spelter, which were formerly prohibitory, were reduced in 1832 to 27. a ton on that formed into plates, or cakes, and to 10s. on what is crude; the duty on the latter being farther reduced in 1842 to 1s per ton. In consequence of these reductions, considerable quantities are now imported, partly for home use, and partly for re-exportation to India and China. Foreign zinc is principally made in Upper Silesia; whence it is conveyed by an internal navigation to Hamburg. The freight from the latter to Hull and London is nominal merely; the wool-ships being glad to take it as ballast. Hainault near Namur, has also some part of the spelter trade. A good deal of spelter is shipped from Hamburg, for France and America. Zinc is produced in the province of Yunan, in China; and previously to 1820, large quantities of it were exported from that empire to India, the Malay Archipelago, &c. But about that time the free traders began to convey European spelter (principally German) to India; and being, though less pure, decidedly cheaper than the Chinese article, it has entirely supplanted the latter in the Calcutta market: latterly, indeed, it has begun to be imported even into Canton. -(See TUTENAG.) In 1840 the exports of foreign spelter from this country for India and China amounted to 50,585 cwts.; in addition to which considerable quantities were exported from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, &c. We subjoin an Account of the Zinc or Spelter imported, exported and retained for Home Consumption, and the Duties thereon, in 1841 and 1842. SUPPLEMENT. ADELAIDE, a city of S. Australia, cap. of the British colony of that name, about 7 m. S. E. from its port, an inlet on the E. side of St. Vincent's Gulph, lat. 34° 57′ S., long. 138° 38′ E. Though founded so recently as 1834, this is a well-built, prosperous, and rapidly increasing town. Some of the houses, and most part of the principal buildings, are of brick and stone. Pop. in 1846, 7,143; and in 1851, probably more than 10,000. The river Torrens, on which Adelaide is built, loses itselt in a marsh before reaching the sea, so that the city is about 7 m. distant from its port, an inlet of St. Vincent's Gulph. This inland situation is a serious drawback on the trade of the city; and it would seem that a mistake was committed in not building it on, or much nearer to, the coast. This, we are aware, has been denied, though, as we think, upon very unsatisfactory grounds. There appears, indeed, to be but little doubt that in no very lengthened period most part of the commerce of the town will be transferred to the port; and that it will be preferred as a residence by all commercial people. In the rainy season the Torrens is much flooded, though it seldom overflows its banks, which are steep and lofty; but in the dry season it has no current, its bed being then formed into a series of pools or tanks. Port Adelaide, 7 m. N. W. from the city, in a low and marshy situation, consists of a number of dwelling houses and warehouses, some of which are of stone, with wharves, partly belonging to government, and partly to the South Australian Company. Pop. in 1848 about 1800. The inlet of the sea, forming the harbour, opposite the entrance to which a light vessel is moored, stretches from the gulph, from which it is separated by a narrow neck of land, for about 8 m. southward, surrounding Torreus Island. At its mouth is a sandy bar with 8 ft. water at ebb and 16 ft. at flood tide; this depth being considerably increased during S. and S. W. winds. Ships of 400 or 500 tons may, consequently, pass the bar in safety, and once over, there is depth enough for the largest ships to the head of the harbour. (Dutton, S. Australia, p. 112.) Large vessels are, however, obliged to lie in mid-channel; but projects were recently on foot, and are now, probably, being realised, for improving the harbour, either by carrying out plers into the deep water, or by establishing a new port about 2 m. nearer to the harbour's mouth, where the water in-shore is deeper, and the situation affords greater facilities for the accommodation of shipping. Port Adelaide has a custom-house; but vessels are exempted from all port charges in this and in the other ports of the colony. A railway, planned to unite the city with the port, will, most likely, be completed at an early date. The trade of Adelaide is already extensive; and it