AMERICAN INVENTIONS.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 211, 28 October 1859, Page 3

AMERICAN INVENTIONS.

In the report on the 26th exhibition of American inventions, we find 5 notice of praiseworthy improvements in sewing machines, whereby they are made more efficient, while they cost less. From 25 to 30 dollars (five to : s ix guineas) is now the charge for a machine that-will put ia 4000 stitches a miuute. In the list of American patents, there is an expanding screw, contrived to open below by means of a wedge as it enters the beam or sleeper, and is, therefore not liable to draw. Another patent appeals to cricketers: the inventor makes his bat with a hollow blade, fills it with cork, and inserts a whalebone core down, the handleMachines for folding paper are announced which will give any number of parallel folds, -and reverse for the cro3sfold. Paper is made from the fibres of the arundinaria, which in the Southern States forms such large cane brakes. Readers of Uncle Tom's Cabin will perhaps be glad to hear of a contrivance for picking cotton*: a traction engine is brought iuto the plantation and from this, flexible tubes are led and presented to the cotton pod ; and a vacuum being produced in the tubes, the pod is plucked by the external pressure, and a number of rows can be picked at once. Another inventor puts forward an apparatus for Uilliug pigs ; another, a railway station indicator, to be placed inside the carriages, aud so contrived as to notify to the passengers, the jnaiie of the station at which the twin. wiU-stop next.

The number of visitors to the Crystal Palace during the year ended April 30, 1859, was 1,432,013, being an increase of 38,078 overihe preceding- The number of vessels engaged in the collier trade, and the quantity of :coal and coke shipped to London and other home : ports from various ports in the United Kingdom, in • Jime last, were—Vessels, 4,592; tou's of coal, 701,978; and of coke, 8,787. - : A Large Gun.-—General James., an American, .ha&iiiveuted a gun that is to rival that of Mr. Armstrong. According to the reports, which however, are not very distinct, the new weapon has thrown a 21 pound projectile four miles, with a charge of one p.>uitd and a, quarter of powder. The mode of rifling adopted by James will, it is said, enable him to lifle at little cost all the bronze guns of the United States.: Kemakkable Incidknt. —As two gentlemen, travellers for leading firms in Sandhurst, were proceeding on horseback at a smart trot from the Kangaroo Flat Township towards Golden-square, just a3 they had passed Mr. Roden's store; heard behind them a chorus of Tipperary yells, such aa lately enlivened the election at Kilmore. Thinking, that some political demonstration was on foot, they wheeled their hones round, and rode back a short distance, when to their great astonishmeut they found two Irishmen in the middle of the road, chasing and picking up a whole host..of bank notes, which the wind was scattering in%]l directions. By a very natural instinct one of the gentleman immediately clapped his hand upon his pocket, and to his great relief found his notes all safe. His companion mechanically followed his example, and immediately exclaimed, 1 'Good God ! my notes are gone !" and threw himself off his horse to aid and help the zealons Irishmen who were collecting the waifs and strays. The total value of the noteß which had worked out of his pocket was .=£9B. After a search which lasted for some time, the recovered notes were counted, but there was still a deficiency to the amount of £23., and after a renewed aud vain;search, a shade of suspicion crossed the minds of the two gentlemen. It was suggested, however, that the pockets which had proved so faithless, should again be rigorously examined, and strange to say, a £20 note was found in the inner pocket of his paletot; it had worked its way there by a kind of Jacob's ladder process out of his trousers pocket. This discovery made all things pleasant, and the delight of the two Irishmen who had arrested the flight of the delinquent notes was unbounded. — Bendigo Advertiser. An American Amazon.—Miss T—: > known on the turf at Paris as the fair Amazon Of Washington, was so brilliant at the races on her horse, jet black, save a white star on the forehead, that her appearance was hailed everywhere with admiration and applause. A more lovely person cannot be imagined ; she guides playfully the most redoubtable courser. Beelzebub, the name of Miss T = —'s horse, is so untameable and ferocious that no rider can mount him, no groom guide or stall him. He has already killed an Englishman, named Thomas Dixon, who undertook to groom him in the stable. Rarey was powerless to tame this terrible animal. Three persons only can approach Beelzebub, the first is Miss T—— herself. To her Beelzebub is as pliant, gentle, and affectionate as a King Charles' spaniel. He follows her, he fawns ou her, and kneels that she may mount him. He neighs wheti she approaches He is proud a ,,d rmr>py to carry her. He paws, he oaricoles, he curvets, he never tries to unseat her. He obeys her word without ever exhibiting the least impatience. Miss T reciprocates all the affection which her beautiful horse exhibits, and loves him as a friend. The two other persons who cau approach Beelzebub are two young ladio of sixteen and eighteen years, Jenny and K-t y Wil- ' kinson. But Beelzebub only suffers them, aud and shows them no attachment. Jenny and Kitty act as grooms to Beelzebub ; they feed him, curry him, aiid walk him in the morning. Jenny, the youngest of these sisters, a slightlooking child, whose womanly figure is not developed, is dressed as a groom, and follows Miss T —every time she pays visits on horseback, for no other person can hold Beelzebub by the bridle when his mistress dismounts. For the rest, Miss T : is a charming young person, and has no need to ride Beelzebub to be admired. She is a handsome girl of the happy age, of fresh, brilliant, and healthful looks Her figure is beautiful, without being slight, she has dark, luxuriant hair, large, flashing black eyes, . beautiful arms, pure complexion, clear and fair ; her chest well rounded, her hand small and delicate as that of a princess painted by Velasques, her foot is neat and firm, her voice clear and sonorous. She breathes all the life and fire of twenty-one summers. Add to this that her soul is worthy of this outside —s heart passionate with genercu3 ideas. She ha much cleverness and great courage. This young lady, this American, who brings to her husband a dower of six hundred thousand francs, will soon marry one of the most intelligent of the French Generals. She will follow her husband to Italy. She will make what may be face- > tiously termed her nuptial campaign. Beelzebub will go along with them. The soldiers admire this fine womaii and the: fine horse— Fifeshire Journal. .