564 HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. In SCIENTIFIC matters some interesting and it to be all carbon; but turpentine is composed important experiments have been made by Prof. of twenty atoms of carbon to fifteen atoms of PAGE of the Smithsonian Institute, on the sub- hydrogen, and, consequently, only one-seventh ject of Electro-Magnetism as a motive power, of its carbon can be taken up by the hydrogen; the results of which have recently been announced or, in otner words, forty-two ounces of turpenHe states that there tine will be required to carburet one ounce of by him in public lectures. can be no further doubt as to the application of hydrogen." He tried the experiment afterward, He ex- placing the whole apparatus in a cold bath to this power as a substitute for steam. hibited experiments in which a bar of iron prevent evaporation, and again by heating the weighing one hundred and sixty pounds was turpentine to 120 degrees-but in both eases made to spring up ten inches through the air, with the same result. He used the same turand says that he can as readily move a bar pentine and had a brilliant light for nearly three weighing a hundred tons through a space of a hours, and yet the quantity was not perceptibly hundred feet. He expects to be able to apply diminished. Mr. Mathiot claims that his exit to forge hammers, pile drivers, &c., and to periments prove conclusively that hydrogen can engines with a stroke of six, ten, or twenty feet. be used for illumination, but at what comparaHe exhibited also an engine of between four tive rate of expense he does not state.The and five horse power, worked by a battery con- American Scientific Association commenced its tained in a space of three cubic feet. It was a annual session at New Haven on the 19th of reciprocating engine of two feet stroke, the August. This is an association formed for the engine and battery weighing about one ton, and advancement of science and embraces within its driving a circular saw ten inches in diameter, members nearly all the leading scientific men sawing boards an inch and a quarter thick, of the United States. Prof. BACHE presides. The professor The proceedings of these conventions, made up making eighty strokes a minute. says that the cost of the power is less than of papers on scientific subjects read by distinsteam under most conditions, though not so low guished gentlemen, are published in a volume, as the cheapest steam engines. The consump- and form a valuable contribution to American tion of three pounds of zinc per day produces scientific literature.-Intelligence has been The larger his engines the received, by way of England, and also direct, one horse power. greater the economy. Some practical difficulties from two of the American vessels sent out in remain to be overcome in the application of the search of Sir John Franklin. The brig Advance power to practical purposes on a larger scale: arrived at Whalefish Island, on the West Coast but little doubt seems to be entertained that such of Greenland, on the 24th of June, and the an application is feasible. The result is one of Rescue arrived two days after. Two of the All on board were well, and in good very great importance to science, as well as to British steamers and two of the ships had also the arts of practical life.We made a state- arrived. ment in our July number of the pretensions of spirits for prosecuting the expedition. EnorA letter from an Mr. Henry M. Paine, of Worcester, Mass., to mous icebergs were seen by the American veshaving discovered a new method of procuring sels on the voyage, some of them rising 150 hydrogen from water, and rendering it capable or 200 feet above the water. of giving a brilliant light, with great ease and officer of the Rescue says they expected to go to at a barely nominal expense, by passing it a place called Uppermarik, about two hundred through cold spirits of turpentine. His claims miles from Whalefish Island, thence to Melville have been very generally discredited, and were Bay, and across Lancaster Sound to Cape supposed to have been completely exploded by Walker, and from that point they would try to the examinations of several scientific gentlemen go to Melville Island and as much farther as Mr. GEORGE MATH- possible. They intended to winter at Melville of Boston and New York. IoT, an electro-metallurgist attached to the Island, but that would depend upon circumUnited States Coast Survey, and a gentleman The LITERARY INTELLIGENCE of the month of scientific habits and attainments, has published in the Scientific American, a statement that he He pro- presents no feature of special interest. The first has succeeded in a kindred attempt. duced a very brilliant light, nearly