THE ORIGIN OF THE GAME OF CHESS.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 246, 28 February 1860, Page 3

THE ORIGIN OF THE GAME OF CHESS.

' At the' coprimencement of tlie thirteenth century, anlndian monarch oppressed his subjects, and disregarded the advice given tp him by the priests and philosophers of his kingdom. A Brahmin, named Lissa, son of Daher, moved by the sufferings of his native country, conceived the purpose of making his sovereign sensible of how grievously he had forgotten the duties of a king, and with that object the Brahmin invented the game of chess, where the king, notwithstanding hjg being the most important pieces is powerless Jn attacking; an enetny, and equally powerless iv defending himself, when destjtute of the aid derivablefrom his suhjectsand soldiers. The ingenious artifice was thoroughly successful,, and the king was so much gratified at the plan adopted by the Brahmin to convince him of his errors that he granted Lissa unreserved permission to select a reward. The philosophic Brahmin asked that there should be given to him the number of grains of corn which the number of squares on the chess board would produce—one for the first square, two for the second, four for the third, and so on consecutively ; always continuing to double the number of grains up to the 64th square. The king considered the reqompence modest, and assented to the request without hesitation. But the royal treasurers immediately made known to the king that theguanlity of corn would be equivalent to 16,384 fetirsj each of which sjioilld contain 1Q24 granaries; each granary 174,762 measures of corn, and each kne6kure'32,"76B grains. The Brahrtiirij \vho only wished, by soliciting such a description • of reVvard; to give his lliajesfy"a second lesson, availed himself of this opportunity to impress! upon the king the1 importance and necessity for all sovereigns* and men armed with power to receive ; with caution, agd examine with care, the statements made by flip parties who 'immediately surround, and endeavor to influence them. ■*''*'jhe aboVe 4a translated from the French of M,'fc £ drtevitx ia i&iHt Wti .ofo «o_itfes

EPITOME OF NEWS-FOREIGN AND \ DOMESTIC.

From the Illustrated London News, December 17.)

Lord is to be the second representative of England at the coming Congress in Paris.

■-. .A monument has been erected at Stirling in memory of Ebenezer Erskin, the founder ofthe Session Church of Scotland

Sergeant Rattier, a member of the last French National Assembly, has just died at Macon."

Mr. Giacomo Pirn has been approved of as Consul at Dublin for the King of Sardinia, y

Madam Ducheytard,- sister of Marshal Pelissier, has just died in Paris, at the age of fifty-three.

David Salomons, Esq., M. P., Alderman ofthe city oft London, has* been made a Deputy-Lieutenant of Middlesex.

A meeting pf the inhabitants of Durlach, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, was held a few days ago 'to protest against the concordat.

The deliveries of tea in London estimated for last week were 799,144 lbs , an increase ol 39,720 lbs. compared witli the previous statement.

The body of the Marquis de Lajatico is to be entombed, in the Church of Santa Croce, the Italian Pantheon at Florence.

Lord Palmerston has notified his intention of being present%t the Southampton Athenseum soiree, which is fixed to take place on the 17th of January.

A telegram , from Baslef says*—" The Grand Duke Ferdinand IV, of Tuscany has arrived here in the strictest incognito. The Grand Duke, it is expected, will reside in France during the sitting of the Congress." x

The ports of Brazil are declared clean by a decree of the Board of Health ; consequently the Royal Mail steam packets will in future be admitted to pratique. At the Grand Lodge of Freemasons, one day last week, the Earl of Zetland was nominated as G. M. for the ensuing year, being the sixteenth time his lordship has been elected to fill this office.

One of Queen Christina's sons has just entered the Military of St. Cyr, Four young Turks, sent from Constantinople by the Sultan, are also amono* the latest enrolments.

We hear that Bliss Balfe who passed through Berlin recently with Mr. and Miss. Balfei on their way to the Russian capital, for the purpose of giving concerts, is delighting the subjects of the Czar.

