The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-10 00:00:00

NATAL WONDERS.

The Leviathan is certainly the wonder of the age,
and many seem to have viewed her as those did on
observing the progress of the Ark, mar vt lling at such
a monster, and thinking Noah's proceedi, g no great
mark of wisdom. We live in an age of gigantic
undertakings, but in such an advanced state of
science popular astonishment is proportionally
subdued. Former attempts at colossal shipbuild-
ing created a sensation that in these days would
scarcely be excited. The Great Harry Grace
a Dieu of 1490, the first ship of the regular navy,
was thought the ne plus ultra of marine architec-
ture, but she measured only aboutl,ooo tons. Then
the clumsiness of the ancient form must have ren-
dered the vessels difficult of management, while
they were encumbered with arrangements for "cross-
bows, lime-pots, and fire-balls in the tops, and two-
handed swords in the fore-rooms." There was ano-
ther ship built about this time, which was truly a
wondrous construction, if we are to credit
a contemporary description, which may have
been in some degree inspired by a sight more pro-
digious.than had before been dreamt of. Lindsay, of
Pitscottie, the amusing historian of Scotland, re-
lates that in 1506 King James IY. "bigged a
great ship called. the Great Michael, which
was the greatest and of most strength that ever
sailed in England or France, for this ship was
of so groat stature and took so much timber, that,
except Falkland, she wasted the woods of Fife,
which was oak wood, bye (besides) all that was getten
out of Norway, for she was so strong and of so
great length and breadth, (all the wrights in Scot-
land, yea, and many strangers were at her device,
who wrought very busily in her; but it was year
and day ere she was complete—to wit, she was
twelve score foot of length and thirty-six foot
within the sides. She was ten-foot thick in the
wall, outted joists of oak and boards on every side
so stark and so thick that no cannon could go
through her ! This great ship cumbered Scotland
to get her to the sea. From the time that she
was afloat, and her masts and sails complate with
tows and anchors elfeirino• thereto, she was counted
to the king to be thirty thousand pounds of ex-
pense, bye her artillery, which was very great and
costly, to wit, she bare many cannons, six on each
side, with three great bassils ?), two behiud in her
dock and one before, wii h. 300 shot of small artil-
lery, that is to say, myand arid battert falcon and
quarter falcon, slings, pestilent serpeteus and double
dogs, with hagton and culvering, cross bows and
hand bows. She had 300 mariners and six
score gunners, and had 1,000 men of war, bye
her captains, skippers, and quartermasters. I
As for other properties of her, Sir Andrew
Wood is my author, who was quartermaster of
ber, and Robert Bartyne, who was master skip-
per." A goodly assortment of munitions of war
truly. This quaint writer authenticates his de-
scription, which perhaps he wisely thought might
excite a doubt. "If any believe that this descrip-
tion of the ship be not of veritie a 3 we have written,
let him pass to the gate of Tillibardin, and there
afore the same ye will see the length and breadth
of her planted with hawthorn by the wight who
helped to make her." This ship, which was the
wonder and pride of the Scots, was wrecked in
1512 on her voyage to France. It was long before
they ventured on so marvellous an undertaking ;
but vessels of larger size are nowadays no "fairlie"
on the Olyde.

A. monument to the memory of Mr. Wallace of Kelly,
who represented Greenock in Parliament for 13 years,
has been erectel by his late constituents. The monu-
ment consists of a Gothic temple, built of Aberdeenshier
granite.
FAREWELL OF THE JUDGE OP THE PREROGATIVE
COußT.—Yesterday being the last day of the last term
allowed to the court by the recent act of Parliament,
there was an unusually large attendance both of advo-
cates and proctors. As soon as Sir John Dodson had
taken his seat, the Queen's Advocate rose and said, that
as this was probably the last occurrence upon which the
bar as a body would be in attendance before the learned
civilian as Judge of the Prerogative Court, he begged
leave on their behalf, and by their unanimous desire, to
express the sincere regret they felt at parting with him.
Sir John Dodson (who spoke with great emotion) re-
turned his most sincere and heartfelt thanks for the
favourable opinion which the Queen's Advocate had
expressed of his conduct. He sincerely thanked them
for their kindness, and bade them farewell.
[Atom STISSIIIIST. I— SIGHT AND HEARING -- SPECTACLES—.
POWERFUL TELESCOPES OPERA, RACE, AND PERSPECTIVE
GLASSES. —S. and B. Solomon, opticians, 39, Albemarle.
street, Piccadilly. Observe—opposite the York Hotel, W.
By her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent for valuable and ex-
traordinary improvements in the most powerful and brilliant
Telescopes, Camp, Race-course, Opera, and Perspective
Glasses, to know the distances. These Telescopes possess
such extraordinary power that some, three and a-half inches,
with an extra eye-piece will show distinctly Jupiter's moons,
Saturn's ring, and the double stars ; with the same telescope
can be seen a person's countenance three-and-a-half miles
distant and au object from 16 to 20 miles, For the waist-
coat-pocket, and are of larger, and all sizes, with increasing
powers accordingly. The Royal Exhibition, 1851. —A valu-
able, newly-invented, very small, powerful, Waistcoat-pocket
Clads, the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and
known one and a-half mile distant. They answer every pur-
pose on the Race-course and at the Opera-houses. Country
scenery and ships are clearly seen at 12 to 14 miles. They
aro invaluable for shooting, deer-stalking, yachting, to
sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Opera,
Camp, Perspective, and Race-course Glasses, with wonderful
powers. - Invaluable preserving Spectacle Lenses of the
greatest transparent power. The great advantage derived
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served and strengthened and very aged persons are enabled
to employ their sight; at the most minute occupation—can see
with those lenses of a much less magnify ing power—and
they do not require the frequent changes to the dan-
gerous effects of f urtber powerful assistance. Persons
can be suited at the most remote part of the world by send-
ing one of the glasses out of their spectacles in a letter, and
stating the distance from the eye they can read small print
with it, and those who have not made use of spectacles by
stating their ago. Deafness.—New Discovery.—The Organic
Vibrator, an extraordinarily powerful, small, newly-invented
instrument for dearness, entirely different from all of hers
surpassing anything of the kind that has been, or prof: abl)
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not perceptible. It enables deaf persons to hear distinctly at
churchaud at public assemblies ; the unpleasant sensatie n of
singing noises in the ears is entirely removed, and it affords
all the assistance that possibly could be desired.-39. Ales)
warlo.otruet, Piccadilly,—Opposite the York Hotel, W,