Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-03-06
The News.

". ilhh. ADouL Ino I4Ll OF Decetn Dor, 1904,
the steamboat Western World, while descend
Ing the Miss ssiDpi. few miles above Vicks-
burg, came in collision with the II. z. W.
Hill and was So badly injured as to sink almost
instantly. Some 20 or 30 persons on board Of
her were drowned, and the boat herself and
nearly ali her cargo were lost. This snit was
brought to recover damages sustained by the
lebellant. The decision was IN favor of Nor
ton-the amount of damages to be fixed as
soon as the commissioner in admiralty reports
the same.
The New York Day Book says: "The cost
of the Central Park is.over five millions idol
lars. The annual interest on this sum, at
per cent, $350000. The total cost of the
Park when properly laid on and ornamen;ed.
will not be less than ten millions of dollars.
The property owners assessed for benefit nav
in the first instance, for the park, about 81,
100000, the animal interest on which sum, at
per cent, is $4,000. This tax is imposed
ON property (mostly unimproved) in extent
not much greater than twice the area of the
park.
We have been struck with that passage of
Lieut.. Maury's physical Geography of the
Sea" ia which he computes the effect of a sin
gle inch of rain falling upon the Atlantic
ocean. The Atlantic includes an area Of
twenty five millions of square miles. Suppose
an inch of rain to fall upon only one-tifth of
his vast expanse. 1t would weigh, says our
author, three hundred and sixty thousand
millions of TONS and the salt which, as water
it held in solution 10 the sea, and which. when
the water was taken up as vapor, was left be-
hind TO disturb equilibrium, weighed sixteen
millions more tons, or nearly twice as much as
all the ships in the world could carry at u car
20 EACH Il might fall in q day; but occupy
what time it might in falling, this rain is calcu
lated to exert so much fnrce-which is incun-
conceivably great-in disturbing the equlihri-
um of the ocean. If all the waters discharged
by the Mississippi river during the year were
taken mp in one mighty measure and cast into
the ocean at one effort, 1t would not make a
greater disturbance in the equilibrium of the
sea than would the fall of rain supposed.
"And yet so gentle are the operations Ofnature
that movements 80 vast are unperceived."
We find in European papers mention of an
improved mortar, the invention of one ThOs.
Dunn, a statoner in Glasgow. The peculiar
iGy of the invention consists in the material
employed, which is principally charcoal iron
wire rolled fiat, and coiled with perfect close
ness and mathematical exactness round an in
ner ease gun, which can be made of either
cast or other metal. Ordinary maeable iron
is found in practice to have three times the
cohesive power Of cast iron, but this charcoal
wire is twice the strength of maesble IRON
and consequently six times the strength of cast
iron.
A monumental epidemic seems to be prevail
ing in New Orleans. Since the erection of
the Jackson Equestrian Statue in Jackson
Place, on the 9th ult., large and enthusiastic
meetings have been held to take steps TO have
like honors paid to Washington and Clay. The
first citizens of New Orleans participated in
these meetings.
Tie Oregon and California papers are filed
with accounts Of the so-caled Indian war, but
they consist chiefly of extravagant estimates
of the Indian strength aud of specuations as
to what the Indians may do when spring opens
Reports of Indian atrocities are also published,
but We notice remarkable want OF details or
specific facts in these reports. No doubt the
jealousies of the Indians have been aroused by
the encroachments of the whites and it is
their nature to seek revenge for real or tancied
wrongs, but we fear the whites are most fire.
quently the aggressors, and that the present
Indian war in Oregon is stimulated as much
by desire TO get rid Of the dangerous neigh
borhood of the Indians, as 1t is by tire neces-
sity of furnishing them for Outrages which they
have perpetrated.
Col. Fremont has at length got his Mariposa
estate fully confirmed TO him, and if he can
succeed in taking possession of it, may be re-
garded as one of the richest men living. The
patent was signed by the President last week,
and delivered by him at the White House Ia
Col. Fremont in person. Patents are now gen
orally signed by the Private SeGtretary OF the
President, who is thereunto authorized by an
act OF Congress- but Gen. Pierce signed this
one with his own hand. The instrument Is
engrossed upon parchment, and covers twelve
shtets, including on a large sheet of parch-
ment, finely executed map of las Mariposas
~ surveyed by the United States Surveyor
General The tract is upwards of seventy
square miles in extent, and is situated about
two hundred and twenty-five miles FROM San
Francisco in an easterly direction. Ii embra
ces the town of Mariposas containing from
three TO four Thousand inhabitants, and mum
Der of other small towns aud settlements and
it is estimated that there are upwards Of IF
teen thousand people now on the estate.
According TO letters received in Boston,
from Port An Prince, the reason assigned for
the pusillanimity exhibited by the Haytiem
soldiers, in the recent battle, is the unoopularlty
of the war, which is viewed by the people as
bat an ambitious scheme of the Emperor. They
are said to be weary of the excessive taxation
10 which they have been subjected, To furnish
means for the war, aud are also opposed TO the
constant drain OF the population for soldiers.
The accounts Of the battle are supposed To be
exaggerated.
We learn that the forthcoming work Of
Dr. Elisha X. Kane, comprising narrative OF
his late voyage and discoveries, will consist OF
two large octave volumes of nine hundred pa
ges, embracing some three hundred pictorial
Illustrations and three excellent maps. The
Government of the United States manifested Il
generous and commendab!e liberalty with re-
spect to others who have essayed enterprises
of like character; but il appears from first 10
last 10 have been sn essential element ~ the
aspirations of DIR. Kane TO constantly realize \
position of independence aud almost self sus-
tanning effort. IL has been wisely said that
"the love OF fame is an honorable impulse
and the keenest siimulant 10 great exerlions,
and We are sure that we err not IN regarding
the noble achievements of DR.. Kane rs a hap
py illustration Of this truth. The fame that
lie has acquired will rest upon his country,
while the contributions lac has made Ia sceuce
will result IN perpetual and benignaut intuen-
COS upon tie world. His genius conceived
and his persistent energy and unyielding cour.
age executed The grand enterprise that has woH
for lin the graf itude OF Isis country, however
family expressed thus far, aud tie admiration
of the world, which has been formally avowei
by nj least one nation OF Europe, and that the
greatest of naratime nations, and one whose
competition with us 10 the discoveries OF the
ago has been such 81 sometimes To provoke the
81 accusation of a reluctance to acknowledge the
deserts of American navigstors and discoveries.
The National IEtelligenoer Of the 18th says,
on Friday last a mau named Daniel &. Emery,
aAs arrested nc Boston who is said 10 be one
of the most expert forgers in the country since
line death Of Mnnroe Edwards. lie IS ncensed.