The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-23
FOREIGN MISCELLANY.



S9th year OF his age. Mr.. Doubleday was the de-
,cendant of an old and we'll known Quaker family,
ong resident at Epping and many Of whose mem
ers are well known for their attachment to science.
The deceased and his brother Henry, who survives
Jim, first became known in the scientific world on
ccount Of the extent and beauty of their collections
fBrtish birds and insects. In 1895, Mr.. Double
lay, in conjunction with Mr.. Foster, another mem
YER of the Society Of Friends, paid visit to the
United States OF America; and returned with large
collections of specimens In all branches of natural
history, which he distributed to the British Museum
md various local institutions On the departure
IF the Inflated Niger Expedition, Mr.. Doubleday
wished to accompany it naturalist; but his
friends considered that he might be usefully
employed in this country. and nc was appointed
assistant in the geological department of the Brit
sh Museum. His time in this institution was
chiefly spent in the arrangement Of the entomology
cal collections especially in the classification
and delineation of the various species of Lepidop
lerous insects. Under his perseverng superin-
'endence the collection Of butterflies and moths in
he British Museum has become one of the most
complete in existence. At the time when he was
suddenly seized with the disease which has termi-
mated his existence, he was engaged in the publi-
cation OF catalogue Of the Diurnal Lepidoptera
well as his magnificent work on the genera of
Diurnal Lepidoptera. He has published numerous
raj history journals Of the country His death will
cause blank not easily filled up; for he combined
with deep and accurate knowledge Of the science
Of entomology and its literature, extensive general
communicating what he knew.
A few papers ofconsequence were sold by Messrs.
Puttick 4 Simpson during the last week in . three
days. sale of the library of the late Mr.. James
Winston, of the Haymarket theatre. Mr.. Win
ston's own collections for the History of the Stage
in England and for the Lives Of English Actors and
Actresses, comprising a large portion of the sale,
were Of the fimsiest character; exhibiting very lit
tie research, and an imperfect knowledge of the
points requiring elucdaton in books of the descrip
MI he Won at Oua Ia
contemplated writing. He was not even good
pioneer; and more Gresome accumulation Of rub
Dish has seldom been brought together and exposed
sweeping great and small, and massing them to-
gether as things of equal consequence. The great,
perhaps the only treasure Of the collection lot
ara, described in the catalogue as "vicc Cham
berlan Coke's papers relative 70 the Italian Opera
in the Haymarket, 1706-15." This curious collec-
ton forming two volumes quarto, and originally
in the Lord Chamberlain's office) contains three
letters in the beautiful handwriting of Barton Booth
the original Cato in Addison play Of that name;
four in the handwriting of Doggett, Whose name is
annually brought before the public by the coat and
badge contended for on the Thames by the young
ten in the handwriting of Sir John vanbrugh, the
architect and dramatist. All are scarce autographs
letters of Booth and Doggett being particularly
rare. We may observe (what the catalogue omit:
to mention that the letters of Booth were addressed
to Granville, Lord LAnsdowne, the poet; and that
the earliest in point of time contains new fact in
the life of the author, worthy Of preservation as con-
nectcd with eminent man, but additionally inn
portant from the evidence which il supplies of the
rate of remuneration on the English stage in the
reign of Queen Anne He had been, he states,
thirteen years the stage, Che Is writing in l7l2
and in the whole of these thirteen years nc had
not made, conmuni6ss annis, ESQ year. Con-
trast this with the rates Of remuneration revealed
in the late schedule Of Mr. Dclafeld's debts The
Coke papers sold for El2 los; and the same auc-
tioneers who sold Mr.. Winston's library sold on
L. ill., ,fs
graph letters including the correspondence Of Da-
vd Garrick with his brother Peter, drought to the
hammer, our readers will remember, only last
