The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-26 00:00:00

that all agree on one point, that this cattle disease
is " highly contagious," and that, therefore, the
malady attains it height in those places where cattle
are crowded together. In some respects the cause
of this disease in cattle is similar to that which
occasions typhus-fever among human beings, and
hence it is very desirable to note the particulars,
with a view to avoid the recurrence of such evils if
possible. Overcrowding is a very prolific source of
the disease ; it produces the evil, and then spreads
it rapidly in all directions. Anything which lowers
the system is bad—as deficient nourishment and
privation. The cattle are exposed to the following
dangers. They are huddled together in the steamers
and cattle-trucks, they are not allowed rest during
the period of their conveyance, are furnished with
neither food nor drink ; they are so exhausted
when they are sold that the disease is
germinating in them, and, after some
days, when it becomes perfectly developed,
people exclaim that they have brought the infection
from abroad. Mr. MACLAGAN truly declares that
the truth of this is by no means proved, for that
the cattle during their transit are reduced so low,
and exposed to such hardships, that they get into a
condition similar to human beings who suffer from
typhus fever. It is well to consider this view of
the matter, for, as it is well observed by the writer
of the above-mentioned circumstances, typhus fever
has been effectually banished from our ships and
prisons by the adoption of proper measures, and
the same sanitary laws will apply to the cattle who
appear to suffer from similar causes of infection.

A Visit to Yr. Woodin's Bachelor's Box.

If there is one part of Mr. Woodin's ability that
shines brighter than the rest it is the rapidity with
which he assumes fresh disguises, reappearing almost
before you have time to draw your breath, or before
the laugh produced by his representations has died
away, and it is in his " Bachelor's Box" that he has
reached the acme of his transformatory powers.
All mimics comparatively pale before Woodin, he
alone being the actor, whilst other artistes run in
pairs, or threes, and thus render it an easy matter
to effect a metamorphoses. Woodin may be said to
have passed through three ordeals, and come out
scatheless : years since, the public were startled by
the appearance of his monster carpet bag, and cha-
racters drawn from its capacious jaws created quite
a furore from their close resemblance to actors of
the day ; then we had his " Olio of Oddities," which
seemed destined for an interminable run ; and now
we are invited to a peep at his " Bachelor's Box,"
which bids fair to surpass the others in the length
of its term of representation, even as it is conspicu-
ous above the rest from the superiority of and life-
likeness of the characters illustrated. We will not
forestall our readers by a depiction of them, only
intimate that Woodin, the inimitable, incomparable,
nightly attracts and delights hundreds at the
Pavilion, sings numerous songs, foots it lightly in
many pleasing dances, and his audience never tire.
How he undergoes the fatigue, re-appearing at the
end " as clean and bright as a new pin," is a matter
for marvel in ourselves and many others, and it will
be a source of regret when the time arrives for him
to announce his farewell performances, for we shall
"never look upon his like again."—Brighton Gazette.

Laying and Recovering the Cable.

(From the Mechanics' Magazine)

