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|kiniWisitor PUBLISHED BY BENJAMIN G. LIDDON.j MA33ISO3T, G3EOB.GrXA. SATURDAY, FEB. 16,1856. AGENTS FOR THE VISITOR: Mr. AVm. B. Wilct, Agent for the Fort Gaines Academy I/jtterv, for Greensboro, Eiuonton and Madison, is authorised to collect and receipt for this paver. Thomas Fleming, Atlanta, Ga., is an autorizcd •gent for this paper. Mr. David A. Crockett is authorized to receive and receipt for subscriptions to this paper. W*. M. C. Neel, is our authorized Agent in Jackson County, Fla. G. tV. Wyatt is our authorized agcntatEbcne ter, Morgan County, Ga. L. C. Paulktt is our authorized agent, Troup* vide. Ga. VALENTINE’S DAY lias passed and many “ gentle swains” and “ Lonnie lassies ” nro now examining tlic loving epistles received by tliem, and con jecturing who the sender was, but the one ice received not of the most loving kind. Oh, you should have seen it! —it had on it a picture, (not ns costly and pretty as it was funny and apropos,) print ed with red and black ink, representing in langnnge and in figure—but we won t tell. However, the object we carried in «mr arms lias often disturbed our nightly dreams. Ladies and gentlemen, we are a married man. THE INFLUENCE OF EDUCATION. The ennobling and elevating influence of education upon the mind of man may bo conclusively estimated from the (act that out of the 1511 men bung in the ( nited •States during the year 1854, only seven could read and write. A\ hat a lesson . "Will not parents profit by it ? No, alas! they will not. Place an aca demy in one hundred yards ot every mans door in the State of Georgia, and provide each with a competent teacher, and thou sands would rot to the ground for the want of occupation, if the teacher asked ten dollars a year l'or bis services. Build a bar-room five or ten miles off, and they will flourish “like a green bay tree.” it is strange, but true. Wlmt a legacy is a good education, and how many fail to ap preoiato its worth ! In our town wo have two excellent male schools and two female Colleges, though now well patronized, the number of whose pupils should ami would bo increased by hundreds if the value of an Education were properly un derstood, or if there were no such feeling as penuriousness and love ot gain, llietight purse-string, in this respect, has been the egase of many crimes tlmt would other wise never liavo been committed. Parents, educate your children, for, sooner or later, the neglect of it may cause you to bow your head in shame to the dust. A STATE ON A SPREE. We learn from a coi respondent of the last Galveston News that the entire Legis lat tire of Texas got on a “ royal bonder ” a few weeks ago. After adjourning to the street the members managed to knock up a fight among themselves. The Speaker, and other officers, were along, and busi ness wits transacted in the regular maimer —motions “ to drink,” like those “ to ad journ,” being always in order. It was n part of the duty of the “Doorkeepor ” to rule outsiders from the “ lights.” That was equal to the spree at Savannah of the Georgia Legislature, two years ago. Surely, wo are a remarkably free and easy, but correct law-making, law-abiding peo ple. Such conduct in Legislators is hard ly worthy of Imitation, and yet the dignity of tlicir station may cause many to follow the exiunplo in a motion “to drink.”— llettor go to the Penitentiary than to such Legislatures, so far as the credit of the thing is concerned. THE GREAT NATIONAL MAP. During this week wo have boon allowed to see the elegant map recently issued by Mr. S. Augustus Mitchhi.i., whoso name has boon so long before the public as a pub lisher of the best Geographies, Atlasesand Maps with which our country is supplied. This gentleman is now offering to the pub lic, through his travelling agents, what lie calls MitclidVs Mew Matioiuil Map, a splendid copperplate engraving, surround ed with a border of surpassing richness and beauty, colored in counties, adapting it to the wants of the Southern States. This map extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, and from the 60th parallel of north latitude south to within a few degrees of the equator; shewing the Lulled States and Territories, (including the new divisions,) the British Provinces of North America, the Canadas, New Brunswick and Nova Scota, the Sandwich Islands, Mexico, Central America, Cuba, Ilayti, Jamaica, aud the West India Islands. We have never before had a metallic plate map representing so great an extent of territory on so large a scale. The vari ous points of interest—towns, cities, new settlements, missionary stations, stopping places