TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2512, 21 January 1869, Page 2

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Kaiapoi Reoatta.—Entries will close this evening with the secretary, at six o'clock, after which a meeting will be held to make the final arrangements. We are informed that the races are open to all' comers. , ' Kaiapoi Dramatic S'ociett,—The members'of this society intend giving a benefit this evening in aid 'of a member who sustained an accident while performing oh the occasion of a benefit lately given for the volunteers. The principal piece performed will be" Box and Cox, Married and Settled," followed by a comic interlude between Bones and Tambourine. Cricket.—The return match between, the Albion and Ellesmere Clubs was played on Tuesday last, on the ground of the latter at Irwell. Play commenced soon after 11 o'clock, and the Ellesmere team having won the toss elected to go in. Souter and Tetley bowled on behalf of the Albions, and in conjunction with tolerably good fielding disposed of their opponents for 59 runs, the top scores being—C. Williams, 22, not out, and A, Williams, 13. The Albions commenced th'eir innings badly, but after careful play to some really good bowling from the Messrs Williams, they headed their opponents, by. 17 rims, Bent making 25, Warner 15, and Cresswell 14. In the second innings the Ellesmere played better, and marked 105 for the loss of six wickets, Maydwell scoring 24,' HolderMess 13, A. Williams, 11;; and ;Knyvett, 33 (not out). The match was decided in favour of the Albions by 17 runs on the first innings. The town eleven were entertained in firstrate style by their country friends.

Magisterial.—There were no criminal cases for hearing at the Christchurch Magistrate's Court yesterday. The following civil business was disposed of:—E. Gray t. J. C, Wilson. This was an action for the recovery of £79 16s 7d, alleged damages accruing from defendant not taking proper care of certain sheep infected with scab. They had mixed with some owned by plaintiff, and the claim made was merely for actual cost incurred in curing them of tlie disease. Mr Duncan appeared for the plaintiff. The fact of defendant's sheep being scabby was clearly proved by the evidence of Messrs : B6ulton and Holderness, sheep inspectors, and conclusive evidence was also given of their 1 having intermixed with plaintiff's sheep. For the defence, it was advanced that, plain tiff sued for damages to two mobs of shieep, and whilst admitting that the smaller one of 200 were infected' from defendant's fault, it was contended that the disease spreading to, ; the larger mob was the result of plaintiff's Wn neglect. After hearing lengthy evidence, the Bench gave judgment for £1213s 4d and costs. Judgment for full amount and costs Was giveri 'in the cases of J. C. Angus v. D. Gray, £29 6s 6d; and A. C. Cottrell v. W. P. Moore, £IOO. RtccARTON Road' Board.—The ordinary meeting of the Board was held yesterday, Present—Messrs Shand (chairman),' Menideak, Pavitt, and O'Callaghan. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from the Secretary for Public Works, informing the Board that the sura of £SO would be paid, being 25 per cent of the grant passed last session of the Council, which amount the Treasurer was to apply-for. On the motion of Mr O'Callar ghan, seconded by Mr Menideak, the Surveyor was directed to examine and report on the Wairarapa Road, and also on the FendaltonandPapanui Junction Road, Inaccordance with the wishes of a number of ratepayers, the Board directed the Surveyor to write' to the Editors of the Times and Press newspapers, requesting that the reports of the meetings of the Board be inserted in their weekly journals. The Surveyor's monthly report was read; it stated that the contracts for gravelling the coal traok, and for forming and gravelling Cressell's Road, had been satisfactorily completed ; also, that the Avon Head Road bad been cleared of gorse. Frost's drain and thePapanui drain had been cleared out, and other minor works executed, such as picking loose stones off the roads, repairing culverts, &c. On the motion of Mr Menideak, seconded by Mr Shand, the-Surveyor was instructed .to erect a footbridge where the old river bed crosses the Fendaltown and Harewood Junction Road. It was also resolved that the gullies and holes on the Sawyers' Arms Road be filled up, and that the Surjeyor take immediate steps for clearing the roads of the district from Scotch thistles. The dangerous state of the'sides of the Coal Track Road having been brought before the Board, it was decided that the necessary repairs should be executed without delay. The monthly accounts having been . passed, the Board adjourned until Wednesday, Feb. 3, Madame Bishop's Concerts.—The third of the series was even the less fortunate than its predecessor in point of attendance, and it is evident that the public are for; the time being indisposed to amusement!' The programme contained an increase of the higher class of mnsic as compared with the previous evenings, but we may remark that this has yet met with that appreciation from the audience which it deserves. The less difficult compositions have on each occasion met with the largest share of applause, and indeed none others have received an encore. It may be that, musically speaking, they are not generally understood, for Madame Bishop's execution cannot be considered at fault, and she has undoubtedly been in good voice since her arrival. This is by no means intended in disparagement 'of the ballads which met with approval, but regarded from an artistic point of view, they were but of secondary merit' to the rendering of the selections from Mozart, Verdi, Balfe, andj Meyerbeer. The popular pieces last night, were Madame Bishop's "John Anderson Siy Jo," " The Beggar Girl," and a Mexican Cavatina, for each of which an encore was vociferously demanded. Of Mr Las'celles we can but reiterate our previous remarks as to his perfect knowledge of his instrument and astonishing clearness of touch. His singing we do not estimate so highly, but his serio-comic songs are most amusing, A comic medley—" Beauty and the Beast," carried the palm in this respect last night, and an encore was demanded ■ but not complied with. "King Canute or the Merry Old Times of our Ancestors" at an earlier period of the evening was similarly rewarded, and in response Mr Lascelles gave " Old Simon the ' Cellarer." The concert was closed by the National Anthem, sung by Madame Bishop, and we observe that on Friday even-ing-the last of the series—selections of 1 sacred music will be introduced. Handel's i celebrated trumpet song, "Let the Bright . Seraphim," with cornet obligate will form one item in the programme, and we would recommend our readers not to neglect this i last opportunity of hearing these artistes.

