Washington sentinel., 1854-01-11
FOREIGN MISCELLANY.

NEW MODE OF RAILWAY SIGNALS.-An at
tempt has recently been made to devise set
of railway signals, by means of electricity,
which shall have the effectof diminishing, if not
entirely preventing, all future collisions on
railways. The plan, which is the invention of
a Mr. Tyers, is based on the principle of cleo
tro-magnetsm, and does not differ much in its
proposed to place-say at the distance of
mile from each station-a piece Of metal sup
ported on frame of wood the frame construct
ed on the principle Of an inclined plane. These
pieces of metal, placed on both sides of the
line, and exactly opposite each other, act as
the two poles of magnetism, to be connected
together by spring placed at the bottom part
Of the engine frame, and connected with an
electromagnetic on the engine itself
Supposing these metal plates to be connected
by wire with machine at the station, the
the station-master can set the machine at his
pleasure either at the point of "all right or
STOP" If the latter signal be made, the en-
gine, by passing over the two metal plates,
connects the two poles together, and moves the
magnet on the engine, which in its turn will
ring bell by the side of the engineer, and
may be made to blow the steam whistle, or
even to shut off the steam altogether; in any
case allowing the engineer plenty Of time to
struction. There is another invention by the
same ingenious machinist, which enables the
engine-driver Of a train to communicate with
the station before he comes to it, and again
some distance after he has left it. This is ef
fected by the same set Of wires which we have
already described, and which are, in this case
connected with what is called "spring tred-
de-" placed SO close to the rails that the fange
of every wheel in a train must press against it.
The pressure gives birth to an electrical cur
rent that acts upon bell at the station, caus
ing it to continue ringing as long as the train
may be passing over it. The same process is
accomplished on the departure from the sta
tion-say mile beyond it, or at whatever dis
tance they may be placed-so that the station
master will always be apprised of the number
of trains in the neighborhood of his station,
and need never allow the one to come on till
the other has got fairly clear. The latter part
of the invention, we understand has been in
use for the last seven months on the Eastern
Counties Railway,,and where, in its practical
working, it has given great satisfaction. n
London Morning Chronicle.
Nor TO be Twice CAUGHT.-The canvasser
of Glasgow newspaper remarkable for its
strait-laced adherence of all public amuse-
ments, concerts, &C., lately called upon re-
spectacle firm here, and obtained an order to
insert the advertisement of the Italian opera,
soon to be performed in this city but when it
appeared next day the editor was very wroth
with his canvasser for having polluted the
columns Of his journal with such profane
announcement. A few days after the canvasser
called upon an extensive bibliopole for some
advertisements, which appeared in q contem-
porary. Amongst the notices was one of
Horace's works" Opera Horatii." The word
opera caught the eye Of the astute solicitor,
who at once objected to receiving it, saying that
he had recently got an angryrebuke for inserting
I" one of thae sinfu' fddling, skirling adver-
easements" It was in vain that the worthy
publisher assured him it was the title of
book, and not musical performance. He had
not forgotten the scolding he had got, and went
away, respectfully declining to have the CO
defled in future by any sic sinful skirling ad-
verteesements." North British Daily Mai.
PUTTING HER FooT IN IT.--There was
grand ball lately at the Atheneum, Sunderland,
when all the youth, beauty, and fashion of the
district were gathered together. In the midst
of the amusements Of the night, when the gen.
eral enjoyment was at its highest, rude lump
of plaster fell from the ceiling on the head of
young lady, who was playing the light fan
tastic toe to the music Of the Post horn
galop.p A screams swoon---a removal from
the amarble halls" threw the company into
CONSERVATION; which, subsiding into curiosity,
the spectators looked up and beheld q ladys
legdangling down below the ceiling "All hands
aloft was the cry, and soon it was discovered
that sundry servant maids, coveting sight Of
the ball, had scaled the heights TO- crafty their
ting her foot In IT, made the awkward exhibi.
ton alluded to. She was extracted from her
predicament but little worse for the display Of
hers fantastic toe" Nottingham Reyie,p
NoRwEcIAN TBApE.--fhe scarcity Of Nor