ENGLISH ITEMS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 250, 10 April 1865, Page 3

ENGLISH ITEMS.

[fbom otjb own coebespondbnt.] London, January 24. I'he English coasts have been the scene of many disasters end much loss of life. .Hurricane# raging the third week iu January at both sides o the island. Murders and robberies full average. No one especial topic of interest like that which followed the Sheffield inundation and the Erith powder explosion, each doubtless tbo greatest disaster of its kind that has been brought about by human agency. The wire is being manufactured that is expected to be the speaking trumpet between Europe and America. Parliament is to meet on the Ith proximo. Garibaldi is to visit Liverpool in the ensuing spring (say D.V.) The American war continues. The balance of success has lately been with the North, but if the South is half so stubborn as it has been said to be, it is very far from being conquered. Sherman’s march from Atlanta to Savannah has been tha most successful stroke of the war, and far counterbalances the Federal repulse at Fort Fisher, Wilmington. President Lincoln has called for anotlier draft of 300,000, and the South are said to be going to arm soma of their slaves. That is au experiment whose value ought to be best known to those who intend to try it. General Lee is said to be for it. Europe is said to be as still as can bo expected, taking into account the many nationalties struggling for existence. , The famous papal bull, with tbe list of heresies condemned by the would-bo-vice-regent of the Almighty, has been published liiFrance iti defiance of the Emperor,-who appears to have made a mistake in forbidding it seeing he dare not, I suppose, go against the whole Galilean Church, and that would be his task if ho attempt to correct one Bishop for his disobedience. Italy appears to be consolidating itself, but cannot grasp either Roma or Venice yet. The divine King of Prussia is again seeking, not the counsel, but the ways and means, from bis subjects, in Parliament assembled. His minister (Bismarck) is a clever fellow doubtless, and has nearly won the constitutional struggle by diverting his countrymen’s attention to the spoliation of Denmark, and the appropriation of SleswigHolatein by Prussia, not quite accomplished yet, but nearly so. So Governor Grey is again trying to whitewash* the sepulchre that he has failed to purify. Failure so ignominious as his would be a finisher with most men ; but the diplomatic Governor may not feel “ the position he has stepped into” so acutely as many other men would do. • The Governor’s peace proclamation!