When the Great Eastern commenced laying the
Atlantic cable the probabilities in the mind of the general
public were three to one that England and America would
be united in less than a month by an electric line. The
public were far too sanguine, as the return of the Groat
Eastern has shown. The difficulties to be contended with
in laying so fine a thread between the Old and New World
were and still aro immense, but not greater than can
be overcome by practical men possessing a sound
knowledge of natural philosophy, and who are, there-
fore, men of common sense. It was stated that all
the faults in the manufacture and the laying
of the old cable had been carefully avoided. This was not
so, for the principal and most important fault was evidently
not seen, for if it had been seen it is hard to understand
how it should have been so heedlessly repeated. The
great mistake was in having the outside wires spirally
wound round the straight copper core, thus making a cable
as it were of fine straight wires and spiral springs, the
spiral springs to take all strains and the centre wires
none. This :is a thing impossible, for how could the
spiral extend, as it naturally would, in proportion to
the strain upon it, without extending the central and
weak core ? We can easily imagine the extension of
the spiral spring being so great as to break and com-
pletely separate the copper ore before it had one-fourth of
its own breaking strain on; and not only that, but it
would also open tho insulated covering sufficiently to
admit the water, and thus indicate " dead earth," when
electrical tests were applied. The strengthening outside
wires being arranged as spiral springs were evidently the
cause of failure. Theory shows clearly that such an
arranged cable would fail with a much less strain than
would be required to break the sustaining wires. We have
no data to prove that the failure arose from any other
cause. As to fishing up the cable from a depth of
two miles and a half, or two miles of water, the chances
are very vague. If in a distance of 948 miles only
1,081 miles of cable were payed out, there is not much
slack left for the successful picking up. Presuming that
the cable was laid hold of at a depth of 2,000 fathoms,
and presuming the fishing tackle to be amply strong
for any strain put upon it—what would be the con-
sequence to the cable ? Why, it would break
long before it was brought to the surface. 'When
it is considered that it is laid in nearly a straight
line, there being so little slack; the strain on itself from
its own weight would be very great when lifted only one
mile from its present resting place. Assuming that in a
length of about four miles of cable the length of slack is
half a mile, the centre of the length of four miles and a
half being lifted up ono mile, tho strain on the cable at
the highest point would be equal to three miles of its
own weight on either side of the fishing tackle ;
beyond this strain, there is the strain due to the fric-
tion of pulling it through the water. If it is strong
enough to withstand the above strains, how much higher
could it be lifted ? In lifting it higher the cable must
either stretch, or be dragged along the bottom of the ocean
beyond the distance of two miles on either side. Even
supposing the curve of the catenary to be flatter than we
have assumed, the consequence would be a propor-
tionately increased strain on itself at its highest point,
duo to an increased length suspended at a more acute
angle with the horizon. It thus appears impossible to lift
the cable safely out of this great depth of water—especially
when we consider that experiments have been made which
gave a result showing that, in great depths of water, the
strain with equal velocity is increased to four times when
the length is doubled; and, in addition to this, it must be
remembered that the friction is increased as the square of
the velocity.

LAND-LUBBERS AFLOAT !—Prussia has got her
post at last, and the eagle of Brandenburg has taken
to the water. Perhaps the bird intends to become a sea-
eagle. There is no port a British fleet should have so
little pleasure in entering with guns run out and hammocks
triced up, unless it were to make atonement for Copenhagen,
as this harbour of Kiel. It is to be fortified by Prussia,
but Austria is to have a right to use it for her fleet till the
Diet formally decide what flag the port is to hoist. In
order to make these powers more formidable, a canal
is to be run through the plundered territories of
the Crown of Denmark in Holstein, so as to join
the Baltic with the German Ocean. May the Bellies-
wig-Holsteiners now reap the reward of their
factious patriotism and disloyalty ! Rendsburg is
to become a Federal garrison. Lauenburg becomes
Prussian ; and her share of the cost of the war is liberally
divided between Schleswig and Holstein, and in place of
dill administrators the provinces are to be ruled by Gen.
Gablenz for Austria, and Gen. von Manteuffel for Prussia.
Since the partition of Poland there never was such auda-
cious state theft as this, and our parade of naval strength
and of French and English power on the water at this
period, gives pungency to the quiet insolence of the Salz-
burg decemvirs. The troubles about the Duchies are not
over yet ; and to parody a question of Captain Shandy
on a similar occasion, we may ask, " And what says the
Duko of Augustenburg to all this ?" Do, Mr. Carlyle,
Write us, in the best Carlyleso, an account of this trans-
action, for it is the most open daylight robbery we have
ever seen since the days of Silesia seizure and free-lance-
dcEoonumgv.leisnhAiinnrecteae. Andt ow
Already France
she
o misawyasking what is to prevent her
taking any piece of land near the Rhine which suits her
ie
imllahkmeveto vory
fearsure
en
it.ew:al..ic
will- not
—Army and Navy Gazette.
THE NEW PARLIAMENT contains a larger number
of persons brought up at our public schools than any one
since the passing of the Reform Bill. According to Mr.
Walford's "Shilling House of Commons," there are :
REutogman
nbians,a,l3B ; Harrovians, 61; Old Wykehamists, 16 ;
28 ; Old Westminsters, 23 ; Carthusiang, 10 ;
Merchant Taylors', 1; Shrewsbury, 5 ; St. Paul's, 1—
making a total of 283, or rather wore than two-fifths of the
whole.—The Reader.