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Leader (1850-1860), 12th February 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 198, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      part is a chain of natural lochs , which serve as reservoirs for supplying the canal . After an unprecedented wet season , on the evening of the 2 nd , about eight o ' clock , one of those reservoirs , becoming overcharged , suddenly burst and precipitated itself into the one beneath , which also giving way , the contents of both bounded into a third s and , with a roar which shook the country for miles round , an avalanche of water , rocks , and earth rolled down the mountain side , furrowing a . deep watercourse in its way , and instantly obliterating the canal under a mountain of thousands of tons of

      rocks and stones . The vast body of water , separating into two great tide waves , rolled away to the east and west , breaking up lock-gates like tinder ; and , tunnelling vast chasms through the banks , the waters found vent over the open country , the one by the town of Loebgilphead into Loch Fyne , the other over the Crinan mosses into the sea . Though the loss of property is at present Incalculable , yet , most miraculously , there has not been a single life lost , though the alarm o £ the people of Loehgilphead may be conceived when they heard the distant bellowing of the torrent and rolling and grating of rocks , and then saw through the darkness of the night the moving flood all around them . For two miles the canal is destroyed , the banks being cut up by chasms like railway cuttings ; but the remaining portions ,, about four miles at either end , are intact , though probably injured by the quantityof mud injected into them .

      Untitled Article

      NAVAL AND MILITARY . This Nankin , 50 , Commodore the Hon . Keith Stewart , has arrived in the river Thames , after four years' service in China . Being in a perfect state of efficiency and discipline , she is of course to be dismantled and paid off immediately . Vice-Admiral Harvey , the Commanderin-Chief at Sheerness , expressed his approbation of the general order of the ship , especially her practice and efficiency in . gunnery , stating . that it was " the best firing b . e had seen for many years . " This admirable body of artillerists , according to the present rules of the navy , are to be at once dispersed to take fresh service where they may . _ ' .. . ¦

      Lectures : are being given at Woolwich on subjects tending to develop a most useful branch of study in the subordinate ranks of the Artillery . In addition to the lectures already given on gunnery by Colonels Wilford and Wilmot , a course of lectures has been commenced by . officers of the chemical department of the Boyal Laboratory . . ¦ A court-martial has been held on board the Victory flag-ship to try Lieutenant Henry Moore , commanding her Majesty ' s gunboat Sandfly , for having behaved in

      an unofficerlike manner by striking Mr , Gharles Ford , boatswain of H . M . S . Cornwallis , and doing duty on board the Sandfly . The second charge imputed drunkenness to the prisoner . The prisoner was acquitted on the second charge , but the court was of opinion that the first charge was proved . Doubts , however , being entertained as to whether great provocation might not have been given , and considering his high previous character , the court only adjudged him to be severely reprimanded . made the

      Satisfactory experiments have been during past week with a viety to test the efficacy of the alterations recently made in the gunboat shipway at Haslar , so as to expedite the landing of the gunboats when occasion may require it . A remarkable , sloop-of-war has been launched by the American Government , at the Philadelphia Navy-yard . She is 208 feet in length , 38 feet beam , and depth of hold X < t foet , and carries 1200 tons ; she will mount four guns of 11 inches diameter . The greatest activity continues in every department of the dockyards . Several additional first-rates are noarly ready for sea ; the Koyal Sovereign , X $ l , is in a very forward etato at Portsmouth ; the Galatea , screw steam-frigate , at Woolwich , has had an additional numbor of hands put on her ; the Hood , { U , is being hastened towards completion , and is expected to be

      launched next month . On Monday , at Chatham , corporal punishment was inflicted on a private of tho Uoyal Marino Light Infantry , named Thieirs , who was tried by court-martial , on a ohargo of striking Sergeant Grady , in a public-liouso in tho town , on tho occasion of that officer being oallod in to quell a disturbance . Tho court adjudged tho prisoner to rocoivo fifty lashes , and afterwards to bo imprisoned in Port Clarence for fifty-six days . The Trafalgar , 120 , in dock at Chatham , being converted into ft 90-gun screw steamer , is noarly completed , and will bo j-aady to bo undooked next month , when it Is understood sho will bo attached to tUo Channel floot .

      A favourable report has been made to tho authorities of tho result of tho experiments with tho now description of riflo bullets invented by Captain J . Norton . ' Xt was stated in Waolwioh Arsenal that Mr . Armstrong , tho inventor of tho wvought-irou X'iflio cannon , has Qntyred . Into a contract with he ? Majesty ' s Government , and Mat a considerable nurobov of tho guns arc to be forthwith supplied for tho use of tlto ArtHlpry . Wp n ;* o informed that Government hato given out orders for the construction of sixteen engines , destined for war steamers .