equal to the volume of a series of Reminiscences of Congress, Drummond, by passing hydrogen through tur- made up mainly of a biography of DANIEL WEBpentine and in thus passing the gas from thirty- STER, has just been issued from the press of three ounces of zine through it, the quantity of Messrs. Baker and Scribner. It is by CHARLES "In W. MARCH, Esq., a young man of fine talents, turpentine was not perceptibly diminished. this case," he says, "the hydrogen could not and of unusual advantages for the preparation have been changed into carburetted hydrogen, of such a work. His style is eminently graphic for coal gas contains from four to five times as and classical, and the book is one which merits much carbon as hydrogen, and pure carburetted attention.The same publishers will also hydrogen has six times as much carbon as hydrogen; and, as 33 ounces of zinc, by solution, liberate one ounce, or twelve cubic feet of hydrogen, therefore, from four to six ounces of turpentine should have been used up, supposing stances. publish a volume of sketches by IK. MARVEL, Kappa Society; his subject was the Progress of of the World during the last half century. OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES, of Cambridge, delivered the poem, which was one of his most admirable productions-a blending of the most exquisite descriptive and sentimental poetry with TORREY, of the University of Vermont, has prepared for the press the fourth volume of his translation of NEANDER'S Church History, which will be issued soon. It is understood that, at the time of his death, the great German scholar was engaged upon the fifth volume of his history, which is therefore left unfinished.The the finest humor, the keenest wit, and the most Appletons announce a Life of JOHN RANDOLPH, effective sarcasm. PIERPONT, the well-known by Hon. A. H. GARLAND, which can not fail to poet, also read an admirable satirical and hube an attractive and interesting work. They morous poem at the dinner. The number of are also to publish the magnificently-illustrated graduates at Yale this year was seventy-eight. book on the war between the United States and Mexico, upon which GEO. W. KENDALL has been engaged for a year or two. It is to embrace splendid pictorial drawings of all the principal conflicts, taken on the spot, by Carl Nebel, a German artist of distinction, with a description of each battle by Mr. KENDALL. It will be issued in one volume, folio, beautifully colored. -The commencement of the University of Vermont occurred on the 7th. Rev. HENRY WILKES, of Montreal, delivered an address before the Society for Religious Inquiry, upon the Relations of the Age to Theology. H. J. RAYMOND, of New-York, addressed the Associate Alumni on the Duties of American Scholars, with special reference to certain aspects of American Society; and Rev. Mr. WASHBURN, The past month has been distinguished by the of Newburyport, Mass., delivered an address annual commencements of the academic year in before the Literary Societies, on the Developmost of the colleges of the country. At these ments and Influences of the Spiritual Philosophy anniversary occasions, the candidates for honors The number of graduates was fifteen-conmake public exhibition of their ability; the lit-siderably less than usual.— -Union College at erary societies attached to the colleges hold their Schenectady, N. Y., celebrated its commencecelebrations; and addresses and poems are de- ment on the 24th of July. Rev. Dr. S. H. Cox, livered by literary gentlemen previously invited of Brooklyn, delivered the address. The number to perform that duty. The number of colleges of graduates was eighty. At Dartmouth, n the country, and the fact that the most dis- commencement occurred on the 25th of July. tinguished scholars in the country are generally Rev. Dr. SPRAGUE, of Albany, addressed the selected for the office, gives to these occasions alumni on the Perpetuity of Literary Influence; a peculiar and decided interest; and the ad- DAVID PAUL BROWN, Esq., of Philadelphia, the dresses then and thus pronounced, being pub- Literary Societies, on Character, its Force and lished, form no inconsiderable or unworthy por- Results; and Rev. ALBERT BARNES, of the same tion of the literature of the age. The com- city, addressed the Theological Society on the mencement at Yale College was celebrated at Theology of the Unknown. The number of New Haven, on the 15th ult. The recurrence graduates was forty-six. On the 24th of of the third semi-centennial anniversary of the July, the regular commencement-day, Hon. foundation of the college, in 1700, led to addi- THEO. FRELINGHUYSEN was inaugurated as tional exercises of great interest, under the President of Rutgers College, N. J. His adsupervision of the alumni of the college, of dress was one of great ability and eloquence, whom over 3000 are still living, and about 1000 enforcing the importance of academic education of whom were present. President WOOLSEY to the age and the country. The number of delivered a very interesting historical discourse, graduates was twenty-four.