The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-03-28

We shall probably ere long hear Of a des-
pcrate and bloody battle on the Parana river,
on the north bank of which are the allied
Brazilians, Uruguayans and Argcntines have
an army numbering $4,000 men, supported
I by naval force, threatening an attack upon
Paraguayan army Of 90. 900 men, in strong
Notifications, on the south bank. The allies
are expected soon to attempt to cross the
river, when desperate conflict will ensue
1t is a little significant if the Fenians and
Chilians and other parties will take the hint
that the New York papers, whose columns
hristle with job type effects in the way OF
Movements, and the Quitting Of privateers.
have seen cause to hunt up and publish the
old legislation of 1918, known as our neu-
trality laws, the statute prescribing the
punishment tor enlisting soldiers or fitting
out ships against foreign powers, as three
years Imprisonment and two thousand dol
lars fine.
The lost Atlantic cable of last year is to
be raised. Three vessels, including the
Grea, Eastern, will be provided with Crap
ping apparatus Of an improved new pattern,
and the cable will be grappled in three
places, at intervals of about two miles. One
vessel will grapple, and if necessary cut her
end by means of steel blade set in the
graphing iron; the middle ship will haul
up, and the third vessel will also raise the
cable to lessen the strain. No one connected
with the project appears to entertain the
slightest doubt about the success of this por-
ton of it, When the end is recovered and
message sent through to Valentia IS test
Of the electrical condition, the splice will be
made with the cable now lying in the Great
Eastern, and then all will be plain sailing.
Paris correspondent writes: "The
French Government, it is said has received
dispatches from Washington which put an
end to the Mexican question. The terms
appear to be those Of our Government:
Evacuation within year, and non-inter-
vention during the evacuation. The Empe-
ror was heard to say, lately, that his own
people and the American people were
against him in this affair; that the two peo-
pie did not comprehend it as he comprehend
cd it, but that it would be foolish on his part
to push policy which encountered SO much
hostility, and that it was his duty under the
circumstances, to yield. So long, however,
as he remained in Mexico, he would not
suffer himself or Macmillan to be attacked
without resenting it, much as he would re-
greet TO 20 to war with the people Of the
United States, whom he liked and re-
spected."
1t appears that the Committee on Weights
and Measures and Coinage are in favor Of
adopting decimal system, and that in their
opinion the metrical system Of weights and
measures, though not without defects, is, all
things considered, the best in use. The
Committee therefore suggest that the Acade-
my of Science recommend to Congress to
authorize and encourage by law the intro
duction and use Of the metrical system of
weights and measures, and that, with view
to familiarize the people with the system,
the Academy recommend that provision be
made by law for the immediate manufacture
and distribution to the custom houses and
States Of metrical standards Of weights and
measures; to introduce the system into the
postofices by making single letter weigh
fifteen grammcs instead of fourteen and
seventeen hundredths, or half an ounce,
and to cause the new cent pieces to be so
coined that they shall weigh respectively
five and ten grammes, and that their dame
and simple ratio to the metrical unit of
length.