portant one, connected with the introduction of these steam engines on board sailing ships. We allude to the practicability of utilising their power to propel vessels bound to India or Australia across the "calm belt" met with at the Equator between the two trade winds, and which is the pons assinorum of such voyages, ships being not unfrequently detained for weeks together at this point for lack of wind. Indeed, the passage of this place successfully is the grand problem on the solution of which the duration and consequent success of the whole voyage depends in a very great degree. It is not our purpose to discuss the details of this particular matter at present; at a future time we may perhaps enter on its consideration. As a fire engine the circulating pump of the distiller is of conspicuous utility; indeed, the introduction of this kind of steam power on board our sailing merchant ships clearly demonstrates that steam power is an excellent servant for various other work besides that of mere propulsion. mencement till the present "improvement "of it, if anything whatever be done, for the almost a mint of money. It has been widened deeper it is the better the water, and the and narrowed, and shortened and lengthened, purer and the clearer; and to encourage by and made shallower and deeper, in turns, and artificial means, as far as can be, the flow of at divers times, at a vast expense; but at no the water from one end in Kensington Gardens time does it ever seem to have occurred to to the outfall at Knightsbridge. The Serpenany one of those who have successively filled tine was at one time a small natural rivulet, the office of Chief Commissioner of Works, and of course had a spring to flow from, and to attempt to deal with it in a common sense a way doubtless to the main river, the Thames. and really useful way. May we be permitted It was one of the watercourses of the to offer a few hints about it, and to point out country, and a natural drain, though a small if possible what a good work it may be made one. It has been "improved" and artificialto minister to. But, first, as to the last "im-ized into its present formal nothingness. provement" now at this present moment But it is to what may really be yet done going on at a vast expense; the bottom bed usefully and artistically to the Serpentine of this little sheet of water is being levelled, that we would draw the attention of those the mud from it carted away by the thousands who have authority in such public matters of tons, the water weeds destroyed, and the as these. To improve the Serpentine in reality, banks of it smoothed into an even level. The what a very little would do, and at how small water is in future to be but some 4ft. and a few inches deep, and thus it is thought that the number of thousands now being sunk in an expense-a few hundred pounds out of the said water will be kept pure, and con- it. We mean, first, the leaving it alone, and stantly clear, and the bottom bed of the for a time to leave Nature to do a little of her river free from weeds, and, we suppose, the cheap and ready work, and then to try and In concluding this series of articles we springs in it quenched. Now, nothing can undo a small part of the late improvements, will say one word about the men who are be more respectable than all this; it really leaving the water as deep as possible, and generally placed in charge of these ma- seems as though you could, by taking due varying the lines of the shores or banks. If chines. We cheerfully credit the men and proper thought and consideration, make with an honest desire to do their best, but even rivers and springs respectable and fit showing Hyde Park and the Serpentine any one will glance at a map of London there is more requisite than good will in the for the contemplation of an advanced civili-coloured, it will be perceived that by no sort matter; special education to some extent is sation. Anybody, however refined, may in of contrivance or design could the lines of necessary at once to obtain the best results, future walk quietly and without offence by the banks of this piece of water be made more to diminish bills for maintenance or repairs, the side of this bit of water. But alas! for formal, unnecessary, and void of artistic idea and, above all, to guard against such lament- human contrivances, however refined, water than they are. If now some rugged flowing able mishaps as the boiler explosion which is water, wherever it is, and whatever you lines be drawn accidentally on either shore of took place about three years ago at Liver- may do to it. It may surprise some people it, beginning in Kensington Gardens, and pool, and there it was shown that the disaster to be told-even the Chief Commissioner of ending in the remains of the little stream at arose from the incompetence of the man in Works may admit the truth of it-that if you Knightsbridge Gate, it will be found that it charge. The knowledge, too, that their fill a basin or a pond up to the very brim, the would take but little almost accidental digmachinery is to be entrusted to the care of water in them will keep clear and wholesome ging to restore to the Serpentine the natural men almost quite ignorant, as a general rule, for a much longer time than if you merely curves which it at one time must have had. of the nature of the engine they take charge cover the bottom of the one or the bed of the Let us suppose, then, this much to be done, of, or destitute of the qualifications that raise other with just water enough to see through. and the idea of a natural watercourse rea man above the level of a common labourer, The very first thing to be thought of in the stored, and, by leaving the springs to do is a serious difficulty in the way of manufac- improvement of the Serpentine surely was, their work without expense, and a constant turers, and goes far to prevent the introduc- the keeping the water at all times clear and flow of water kept up by an artificial supply, a tion of a better class of machinery than is fresh, and if possible in a state of motion, really wholesome and sightly sheet of water to be found at present in the generality of and to deepen rather than shallow, the water, might gladden the eyes of dusty and tired examples. as the deeper the stream the clearer and Londoners. Thus much, out of a good deal, We alluded above to the explosion of a fresher it is. The springs too-why the more for the water of the Serpentine. And now donkey boiler at