on the overland routes to Oregon aud California —hays, lakes, rivers, canals, railroads, post roads, stage, roads, moun tain ranges, die., &e., are given witli great accuracy. The true sourco of the Mississippi river is here given—shewing that it does not rise in the lake of the woods, as represent ed on the older Maps, but flows from nu merous small hikes in Minnesota. lAHI&Y ■■... On the same sheet, and finished in the same elegant sty le, are two maps of tfie world, one on Mercator’s and the other on the globular projection. They are very finely executed. From them we learn the relative position and comparative size of the various grand and sub-divisions of the globe. The map on Mercator's projection is constructed with tlie American Conti nent in the centre, giving a definite idea of the course of sailing from any port of the United States to Europe or Asia. It also shows the advantage* the proposed Pacific Railroad will afford in opening a direct and speedy line of communication between Europe and Asia via. the United States. It is evident that whenever that project is carried out, the United States must become the centre of the world’s commerce. Beneath the border is a table containing the names of Counties in the United States and Territories, with connty-seat and population of eacli county placed opposite. The location and names of the County Towns aro on the map, so that, with the aid of the table, the precise location of the connty is found. By looking along the column of county names, which are ar ranged in alphabetical order, we see op posite the name of the county sought, the name of its capital, and, by referring to the map, we see it in its proper position, thus enabling us to locate the county —the map not being encumbered with county names, leaves much morespnee than other wise would he the case, to he filled up with the names of cities and other impor tant matter. There are also tables of dis tances, the height of mountains, and the lengtii of rivers. In short, Air. Alitciikll seems to have spared no labor or expense to make this map just what it should he—a complete and reliable map of oar great republic, ac cording to its present extended limits, in connection witli other parts of the North American Continent. AVc learn that Mr. Mitchell has em ployed the Rev. Dr. Earle to obtain can vassers to sell these elegant maps in all the counties of the Southern and Western States yet unoccupied. That gentleman is now at Augusta, where he will remain long enough to canvass that city himself, mid, ia the meantime, procure agents for other parts. lie l.as appointed Afr. -Jesse AV. Jackson to canvass Baldwin, Putnam, Morgan and Clark counties. It is, without doubt, the most reliable map ever published, and wo liopo Air. Jackson will proceed to give it an extend ed circulation. A Shakespearian Dun. Wo should certainly preserve the fol lowing ingenious persuader for future use. It is a dun from an editor some where out West, hurled at his delinquent patrons. If ho don’t get the money nf* ter they have read it, they must bo the meanest people this side of sundown : “ Friends, Patrons, Subscribers, and Advertisers: Hear us for our debts and got ready that you may pay : trust us we aro in need—and liavo regard for our need, for you have long been trusted ; acknowledge your indebtedness and dive into your pockets, that you may prompt ly fork over. If there bo any among you—one single patron—that don’t owe us something, then to him we say, step inside—consider yourself a gentleman. If the rest wish to know why we dun them, this is our answer : Not that we euro about cash ourselves, but our cred itors do. “ Would you rather that wo go to jail and you go freo, than you pay your debts and wo all keep moving ? As we have worked for you; as wo have fur nished our paper to you; but as you don’t pay, we dun you ! Here arc agreements for job work, contracts for subscriptions, promises of long credits, and duns for deferred payment. Who is thero so mean that he don’t take a papci ? If any, ho needn’t speak—we don’t mean him. Who is there so green that he don’t advertise ? If any, let him slide —ho ain’t the chap either. Who is there so bad that he don't pay the prin ter? If any, let him shout—for lie’s the man wo’er after, llis name is Le gion. lie has been owing us for onei two or three years—long enough to make us poor and himself rich at our expense. If the above appeal to his conscience does not awake him to a sense of justice, we shall have to try the law and see wlmt virtue there is in “ writs and constables.” Another Revolutionary Hero and Pioneer Gone. —Rev. Phillip W. Tay lor, a native