NEWS BY THE MAIL.

West Coast Times, Issue 1972, 25 January 1872, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

The tlrda Akbar says that Maulvi Muham mcd Salimuzyaman, the famous astronomer of Rampur, whose deductions have generally turned out ri rr K r ht, has foretold that in the coming year a blaze resembling a shooting star, the like of which no ' mortal has yet reen, will be visible in the sky. "It will dazzle the eyes of the people of particular places with lustre, and after remaining for a ghari (i.e., twenty- (bur minutes), will Tauisb. The direction in which it will make its appearance will be the North Pole, and accordingly the people of northern countries will aec it distinctly." A controversy has for some months been raging as to the possibility of obtaining photographs by moonlight only. Mr Ogier, who has taken an active part in it, has practically demonstrated that between the hours of 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. a landscape photograph may be obtained by the light of the moon. But the question arises whether the moon has any luminous power of her own besides the reflected light from the sun ; he ba«es this opinion partly on the fact that her light makes a stronger impression the further she is removed from the sun, and also from the fact that the moonbeams reproduce colors which it is very difficult to obtain by the power of the sun's i ays, yellow for instance. This is a subject well worth the attention of natural philosophers and a-tronomers. An Australian author, Mr Akhurst, is engaged in the preparation of pantomimes for Astley'a and the Royal Alfred Theatres, and a burlesque for the Pay Sisters at the Alhambra. The St. Gothard Railway, with a tunnel about the length of that of the Mount Ccnis, will, it appears, very soon be commenced. Subsidies to the extent of 83,000,000 francs have been voted by Qcr- I many, Italy and Switzerland, It is estimated that at lenst seven or tight 3'ears will be required for the oniiic complcl'ou ofthewdik. Young female slaves arc shipped by English stcamcro from Tripoli to Constantinople. Their pike nt Tripoli is t fi2J to £30 each. It is stated that the Empress Carlotta takes a milk bath everyday. If that does not cure her, she is to be buttered twice a week. It is stated that there arc vast beds of ironstone of good quality in Antrim, Ireland ; and in the county of Down a bed has been discovered near Dromore, yielding 68 per cent of iron. The armaments of Ruisiu have made such progress that the empire is in a position to place "in a few days" no fevier than 1,700,000 soldiers in the field. The illumination of the gn.at tower nt the Grauville Hotel, which took place recently, was distinctly visible at (Mend, Dunkirk, and Calais, ou the south ; also Southcnd on the Kseex coast. The same is reported from smacks ti.at were fishing in the North Sea, eighty miles from land. From ships in the Gulf Streams and Downs the effect was magnificent, The Paris Figaro says that orders have been sent to Cherbomg and B est to have vessels p:cpared for erasing about the coasts of France, and represents that these naval precautions arc taken to prevent what il calls " another return from Klba." Mr Walter, M.P , chief proprietor of The Times, is about to be made a peer, with the title of Baron Wokingham. The latest betting on the TichbornccaFC is 10 to 1 against the claimant. The individual has bejn suffering from an attack of bronchitis. While Mr Odi^cr was addressing a Republican meeting at Reading on December 7ih, a crowd ru>hed into the hall, and after a desperate fight the llepnblicans were driven out and Odgcr obliged to save himself by flight.