The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-07 00:00:00

New Discoveries of Petroleum.

Musvraz, October 4, 1865.
As the interest in almost every section of the oil region
is now so widely distributed, it may not be amiss to say a
few words relative to the large amount of develop-
ment now going forward and already completed on
West Hickory Jreek, a stream next above and parallel
to Pithole, and which bears every evidence of soon becom-
ing a successful river. This stream is about eight miles
in length, and throughout the valley is one calculated to
attract the interest of practical oil operators. The develop;
ments now going foritard have already shown the forma-
tions to be of the most promising character, and four wells
are completed with the following results :—The Hickory
Farm Oil Company's well tubed in April last, for a long
time yielding over 100 barrels per day, of very superior
lubricating oil, which has sold all summer at from $25 to
$3O per barrel, is now yielding 20 barrels daily.
On the White farm, two miles higher up the stream, a
well tubed last Tuesday is pumping 30 barrels of exactly
similar oil daily.
The Miles well, two and a half miles higher up the
stream, commenced on Friday morning last, and is yield-
ing 25 barrels of light oil daily.
A well on the John Germon farm, one and a half miles
above the last named well, is about to be tubed at the
depth of 600 feet, with the result, of course, unknown, but
the interested parties are very sanguine of success.
There are several wells now going down still above
those named, by the Fremont Oil Company, Cherry Run
and West Hickory Company, and others, all of which are
having the proper indications. The prices of territory on
this stream are advancing as rapidly as has been known in
any other locality. lam informed by a gentleman owning
land near the Miles well, which he has repeatedly offered
at $250 per acre, that on Saturday last he refused a bona
fide offer of $2,000 per acre for the same. Thus it is evi-
dent that this stream is soon to take its place in the list of
those famous for their hidden treasure.

REMARKABLE OIL STRIKE IN KENTUCKY.—The
editor of the Louisville Journal has seen a letter from
a reliable source, giving some facts as to the great oil well
recently bored in Cumberland county, Kentucky. The
well is on Crocus creek, which flows into the Cumberland
river about 10 miles above Burksville. Crocus is a large
creek, heading in Adair and Russell counties, and flowing in
h south-westerly course some 20 or 30 miles through Cuni-
berland county into the river. The indications now are
that the creek traverses the finest old region in the State,
if not in tho world. This well commenced to flow at 10
o'clock a.m. on the Bth inst., and has been steadily pour-
ing out the wealth of oil ever since. The streams come
up through a four and a half inch bore, and is thrown
this size five or six feet about tho mouth of the well. Its
flow is estimated by some as high as 300 barrels per day,
and by none at less than 100 ; but of course the quantity
is guess work, and will be so until it is reduced to absolute
measurement. The Cumberland river is covered with oil
from Crocus creek to Burksville, and far below, and looks
like a river of oil instead of water.

PETROLEUM IN TENNESSEE AND NORTH ALABAMA.
—A petroleum excitement is liable to break out in Ten-
nessee and North Alabama at any moment. A correspon-
dent of the New York World, writing from the Cumberland
Mountains, in the former State, says :—" As for petroleum,
these table lands and their slopes for more than ten miles
on each side, will probably prove to be the richest
source in our Union. No country will, most certainly,
yield as much of the valuable oil as Venango county,
Pennsylvania, where the petroleum of the carboniferous
and Devonian rocks (the two richest sources of all) contri-
bute together; but the whole of these mountains and their
surroundings' contain the petroleum of the carboniferous
and silurian rocks, and being much more extensive than
the Alleghanies in Pennsylvania, and not having been dis-
turbed by metamorphic action, will certainly yield more of
the oil than either Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Kentucky.
PETROLEUM IN INDIANA.—The Indianopolis Sen-
tinel says :—" Oil has been struck at Henryville, Clark
county, on the Jeffersonville-road, at a depth of four
hundred feet. It is a flowing well, and before the well
was plugged it had run over a large surface. The oil is
of a very superior quality, worth crude $1 a gallon. This
is the first demonstration to prove that oil reservoirs
underly the soil of Indiana, and, of course, will create a
good-dog of excitement."