      Six floating batteries are about to be constructed in the Trench ports on the model of the Jemmappes . The batteries about to be constructed are different from those employed in the Crimean war , inasmuch , as they are not flat-bottomed , and may be navigated like ships . It is said that the report about to be presented by the Royal Commission . for Manning the Navy " will propose a system which , in the opinion of the Commissioners , will ensure the maintenance of that service in a state of perfect efficiency at all times , at an addition . to the present outlay not exceeding 400 , 000 ? . per annum .

      The Rev . James Inman , D . D ., many years Professor of Mathematics at the Royal Naval College , Portsmouth Dockyard , died on the 7 th ult ., aged eighty-three . He was the oldest of Cambridge Senior Wranglers , and has long possessed a just celebrity in naval circles for his applicatioa of science to navigation and ship-building . He laboured very many years unobtrusively but zealously in his country ' s service . While Professor of Mathematics at the Royal Naval College he published several valuable works now in general use in the naval service ; but he was best known by his having been the first person in this country who built ships on scientific principles , and by his having educated a class of men in whose hands the " reconstruction" of the British Navy must be placed .

      Some farther experiments to test the inventions made by Captain J . Norton , have been made at Chatham before the officers of the Royal Engineers . The first was a new description of shell , called by Captain Norton a "liquid-fire shell , " the phosphorus and' other chemical properties contained in which are of so highly inflammable a character . that immediately on its striking either the sails or rigging of a ship they become ignited * A number of sacks were suspended to represent sails , and these were soon wetted through by the rain , which fell heavily . Captain . Norton having loaded a large rifle

      with his shell , which is somewhat larger than a rifle bullet , fired at the sacking , and although the materials were so ¦ ' ¦ wet , the whole mass was shortly in flames . Captain Norton then proceeded to experiment with his newly-invented rifle fire-shot , which he has named the " spinster" shot- This messenger is intended , when it is fired from a rifle , to set fire to the powderin ammunir tion waggons , bags of gunpowder , and also firing dry grass in jungles . This shot has been fired with effect by Captain Norton at a distance of 1800 yards . Both experiments were considered perfectly satisfactory by the officers who witnessed them .

      Untitled Article

      A . DIFFICULTY AT WASHINGTON We ' ve had a fight at Washington ,. A reglar tooth-and-nailer , Taylor has . Walden whipped like fun , And Walden wolloped Taylor . Yankee Doodle , &c . The Honourable George Tay-lor As he passed Walden , walking , Heard some remark that man made ; for To a third man he was talking . Yankee Doodle , &c . " Was that air you said meant for me ?" Was Taylor ' s ' terrigation , " Wai , " Walden answers , " that may be , " Which Taylor ryled tarnation . Yankeo Doodle , &c .

      He clinched his fist , and let it go Right slick at t ' other feller ; And Walden het back , . noways slow , By means of his umbreller . Yankee Doodle , &c . But Taylor from his fist quick wrung That there auxiliary , Fust licked him with it , and then flung It at his adversary . Yankee Doodle , &c . Then other parties interposed , And further strife prevented , TJue cUfiloulty thus was dosed , And both tho men contented , Yankeo Doodle . &o ,

      Fact is , tho Now York man , wob mad To lose his situation , Which ho had lost , or thought he had , By Taylor ' s accusation . Yankeo Doodle , &c . To seo an lix-ofliciul fight 'Long with a Legislator , I reckon is a prettier sight Than boar and alligator . Yankee DooUlo , &o . —Punoh .

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      CONTINENTAL NOTES . FRANCE . ' . . The general impression produced by the Emperor ' s speech on Monday , at the opening of the Chambers , is excessively unfavourable . . . The Paris correspondent of the Nord , writing in anticipation of the Emperor ' s speech , has the following significant paragraph : — " It is possible , however , that the Emperor ' s speech may be very vague— -that , like that of the Queen of England , it may tell very little whieh was not known before . But it must be remarked that if , under present circumstances , the Emperor should Sciy little , he must be understood to mean a great deal . If lie should be reserved , the inference will be that he means -war . and only desires to gain time . "

