The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-12-10

banking firm bad the ability to meet such a
storm without Ainching up to the latest advices,
aud that there was no doubt whatever Of their
strength to ego through with flying colors.'
Daring the long-to-be remembered days be-
fore spoken of-viz: from the 10Th to the 18th
November" no bills at all connected with the
American trade, not even the Browns, could be
negotiated st any rate" The names OF Roths-
childs and Barings stood almost alone as a
tower of strength. Indeed, it is supposed that
they rendered more aid to the Bank of England
than hey receired, and that during all this
eventful crisis they have been more truly in
dependent than that monstrous moneyed power,
or even the Government itself.
second attempt was made to launch the
levisthan steamer Great Eastern on the l9th
inst but it proved failure, it being found
impossible to move her. The four hydraulic
presses were brought to bear on the ship with
full force, which failing to start her, all hands
were set to work on the capstans and land
purchases, to heave her off by chains; but
one of the chains gave way, which put an
end to the operations. The effort was not to
regularly launch her, but to move the vessel
some forty feet lower down. Another attempt
will be made, with further improvement in
appliances. The public are now kept in igno-
rance as to the movements of those having the
superintendent OF launching her.
The Union is in the condition of the windy
orator who had nothing to say, and took an hour
to say it in. 1t doesn't wish to be understood
that it justifes the action of the Calhoun Con-
sttutionalists in Withholding their work from
the approval Of the people; it doesn't wish to
be understood as condemning their action,
either; in short, it does not desire to be un-
derstocd as condemning or approving, and
takes world of windy pains to explain that it
means nothing in particular. We understand
the position of that concern very well it is
afraid to offend the Administration By taking a
position that may not meet approval at Wash
ington. 1t is cautious, lest, in taking opposite
ground, it should shock the political reverence
OF Democrats heresbouts for certain principles
and pledges made at Cincinnati renewed in the
Presidents Inaugural, and endorsed by the
Union. Men will wriggle when basted between
two fires, and the UHiOn just now happens to
be In that very uncomfortable predicament.
The Norpich Comm Courier says that the
worst fears in regard 10 the poisonous nature If
the water supplied to portion of that town,
through lead-pipe aqueduct, are confirmed by
a chemical examination by James r Chiffon,
of New York, which shows the presence Of four
grains of lead to gallon of water. The aque-
GHCt mas Deen IN operation more than twenty
five years, aud persons most familiar with the
history of families supplied by it, now remem.
Der many deaths, in which the symptoms were
the same as in those which have lately been
cauaed By this poison. DR.. Chiffon pronounces
the water to be remarkably pure, but its very
purity was the cause of the poison. as impure
water forms a coating of its impurity in The
pipes, so as to neutralize the chemical action
between the water and the lead while the pure
water has none of the properties to counteract
this deadly influence.
The reopening of the New York canals will
probably bring to market more than three
millions of bushels of wheat. By the closing
of the Welland canal, upwards of coo, 900
bushels of wheat, ah ost for the port of Oswego,
were detained from reaching its destination;
while FOR the Canadian port, there were about
10000 in the same predicament On the
Erie canal there were frozen in upward of
1000, 900 bushels of wheat, on its way to tide
wafer; while between the he ad of Lake Mich
! igsn and the port of Buffalo there was on
| board vessels frozen up at the various ports,
and in vessels stranded or lost in the recent gale,
upward Of 100000 bushels of wheat.
Herman Melville lectured before a charity
association at Lawrence, Mass, on Monday Of
last week, and again at Concord the next even
ing. On the 4th instant, he s to speak before
! the Mercantile Library Association Of Boston.
This is the first appearance of the popular au-
thor of " Typee on the lecturing stage.