Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-05-12
VOL. Vino. 46.


The DISCOVERIES OF 1916 We apprehend that
there can be no doubt that the year lS46 will be
memorable to the end of time, for the remarkable
| extensions or new applications of human knowl-
edge, which will come before future historians az
| rendering ustrous its narrow limits. Most evil
den is it that are living In the days predic
| ted by the Hebrew prophet;-when "many shall
r1aa to and fro and Knowledge shall be increased"
l. Foremost among these may be placed tho
use of ether inhaled for the facilitating surgical
operations. Like all other appliances OF this KIND,
1t meets with failures and even with evil results IN
few But for one fatal result and five fail
ures we have five hundred instances OF vast benefit,
| in many of which, beyond all doubt, lives have
| been we'd which would otherwise have been lost.
Without describing ii niahble orln all cases safe
or to be relied on, there Gun be no doubt that this
discovery has conferred vast benefits on mankind.
2. The substitution of a explosive material,
the gun-cotton,-in place of gunpowder, is ano-
the remarkable event. The extent OF Its utility IS
not yet ascertained Whether it will be largely
adopted in warfare is still point on which no de-
cded opinion has been formed. But OF its great
utility in all blasting and mining operations not the
slightest doubt can exist. 1t is both cheaper and
more powerful than gunpowder; and the absence
OF smoke gives it decisive advantage. There can
remain question, that in all works OF this de-
scription the new agent will rapidly superSede the
old one
3. The third discovery of 1916 is perhaps even
of greater Importance than either of the former
We allude to the lately patented process of smelt
ing copper By means OF electricity. The effect of
this change will be quite prodigiou 1t produces,
in less than two days, what the old process required
three weeks to effect And the saving of fuel is
vast that in Swansea alone the smelters estimate
their annual saving in Goals at no less than FIVE
hundred thousand pounds. Hence it is clear that
the price OF copper must be so enormously reduced
to bring it into us for variety OF purpose from
which its cost at present excludes it.
The facility and cheapness of the process, too,
WI enable the TO be largely smelted on the spot
The Cornish M nepropretors are anxiously expect.
ing the moment when they can bring the ore which
lay in the mine yesterday, INTO state to he sent to
market Tomorrow and this at the very mouth of
the mine. In Australia also, the operation of this
discovery will be of the utmost importance. Ten
thousand tons OF copper ore were sent from Austria
liza TO England last year to be smelted at Swansea;
and the result was only 1000 tons of copper. But
Australia in future will smelt her own "copper" by
36hours process saving all this useless freight Of
the S40O tons of refuse and saving also the cost OF
the old and expensive process. In very few years
Australia will send to market more copper thanis
now produced by all the rest of the world But If
our future pennypleccs are to bear any proportion
to the reduced cost and value of the metal, they
must be made of the size of dinner-plates.
Mn Calhoun S POLITICAL PosITIoN.-The FOL-
lowing letter from MIR. Calhoun, written to Z. N.
Webb, Esq, Editor of the Roanoke (N. c. Repub
ican, will be read with interest.
FoRT HILL, Goth March, 1S47
Dear Sir received with your letter the paper
you were so kind as to send me.
| see that notwithstanding your kind feeling to-
wards me, you have greatly misudged me in think
ing | ever Joined the "fallen fortune' of Mr.. Van
Buren,. The truth is, that have not been able.
with s,,y principles @na pols5, act with either
party, except occasionally, for the last seventeen
years.
! differ from both on several important ques-
TONS and among others, the proscriptve policy of
turning opponents out OF office Immediately, and
bestoWing in their places, as rewards for partisan
services, the least meIitorious of the respective
parties, and agree with each in some particulars.
Mine has been an independent course throughout;
and hence have been compelled TO separate from
the party in power during the long period men,
toned
have never separated from the weak to join the
strong, but from the strong to join the weak. Iseek
no office, and desire none and only continue to
present the State in the Senate because it is unwil
ling | should decline. | would not accept tho
Presidency but from the people, and then from a
sense OF duty only
Nothing can induce me to sacrifice my indepen.
dence not even to retain the favor of my native
State. If |, in 1897, supported Mr.. Van Buren,, it
was Eecause he was forced 20 sustain the measures
had supported against him and Gen. Jackson, and
because the wings took ground against them, and
not because Joined him or his fallen fortunes. l
had no motive todo either while had strong ones
to support the measures, which | approved. 1t
would have been highly censurabe in me to turn
against them because he had been forced to support
them. With great respect, am &C,
c. y. WEBB, Esq. }. Z, CALHOUN.
Mood I,,no,J,fions from, E-ej1od II he change Of