NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3638, 20 October 1874, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

“THE BIGGEST THING ON EARTH,” New York has had a real sensation in the world of amusement. The Great Roman Hippodrome, which Barnum announced some time ago, is completed, opened, and described in the local papers. A private rehearsal was attended only by about 6,000 people, but at least 50,000 desired to be admitted. The hippodrome or circus seats 12,000. It eucloses a space inside the track that is 84 feot broad and 270 feet long, and the track itself, laid out in an ellipse, is one-fifth of a mile in length. Rising nearly 20 feet all round it are the seats f< r the spectators, divided by grades or upholstery into gallery, dress eircte, parquet. &c. Filled as it was by an assembly of 10,000 or 12,000 persons, and brilliantly lighted by hundreds of gas jets, the scene was one of great interest. BOWLING EXTRAORDINARY. The following is from the ‘ Field ’ of July 11:—“ In the match Godmauchester v. Willingham, Cambridgeshire, Mr Charles Brawn, of Godmauchester, Huntingdon, bowled six wickets in six ‘successive balls. The two first Willingham bats had scored 20 when Mr Brawn got Elwood * leg before,’ and with the next two balls he bowled Askew and Ihoddy, and the umpire called ‘over.’ : ith the first ball of his next over Brawn bowled a crack batsman, Mr Few, with the second Frohock, and the third Cleaves, ’ making six good wickets with six consecutive balls. Such a performance would not be likely to pass unrecogniae-i by those who were fielding, and presents in the form of cricket necessaries were suggested on the ground. Mr Brawn’s bowling had not been overlooked by the county captain ; the victory obtained by sixteen colts of the county against the County Eleven, last May, was partly credited to this same fast good bowler.” We find also that in the match North v. United South of England, played at Todmorden, Cheshire, on Thursday, July 30, a Mr Hicks bowled the two Graces—W, G. and G. F.—in three bails for four runs. THE CONFESSIONS OF a CONVERTED LIQUOR COMPOUNDER. Some startling disclosures have boon made recently in New York as to the manner in which liquor is compounded before it is given to the unsuspecting drink. The following methods of adulteration have been published in the ‘ New York Sun ’ “ A former Brooklyn saloon-keeper has printed hia recipes be used to keep secret. He says Bourbon or rye whisky is manufactured from high wines, commonly called fusel-oil whisky, made to day ami drank three days after. It also contains vinegar, syrup, oil of Bourbon, French coloring, bluestone, and other poisonous chemicals. Cognac brandy is made from French or Cologne spirits, burnt sugar, oil of cognac, vinegar, blues tone, Jamaica rum, honey, syrup, port wine, Drench coloring, alum, and aloes. Irish or Scotch whisky is made from Canada high wines, or new distilled whisky one week old, saltpetre, fine salt, essence of oil of Scotch or Irish whisky, fusel-oil, syrup, bluest one, St. Croix rum, some imported Irish or Scotch whisky for flavor. What sells for the best old Holland gin is made from French spirts, water, oil of juniper, syrup, white wine vinegar, bluestone, New England rum, peach pips, with some imported gin for flavor. Old T-m gin is made from the same ingredients, but double syrup is added to make it sweeter. it is also bottled as a medicine, and sold for kidney diseases. Jamaica and ,-t. Croix rum is made of double-refined high wines, French coloring* oil ©f rum, fusel-oil, vine* gar, bluestone, burnt sugar, malaascs syrup, with some imported Jamaica, iiuba, or St. Croix rum for flavor, alum, aloes, and primejuidei TRK CHANNEL TUNNEL, The scheme for a tunnel between England and France appears to bo assuming a busi-ness-like character, and most of the energy and enterprise seems to bo furnished from the other side of the Channel. So in earnest are the projectors that four millions of franes are forthcoming for making "the preliminary tests, which consist of sinking two shafts and undertaking certain other works to test the driftway. Of this sum the French Northern Railway Company contributes one million francs, the two English companies running to Dover the same, the city of Paris a portion, and the rest is furnished by private enterprise. M. Leon Say, the emFrench political economist, and M. Lavelley, the chief engineer of the Suez Lanai works, endorse their opinion of the 0- a nn/f r lty of Sc herae by subscribing 20,000 francs each to the preliminary investigation ; while Baron Rothschild of Paris comes forward with half a million francos. The length of the tunnel will be about nineteen and a-half miles, and M. Lavelley estimates the cost of the entire undertaking at 1- sterling ; but the English engineers put it at the large figure of LI 0,000,000 sterling. There'are many men, sound political economists and practical engineers, who hold that the game is not worth the caudle.