NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 62, 2 December 1863, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

(From the Home News.) A magnetic mountain has been discovered in Swedish Lapland, and the vein, which is several feet thick, promises to be one of the richest sources of natural magnets at present known. A natural magnet weighing 400 pounds has already been obtained, and larger ones are expected. A letter from Viege, in the canton of Valais (Switzerland), states that as two English gentlemen (whose names are not given) were recently crossing a dangerous pass of the Simplon by the glaciers of the Fleischhorn, accompanied by two guides, one of the latter fell into a deep crevice. The gentlemen immediately sent the other guide to Saas, a distance of about three leagues, to fetch ropes for the purpose of extricating the poor fellow, who recovered sufficiently from the effect of his fall to speak to the Englishmen several times daring the other guide's absence. Owing to the depth of the crevice and the darknes of the night nine hours elapsed before the man was drawn to the surface, and he expired from exhaustion a few minutes afterwards.

It is estimated that, from the commencement of the civil war in America, 68,874 Federals have been killed, 117,020 wounded, 73,218 made prisoners, and 250,000 died from disease and wounds; that 50,893 Confederates have been killed, 119,615 wounded, 52,169 made prisoners, and 250,000 died from disease and wounds. This estimation dates prior to Ist July, 1863 M. Thiers' coachman has committed suicide by hanging himself. This is the second that has chosen this method for quitting his service. News received in Cracow from Warsaw annoonces that Count Pustowski has been wounded by the Cossacks. The Czas of Cracow announces the establishment of the torture in the citadel of Warsaw ; an iron ring, which can be reduced in size by a screw is placed on the prisoner's head, and tightened until the victim confesses. Rigorous measures are being taken in case a revolt should break out in the capital of the kingdom. An order has been given to massacre the prisoners, in case an attempt be made to deliver them. One of the convicts from Coldbath-fields prison has been flogged with a cat-o'-nine-tails for insolent and disorderly conduct. There are a large number of these convicts in Taunton gaol, and their conduct generally is of the most outrageous description, giving excessive trouble to the governor and the warders. The punishment was administered in the corridor, all the prisoners being locked up in their cells, the trap-doors of which are left open, so that the punishment of their comrade can be heard, in order to deter them from similar acts of insubordination. The governor, surgeon, and other officials were present. A short time since another convict received corporal punishment, and having borne it without " squeaking," the whole of the prisoners set up a loud huzza, and made other demonstrations or their approval of his conduct.

Many English visitors to Paris will remember Lassagne, one of the most irresistibly mirth-pro-voking of low comedians, and whose fun and drollery the most depressed of mortals could not long witness without being cheated into a laugh. The poor fellow died not long ago, and in a sketch of him recently published there occurs the following anecdote: —Before he got mad enough to be subjected to restraint he devised for himself a singular amusement, worthy, it may be said, of a madman, but to which a misanthrope might have resorted as a means of studying human nature. He used to fill his pocket with copper money and get into an omnibus, seating himself near the conductor. In the Paris omnibuses it is customary for persons to pay soon after they get in; if they are far from the conductor their money is passed from hand to hand, and the change is returned to them in like manner. Lassagne was always ready with a hand held out to receive the fare from those seated beyond him, but when he handed back the change received from the conductor he dexterously added to it a few sous taken from his own pocket. It was his delight then to watch the face of the passenger who, having given a 10-sous piece in order that six might be taken from it, received 10 or 12 sous after, his fare was paid. The passenger counted, re-counted, and ended by pocketing the change. Lassagne then laughed, as the French say, commeun fou. He used to declare that he never once saw the money returned.

An instance of determined suicide, through disappointment in love, has recently occurred at Styal, near Wilmslow. In that village resided a young man, who was deeply enamored with a servant in a gentleman's house. On the day in question he was told that she had " altered her mind." This made such an impression upon him that he shortly afterwards picked up a large stone, and, taking it a considerable distance to the bank of a pool, at Styal Mill, he tied it round his neck, fastened his legs together, and jumped into the water, leaving his hat on the water's edge, as if to attract curiosity to the spot. A curious case of dreaming has just occurred in Yorkshire. The nephew of a Mrs. Collins has been drinking for some days, and arose from his bed during the night and went to a neighboring pit and drowned himself. On awaking, Mrs C. told her husband of a remarkably vivid dream she had had, and urged him to go to the pit, where, to his horror and amazement he found the body kneeling in the water as she had predicted. Cricket at Greenwich. —The One-Arm v. the One-Leg.—Many good and serious stage plays have been successfully burlesqued, and the "play of cricket" between the one-arm and the one-leg veterans of Greenwich College on August 31, at the Surrey Ground, Kensington-oval,