-Amherst Col sketching the origin, progress, and results of the lege celebrated its commencement on the 8th institution, and claiming for it a steady and suc- The number of graduates was twenty-four cessful effort to meet the requirements of the Rev. Dr. Cox addressed the Society of Incountry and the age. The discourse, when pub- quiry on the importance of having history studied lished, will form a valuable contribution to the as a science in our colleges. A. B. STREET, historical literature of the country. The alumni, Esq., of Albany, delivered a poem, and Mr. E. at their dinner, which followed the address, lis- P. WHIPPLE, of Boston, an admirable and elotened to some eloquent and interesting speeches quent oration on the characteristics and tendfrom ex-President DAY and Prof. SILLIMAN, encies of American genius. He repeated the touching the history of Yale College; from Prof. oration at the Wesleyan University, at MiddleFELTON, Concerning Harvard; from LEONARD town, Conn.; where a brilliant oration by Prof. BACON, D.D., in reference to the clergy edu- D. D. WHEDON, and a poem by Mr. W. H. C. cated at Yale; from EDWARD BATES, of Missouri, HOSMER, were delivered before the Phi Beta concerning the West and the Union; from Prof. Kappa Society. An able and learned address BROWN, of Dartmouth; from DANIEL LORD, of was delivered before the Alumni by Rev. J. CUMNew York, upon the Bench and the Bar; and MINGS. The number of graduates was nineteen. from Dr. STEVENS, upon the Medical Profession, -Some important changes are to be made in as connected with Yale College; and from other the organization of Brown University, in accordgentlemen of distinction and ability, upon various ance with the principles and views recently set topics. Joux W. ANDREWS, Esq., of Columbus, forth by President WAYLAND, in a published O., delivered the oration before the Phi Beta pamphlet. Greater prominence is to be given to the study of the natural sciences as applied to the arts of practical life, and the study of the ancient languages is to be made optional with students. The sum of $108.000 has been raised by subscriptions in aid of the institution. Rev. ASAHEL KENDRICK, of Madison University, has been elected Professor of Greek; WILLIAM A. NORTON, of Delaware College, Professor of Natural Philosophy and Civil Engineering; and JOHN A. PORTER, of the Lawrence Scientific School, Professor of Chemistry applied to the Arts. Rev. Dr. Tefft, of Cincinnati, has been elected President of the Genesee College just established at Lima, N. Y. The sum of $100,000 has been raised for its support. continue dependent upon the Atlantic coast, still less upon the countries of Europe, for the teas silks, spices, &c., which her population will require. She is ten thousand miles nearer to their native soil than either England, France, or the United States, and will, of course, procure them for herself rather than through their agency. From OREGON we have intelligence to the first of July. Governor LANE has resigned his post as governor of the territory, and was about starting on a gold-hunting expedition. It is said that one of the richest gold mines on the Pacific coast has been discovered in the Spokan country, some 400 miles above Astoria, on the Columbia river. Parties were on their way to examine it. Extensive discoveries of gold, we may say here, are reported to have been made in Venezuela, on a branch of the river Orinoco. The papers of that country are full of exultation over this discovery, from which they anticipate means to pay the English debt within a single year. From MEXICO our dates are to the 16th of July. The ravages of the Indians in the Northern districts still continue. In Chihuahua they have become so extensive that a body of three hundred men was to be sent to suppress them. The State of Durango has also been almost overrun by them. In Sonora several severe conflicts have taken place in which the troops were victorious. The cholera has almost From CALIFORNIA our intelligence is to the 15th of July, received by the Philadelphia steamer, which brought gold to the value of over a million of dollars. The accounts from the gold mines are unusually good. The high water at most of the old mines prevented active operations; but many new deposits had been discovered, especially upon the head waters of Feather river, and between that and Sacramento river. Gold