The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-16 00:00:00

NEW SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC SIGNALS.

Some experiments have lately been made of a new
system of electric signals at the Paris station of the
Northern Railway. An apparatus having the words
train and tout est bien is placed at each station. A■
indication or hand is placed on this apparatus, and is
attracted by the magnetic power on the inside in one or
the other direction, according to the electric current.
On the outside of each station is placed a pedal with a
spring adjusted in such a manner that each wheel of the
train presses on the spring, thus establishing a contact
which gives a movement of the pile to the apparatus
and produces the following effect :-Ist, A. ring of a
bell at the next station announces that the train is ad-
vancing, by which means the employ4s prepare for its
arrival ; 2dly. The indication to the preceding station
having just signalised la voie est libi e, it allows the an-
nounced train to advance, if, on the contrary, the hand
points towards the word train, in drawing the handle of
the apparatus at the station ; it communicates to the in-
dication fixed on the locomotive the signal at retez ; but
as soon as the indicator at the station shows la voie est

libre, by reversing the handle above mentioned, the en-
gine driver receives the signal tout est bien, and he then
knows that he may advance with security. By a ♦ery
simple combination, when the signal arretez is given,
the engine driver can immediately shut off his steam, so
that all accident may be prevented.

MIROISAI OF THE FAIR SEX.

" Dear me !" cried an American lady, clasping her
hands earnestly, "are we to have war ? Oh, I de so
hope we shall have a war." This was said by a gossa-
mer creature, surrounded by ether gossamer creatures,
in a ball-room, when the talk was of the quarrel, sup-
posed to be irreconcilable, between the Government of
Louis Philippe and that f the United States. Every
one who entered the room was pestered for news, and
with the lady's hopes that there would be a war. " But
what do you mean ?" asked an innocent stranger. "It
is so very long since we had a war," replied she, " and
it is so dull—having peace always." shocking as this
looks to us now, amidst the first griefs of a new war,
and disgusting as it sounded from the lips of one who could
do nothing, and was likely to suffer nothing for the war,
there was a touch of nature in it, or the anecdote would
not have lived so long. There was a touch of nature in
it, as will be acknowledged—possibly by soma English-
women who may have felt the craving for excitement
which the American lady so openly avowed ; and it will
be acknowledged, no doubt, by not a few gentlemen,
who may be more like fine ladies than they suppoesrei,.
.
in that part of their characters to which the
aside the
can belle's observation appealed. Putting ausrs
an,
fops, who are only fit to worry our notsp, a
possibly be
speaking of brave and busy men,
the case that their wives and sisters
earnestness of the
Ist of September, at the soletmneir
pri-
vate jests, when the gentlemen areitfalinrhlayaYvoeutt,hoeinr
sportsmenthedog,
gue, aboutshot,
aed g sporth—g_a t. h
afro's making or dispensing
in all its points. They cow: a
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as immortal as the phcenix)
to shoot, but a "little
The
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that whheen
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or on t
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whether it is ne't rather absurd to prose about women's
frivolity and love of pleasure, and anxiety about the
means of it, when men can be such great babies about
their September holiday and its toys. This seems true
in time of peace, and many a man must have been con-
scious of it while smiling at the female love of fancy
fairs, races, or balls. The difference is (an unfathom-
able difference) that the same earnestness in frolic fits
men for war and its eccentric modes of life, whereas in
women it can rarely extend beyond the immediate object.
Fine ladies sit at home and hear of war, obtaining release
from ennui. Fine gentlemen go and transact it. There
is the difference, and prodigious it is, and great accord-
ingly is the blessing to the female sex that there are
Florence Nightingales and Maria Forestors to bridge
over the gulf, and show thatthe heroism is not engrossed
by one ;ex.—Daily New:.