proved a successful burlesque upon the general and serious play of cricket on the green sward. The One-leg were the first to commence batting, and about four of them made tidy scores. The runs were obtained in the most ludicrous manner frequent tumblings-down occurring, causing great laughter. In one instance the batsman went right across to the wicket of his companion, who had made no start, and, hitting him on his back with the bat, told him to run away and save his wicket, which he did, to the great amusement of the company. The innings of the Oneleg terminated for 89, the wickets falling thus: —One for 20, two for 28, three for 29, four for 37, five for 40, six for 44, seven for 70, eight for 73, nine for 77, ten for 89. Rain interrupted the game for a time previous to the innings of the One-arm, which commenced about 5 o'clock. In the meantime the school children of the Licensed Victuallers' Institution came on the ground, headed by their juvenile band, playing, " Cheer, boys, cheer." Their healthful ana cheerful appearance were the admiration of the spectators. When " time" was called the One-arm had scored 83, with six wickets down. The second day's play drew about 3000 visitors. There was some very amusing cricket, ending in the victory of the One-legged Pensioners by 23 runs only. The band and children of the Licensed Victuallers' School again attended ; and children, veterans, public, and all appeared highly delighted with the day's amusement. Score: One-leg, first innings, 89; second innings, 94. One-arm, first innings, 93, second innings, 67.

By a communication from the Atlantic Telegraph Company, it appears that the necessary capital for carrying out their enterprise has now been provided, and the contractors have already commenced the manufacture of the cable, which is to be of the best description, and subject to the approval of the scientific committee and the board. They undertake to lay the cable across the Atlantic before the end of the year 1864.

In Galway a newspaper has just been started to aid Federal recruiting under the guise of emigration. It is styled the " United Irishman and American," and displays at its head the mingled emblems of the United States and Ireland. The inducements offered the emigrants are high pay and a future war with England—both powerful inducements to a poor and ignorant population. A band of brigands in the district of Bisaccia, in Italy, seized upon a strong girl, and took her off to the woods, where they compelled her to yield to their desires. Afraid lest she might disclose their hiding-place, they consulted together for a time, when one of the ruffians stepped forward to conduct her out of the wood. They had not gone far, however, before he suddenly stabbed her in the neck and twice in the abdomen. The poor girl fell, but seeing she was not dead he fired his musket at her, but only wounded her slightly in the hip. He reloaded his musket, put the muzzle to her breast, and fired, but by a convulsive movement his victim pushed the weapon away with her arm, and the bail penetrated into her body in a slanting direction without killing her. A third time the assassin loaded his gun, and fired at her three steps off; the ball penetrated under the right arm-pit, went along the ribs, and came out at the abdomen. The miscreant, thinking he had despatched her for certain, then went away, but, strange to say, the poor creature had only swooned, and on recovering managed to drag her mangled body to a neighboring hut, which, however, proved to be deserted, and as she was sinking with thirst, and could find no water, she lay down to die. Meanwhile a company of grenadiers found the girl weltering in her blood, and carried her to their camp. The officer in command endeavored to induce some peasants to convey her to the nearest hospital, offering them payment, but they refused under various pretexts, which shows that they were rather favorable to the brigands than otherwise. At length three grenadiers undertook the duty, and she was taken to Aquilonia, where, strange to say, the surgeon expressed a hope of her recovery.

A remarkable discovery of the precious metal has lately been made in the quiet little town of Ruthin, in the Vale of Clwyd. In sinking for the foundations of a new pier, the workmen came on some fragments of quartz impregnated with gold. The circumstance occasioned considerable surpiise, as the ground is a mixture of peat, sand, &c, where one would hardly expect to find such a treasure. No attention was, however, paid—the pier was built, and the ground restored to its former condition. Since that time, however, a trial has been made close to the spot, when, within five or six feet or less from the surface, fragments of quartz containing gold, as well as pure gold dust, were found mixed up in white sand. There is no possibility of fraud or deception, or of secret deposits placed to be developed in due time The sole machinery is a single laborer, set to dig by the owner of the soil, and who is all day long surrounded by a dozen openmouthed and open-eyed natives watching the work. Although this discovery may not be very important as to the amount of gold obtained, yet it is one of considerable interest, and as indicating that the mountains to the east and south of this part of the Vale of Clwyd originally contained the metal, which has been brought down by the action of water and deposited in the sand with or without its matrix of quartz. It is not unlikely, therefore, that these mountains may be soon added to the gold-producing districts of North Wales, which have lately attracted so much attention. The exact diggings at present going on are in a field to the east of the railway station, and immediately below the Lion Hotel, the occupier of which holds the land in question;