Liverpool; the verdict re- of them there are the better, and the softer for a word or two for the shores of it. What turned at the inquest, while it reflected little and purer the water, and the more movement it is that makes a formal and evenly flat credit on the advanced views of the jurymen in it. What is now being done seems almost gravel walk bounded by iron wire fences a finding it, still teaches its lesson. The verdict incredible when we look at these obvious and fashionable and thoroughly safe thing, it would was to the effect of recommending the aboli- common-sense principles. And once more, be difficult perhaps to say. In one word, it tion of this class of machinery (steam the so much talked of weeds, always to be is a thing respectable, and that may perhaps winches) and a termination of its use on found more or less at the bottom of shallow explain it; but, as the fashionable world board ship, on account of the general inca- water, what harm do they do? May we not of Hyde Park confines itself mainly to the pacity of the men placed in charge of it. It the rather suppose that Nature intends some "drive" and Rotten Row, would it not be is a pity that they did not recommend the good by them, that of taking up from the a good thing, and an "improvement" to doing away with incapable managers instead water both organic and inorganic matter that allow Nature to do something or other in her of advising the use of the machinery to be must and ought to be somehow or other own wild and unthought of way in bye places? utilised and separated from the water itself Let the trees alone, whether dead or alive, and by a natural process. Yet has it cost and, after drawing a rough harrow three or many thousands of pounds under the superin- four times over the ground from the tendence of a distinguished civil engineer, drive to the water's edge, and across Mr. Fowler, to undo all this handiwork of the formal gravel path, leave it for a Nature, and to prevent its action if possible twelvemonth and see what will come in the future. If there be any readers of this of it. Why, first of all, the large trees, notice of things as they move on who shall which are now rotting away under cultivabe inclined to doubt of the fixity of natural tion and pruning, will most surely recover laws, and of the impossibility of tampering themselves, as all trees will do if left alone. with them with impunity, let him go to the The trees in Kensington Gardens are gradumiserable little "improved" stream in St. ally dying out from the destruction of the James's Park, and look at the bottom of it, observe its foulness, and the wretched thin grass and weeds and underwood, which some years back was wisely suffered to grow round coating of water covering its bed, looking them. The next thing would be that the like "slops," hardly enough for a few ducks to dive into. It cost the price of a large lawn grass or to get to look like worn-out would grass grow naturally, not like formal parish church to smooth and shallow this billiard table baize, and would of itself THE more attentively we consider the pre-poor little stream of water. Surely there is become interspersed with furze, ferns, and sent position of art, both in theory and nothing so profound as science, or, rather, other low-ground plants, as in Windsor practice, the more surely shall we come to art, when directed by science in these advanced Forest; and thus, in place of the dull, dead the conclusion that there is something or days! formalities of dry grass, artificial flowers other radically wrong in our present mode of But what ought to have been done to the from Covent Garden market, and ends of doing things, and in our attempts to bring brickbats, got together yearly at a vast exabout results. Let us confine our remarks pense, some little evidence at least of a to London and what is now doing in it and natural order of things would result-delightabout it artistically. Everybody knows that ful, one would fain think, to both high and the little sheet of water called the Serpentine low, and at any rate a contrast to the cultiRiver, in Hyde Park, has cost from its comvated and improved sections of the park. abandoned. The institution of a moderate examination of candidates and the granting of certificates of competency to men desirous of obtaining berths on board ship as managers of steam winches and boilers would obviate most of the danger so much deprecated by the Liverpool jurymen. Doubtless this scheme might slightly increase the rate of wages paid to or demanded by the men, but we have very little doubt that the increase would be compensated by the diminution in the annual bill paid by the shipowner for repairs. NATURE AND ART IN HYDE PARK AND THE SERPENTINE RIVER. Serpentine, then, says the inquiring and means. day last the Society of Engineers made a Throughout the works appearances have four INFLUENCE OF SCIENCE UPON T And one other good thing then would most assuredly happen if things were thus left to themselves for a season, and that is the "picturesque would begin to develope itself in the shape of naturally formed paths from one part of the park to the other, as far as it should be permitted to extend. No man can invent the picturesque, for it comes of chance and natural accident, and originally from necessity. The most picturesque of roads is not that of a formal avenue and well- The magnitude of the works will be appakept roadway, but the way made through a rent when we state that one thousand tons of wood or across a plain by the unerring in-coal per day will be distilled in the retorts. stinct of animals and humanity passing The whole of the works stand upon an through and over them. No man can design elevated plateau raised from the surrounding is difficult for the unobservant or unrea picturesque road, but all can delight in the land to the level of Trinity high water. The of any plan or methodical design in the flective student to perceive the presence sight of it when opened for them by natural coals will be landed on a curved pier carried That the Serpentine itself and the on iron piles, which stretches out into the arrangement of the physical features of the terrestrial globe. He observes plainly view of it would be improved picturesquely river for 400ft. from the face of the river by this process of wholesome neglect no one wall, and then turns with a curve of 150ft. enough large, and to his untutored eye amorwill doubt. The park is a useful place, and radius and