will, no doubt, continue to increase with the increase of the population and trade of the colony, of which it is the grand emporium. The mines of copper, lead, &c., discovered in its vicinity, appear to be of the richest description, and the ores furnished by them form at present the principal article of export. Wool is also an important article; and the shipments of it, which, in 1849, amounted to about 2,800,000 lbs., are increasing with the same extraordinary rapidity, in this as in other parts of Australia. We subjoin the following statements with respect to the trade, shipping, &c., of Port Adelaide in the following years: Account of Exports of Copper from South Australia during 1850, valued at 757. per ton. Tariff of Customs Duties on the principal Articles imported into South Australia, (Act of Legislative Council, 9th October, 1847). 160200 Iron-pig Bags and sacks - corn Bales for wool Beer, porter, ale, cider, perry, in wood. Beer, porter, ale, cider, perry, in bottles. Blacking Ditto paste Books-printed women's each per gallon £ s. d. 10 per cent. 0 10 0 or B. Pos- £ s. d. 0 5 0 002 0 0 0 0 Hops women's & children's 0000000 0 30 040 0 20 Iron manufactures, ironmon ad valorein gery, and nails. Jewellery Leadsheet manufactures 001 bazils per dozen 0 0 kangaroo 0 1 Lime and lemon juice, and per gallon 0 0 7 607 006 0 1 0 005 Demand for Labour. There is at present a great demand for labour in this, as in most other parts of Australia. In March 1848, blacksmiths, carpenters, masons, wheelwrights, coopers, &c., were accustomed to obtain from 78. to 8s. a-day; saddlers and millers from 5s. 6d. to 10s.; bullock-drivers and day labourers from 38. 6d. to 4s.; domestic servants (besides board and lodging-male, from 251. to 324., and females from 147. to 221. a-year. The retail prices of provisions in the colony at the same date were quoted as follows:- Bread, 1d. per lb. ; butter from 10d. to 1s.; cheese, 9d.; candles, 7d.; flour, 1d. beef and mutton, 2d. to 34d.; rice, 24d; sugar, 64d.; tea, 2s. 6d. ; tobacco, 3s. 6d. per lb. ; and lamp-oil, 3s. per gallon; wheat, 4s. to 5s. per bushel. Clothing may generally be had at but a small advance upon the home prices; but tools are often scarce and dear. ALIENS. An act passed in 1844, the 7 & 8 Vict. c. 66., has given every reasonable facility for the naturalisation of aliens. It authorises the Secretary of State for the Home Department to grant certificates of naturalisation, on his receiving such evidence, in regard to any application for a certificate, as he may think necessary. A certificate, when granted, conveys (unless some special reservation be made in it) all the rights and capacities of a natural-born British subject, except that of being a member of either House of Parliament, and of being a privy councillor. The following regulations have been issued by the Secretary of State in reference to this subject: 1444 AUCTIONS-BANKS. "I. Upon an application to the Secretary of State for the grant of a certificate of naturalisation, it will be necessary that the applicant should present to one of H. M.'s principal secretaries of state a memorial praying for such grant, stating the age, profession, trade, or other occupation of the memorialist, the duration of his residence within the U. K., and of what friendly state he is a subject; whether he intends to continue to reside within this kingdom, and all other grounds on which he seeks to obtain any of the rights and capacities of a natural-born British subject. "II. That the memorialist should make an affidavit before a magistrate, or other person authorised by law to administer an oath, verifying all the statements in his memorial. "III. That a declaration should be made and signed by four householders at least, vouching for the respectability and loyalty of the memorialist, verifying also the several particulars stated in the memorial as grounds for obtaining such certificate; and that this declaration should be made in due form, before a magistrate, or other person authorised by law to receive such declaration, in pursuance of the act passed in the 5th & 6th years of His late Majesty King William IV." Home Office, 15th October, 1844. An act passed in 1848, 11 Vict. c. 20., empowers the principal secretaries of state and the lord lieute nant of Ireland to order aliens out of the kingdom on a representation being made to them that such a step