MALTA, Noi 1.---We are shortly expecting the
fleet back to lalta. Vice-Admiral Sir R. Smart
left Naples for this island, under sail, on the 30th
ult. Owing t& 'cholera having broken out in the
suburbs, and c es having manifested themselves in
the town itself, .a quarantine of ten days has been
placed on all a ivals from that port. Her Majesty's
ship Pelican, 1 screw corvette,. Commander R. P.
i Cator, which ived on the 26th ult. from Naples
and Palermo, d the Phoebe, 35, screw frigate,
Capt. W. R. 411 and, which arrived on the 27th
from Naples an 4 Messina, were consequently put in
quarantine. Onithe 30th the Chanticleer, 17, Com-
mander W. H. renwick, arrived from the Piraeus of
Athens, and on fhe 31st the Surprise, 4, screw gun
vessel, Commander G. Tyron, arrived from Nisida,
the quarantine station of Naples, and was admitted
to pratique. -Mr. T: Royle, R.N., has arrived here
from the Victorkt (flagship), for duty in the Admi-
ral-Superintendlut's-office during the absence on
sick leave of th 4 secretary. Three days' quaran-
tine have also been established on arrivals from
Southampton in the absence of clean bills of health
from that town. The passengers for Malta by the
Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamship Syria
were, in conseethicesof this sanitary pre,cautioriiiity
measure, detained in the Lazaretto on their arrival
here on the 28th ult. The screw steamer Hawk, 552
tons register, Capt. H. Gilpin, belonging to the
Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company,
arrived here on the 30th ult., 15 days from London
and 9-1- from Dartmouth, into which latter port she
had put from stress of weather. Among the pas-
sengers are Mr. Gibson, Government Inspector •of
the Malta and Alexandria Telegraph, Mr. Temple,
engineer to the company; and Mr. Saunders, electri-
cian, besides a large staff of foremen and labourers.
The Hawk is to be stationed here in the service of
the Malta and Alexandria Telegraph, and replaces
the Fanny Lambert, which was not found to answer
all the purposes required. Her Majesty's ships in
port are the Orlando, -46, Cossack, 20, and Assur-
ance, 4 ; besides a few small vessels, and the four
ships the arrival of which is above reported. There
are also here under repairs the Russian frigate Per-
esvet, 45, and the Tunisian screw steamer Mahersia.
Her Majesty's ship Terrible, paddle-wheel frigate,
Megmra, screw troopship, and Arethusa, 35, screw
frigate, are expected in the Mediterranean.

The Royal Alfred, iron-cased wooden frigate, 4,056
tons, 800 horse-power, will be completed in her ar-
mour plating and floated out of No. 3 dock of Ports-
mouth yard early in the ensuing month. This ship
first appeared on the Admiralty Navy List as one of
the latest improved 90 gun screw line-of-battle
ships, and was all but completed in that form at
Portsmouth, when iron-clad ships became popu-
lar. She was then ordered to be razeed to a frigate,
divested of quarter and stern galleries, figure-head,
&c., given a conical shaped stern and a swan-breast
stem, and clothed externally, from five feet below
her load water-line upward, with 4i-inch rolled iron
armour plates. In the meantime, however, 4f-inch
iron-plating on the sides of a wooden ship possessing
no inner iron skin had been demonstrated by experi-
ments at Shoehury and elsewhere to be worse than
useless. Accordingly the Royal Alfred has been again
re-arranged, and in her new and latest form will,
without doubt, be the most formidable iron-cased
converted wooden ship afloat. She will at the same
time possess serious points of weakness, which are
unavoidable in a converted wooden vessel. Purely
as a specimen of workmanship, or rather, we should
say, as a specimen of the skill of shipwrights in iron
work, the Royal Alfred will surpass every other ship
afloat. The edges of the armour-plating have been
fitted with excessive nicety,and the platse subjected
-teotpc.fict-gt‘iiet, ''.-1.-
.7eFe,...--te..c2.94..50.5t<1v chipping,

filings bui:Xfilig which seems unnecessary.
Commander Alciliibald D. W. Fletcher, who com-
manded the Triton in the Black Sea, and was subse-
queltky employed in the Coastguard and the packet
service, yesterday joined and took up the command
of her Majesty's 6 gun paddle sloop Spiteful, com-
missioned at Woolwich for the Brazilian station.
The Spiteful was yesterday docked for survey and
examination of defects. The whole of her officers
have been appointed, and the crew selected from the
continuous service men berthed on board the flag-
ship Fisgard. Unless, as it is feared, some of her
timbers may require removal, she will draw her
stores and proceed to sea without delay.
The iron paddlewheel vessel Oberon, in commis-
sion, returned to Woolwich on Saturday from a trial
of her machinery, and will again leave harbour to-
day and proceed to Sheerness, in pro paration to
make an official sea trial of Capt. Cworane's experi-
mental vertical tube boiler.

