Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-12-02

DEPENDING THE ST. LAWRENCE RIvBa.--The
Montreal Herald says, We yesterday mentioned
having witnessed the modus operandi ef Messrs.
Maillefert and Raasloefs system Of submarine
blasting we stated how beautiful was the effect
produced upon the superintendent water, and
shall now try to describe what the effect is.
We should promise that until Mr.. Mailefert's
discovery, whenever il was found desirable for
the removal of rocky distractions from any
nayigable channel, it was believed to be neces-
sary to bore the rock with chambers for the
blasting powder, which could only be done by
using diving bell All this labor and expense
is now avoided from Mr.. Maillefert's having
discovered that the desintagration of almost any
character of rock can be effected without boring
or mining. but the simple explosion on its sur
face of an adequate weight of powder, provided
that there be a sufficient depth of water above
the rock to resist the main force of the explod-
ing powder, and thus direct it against the sub
structure OF rock. a III .lss ksy
Thus, all that is required is to regulate your
charges of powder-frst, with reference to the
friability of the surface on which you are re-
quired to act, and secondly, to the resistive
power Of the water above. ii sa .l,ss :a
The mode of proceeding then is having as
certained by sounding the exact spot on which
it is required to act, to sink the charge of pow
der, contained in a tin box or chamber, to which
is attached line of copper wire thoroughly
enclosed, to act as a conductor of the electric
fluid, by the action of which upon piece of
platina wire, the charge is ignited.
At Lachine the rock to be blasted had about
I or s feet af water above it. and the charges
contained l25 lbs. of powder each. The charge
having been sunk from boat, by Mr.. Maiefert
be rowed som SO or GO yards, and applying the
end Of the, wire attached to the charge to
small galvanic battery on board, the explosion
is instantly effected. ,s
We were unprepared for the splendid spec
tacle it produced, which we can compare only to
a waterspont at sea--a gigantic fountain. Of
some 30 feet in diameter at its base. forced to
about $50 feet in height, land tumbIing again
aato the basin with a noise like thunder. The
effect of these explosions are as beneficial below
as they are beautiful above the water and We
know of no discovery likely to be OF more prac-
tieal benefit in improving the navigation of our
splendid river than that of Mr.. Maillefert for
by il is avoided the enormous expense always
attendant upon all suhmarine operations, in the
removal Of boulders or shelves Of rock, by which
Its navigation is greatly endangered.
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Music FOR THE MrLLIoN.-The Washington
Globe says: aFss4$a
The most extraordinary collection of music
~ SApP1Sc, ever Denelu III ILLS country. Uf per
hapsin amy other. is to be sean in the copyright
bureau Of the Department. of State. This selec-
ton y made up of single specimen of each
musical composition which has been issued in
the United States for the passed third of q CEN
Jury Tor which copyright has been secured.
being required by law that . single copy of
each work thus copyrighted shall be deposited
IN the Department Of State The immense mass
-of music which has thus accumulated, has re-
Gently been arranged and neatly and substan
uaily bound. The result is beheld in one hun
urea and twenty thick volsmes-sixty volumes
Of songs, and sixty volumes Of instrumental
muslc-each volume containing at least three
times the qaantity of music usually compre-1
nended IN volumes of the kind, averaging some
.wo Z hundred and Fifty pages ID each volume, Or
'alrsy Thousand pages in the whole averaging |
a.so, more than sixty. pieces in each volume or /
nearly one thousand IN all, and thus making an
aggregate Of mere than three hundred yolumes
o. vocal and instrumental music, Of The size
usually sasa On the piano fortes. $50 |