MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS FROM LATE ENGLISH PAPERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIII, Issue 748, 7 January 1860, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS FROM LATE ENGLISH PAPERS.

Sun Painting in tub Natuiui, Colouhs.-— An announcement baa boon made lately which'must give great pleasure to tho students of practical art. It is, that a,method has been discovered Of reproducing photographically all tho natural colours. Tho version of the report which we have read appeared in the ' Daily News 'of Monday last. !\>r years past there had been constant attempts to reproduce, not only form, with its light and shade,but colour; from time to time we have had rumours that the efforts were successful. Heretofore, however, the best hope for Photography has lain in a complete neutralizingof colour; and it was a great triumph when the chiaroscuro of Nature was attained in all its purity. It was then that we saw how completely the limning of Nature corroborated the style.ot the greatest artists who have ever lived. Still there was an inevitable desire to have colour added to the picture ; and at last, we are told, the apparently innumerable and insurmountable difficulties have been surmounted by M. E. Beezuerel. He has been studying the subject for twenty years, and has now obtained a photograph of the prismatic spectrum in its natural colours, and in very brilliant tints. The process is thus described :—" M. Beczuerel takes a well-polished silver plate, and after covering the back of it with varnish so as to leave the front surface alone exposed, he attaches it by copper hooks to the positive conductor of a voltaic battery of one or two cells ; to the negative conductor of the battery is attached a piece of platinum. The plate of silver and the platinum are then plunged into a mixture of eight parts of water and one of hydrochloric acid. The electric current decomposes the acid, and causes a deposit of chlorine on the surface of the silver, while hydrogen is liberated at the negative pole, The chlorine gas unites with-the silver, and form's a violet-tinted coating, which would become quite black if the operation were continued a sufficient length of time. This coating is tolerably sensitive to light when very thin, and in that condition produces the natural tints, although they are very weak. By increasing: the thickness of the layer the tints become much brighter, but the sensitiveness diminishes. In order to ascertain exactly the amount of chlorine deposited on °the silver plate, M, Beczuerel introduces into the voltaic circuit an apparatus for the decomposition of water, and since chemical decomposition is similar in quantity for each cell of a battery, by measuring the amount of hydrogen produced by this decomposition, the quantity of chlorine liberated on the surface of the silver plate is easily arrived at. An idea of the extreme tenuity of this film may be obtained when we learn that with six or seven cubic centimetres of chlorine to-the square decimetre, the layer of chloride of silver is only one-thousandth of a millemotre in thickness, equal to about 0-00004 of an inch. With a film of this thickness the best results are obtained. Before exposure to the spectrum the surface has a plain wood colour, but if it be heated to between 150 degrees or 200 degrees centigrade (300 degrees to 390 degrees Fahrenheit), it becomes rose-coloured on cooling. If, however, instead of raising the plate to a high temperature, it be enclosed within a copper box and gently warmed, say from 90 degrees to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and maintained at this heat five or six days, or, better still,, placed in a frame covered with deep red glass, and exposed to the sun's rays for from a quarter to half an hour, upon being submitted to the action of the prismatic spectrum the natural colours appear in all their beauty, and the green and yellow tints which previously were ' obtained'with difficulty are now bright and clearly defined. Thus this great problem: of photography is in a fair way ;of solution, and we may still hope to see not only the beautiful effects of light and shade ■which we now obtain, but combined therewith the brilliancy of Nature's colouring."

. A trial -was made in the dock of the Bristol Society of Merchant Venturers, on October 4th. of a model vessel, to which an invention which has been patented by Messrs. James Newcombe and Joseph Gwyer Lovell, of Bristol, has been applied. Mr. W. H. Gore Langton, M.P., Lieutenant-Colonel Whitmore, Captain Tryon, R.N., Mr. M. D. Protberoe, of the Society of Merchant Venturers, Mr. W. P. King, African merchant, and a number of other gentlemen interested in science and commerce were present. The model which was exhibited, and which was propelled without screw or paddle, was ten feet in length, one foot eight'inches in breadth, and one foot in depth. The principle adopted by the inventors dispenses with all external machinery, shafts, cranks, and bearings, &c, and thus avoids the enormous expense incurred in constructing vessels to receive such apparatus. It can be applied to ships already built without altering their lines, and as an auxiliary power to sailing vessels will be very valuable. By a simple arrangement in case of leak, the whole power of the engine may be applied to pump the water out, propelling the vessoel (if need be) at the same time, while in the event of that most dreadful calamity at sea—fire, the same power could be used to extinguish the flames. The trial of the model was eminently successful, and Messrs. Newcombe and Lovell were warmly congratulated on the results of the experiment.