Her Majesty's iron screw storeship Supply, Com-
mander C. Bawden, employed on particular service,
arrived on Sunday evening at Woolwich from the
Mediterranean, laden with 220 tons of War Depart-
ment stores, naval and victualling stores from Malta,
and the heavy baggage of Sir W. Codrington, late
Governor and Commander-in-Chief at Gibraltar.
She sailed from Malta on the 18th ult., arrived at
Gibraltar on the 25th, in quarantine, left again on
the following day, arrived at Spithead on Friday
last, and sailed direct for Woolwich on Saturday.
She encountered a series of head. winds the whole
way, and experienced exceedingly rough weather in
crossing the Bay. In addition to her cargo she
brought home some naval invalids belonging to the
Arethusa, and some deserters. The Supply will
.
shortly be paid out of commission, to be docked for
repairs.

The hired transport William Napier yesterday
commenced shipping a cargo of guns, shot, and other
stors at Woolwich, for her Majesty's ships Excel-
lent and Cruiser, and her Majesty's Superintendent
of War Department Stores at Portsmouth.

Her Majesty's screw troopship Tamar, 2,812 tons,
700 horse power, Capt. Frederick H. Stirling, ar-
rived at Portsmouth yesterday from China, with
military and naval officers, and invalided and
time-expired soldiers and seamen on board.
The Tamar's sailing dates are from Hongkong,
August 12 ; Mauritius, September 2 ; Cape of Good
Hope and Simon's Bay, September 24 ; St. Helena,
October 3 ; Ascension, October 9 ; St. Vincent,
October 20. Fine weather was experienced during
the passage home, but the time was somewhat
lengthened owing to the faulty condition of the
ship's boilers. Twenty-six deaths occurred onboard
since leaving Hongkong, chiefly among tithe women
and children accompanying the troops, from dy-
sentery. Lieut. Lyster, of the Royal Engineers,
who embarked at Hongkong, died on board just
before the ship arrived at Spithead. Mr. John C.
Gruchy, chief engineer of the Tamar, a naval officer
of high professional attainments and greatly
esteemed by his brother officers, also died during
the passage. The naval and military passengers and
invalids comprise
Mon-
eel, 2d battalion
2d battalion 9th Regiment ; two purveyors' clerks ;
invalids for Netley-38 men, 13 women, and 20
crise
l :_From
Regiment ; Lieut. .Nicholson,
—From Hongkong—Lieut.
children ; time expired, for depots--14 men, 6
women, and 4 children. From Port Louis, Mauri-
tius—Capt. Maunsell, 2d battalion, 11th Regi-
ment ; invalids for Netley-49 men, 4 women, and
9 childrem; time-expired, for depots-10 men, 2
women, and 1 child. From the Cape of Good Hope
—Col. Young, 67th Regiment ; Capt. F. 0. Bar-
nard, 96th Regiment ; Lieut. England, Ist West
India Regiment; Lieuts. Cardew and Renwick,
67th Regiment ; Medical Staff—Assist.-Surgeons
C. E. Smith and Tracey ; purveyors' clerks,
Blackburn, and Hutchins ; invalids-59 men, 5
women, and 11 children ; time-expired, for depots
—5O men, 2 women, and 2 children, Staff.-Surg.
Beath had medical charge of the invalids on
board. The naval and civil portion of the passen-
ger and invalid list, chiefly embarked at Hongkong,
consisted of Dr. Palmer, R.N., Assist.-Surg. Inman,
R.N., Assist,-Sarg. Rawlings, R.N., Sub-Lieuts.
Stewart and Doughty, Second-Masters Dobson and

