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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 277, 23 November 1868, Page 2

In an article on the approaching con- j section of Victoria and Tasmania by i means of a submarine telegraph, the Ho- ' bart Town Mercury strongly urges the construction of a branch cable to Swan Island, which lies in the track of the eteamers running between Melbourne and the New Zealaud ports. By this means the communication between "those ports would be shortened by about 20 hours, in addition to which Tasmania also wouid be brought iuto much closer connection with New Zealand than has hitherto been the case. The construction of the English language must appear most formidable to a foreigner. One of them looking at a picture of a number of vessels, said, ' See, what a flock of ships!' He was told that a flock of ships was called a fleet, and that a fleet of sheep was called a flock. And it was added for his guidance in mastering the intricacies of our language, that 'a flock of girls is called a bevy, that a bevy of ■wolves is called a pack, and a pack of thieves is called a gang 1 , aud a gang of ■angels is called a host, a host of porpoises is called a shoal, a shoul of buffalo is called a herd, and a herd of children is called a troop, and a troop of partridges is called a covey, and a covey of beauties is called a •galaxy, aud a galaxy of ruffians is calh d a horde, aud a horde of rubbish is called a "heap, and a heap of oxen is called a drove, and a drove of blackguards is called a mob, and a mob of whales is called a .■echool, and aschool of worshippers is called a congregation, and a congregation of engineers is;called a corps, and a corps of robbers is called a band, and a band of locusts is called a swarm, and a swarm of people is called a crowd, and a crowd of gentlefolktf is called elite, and the elite of ifche city's thieves and rascals are called roughs/