The following amusing case is reported in the Irish journals. At the last Letterbreen (county Fermanagh) petty sessions, head-constable M'Kinley charged the Rev. Charles Jones, of Belcoo, with violating the law by digging potatoes in a field at Belcoo, on Sunday, August 14, in view of the public street. Sub-constable John Carson, sworn and examined by head-constable M'Kinley: "Recollects Sunday, the 14th day of the month. Was on the street of Belcoo on the morning of that day. Saw the Reverend Mr. Jones digging potatoes in a field convenient to the street. The head-constable told him he would summon him. There were two country people also present. Mr. Jones continued to dig for some time after he was spoken to by the head-constable, he then took up a basket went to the upper part of the field, and commenced to pull peas." Mr. Jones: "I submit, to the. charge, and my defence is that it was a ' work of necessity.' I had not enough of potatoes for my dinner; and for a large number of fowl that I have. Works of necessity were permitted in the days of the Apostles," Head-constable: "And you as a minister of the Gospel quote Scripture to justify a breach of the Sabb.ath." Mr. Jones: "The Apostles pulled ears of corn on the Sabbath-day." Head-constable: " They never dug potatoes to feed their hens and ducks on the Sabbath-day." Mr. Holmes read the 7th of Will. 111, cap. 17, which states that no labourer, artisan, &c, shall follow his trade or calling, &c, on the Lord's day. His worship regretted that there were no other magistrates with him on the bench, but, on considering the act, he was of opinion that, as the Rev. Mr. Jones was not following his trade or calling on Sunday, his digging potatoes did not come under the statute, and that he, therefore, was not guilty of a breach of the Sabbath. Head-constable: "Your worship, the statute punishes those who follow certain amusements which are not their trade or calling, and your decision is that inasmuch as Mr. Jones is not a professional labourer, but a clergyman, he is not guilty of a violation of the law; so the clergy are once more above the law. The public will come to another conclusion. If the conduct of Mr. Jones on this occasion does not constitute an offence against the law, all those who have hitherto been fined for similar offences must have been unjustly treated. When country people are summoned before the bench for working at their, crops in the harvest season, they are invariably fined. However, it appears that they are not clergymen." Mr.'Holmes: " I think people have as good a right to dig their potatoes on Sunday as they have to carry their water, and if people have oats fit for reaping I do not see the harm in their doing so, I therefore dismiss this case without prejudice."

ExTKAOKDINAKY SCENE IN A COUNTY CoUKT.— The following "scene" is reported to have taken place at the Bow County Court on Saturday last, arising out of a judgment summons in the case of " Sorrell v. Bishop," Sergeant Storks being the Judge. The plaintiff was a clothier, in High-street, Bow, who had recovered £4. 13s. 6d. for goods suppliedvjtp the defendant, an examiner in the West India Bocks. Defendant did not appear. Mr. DH-