CAPTAIN MAYNE REID has recently addressed the
the following communication to a contemporary :---
" The inclosed, which I clip from the London Reriew, ap-
pears to be 'going the round of the papers': Captain
Mayne Reid's new novel of ' The Headless Horseman' is
spoken of as about to be dramatised for representation at
Astley's. The prairie hunter capering about without his
head will, it is thought, provo the greatest theatrical sensa-
tion at present announced.' May I request space in your
columns to say that, the paragraph above quoted is the
earliest information I have received of the fact (or fiction)
to which it refers. That the story in question being an
entirely original conception, and not yet before the public,
I defy any theatrical playright, or scribe of the Hippo-
drome, not gifted with clairvoyance,, to give a correct
dramatic version of it. That having suffered considerable
damage through the dramatising of several of my novels
(' Scalp-Hunters," and 'Qua-
droon,' under the spurious title of Octoroon,'—a name
not even known in Louisiana!)' done not only without
my consent, but without the more scanty courtesy of con-
sulting me, I have this time taken the precaution (called
for by the incompleteness of our Copyright Law) to
dramatize the story myself. With your permission, then,
I beg leave to intimate to all theatrical managers, that it
must be 'hands off ' with the 'Headless Horseman !' This
silent gentleman has yet many•months of weary wander-
ings before him—many journeyings through prairie and
chappard—many perils by flood and field—and until those
be passed, it is hoped that no unhallowed hand will be
be laid on his bridle-rein.—MAYNE REID."

LEONARDO DA VINCI.—The anatomical drawings
and writings of Leonardo da Vinci are amongst the
choicest treasures in the Royal library, m Windsor Castle.
They are contained in about 200 detached leaves of note
books, and appear to be the records of studies commenced
as his needful training in art, and would perhaps have
been employed in the great Treatise on Painting, which
he afterwards projected. But he carried his researches far
beyond what was required for these purpose; and arrived
at results which entitle him to a place in the foremost rank
of discoveries in this branch of science. Vasari, after . de-
scribing (with a little pardonable inaccuracy) these works,
reports the opinion entertained of them in his day.
," It
appears," he say; "almost incredible that this sublime
genius could at the same time discourse, as he has done, of
art, and of the muscles, nerve; veins, and any part of the
frame, all treated with equal diligence and success." And
Dr. William Hunter, who saw them in the last century, in
the royal collection, thus expressed his appreciation of
thorn:—" When I consider what pains he has taken upon
every part of the body, the superiority of his universal
genius, his particular excellence in mechanics and hydrau-
lic; and the attention with which such a man would
examine and see objects which ho was to draw, I am fully
persuaded that Leonardo was the best anatomist, at that
time, in the world." These drawings and writings it is

combine
Queen has been graciously pleased to permit their publica-
tion, in the interest of these studies. The whole work will
consist of about 250 plates, in folio, with the text of the
MS. printed in full, an English and a French translation,
and all needful notes and elucidations. Mr. Panizzi, prin-
cipal librarian of the British Museum, has undertaken to
superintend the text; and Dr. Sharpen secretary, Royal
Society, professor of anatomy and physiology in Univer-
sity College, London, will assist in the preparation of the
scientific economy. It will be issued in twenty parts, at
the price of one guinea each; and the publication will
commence early in the year 1866. Subscribers names will
be received by Trubner and Co., CO, Paternoster-row,
London.

A PARIS PEABODY.—" The largest subscription
yet received," says the Nord, " in' aid of the families
who have suffered by the cholera is that of 50,000 f., given
by M. Greffulhe. The great fortune of the donor explains
the importance of the gift, without, however, detracting
from its merit. M. Jean Louis Greffulhe is, in fact, one of
the richest capitalists in France, as his property is estimated
at one hundred million francs. M. Greffulhe, who, without
being a banker, employs as an occupation that immense
capital,,operates often, to the great advantage of trade, at
a discount inferior to that of the Bank of France. M.
Greffulhe is an old gentleman of more than 80, if a man
in the full possession of both energy of body and mind
can be called old. He has left the residence which ho for-
merly occupied in the Chaussee d'Antin to reside in the
handsome Hotel Soltykoff, in the Ruo do St. Arnaud, given
by the Emperor to M. Billault, and sold after the death of
that Minister. Two nephews of M. Greffulhe are both dis-
tinguished members of the French Jockey Club ; one of
them usually officiates as judge at the races at Paris and
Chantilly."