would conduce to the public tranquility. But despite the obvious expediency of vesting a discretionary power of this sort in the functionaries referred to, the act is limited to a year's duration. Probably, however, it will be made perpetual. AUCTIONS. The duties on auctions, which had become partial from the numerous exemptions in favour of various articles, and oppressive from the severity with which they pressed on others, were repealed in 1845, by the 8 Vict. c. 15. This act directs that in future all persons acting as auctioneers shall take out an annual licence costing 10., which shall enable them to sell all sorts of articles by auction, whether special licences be required for dealing in the same or not it is enacted by clause 5. that a licence shall not be necessary in the case of sales under distress, where the sum does not exceed 207, and a few others. auctioneer, and not producing, on being requested to do so by any officer of customs or excise or of stamps and taxes, his licence, or paying forthwith 107. into the hands of the officer, may be committed to gaol Any person acting as an for a month, besides being liable to the penalties incurred for acting without a licence. Auctioneers are farther directed, under a penalty of 204., to have their names and places of abode written in legible characters, and placed in some conspicuous part of the premises where auctions are held. BANKS. BANKING. An Account of the Rate of Interest charged by the Bank of England, from 1694 to 1848. From Aug. 8, 1694 to Aug. 30, 1694 on Foreign bills Aug. 30, 1694- Jan. 16, 1695 do. days to run) 6 per cent. From Feb. 13, 1838 to May 16, 1839 on Bills and notes (95 45 4 per cent Oct. 24, 1694 Jan. 16. 1695 Jan. 16, 1695 Jan. 16, 1695 - Inland bills 6 6 - 3 -45 May 16, 1839 June 20, 1839 65 day bills 95 do. do. do. de. 34 June 3, 1811 -5 April 7, 1812 April 7, 1812 - do. do. Sept. 5, 1844-Mar. 13, 1845-bills - 5 Do. (From Bankers' Magazine for July, 1848.) An Account of the Notes in circulation of the Bank of England, and of the other Banks of Issue in Ireland. Mar. 13, 1845 Nov. Oct. 16, 1845 - Aug. 17, 1846 Jan. 14, 1847 do. do. Jan. 21, 1517 do. April 8, 1847 do. Jan. 27, 1848 do. June 16, 1848 do. do.. 3,019,584 09:05,703 3,060,750 2,163,398 34,049.4571 17,005.000 6 285,723 3,421,135 3,383,096 3,355,315 2,611,514 | 36,102,5831 4,218, 16,2.000 5,718,211 3,217,512 3,448,660 3,303,75 2,081,713 34,561,671 1842 16,203,000 5,478,189 3,042,197 3,070,075 3,205,-75 | 2,515,677 33,05,013, 17.402,000 5,554,324 | 3,08,901 2947,882 3,279,075 2,534,039 16,831,000 5,209,455 2,090,986 2,811,409 3,188,750 2,407,625 34,7 2 April, 15.674,000 5,289,0 0 3,047,636 2,670,299 30.4.20 2,259,556 | 55,914,677) 6,28 7,3 18,404,000 5.182,189 17,891,000 5,565,654 17,543,000 4,995,591 19,908,000 5,166,581 18,111,000 4,503,178 30 April, 28 MAY, 25 June, 23 July. 20 August, 17 September, 15 October, 12 November, 10 December, 7 January, 4 February, 4 March, 1 April, 29 April, 27 May. 91 June 1843 20,351,000 5,150,625 2,823,090 2,671,835 19,911,000 5,098,259 19,505,000 5,488,761 20,104,000; 5,131,822 18,811,000 5,085,88.5 18,283,00 4,942,825 21,108,000. 5,924,716 20,340,000 4,787,724 19,539,0 4,716306 20,329.00 4,390,605 19,422,0 4,763,378 3,169,900 2,590,715 3,100,625 5,101,540 2,951,383 | 3,095,00 2,111,322 34,849,751, 31,365,629 2,850,532 2,557,038 2,901,525 1,764,184 32,916,873 2,939,195 2,715,480 2,892,775 1,680,987 35, 63,218 6.883 2,831,750 1,632.617 36,165,920 2,819,749 2,648,549 2,896,025 1,665,012 34,949,844 3,064,539 2,743,795 3,011,150 2,602,781 35,843,929 9, 7098 9,810,0 9,801. 3,162,200 2,126,523 36,915,680 3,138.5252.101,855 35,263,083 10, 2,770,538 3,112,970 2.908,005 2,841,077 2,629,691 3,197,273 2,099,641 34,049,163 11,05 36,985,028 10,93. 3,195,125 | 2,097.223 35,851,521 10,98 2,86 2,986 2,157,604 3,083,100 3,111,148 2,487,311 3,153,350 2,012,740 1,971.750 36,04 2,565 11,515. 3,017,167 2,513,162 3,206,200 1,861,357 2.853,779 2,869,863 3,105,150 1,731,730 34,681,236 11,490, 35.115,464 11,325, 33.488,000 11,877,0! 2,540,312 2,665,026 3,089,100 1,651,958 31,915,791 11,872,00 19 Angust, 20,051,000 1,532,476 2,782,312 2,667,378 3,018,750 1,681,081 34,973,500) 11,973,0 29 September, 19,132,000 4,288,180 2,763,502 2,659,176 2,975,950 1,699,946 33,518,554 12,229,00 14 October, 19,023,000) 4,721,109 | 3,130,002 2,762,353 | 3,232,575 | 2,055,845 34,925,881; 12,085,080 |