Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-11-03
A Rich Scene In the Circus

forming at the neghborlng town. few miles distant,
which, as they say about railroad accidents and steam
boat explosions, "beggars description Those of our
readers who have attended the circus will recolleet
having seen amusing masquerade enacted in which
the only characters the ring master and of
the performers the latter making his appearance in
ragged and uncouth apparel and apparently severely
afflicted with ardent spirits e. insisting upon the prlvl-
lege Of taking ride The ring. g.master demonstrates
as the piece goes) and insists upon the inebriated
individual leaving the ring, but finally compromises
with him, and he is allowed TO mount and try his
horsemanship. After playing the "drunk' while,
he suddenly throws off his rags,and is metamophosed
into Indian padding his canoe, and then to king,
etc, until he goes through his series of characters
This much by way of explanation now TO tale,
which, by the way, is true in every particular.
On the occasion referred TO, the drunken man ap-
peared in the ring. and expressed desire to ride the
ring gmaser remonstrated and the two were likely to
have serious difficulty AT this juncture the High
Sheriff of the county. who was among the spectators
fearful that the performance In which he seemed in
tensely interested; about to be interrupted, and
being valorous and efficient officer, ready to
throw himself into the breach when the peace
threatened, appeared in the ring in the discharge of
what he conceived to be a solemn duty. He laid his
official hands upon the intruder, he. in his
phistcated heart supposed the performer, and in dig
nfed but firm language ordered him 10 ''vamose the
lanch." 10 this the actor of course demurred, but
the Sheriff was not to be trihed with He was dis.
charging solemn duty, and that too with the eyes
of thousand or two of his constituents fastened up
on him He not the man to finch under any
circumstances, much less such these With be-
coming promptness, therefore, he laid violent hands
upon the dsturber OF the performance, with the view
of submitting him to summary ejectment. But,
unfortunately, the arm of the law, however valantly
supported, is not always the strongest. Mr.. Sheriff
was surprised that he should fail in handling
drunken man; but it The man was too
much for him, and again and again, he renewed
the attack, he came to horizontal position, with
sawdust for pillow. During this time the condition
of the large audience "can be better imagined than
described" We told such convulsions of laugh
ter were never witnessed before. The noise and din
could have been heard nearly far as a powder
house explosion But our friend, the Sheriff. as we
before said was determined man, and he resolved
to try the last eXpedent. Finding his raggedly clad
customer most too good wrestler, he turned to the
audience and by virtue of his official function, he at
once commenced summoning posse so his aid At
ter he had enlisted about dozen able bodied men,
and everything ready for attack, the ring
master explained to him that his services would not
be further required; he had enacted his part admra-
bly,, and al any further time he would not hesitate 10
give him re-engagement in short, that the suppos
ed intruder bona fde ACTOR, and the "drunk"
was only put on.
Our friend, the Sheriff, was sold-lock, stock and
barrel-and the suddenness with which he disappear
ed from the crowd amusing. The balance of
the performance stale the cream had been ta-
ken and left only the skim-mik
out the ring master and offered him an apology for
nterruptng his performance, protesting that he did
il with the best Intentions, and under total misap-
prehenson of the state of of the The ringmas-
ter assured the Sheriff there harm done that
he had noticed him (the Sheriff. in the crowd, and
had directed the actor to get oclose to him rightly
judging that he was the only green enough in
the audience to bite at stale bait.
Iron ships.
4 discussion recently took place before the British
Scientific Association, which is of much Importance
to ship builders. 1t will be recolected that accor-
ding the statement of persons board of the lost
steamer " City of Philadelphia which built of
iron the Captain of that ll-fated vessel, from the
hour of its departure from Liverpool, knew no peace
but was filled with constant anxiety account of
the very material variation of the different compass
ses on board and the consequent uncertainty of his
precise whereabouts upon the ocean, excepting at
such moments observations could be taken Care
full examinations, which have been made by Dr.
Scoresby, and other scientific men, tend to show
that such variations nearly unavoidable on board
of iron vessels that when azimuth compasses, or
masthead COmpasses used: there is safety what
soever and that even with both of these together ;
observations cannot be too often, too close care
used in navigation.
/ In consequence of the immense amount of capital
invested by London merchants in iron built ships,
every attempt was made 10 invalidate the testimony
of Dr. Scoresby and his friends, but these efforts on
ly tended to bring forth in stronger light the fact
that particularly in certain ATTITUDES and under
tain conditions of the vessel ITSELF such variations
will unavodably take place that sometimes out of
many compasses on board of iron ships, two will
be found to agree.
The remedies and means of safety which were sug-
gested BY the Association were, said before the
use of Azlmuth compasses, and compasses at the
mast head-thus being removed as far possible
above the material of which the vessel is built. Even
these precautions, however, not deemed suffi-
clent and it was recommended that day and night
observations should be made with far greater fre-
quency than would be requisite board of ordinary
ships. How certainty can be procured that ves-
sci is the right in foggy weather, or when
cloudy sky continued storms preclude the posi-
bty of taking observations does not appear to have
been pointed out. Capt. Leitch, of the 'City Of
Philadelphia aware of the variation of his compass
ses. took observations of the sun each day from the
time he left Liverpool, until t preceding the diSaSte,
f off Cape Race.
On that day the weather was too foggy to admi
it, and Notwithstanding every precaution that ex
S perienced navigator and cautious sailor coult
take, he lost the right direction his ship wreck
ed and but for series of fortunate occurrences a.
many or more passengers mig ght have perished w
have since had to deplore in the Arctic.
The increase in the proportion of iron to timbe
vessels, has not been great in this country il
2 Europe. In England the number ofiron ships an
steamers has been increasing from year 10 year. un
til the question of their relative safety is one affecting
e immense monied interests. That they can be mad
safe and that precautions be used to render then
secure from danger other vessels we have n
doubt and it is fortunate that attention has bee
drawn to the and that those possessing tn
their attention in direction which may avert grea
loss of life and property:
S N, Y. Journal Of Commerce.
THE Coal TRADE SUsPENDED-The coal opera
= tors in Schuylkill county have combined and SUI
. . pended the shipment of COAL alleging as an excus