IRON-PLATED SHIPS. THE ROYAL SOVEREIGN. It is necessary to state that the Royal Sove- j reign is being fitted with four turrets, the one forward being the largest of the four, and intended to carry two 300-pounder smooth-bore guns ; while the three others will be of less diameter, and will carry only one gun each of the same calibre. From the inner skin of the turret, formed of half-inch boiler plate, will project outwards iron ribs H-shaped, 10 in. in length and 20 inches apart, the spaces between these ribs being filled in solid with teak. Round the outer circumference of this combination of teak and iron ribs is a crossed trellis work of f-inch iron, and on this trelliswork, and through all and outside all, is bolted 8 inches of solid teak. Here is a structure at once far better calculated to resist the impact of shot than the turrets of the American Keokuk could have been, although the turret of the Royal Sovereign which has been so far described is as yet without its armour; for round the outer surface of the turret on the 8-inch teak cushioning are to be laid the solid s±-inch rolled armour-plates, which are now being manufactured, and bent immediately on leaving the rolls to the required segments of a circle. In the immediate front of the turret or vicinity of the two ports, however, the resisting power of the s£inch armour-plate is further supplemented by a rolled plate, so that in the section of the turret's entire circumference which will be exposed to the shot of an enemy the defensive powers of the turret will consist of, from outwards, 10| inches of iron, inches of teak, 5 inches of f-inch iron trelliswork, 10-inch iron shaped ribs filled in with teak, and the inner iron skin. The outer circle of armour-plates is to be bolted, or u married," as we believe it is technically expressed, round the turret's upper rim, to a massive iron ring 19 feet in diameter, 14-inch by 2-inch iron, and weighing 2 tons 9 cwt. This part of the turret's defence will extend to just beneath the upper deck, but is strengthened and protected by a massive iron ; rim, wrought in sections and rivetted together in the strongest possible manner; the armour coj vered portion of the turret projecting above the ! upper deck, and, with the rim, being together m | shape exactly like a broad-brimmed coachman's I hat of the olden times. The turret itself of course rests, with the guns and their carriages, 1 upon a massive circular platform or turn-table, the outer rim of which is fitted with a ring road ' of stout iron teeth, by applying to whieh a cogged wheel, worked by a winch by either eight or less , men at the handles, as may be required, the turret is made to revolve upon the machinery below.. During the recent visit of the Admiralty to Ports- | mouth, the foremost turret, complete in all re- ' spects except its armour plating, which, how- ! ever, was represented in its weight by its equiva- ! lent in pigs of iron ballast, revolved in a comi plete circle in 4 minutes and 40 seconds with j eight men at the winch handles; and a quarter I circle was turned and back again the same disj tance in one minute. Subsequently, however, i with eight men at the winch handles it has turned a quarter circle in 23 seconds, or a complete circle in 1 minute 32 seconds/ thus • enabling the two guns in the turret to be brought to bear from one broadside to the. other in 46 se--1 conds.

The Royal Sovereign's " machinery," with the bed upon which it rests, we will now endeavor to describe, premising that the diameter of the turret is less than that of the turntable, or the machinery upon which the turntable revolves. Level with the ship's lower deck, or as it must now be, her main and lower deck both, upon upright timbers from the ship's keelson, are laid logs of teak 20 inches square, and extending over a space of nearly 80 feet in circumference. On these square timbers has been constructed the bed proper which supports the turret, turntable, and machinery. It is in appearance a gigantic cartwheel, 26ft in diameter, the nave and periphery being constructed of English and American oak—the periphery entirely of banded strips of American, and the spokes of English oak. The periphery of the wheel measures 24in by i2in., and the spokes each 18iu. by 12in., all fitted with the nicest accuracy, and bolted down immovably to the square logs of timber resting on the uprights underneath. The axle to this monster wheel exists in the iron cylinder, which will give entrance to the magazine below from the turntable, and which, 26in. in diameter, 7ft. 6in. in length, and 3 tons each in weight, are fixed upright through the ceutre of the wheel's nave ; two cast-iron collars, each 6ft. in outer diameter, and each some hundredweight, being fixed, one on the upper and the other on the under side of the deck, and securing the axle or cylinder thus in its position immovable as a rock. The upper part of this cylinder, therefore, projects upwards of 2ft. from the wheel's nave, and becomes the pivot upon and around which the turntable and turret revolve. From a brass collar which encircles this cylinder, next the nave of the wheel, radiate outward 24 iron rods, on the outer ends of which are fixed 24 bevilled iron wheels, 18in. in diameter and 19in. broad, and which, set in a double circular iron framing, work round a metal roadway laid on the periphery of the wheel, a second brass collar round the cylinder being fitted with a set of small brass bevilled wheels, the turntable thus fitting over and around the cylinder or axis, and resting with its inuer circumference on the small brass rollers which encircle the cylinder, and its outer circumference upon the 24 bevelled wheels, which work upon the iron roadway laid upon the periphery of the wheel. Every part connected with the iron work of the turret is very massive in its character, and is beautifully finished, and so far as any judgment may be formed at present, there is nothing to suggest the slightest fear of the Royal Sovereign's turrets

