MISCELLANEOUS.

Grey River Argus, Issue 118, 13 October 1866, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

On the evening of the battle of Saclowa, says the correspondent of the "Times," an officer of the Ziethen Hussars, who were forward in the pursuit, rode as far as the gates of Koniggratz, and, finding there were no sentries outside, rode in ; the guard, immediately on seeing him in Prussian uniform, turned out and seized him, when, with a ready pretence, he declared he had come to demand the capitulation of the fortress. He was conducted to the commandant, and made the same demand to him, adding that the town would be bombarded if not surrendered within an hour ; the commandant, unconscious that he was not dealing with a legitimate messenger, courteously refused to capitulate ; but the Hussar was conducted out of the town, passed through the guard at the entrance, and got oft* safely without being made a prisoner. Aluminium Armor. — A trial lias just been made at Florence of a cuirass in aluminium, which, is as light as an ordinary waistcoat, nearly as flexible, and is capable of turning a musket ball fired at a distance of 38 paces and of resisting a bayonet thrust from the heaviest hand. Each cuirass costs only 2.5 f. Two regiments are, it is said, to be immediately provided with them. Another American contemporary states: — "According to the present rate- of immigration into the United, states we shall have a population of 4(H millions, in 1870, 70 millions in 1890, and 100 millions at the end of the present century. During the last 50 years France has increased in population 37 per cent., England and Wales 121 per cent. , and the United States nearly 500 per cent." Artemus Ward among the Fenians. — There's two parties : — O'McMahony's and McO'Roberts. One thinks the best way is to go over to Canady and establish an Irish republic there, kindly pormittin' the Canadians to pay the expenses of that sweet boon ; and the other wants to sail direck for Dublin Bay, where young M'Roy and his fair young bride went down and was drowning accordin to a ballit I onct heard. But there's one pint on which both sides agree — that's the fun's. They're willin, them chaps in New York, to receive all the funs you'll send 'em.- You send a puss to-night to O'Mahony, and another puss to Roberts, Both will receive 'em. You bet. And with other pusses it will be similar. I went, into, Mr Delmonico's eatin'-houso the other niglit, and saw my fren Mr Terrance M'Fadden, who is a elokent and enterprisin' deputy centre. He was sittin' at a table, eatin' a canvas-back duck. Poultry of that kind, as you know, is rather high just now. I think about five dollars per poult. And a bottle of green seal stood befoi'e him. " How are you, Mr M'Fadden 1" I said. " Oh, Mr Ward! lam miserable — miserable ! The wrongs we Irishmen suffer ! Oh, Ireland ! Will a troo history of your sufferings ever be written ! Must we forever be ground under by the iron heel of despotic Britain ? —but, Mr Ward, won't you eat suthihg?" "Well," I said, "if there's another canvas-back and a spare bottle of that green seal in the house, I wouldn't mind jinin' you in bein' ground under by Britain's iron heel." . j The Power of Humbug. — An indi^ virtual who opened a small tavern near' the field of Waterloo, says an American, was frequently questioned as to whether he did or did not possess some relics of the battle, and he invariably and honestly answered in the negative. ,But he was very poor, and one day, while lamenting to a neighbor not only his poverty but the annoyance to which travellers subjected him, -his friend cut him short with, "Well, make one help the other — make some relics." " But what can Ido ?" iu-

quired the poor man. "Tell them that Napoleon or Wellington entered your shop during the battle, and sat down in that chair." Not long after, an English tourist entered the tavern, aud, enquiring for relics, was told the chair story. The chair was bought at an incredible price. The next comer was informed that Wellington had taken a drink, and the Wellington tumbler was accordingly sold. Then the third arrival gazed with breathless wonder at the nail on which Bonaparte had hung his hat ; the fourth purchased the door-posts between which he had entered r and the fifth became the hapjvy purchaser of the floor on which he had trodden. At the last advices, the unfortunate tavern-keeper had not a roof to cover his head, and was sitting on a bag of gold at the corner of a deep pit formed by selling the earth on which the house had stood. A correspondent sends, the following to the " Argus" : — " The citizens of Cologne were recpested by the oberbnrgemeistor (chief mayor) to illuminate their city, in honor of the victory obtained by the Prussians at the battle ot Horwitz. The following is a literal translation of the answer made, in the name of the city, by two of the councillors, which may be taken as a good indication of the popular feeling in the Rhenish provinces as regards the war, vide ' Kolner Zeitung,' sth July : — ' When we think of the horrible wounds which this war is inflicting, when we take into consideration the misery and want of thousands of families which are rendered houseless and homeless, we cannot consciously comply with the oberburgemeister's request to illuminate our city. We are of opinion that the money required for such purpose will be much better expended in relieving the wants of the poor widows and orphans of our brave fallen soldiers. All our citizens will have opportunities of assisting, and we are about to appoint a committee to collect donations. When the people shall enjoy their proper rights and freedom, when we have peace without and peace within, then, and not till then, will be the proper time for joyful demonstration and illumination."