The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-01 00:00:00

sequently the quicker the destruction of the cable.

Mr. PIGGOTT states that he obviates these difficul-
ties by a cable as simple as it is efficient. It is
constructed with a core of galvanised iron consist-
ing of several strands twistel and covered, along
which are laid two copper covered wires attached
to each side of the recording instrument. The

copper wire is again covered, to form it into a
rope, and the whole is overlaid with a preserva-
tive composition. The cable thus becomes a Leyden
jar within itself, generating its own charge of elec-
tricity without the aid of any battery power, The

iron wire being electrically minus and the copper
plus, the water penetrating the cable is the means
of developing those conditions. It is obviously
impossible that in a system like this there should
be any retardation or induction, because there is no
local battery nor other conditions to produce them.
His cable being always charged, and consequently
always in a statie electric condition from end to
end,the slightest disturbance at one end, on making
contact with the opposite metal, is instantaneously
felt at the other; for the elements which, until the
very moment of contact, was in all parts passive,
becomes by such contact in all parts active.
We lay these facts before the public not in any
way to promote the interests of Mr. PIGGOTT. We
hope that his project may be successful, for if so, it
will greatly promote international intercourse, and
as he relies upon natural causes rather than on
chemical assistance, the economy of such a process
must be obvious. Our object is to draw the atten-

tion of those who have embarked their money in
speculations, the practical working of which is as
yet uncertain, to the necessity of taking advantage
of every improvement which may from time to time
be suggeeted. We are never too old to learn.
What were impossibilities to our ancestors are
axioms to the present generation. We admire the
genius and talent of the :ancient Greeks and Nor-
mans, yet while contemplating their greatness we
are apt to overlook that their scient'fic knowledge
was not high enough to enable them to discover
that water will rise to its own level by the laws of ,

nature, and that many of their costly aqueducts
were unnecessary, and that the tedious and expen-

sive processes then adopted to supply their cities
with water would be liughed at by modern engi-
neers. May not a future generation think the same

of our submarine telegraph ?