of Caroline county, Va., a soldier of the Revolution, and one of the early pioneers ot Kentucky, died on the 24th ult, in Shelby county, Ivy. Ho was present at the surrender of Corn wallis, a soldier in Colonel Mathew’s regiment. In 1781 became to Ken tucky. On his wav down the liver, his boat was attacked hv the Indians twenty miles above Louisville, and several of his companions killed and wounded, him self among the latter. lie know person ally Koonq, Kenton, Todd, Harlan, and indeed all the pioneer heroes w ho settled the State. He was for many years a Justice of the Peace in the county of Shelby, for two years its High Sheriff, and for sixty years a minister of the gospel. NEWS ITEMS. lt seems not to bo generally known that Congress at the last session provid ed for a consulship at Monrovia, Liberia, with a salary of SI,OOO per annum. If the office is still unfilled, is it not owing to some other cause than that there are no applications for the office ? R. W. McCune, Esq, late solicitor of the Flint Circuit, and formerly a State Senator, died a few days ago at his resi dence in Griffin. Mr. Thomas Connelly has been elected to the House of Representatives from Murray counly, in place of Mr. B. F. Carter, resigned on account of ill health. Mr. Thurmond, of Downing Hill Nursery, Atlanta, in a communication in the Intelligencer, calls upon the Le gislature to pass more stringen' laws for the protection of gardens and orchards. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Toronto lias issued a very remarkable political pastoral, in which he specifies several “mortal” sins, against which the faithful should guard with peculiar vigi lance, suclj as going to a Protestant church, and sending Catholic children to Common Schools. During his sojourn in Boston, the Hon. Robert 'Toombs visitefl both branches of the Massachusetts Legisla lature, where lie was introduced to many members, and was treated with courtesy. New York harbor still continues full of ice, much to the inconvenience of the shipping, many vessels being frozen in their clocks. The Missouri Democrat conlains a long communication in favor of Judge Wayne of the U. S. Supreme Court as a candidate for the Presidency. Col. Ben ton lias been heard to express a similar preference. The New Yorkers have at last made sure of their great Central Park, embracing an area of several hundred acres of ground. All the legal obstacles opposed have‘been removed, and the work of preparing the ground will he far advanced by next summer. It will cost $5,000,000. The thermometer at Atlanta on Monday last, stood at 4" above zero. Snow in many parts of the State lias re mained on the ground for three weeks. In Elbert county it was 0 inches deep at one time, and in Lumpkin 8 inches. Wo learn from the Augusta pa pers that Mr. Thackeray has been en gaged by the Young Men’s Library Association to deliver two lectures in that city on Monday and Tuesday even ings next. The course, which is to con sist of six lectures, will he continued by Mr. Win. Gilmore Simms. There are 500 miles of streets and 1,000 miles of pavements in New York. The Tribune of that city estimates the cost of freeing these latter from the snow that fell on the sth ultimo, at $50,000. A costly snow, that. The Wisconsin Mirror is printed in the Woods. There is not a dwelling, except that, of the editor, w ithin half a mile. The wild foliage of the forest looks over the office, and w ild game shy around it. Still, the editor is in fine spirits, and expects a large village to spring up. An exchange tells us that Airs, Parton (Fanny Fern) brings as her dowry two daughters and $25,000, coined from Ler fertile brain. This beats Jupiter hollow, for his brain only sent forth one daughter, Minerva, without any dollars, while Fanny’s brain produces two daugh ters and $25,000. Wo regret to learn from the Alil ledgeville correspondent of the Chronicle & Sentinel, the demiso of Mr. Caldwell, of Pike, a worthy member of the House (Jf Representatives of the Georgia Legis lature, from the county of Pike, lie died at his residence, of pneumonia, on Sun day last. The greatest remedy of the day is unquestionably Perry Davis’ Pain Killer, for the instant relief of all pains, scalds, bruises, etc., and for pains in the stomach, and bowels; it is used with encouraging success in sudden attacks of cholera and cholera morbus. No family should pretend to keep house without it always by them. The lion. Millard Filmore was in Rome, Italy, by last accounts, sitting for his bust in marble to Bartholomew, the celebrated American sculptor. The steamship Illinois, which sailed on Tuesday for Aspinwall, took four