gives an additional length of 385ft. phous, masses of land and water but beyond their outlines, as displayed on the map, he that utility may be added to and intensified The pier is laid with rails to a 4ft. 8in. sees nothing further. A study of that inteby making it artistic as well; and this ar-gauge, which are divided off into five resting science, physical geography, will tistic treatment is best of all to be brought branches of viaduct from the river wall. about by leaving as much of it as is possible Two of these branches run through the retort speedily convince him that every continent, group of islands, ocean, and sea has its relaunder an artificial system to be done by houses on either side of the beds of retorts, tive sphere of action, and that the varieties Nature herself, the primitive artist. Of course where the coals will be dropped, the empty of climate and temperature are caused by it will be readily understood that what has waggons being run to the rear of the retort the effects they produce. It has long been been said of the ground in Hyde Park applies houses and returned to the pier by a central demonstrated that the draining of extensive with even yet greater force to Kensington line of rails laid between the houses. Six lakes and marshes, and the cutting down of Gardens, where the trees are thicker and of steam cranes, three on either side of the pier large forests, very materially alter the norwilder growth; and also that this proposed near the head, will unload the coal from the mal state of the weather prevailing in disadmission of Dame Nature into Hyde Park vessels into the waggons, which will be tricts where those works have been undercontemplates the removal of the senseless worked by two locomotives. There are taken. There is not a single year that iron posts and railings which every where dis- retort houses, each 360ft. long and 90ft. figure it, so that to get across Hyde Park wide; each house contains 30 benches of passes by which does not in some degree or another assist to change the natural features without breaking your neck over some iron 18in. clay retorts, nine retorts being set in of the earth. It is true that they are in one bar is quite a gymnastic feat. Surely Mr. each bed. The two chimneys connected with sense merely superficial, but when they are Fowler, who seems to have the direction pro- the retort covers are each 100ft. high, and productive of sanitary benefits and advantages fessionally of the improvements going on, each rests upon a mass of concrete 17ft. 6in. their results may be justly regarded as solid would do well to attend to these considera- square carried down to the level of the main and permanent. It is no exaggeration to tions, and would certainly earn the good- foundations. The coal stores are 770ft. long assert that science laughs at a map of the will of the park-going public by carrying a and 120ft. wide, and occupy a central position world." In a short time that which the part at least of them into practice. We between the retort houses. A narrow space geographer calls a continent or peninsula is have but glanced at these things, for there on each side of the viaduct, having a stowage transformed into an island. A lake becomes are not a few others which claim attention, capacity of 30,000 tons, will be covered in, an area of cornfields and gardens, and the such as the destruction of the natural springs the remaining space being used for the pas-plough and the harrow traverse peaceably it once had, and the existence in a park de-sage of waggons. voted to public use of private residences, and barracks and powder stores worse than useless. Surely all these should be cleared away with the iron railings and posts. Nothing either has been said of the tall ornamental and begilt iron railings surrounding a part of the park; they would seem to be put there for the purpose of showing what it is possible to do when driven fairly up into a corner; for what beauty there can be in the sight of a tall awkward iron railing which a child may climb over, it would puzzle anyone to say, except, perhaps, that they are all the fashion, and that, there being nothing much to see in Hyde Park, you must needs look at the railings round it. All things in and round about London are getting so fast into a merely artificial state of formality that it would seem to be doing a public service to hint at a method of allowing Nature a small spot here and there to work in; and the parks, which are public property, may well be left here and there to the wonderful action of those (natural forces which cost nothing but the leaving them alone to accomplish their ever new and inventive work. C. B. A. THE BECKTON GASWORKS. TPON a tract of land about 150 acres in ex at Barking stand the largest The purifiers and scrubbers occupy two London through eight miles of 48in. pipes, and most perfect gasworks in the world. over lands that the sea once claimed for its own. The piercing of the Isthmus of Suez has altered the geographical features of the globe, and large ocean-going steamers now sail over the unquenchable sands of the deserts. In every direction explorers are at work in search of unknown rivers, mountains, and plains which science either demonstrates or rumour reports to exist. As a terra incognita Africa unquestionably occupies the foremost rank. It is skirted by a fringe of civilisation along its shores, and some slight entry has been effected at its extreme northern and southern boundaries, but the interior, the great mass of the country, remains unexplored and in its original condition of native barbarism. Our late Abyssinian expedition has thrown some light upon a portion of it, and probably the exploring party at present in that region, under the guidance of the Marquis Antinori, will still further bring it into notice. Livingstone, by the last accounts, was in the neighbourhood of the great lakes of equatorial Africa, pushing his discoveries further and further with an energy and courage that no difficulties could appal or obstacle surmount. If we turn to America, the Central Pacific Railway in point of length and rapidity of execution throws every other engineering work, not even excepting the Suez Canal, completely into the shade. From New York to San Francisco, the shores Atlantic to the coasts of the Pacific, is 3,230 miles, and this line was constructed at an average rate of two miles per diem. The "Sierra Nevada," renowned in Indian warfare, is crossed by the locomotive