has also been discovered at the upper end of Carson river valley, near and at the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada. A lump of quartz mixed with gold, weighing thirty pounds, and containing twenty-three pounds of pure gold, has been found between the North and Middle Forks of the Yuba river. At Nevada and the Gold Run, where the deposits ceased. were supposed to have been exhausted, further explorations have shown it in very great abun- In ENGLAND, no event has excited more indance, at a depth, sometimes, of forty feet below terest than the claim of his seat in the House the surface. The hills and ravines in the neigh- of Commons by Baron ROTHSCHILD. At his borhood are said to be be very rich in gold.- request, a meeting of the electors of the city of A very alarming state of things exists in the London was held July 25th, to confer on the southern mines, owing, in a great degree, to the course proper to be pursued. The meeting disaffection created by the tax levied upon concluded by resolving that Baron R. ought to foreign miners. Murders and other crimes of claim his seat, which he accordingly did on the the most outrageous character are of constant 26th of July. He asked to be sworn on the Old occurrence, and in the immediate vicinity of Testament, against which Sir Robert Inglis proSonora, it is stated that more than twenty mur- tested. The question was debated for several ders had been committed within a fortnight. days, and was finally postponed until the next Guerrilla parties, composed mainly of Mexican session.The proceedings of PARLIAMENT. robbers, were in the mountains, creating great during the month, have not been of special inalarm, and rendering life and property in their terest. The House of Commons passed the vicinity wholly insecure. Fresh Indian troubles resolutions approving of the foreign policy of had also broken out on the Tuolumne: three the ministry, and especially its conduct in reAmericans had been shot.The Odd Fellows gard to the claims on the government of Greece, have erected a grand edifice at San Francisco by a vote of ayes 310, nays 264, showing a for the accommodation of their order.The ministerial majority of 46. The selection of a Fourth of July was celebrated with great en-site for the great Industrial Exhibition of next thusiasm throughout California. It is stated year has elicited a good deal of discussion. that a line of steamers is to be run from San Hyde Park has been fixed upon as the site Francisco direct to Canton. Whether the en- against the very earnest remonstrances of many terprise be undertaken at once or not, it can who live in its vicinity; and the building comnot, in the natural course of events, be delayed mittee have accepted an offer made by Mr. Paxmany years. The settlement of California will ton, to erect a building chiefly of iron and glass. had, directly or indirectly, to a constant commer- It is to be of wood-work to the height of eighteen cial intercourse with China, and will exert a feet, and arrangements have been made to promore decided influence upon the trade and civ-vide complete ventilation, and to secure a modilization of eastern Asia, than any other event erate temperature. It is to be made in Birof the present century. California can not longmingham, and the entire cost is stated at about Mr. LAWRENCE the American Minister at London, and Mr. RIVES the Minister at Paris were both present and made eloquent speeches, upon the agricultural state of England.— -The boiler of the steamer Red Rover at Bristol exploded July 22d, killing six persons and severely injuring many others. An explosion took place in the coal-pits belonging to Mr. Sneden, near Airdrie on the 23d, by which nineteen persons were instantly killed. Only one man in the mine escaped; he saved his life by throwing himself upon the ground the moment he heard with Davy safety-lamps.--At a meeting of the Royal Humane Society a new invention of Lieutenant Halkett, of the Navy, was introduced. It is a boat-cloak which may be worn, like a common cloak on the shoulders, and may be inflated in three or four minutes by a bellows and will then sustain six or eight persons-forming a kind of boat which it is almost impossible to overturn. A trial was to be made of its efficacy. a million of dollars. There will be on the ground-floor alone seven miles of tables. There will be 1,200,000 square feet of glass, 24 miles of one description of gutter, and 218 miles of "sash-bar;" and in the construction 4500 tons of iron will be expended. The wooden floor will be arranged with "divisions," so as to allow the dust to fall through.