Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-08-05
Couldn't Be ChOked Or.

Couldn't BE ChOked on.
The Clinton Courant tells story of q rural phil
osOpher, who had somewhat advanced in years with
out learning much of the mysteries of nature
What knowledge the old gentleman had cleaned
was entirely independent of science. He did not
or new tangled farming machine" young
friend, fresh from school, once paid him visit and
was very anxious to enlghen the old man on the
wonders of the microscope, q specimen Of which he
carried about him.
While the old philosopher was making a frugal
meal in the field at noon, the youth produced his
microscope and explained it's operation, which he
illustrated by exhibiting its power upon several bugs
and minute atoms of animate matter at hand. To
his surprise, the aged pupil did not manifest much
astonishment, and, stung by his Indifference, he
detailed to him how many scores of living creatures
he devOured at every mouthful, and in each drop
which quenched his thirst. At this his hearer was
scept al to prove the fact. the boy snatched from
his hand chunk of rich cheese which he was then
deVOuring, and placing it under the magnifer, the
mass of wriggling anmalcul@ was triumphantly
pointed at.
The old man gazed upon the sight indifferenty,
and at length, with the utmost nonchalance took
another huge bite. DON'T exclaimed the bow
don't eat it, Uncle Ben don't you see 'em See
EN- squirm and wriggle!n Let 'em wriggle ="
said the old philosopher, munching away calmly,
they've got the worse ont, if they kin STAN it !
kin" and he deliberately finished his meal
The SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS BEArEN.-Capt. f.
Nye, formerly of the ship independence, running
between this port and Liverpool, and now the COM
mander of the Collins steamer Pacific, states in
letter that the Sovereign of the Seas has not made
the shortest passage from New York to Liverpool
The independence, he says did it in fourteen days
and five hours from her anchorag &c in the Hudson to
the pier head at Liverpool. No sailing ship has
ever equaIled it. The independence was built for
Messrs. Smith and Dimond, only 1872 tons, and
had no pretensions to being a clipper. She also
made four successive passages-eastern and western
in 76 days i'll 1885, being an average of l9 days :;
and four successive assages-eastern and WESTERN
MI days in l84l, being average Of 10 days and
quarter; which proves that she could make west
ern as we'll as eastern passages showing her great
superiority on the wind ~ Y Express.
The CALoR1C ENGINE Capt. Ericsson has finish
ed beautiful model of his caloric engine for exhi-
biton at the CRYSTAL Palace A caloric engine of
60 horse power fitted up to drive the machinery of
Messrs Hogg & Delamater's foundry, New York,
will be thrown open to public inspection during the
continuance of the Industrial Exhibition. In rela-
ton to the present condition of the caOrc ship, the
New York Times says:
Rapid progress is made in constructing the new
cylinders for the ship Ericsson, and we learn that
she will be brought round from Williamsburg to the
foot of West Thirteenth street earl next week to
receive her new machinery. The statement made
the papers. time since. that her engines had
Oeen entFeIy taken out, was quite lncOTFeCI NO
thing whatever was removed but the cylinders. / he
ship will also be thrown open to the public during
the early part of the Crystal Palace Exhibition.
By the tables from the Comptroller which we pub
hsh this morning, find that the Assessors of this
city have increased the valuation of Real and Per
na Estate no less than eighteen per cent this yea
over 1852. The entire valuation this year is $4I3,
652932 "a, being Calculating deduction on per
NnaI estate in the Fourteenth Ward) S61,926:1 49,
IL or eighteen per cent. the previous year. Or
this sum we raise (by tax) about S5,l25,OOO. lr
1852, on 1915, 768,426, we were taxed $3.38O,5ll
in 1851, on $500, 1l0.857 the tax was S2,92449
in 1850 on 1886, 06I ,8l6 s3230,O85 in 1914, OF
&36,7z7I43, only $l,688,8ls. What we have
gained in reduction of per centage Of taxation seems
be moro than lost in increased valuation. The
taxpayer who was charged, for instance, 81 on {
hundred in 1852, will hardly see the reduction o
81 so per hundred on the same property valued a
600 in 1858 But such are the mysteries of finance
The rate this year is 81 23A on each 500.
Ne,C York Tribune.
DEPRAyED STATE OF SOCIETY IN AUSTRALIA.-l
lSgoi1 ~, IL. fro