at a height of 7,000ft. above the level of the sea. A century ago three years was regarded as a short period for making a tour of the world, but now, by the aid of the Suez Canal and the Pacific Railroad, a month is almost sufficient for the purpose. Should the severance of the two Americas be accomplished the highway to the last will be reduced very considerably in length for ships, and the Oriental traffic will find its way to the western markets with a facility not yet experienced. Man has now commenced to mould the physical features of the globe to suit his own wants and wishes, and in a literal sense to make "the crooked straight and the rough places plain." ELECTRICITY AND TELEGRAPHY. THE graphy from Port Augusta to Port Darwin has an improved taste on the part of the public. This object is, as our readers very well know, accomplished by giving to the subscribers to the Union what are called, for want of a more dignified and appropriate term, "the chance of a prize" at the annual drawing. In addition to the chance of a prize every subscriber receives an excellent engraving, chromo-lithograph, Parian statuette, or other work of art. It may seem a small matter to those unacquainted with the acts of the council Sir Robert Phillimore has delivered judgment in of the Art Union that they should give to every the Court of Admiralty in an action brought by subscriber one or other of the species of objects the Submarine Telegraph Company against the named; but those who know them know that the marine cable between France and England. It in the artistic objects they select. But, apart from owners of the "Clara Killam" for cutting the sub-council act really and truly in the interests of art appeared that when near Dover and at anchor, the these stock pieces that every subscriber obtains, ship being caught in a storm, drove, and fouled and that they have not artistic taste if they do the submarine cable. On heaving the anchor up not appreciate, there is a large margin of, if not the cable was found on it, and on the captain's "chance" to them of certainty of a remuneration for order, the mate was lowered down, and with an their artistic labour, genius, and skill to a number axe cut the cable. His Lordship held that the of our artistic brethren. It may be asked, "Well, "Clara Killam" was to blame for the damage what does it all amount to, this patronage of done. The Elder Brethren of the Trinity, by whom British art ?" The Art Union gives 476 prizes in he was assisted, advised him that the anchor addition to the work presented to every subscriber ; might have been slipped from the cable. The and these prizes are for pictures by British artists, matter was left to the registrar to assess the which range in value from £200 to £10 each. Of amount of damage done. This is the first time the lower value there are 22; of £15 value, £20, The manufacture of the new cable for the Sub-when an action has been held good, and such a and upwards, in proportion. It cannot surely marine Company, to be submerged between Beachy decision will doubtless tend to reduce the fre- be a small matter that such a number of purquency of breakage to submarine cables. chasers should be thrown into the art market, to put Head and Havre, has progressed most satisfactorily. The French Atlantic Telegraph Company have the matter on its lowest footing. The best effect Its submergence will be commenced within a few issued their report, which has been agreed to at a of the Union and its action upon its subscribers is days; it is now in process of shipping on board the meeting held this week. A dividend at the rate to operate as an art teacher. Some of its prize"La Plata." of 7 per cent. per annum has been declared, and holders, who, in the beginning of their memberfavourable statements are made with regard to the ship with the Union, knew and cared nothing traffic, which is now stated at above £3,000 per about pictures, have since had their aesthetic week as the company's proportion. They have, senses developed, and have become quite connoisjointly with the Anglo-American Telegraph Com-seurs. In the event of the prize-holders not being pany, purchased the steamer "Robert Lowe," well able to judge as to the selection of a prize of which is now engaged in repairing the Atlantic the value they have taken, a committee of selecCable; and it is hoped that shortly the breakage tion kindly give them without dictation any asin the St. Pierre-Duxbury section will be re-sistance they may desire. It is a good symptom paired, especially as the fault is in shallow water. that of late years the prize-holders have needed Fortunately, owing to the joint purse arrangement, much less of the assistance of the committee of no interruption to traffic is experienced, as mes- selection. sages from America pass to the company's lines through the Placentia cable. The opening of the Salcombe and Briot cable has greatly facilitated the traffic. The British - Australian Telegraph Company have called a meeting of their shareholders to receive a report on the subject of the eommunication which has passed between the Board and the Government of South Australia, with reference to the construction of telegraphs and the telegraphic arrangements in that colony and their effect upon the company. 66 About 600 miles of this company's cable has been manufactured. Of this quantity 580 miles have been shipped on board the Hibernia," which vessel has just left under sail for Singapore, where it is expected she will arrive in time to meet the expedition to lay the cable. The exhibition of this year, which we saw on the first day of its opening on Saturday last, may not be the creme de la creme of all the exhibitions from which the pictures were collected, but they are certainly a very exquisite selection. Here we may say that the subscribers to the Art Union are entitled to select from a large number of public exthe value of his picture upon its being entered. The societies and incorporated bodies from which the subscribers may select their works according to the value of the prizes are:-the Royal Academy, the Royal Scottish Academy, the Society of British Artists, the New British Institution, the Old Bondstreet Gallery, the Society of Painters in Water Colours, the Institute of Painters in Water Colours, and the General Exhibition of Water Colours. Questions have been asked several times lately The Black Sea cable of the Indo-European in the House of Commons respecting the delay to