- -An attempt was made to secure a vote in the House of Commons in favor of repealing the malt-tax, on the ground that it pressed too heavily upon the agricultural interest; but it failed, 247 voting against it and 123 in its favor.An the explosion. The men were not provided effort was made to extend still further the principles of the reform bill, by making the franchise of counties in England and Wales the same as it is in boroughs, giving the right of voting to all occupiers of tenements of the annual value of £10. The motion was warmly advocated by several members, but opposed by Lord John Russel, partly on the ground that it was brought forward at a wrong time, and partly because he thought the changes contemplated inconsistent with the maintenance of the monarchy, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons, which were fundamental parts of the British Constitution. The motion was lost by 159 to 100.-A motion to inquire into the working of the existing regulation concerning Sunday labor in the Postoffices was carried 195 to 112.-A motion made by Lord John Russell to erect a monument in Westminster Abbey, to the memory of Sir Robert Peel was carried by acclamation. -The sum of £12,000 per annum was voted to the present Duke of Cambridge, and £3000 to the Princess Mary of Cambridgebeing grandchildren of the late King George III. -not without strenuous opposition from members, who thought the sums unnecessarily large. A petition was recently presented in the House of Lords, purporting to be signed by 18,000 rate payers, against the bill for the Liverpool Corporation Water-works. In consequence of suspicions that were entertained, the document was referred to a select committee and it was found on investigation that many of the names had been affixed by clerks, and the paper then wet to make it appear that it had been carried round from place to place in the rain. Evidence was taken showing that this had been a very common practice of agents employed by the parties interested to get up signatures to petitions. The Committee in the House of Lords had expressed themselves very strongly as to the necessity of some law for preventing such abuses in future. The criminal tables for the year 1849 have been laid before Parliament. Of the persons committed for trial during the year, 6786 were acquitted, and 21,001 convicted. Of these convicted one in 318 was sentenced to death, and one in 8 to transportation. There has been no execution since 1841 except for murder: of 19 persons convicted during the past year of this offense 15 were executed, five of whom were females. The Royal Agricultural Society held its annual meeting July 18th at Exeter. -Sir Thomas Wilde has been made Lord Chancellor and raised to the peerage by the title of Baron Truro of Bowes, in the County of Middlesex.-Sir Robert Peel, Bart., has been returned to Parliament for the borough of Tamworth made vacant by the death of his father. It is stated that Sir Robert's last injunction was that his children should not receive titles or pensions for any supposed services their father might have rendered. This is in keeping with the severe simplicity of his character and negatives conclusively the representations of those who have charged his advocacy of measures designed to aid the poor, to interested motives of selfish or family ambition. A subscription has been set on foot for a testimonial to his memory to be called "the Working-man's Monument." The foreign LITERARY INTELLIGENCE of the month is unusually meagre. The only work of great interest that has been published is WORDSwORT's posthumous Poem, The Prelude, of which a somewhat extended notice will be found on a preceding page. It has already been republished in this country, where it will find a wide circle of sympathizing readers. The Household Narrative, in summing up the literary news, says that another note-worthy poem of the month, also a posthumous publication though written some years ago, is a dramatic piece attributed to Mr. Beddoes, and partaking largely of his wellknown eccentricity and genius, called Death's Jest-Book or the Fool's Tragedy. A republication of Mr. Cottle's twenty-four books of Alfred, though the old pleasant butt and "jest-book" of his ancient friend Charles Lamb, is said hardly to deserve even so many words of mention. Nor is there much novelty in A Selection from the Poems and Dramatic Works of Theodore Korner, though the translation is a new one, and by the clever translator of the Nibelungen. To this brief catalogue of works of fancy is added the mention of two somewhat clever tales in one volume, with the title of Hearts in Mortmain 568 HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. and Cornelia, intended to illustrate the working by the indignation which has been poured out upon Lord Elgin by BYRON and others for