EDINBURGH MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.—At the pre-
sent municipal term a change will take place in the
office of Lord Provost of Edinburgh. Mr. C. Lawson, who
has filled the civic chair for tho statutory period of throe
years, now retires, to the universal regret of the citizens of
all parties, whom he has thoroughly conciliated by his
kindly disposition and temperate rule. The manner in
which he has supported the dignity and pretensions of the
Scottish capital at Court on occasions of State and in the
struggles with Dublin for precedence, and his splendid
hospitality, of which even royalty has not hesitated on re-
peated occasions to partake, have won for himself a cha-
racter as a chief magistrate which it will be difficult on the
part of any of his successors to emulate. The election of a
new Lord Provost takes place on Friday, when Mr. Wm.
Chambers, head of the popular publishing firm, is to be
proposed, with the expectation of a unanimous election.
Mr. Chambers served in the Town Council for a year after
the passing of the Burgh Reform Act, and in the interval
has filled various public offices, gaining for himself a posi-
tion and character which will enable him to aspire to the
civic curule.

ZINC MANUFACTURE IN ILLINOIS.—The existence
of rich zinc ores in various parts of the country has long
been known, but the process of manufacture has required
such large preliminary outlay and great skill in conducting
the complicated process that but little attention has been
given to it. The few attempts made were generally failures,
and the belief was confirmed that metallic zinc could not
be successfully manufactured in this country. Perseve-
rance has at last triumphed and the La Salle Zinc Works,
situated 90 miles southwest of Chicago, are in a full tide of
prosperity, proving American zinc an accomplished fact.
ENORMOUS INCREASE IN THE EMIGRATION FROM
LIVERPOOL.—According to the official returns of the Go-
vernment emigration officials at Liverpool, yesterday, it
appears that a large and, indeed, sudden increase has taken
place within the past month in the exodus from that port.
It appears that during the month just ended there sailed
from Liverpool to the United States " under the act" 25
ships, with 798 cabin and 7,518 steerage passengers, of
whom 2,096 were English, 118 Scotch, 3,184 Irish, and
2,120 foreigners; to Canada there were five ships, with
113 cabin and 1,886 steerage passengers, of whom 539
wore English, 387 Irish, 17 Scotch, and 143 other coun-
tries ; to Victoria there were two ships, with 47 cabin
and 517 steerage passengers, of whom 201 were English,
35 Scotch, 267 Irish, and 16 other countries ; making a
total of 32 ships, with 958 cabin and 9,121 steerage pas-
sengers. In " short ships," or ships not sailing under the
act, there sailed to the United States five ships and 526
passengers ; to New South Wales one ship with 28 passen-
gers ; to Victoria one ship with 26 passengers ; to the
West Indies two ships with 19 passengers ; to South
America four ships with 123 passengers ; and to Africa one
ship with'49 passengers, being an increase over the same
mouth of last•year of 3,261.
The friends of John Mitchell, formerly an Irish
rebel, subsequently anAmerican rebel, more recently editor
of the Confederate organ in New York, and lastly a pri-
soner in Fortress Monroe, are making strenuous efforts to
secure his release.

Edwin Booth, the tragedian, was lately united in
marriage, in Philadelphia, to Miss IL Havel, the daughter
Of Jules Haile], the perfumer.

of the scourge that has lately so severely afflicted us.
The most obvious and proper, and perhaps the only
way of fixing a thanksgiving day acceptable to the
whole of the residents in this city and garrison, of
every class and every religious denomination, would
have been to request the Governor, as the represen-
tative of the Queen, to appoint a day by public pro-
clamation. No one who knows the Governor could
for a moment doubt that his excellency would most
gladly have taken his proper part in this offering of
grateful thanks. We think it unfortunate that this
course was not adopted, and that the day of solemn
thanksgiving was not universally instead of gene-
rally observed throughout Gibraltar. In Roman
Catholic Spain we observe that the appointment of
the day for the celebration of a Te Deunz for the
deliverance of the people of any place from the
epidemic rests with the civil government and not
with the bishops. In our own community we are
sure that in a solemn act of the whole population, it
was generally regretted that the very highest autho-
rity should not have been requested to take that
part which, as the head of this society and the re-
presentative of our Sovereign, rightly pertained to
him. Educated Englishmen, whose loyalty springs
from a just appreciation of the liberty and security
they enjoy under the protection of the laws and con-
stitution of their own land, are jealous of the respect
due to their Sovereign and all who represent her, and
there must be many who offered their tribute of
thanksgiving on Thursday last who, when doing so,
regretted that, by what we must consider an unfor-
tunate mistake, there was not an unanimous observ-
ance of the day by the whole community and its
legitimate head.

We have received, says the Gilraltar Chronicle, of
the 30th ult., the following letter from the Right
Rev. Bishop Scandella, Roman Catholic Vicar
Apostolic :