Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-28
Eastern Origin of modern Utilities.


The following extract from Diapers last work,
Civil Policy in America" shows the Eastern origin
Of much that is useful and admirable:
lin times of which history has failed to preserve
any account that continent (Asia) must have been
the scene OF prodigiOus activity. In it were first de-
veoped those fundamental inventions and discoy-
cries which really lie at the basis of the progress of
the human race-the subjugation of domestic ami
thought by writing. We are apt to overlook how
much man must have done, how much he must have
Igdf f to MS natural powers in prehistoric times
forts Of Oriental origin. Their commences
hides them from view.
Ii the european wishes to know how much he
owes the Asiatic he has only to cast glance at an
hour Of his daily life. The clock which summons him
from his bed in the morning, was the invention of
the East as also were clepsydras and sun-dias The
prayer for his daily bread that he has said from in
fancy. first rose from the side of Syrian mountain.
The linens and cOttons with which he clothes him
self. though they may be very fine are inferior to
those that have been made from time immemoriaI in
sonaries, for his benefit from China. He could buy
better steel than that with which he shaves himself
IN the city of Damascus. whore it was first invented
The coffee he expects at breakfast first grown
by the Arabians and the natives of Upper India pre-
pared the with which he sweetens it. school
boy can tell the.meaning of the Sauscrit words sac
chara candle. If his are light and he prefers
tea the virtues of that excellent leaf were first point
ed out by the industrious Chinese. They also taught
him how to make and the cup and saucer in
which to serve it. His breakfast tray lacQuered
in a Sapan.i Tradition .ho. ,oou.uo, ,-.,
made of the waters of the Ganges The egg he is
breaking was laid by a fowl whose ancestors were
have been-though that will not alter the casa
modern Shanghai. If there are preserves and fruits
in his board, let him remember with thankfulness
that Persia gave him the cherry, the peach tho
plum. If in any of these pleasant preparations ho
detects the flavor OF alcohol let it remind him that
that substance was first distilled by the Arabians
who set him the praseworthy example, which it will
be his benefit tn follow of abstaning from its use
When he talks about coffee and alcohol he is using
Arabic words. A Thousand had oco
red to him to enact laws of restriction in the use of
Intoxicating drinks, the Prophet of Mecca did the
compelled to this day all Asia and Africa to obey
ths en- nr.t;fr on. ...4. g. $500, .~-,N. WV
the way the 0rientas have taught us-in the pearls
rubles, sapphires. diamonds OF public amusements
tits the same. The most magnificent fireworks are
still to be seen in India and China; and as regards
the pastimes of private life Europe has produced no
invention that can rival the game of chess.
I'VE have no hydraulic constructions as great az
the Chinese Wall; we have no artesian wells that
can at all approach in depth some of theirs We
coal gas from the interior of the earth; they have
borings for that purpose more than 5000 feet deep"
"A Salt Lake correspondent says the Nor
mons are buying up all the United States muskets
and rifles &c, of the troops now being mustered out
there. He thinks they would not hesitate moment
to enter into open hostility against the Government
at the bidding of Brigham Young. If Congress shall
teke any action unfavorable to poysamy, much
trouble and boodshed is anticipated Assassinations
occur almost daily. and of leading .genties"
have been warned. The absence of United States
troops makes the saints" savage for human blood.
The extent and value of the metaliferous
deposits Of the Portage Lake district have steadily
increased from mere beginning, ten years since to
more prominent place in the copper producing dis
trcts Of the world. In 1885, the shipments of mineral
from thesnn mi
tons of ingos; in 1865 the exports of ingot copper
were about $40 TONS and of mineral 300 tons, equal
to say 4,6eO tons in unsmelted state The market
value OF this copper, at the time it was Sold may be
safely set down at over 81, 100000.
The shell in which Hammil is to row
against the English champion Kelly is thirty-three
feet long, and weighs twenty-eight pounds Ham
mill sailed on Saturday in the steamship New York
and was accompanied by his brother who is chief
engineer of the Pittsburg fire department 1t now
appears probable that there will be considerable diff
fculty after they arrive in England in adustnr the
prelimnares of the race.
The Secretary of the Treasury is author
lied to sell public auction such of the revenue cut
tiers he shall find iladapted to the purpose of the
revenue service, and to expend the proceeds in the
purchase construction of other vessels better suited
to the wants of the service.
During the spring, Prussian Government
architects to visit Paris and London for the pur
pose of studying the Chamber of Deputies and tho
Houses of Parliament with view to the new houses
to be built in Berlin. The estimates are ll25O00
H-A st. Louis cotton broker, named D. A.
Clark absconded recently with $4,000 the proceeds
of the sale of some cotton placed in his hands by
Messrs. Burchby Il Dresher and 7. A. Anderson &
Co.. of St. Louis. He was arrested in Cincinnati on
Saturday night, and was examined On Monday, and
released On bail Of $4,000,