The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-16 00:00:00

OCCULTING TELEGRAPHS.

The following letter has been addressed to a contem-
porary : _ _ _

Sir,—The failure of the Sebastopol assault on the 18th
of June has been ascribed to the mistake of a signal made
by the general commanding one of the attacks—the fuse
of a shell was mistaken for a rocket, the signal previously
agreEd upon. One of the most extraordinary features of
the present war is the singular neglect by the allies of
those aids which a highly advanced state of mechanical
science places at their disposal.

The Russians, on the contrary, have for years examined
and systematically treasured up every invention which
could contribute to their success.

It reqaires no profound military skill to perceive that,
under the peculiar features of the localities around Se-
bastopol, where combined attacks are directed by two
commanders-in-chief, it is important that they should
possess, if possible, means of instant communication with
each other. It is still more important that each com-
mander should Lave instant means of conveying orders
to the leaders of each of his several attacks. Had this
been the case the mistake of a signal would have pro-
duced but little inconvenience, because it might, as soon
as perceived, have been rectified. The commanders-in-
chief might communicate with each other by a portable
electric telegraph; but this instrument could not be used
by the advancing troops. A more effective instrument
would be some simple telegraph, fixed at the two sta-
tions chosen by commanders-in-chief.

During a night attack a very simple form of telegraph
might be used, which has already been proposed for en-
abling ships to communicate with lighthouses or with
other vessels ; it is called the " occulting telegraph."
Its principle is equally valuable for enabling the seaman
to read the number of any given lighthouse as soon as
it appears above the horizon, or for communicating his
own necessity for assistance or the news he brings.
The best lighthouses consist of one argand lamp, sur-
rounded by glasses, which concentrate the greater part
of the light in a direction parallel to the surface of the
sea. Now, it is well known that if an opaque cylinder
is lowered over the glass of an argand burner the light
will be entirely hidden. If the shade be lowered, and
then quickly raised, the light will suffer a temporary
extinction, which is called an "occultation ;" at whatever
distance the lamp can be seen this occultation will be
perceived. It has been found by experiment that if
these occultations succeed each other at about the dis-
tance of one second, they can not only be seen, but be
easily counted. Here, then, :s a ready means of ex-
pressing small numbers, To express large numbers, as
for example 374, it is now only necessary to make throe
successive occultations, and allow a wise of five se-
conds ; make seven successive occultations, and allow a
pause of five seconds ; make four successive occultations,
and allow a pause of twelve seconds. After this the
series may be repeated.
Thus the number 374 can be communicated to all
within sight of the lamp in little more than half a minute.
One great advantage of this system of signals is, that the
number can be repeated by mechanism until it is ac-
kowledged to have been observed. In the case of a
lighthouse the same number must be repeated from sun-
set to sunrise. Another advantage is, that this kind of
telegraph is adapted to ali existing numerical codes of
signals. During the day the light of the sun itself might
be used for an occulting telegraph. The distance at
which sunlight could be employed might, under favour-
able circumstances, extend to about 100 miles. _ _

In 1851 an occulting light was publicly exhibited in
London. The plan was at that time communicated to
the Trinity-house.

Occulting lights were subsequently approved by the
Light-house Board of the United States, and Congress
appropriated $5,000 to make experiments upon them.
I have also evidence that the occulting system of lights
was known at St. Petersburg in 1853, and I infer that
it had been practically applied at Sebastopol from the
following extract from the letter of the Times correspon-
dent at Balaklava—(See the Times, July 11) :
"A lon4 train of provisions came into Sebastopol to-
day, and the mirror telegraph, which works by flashes
from a mound over the Belbek, was exceedingly busy all
the forenoon."

This can scarcely apply to any other than an occulting
telegraph. I am, sir, your obdt. servt.,
CHARLES BARRAGE.
Dorset-street, Manchester-square, July 13.

A letter from the Crimea states that Commandant
Abbatucci (tbe son of the Minister of Justice), who was
wounded some time ago, took his place in the trenches
before he was well cured, and almost immediately' re-
ceived another wound in the head.
THE DANIII3E.—A letter from Bucharest of the 3d, in
the German Journal of Frankfort, says :—" The Otto-
man troops are still advancing into the Dobrudscha.
From 1,200 to 1,500 Turks from Silistria have passed
the Danube in boats, and landed at Kalarasch. Although
the Tuskish corps now in the Dobrudscha are sufficiently
provided with bridge equipage, and is supported by a
flotilla, and, although the coast of Bessarabia is only de-
fended by about 10,000 Russians, yet it is not expected
that the Muchir Ismail Pasha has any prey ent intention
of attacking the Russians. He appears inclined to
wait for the fall of Sebastopol, in which ca. s.e he would
doubtless be supported by some allied tr oops. The
greatest commercial activity prevails on •,1-,he Lower
Danube. It is calculated that, since the opelling
navigation more than 500 vessels, of which 200 were
of the
Austrian, have taken on board cargoes at lii Y "all and at Galatz.",

LIST OF SCOTTISH COMPANIES' PRICES.
Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of Paid. Price.
Annum. Share.
—-
X s. d. £ s. d.
Bank of Scotland .... 72. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 1847 0
British Linen Company B'. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 223110
Caledonian Bank 8/. per cent. 10 0 0 210 0 3'. 18s
City of Glasgow Bank 5/. per cent. 10 0 0 10 2 0 11/ 150
Clydesdale Bank p cent. 20 0 0 10 0 0 13 Os
mmercial Bank .. 71. per cent. 570 0 0 100 0 0 2097 es
Eastern Bank.. • • .... 6/. per cent. 25 0 0 10 0 0 10/18s
Edinb & Glasgow.... 31. p cent. 5 0 0 5 0 0 U. 17s
Exchange Bnk of Scot..
National Bank 6y, per cent. 100 0 0 109 0 0 17010 s
North of =cotland Bank 5/.percent 20 0 0 210 0 4/. les
Royal Bank of 8 cotl. 51. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 127111
Union Bank of Scot. . 81. per cent. 100 0 0 50 0 0 917 5s
Western Bank— .• •• 71. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 77 108
Alliance Fire and Life.. 8;4/. pr cent. 100 0 0 11 0 0 181 53
British Guarantee 41. per cent. 10 0 0 2 0 0 11. 75
Caledonian Fire Insur 101. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 251 Os
City of 14Iasgow Liie 6/. per cent. 25 0 0 2 0 0 47. 10s
Co'onial Life ......... 5/. per cent. 50 0 0 1 0 0 57. 55
Edinburgh Life Insur. 61. percent. 100 0 0 15 0 0 261103
Eng. & Scot, Lan Life 51. per cent. 50 0 0 3 5 0 41. 7s
Life Assoc. of Scal..and 61. per cent. 10 0 0 110 0 s'. Os
National Fire and Life 61. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 11. 17s
North British Insur... 71. per cent. 200 0 0 20 0 0 32/12s
Scottish Union Inerne. /. prcent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 I/. ils
standard Life ...... • 5/. per cent. 50 0 0 7 0 0 20/ Os
United Dep. Assurance 5/. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0

ASSIZES AND SESSIONS BILL.—A bill brought from
the Lords on the 9th of July provides for the more fre-
quent holding of assizes and sessions of the peace, by
allowing the Queen in Council to order adjoining
counties and cities to be united for the purposes
of the act—that is to say, for trying in one of
such counties, at any sessions of oyer and terminer and
gaol delivery other than the sessions of oyer and termi-
ner and gaol delivery usually held in the spring and
summer of each year, any persons who shall be charged
with having committed any indictable offences in the
other or any of the other of such counties.
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