lon Webb, of Carey-street, for the plaintiff, asked for the commitment of the defendant to prison. The Judge: It is an abominable system, this system of imprisonment-for dobt. I hold the system to be dishhnonrablc 5 ■ und it is fast becoming a penal punishment. It is attaching' a criminal punishment to tho of a civil contract. Imprisonment for dobt is a great thing for the profit of tho agent, who holds the liberty of tho subject in one hand and .asks for the money with the other. I have a great; objection to sending a British subject- to gaol. The; Legislature had almost abolished imprisonment for debt; but they are a cowardly Legislature—a cowardly lot, and they have not done it. Tho bill was introduced hurlyburly in tho House of Parliament.—Mr. Webb: Your Honor has already intimated that you will not commit unless fraud is shown. I can show fraud in this case.—His Honor; I have laid down no rule. I say I am opposed to imprisonment for debt; it leads to no good whatever.—Mr. Webb: Your Honor is simply a County Court Judge, and must administer the law as you find it. You cannot exercise legislative functions. His Honour: That is an easy mode of logic—Mr. Webb: Until the question is decided by the Legislature your Honor is bound to commit in certain cases.—His Honor: That is begging the question. I believe, from the marginal note to the section of the Act of Parliament, that it was the intention of the Legislature to do away with imprisonment for debt. It has been done away with in the superior courts, and why not be done away with in the petty courts of law?— After a very animated and somewhat personal discussion between the Judge and the solicitor, the latter gentleman said: This defendant has the means of paying, but will not pay. The intention of the Legislature will become inoperative if the plaintiff has not some remedy against his debtor.—His Honor: It will become inoperative as far as the exercise of the power of committing goes. In two or three cases I have already refused to commit, and you can go to the Court of Queen's Bench for a mandamus. The plaintiff was then examined, and stated that the demand was for £4: 13s. 6d., for clothes supplied to defendant, who had a salary of £130 a year.— Mr. Webb: As the law now stands you.are bound to administer it. Defendant was ordered to pay this debt by instalments, and three times have judgment summonses been taken out, and when orders for committment have been made the arrears have been paid up.—His Honor: Imprisonment for debt is against the spirit of the age. You can go to the court above. I have a great responsibility thrown .on me—Mr. Webb: The responsibility is thrown on you to commit this person to prison. He has means of payment, and you are bound to commit.— His Honor: Then you can apply to the Court of Queen's Bench for a mandamus, and I will make a special return to it.—Mr. Yearlar, an officer of the court, proved defendant was in the habit of getting drunk nearly every night.—Judge: What have I to do with his habits? The power of arrest ought not to exist in the age in which we live. If done away with it would affect the business of this court.—Mr. Webb: Yes, when people found they need not pay they would soon get into debt (Laughter).—His Honor: The Legislature have spoken with great authority on the subject. Ami to commit because the man is in the habit of getting drunk ? (Laughter.) Mr. Webb: Your Honor refused on the last court day to_ commit any person, and there are to-day sixty judgment summonses to be heard.—His Honor: I will get rid of the sixty persons on the same principle at once, if you like. I shall not commit.—Mr. Webb: I should advise the tradesmen in this district to be careful in giving trust. — His Honor: Let the creditors take care of thems^lvejs.—Mr. Webb applied for the return of the hearing fees; bat his honor said that was "rather sharp." and refused to make any order. In another case the plaintiff said: If your Honor does not commit to.prison, what is the' utility of coming here?— His Honor: No utility at all; Ido not mean to send people to prison any more.—Plaintiff: What will become of my money?— His Honor: You will probably never have it.—Plaintiff: Do you call that justice? His Honor: I have laid down a general principle, and I am that principle (Loud laughter). The Legislature has taken away the power of imprisoning for debt. In a third case his Honor again refused to commit, and plaintiff exclaimed: Plow shall I get my money? What shall I do?— His Honor: Go without (laughter). The gaoler is not going to have defendant's carcase.—ln no case was an order for commitmeot made.

At the Central Criminal Court, William Denbigh Sloper Marshall was 'prosecuted for bigamy. This is the fellow who induced Mrs. Hayes to marry him, he having a wife alive at the time; and although he thus had two wives, he was at the same time entertaining a mistress. The Judge sentenced him to four years penal servitude.

The Town Council of Edinburgh has elected Sir David Brewster Principal of the University of Edinburgh. No other candidate was proposed. This appointment creates a vacancy in the Principalship of St. Andrews. Professor Craik, the well-known author of many learned and popular works, is a candidate for the vacant seat.

The extensive docks recently constructed at Swansea were opened on.the 23rd September, with all due ceremony. The trade of Swansea has expanded rapidly within the last ten years. The tonnage entering the port in 1851 was 270,000, andin 1858 no less then 500,000 tons. The chief export trade is in coals, but nine-tenths of the copper used in the world is smelted at Swansea; silver ore is exported in large quantities, and also patent fuel. The enterprise of the harbour trustees and the facilities afforded by the South "Wales Railway, have helped to make Swanseathe flourishing port it is. The works have cost the trustees £500,000. The docks were opened by Miss Talbot, the daughter of the Lord Lieutenant. Sir William Armstrong has invented a hydraulic apparatus for opening the gates, swinging the bridges, working the sluices, lifting the hoists, and doing everything of the kind; so that Miss'Talbot literally opened the docks by the use of this machinery. Several vessels at once entered the basin amid' loud cheering: In the evening Swansea illuminated.

