Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-02-06
Facts for the Curious.

Ericsson battery CatskiIl, gives an &C.
count of the cost of the ammunition for
her two flfieen-icnh guns. The Two iif
teen-inch pieces can be conveniently
worked by eight men. Each Of the
guns can throw 450- FOUNDER, which is
driven off by 80 lbs. of powder. Al
three cents a pound, one discharge OF
the battery-900 lbs. of shot--would
cost $27, and the powder at 80 cents a
pound $2l, or S48 in all. But the
Catskill has a credit account also Eight
men can do as much work in her as fifty
men on board one of the old frigates, il
even so could work two fitteen-inch
guns there, so she thus saves SAP per
diem on single guns, as it is calculated
that every sailor costs the Government
nearly dollar day for wages, provis-
ions, 6c.
LIQUID FIRE.-The Navy Depart
ment appointed a commission to test the
merits of liquid fire invented by cit.
izen Of Boston for the destruction Of
ships of war. The experiment was tried
at the Navy Yard, Charlestown, Mass.
The Boston Journal says of it: "The
Exhibition at the Navy Yard seems to
demonstrate that the instantaneous de-
struction of the most powerful iron-cads
is sure and certain. When once applied
nothing can withstand this fire. 1t pen
etrates every creVice and cannot be ex-
There may be difficulties in
the way Of iCs practical application, but
the experiment seemed to be highly sue
cessful. We shall look with interest for
the report of the commission.
INTERMARRIAGE OF DEAF MUTEs.-
The question Of the inlermarrisge Of deaf
mutes was the subject of a paper recently
read before the French Acadamy Of Sci
ence by Dr. Boudin, who took the ground
that the infirm:ty is not hereditary. The
parents of deaf and dumb children, h.
observed. are generally in perfect health
and, moreover, deaf and dumb parents
not connected by ties OF consanguinity,
very rarely have deaf and dumb children
lIe quoted an observation made by DR..
Perron, of Besancon, of two brothers OF
the name of Valett, spendidly consiitu
ted, and enjoying the most perfect health,
who married two sisters, their cousins
german. The elder of them has had
several children, only one of whom, now
aged twenty, is deaf and dumb. The
younger brother has had six children
he first, third and fifth Of whom could
near and speak, while the second and
| f,urth were deaf and dumb the sixth.
,till in its cradle, does not seem sensible
Of any noise they may happen to make
in the room. These cases are Utterly in
to the doctrine Of inherit
aEce.
LARGE HOTEL. The Lindell Hoie',
At St. Louis, is finished, and is the largesl
IN the world. 1t is equivalent to eigh
stories high, contains 5l5 rooms, 2l
parIors, 27 acres of plastering, Z acres OF
luoring, 80 miles of bell wire. 9l-2
miles of base board, IL miles Of gas,
'team and water pipe, ! l-2 miles OF
1880 yards of hall, $40 windows, and
$4,000 feet of painted imitation OF cor.
nice. The number Of bricks in the bull.
ling is 100000. In the basement
here is railroad running the entire
ength for the transportation Of heavy
articles, and above are two steam eleva-
ors for lifting fuel and baggage from the
ground to the floors above.
In Dresden there is an iron egg, the
history of which is something like this
young prince sent this iron egg to
ady TO whom he was betrothed. She
it in her hand and looked a: il
with disdsih. In her indignation that
be should send her such gift, she cast
/ to the earth. When it touched the
ground spring cunningly hidden in the
egg opened, and silver yolk rolled out.
She touched secret spring in the yoIk,
and a golden chicken was res called; she
ouched a spring in the chicken, and
,rown was found within; she touched
! spring in the crown, and within it was
\ diamond marriage ring. There is
moral to this story.