Washington sentinel., 1854-04-26
6ensral yntelligenee.

Important Discovery Great guns, boalets
| asphyrianfs, liquid fire, Paxhan's and Warmers
| ong-rangers, and other humane contrivances for
shortening life and the duration of war, being in
| great repute Just now, we give the following in
| teresting communication from writer in Paris
describing the application of an important French
invention to naval warfare:
"The great invention of the day, the submarine
navigation of DR.. Payerne, is about TO be put in
practice at Cherbourg, the company purchasing
the invention having volunteered 10 cleanse that
harbor free of expense to the government. The
secret consists in the discovery OF means where
by artificial air may be produced in sufficient guam
tty TO enable crew of fourteen men to breathe
freely beneath the water for the space OF four
hours A curious experiment has been already
made at Marseilles, where DR.. Payerne in COM
pany with three sailors, went 10 the bottom, in the
presence of hundreds of spectators and rose at
considerable distance and climbed the portfolios
Of a n-of-war without being perceived by the
crew. Many experiments are about TO be tried OF
the efficacy of this novel means of attack. sub
marine fleet Of small boats, each to contain crew
of twenty men, is already talked OF as being about
| to be organized for the Black 1t seems that
| no intmation whatever is given, by the slightest
| ruifle on the surface, of the approach of one of
these vessels The apparatus invented by DR..
] Payerne enables the wearer moreover. TO move
1 about with perfect ease at the bottom OF the sea-
and great anticipatioRs are formed of the immense
| benefit 10 be derived in submarine history from the
| adoption of this new mehed OF becoming ac-
| quainted with the hitherto unknown mystery Of
| the ocean. However, il is not bad reflection on
| the spirit of the age in which we live 10 remark
that the first application of this tremendous power
which should take rank with the electric telegraph
| as proof of the wondrous perseverance and inge
| nuty of man, has been made use of for the sup
| ply Of oysters from Granville for the hatics of
| Paris."-Eventng Post
Serious Fight between students and Fire
men In Cambridge.-About eleven o'clock, last
night, an alarm of fire was sounded in Old Cam
bridge, in consequence of the partial burning of a
small old barn on North avenue, above the col
| leges. As we are informed, a volunteer fire com
pany, composed principally of elderly citizens, first
turned out and on their way to the fire received
some insults from party Of students, but of which
they thought proper TO take no notice. Soon after,
as Hydrant Company No. a, of Cambridgeport,
were approaching the fire, they likewise were in
suited by company of about twenty-five students,
who, upon remonstrance heing made by one of the
firemen, added TO their misconduct by throwing
dirt and whatever light missiles were at hand
A general fight now commenced, during which
one or two pistols and several knives were drawn
by the Students But we do not learn that any per
son is known to have been injured directly by the
weapons The fremen also defended themselves
with their ssspanners" and so violent was the con-
test that Mayor Edwards came upon the ground
and attempted 10 read the ~ riot act" but was
forced TO desist.
During the melee, Captain Thomas S. Stevens,
foreman of No. a, and L. II. Raymond, member
of the same company, received some severe
wounds upon the face. We believe none oil the
students were seriously hurt
The afiray lasted about half hour, but was
finally quelled by the aid of the engineers, police,
and citizens. We learn that several arrests are
TO be made--Boston Transcript
A Russian Prince.-In the Transcript Of last
evening, noticed statement that Prince Dem
idof promises to contribute 100000 per annnm
TO the expenses of the Russian war as long as II
lasts y and send herewith an extract OF late let
ter from friend who has been for more than
year past in Florence, concerningthis same prince,
who il would appear, cannot pay his debts
IL Demidoff is a specimen of the mobiles who
have promised their support, think the Car will
not have much to be thankful for! BosToN
FLORENCE March 13, 1s54.-DemidofF' palace
and grounds here are said to surpass any regal
residence, which is rather queer; for, within few
days the principal Italian banker here (not IenzD
has failed for some millions, and Il has been caused
they say, by Demidof who owes the banker eighty
thousand dollars, besides owing nearly everybody
else in Florence. Is not this strange! They say
he never pays any one until sued and insulted
He was going of for Russia in great hurry some
days ago, but this affair retains him..
Boston Transcript.
Paixhan Guns.-In long letter TO the Paris
Wonfteur General Paixhan states that the Rus
SLAMS, in their attack upon Sinope used chiefly the
guns which bear his name, and that the Turkish
frigates were armed only with ordinary 54-pound-
ers. He dsaproves Of the huge three -deckers and
towering line.ofbattle ships of the French and
English navy, like the Napoleon, (Which, by the
way, has been sent back Toulon, an utter fail.
ure) and gives decided preference to frigates
and sngle.deckcd ships, armed with guns of great
calbre. The vast double or treble-decked ships,
he says, will suffer more under fire, and do less
pn In their aptQ m q
armaments than the frigatebuilt ships indepen-
dent of their greater cost and that few well |
managed guns of large size will be generally de-
cisvc in any future naval action.
Flies" My dear fellow said Beau Il
TO waiter in hotel, I" have respect for flies |
indeed, may say am fond of flies, but like TO |
have them and my milk in separate glasses; they |
mix SO much better, when you have control of both
ingredients