The Governor.—His Excellency terminated his riait yesterday, and departed per .the Challenger for Wellington. He left Christchurch accompanied by his suite, the Superintendent, the Hon. John Hall, Col. Packe, and Mr H. P. Murray-Aynsley, by the ordinary train at 10.30 a.m., and was met at the Lyttelton station by Dr Donald and Captain Gibson, The s,s. Gazelle was waiting with steam up to convey the party on board, but his Excellency preferred the Commodore's boat which was in waiting at the stairs, and was only accompanied by the Hon. John Hall, the Maori Chiefs and his Mite going by the steamer. There were not more than twenty persons on the wharf when the party.embarked, no information having been transmitted,to Lyttelton of the time appointed for the purpose, and the only public note of farewell was a salute fired from the Armstrong, a detachment of the battery of Artillery having gone round to Sticking Point for that purpose. The steamer was clear of the Heads at 2 p.m.

Extensive Cannok Factory.—The cannon foundry : of Krupp, in Essen (Rhine, Prussia), extends over 9-0 acres, 246 of which are occupied by buildings, It hastwelve miles of railroad, six locomotives, 150 wagons and sixty horses. There are 9000 jets of gas, consuming about five millions of cubic feet per day'; 10.000 Wen are employed in the foundry ; 1200 at the mines and forges, The wages amount to 3,100,000 thalera per annum. The motive power : consiotß of ,160 engineß of 6000 horse-power each. The daily consumpjtion is 13,000 bushels of coal, 22,500 bushels of coke and coal, and 200,000 cubic feet of water. ;>■..•.

Great Piqeon Eltino Race from Dovek to London.—A pigeon flying race has taken place, in which twelve London pigeon fanciers agreed to fly a sweepstakes of one guinea each, the pigeons were tossed up at stipulated Deriods at intervals of five minutes, and oh their arrival home were produced at Sputhwark Bridge, The bird found to have acconjplished the journey in the least time declared to be the winner. The, quiokest pigeon, a blue skintim, the property of Mr H. Brooks, performed the., route in, two.bours and six minutes; the,second pigeon occupied two hours and eleven minutes, and two other birds' came the distance in two and a quarter hours.' The distance is abont eighty miles, and the winning pigeon must have flown at the ra(e of one mile in one and a half minute. The weather was hazy and the air heavy to fly through, and a drizzling rain impeded the progress of the pigeons.

