The Portland daily press., 1867-07-12
Varieties.

MIR. J. Parker, of Camberwell, England,
has constructed a portable steam canoe to hold
one person. The propeller Is jet of water
one inch in area, forced by the direct action of
steam, without any engine. Three miles an
hour was obtained on tho trial on the Surrey
Caoal against stiff breeze, with only little
common frewood for fuel. With good fire.
the speed is expected to come to between four
and fivs miles an hour through still water
This little boat is capable of trip of one hum
drsd miles with one sack Of coke
"A Kansas editor say3: "Greeley claims
that he went on JEFF. Daviss bond to allay his
soreness Of feeling at being detained in prison
80 long without trial, and to produce kind
lisr sentiment towards the North among
Southern people. Horace deserves the title of
JEFF. Davis's Pain Killer"
AT grand ball given in London, notice
was given to every ons attending, that their
tickets would sntitls them "to drink wine dur
ing the entire evening"
M. Leverrisr has just announced, to the
surprise of several astronomer, that the lu-
mar crater Linnsus, the disappearanceo OF which
has lately caused so much speculation, is still
In its own place, as has been ascertained by NJ.
Wolf, an astronomer Of the Imperial Observ-
atory.
While boy named Lovsless was search
ing gull's nests, on the craggy rocks which
bound the Dorset coast, England, the stones
upon which he stood gave way, and he was
precipitatsd over o cliff five hundred feet in
height On to the rocks below. Death must
have been instantaneous.
The Abyssinian captives who were incar-
cerated because Queen Victoria would not
marry King Theodore of Abysinnia, are to be
released by force, a troop of English soldiers
having been sent for that purpose. The only
trouble about this Is, that the unfortunate cap
tives win probably be slain a. soon as the ru-
NOR of an armed release reaches their cruel
jailsrs.
IN. P. Willis wrote as follsws, In a letter to
Morris, on hearing of the death of Daniel
Webster: MY Dear Morris: Webster is dead
news that both Satan and Gabriel will make
some remark about when they hearit. His big
eyes have now bssn thirty-six hours looking
somewhersl What an event death is to such
spiritl remainder being struck with his
wonderful look of superiority at Ellington
tournament-with England's pick of gentle
men and noblemen around him-and thought
then that he seemed a sun-child astray on our
little star. As to his going to Heaven, would
rather on the whole, take your small chance
but we shall hear of him sgain, if there is
either telegraph or newspaper beyond the ma
h9gany and silver nails. He will not stay
damned or blessed in respectable obscurity.
Well Peace to his ashes-thoss he leaves be-
hind"
"A San Antonio (Texas) paper says that
the old "Sam Houston Mansion" on the cor
ner of Main and Preston streets, has been torn
down to make way for block of brick stores.
Utility Is stronger than sentiment, syen in
Texas.
"A prisoner died in the California State
Prison. His wife and her mother deplored the
need Of allowing him to be buried in the pr:s.
On grounds, but were too poor to help it. The
prisoners voluntarily contributed the means to
secure the removal Of the body and o burial in
Lone Mountain. That, considering the au-
thors, Is what may be termed "an action of
the beautiful"
California can End plenty of uses for tba
new territory. The last is to make It a Botanv
Bay. A San Jose editor suggests, in view of
the fact that California 10 overrun with thieves
murdsrsrs, robbers and dsspsradsss of every
die, that the State should purchase, If possible
Of the General Government, one Of the islands
connected with our new Russian acquisition
and devote It to the purposes Of penal ssttle.
msnt for the worse classes Of criminals
An American bakery IL now In onarat,o,,
at the Paris Exhibition, and visitors from the
Hub have the satisfaction Of eating Boston
crackers.
woman Is a dslusion, madam /" exclaim-
ed crusty old bachelor to young lady. "And
man is always hugging some dslusion OF eth
er, was the quick retort.
"A sailsr, calling upon a goldsmith, asked
hiu what might be the value Of an ingct of
gold as big as his arm. The shopkeeper beck
oned him into back room and primed him
with grog, for the absorption of which the sail
OF showed great capacity. He then asked to
see the ingot. 60" said Jack, "I haven't got
1t yet; but I'm going to the diggings, and would
like to know the value of such lump before 1
start"
The Irish Chief Secretary, being the own
or of fns ostrich, which some days ago was
safely delivered Of an egg received the follow
ing telegram from his steward: "My Lord, as
your lordssip 10 out Of the country, have pro-
cured the biggest goose could And to sit on
the ostrich's eggs"
An old horse in st. Louis sspmitted sue
ids by drowning.