Telegraph Company has been broken, but mes- Irish messages. With regard to this, tenders sages by that company are carried by an alternative have been received for the making of a heavy six-hibitions, a condition being that the artist records Russian route. A vessel has left with the neces-wire cable to be laid between Holyhead and Dubsary machinery for executing the repairs. The Falmouth, Gibraltar, and Malta Telegraph Company have issued a notice to the public that during the war telegrams may be sent to Italy, Turkey, Germany, and other continental countries via Gibraltar and Malta. lin, and it is expected that a contract will very The "Edin The cable for the British-Indian Extension Telegraph Company, for connecting India with Our latest news of the West India cable expedi- Singapore, is almost complete, and a large portion tion is satisfactory, the French Government hav-is in process of shipment and will soon be on its ing removed all obstacles to the landing of the way to the East. An extra length of cable has telegraph cables in French territory; the company been required on account of the alteration of the have altered their plans and determined to lay the landing place from Ceylon to Madras. Cuba cable first, from Batabano to Santiago de vessels engaged are the "Scanderia,' Cuba, and from thence to Jamaica and so on borough," and "William Cory." and the expedithrough the islands to Guyana, leaving the section tion will shortly start. We shall give details of from Jamaica to Aspinwall to be completed the this work in an early number. last of all. The work should be now under progress, and we are in daily expectation of receiv-progressing. ing intelligence of the successful laying of these cables. The Turkish Government have in contemplation the laying of a submarine cable between Constantinople and Odessa. The ship" Brisk" has been removed from her station and the mid-channel cable picked up. It need hardly be said that the experiment was un successful. The manufacture of the China cable is steadily Of the character and merits of the prizes that have been selected time and space would fail us to speak. They are nearly all masterly in character, drawing, colouring, and treatment, and certainly very varied in style. It would be invidious to offer remarks upon the selected pictures, almost all of above a hundred being so excellent. We cannot forbear to express our admiration of the wondrous beauty of Mr. Hodge's "Jung Frau." The Telegraph Acts' Extension Bill has received We have been amongst the Alps, and thank him the Royal assent. By this Act the Channel most heartily for his marvellous reminiscence. Islands and the Isle of Man are included within The background of the distant mountain region the telegraph system of the Post Office. A cable and the sharply cut foreground and middle diswill shortly be laid from Start Point to Guernsey. tance of pine trees, are effects which no one who This has (together with all their property) been has ever seen them can ever forget, and which purchased from the Jersey and Guernsey Tele-everybody will be grateful to Mr. Hodges for regraph Company, who have the cable manufactured, and were about to lay it at the time of the introduction of the bill, which, with its provisions, we must delay referring to in extenso to a future number. calling. Some of the lower-priced pictures are well worth notice, as, for instance, Mr. Ball's "Not enough," which tells its own story admirably. Concerning the beauties of "Ennui," the 'Move eastward," "Happy," and " The Vestal," we have not space to express opinions, more than to say that they are fine subjects, poetically conceived, and wonderfully well executed. There are THE exhibition opened to private view on Satur-numerous other pictures that our readers will NOTES BY QUIDNUNC. The submersion of the Marseilles and Algiers (Bona) cable was commenced from the "William Cory" on July 24, the shore end having been landed two days previously, the delay being due to the prevalence of bad weather. Paying out was continued without interruption until the 27th, when the ship arrived off Bona. The end was landed on the following day, and the tests of the completed cable-to which we lately referred as the Institute of Water Colours, of the pictures, &c., being of Willoughby Smith's improved core-selected by the prize-holders of the Art Union of were most satisfactory. A total length of about London was one of a very gratifying character. 450 miles was paid out. The postal telegrams forwarded for the week ending July 2 were 185,520; for the week ending July 25, 234,194; or a total increase of 48,674. This is an increase at the rate of about 26 per cent, a result due to the panic, and various other incidents connected with the war. TH day last at 53, Pall Mall, in the Gallery of find well worthy of careful inspection. When It may not be doubted, we think, that the Art Union is indirectly, it may almost be said directly, a promoter of art education. Its professed object is to promote the knowledge and love of the Fine Arts, and their general advancement in the British Empire, by a wide diffusion of the knowledge of British artists, and to encourage its professors by An act for the construction of a line of tele-creating an increased demand for their works and the word "inspection" is used such a work as Mr. Fitzgerald's " Birth of a Fairy "is specially referred to. It commands attention as a floral piece admirably painted, but the happy exuberant fancy of the artist as depicted in his work needs something more than a passing glance. Some of the lady artists whose works have been selected as prizes are of great merit, and amongst others Miss Stigand's "Beeches in Knowle Park," Miss Escombe's "Backwater of the Wey," and very notably Miss Russell's "Waiting, watching, hoping still," the archly conceived "Winner Won," by Miss Thorneycroft, the "Flower piece," by Mrs. I M PROVEMENTS IN THE PERMANENT WAY OF RAILWAYS. Duffield, and Miss Bouvier's "Under the Cliff," wisely selected by the holder of a prize for a lower amount. We had marked many pictures for comment, but must forbear from indulging. It must be permitted to us to refer to the "Jersey Interior" of Mr. Atkinson; the conception and drawing are very good, and the lustre and transparency wonderful. Other very meritorious works our readers who visit the exhibition will easily find. The vast numbers engaged in this great war now waging can scarcely be realised, but we may be aided to some