A HISTORY of Great Britain, written in modern
Greek by G. Lampese, has been recently published.
MR. W. CROOKES, F.R.S., has reprinted for
private distribution his recent communioation to the Philo-
sophical Magazine. The statements and evidence given
are said to be decisive in proving him the discoverer of the
metal Thallium !
MEETING OF THE EMPERORS.--It is said, though
the authority is somewhat doubtful, that the Emperor of
Austria is to have an interview with the Emperor Napoleon.
The rumour, whether true or otherwise, is certainly gain-
ing ground.
A MEMORIAL TO THE LATE MR. MULREADY !
The members of the Royal Academy are about to raise a
statue to the veteran painter in the National Gallery.
WHERE is M. THIERS DRIVING P—M. Thiers's
coachman has committed suicide by hanging himself. This
is the second that has chosen this method for quitting his
service.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER REJLANDER has all the
genius for seizing on thorough artistic incidents ;
he groups his figures and poises them with admirable skill,
raises somehow in his subjects the very look, action, and
point required, and catches the happy moment with the
quickness of the lightning flash. Who can look at his
" Participle-catching" and his " Participle-caught," and
not enjoy it as much as one of Hunt's quaint water-colours ?
You see the boy's hand stealing gradually towards the fly,
then you can almost hear the insect buzzing in it,
THE NOTORIOUS CONSPIRATOR, Mazzini, is
reported to be now lying dangerously ill at Lucerne.
THE CHOLERA AND THE SEVENTY-SEVENTH.--
We regret to hear that some fatal cases of cholera have oc-
curred in the 77th Regiment, stationed at Allahabad.
SIGNIFICANT BEARDS.—Dr. Heinrich Hoffman,
known as the Frankton " Struwelpeter," has, in a
little book of his, given the following passage descriptive of
the party-significance of beards in the parliamentary days :
1. No beard : Plaistet, Spicier, Bourgeois. If the man
is very elegantly dressed, and goes so far as to wear glace
gloves, he belongs to the diplomatic reactionary party ; but
he may be roughly handled. 2. Small moustache, carefully
tire, and smooth chin • an aristocratic reactionnaire. Given
occasionally to pistol-shooting, and must, therefore, be
treated with caution. 3. Moustache, with small imperial :
may belong to the police, and must likewise be treated with
due caution, unless, indeed, one has many good friends on
one's side. 4. Strong, heavy moustache, without whiskers :
belongs to the centre left. Is of no decided political hue.
A little shaving will make him reactionary. Must be won
over if possible, but not too implicitly trusted. 5. Not
shaved at all—beard from ear to ear - A. Systematically
trimmed with scissors,
athe hair stiff and brush-like .a •
de-
cidedinthefnrriyen.d ofß .the people,
atur l
gbruotwinthoreanusuefnutlriinannperd factoicreestt o
than
hair, which no sharp
instrument
colours
ad
rgrowth,
ra
l : approached,
noble f
reformer,i dof the
i e
withoutflowing
people,down
, and
generall yof mixed
communisticdreamer,
any historical basis, but sometimes with practical self-
determination.
A WOMAN SHOT BY A VOLUNTEER OFFICER.
A very painful affair took place at Newcastle-on-
Tyne on Saturday evening, a female,e
injured viotn
namedlsabelalan Welshth e
is
wile having been shot by a volunteer in the Newcastle Rifles,
nameeo the .:df
Jameslll'sigexuton of St.i
M'Cree.
ah
Andrew's Church. Mr. M'Cree
is a partner in the extensive firm of M'Cree and Thompson,
timber merchants in that town. At a late hour on Satur-
niett, some persons were standing near his timber-yard
Gallowgate, in
and were ordered away by him. They did
not go, and he left the spot, but shortly afterwards re-
turned with a gun, and again asked them if they would
leave. On seeing the gun they at once moved off, but had
not gone far, when he discharged the gun, the contents of
which entered the leg below the knee of Mrs. Welsh, who
was passing. She was carried to.her own home, and was
attended by Dr. Scott, who expressed his opinion that the
gun had been loaded with ball. The poor woman was taken
to the infirmary. Mr. M'Cree was at once sought after by
the police, but could not be found until the next morning,
when,he was apprehended. The unfortunate event has
caused a very painful sensation, owing to the respectable
position of the prisoner,

tors, et hoc genus omne, should, when placed in
responsible positions, act impartially to all. They
should, without favour or affection, do justice to
their employers, instead, as is too often the case,
lending their influence to aid some project in which
they have either a pecuniary interest or which
they may have adopted as a hobby. These remarks
do not apply to electricians, engineers, or any
others in particular. We are sorry to say that
there are many in every profession who
are to blame in this respect ; but now
that there is again a prospect of the com-
munication between the old and new worlds
being opened, it behoves all to endeavour to promote
so great an undertaking to the best of their power.
We have before us a little pamphlet, by Mr.
PIGGOTT, the electrician, in which he complains
that his project to simplify and economise
the working of marine telegraphs has met with
a determined opposition from electricians and
others, Notwithstanding his inventions have
proved successful under many tests, he has been
so opposed that he sees no other way of ventilating
it than by giving it publicity, as a last resource,
through the press. We do not care to enter upon
the controversy, either to vindicate his claim or to
question it—that matter rests with those who
marineif
but
a cables.
part
art
have undertaken the management and direc-
tion
doubtdawn thoaft
B ut
thereof
fthe
is
of his theory be correct, which experiments
have substantiated as far as they have been tested,
a great change must take place in our oceanic
telegraphs before long. So long as con •
tending
powers are-brought into play, the one as it were
to work against the other, although the object
sought may for a time be obtained, sooner or later
the cable is destroyed, and it stands to reason that
the longer the cable the greater the resistance,
therefore the greater the power required, and con.