hundred soldiers from Governor’s Island, destined for Oregon and California, where they will, no doubt, he employed in operating against tho hostile Indians. The election to iw the vacancy in the State Senate, occasioned by the death ot Hon. Andrew J. Alilier, is or doled to take place on Monday, the 3d of March next. lion. O. 11. Singleton, of Miss., has been appointed consul to Havana. The Delaware river and bay are filled with floating ice. The ice boat succeeded in getting up on Wednesday morning. An attempt was made on the night of ihe 9th inst. to assassinate Denis Cor coran, one of the editors of the New Or leans Delta, lie is badly injured, but will probably recover. —At the Paris review, on the 15tli of January, the Duke of Cambridge, in the name of Queen Victoria, presented the British Crimean medal to 14,000 French troops. Vive l entente cordiale ! —Mr. Dallas will take his whole fami ly with him to London. Ilia son will fill the position of his private secretary. —lt is said that a million of acres of land will be brought into market in Kansas Territory' by the first of next June. Preparing for War. The Mayor of New York, in a recent special message, advocates warmly the construction of additional defences for that city. In case of war, he thinks there would bo concentrated the boldest effort and most effective power at the command of an enemy. In the event of a war with England, her immense ma rine of armed steamers and transports, could concentrate at Bermuda and Hali fax, and land upon the south side of Long Island a sufficient force to cross the Island and take possession of the heights opposite to New York in a few hours. The Mayor therefore proposes an extended line of circumvallation, em bracing die hills between Brooklyn and Jamaica, and resting upon Fort Hamil ton on the light, and Newtown Creek on the left. As to the harbor proper, they are in good and excellent condition. The fort lias already in posiliou more guns of heavy calibre than Sebastopol had at the attack of tho allied armies, or than Cronstadt has’at the present time. More, however, can he done towards protecting the defences of the Narrows and Sound, and aflcr consultation with Gens. Scott and Sanford, the Mayor recommends that the attention of the government he drawn to the propriety of erecting ad ditional batteries at the entrance to the outer hay and at Hurl Gate. He adopt, the motto—“ In time of peace prepare for war." An Old Printer. AYc liavo in our employ, an old printer seventy-six years of ago, who commenc ed his apprenticeship of seven years in the King’s Printing Office, London, in 1784—04 years ago. He was a soldier under Sir John Moore at Corun na, in Spain, in 1808, when lie received a hall in the right arm. He was pre sent at the burial of Sir John Moore, and remembers tho minutest particulars of the scene. He was also with the Duke of Wellington through his whole cam paign, and lost an ancle hone by a grape shot in the battle of Waterloo. This old man, after all his hard service, is still one of the swiftest and best compositors wo have ever known, and though lame from his wounds, is still able at “early morn and dewy eve,” while younger men are wasting the golden horns in sensual pleasure or snoring them away in bed, to ramble over tho fields and through the woods in search of wild flowers, with which lie forms tempting bouquets for the belles of the village, or to gratify the wishes of somo favorite little girl. It speaks well for the heart of the soldier that all tho children love him. —Blackstone Chronicle. Extraordinary Story. During the stay of the Persian Am bassador in Moscow, a fire of charcoal, lighted by his servant in a stove of the room where his son and the servant slept, caused the death of the former by suffocation, while the latter narrowly escaped with his life. The ambassador, in order to avenge the death of his son, commanded the servant, to whose care lessness the accident was attributed, to be flayed alive. Tho Russian police, however, interfered, alleging that such a punishment could not be allowed in their country. Accordingly, his excel lency ordered a box with air holes to he made, for the purpose of transporting Iris unfortunate servant to Persia, there to suffer tho fearful death which even Russian civilization prohibited ! Air. Buchanan has written a letter to a friend, in which occurs the following: “The next will be the most important and responsible Presidential term since the last war with England, or per haps since the origin of the government. Both our foreign and our domestic af fairs will require the guidance of an able, firm and skillful pilot to