, 1858-10-22
News Items.


New RIFLE CANNoN.-The Government
has been trying the rifle cannon of Mr.
Sawyer Of Fitchburg, Mass. 1t is said
that, at one mile, the body Of an ordinary
sized tree would not be missed once in fifty
times, so exact are its line shots. Mr..
Sawyer superintends the firing in person,
and, in seventeen shots, at a distance of
one mile, the furthest was not over three
feet from the center. This is the closest
shooting with cannon known. The canon
is groved like a rife. The ball is shaped
like the Minnie rife ball, and is filled with
powder, which explodes after striking and
en- ntering an object.
B0- The City Hall in N. Y. city caught
fire at midnight Of the 18th Aug, and was
damaged to the amount of 500, 900 before
the flames were extinguished. The fire
originated from sparks showered in the
pyrotechnic display in celebration of the
success Of the Atlantic Telegraph.
R@- On Sunday, Aug. 18th, Archbish-
op Hughes laid the corner stone Of great
Cathedral to be erected in New York city,
and called the Cathedral Of st. Patrick. ;"
1t will be in the form of a Latin cross,
329 feet long, IT'S feet wide, with a spire
333 feet high. From the ground to the
front gable $50 feet. The ceremony was
one of the most imposing ever held in that
city.
GEN. WIN. WALKER.-The telegraphic
accounts in the early part of the month,
state, that Gen. VIM. Walker was at the
head of eight hundred fllibusters, well
armed with MIME rifles and Colts revolv-
ers, and having battery Of eighteen field
pieces, crossing the Rio Grande, near Ell
Paso, on their way to Sonora to subjugate
and annex it. But the report turns out to
have been invented by some enthusiastic
Walker men in the West. 1t is known
that the "grey eyed man Of destiny" was
in Alabama at the time of the origin of the
report. He was raising means for some
sort of an expedition, and as he has prob
ably started by this time, we shall soon
hear from him.
The TEHUANTEPEc RoUTE.-Among the
departures to-day, says the N. Y. Herald
of Aug goth, by the Star Of the West for
Californis, we chronicle that of Capt. Will
liam Ii. Hudson, long and favorably known
in the Pacific Mail Steamship Company's
service. He returns to BE- the pioneer Of
the Tehuantepec route from Ventosa BY to
San Francisco, as soon as the road across
the Isthmus shall be completed. Capt.
Hudson will carry with him the additional
experience acquired on his recent voyage
to the Amoor river, in command of the
Russian steamer America, now the flagship
OF Admiral Patiatin in the Chinese waters,
for which service, while in St. Petersburg,
Captain II. received not only the personal
thanks of the Emperor, but also more sub
stantial teksns Of bis appreciation of Ameri-
can skill and energy.
6@~ The Bombay Geographical Society
announced in their proceedings that they
have received a specimen Of the walking
leaf from Java, with eggs and young, and,
what seems more curious still, walking
flower, described as a creature with white
body, pink spots and crimson border
p9- Mr.. Turpin, successor to Mr.. Ea-
mes as Minister to Venezuela, has received
his instructions and is on the eve of leaving
for that country.
The Hon A. N. RowN.-The Philadel-
phia Argus truly says:
The eminent ability of our present Post
master General is everywhere appreciated
and universally acknowledged. We have
never had more able and efficient public
officer since the foundation of our Govern
ment
The French NAvY.-The feet OF 1851
consisted Of 10 ships of the line of l2OI
guns, 10 of 100 guns, Is Of 90 guns, 5 ofI
80 guns, II frigates Of 60 guns, and Z of
so guns, and l6 of 40 guns; cOrvettes of
80 guns, and 12 of "a guns; 80 brCs of
20 guns, 10 corvettes of l6 guns, 90 briggs Of
II guns, 10 brigantines Of guns, 40
schooneTs of to 10 guns, 40 vessels of 4 |
guns, 40 steamers of $50 horse power and
under, 20 cOrvettes of 800 tons 80 trans.
ports Of $50 tons, 8 steam frigates of $40
horse power, and l of 800; corvettes of
22O horse power, aud 32 steamers of 100
horse power and less, making in all 353
vessels Of all kinds, carrying about lO, 900
guns. The annual budget of the Navy
Department for 10 years, from 1916 to
1856, has ranged from $2O,OOOO 900 to
4O,OOO,OOO. That for 1851 was $780,
100000.
Ra- Yellow fever is said to be more
prevalent in Cuba.this season than for the
last thirty years !