extent by a few comparative figures. The number of prisoners reported to have been taken by the Crown Prince's forces on Saturday last at Woerth (4,000), who may be assumed to have been almost all adult men, were greater in number than the populations of some of the county towns of the United Kingdom, men, women and children all told. These prisoners, ranked shoulder to shoulder, would make a line of 1 mile and 240yds. in length. Without knapsacks or their 60 rounds each for the Chassepot, or other accompaniments of "heavy marching order," would weigh above 265 tons of "live," or " paying weight" if they were ordinary passengers in a railway train. The rolling stock they would require for their conveyance to Berlin would probably be not less than 1,600 tons in weight, made up in 8 or 10 trains of from 4 to 12 carriages each. This is exclusive of the transport of the 30 pieces of artillery, the six mitrailleuses, and other spoils taken. Such trophies are but little better to the Prussians, in one sense, than the receipt would be of a present of a herd of white elephants. LEATHER MACHINE BANDS. THE quality of a leather band for driving maIt is important to have a band with the least amount of slip, one that will bite with sufficient power to bring the engine to a stand under the weight of the work, rather than the band should run without moving the wheel. Various schemes have been introduced from time to time to supersede leather, for the purpose, on account of its cost. Among them have been plain canvas web, rubber cloth, rubber and fibre mixed, and rubber and steel combined, small pieces of leather pinned to form a chain, but all these have proved fruitless. In the first place, on account of the oil and grease from the workmen's hands acting upon the rubber and turning it to a jelly; secondly, the frequency of breakage from overstretching, and the difficulty of ensuring a good seam or overlap at the meeting ends; and, lastly, from the tendency to slacken under the vibration, which they receive if they are beyond a certain length, so that after many failures machinists are compelled to return to leather, and even in the selection of this material MORRIS'S IMPROVED PERMANENT WAY FOR RAILWAYS. kinds of leather used, which are sometimes mixed MR. W. MORRIS, of South Hackney, has just in the interior of sewn bands, so as to cheapen them, and again, in others, one side may be of good, or what we might term first-class leather, while the other is of an indifferent kind. Such a band does not admit of being turned, or of being put on with the wrong face outwards; slip and vexation is sure to be the result. Our engineers and machinists will find it the cheapest in the end to purchase bands only of the best quality. Leather that has been well tanned and thoroughly cured will last for years and give general satisfaction. In cases of accident they are easily repaired, and can be lengthened if they become too short. We saw at the Oxford Show of the Royal Agricultural Society some bands of the very best material, and sewn in a workmanlike manner; these, on inspection, showed their own value, and scarcely required a trial to prove whether or not they were capable of bearing the strain that could possibly be put upon them. The name of the firm from which they were sent was a sufficient guarantee of their quality. It is well known that Messrs. Webb and Sons, of Stowmarket, are the manufacturers of the best leather mill bands in this country, and we cannot too strongly remind our readers of this fact. THE number of visitors to the Patent Office Museum, South Kensington, for the week ending August, 6, 1870, was 4,239. Total number since the opening of the Museum, free daily (May 12, 1858), 1,818,525. can place on the body or web portion of rail new tops, whether of iron or steel, instead of having to cut up the old rails and re-roll them, as is now generally the case. He can, if required, form on the under side of a flat bottom rail a projecting dovetail, on to which he drives a plate having a corresponding groove in it, so that at the meeting of the rails this plate when driven to its proper position is half on one rail and half on the other, and so secures the two rails like an ordinary fishplate. Mr. Morris also includes an improvement on dovetail fish-plates. He adopts the same method of fishing on the web of rail by making the fishes go round the double-headed rail and meet in the centre of the rail on the under side or bottom of rail; these are formed with a dovetail projection, on to which he drives a plate having a corresponding groove in it to secure the fishes on the under side and centre of rail. patented some improvements in the permanent way of railways and tramways, which he describes as follows:-The two heads or wearing surfaces are made separate and secured to the body or web portion of the rail by means of dovetailing throughout its whole length. Each end of the body or web portion of rail is formed with a dovetail projection throughout its whole length, and the heads are formed with a square groove throughout their whole length. The part or sides of the head that fits next the body of the rail is made a little wider than the head when finished, so that when the two heads and the body of the rail are passed together through a pair of rolls or other pressers it squeezes the excess of metal which extends beyond the side of the finished head into the acute angle of the dovetail projection on the body of the rail, and so secures them to it; but for further security, to prevent lateral movement, he forms the portion of the head next the bottom part of dovetail on body of rail on a bevel, at the same time he squeezes the head on the body of rail. He forces the body part to meet THE POLYTECHNIC GHOSTS AND OPTICAL the bevel head, thus forming four dovetails, two vertical, and two lateral, by which means he can put on new heads when necessary. The invention also applies to flat bottom rails, or rails having only one wearing surface, except that the rail is formed in two pieces instead of three as in the case of the double-headed rail. The invention also comprises the converting of the ordinary rails as now made when worn out into the form above described, by which means he The invention will be understood by the above engravings, which we have selected from the specification of Mr. Morris's patent. ILLUSIONS. AT the present time, at the Polytechnic Institu tion, Professor Pepper is very fully and fairly explaining