What js Coax f—lt is evident that it is not . to, frame a precise definition of the term coal, Mther in commercial or in a scientific sense. The rfubsiances to which the term coal is usually applied differ widely both in physical and chemical characters. All. coal results from the decomposition of vegetable matter, under special conditions, and m degrees of decomposition there is every stage. Thus, air one extreme is lignite, some varieties of which closely resemble wood, both in composition And appearance; and at the other is anthracite, Which consists wholly of carbon, and is in hill- respects unlike wood. Again the proportion of eairthy .matter, or ash, in coal is subject to great variation. Suppose a mineral to consist of five per cent, of coal-like, black, combustible matter, m all respects similar to undoubted coal, and of ninety live per cent, of earthy matter, no one would designate such a mineral as coal. Then the question arises, what is the maximum amount of earthy matter which can exist in coal? No definite answer can be given. In the present state ot science I do not believe it possible to propose an exact definition of the term coal. Geological position does not afford satisfactoi’ory grounds for a precise, definition, for the mineral which was lately the subject of investigation at the trial in Edinburgh, occurs in association with coal of the true coal-measure; and true coal, so far as may be inferred from the assemblage of chemical and physical characters, is met with in other and more recent geological formation s. Perhaps the nearest Approach, to a definition would be the following : —Coal is a solid mineral substance, more or less easily combustible. Varying in colour from dark brown to black, opaque, except in extremely thin slices, britle, not fusible without decomposition, not sensibly soluble in ether,- benzole, chloroform, br turpentine, not containing sufficient earthy matter to render it incapable of being applied with Advantage as a source of heat in ordinary fireplaces, or in furnaces.— Dr. J. Percy. By the last American mail a letter, which is remarkable both as a documentary curiosity and as a specimen of manufacturing skill, was received by the Birmingham Journal. It is written on iron, roiled so thin that the sheet is only twice the weight of a similar sheet of ordinary notepaper. The letter is dated “South Pktsbonrg (Pemisylvania), Nov. 6, 1864,” and says, “In the number Of your paper dated Oct.l, 1864, there is an article setting forth that John Brown and Co., of the Atlas Works, Sheffield, had succeened in rollino- a plate of iron 13£in. thick. I believe that folic the thickest plate ever rolled. I send you this specimen of iron made at the Sligo ironwarks, Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, as the thinnest iron ever roiled in the world up to this time, which iron 1 challenge all England to surpass for strength and tenuity. This, i believe, will be the first iron letter that ever crossed the Atlantic ocean.—Yours, &c., Joan C, Evans.” The iron is said to be of exceedingly fine quality, and the. sheet is by far the thinnest ever seen m this country. The letter will be deposited in the museum of the Midland Institute. Tested by one of i-foltz apple! s gauges, the thickness ot the sheet is found to be the i,ooOth part of an inch. A sheet- of iielgain mm, supposed hitherto to bo the thmest yet rolled, is the 666th part of an inch thick, and tiie thickness of an ordinary sheet of note paper is about the 40Uth part of an inch. Me. Scuegeon and the Glasgow PoliceMUi.—A rather good story, for the authenticity oi*wbich we can vouch, is just now going the rounds of the city. As our readers are aware, a great many persons obtained admission to the lecture delivered by the Jftov. 0. H. Spurgeon for rather" Mr.” Spurgeon) in the, City Ball, last Tuesday Dy presenting forged tickets. In consequence of tins unprincipled and dishonest conduct large numbers of those who had been purchasers ol bonajide tickets were unable to gain admission, it having been found necessary to wose the doors before eight o'clock, the hour at which the proceedings were advertised to commence. Amongst the “ latest arrivals” at the South Albion Street entrance to the hall were Mr Spurgeon himself and Dr Joshua Patterson, who, on demanding admittance, were informed by a tall Highland policeman stationed at the door that the hall was already crammed to suffocation, and no one would be allowed to put his foot within The threshold. “ But we must get in,” said Mr Spurgeon, attempting to pass. “ I don’t see that,” replied the constable, barring the door with Ms burly frame. “ But we must get in,” reiterated Mr Spurgeon, “my friend here is Dr. Patterson, who is to act as chairman to-night; and,” struck in the doctor, “ tMs gentleman is the Eev. Mr Spurgeon, who is to lecture; so you see it won’t do to keep us out.” The policeman shrugged his shoulders, and regarding the applicants with a knowing look, said. “ l)o you really think I’am so jolly green- —move on!” Fortunately, at tMa juncture a member of the Protestant Laymens’ Association, who had been on the look out for Mr Spurgeon, came to the rescue, and having explained matters to the constable’s satisfaction, that astonished functionary stepped aside, and, with a polite salute, permitted ihe famous London divine and the learned doctor to pass on— (J-lasgow Citisen.

KespiBATION.— Mr George Catliu, in his lately published work, called “ xhe .Breath ox Lite/ curiously shows, that diseases of the lungs are generated by breathing the cola air tlirougn tne open inouth, instead of through the nostrils, which were designed for that pupose; that the lower animals, who never breathe through the mouth, never have such diseases; that it is the cause of much mortality among children, and of painful distortions amongst adults; that the habit of sleeping with the mouth open not only produces snoring, • but in the long run, in multitudes of cases, an idiotic expression; and that it is detrimental, in many ways, to human life and happiness.— JLome ffewa. Thb Exhibition. —Th e Otago Mail says; — «Wo should like to see the JSew krsaiaua Exhibition become throughout the province. It has .now been opened several weeks, and it is truly painful to witness the small hold it has taken on the public favor. . Except on special Occasions, you may saunter round the spacious building without seeing a score of persons iu it, ' ■ gnd these look somefctos* more like mourners at £ funeral than euthttiMsio students of the works Of art and nature."