Nelson Coal.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume VIII, Issue 515, 4 June 1852, Page 4

Nelson Coal.

We beg to call attention to the prospectus of a Company which has been

formed to work the recently discovered Coal at Massacre Bay. The Pakawau, Coal and Mining Company represents two companies which had previously been formed for working the coal at Pakawau, Massacre Bay — the Nelson Coal Association, and the Cook's Straits' Mining Company — which now are united under the above name. Although so recently formed upwards of 1,100 shares have been already taken, and we hope in a few days to see the required number of 2,000 taken, to enable the Company to commence its operations. The quality of the coal is so unquestionably good, that it is difficult to conceive any undertaking which can hold out greater promise to shareholders then this Company does, as the fuel will be in immediate request in every settlement of New Zealand, to say nothing of the shipments which will be made to India and China, in the vessels which hitherto have proceeded to those countries in ballast. — Nelson Examiner.

Engltsh v. Arab Houses. — About eighteen months ago, Abbas Pacha, governor of Egypt, challenged the Jocky Club to run their English horses against the Arabs for a sum of from to £50,000, optional to either party, allowing also a start of 300 yards to the English horses, the distance to be ten miles. This challenge was not accepted by the Jocky Club, nor did they publish it, consequently the Viceroy concluded that they were afraid to meet him. In consequence of the above challenge of the Governor of Egypt, we suppose that many parties may be anxious to know what an English thorough-bred horse can do amongst the Arabs. An Hungarian officer, attached to the staff of General Guyon, writing from Damascus, in Syria, says: "General Guyon's English mare is thorough bred, out of Hindostan, by Lightfoot ; she was brought from England in 1848, and is now 3J years -old. We have often made excursions, and frequently came in contact with the Bedouins, owners of the finest Arab horses. Frequently races have been got up, when the English mare has been successful. The Bedouins insist upon her being an Arab mare, though they are rather puzzled at her size^as she stands sixteen hands one inch. From what I think a well trained English horse would beat any Arab whatever, and in any way. General Guyon's mare, when only .a year and a half old, went through the campaign in Hungary in 1849 so she had been well working, though, of course, not trained for racing. Thus, the Jockey Club may regret, in some degree, not having accepted the offer of Abbas Pacha, as since then he has imported several English horses into his country which, though not of the best breeds, will jnq dr»"kf stiotpv hi<j.pttrpoeo for making a trial with his own horses. — North British Daily Mail.

The Cobua. — Among the many species of reptiles, the cobra capella is the most dangerous. Yet, although we consider the bite of the cobra deadly, the native has an. infallible cure for it, but those who are initiated are jealous of their knowledge. One of my hammock-men had been bitten three times, and his father was a doctor. Walking one day through some long grass, I pointed to his bare legs, and hinted at his danger. "None," said he ; "mj father picks some grass, and if, on the same day as the bite, his decoction is applied, the wound heals at once." Strange as this may appear, it did not seem so to me, having witnessed the fights in India between the cobra and the mongoose. The cobra has always the advantage at first ; and the mongoose, apparently vanquished by the deadly poison, is no sooner bitten than he retreats as far from his enemy as possible, but on devouring some small herb which grows wild, and is easily found, he revives, renews the attack, and conqners. — Dahomey and the Dahomans.

Extraordinary Voracity of a Snake.— The attention of an inmate of one of the marine cottages at Kelso, was attracted the other day by the apparent distress of & swallow which was fluttered round its nest, built under the eaves of the house, to which a verandah was attached. Upon looking at the nest, a diamond snake was seen partly in the same, in. th© aot of doT<mring the young, it was fortunately killed, but not without the destruction of the nest, which was found to contain three young birds, one of which had been killed by the venemous reptile. — Launceston Examiner.

Galvanic Printing Press. — A paten* is being taken by a Mr. Foreman for a printing press, moved and regulated by galvanic magnets. His paper works upon a reel, and is continuous, like the telegraphic coil. The paper passes over the type oh a cylinder, and when one side is worked the paper is reversed, and the other side printed with a perfect register, and the sheets are clipped apart as they come from the press by an ingenious contrivance. According to American authorities, "there is no limit hardly to the speed at which the press will work ; its exactness is beyond any thing known in .this line of machinery ; and what is better than all,* Mr. Foreman says he can put up the largest size press at a cost of not more than 500 dollars." Mr. Foreman is a practical printer, and at pre--sent a citizen of New Boston, Illinois.