The Irish papers announce the death of Mr. Terence Dolan, Clerk of the Crown for Tyrone, which took place suddenly on Monday. The vacant post is said to be worth upwards of 2700 per annum. The Queen has granted unto G. E. Adams, barrister-at-law, the office of Rouge Dragon Pursuivant of Arms, vacant by the promotion of Ed ward Stephen Dendy, Esq., to the office of Chester Herald.

. A gentleman who has just arrived in Hull overland from St. Petesburg reports that the cost of exchanging paper for silver in that capital is ten per cent.

The Queen has appointed Rutherford Alcock, Esq., her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary and Con-sul-General to Japan.

The Government of Hesee Cassel, as a mark of hostility to Prussia, has decided that its troops shall wear uniforms of the Austrian model instead of the Prussian.

A brilliant ball took place in St. George's Hall, Liverpool, yesterday week given by the Ist company of the Lancashire Volunteer Rifles, in aid of the funds of the Liverpool Infirmary and Hospitals.

A Roman villa, with its bathing establishment has just been discovered at Mackwilier (Bas-Rhin). The principal building which has been laid open forms a rectang.e of about 1300 yards.

Alfred Rathell, the historical painter, whose frescoes adorn the Sal les dcs Empereurs in the Hotel de Villa at Aix-la Chapel le, died at Dusseldorf on the Ist instant, aged forty-three.

The Freeman's Journal says there is reason to believe that an inquir}* into the working of the income--tax collection in Ireland is about to be instituted, and that a commission is to be named for that purpose.

The funds of the Royal Free Hospital have within the last few days, been increased by a donation of £52 10s*. from the Fishmongers' Company, together with an annual subset iption of £5 ss. A vacancy in the French Senate has been occasioned by the death, at the age of eighty-two, of M. Poinsot, member of the Institute, and one of the most eminent mathematicians in Europe.

An Imperial decree promotes M. Jules Sandau, member of the French Academy, and librarian at the Mazarine Library, to the functions of deputy-conservator of the same establishment,

At a public meeting held at Todmorden, under the presidency of Mr. Joseph Fielden, it has been decided to set on foot a subscription for the purpose of establishing a mechanics' institution in that place.

A new oratorio, entitled " Abraham," by Herr Molique, and a new cantata, entitled "Undine," by Mr. Benedict (who will act as conductor), are to be brought out at the Norwich Festival next autumn.

It is stated that the Board of Trinity College has decided upon conferring the honorary degree of LL.D. upon Sir J. Law rence, Captain M'Clintock, R.N., Sir J. Emerson Tennent, Sir Hugh M. Cairns, Q. C., Ivi.P.., and the Right Hon. James Whiteside, M.P, ■ "

The directors of the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction Railway' Company ha ye fitted up ; some first-cjass carriages expressly for the accommodation of those gentlemen travelling by their lines w^q wish to smoke on $ej journey. . Ttye' Cjuaritity of Tciel require/! by \\\e, Peninsular ai|ld o,r}en,tal S,tearri Nayiga^ion (Jq^p^y i,l?p^re^'th^ type. W&

as many as two hundred and eighty-three ships.were at sea conveying coal to their varioqs stations, i y y

The Irish papers report that in consequence of a heavy r&in falling during Wednesday night aud Thursday, last week, the River Lee, in Cork, had overflowed its banks, and a considerable destruction of property in that city had,:in consequence, taken place.

An Imperial decree in the Bulletin dcs Lois opens an extraordinary credit of 140, OOOf. for the expenses of rehiring the old residence of Longwood and" the tomb of Napoleon. 1. at St. Efelena, and the appropriation of other parts "of the domain of the Val Napoleon. The Steamer Genoa, with troops, mules, 100 tons of gunpowder, &c. took fire in the Mole at Malaga on November,29. For r tunately they were able to sink "her before the fire reached'the gunpowder. , Upwards oflOO mules perished. ~r An immense mass of rock fell on a number of cottages situated on the north side of Cork, on Thursday week f; ,and although no lives were lost, the property in the houses was totally destroyed. A similar accident occurred at the same place about twelve months ago. .

Madame Ristori has given a farewell performance at the Theatre of San Carlos. She was performing in Oporto, but went to Lisbon in obedience to a call from Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern, who offered a large sum in payment of the expenses.