The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-10
FOREIGN MISCELLANY.

NEwsPAPER TIMR AT THE GENERAL PosT Or
TIoE.-lt was quarter before six O'Clock when they
crossed the hall; six being the latest hour at which
newspapers can be posted without fee. Ii was then
just drizzlng newspapers. The great window of
that department being thrown open, the first black
fringe Of a thunder cloud OF newspapers impending
over the post Office was dischargiDg itself ffully-
now in large drops, now in little; now in sudden
plumps, now stopping altogether. BY degrees IL
began 10 rain hard by fast degrees the storm came
on harder and harder, until 1t blew, rained, hailed,
snowed--newspapers fountain of newspapers
played in at the window. Water-spouts Of news
papers broke from enormous sacks, and engulphed
the men inside. prodig1ous main Of newspapers
at the Newspaper River Head, seemed to be turned
on, threatening destruction 10 the miserable poet
Office The post office was 50 full already that the
windows foamcd al the mouth with newspapers.
Newspapers few out like froth, and were tumbled
in again by the bystandcrs. All the boys in Lon
don seemed 10 have gone mad, aud 10 be besieging
the post Office with newspapers. Now and then
there was a girl, now and then n woman, now and
then weak old man; but the minute hand Of
the clock crept near TO six, such torrent OF boys,
and such n torrent OF newspapers, came tumbling
Ia together pell- nell, head heels, above
another, that the giddy head looking chiefly
wondered why the boys springing over one ano.
theirs heads, and flying the garter into the post
Office with the enthusiasm Of the corps Of acrobats
at NJ. Franconi's, didn't post themselves nightly,
along with the newspapers, and get delivered all
over the world.
suddenly il struck six. Shut Sesame. Perfectly
storm-not n soul, too late But what chaos
within Men up 10 their knees in newspapers on
great platforms men gardening among newspa-
pers with rakcs men digging and dclving among
newspapers as II new description of rock bad been
blasted into those fragments; men going up and
down gigantic trap--an ascending and descend
ing room, worked by steam-engine- taking
with them nothing but newspapers! All the his
tory Of the time, all the chroniccd births deaths,
and marriages, all the crimes all the accidents all
the yanities, all the changes, all the realities Of all
the civilized earth, heaped up, parcelled out, car
played, gathered up again, and passed from hand
20 hand, in an apparently interminable and hope
less confusion, but really in a system of admirable
order, certainty, and simplicity, pursued six nights
every week, all through the rolling year! Which
of us after this sha lind fault with the rather
quite understand II at a glance; set the stars
right in their spheres p Dickens Household Words.
GovsRxMENT INSPECTION OF THE BaIrANNiA
BaIoeE.-on the 18th and 10th ult. Captain Sim
mons, the Government inspector for the railway
commissioners, made his official inspection OF this
great structure, accompanied by Mr.. f. Clark, the
resident engineer, and Mr. H. Lee, the engineering
manager OF the Chester and Holyhead line, when a
series Of important experiments took place, TO
certain the law ofdehection and the absolute struc
tural strength of the fabric. The experiments con-
sisted in observing the reflections under series of
successive loads, the passing Of three locomotives
with train sufficient 10 cover each Of the tubes
through the bridge at various speeds, and the run
ming Of locomotives and tenders, without trains,
through AT variable rates Of progress. The expert
ments considered most satisfactory, as tending
to show that all parts Of the great machine were
obeying the calculated requirements, and 10 a
certain extent determining the conjecural questions
of duration and stability 10 arise under the test Of
| everyday usage.