steer the vessel of State clear of the breakers. I pray heaven that the best mau may be select ed for the crisis; and to me it is a mat ter of indifference whether he comes from the North or South, East or West.” Georgia on Slavery. The. New-York Post, fanatical always upon tile subject of Slavery, attempts to make capital out of the debate in onr State Senate on the prohibition of ne gro traders introducing for sale all soits of negro cut-throats, house-burners, vagabonds, (fee., from other States. By our present laws, slaves from other States are not allowed to be introduced for purposes of speculation. But a bill has passed the Senate of this Legislature to repeal that salutary law. Air. Pope, with other considerate men, took his stand against the repeal of the law, as the practical effects of the introduction of such characters was highly injurious to the State. The Post, catching at some of liis words loosely reported in the debate, maliciously charges aboli tionism on Air. Pope. Nothing is furth er from the truth. Air. Pope is a slave holder from principle as well as birth, and had not the slightest idea of throw ing his influence adverse to slavery. We tritely hope the existing law will not he repealed by the vote ot the house. Tho effect would be destructive to the morals of our slaves and otherwise ex tremely injurious to the interest of our State. We speak as a slaveholder and political economist. Alorally and finan cially we are opposed to the repeal of the law. When we need good servants, every facility is afforded us for obtaining them; but deliver us, if you please, from the thousands of miscreants that would he imposed upon us by unscru pulous slave traders from other States. We are no advocates for making Georgia a Botany Bay for those too wicked to he kept by their owners at home. — South ern Recorder. Prof. Liebig, in a letter to Prof. Silli inan, says: “ The method of roasting is obviously the best to make flesh the most nutri tious. But it docs not follow that boil ing is to he interdicted. If a piece of meat he put into cold water, and this heated to boiling, and boiled until it is ‘done,’ it will become harder, and have less taste, than if thrown into water al ready boiling. In the first case, the matter.-''grateful to the smell and taste go into the extract, the soup; in tho se cond, tho albumen of the meat coagulates from the surface inward, and envelopes the interior witli a layer which is impen etrable to water. Saltpetre in Tennessee. —A Ten nessee paper has the following statement in reference to the manufacture of salt petre in a portion of that State : “ The caverns of East Tennessee, at least a great number of them, contain immense quantities of the nitrous earth from which saltpetre is manufactured.— This is no new discovery. Many years ago, its manufacture was carried on in several localities, though to a limited ex tent. Then the facilities for operating wore limited, and this section of country being cut off from all the principal mar kets, the eostof transportation, combined with the expense of working it, rendered its manufacture profitless, and it was abandoned.” Persian Barbarity; at Herat.— The last Indian mail brings intelligence from Caluil, respecting the affairs at Herat, to Nov. 1. The Sindian cf Dee. 8, has the following: “The intelligence from Herat is hor rible ; the whole of Yar Mahomed’s family, old and young, have been put to death, except tho mother of the two princes who were recently murdered by the Persian troops. She had great in fluence in Herat, and was called “the nawab of Herat.” Her life was spared with the view of extorting from her the treasure she was known to have possess ed ; but she was prepared for this, for on the murder of her two sons, she collected all her jewels and burnt them, and allow ed, her slaves to distribute the spoils among themselves. She is now tortured with red hot irons to make her give up her hidden wealth.” A Brave Woman. A correspondent of the Baltimore Sun, writing from Lane county, Oregon, November 21st, says: As au indication of the kind of wo men we have on this coast, let me give vou the following heroic incident: The house of a Air. Harris was attacked in the afternoon. The inmates were him self, wife and little girl. In one hour he had fallen in the conflict. Before he expired he gave his wife some directions as to how to load and fire. The house was a log one, and at every assault the Indians would make on the door she would give them a deadly fire from a musket loaded with buckshot, and also by firing a revolver.