Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-30
ITEMS OF NEWS.

SUNDERLAND, VI, "Wednesday. Arg. %, 1854
We are having very hot and dry weather. There
has not been so severe..a drought known for many
years. 1t has rained but once for three months,
and then only slight shower, lasting about twenty
minutes-just enough 10 lay the dust. The
drought effects the crops most seriously. Potatoes
will be just nothing at all, and other vegetables
will suffer nearly in proportion. II makes the
farmers look quite discouraged, and they feel
bad as they look.
The large mountain on the east Of us is on fire.
1t has been burning about five weeks, and has
burnt over about 400 acres Of valuable timber
land, and will be a very great loss TO the owners.
The sight from my window Of the tall and thick
forests all wrapped in light blaze, is one Of gran
deur never before beheld.
The conlagrarion is supposed TO have been set
by some young men who went on tho mountain
for a frolic and built a small FIRE TO drive away the
mosquitoes-but nothing certain is known. We
have much fear that unless a heavy rain occurs
soon, the fire will work its way down into the sur
rounding villages and cause still more terrible de-
struction- Boston Transcript, AHg. &C.
The PARIS correspondent Of the Cincinnati Ga
zette says hat Lamarne is, at this moment, wri-
ting and putting through the press, in the columns
OF the Steele and ConStitNtionneL three works OF
great value: A History Of the Constituent Assem-
bly, Revolution Of 1859 y History Of Milton and
History OF Boussuet. He is almost constantly occu.
pied upon the works, and gives them to the press
with rapidly that would seem to indicate that he
fears hi. life may be too short to build up great
n reputation az he desires. He relares only from
his literary lnbors 10 receive limited number Of
visitors, at stated hours, to promenade night and
morning in the large garden in the rear Of his
house, in the rue La Vile L'Eveque, and 10 take
an occasional airing in his carriage. He has
grown much thinner and paler than formerly, and
is, more or less, constantly harrsssed by chronic
rheumatism. His brain is evidently outworking
his physical forces.
Novrr. ScENE,-The ex-postmasier Of Boston is
in Germany. He sends home an account Of
dinner 10 railway Congress, al which locomo.
tive appeared upon the table, to which was at.
tached a train loaded with dishes of the choicest
and most solid food. The succulent train ad.
vanced slowly, in imitation Of tho passenger trains
upon all German roads. Aner having made the
tour without stopping, in order TO give view Of
the good things with which it was freigbted, the
train again started, making a station in front Of
each guest, and permitting him to fill his plate
according 10 his appetite and fancy. The trans
followed each CHER in constant succession for
two or three hours, departing each time well
loaded with comestibes, and always returning
empty to the depot. This is just the thing for an
American eating table, where the fashion is, &C
cordinc TO English authority, to gulp everything
with railroad speed.
THE YACHT FLEET OF GREAT BRTTAN.--The
eleven principle yacht clubs at Great Britain COM
prise, as we learn from the New York Spirit ofths
Times, 62l beautiful vessels, and employ some
4,400 of the finest seamen In the world These
yachts posses an aggregate tonnage of Is, 25o and
garry 1870 guns, The guns are principally Of
brass, from two 10 nine Founders. All the yacni,
are provided. also, with small arms Of every de-
scription, and the crews, in most cases are in.
structed In the use Of them. The cost oftbe ee-
CANT amusement Of yachting is, Of course, enor-