The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-01-08

Gatholic Churches.
p,Poy HUMBoLDT.-In connection with an extract
I'm = letter of an American, dated at Berlin. which
anblished last week, the following paragraph
s S a foreign paper respecting the age Of Baron
unmboldt, will be interesting to our readers. Truly
= he a wonderful man
g Baron Humboldt attained his 87th birthday on
Sunday, the 18th inst, CSept. j which he passed in
quiet retirement 1t will be gratifying to the many
admirers of the Nestor of Science in England, to
hear that he finds 1t ~eXpedient to withdraw some
what from the more noisy exhibitions of society; he
remains intellectually fresh and vigorous in the en-
ioyment of his hOnOred green old age
CONSPIRACY To AssAssINATE THE EMPEROR NAPo-
LEoN.-The following is from the letter from the Paris
correspondent of the London Times, dated Wednes-
day, the 18th -"EThere was an unusual stir last
night at the Prefecture of Police and the prison of
Mazas, owing to the arrest of about thirty persons
bcloning to a secret society. This society, composed
Of rev0lutionists of the most violent and dangerous
kind, held a meeting yesterday, at which it is said
that it was decided to assassinate the Emperor on his
return from Biarritz. [ understand that the police
know ali the members of this society, most of whom
arc old members of Marianne, i~nhabiting the 9th,
eth and Sth ACCOMPLISHMENTS of Paris. The majority of
them are artizans.''
INTERESTING To SEAMEN-A New PLAN FOR REEF
ING ToPsMLs.-Mr. Boss, of New York, has recently
secured a patent for reducing and reefng topsails.
The plan is very simple. Four legs, or a crows foot,
are spread along the foot of the sail and secured to
] it, two on each side of amidships, and are sewed to
the sail up to the closc-recf band, where they termi-
nate in eyes. To these eyes four ropes are bent,
which reve through flirleaders on the yard, and
thence through blocks, at the masthead, to the deck.
When the sail is required to be reefed, these ropes
are hauled taut, the topsail halliards let go, and the
sail is brought bodily up to the yard and confined
there. The slack of the reef-tackles is then hauled in;
and the sail Is almost as snug as if it were close
rccfed. The work of hauling out the earrings, and
knotting the points is then comparatively easy.
This plan, it is thought, will soon do away with
double topsail yards. Mr.. B.. T. Martin is now in
Boston, fitting the sails of four ships with this plan.
The death of Sir John Ross is announced in the
Liverpool Post of the 18th inst. This gallant Arctic
vOyagcr entered the navy as far back as 1876, and
during the late war was constantly engaged actively.
His most important services were rendered in the
Arctic regions, where, in 1918, he proceeded along
with Sir w. f. Parry. In the Driuer he proceeded
for the purpose of exploring Bafin's Bay, and in
Tuiring into the possibility of a Northwest passage.
The results of his Investigations arc detailed by Capt.
Ross, III his Voyage of Discovery published in
1918. He was afterwards, from May, 1929, until
October, 1883, employed in the Victory steamer, on
a fresh expedition to the Arctic regions, equipped at
the expense of the present Sir Felix Booth. He re-
ceived the honor of knighthood, together with the
Companionship of the Bath, Dec. "a, 1884. On
March 8, 1889, he was appointed Consul at Stock
holm, where he remained several years. During the
war, Sir John Ross, in three different actions, was
thirteen times wounded. He had been honOred with
election as knight in several foreign orders, and was
the author Of two or three works on navigation, &c.
Musical ENGINE.-The midday train from Wor-
cester to Providence, was lately accompanied by the
music of Godiard's steam Calliope Whistle, and
created a great sensation along the line of the road
and at Providence, according to the Providence Tran
script. The machine was s or 10 feet in length, and
was carried on a separate car, an extra engine being
furnished to supply it with steam. ItwOrked admira-
bly,, and played several popular airs to a great crowd
of listeners in Providence.
The old traditions are, that the rose sprang from
the blood Of Adonis--that it was white and scentless
till Venus trod upon one of its thorns, and, with hel
- bleed, gave it cnler and scent. There is a pOetica
tradition, that Cupid gave color to the "blush rose, ,
10y holding it to Psyche's cheek. The fanciful origin
of the rose, as given by Maundeville, is, that Islander
had brought a fair maiden of Bethlehem to the stake
and that at her prayer Heaven quenched the fire, anC
turned all the brands into rOse-trees, bearing Whit
and red roses, the first that ever any man saughe.'
An immense crowd (says Galignani's Messenger
was assembled on Tuesday afternoon, on the bridge
and quays of the Seine, to witness the movements o
a welldressed man who was walking on the river
between Pont du CarouSal and the lock OF the Mint
apparently with the greatest ease. lie had each foo
in Il small triangular box, securely fastened will
straps round his legs, and in his hands he carried
long balancing pole, similar to those used by rope
dancers, except that at each end was attached a larg
inflated bladder. When getting off his balance, h
dipped the end of the pole, and the resistance cause
by the bladder touching the water, restored him t
his equilibrium.
There is nothing in the world say
AIR. Russell, the London Times correspondent, elk
Moscow but itself. Perha. s some of those vas
Chinese cities in the interior of the Flowery Kingdom
of whose extent and population one hears such wOnd
rous stories, may resemble the enormous metropolis
which, with miraculous patience, perseverance, an
ceIC1ltN. IL 1oSlll u SlSCtCus III he lutu III
n century, on the ruins and amid the ashes. of thei
ancient capital. When the blackened and shattere
walls of the Kremlin, a few stone houses, and tn
shells of deserated churches were all that was left
Moscow, the popular will, guided by the Car an
the nobility, resolved that a flirer and q nobler cit
should spring up in the midst of the waste, on tn
identical spot where Napoleon imagined he had struc
Russia to the heart, And thus, with loftier spire
and ampler cupolas, in larger proportions and MOI
profuse elaboration, churches, palaces, royal an
princely mansions-this miraculous capital, the Ger
ter of the Russians faith, of his history, again stoo
ON the plain of Moska. Following their instinct an
their national characteristics, they scarcely sought
improve on the ways of their ancestors, and the form
and directions of the old streets were preserved almo
intact so that the tortuous Tartar thoroughflres a.
still visible in their type in the best quarters of Il
new city. All the eccentricities of byzantine arch
lecture are here developed and varied with tradition
airy skill. The wild Tartars, who could not perpetl
ate their faith, have given, at least to the church
Russia, some outward and visible signs of their rel
gion, and the mosque and the Greek chapel are he
present, as it were, in perpetual silent conflict
THE WHALER w. F.. STAFFORD IN Cork HARBoR.-
Captain ROys' Whale Shooter.-Among the hume
Gus arrivals to our harbor from all parts of the worl
it is seldom that the flag of an American whalesh
floats opposite Queenstown. A whale-fshing bri