—They would then retreat, not knowing the number whom they assailed. She held them at hay until 8 o’clock the next morning, when she was relieved by the volunteers. She literally strewed the yard with the dead and wounded. Desperate Affray in a School House. The Lebanon (Tenn.) Herald of the 241 h ult. gives the following account of a terrible and fatal tight in a school room, in Wilson county, in that State: “The most distressing homicide we ever heard of, occurred in this county, about three miles north-east of Lebanon, on last Monday morning was a week ago, between Rufus Watson and his three sons on one side, and two sons of John New on tW other. The unfortu nate difficulty occurred in a school room. Young New, aged about nineteen years, was shot through the heart and expired immediately; and his little brother, some thirteen or fourteen years of age, was almost to pieces—receiving no less, we leant, than seven dangerous wounds. Strange as it may appear, he is still living, and 'hopes are entertained of his recovery. Rufns Watson received the contents of a pistol loaded with bird shot, in the breast, but was not seriously hurt. The difficulty grew out of an old grudge that has existed between the heads of the respective families.” What the French think of Us. The Paris correspondent of the Phila delphia Inquirer, speaking'of the recent contest at Washington, for the Speaker ship, says: “The French cannot comprehend such a state of things,” said one to me yes terday evening, as he was glancing over his evening paper, the Presse, when he came to the paragraph which told him that the House had voted twenty-six times for Speaker—President, as the French translate it—without an election, “you Americans are singularly patient witji your Representatives. If France were a Republic, and such a thing had occurred in its National Assembly, the people would Lave assembled en masse, burst open tbs doors of the Chamber, and driven their unworthy servants out of doors, or if repulsed bv the troops, there would have been a general rising, and the streets of Paris would have flow ed with blood. There would have been a revolution.” “ It is for this very reason,” I replied, “that you are nut and never can he tit for self government. We Americans vote, and vote on day, after day, if ncoes sary, until at last a majority has pro nounced. The ballot is our only arm in political contests.” Locomotives. When locomotives were first built they weighed less than five tons. This was in 1828; since then passengers and freight have increased, car after car has been supplied for their accommodation, and ton after ton has been added to the weight of the engine, in order to enable it to move the additional burden imposed upon it, until those of the largest class upon the English roads have attained the enormous weight of 32 tons, and in the United States to between 20 and 30 tons. The first locomotive perfotmed 28 miles an hour. They now perform from 40 to 80 miles. This increase shows a rapid improvement. The first locomotive cost §3,000. The St. Clair, belonging to the Hudson River Railroad, cost §12,500. Tire first locomotive used in the United States, was the “John Bull,” on the Al bany and Schenectady Railroad. This engine is now at the Albany Nail Fae tory, w here it is kept tvs a curiosity. The First Locomotive in Texas. — Wo learn from a letter from Houston, Texas, to the Galveston News, that the first locomotive upon the Galveston, Houston and Red River Railroad was put in motion on the 29th ultimo. The writer says: “About 4 o’clock, P. M., amidst the huzzas and cheers of an enthusiastic mul titude assembled to witness the starting of the iron horse, he was brought forth from his temporary resting place and placed on the road seemingly in fine travelling order. After exhibiting some signs of restiveness, he set out steadily on his western journey—the first of his species that ever left the junction of White Oak and Buffalo Bayou. Quite a large number of our citizens availed themselves of the privilege of taking the first ride on the locomotive, which con tinued to make short excursions hack and forth the distance of some half a mile, during the afternoon, much to the gratification of all persons.” King George, of Hanover, has just abolished trial by jury for political of fences in his dominions, by his mere de cree. Trials ou account of published writings are also withdrawn from the cognizance of juries. Mr. John S. C. Abbott has received from the Emperor of France a rich gold medal, and a letter in acknowledgment of the Emperor’s appreciation of Mr. Abbott’s History of Napoleon, a copy of whiel? the author had transmitted to his Majesty through Hon. Mr. Mason, our Minister in Paris.” Pbeparing for in Canada.