      The speech made by the Count de Morny , wlieu it became his duty to address the Legislative Body , referred to and reflected the " noble words" uttered by the Emperor the day before , and commended the Emperor ' s rule as distinguished for moderation , devoteduess , and religious care . The speech is intended to have a pacific effect . Count de Morny alludes to credit- and labour making peace the . bond of modern society , and says : — " Publicity and the rapidity of international comiiiuuication have created a new European . Power , of which all Governments are compelled to take account . This Power is Opinion . Let us hbpe that the generous ideas of the Emperor will make their way in the world , and that in accordance as they are with the sympathies of nations , and sustained by the influence of sovereigns , they- ' , will succeed in solving peaceably all the questions of difficulty that present themselves . "

      • A Paris correspondent of the Continental lieeievj writes :- —" Since the 1 st of January the public mind lias not ceased to pronounce itself more and more every day against the war , and to-day the Emperor may be said to be completely isolated in his policy . He ' has ayainst him all his Ministers ; he has - 'against him all liis friends , even the most devoted , from M . de Persigny to M , de MoTfty ; he has against him the Bank , finance , commerce , and industry ; he has not even with him the Democratic party , who might have hoped in a ' war of Italian independence to awaken the spirit of revolution , but who see so far but an extension of despotism , "

      We read in a Berlin letter : —" Thefalsification in the French papers of a certain passage in the . Queen ' s speech , lias been ludicrously . commented on here . ' The most earnest representations' of the British Cabinet tire , in . the Paris journals , converted into ' the most lively hopes . ' Napoleon III . does not seem to have thought ;' fit to confess to his loyal subjects that the British already begin to assume a tone of command towards him , " A circular has been addressed by the Minister . Commerce to the Chambers of Commerce throughout France , informing them that orders . have been given to commanders of ships of war to prevent , iu . future , the transportation of negroes from the coast of Africa to French colonies .

      In . the mean time the military preparations continue with the greatest activity , Thirty thousand men , with all the materiel , are ready to be embarked on the want of Algiers . Transports are being put in commission with nil possible haste ; and on board some of the corvettes they are constructing stables for the cavalry . At Mursoilles the military stores have so accumulated that tlwy encumber the depots of tho Mediterranean Steam Packet Company , whose directors have been obliged U » < omplain to tuo Minister of War . Tho Gazette de Lyon announces that General Renault ' s division , recalled from Africa , is expected at I . yoii * in about a week . Tho recal of an entire , division nil at once is an event without precedent , and ono which certainly cannot bo explained by any of the rulci which , govern the rotation of homo and . Ibruigu service- in the army .. It is a palpablo war symptom . bo

      Upwards of sixty war transports aro ordered to ready at Toulon by March J , ami wo hear that llvo divisions of infantry are tinder marching orders to be at that port by the samo day . It Is stated that tlto railway from Toulon to Marseilles ¦ will bo opened to tho public oh tho 1 st of March . H was not to liavo boon completou , according to tho original contract , until two months later . This oliango iu tho time of opening can spring from but ono motive—tho < leslre of tlio French Government-to have at Us disposal fltonco additional facilities for tho transport of troops and ammunition through the South . Tho Paris correspondent of the Express write * i— " I hoar an ominous whispor which , ututor present circumstances , must not bo lightly disregarded , that » wftf loan of 700 millions is on tho tapis , and that extraordinary oflortB will bo made to koop up tho funds " »'" the loan is brought out .

      Tho MonUaur of yostcrday publishes tho following i ~ - " Tho projoot of law for fixing the gonprul rooolnts and expenditure of the JBudgot fur 1800 , ami tho project ot lnw tonding to approvo tho conventions passed botwooa tUo Minlator of Agriouituro , Ouininarao , and of Public Works , and diflbronfc railway companies , woro yastorufty taken to tho Logislativo iiody just as the sitting w «»

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      ' ¦ ' ¦ . ¦'"¦ ' - . ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ' ¦ . " ' . , i " ¦ ' ' ' ; ' ¦ ' ¦ ' ¦ 1 ¦ " ¦ ¦' ... ¦ ' . ¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦<•¦' .. ' . ' . '' ., 198 T HE .-jti'E A DEB . [ No . 464 , February 12 , 185 & _

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      Punwo Hkai / cm , —Tho Rosistrar-Gonoral ' s return furnishes indications of improvement in tho health of the motropoHa . The Jhroo last weeks havo shown a doproaso in tuo mimbo ^ r . of deaths . Tine total last wook was 12-JU ) , being' 1 % unctor tho avoungo . Scarlatina and diphthaiia aro decreasing . Tho births for tho wook wore 1022 . Dr . Lothoby gives a favourable report of tho lionUh of tho City , tho deaths having fallen from 82 to C 2 .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 12, 1859, page 198, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2281/page/6/