and exhibiting to the public how two of the optical illusions commonly exhibited at the Polytechnic are produced. The method of production of some of the illusions which have been exhibited there for some years past is tolerably well known, but others of them are still mysteries to the general public, so we here, very briefly, ex-interior. Two long vertical mirrors stand at an angle not know the causes thereof. There is a long plain the nature of all of them. at the back of the cabinet, and nearly touch each correspondence between him and Mr. C. F. Varley, other at the light pillar up the centre; hence, C.E., the electrician, in the last number of the what observers think to be the back of the cabinet," Spiritualist " newspaper, and the following is one is an optical illusion produced by reflection of the of the letters written by Mr. Crookes :sides of the cabinet from the vertical mirrors. The mirrors move on hinges like folding doors, so that when a man is inside the cabinet, and locked in, he can move the mirrors, get behind them, and be invisible when the door is opened. The small boy, or other individual who may come out, is put in before the entertainment begins. A fourth optical illusion is called "The cherubs floating in the air." Four or five little cherubs, consisting of the heads of live children, which sing hymns very prettily, are seen in the air, without bodies attached, and the background behind them, which is an illuminated transparency, representing the blue sky and the moon, is clearly seen. Where are the bodies of these remarkable children? In this illusion a great sheet of silvered looking-glass is placed at an angle of 45deg., so that the illuminated painted ceiling above it, which is out of sight of the observers, is seen reflected in the mirror, and appears to be a vertical background at the back of the stage. Holes are cut in this mirror; the children sit underneath the looking-glass, and poke up their heads through the holes. The edges of the holes round the necks of the children are then concealed by masses of cotton-wool, so arranged as to look like snow-white clouds, on which the pretty little heads rest while they sing. In the first place, the celebrated "Polytechnic Ghost," or "Dircks's Ghost," or "Pepper's Ghost," as it has been variously styled, is, as everybody now knows, produced by the aid of reflection from the surfaces of a sheet of transparent plate glass, placed at an angle of 45deg. between the actors on the stage and the audience in front. In consequence of the arrangement of the lights in the theatre, this intervening sheet of glass is not seen by the audience; the lights are for the most part behind and above the glass, and great care is taken that none are placed in front thereof, at such an angle that the rays can be reflected from the face of the glass to the eyes of the observers, because then the presence of the transparent mirror would be obvious. In front of the glass is a large rectangular opening in the stage, which opening cannot be seen by those observers who are placed at or about the same level as the stage, a board covered with green baize being placed on its edge in front of the opening to conceal it from view. The actors are below the stage, nearly under but a little in front of the opening. They are clothed in light dresses, whilst the place in which they really act is coloured dead black in every part. Consequently, when the actors and actresses are illuminated by the lime light, they are seen by the audience by reflection in the mirror, and by virtue of one of the primary laws of optics, they appear to be on the stage as far behind the mirror as they are in reality in front thereof. Their dark black surroundings are, of course, not reflected by the glass. Thus, when the lime light below the stage, and not seen by the observers, is turned slowly up, the spectres slowly appear, and when the light is gradually turned down, the ghosts slowly vanish. A very good illusion once shown at the Polytechnic consisted in making a lady rise in the air, at a considerable distance from the auditory, it is true, but in a bright light. There is no doubt that the lady who is thus seen to rise is real palpable flesh and blood, and not a reflected image. She is not raised by lever arms or other iron machinery placed behind her out of sight of the audience, for to prove this, another actor on the stage walks round and round her without impediment while she is rising. She is not suspended by fine wires; the second actor proves this by passing his hands and arms, holding a lighted candle, above her head and shoulders in every direction while she is in the air. But there is one place where he does not pass his hands and arms, and takes very especial care not to kick with his foot, namely, under her feet. When her feet are 2ft. off the ground, everybody can see perfectly the lower part of the background behind, so there is nothing beneath her to obstruct vision. But there is something beneath her, very substantial, which does not obstruct vision, in the shape of a good stout sheet of plate glass, which passes through an unseen crack in the platform, and by means of machinery below, lifts her up on its top edge. A vertical Before quitting this ghostly subject, it may be sheet of thick plate glass will bear a very heavy remarked that there is another ghost, invented and weight on its upper edge when that weight is patented by Mr. W. H. Harrison, but not yet exevenly balanced. Her feet are out of sight, under hibited in public. It consists of an actor clothed her long dress, and stand upon an unseen ledge in a tight-fitting dress covered with beads of fitted upon the top edge of the sheet of glass. The uranium glass, and furnished with a white-faced reason that the glass is not seen is, as before, that mask covered with sulphate of quinine. He has the lights are so arranged that no rays are re-to rise and fall, and to be made to glide by the flected from the front surface of the glass to the eyes of the observers. The finely polished side edges of the glass cannot be seen because of the distance of the sheet from the auditory. Another Polytechnic illusion consists of an entertainment called "We are here and not here." It consists of a cabinet just big enough to hold three men standing upright, and it has a door in front. It stands upon four short stout legs, so that the observers can see underneath, and means are taken to satisfy everybody present that a man shut inside