Costa Rica. — According to the advices from Panama by the latest mail, a coup d'etat has been perpetrated in the Central American Republic of Costa Rica. For some time past, Don Juan Mora has been the legal and constitutional President of that little State, which has hitherto enjoyed a happy immunity from the anarchy that has devastated the other petty republics of the Isthmus; and he appears to have conducted the Government with considerable'vigour, the defeat of Walker, the Fillibuster, having been mainly due to the efficient aid rendered by him to the^idjoining State of Nicaragua. But it is related that he considered the ecclesiastics to be subject to the law equally with other men; and that about six months since lie exiled with the advice and consent of Congress, a'certain Bishop Llorente for refusing to pay a tax and for •" instructing his clergy and curates to preach treason from their pulpits." From that moment the power of the President was threatened in the same manner as was lately noticed in Chili, where a revolution, happily abortive, was got up on account of a dignitary of the church having been proceeded against under the regular tribunals, and also in Mexico, when the overthrow of Miramon was resolved upon. A Gen. Salazar, commander of; the military forces of the principal district of the Republic, was chosen as the instrument of the discontented party; and on Sunday morning, the 14th of August, shortly before dawn, a military party entered the houses of President Mora, the Vice-President, and the principal Ministers, and, awakening them from their sleep, informed them they were prisoners. President Mora merely replied, "Very well, gentlemen;" and in half-an-hour—for he was scarcely allowed time to dresshe was on his road, under escort, to the sea-port as an exile. The entire affair, it is said, " was admirably managed; for it was done without noise, and without the firing of a single shot." A decree was, of course, immediately issued, forcibly abolishing the existing Congress and summoning another for the 4th of September; but whether by universal suffrage or otherwise is not stated. Meanwhile a certain Dr. Jose Montealegre, " a physician oducated in England," has been made Provisional President. Thus the supreme power seems to have fallen temporarily into kindred hands with those favoured by

the ecclesiastical party in Moxico when they selected Zuloaga, and on the consummation of the event a Te JJcum was appointed.' Up to the last accounts there hud been no robbery or confiscation; but the expelled President is reputed worth about £100,000 m coffee and other estates, and there seemed a prospect that charges of malversation would bo got up as ft pretext for seizing this tempting prize.— Times, (Jib) Article. '

Later news has been received at the Cape of Good Hope from Dr. Livingstone up to the 30th of July. He hud been very successful in exploring the Zambesi and the Shire. Ho found them navigable far into the interior, and that they traversed districts very favourable for colonization. A new lake has been found greatly surpassing the N'Ganii. The following letter to Sir George Grey, written on the Ist June, describes his discoveries.

" River Shire, June 1. My dear Sir George,—We have lately discovered a very fine lake by going up this river in the steam launch about 100 miles, and then marching some fifty more on foot. It is called Shirwa, and Lake Ngami is a mere pond in comparison. It is, moreover, particularly interesting from the fact reported by the natives on its shores that it is separated by a strip of land of only five or six miles in width from Nyanja or Lake N'yinyesi—the Stars—which Burton has gone tp explore. We could hear nothing of his party at Shirwa, arid having got no European news since you kindly sent some copies of the ' Times' last year, we are quite in the dark a3 to whether he has succeeded or not. Lake Shirwa has no outlet, and its waters are bitter, but drinkable. It abounds in fishes, leeches, alligators, and hippotami. We discovered also, by examining partially a branch of the Shire called Ruo, that one portion of Shirwa is not more than thirty miles distant from a point that may easily be reached by this launch, which by newspaper measurement draws thirteen inches, and actually thirty-one inches. The Lake Shirwa is very grand ; it is surrounded on all sides by lofty green mountains. Dzombo, or, as people nearest it say ' Zomba,' is over 6000 feet high, of the same shape as Table Mountain, but inhabited on the top : others are equally high, but inaccessible. It is a high land region, the lake itself being about 2000 feet above the sea; it is twenty or thirty miles wide, and fifty or sixty long. On going so"me way up a hill, we saw in the far distance two mountain tops, rising like little islands on a watery horizon. An inhabited mountain island stands near where we first came to it. From the size of the waves it is supposed to be deep. Mr. Maclear will show you the map. ,

"Dr. Kirk and I, with fifteen Makololo, formed the land party. The country is well peopled, and very much like Londa in the middle of the country, many streams rising out of bogs—the vegetation nearly identical also. Never saw so much cotton grown as among the Manganga of the Shire and Shirwa Valleys—-all spin.and weave it. These are the latitudes which I have always pointed out as the cotton and sugar lands—they are preeminently so, but such is the disinterestedness of some people that labour is exported to Bourbon instead of being employed here. The only trade the people have is that of slaves, and the only symptoms of impudence we met were from a party*of Bajana slave traders; but they changed their deportment instantly on hearing that we were English and not Portuguese. There are no Maravi at or near Shirwa—they are all west of the Shire, so this lake can scarcely be called 'Lake Maravi'—the Portuguese know nothing of.it; but the Minister who claimed (Blue Book for 1857) the honour of first traversing .'the African continent for two black men with Portuguese names must explain why they did not cross Sheriva. It lies some forty or fifty miles on each side of Mozambique.