Statistics of the Libraries or Europe. —The Imperial Library of Puns contains' 1,100,000 volumes, and 80,000 manuscripts. The library of the Arsenal (Paris) contains 200,000 yolumes, and 5,800 manuscripts. The library of Ste. Genivieve (Paris) contains. 155,000 volumes, and 2,000 manuscripts. The Mazarine library (Paris) contains 135,000 volumes, and 4000 manuscripts. The Sorbonne library (Paris) 80,000 volumes, and 900 manuscripts, . The Hotel de Ville library (Paris), 65,000 volumes. There are in all the libraries of France 6,233,000 volumes. Great Britain possesses only 1,772,000 volumes in all its libraries. Italy possesses 4,150,000 volumes in rll its libraries ; the volumes are, for the most part, very valuable old books on theological and ecclesiastical subjects j there are few modern' works among them. Austria possesses 2,488,000 volumes in its libraries; Prussia, 2,040,000 volumes ; Russia, 824,000 volumes; Bavaria, 1,269,500 volumes; Belgium, 510,000 volumes in all its libraries. Thefre figures would, if added together, show the total number of volumes in all the librariesof Europe, to be 20,u00,000 volumes. To read their titles, allowing one minute to each title, would take a man nearly '138,882 days, or nearly 400 years. : Wool-Washing- in Marlborooh.—The Nelson Examiner of Jan. 6 says—The late heavy fall in the price of wool has induced flock-masters in the neighbouring province of Murlborough to pay more attention than they have hitheito done to the getting-up of their wool. Foremost araonpt these has been tlie Hon. T. who has spout-washed with warm water the whole of his flock on the Dungree Station, in the Awatere. From samples we have Been of the wool thus washed the work appears to have been very successfully performed, and we shall be glad to learn the profits derived from it will fully realize the expectations of the spirited proprietor. < Ither flockoivnefs, we bear, intend to follow Dr Renwiek's example, and next season a considerable portion of the wool of the district will be sent home as clean as it can be made. Mere washing, however, will not improve the quality of the fleeces, and what is needed on several of the stations before the wool will take a high rank in the market, is a systematic and careful culling of the best procurable male stock. With proper attentionito breeding, there is no part of Australia or New Zealand where wool could be got up better than in the Province of Marlborough. Acclimatization.—The Nelson Examiner of Jan, 6. has the following :-The Secretary of our Acclimatization Society, usually of so placid and unexceptional a disposition, hag displayed considerable exuberance of spirits within the last two or three days, upon hearing that his plan for hatching and rearing fish has proved so much more successful than that adopted by our Southland "neighbours. To thoroughly understand the emulation that exists between the Societies on this head,, it must be remembered that an agent from that province visited Tasmania at the same time as Mr Huddleston, for the purpose of obtaining trout ov.i. and that a considerable amount of "chuff" was carried on by the two emissaries as to which should prove the the more successful in the end, It now appears, from a letter re id by Mr Huddleston from the Curator of the Southland Acclim'ar tinn Society, that although the ova were hatched there, owing to some fault in the construction of the ponds the fish have been allowed to escape, only a very few remaining in the ponds. We are sorry to hear of a failure in the attempt to introduce these valuable fish into any part of New Zealand; at the same time, we cannot but congratulate Mr Huddleston on the great success that has attended his first endeavour at pisciculture.

A Warlike Rooster.—On the memorable Ist of June (Lord Howe's victory), Captain Berkley commanded the Marlborough, and broke through the French line between L'lmpetueux and Le Mutius each of superior force, and engaged them both. On going into action the contain ordered all the live stock to be thrown overboard, but at therequest of his crew, permitted them to. retain an old' gamecopk with which they had fought several times,and always with success .In action the Marlborough whs so severely hanrlled by her opponents, that half the crew were disabled, her captain curried wounded helow, her mainmast shot away, and the remainder of the men driven from their quarters. At this very juncture, when the Marlborough was at the point;of striking, the old gamecock hnppsd un upon the shattered stump of a mtinmast, and with a loud and triumphant flipping of the wings, sent forth such a dear and Instv challenge hh to be heard in every part of the disabled ■hip One universal and gallant cheer from th.' broken crew arose; they remembered the indomitable courage of the bird that sat undismayed above the deck, and every soul on board wh > cmid drag his limbs to quarters remanned the guns, resumed the action, and forced each of bis opponents to surrender. A silver medal struck by order of Captain Berkley was hung upon the neck of the old game-cock, who, in the pnrks and around the princely halls of Goodwood, paster] the remainder of his own days in honourable safety, Game for Paris.—The French papers contain come curious details concerning the supply of game in the Paris markets, Although Hie opening of the shooting season is the signal for a great number of guttered gentlemen, gun-carrying and dog-preceded,, to take tie field, they are not generally h"lievcd to make very heavy hags, and France is not a country rich in game. She could "ever supply her own demand for that excellent article of food. Indeed, it is said t'mt not one twentieth part of what is daily eaten in Paris, whether fur, feather or bristle; venison or roedeer, is shot or snared in France. Wild boar, deer, hares, and rnbhitß, cmne chiefly from Germany. Wnrtemberg'and the Grand Duchy of Baden