cannot get out at the back, sides, top, floor, or front of the cabinet, without being seen. On opening the door of the cabinet, it is seen to be perfectly empty, with a light straight pillar in the centre, from floor to roof. An assistant gets into the cabinet, and is locked in; a minute afterwards the door is opened again, when the cabinet is seen to be empty, though it is perfectly certain that the man cannot get out of it without being detected. Again the door is closed, and when it is opened a small boy is found inside the cabinet; he walks out, the door is closed, and when opened again, the assistant who first entered is seen standing inside, and he then steps out again. The fact is, that when the door is opened, the audience do not see much more than half of the inside of the cabinet, though they think they see the whole of the "20, Mornington-road, London, N.W. July 13th, 1870. "DEAR MR. VARLEY,-I was very pleased to receive your letter of the 9th inst., in which you discuss some points alluded to in my paper on 'Spiritualism viewed by the Light of Modern Science.' "You have been working at the subject for more years than I have months, and knowing, as you do, the enormous difficulties in the way of accurate investigation-difficulties for the most part interposed by Spiritualists themselves-you will not be surprised to find that I only feel the ground firm under me for a very short distance along the road which you have travelled so far. "I was deeply interested in reading of your experiments, the more so as I have been working in a similar direction myself, but as yet with scarcely a tangible result. "You notice that I admit freely and fully the physical phenomena. Let this openness be a guarantee that I shall not hesitate for a moment in recording with equal fearlessness for the consequences, whatever convictions my investigation leads me to-whether it points to a mere physical force, or makes me, as you predict, a convert to the spiritual hypothesis-but I must let my convictions come in my own way, and if I hold somewhat stubbornly to the laws of conservation of force and impenetrability of matter, it should not be considered as a crime on my part, but rather as a peculiarity in my scientific education. Another illusion at the Polytechnic is the "Writing hand," which, according to the statements on the bills, "writes messages without the aid of spirits or planchettes." The hand is mounted upon a table, which is placed in the Great Hall of the Institution, so that the observers can cluster "I have already had many letters, both from all round and below the table, and from the gal- Spiritualists, and from leading men of science, sayleries look down upon it from above. The top of ing that they are glad I have taken up the subject, the table is made of a sheet of plate glass; the and urging me to continue the investigation. In waxen hand with a pencil in it is mounted upon fact, I have been agreeably surprised to find the centre of the sheet of glass, so that it appears encouragement from so many scientific men, as well to be connected with no apparatus whatever which as sympathy from the good friends I possess can move it. Yet it writes out messages on paper, amongst the Spiritualists.-Believe me, my dear WILLIAM CROOKES." in answers to questions put by the lecturer. This sir, very truly yours, is a mechanical and not an optical trick. There are two sheets of plate glass in the top of the table, and the lower one, to which the hand is fixed by means of a rod passing through a somewhat large hole in the upper plate, has a slight power of motion in all directions. This lower plate must be moved by rods or cords, which we have not been privileged to see, passing down the legs of the has lately taken a prominent place at Wimbledon ; table, through the floor, to an operator in the it may therefore interest some of our readers to room underneath. Not far from the table an ugly know the results of that contest. head with its mouth open stands upon a pedestal; In the competition for H.R.H. the Duke of Camthe mouth is the opening of a speaking tube, pass-bridge's Prize, out of the 10 highest scores at the ing down the pedestal to the operator below, who, consequently, can hear the questions put by the lecturer, and work off replies by the wax hand, without the aid of spirits or planchettes. ordinary stage machinery. The stage is feebly The old-fashioned stage ghost, which appears in Before closing, we may add that Mr. William Crookes, F.R.S., editor of the "Chemical News," is at the present time reducing ghost-seeing to a science. He has written an article in the last number of the "Quarterly Journal of Science," saying that examination has proved to him that the phenomena of spirit-rapping are real, but he does THE "SOPER" RIFLE. IN our MAGAZINE for April 8, 1870, we gave an 200 yards' range, and the 10 highest scores in the "Bass" series at the same range, 13 were made with the Soper rifle, 4 with the Henry, 2 with the Martini, and 1 with the Westley-Richards. The greatest number of shots fired in the two minutes during the meeting was 54 with the Soper rifle. Since the Wimbledon meeting a competition of much importance has taken place at the Berkshire Encampment between two men using the Soper rifle and eighteen picked men of the Berks Battalion with Enfields, under the command of Major Sir Paul Hunter, Bart.; distance, 200 yards; time, 2 minutes; targets, 2nd class. The eighteen men with the Enfields, fired 106 shots, making 72 hits, and 220 points; and the two men fired 94 shots, making 92 hits and 321 points. In this match, Private Warrick, with the Soper, fired 60 shots in the two minutes, making 58 hits and the wonderful score of 198 points, holding the rifle firmly with the left hand all the time, and using the right hand only to load and fire with. LONDON AND COUNTY BANK. THE working of the London and Connty Banking Company continues to be conducted in a satisfactory manner. According to the half-yearly meeting, which took place on the 4th inst., the chairman, W. C. Jones, Esq., announced that the net profits amounted to £83,285 6s. 11d., thus showing that the business of the bank had increased to a great extent during that period. The directors declared a dividend of 6 per cent., with a bonus of 2 per cent., free of income tax, to all shareholders. The company have intimated, through their general manager, Mr. M'Kewan, that the dividends and bonuses will be paid on and after Monday, the 15th. |