— The recent idle rumors set afloat ty the Washington correspondents of the New York papers of a suspension of friendly intercourse between the United States and Great Britain, have alarmed the good people of Canada, and they are making preparation for war. We are informed by a gentleman direct from Toronto that fourteen loads of ammuni. tion are now on the road from Kingston to Toronto. Each load is drawn by four horses. Mink, the stage proprietor, is to receive 81,200 for the transportation service. This looks warlike, as if the people of the Province were alarmed. The transportation of ammunition by land such a long distance is unusual, and must cause some excitement among the good people along the frontier towns. Rochester Union. A correspondent of the Philadelphia Ledger, writing from Leghorn, says: Ihe only person who was permitted to land in advance ot all the rest was a \ouiig Austrian officer, (some 19 or 20 years old.) Ihe other passengers, among whom were our most excellent ex Presi dent Fillmore, and the Duke of Mont pensier, (son of the late King of the I reneb, aud a capital, handsome fellow withal,) had to stay on board of an ex ceedingly filthy steamer until the police wore satisfied that none of the strangers brought into port were likely to give the State danger or trouble. For the first time in my life a real (filibuster feeling came over me, and I felt as if I could throw the officer overboard, when I saw the ex-President of our Republic (may God preserve her from the fate of the Italian Republics) walk past the petty officer of the absolute power of a petty State, in obedience to his brutal maudale. lhe Duke of Montpensier followed with a smile, and 1 could not help whispering to him in English that he probably real ized himself that America and England were the only’ two free countries in the world. Simple Mook of Ccttino Stone.— Among tile French machinery will ho .‘bund a very ingenious and simple mode of cutting stone, exhibited !>v a man named Chevaliere. He causes a wire lo run at a high velocity over the surface which he wishes to dissect, and l.y drop ping on it a mixture of sand and water the operation is rapidly completed. Th e hardest graites yield so quickly to this process that the inventor can with one- horse power seperate it at the rate of a square toot per hour, the wire running at the rate of forty feet per second.— 1 s ing (lie ordinary saw, the same amount ot work would require three-horsepower, aud would expend fifteen fiancs worth of material, instead ot one franc, which is all the wire costs.— London Mining Journal. I here has lately been shown, in Paris, a huge concave mirror, an instrument of a startling species of optical magic. On standing close to it, it presents nothing hut a monstrous dissection of your phys iognomy. On retiring a couple of feet it gives your own face and figure in true proportion, hut reversed, the head down waid. But retire still tardier, standing at the distance of five or six feet from the mirror, and behold, you see your selt not a reflection—it does not strike you as a reflection—but your veritable sell, standing in the middle part between you mid the mirror ! The effect is al most appaling, from the idea it suggests of something supernatural; so striking, indeed, is the exhibition, that men pos sessed of the strongest nerve will shrink involuntarily at the first view. A letter has been received at the State Department at Washington, D. C., from Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, dated De cember 4th, in w hich the w riter states that strong fears were felt by the citizens ot Hilo that the lava w’ould destroy the town. The fiery stream had reached within eight miles of the place, and from the activity of the volcano and the rapid progress of the lava, the worst ap prehensions were entertained. I he I exas Debt Bill, which has passed the Legislature of that State, distributes about seven millions of dollars from the Uuited States Treasury, to those who hold claims against Texas, One-third of these claims are held in Philadelphia, one-third in New York, and the remain der in various cities. Some of these claims were bought very low, and the profit realized will be large. Alleged Discovery of a New Is land. —Capt. Cantillan, of the Belgian bark Independence Beige, informs his government that on the 20th of August last, he discovered a small island in lat. 46 deg. S., and long. 53 deg. 43 min. M., off the coast of Patagonia. Im mense numbers of birds were seen flying above the sea grass which surround it for miles. It is very dangerous, as it is not described on anv chart.