American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-07-21
PRICE 2 CENTS.
[Communicated.l ]

The New PosTAGE ARRANGEMENT. - Messrs.
Editors: 1t should be an object with this Coy
ernment to diffuse knowledge among the mass
OF the people at as cheap rate as practicable.
but is it so under the present arrangement
obviously not The postage on single news
paper to the Sandwich Islands is ten cents !;
while 1t is only six cents on letter. Again:
Trend OF mine sent to the post office in this
city to-day single newspaper-the g Brother
o0nafhan'-to be prepaid and mailed for Now
York; and the postage on that paper amounted
| to eight cents. Only think Of it-eight cents
postage on single newspaper from this city
to New York, when the charge is only three
cents on letter. Verify, if this system CON
tinues there will be but few transient newspa-
pers transmitted through the mails.
4 submit the matter TO your consideration.
dispose oft as you think best. f, AMIGO.
WASHINGTON, July 10, 1851 ,lua
DISCOVERIES OF THE LAST HALF CENTURY
There has been no period since the commence
ment of the world, in which 30 many important
discoveries tending to benefit mankind were
made, as in the last half century Some of the
most wonderful results of human intellect have
been witnessed in the last fifty years, Some Of
the grandest conceptions Of genius have been
perfected. 1t is remarkable how the mind Of
the world has run into scientific investigation,
short period. Before the year 1900, there was
not q single steamboat in existence, and the
application Of steam to machinery was unknown.
Fulton launched the first steamboat in 1907.
Now. there are three thousand steamboats, ira
versing the waters of America, and the time
| saved in travel is equal to seventy per cent
The rivers of every country in the world al
most are traversed by steamboats,. In 1900,
there was not a single railroad in the world.
In fha Inf tot o1a Al O
miles of railroad, costing $286, ,OOO, 900 to build,
and about $4,000 miles Of road in England and
America. The locomotive will now travel in as
many hours, a distance which, in 1900, required
as many days to accomplish, In 1900 it took
weeks to convey intelligence between New Or
leans and Philadelphia, and now it can be ac-
complished in minutes through the electric tele-
graph, which only had its beginning in l843.
| Voltaism was discovered in March, 1900 The
electric magnet in 1921 Electrofying was dis
covered only a few years ago. Hoes printing
press, capable of printing 10000 copies in an
hour, is very recent discovery, but of most
important character. Gas, light was unknown
in 1900; now every city and town of any pre-
tence is lighted with it, and we have the an
nouncement Of n still greater discovery, by which
light, heat, and motive power may be all pro-
duced from water with hardly any cost. Da-
guerre communicated to the world his beautiful
invention in 1899. Gun cotton and chloroform
are discoveries Of but a few years old. Astron-
omy has added o number of new planets to
the solar system. Agricultural chemistry has
enlarged the domain of knowledge in that i'm
portant branch of scientific research and me-
chanics have increased the facilities for produc-
| ton, and the means of accomplishing an amount
of labor which far transcends the ability of
united mental effort to accomplish. The tri-
umphs achieved in this last branch of discovery
and invention are enough to mark the last half
century as that which has most contributed TO
augment personal comforts, enlarge the enjoy
ments, and add to the blessings of man. What
will the next half century accomplish We
may look for still greater discoveries, for the
intellect of man is awake, exploring every mine
of knowledge, and searching for useful infor-
nation in every department of art and industry.