revolving freely under the heaviest storm of shot that can be brought to bear upon them, or under circumstances of the greatest possible inclination which may be given to the ship's deck in the roll and tumble of a channel sea. Revolving on an immovable central axis as does a steamship's paddlewheel, it certainly appears that even 15 or 20 degrees of inclination should not interfere with the turret's working. The side-armour of the ship, o|-in. plates, are supported behind by 3ft. of solid timber, which is strengthened and supported in its turn by alternate wood and rolled iron beams, placed at one half the usual distance apart, to each of which iron knees of great weight are attached, and by the crossed diagonal iron banding over the inner skin of the ship. The alternate wood and iron beams are covered with 1-mch iron plates, all of which at their butts and edges are rivetted together with 4-in. straps of 1-in. iron. Stringer plates also run fore and aft this iron deck. Over all this iron is now being fixed the upper deck proper of the ship, which consists of 6-inch oak plank, and over a certain circumference of this oak planking, in the immediate vicinity of each turret, will be fixed the ring of tapered armour plating which will form tho glacis of each turret at its base. The ship, owing to the fact of her having been converted from a Symondite threedecker, will necessarily draw too much water to manoeuvre close in with the shore in shallow waters; but she will doubtless be, when completed (if armed with guns equivalent in their power to the American Monitors) the most formidable ship of war in the English navy, whether for purposes of offence or defence.

THE SHOTOVER. [from our own correspondent.) Arthur's Point, Bee. 1 But little change has taken place in mining matters during the last week; the river has exceeded its usual boundaries, which has been caused no doubt by the excessive heat melting the snow from the more elevated ranges, the small quantity of which, and its rapid disappearance, is regarded by all as a happy augury, and anticipate the few months in the future as favorable to mining operations in all its phases. The principal topic on the Point is the completion of the race; many are naturally anxious regarding it, and when you take in account the summer season, and its rapid approach, the parties concerned should renew their exertions; and if any practicable means could be adopted so that.double labor could be engaged, I feel assured it would be beneficial in the end, to accomplish which no banking institution could reasonably refuse to advance a sum for the purpose, considering that its speedy completion would give an impetus to all trades and callings. I feel warranted in asserting that at least 800 men would be profitably employed—many fortune-making. There is a probability, if the bauks lack sufficient public spirit or enterprise, that an individual interested, whose name is closely identified with the Point, would advance the required sum. It is refreshing to find that, although Government may be neglectful and remiss in supplying pur wants, that private enterprise makes good the deficiency. The new bridge erected by Bond and Ryan was much required, and it is certainly a credit alike to proprietor and workmen. It is sufficiently strong to carry any number of horses, and the approaches are nearly completed. They had to be cut the greater part through rock, which was most difficult to remove. It should be a matter of congratulation to the up-country packers that they will have an opportunity of crossing the Shotover without the risk of having their horses and burden washed away by the current. M'Guire and Co. are about to re-erect their bridge on a portion of the upper race—the site has been selected and they will shortly commence. This bridge will be largely patronised by the residents of the Point, who are continually passing between the east and west township.

We have been favoured with a beautiful sight two successive evenings. A large tire has been consuming the scrub bordering the summit of the immense hill between this and the Seven mile, and during the night quite illuminated the entire Point, and is only extinguished when it comes in contact with the cap of the mountain, which is covered with snow. Speculation is rife as to how it originated : some affirm it was caused by the rays of the sun, which was intense on Friday last; others, that some one had ventured near the summit of the mountain, and set it on fire. From whatever cause it sprang, we are not likely to be again favored with so agreeable a sight.