The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-12-05

FIRES IN THE MONTH NovKxBER--Fires were very de-
sructive in the United States last month. There ~
in which the loss exceeded $4,000 the total amounting
to S24450oo The principal follows: In SYRIA
cuse 100000; St. Louis, 100000; New York city,
$550ooo.
NEw OPERA AT THE AcADEMY.-Before Madame Lagrange
closes her engagements says the New York Commercial
Advetse and takes fight with the rest of the troupe for
Havana, to have few performances of Yerds
opera La Traviata. This opera said have had the
most brilliant in Europe and win probably make
a sensation in musical circles here.
SEIZURE OF sLAvKR-The barque Susan Jane, (says
the New York Express of the I'd nst) which arrived at
this port this forenoon from Loando coast Of Africa
September az reports having left at that port schooner
Flying Eagle from New York waiting United States
seowa she having been seized by the Portuguese gov
eminent for having slave cargo on board and the pay
ment Of cargo of slaves landed in Cuba by another
vessel.
The WAY IT woRKs-The wire. to be used for the Amer-
and European teegraphs got up principles
Instead Of being solid they constructed OF bundles Of
smaller WIRE twisted into strands which plated around
the insulated conducting in the usual Al
though th Improvement may but slight it is of in
caculabe advantage and gives both lighness and feni
biity the cable One great difficulty Of the old cables
enyeoped in solid iron was that in paying OUT 1t
useless This trouble is obvated by the Atlantic
BILE which flexible that it be tied intoa knot with
damsge tn the conducting wire and is so light and
even that 1t win off the reel as harpoon-lne.
Dr. KAsK-we regret to state (ssys the New York
Journal of Commerce) that letters from London by the
last bring the most discouragng accounts of the
health Of the brave Arctic navigator He Is very pale
much reduced in hesh-snd bis night cwess terrible
His cough also is alarming His physician had eened
him to leave for climate possible and
be accordingly to sail Monday, the nth November
for St Thomas and Havana
MSSEsorL-Gov. German in his message TO the MIN
nesota legislature last winter stated the population Of the
Territory Of 00o0 shown by the taken In the
summer previous. AT the opening OF navigation In the
spring it estimated at 100000 and now near the close
Of navigation 1t is set down by St. Paul paper 2oo
O00 At the present of increase Minnesota will have
population Of at least half a million in 1860.
Powm or CAR BRlKEs-Brakes cannot stop train OF
cars instantly II applied too tightly they clock the
wheels but they prevent the whse from slipping along on
smooth track At speed Of six miles per hour train
win slide nine feet a, twenty miles hundred feet and
speed Of sixty miles per hour train will slide in or
binary condition Of the track distance Of nine hundred
feet one-sirth OF nile In spite OF all that the
brakes Of drags under the wheels could do
to preventit
MISSIONARIES ron ArncA.-Mr d. W. Burton and wife,
and Mr. NJ Msr and WIFE, OF the American Missionary As
ISOLATION and Rev. D. X. Flickinger DR.. W. B. Witt and
Rev. Mr. Billheimer Of the Board Of Missions Of the
United Brethren in Christ sailed from New York on Mon
day December i for Freetown Sierra Leone in The ship
Thomas Watson
Mr. Burton, Mr. Mair and their wives win Join the Men
d Mission, West Africa The others win remain at Free
town until they can make location interior