supply them. Baden is a very rich game country, Of an evening from a railway carriage one may see scores of hares at supper in a single field. A good many pheasants and a vast : number, of partridges also come from Germany. Black game and grouse come from Russia and England; woodcockß, Bcarce in France, abound in Corsica, Sardinia, and on, the consts of Southern Italy, where they are taken in great numbers by means of nets. Thrushes and small birds come mainly from the shores of lake Maggioro and Garda, where the Lombard peasants destroy them by countless swarms. The lark also comes from the Sub-alpine country, but to a still greater extent from the departments of the LotjfLot-etGaronne, and the Lqiret, where their capture by nets is authorised,' Waterfowl, geese, ducks, ted. snipe, widgeon, &c, are brought from Holland for the greater part, but also from the coasts of Brittany, from the Somme, the Bay of Areachpn, and the vast marshes which constitute the chief wealth of the district of Burgundy formerly known as the Dombes. During the last few days a considerable quantity of' Oorsican blackbirdß has appeared in the Paris markets. A Celestial Globe, —The following is from Fraser's Magazine :—lt is rather singular that the planet Mars is the only object in the whole heavens which is known to exhibit features resembling those of our earth. Astronomers have examined the moon in vain for such features; she presents an arid waste of extinct volcanoes, dreary mountain scenery surrounding lifeless plains (the seas of the old astronomers) j an airless hemisphere of desolation, in fact, which has no counterpart on the terrestrial globe. The planets Jupiter and Saturn, orbs which far transcend our earth in mass and, volume, which are adorned with magnificent systems of subsidiary bodies, and which seem in every respect worthy to be the abodes of nobler races than those which subsist upon our earth, afford no indications which justify us in asserting that they resemble the earth in any of those points which we are accustomed to regard' as 'essential to the wants of living creatures. Nearly the whole of the'light which we receive from these splendid orbs is, reflected, not from their real surface, but! from' vaporous masses 'suipehded in theiratmpspheres. It is indeed, doubtful whether anything has ever' Hen seen of the real surface of either planet, save: perhaps that alsmall spot has here and there been faintly visible through the dense overhanging: mantle, of vapour;'and strangely enough, the two email planets, which present in other respects the most contrast to the giant members of our system, resemble them in this point. Venus and Mercury seem both to be protected from the intense heat-to, which' they would otherwise be exposed through their proximity to the sun by, densely vaporous envelopes, which!only permit the ,true surface; of the planets to be faintly Been, even under the most favourablb conditions. The planet.Mars,.however, discloses to us his real surface, and this surface presents indications which cannot reisonably be doubted to result from the existence of continents and oceans, resembling those of .our own earth in all essential features.

