New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-07-03
AUSTRIA.
SCIENTIFIC MATTERS.

yrs o., o~p Corr,sIcadent
VIENNA, Monday, June IL, 1854
Through Hyrti, the distinguished naturaiir., re-
,eiyed few days since invitation 70 the annyer
ssry Of the Imperial Royal academy Of Sciences
The sitting dOuby interesting from tie fact that
many Of the distinguished scientific members of
the Academy enjoy high Offices IA the state
Most Of the members of the IInperial Cabinet
were present and all tkose connected with the Acad
envy appeared in brilliant uniform, Austrian stars
are no; always Of the rst m.gnitae but have rare
y had an opportunity to witness an assemolsge OF
sncre distinguished men. Minister Bach opened the
sitting with ashort address Bsch was noted revoiu
tionst Ia As and iserward won't over to the Imperial
lists. asked ronng nobievran whoaccompahied NC
how man who bad shown so many inconsistencies
could st stssnd high u Imperial favor ana also
be popular W III the citizens. An, said me- " the
.Deuocrats love him fer ~hat he was In II, ana the
'"Aristocrsts for what he is at the present time
Neither rarty can fne fault with his position" One
of the most interesting addresses OF the occasion was
yivep by.si,er Won Bvimgartner Minister of Finance.
on the Accidents s Science" Among other things
the distinguished naturalist and statesman gave an
excellent snaly u the life and character OF Frank
lin. was not little amused TO hear the story OF
the philosopher and his whistle told with evident ell
fect-cmong the first savans of Europe. Our Govern
snent might learn useful lesson from Austria IN the
wsy OF patronixng men OF distinguished literary
snd scientific attachments. Civilians here receive
their share of Office, but no more. They &C; upon
the principle that the State can be served by
men Of any of the learned professions and hence we
do net find proessed politicians in the enjoyment Of
nine tenth. Of the honOrs and emoluments bestowed
by tie Government / have everywhere in Europe
been struck with the inferior character of pabc speak
ing in comparison with our own 1t is rarely that one
has an opportunity to listen to really eloquent man.
In the House Of Lords and Commons, before the En-
lisb juries and in all the assemblages have seen on
the continent the same style of Oratory prevails
The English speakers polish their sentences with
the greatest care but their delyerys generally want
ing in energy. 1t could hardly be expected to ''nd
good speakers in Austria were no publicity exists
We have here no public lectures, no mass meetings
no trials by jury and pleas before magistrates and
Judges The stump, the first product OF American IN
dustry is unknown to the Austrians. Everything is
done in writing. Even the congratuatory addresses
ORE scented TO the Emperor the occasion OF bis mar
rage and the replies of His Majesty were generally
limited 10 ten or twelve words. Hence 1t is that the
lectures Of the distinguished University professors in
Germany, as well the themes OF the student, are
read in manner that would conound and disgust the
rTeenest freshman of a New-YOrk College IL may be
that their halls re constructed after the same acoustic
principles ar the one described by Yankee III New
OIleans where the speaker Obliged oread his adj
dress week before the time OF meeting, So as TO ena
bic the sounds of his voice to be properly reected at
least one can rarely understand German or English
speaker at the distance Of thirty feet
At the meeting of the Imperial Academy the nd
dresses had their usual sOpOriic effect. The Minister
of War slept sOuDdly, and Count Ficquelmont dezed
asmost of the Geman politicians have over his brochure
on the Oriental question.
Notwithstanding the parade of Imperial Academies,
and the encouragement extended TO scientific men IN
Germany there are far fewer discoveries made here
than in the United States Whatever is introduced IN
the way of mechanics is generally the imitation OF an
American model. am glad to learn that great many
agricultural Instruments sold this III vienna
1t is to be hoped that the trade in that line will be m
creased after the completion of the railway from FRI
este to the Austrian capital. The DanubIan steam
Company is now building vessels after American mod
els The eastern telegraph has been extended 10 VI
sova and Hermansadt but it only last week that
the connection was established between Vienna and
Warsaw Dispatches can now be transmitted from
the Austrian capital te ST. Petersburg, and 1t would be
a lasting glory to the Emperor OF Russia 10 apply 'he
tenth part of the expenses of his present scheme OF
eonouest to the extension OF the teegraphlc line
through his European and AIatic possessions around
10 the Pacific cities of America. Notwithstanding the
plains oil Siberia, that is inc nos' P,acucoe 'ou,c
Owing to the heavy expenses and the alarming de-
fcits of the treasury, but little is being done in
Austria in extending the old railway lines commenc
ing new operations of that Kind. The railroad over
the S6mmering chain between here and Trieste has
Just been completed and will be described in future
letter. Ii is said 10 be OF the most stupendous
terprises of the age. At point the track is laid
5000 feet above the level of the sea. No stationary
engines are used in ascending or descending. Not only
do l find the Germans inferior to our countryinen in
mechanics and the useful arts, but also in many de.
partments of science and the fine arts. The most dis
tinguished naturalist in Germany told me few days
ago that the geology and natural history of NcwYOrk
was better understood than that of any other region
the globe. l may mention in connection with the
Academy that according to thesis lately read by the
astronomer LitrOw, the orbits of the Asteroids,
the inhabitants of our earth may at distant period
be able TO witness conclusion union of two or
more of those little planets overweight now dscev
ered) revolving between Mars and Jupiter.