The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-12-31

The trunk Of the celebrated "Shakspeare Oak -
at Windsor, which was recently blown down, is to be
converted into ornamental furniture for the princi-
pal rooms Of Windsor Castle. The tree is supposed
to have been fourishing 800 years previous to the
reign Of William the Conqueror. and there is little
doubt but that il is the identical tree alluded to in
Shakspeare's merry Wives of Windsor Some
portions of the trunk are nearly in q state Of petrifac-
tiOn-
At a late review in Berlin. a dragon, whose
girtbs had given way. kept in the ranks and rode
through the maneuvres without a saddle. The fact
having come TO the Kings knowledge, he said TO his
aid-de-amp: "Say nothing about it, gentlemen; if
the Chambers were to hear Of it, they might strike
out saddles from the war estimates"
There is a story circulating in Naples that a mason
there was visited in the night by two strangers who
took him IN q carriage, blindfold, 10 q strange
house, where he was led up stairs and ordered on
pain of death to make o hole in the wall OF a chamber
sufficiently large to admit a coffin. TINS done, a
coffin was brought in, and a young lady handsomely
dressed was dragged into the room and forced into
it. The lid was screwed down and the coffin was
walled up by the mason, who was then again blind
folded and taken to the sea beach, paid ten piastres,
and told be might tell all he knew. He did tell the
police, but could not describe the house.
The THREE GREAT NAvIEs.-The New York Jour
nal of Commerce thus states, in the aggregate, the
navies Of the three leading commercial nations, COM
Iron-cIsds. Steam vessels
Franc; ~
United az
An classes, ~. / Including all.
France and England each have four iron cased
ships at sea. The former has two more nearly, II
not quite. ready for sea, and ten on the STOCKS.
England has four more LAUGHED and eight IN an
advanced state of construction. The United States,
at the date of the last animal report OF the Secretary
Of the Navy, had %ffty-four iron clads, including
thirty-two armored vessels (many Of which were
unfinished } and q number have been added since.
CHARLEsTos.-It is now well ascertained that the
Rebels have two, and perhaps three, lines Of obstruc-
tions barring our progress into the upper harbor.
The first line stretching from Fort Sumter to Fort
Moultrie, consists Of a heavy chain. supported by
buoys, 80 as to float about six feet under water.
This il is believed, can be easily overcome or re-
moved. The second line, crossing the channel about
the middle ground, is formed of spiles driven into
the bottom, with heavy cables interlaced from Spite
to spile, near the water line. This is more formida-
BILE, but means will be devised to test its strength.
In front of these Instructions our ironclads will meet
q very severe concentrated fire from Forts johnson
and Ripley, and a series Of one and two gun batteries,
which line the shore in front of Mount Pleasant and
on the James Island side. Formidable as these
difficulties are, there is no doubt entertained that
they will be finally overcome by the sagacity and
determination of the army and navy. 1t would be
premature, however, 10 look for an early ending of
the siege. II we hold Charleston by January our
progress would have been more rapid than is now
generally expected.
The ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH-Mr. Cyrus w. Field
has returned from England. He brought with him
q specimen Of the new Atlantic cable, which is the
best submarine cable ever made, and is fur superior
to the one that was 6rst laid. 1t is about three
fourths of an inch in diameter, composed of seven
small copper wires. strongly pressed together till
they look almost like oDe, surrounded by gutta
percha about one-third of an inch thick, and then
by ten strong iron wires twisted rope fashion. These
wires are wrapped in the best Russian hemp. All
the materials are of the first quality, and a section of
the cable presents an appearance of great solidity
and strength. Glass, Elliott & Co., the contractors.
have commenced the manufacture of the cable. and
will prosecute it with the utmost energy and dispatch.
They will receive about SO, 000.0 900 for making and
laying the cable, and turning it over in complete
working order, to the company. Glass. Elliot & Co,
have never entertained the slightest doubt OF the
entire practicability of the Atlantic Telegraph as a
scientific undertaking and a commercial venture.
and illustrate their faith by accepting a large part of
their pay in stock. The entire arrangement and
conduct of the expedition is devolved upon Glass,
Elliot s. Co. Ii is thought that they will try to
charter the Great Eastern, which could easily carry
the cable. and would ride over the waves with the
desirable steadiness. The distance between the two
coasts is about $40 nautical miles; but Glass,
Elliot & Co., will make 1000 miles of the cable.
The laying is to be done in June, July or August Of
1854.