Ladies' Conference.—The'following programme, which the German ladies had agreed to discuss at a conference at Stuttgart on the 17th October last, is we fear, much too sensible to obtain many, supporters amongst that section of the fair sex which considers that "women's rights" are shamefully neglected, and that Mrs Brown has as much right to the franchise and voting power as her husband. However, we publish it, believing it quite possible that it may help to "sweep away some old prejudice in some one's mind, and probably suggest a good idea in its place. The points to be discussed were—- '• 1. To find out the best way and means to teach young mothers how best to regulate the physical education of their children, i ,The establishment of small museums of literature, arjj, and industry. The museums, would not merely contain the best works of literature and art especially adapted for women, but they would principally be a kind •ofschodls or academies. Places for meetings, lectures, and the like, in which topics, such as the education of children and matters of domestic interest, should be treated by competent women and men, if these can can be prevailed upon to assist in the movement. There would also be Sunday schools for women and girls of all classes, savings banks, supply associations, offices for those that, wanted places, &o, 3. The commencement of a reform in dress, chiefly directed against the vagaries of fashion, and the best ways and means to carry out this reform effectually. As a basis for this reform the following points have been accepted:— a. that nothing be declared " oldfashioned" which has once found itself useful and appropriate and becoming. A. That nothing new be adopted utiles it has 1 proved itself to be both to the purpose and answering the demands of good taste, c That all garments and objects of toilet that are hurtful to health be put away. d. To inquire whether a large saving might notbe : effected in things of dress, so that the expenses might be made more appropriate to the income. 4. The transformation of benevolent female institutions into " ine and earning female institutions." The Pall Mall Gazette, from which we qu,>(e, says,'-All sounds so sensible that we cannot but wish the Conference all success." The British Empire.-Tli6 usual official returns from the British possessions we're laid before Parliament last session, and have! since been printed for circulation. British India heads the list with its vast population of 150,000,000 souls. Its area, however, 988,991 square miles, seems almost small when compared with that of our North American or our Australian possessions. British North America indeed is returned as containing only 632,360 square miles, and a population in 1866 of 4,007,816; the Dominion of Canada, 376.986 square miles, with a population of 3,753,000; Newfoundland, 40,200 square miles, and 130,000 people; Prince Edward Island, 2,173 square miles, and 90,000 inhabitants; British Columbia, 213,000 squaremiles, and 34,816 population in 1861. But this is without the vast north-west territory, waiting to be occupied—territory that brings the extent of British North America up to, perhaps, 3,000,000 square miles. Not far behind in extent is Australia, with its 2,582,070 square miles, and a population fast approaching 2,000,000, though only 1,662,063 in the year 1866, to which these completed official returns belong. The extent of Western Australia is 978,000 square miles, a territory; nearly as large as British India, but with a population (in 1866) of only 21,065; less than a 7000 th part of that of India; Queensland is returned with 678,009 Bquare miles, and a population of 96,172; South Australia, 383,328 square miles, with a population of 163,452; New South Wales, 323,437 square miles, witli a, population of 431,412; New Zealand, 106,959 Bquare miles, with a population of 208,682; •Victoria has been so conspicuous by its great prosperity that many forget its comparatively small extent—B6,B3l square miles, but with a population of 643,912 in 1866, and now about 700,000; Tasmania comprises 'J6.315 square miles, with 97,368 inhabitants. The West India Islands contain no more than 12,683 square miles, but the population in 1861 was 934,197 ; Jamaica has half the area, 6406 square miles, not far from half the population/viz. (in 1861), 441,255. The Cape of Good Hope and Natal add 216,755 square miles to the British possessions, with a population of 759,261 ; Ceylon, 24,700 square miles, and 2,088,027 people; Mauritius, 708 square miles, and 310,050 of population; British Guiana, 76,000 squire miles, and 148,026 people (in 1861); Honduras, 13.500 square miles, and (in 1861) 25,635 people. The other colonies and possessions—the Straits Settlements, Hong-kong, West African Settlements, Labuan, St Helena, the eight Falklands, Bermuda, Gibraltar, Malta-being the extent of the possessions of this kingdom beyond sea, up to 4,562,000 square miles, and their population to 161,486,000, a number winch has increased since the date of these estimates or enumerations, Including the British North-West American possessions, and linking the whole to the mothercountry—the metropolis of this vast domain -the Queen's realm will be found to comprise territory of about 7,000,000 of English square miles, with a population approaching 200,000,000 of souls. '

