ELECTRICITY AS A MOTIVE POWER.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3120, 17 February 1879, Page 3

ELECTRICITY AS A MOTIVE POWER.

In the course of a lecture on electricity " delivered by Mr Gerard Finch, M.A.., in connexion with the Wigan Mining and Mechanical School last week, a novel illustration was given of electricity performing mechanical work. A saw-bench was placed on a platform connected with a Siemens's dynamo-electric machine, which in its turn was connected by wires with the machine outside the hall used for producing the electric light during the lecture. On the electricity being communicated the saw was set in motion, and timber up to Sin. in thickness was cut into strips^, Lord Lindsay, M.P..F.R.5., and Present of the Royal Astronomical Society, was in the chair, and among the audience were a large number of the leading colliery proprietors of the district. The latter,- our Wigan correspondent states, are inclined to test the practicability of working coal-cutting machines and otber underground machinery by electricity. At present compressed air is the only power that can be used for driving these machines without interfering with the ventilation of the workings. Elecfcriciiy is said to produce equal effect at considerably less cost. It can also be conducted cheaply and easily to any part of the mine by rceans of wireß.—Times.

Wise Beggab.—A beggar posted himself at the door of the Chancery Court, and kept saying, " A penny, please sir! Only one penny, sir, before you go in!" —"And why, my manP" inquired an old country gentleman. "Because, sir, the chances are you will not have one when you come out."

Huge Enjoyment—The other, day a youth was observed sliding down an alley, and enjoying himself hugely. He would coax a big dog up the alley, and when the animal would run back the lad would grab hold of its tail, and slide down most beautifully. In playing this game, it is always best to select a good-natured dog —one that doesn't take much pride in his tail. ;

exeoution was on the northern side of the brnnch - of the Khoof urn Hirer. The ground here, slopes very gradually, and rice fields extend to the bank of the stream. The day was lovely, and the mountains around, with snow-covered Bunamits, glowed in the bright sunlight. The news of the execution had spread, and large numbers of the natives had gathered on the bills which rise on the other side of the river bed to witness the scene. The gallows was formed o? three telegraph poles. The prisoners were in rags, and looked thorough scoundrels. They glowered inllenly round, bufc evinced no fear. They were escorted to the place of execution by a company of the 21st Punjaab Native Infantry. They submitted without the slightest resistance to being pinioned, and died almost without a struggle. The execution is expected to exercise a beneficial influence among the surrounding tribes; but though all admit the necessity of the severe measures, there are some who, looking to the vindictive nature of the Afghan character, thinks that their friends will not be contented until they have exacted reprisals. After the execution, a Turi who bad been caught plundering was flogged; he did not utter a cry, and appeared, in fact, to treat the matter with perfect unconcern. Another Turi, also condemned to be flogged, shouted to the men on the scaffold that their death would bo avenged. He was taken off under an escort. The four men who were hanged all belonged to the Khost district, through which we are to advance two days hence.

Dr William M'Kenzie Saunders, Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets, U.N., on the retired list, died suddenly of apoplexy a few days since, in his sixtyfirst year. Dr Saunders served as assis-tant-surgeon in the North Star, at the capture of Woosnng and Shanghai, and in the Yang-tse-Kiang in 1842, and was employed as acting surgeon on shore at Uew Zealand during the attacks on the rebel stockades. He was subsequently Btaff surgeon at Defonport Dockyard from January, 1871, until advanced in March, 1874, to the rank of deputy inspectorgeneral.