year, and now, 1t appears, 'urclsDed) and a
beautiful letter Of Smollett's ''to DR.. Macauay in
Poland street." The best Garrcks were bought at
high prices by Mr. Coburn, the publsher-it is
said for the work which Mr.. Wier is at present
engaged; and the Smollett sold, We believe, to
MIR. Dillon, for the rather high "fgure" Ito speak
in the language Of the trade) OF % It's. I'd. This
IL the second letter of Smoett's which we rcmem
Der TO have seen sold during the last seventeen
years (so is his handwriting) relative to his
pecuninry difficulties; from which, like Fielding,
poor fellow he was never free. "Nevcr !" he says
Ia his lctter-he is writing in l754-"was 80 much
harassed with duns now
A correspondent writes to us as follows, with
guarantee Of the name. at was during the admin
istration Of Earl ST. vincent-not Earl Spencer
that Sir lambert Brunei first proposed his block
making machinery; which having been rejected
by the navy board, he exhibited 70 the Inspector
General Of Naval Works, the late General Sir Sam
uel Bentham. He was 30 much pleased with II,
that he recommended Sir Isambert strongly 10 Lord
St Vincent, who, in consequence, caused Sir Isam-
bers apparatus for shaping the shells ofblocs TO be
adopted; and other additions were Afterwards made
by him In conjunction with the inspector general
and Mr. Goodrich, the machnist Of that office"
From the London Athen1um.
Institution OF Civil Engineers.
DEcEMBKn ILL. Field. esq, President, in the
hi. nx.f l.s( art for
aiip-canal communication between the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans, through the Isthmus of Pana-
ma" by Lieut.. Col. Lloyd. The general views Of
he author incline TO the formation Of ship-canal,
m preference TO railway. The paper reviewed
he surveys Of Garen, Morel, and others, who had
examined the country subsequently 10 Col Lloyd.
4 examined the various lines proposed; and gave
reasons for prcferring that which, starting from
the bay OF Limon, would proceed by a short canal,
through fiat country, 10 the river Chagrcs--
thence up the river Trinidad, far as its depth
would suit-and then, cutting n canal into the Rio
Grande, debooch at Panama. This line, IL was
c.nended in the present state OF the science OF en-
cheering, presented obstacles. excepting the
climate and the expense, TO prevent a canal being
cat Of sufficient depth and dimensions 70 hoat,
from ono river tho other the largest ship in her
majcsty's navy. The climate was stated, from
personal experience, 20 be good AZ In any tropi-
cal country, except in some particular spoh where,
from local causes, certain complaints were rife
The expense could be accurately estimated only
by the survey Of experienced engineers; but In n
country Astounding in fine timber. and the best
building materials Of all kinds--wlist no great
chain OF mountains had been fancifully depicted
on suppositious charts had any existence except In
TIM ina gnation Of the dcsgneritw fair 70 allow
that the cost Of canal Of such limited length could
not be very great, and the supply Of water might be
presumed 20 be ample in climate whore there was
copious rain for nine months in each year. The
means Of accomplishing the work were then consid
cred II was argued, thsi portion Of the convicts
from this country might be more advantaR cously
sent there than 70 our present penal settlements
The means OF preventing their escape were shown;
and proposition was made for introducing with
them number Of conviots from Bengal, and the
other Prcsidcncies, whose language and habits
would cfIcctuaIly prevent their minRling with the
British convicts; whilst their power OF enduring
fatigue under tropical sun and during rains, and
their simple mode OF living, would render them
valuable pioneers for the more robust Engiishmen.
II was stated that great deal OF native labor might
be obtained at a cheap rate sixpencc or ninepcnce
per day and his raons, consisting OF pint OF rice,
pound Of dried beef, anda "geaPo d'agosrdiente'
Icing the ordinary pay Of "peon." The ehief
point, however, insisted on by the author, was the
great field opened in the stbmus for emigration,
Tor the surplus population Of this country. He con-
tended for its superiority over the Canadss and
over Australia. IL was comparafivcly within an