The Boos or Jabher.—There is a literary controversy started in the Times which bids fair to rival theMilton,io:d.ijput? in importance. Mr Lowe taring stateiun the House of Ooramona that tho bo6k of. Jasher.Had been discovered in Abyssinia, a correspondent writes to say that the third chapter of Genesis is taken from this book. Probably both statements are equally ,wild."'. No one knows anything about this book except that it is quoted twice'in Holy Scripture (Joshua x,, xit; 2 Samuel i,, xviii), Much conjecture has been bestowed upon it, and it is supposed to have been a collec'.ion of Hebrew minstrelsy, or record of patriotic deedsi The clergy are already in the field. Mr M'Caul contributes a letter, and Dr Iron writes a peremptory epistle, calling upon the orilie who attributes the third chapter of. the Book of Genesis to the author of the Bookof Jasher to explain himself. Here is a fine field for conjecture. If the disputed poem of the British Museum produces such diverse opinions while every word is before us, what an interesting study' will it be to discuss the date, authorship, and, 1 merits of a book not in existence,' i '■•. ■ ' ' The SproMOGRAPHB.—The Argus, of Dec.; 11 says:—" The' Spygmographe' is the name of a new and most ingenious instrument wbioh has been recently invented and brought 1 to the assistance of medical science. We believe that only one has as yet been imported, into the colony, and that has passed into .the, possession of a well-known Collins-street surgeon. The instrument is designed for the purpose.of recording with unerring accuracy the condition of the circulation of the blood. It,in. fact, transfers to paper an exact account of' the pulsations of the wriit. Tne manner in whiah it acts may be very briefly described.. It is fastened upon the wrist with a moderately tight bandage. The pulsations of the wrist work upon a Bpring, which communicates its action to the body of the machine, which comprises a pen charged with ink and a white tablet, The pen, worked by a spring, registers the action of the pulse upon the' tablet, and the machine being wound up, runs down in a quarter of a minute. The tablet then shews not only the number of pulsations which have taken place in that period, but also their force and regularity. The iniStrument it now used very extensively by clinical physicians in England and on the continent. Ms yf great use in determining the action of chronic diseases on the system, and is also being called into requisition by life insurance companies, as shewing very conclusively the value of lives proposed for insurance. We yesterday saw some experiments tried with it, which were of the most interesting character."

Thb New Atlantic CiBLE.-The manufacture of the new Atlantic telegraph cable, which is to be submerged between Brest and a suitable terminus on the shores of the State of New York, in progressing satisfactorily. The new cable is almost identical in construction with those which were completed in 1866, the only difference being that the diameter of the conducting copper core is slightly greater, and the outside wires are of homogeneous Bessemer Bteel, galvanized, having a breaking strain of about lOOOlbs,, while the wires outside the existing Atlantic lines have a breaking strain of only about 800lbs. The new cable will be hid in two lengths—one from Brest to St. Pierre, in deep sea, of 2,325 miles, not including slack, and the other from St. Pierre to the terminus, of 722 miles in length; not including slack. The latter Bection will be similar to the Persian Gulf cable, as it will have to be laid in comparatively shallow water, and its exterior wires will be protected with Bright and Clark's patent siliceous compound, which consists principally of powdered flint and pitch. The construction of the shore ends will be similar to that of the existing Atlantic lines, and will gradually become thinner until they assume; the deep-sea dimensions. During the summer. Her Majesty's ship Gannot took' soundings; along,the.proposed route, and, from, the results of the operations, it is understood that the bottom of the oceari > is nearly the same in character as the bed in which the existing cables are laid, and of about the same depth. Little but mud and ooze were found along the route. In order to avoid the dangers of injury, from rocks and icebergs, the new line will he laid to the south of the present cable, below the southern '.edge of ithe Great Bank, so that it may be :laid in deep water, Sir James Anderson, who will command the Great Eastern during the expedition organised for the submergence of the line, has made the following observations regarding the Newfoundland Banks:-"By keeping in the 500-fathom line upon the Milne Bank, and around the southern edge of the Grand Bank, there is no possibility of ice or any other agency that can be suggested, injuring the cable. The northern end of the Grand Bank was avoided because it is uncertain at what depth the icebergs ground. They are said, upon good authority, toground at times in ninety fathoms. It is not certain at what depth the vessels employed in the seal trade maysumetimes choose to dropan anchor for the purpose of keeping in the track of icefloes. These dangers are avoided by the track chosen for the proposed cable, and lam justified by my ownexperience in saying that 'the track from the southern edge of the Grand Bank to St. Pierre, and thence to'the place of landing in America, is entirely free from any danger from ice, and does not cross any anchorage resorted to by the fleet of Ashing vessels. 1 ' The breaking strain of the new steel cable will be seven and a half tons, and the strain required for submersion need not be more than 14 cwt. Even if at ,any time it benecessary to haul up any portion of it already laid, the strain need not exceed a ton and a half in the deepest water. The weight of copper forming the conductor'of the existing Atlantic cables is 300lbs per knot-, in-the new cable it will be about 400lbs. The Great Eastern has arrived at Sheerness-, whence she will proceed with the cable probably in tho end of next June. After leaving the -Med way, she will go to Brest to finish coaling, and will thence start on the telegraphic expedition.