" They came to Tete only, and lacked at least 400 miles of Mozambique. We go back to Shirwa in Juty, and may make a push for N'yinyesi. . . "David Livingstone."

Le ' Nord' publishes the following details of the capture of Schamyl derived from a St. Petersburg letter dated September 17.

" Lieutenant-Colonel Grabbe, who arrived yesterday from the Caucasus, has brought details of the capture, of Scharayl. Having been sent off by Prince Bariatinski from Gounib a few minutes after the surrender of the Iman, he has brought no written details, but has given a verbal account of events to the Emperor. The following is a correct version of the affair:—After numerous defeats, Schamyl, as a last resource, shut himself up with 400 murides who remained faithful to him in the fortified aoul of Gounib. Gounib is a fortified stronghold, on very high ground, of large extent. On three sides the rocks are perpendicular; the only other side was deemed impregnable, and it was supposed that a handful of determined men could have defended it for months against any odds. Prince Bariatinski ordered the attack to be made on both sides at once. The attack commenced on the 7th of September. While the chief attack was made on the only accessible side, a number of. men who volunteered; scaled the rocks. The 'enemy was taken by surprise. A fearful struggle ensued. The resistance was most determined. Of the 400 murides in Gounib, only 47 remained alive. Five guns were captured. Schamyl retired to a house cut out in the solid rock. The plateau was covered with corpses. We have lost more than 100 men. Prince Bariatinski, -who had come up, summoned Schamyl to surrender, and ordered his men to cease firing. The Iman asked upon what conditions. {Come out without conditions,' said the Prince. Schamyl came out, and the Prince met him, though advised by his officers to retire, for fear of treachery. 'Are you Schamyl?' said the Prince. ' Yes, i" am,' replied the Iman. ' Well, your life is safe; you may keep your wives and treasure, but to-morrow I send you to St. Petersburg. Your fate will depend upon the will of the Emperor, my august master.' Schamyl bowed without uttering a word. The Prince then said to him, 'I expected you at Teflis; I thought you would have come to make your submission. As you did not, I was obliged to come and seek you'here.'^ Turning then to Lieutenant-Colonel Grabbe, Prince Bariatinski said, 'Start at once for St. Petersburg, tell his Majesty what you have seen and heard; I will send written details to-morrow, and Schamyl with them.' This is the denouement of the sanguinary drama which has lasted so long. But it is not quite over yet. There are many tribes .in the Caucasus who still maintain their independence, but the capture of Schamyl will contribute greatly to their submission. Schamyl, who is now sixty-two years of age, was born in, the Aoul of Himry, on the Koissobou territory, where his predecessor, Ghazi-Mouhammed or Kasi-Moullah was also born, and fell when the fortress was taken on the 18th of October, 1832. It is needless to point out the importance of the victory which has placed in the hands of Prince Bariatinski the last bulwark behind which the power of the Imaum of the Caucasus found a refuge. The detailed report of these events will shortly, doubtless, enable us to form an exact appreciation of the material and moral result which the capture of Schamyl will have caused among the native populations."

The rapidity with which gigantic vessels have been built within the last few years is perfectly astonishing. It is not so long since the line-of-battle ship Pennsylvania was quite a lucrative "show" to the city of Norfolk, thousands going from all sections to look at her; then the Great Britain, was, for a while, the wonder of the world ; and the Great Eepublic, Niagara, and Himalaya each,.from its huge proportions, attracted public attention for a time. The' Journal of Commerce' has constructed a brief table, giving the principal dimensions of fifteen of the largest vessels. Placed in line, even without bowsprits, they could cover a space of one mile in length. Subjoined are their names:—Great Eastern, 580 feet, 19,000 tons; Adriatic, 390 feet, about 3500 tons 375 feet, 4580 tons ; Himalaya, 360 feet, 5000 tons ; Duke of Wellington, 240 feet, 2400\tons ;.General Admiral, 325 feet, 6000 tons ; Orlando (recently launched for the British Navy), 337 feet, 3727 tons; Atrato, 336 feet, 3476 tons ; Royal Charter (running "inside 60 days" from Liverpool to Melbourne), 306 feet, 2720 tons; Great Republic,, 302 feet,, 3356 tons ; Pennsylvania, 300, feet, 3241 tons {-Arabia, 300 feet, 2402 tons ;' Great Britain^'? 4 feetj 3500 tons ; Asia, 280 feet, 2226 tons ; total, 5181 feet, 68,428 tons,— 'Boston (U,S.) Courier,