rifling Athens of its antiquities for display at home, are practicing the same desecration in regard to the treasures discovered in Nineveh by Mr. Layard. It is announced that the Great Bull and upwards of 100 tons of sculpture excavated by him, may be expected in England in September for the British Museum. The French Gov ernment are also making extensive collections of Assyrian works of art. Among those who perished by the loss of the British steamer Orion was Dr. JOHN BURNS, Professor of Surgery in the University of Glasgow, and a man of considerable eminence in his profession. He was the author of several works upon various medical subjects and had also written upon literary and theological topics. Dr. GRAY, Professor of Oriental languages in the same university has also deceased within the month.A new filtering apparatus, intended to render sea-water drinkable, has recently been brought to the notice of the Paris Academy.-A letter in the London Athenæum from the Nile complains bitof ancient temples, &c., caused by the rapacious terly of the constant devastation of the remains Better worthy of brief record are the few economy of the government. The writer states miscellaneous publications, which comprise an that immense sculptured and painted blocks have excellent new translation of Rochefoucauld's been taken from the temple of Karnac, for the Maxims, with a better account of the author, construction of a sugar factory; a fine ancient Very earnest complaints are also and more intelligent notes, than exist in any tomb has also entirely disappeared under this previous edition; most curious and interesting process. Memorials of the Empire of Japan in the Six- made of the Prussian traveler Dr. Lepsius, for The writer urges that if this teenth and Seventeenth Centuries, which Mr. carrying away relics of antiquity, and for deRundell of the East India House has issued stroying others. under the superintendence of the Hakluyt Socie- process is continued Egypt will lose far more ty, and which illustrate English relations with by the cessation of English travel than she can those Japanese; an intelligent and striking sum- gain in the value of material used.——————Rev. W. mary of the Antiquities of Richborough, Reculver, | KIRBY, distinguished as one of the first entomoand Lynne, written by Mr. Roach Smith and logists of the age, died at his residence in Sufillustrated by Mr. Fairholt, which exhibits the results of recent discoveries of many remarkable Roman antiquities in Kent; and a brief, unassuming narrative of the Hudson's Bay Company's Expedition to the Shores of the Arctic Sea in 1846 and 1847, by the commander of the expedition, Mr. John Rae. folk, July 4th, at the advanced age of 91. He has left behind him several works of great ability and reputation on his favorite science. It is stated that the late Sir Robert Peel left his pa -Among the deaths of the month we find pers to Lord Mahon and Mr. Edward Cardwell that of an amiable man and accomplished writer, M.P.Ballooning in France and England seems to Mr. B. Simmons, whose name will be recollected The ascent as that of a frequent contributor of lyrical poems have become a temporary mania. of Messrs. Barral and Bixio, of which a detail- of a high order to Blackwood's Magazine, and to ed and very interesting account will be found in several of the Annuals. Mr. Simmons, who held a a preceding page, has encouraged imitators in situation in the Excise office, died July 19th. various styles. One M. Poitevin made an as-GUIZOT, the eminent historian, on the marThe ants of the illustrious Hollander De WITT, was cent in Paris seated on a horse, which was at-riage of his two daughters recently to descendtached to the balloon in place of the car. London Athenæum invokes the aid of the police unable to give them any thing as marriage porto prevent such needless cruelty to animals, and tions. Notwithstanding the eminent positions he A most men would have made the means of ac to exercise proper supervision over the madmen has filled for so much of his life-positions which who undertake such fool-hardy feats. plaster mask said to have been taken from the quiring enormous wealth, Guizor is still poor. face of Shakspeare, and bearing the date 1616 This fact alone furnishes at once evidence and on its back, has been brought to London from illustration of his sterling integrity.—A new Mayence, which is said to have been procured History of Spain, by ST. HILAIRE, is in course from an ecclesiastical personage of high rank of publication in Paris. He has been engaged at Cologne. It excites considerable attention upon it for a number of years, and it is said to -The English, undeterred be a work of great ability and learning. among virtuosos. |