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with many small roots and fibers to a depth of two or three inches, has been removed, the disintegrated mineral appears. in form of roundish grains, wanting only to be loosened somewhat with the pick to facilitate the shoveling. Most of the openings, as stated already, increase in size, frequently to a considerable extent, a single one yielding many tons of phosphate; a circumstance that makes it very difficult to arrive at an exact estimate of the quantity of the fine phosphate contained in them. The only feasible plan was, therefore, to ascertain what area had been worked near Lulu Bay, on the lower flat. We found that from 11/2 acres, one thousand six hundred and thirty-five tons had been shipped to a house in Camden, N. J., and that there yet remained two large piles at the landing ready for shipment, containing at the lowest estimate five hundred tons, making two thousand one hundred and thirty-five tons, although it had not been worked with that care and economy which the value of it demanded.
The island possesses an area of somewhat over 11 square miles, and deducting from it one-half as occupied by carbonate of lime, it leaves 51/2 square miles which are covered with the phosphate. Taking only 5 miles into consideration, the same, according to the above statement, will yield four million five hundred and fifty-four thousand six hundred and sixty-six tons of the fine variety of phosphate. That this estimate is correct is further proved by the quantity worked out from not quite 40 acres on the upper flat, and from which forty-five thousand tons were obtained, of which about five thousand tons lay near the landing waiting shipment.
Among the fine-grained phosphate is found a great many loose lumps, and in working lower down in most of the nests, this mineral assumes a hard rocky nature.
[ have stated already that the hard phosphate is visible on the surface at a great many places; should it prove by analysis to be good, then it can be said, without the least exaggeration, that this mineral is indeed inexhaustible.
The cost of digging and wheeling a ton of the disintegrated phosphate, I estimate at one dollar. This work can be lessened, and consequently made cheaper, by laying railroad tracks, the construction of which, on account of the level nature of the flats, could be put down at a small cost, especially if the rail
