MORMON IMMIGRANTS.

Evening Star, Issue 3090, 14 January 1873, Page 3

MORMON IMMIGRANTS.

The steamship Minnesota brought 60D recruits, single men and single women ; English fr 'nr the mining districts, Welsh from the mountains, and Germans from the Rhine Valley. Each nationality was in charge of the apostle who had preached especially in either country, and the three leaders in the conversion of souls will conduct; the neophytes to the promised land. In appearance they are a seedy, ignorant lot. The men have evidently been chosen with a view to the development iff the mining resources of Utah, or fur the defence of the place, ami tlie women to become the helpmeets of the men, and mothers of future generations of Mormons, ’I be men are mostly large, powerful fellows, with brawny bodies and coarse, unintelligent features, just the men to embrace the faith of the Latter-day Saints, and maintain it against all opposition, whether it came in the shape of reasoning or P h ysical force. The women are nearly all under ‘25, and ha 1 evidently been selected by some aged saint who had an eye for souls in fresh young bodies. There was a noticeable lack of tße gaunt, elderly females who are supposed (o form the staple for conversion. That consider ible foresight h>d been been disp ! ayed in the gathering of the 200 men and 3()0 young women, is evidence in the fact that during the voyage no sickness occurred, though, of course, the ship’s officers contributed to this happy result. The men did not care to speak of the faith they had embraced, and when a coy maiden was asked if she knew that she was liable to be tbo consort of a man with a dozen other wives, she maintained her modesty in the diplomatic reply :—“ It’s na prappnr ta ax me, an I shad na tell yc.” .'■ho was a blushing girl o: 21. and there being some anxiety to kn"W how these young females reconciled pmity with polygamy, the question was pressed : “ You would surely rather be the one wife of a man in your own country ?” “ I’m me ain mistress, an it’s nobody’s business.” The reply was discouiagingly independent, and, mor.over, as the Mormon girl moved away, a knot of her brawny countrymen had gathered wiih lowering looks, and prudence counselled silence. It was evident that they had all been cautioned against intruders before the arrival in JNew York, in order that they might not be made ashamed of their new-found faith, or clLenchanted with their promised laud. They all seemed to know that there was something awkward in the condition they were about to bring upon themselves, and were disinclined to speak of it.— New York World.

While the surface of the great Western ocean is being made active with British slow, but sure, enrerp ise, the great depths of the waters are no less marked by similar energy. In addition to the present three marine cables, a fourth is in course of rapid construction and embarkation on board the Great Eastern. This new cable is a duplicate of the French one, and is to have its termini at Lanl's End ami Halifax. Its main length will be three thousand six hundred miles, and will cost, less the laying down, L1,290.U00 and upward. It is being placed on board the Great Eastern in lengths of two hundred and fifty miie coils. Already a large portion is on board, and early the coming year it is contemplated to put. it in use. The experience of the past has given some important lessons on the construction of this cable, and every approved new feature that has been submitted by electrician engineers has met investigation and adoption. The machinery for the submerging ami laying down is also improved, and marine cable is now a thing of ease and energy only. The London Telegraphic Construe ion and Maintenance Company, with their immense canital and net profits of last year amounting to L 115,50 , and having a monopoly, find it a verv easy thing to lay Anglo American cables and reap the lion’s share ef the benefits. 'Jhe next thing expected is the reduction in the rate of messagi s This is expected, as the example of Howland Hill and cheap postage is looked upon as quite applicable to telegraphic messages across the Atlantic, Will monopolists see this?