The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-18

FOREIGNIEEMs.

FOREIGN ITEMS.
-l3 der , 9 E.5--1.
The Russian Railroad Gazette says that
Russia has already paid upward Of two hum
dred million roubles to American railroad con-
tractors.
"A new feature in domestic economy is an.
nounoed. A Frenchman has invented hand.
some table churn, so that persons may make
their butter at the table while breakfast is
gong on. II takes bnt three minutes time,
and the machine is gorgeous with cut glass
and silver. The machine. however, should be
warranted to work we'll upon milk vended in
cities before it will be Of any great benefit to
the general public.
"A new arrangemsnt has come into opera.
tion at the German telegraph offices which
might be extended with advantage to other
countries. Parts OF kilograms, even single
words, may now be registered, the govern.
ment undertaking to guarantee their correct
transmission. Guaranteed words are under
lined, and are simply charged double rate.
Hitherto the charge has been the full dou bic
prlce Of the whole telegram.
Among the numerous exhibitions now on
hand in Europe, one Of postage stamps is be-
ing held in Paris. England makes the best
chow, Is she has thirty-four colonies, each
With different design. The United States
comee next, the artistic designs on her stamps
having beautiful appearance. The Turkish
stamps contain the year Of the fight Of Ma
homet, the year OF the reign Of the Sultan, and
the value Of the stamp in oriental characters.
Finland commenced to issue stamps last year.
The great ship canal which is to connect
Amsterdam with the North Sea Is now once
more in progress. the government OF the
Netherlands having relieved the contractors
Of certain difficulties which for time hindered
the work. The canal will be about fifteen
miles in length. The Zuyder Zee is to be shut
out from Amsterdam, and the PAmputsdam by
which this is to be effected is already half
finished, and the looks and sluices connected
with it are in progress. By this undertaking
Holland will add on, more 10 her grand engi-
neerine works, but it appears to be an English
firm who hold the contract. .
The IceIanders have curious custom, and
most effectual one, Of preventing horses
from straying. Two gentlemen, for instance,
are riding together without attendants, and,
wiehing to alight for the purpose Of visiting
some objects at distance from the road, they
tie the tail OF one horse to the head of the
other, and the head Of this to the tail Of the
former. In this state it is utterly impossible
that they can move either backward or for
ward, one pulling one way and the other the
reverse, snd, therefore, il disposed to move at
ell, 1t will be only in a circle, and even then
there must be an agreement to have their heads
in the same direction.
An experiment has recently been made at
Munich to ascertain IL . wheel Of a railway car
rolls regularly without sliding, so that by re-
cording the number Of revolutions and know
ing the diameter, the exact distance accom-
plished can be accurately measured. Although
the experiment was tried on short distance,
yet the distance between the measurement OF
mathematical instruments aud that obtained
by recording the revolutions Of the whole, was
found to be no more than 1.6S00 Of the whole.
Inrs yuuru 1nufose1 tuno ruero uuu uusuIureiy
no sliding Of the wheels. It is proposed to
employ this method in the determine tion OF
degrees Of longitude, by the side OF astronomi-
cal observations and measurements with the
telegraph.
"A new fertilizer is to be brought into mo-
tice. A French agrlculturist proposes that
the vessels occupiel during the mer in
cod fishing, should in other seasons be en-
pioyed in collecting and transporting to the
azores the seaweed which is to be found in
large quantities west Of those islands. This
seaweed, it is asserted, covers in dense masses
a space seven times larger than all Germany.
Analysis has discovered that these weeds pos.
sess the same fertilizing qualities as the
weeds employed for manure on the coasts OF
France. The vessels, it is proposed, shall
convey these marine plants to the Azores,
where they could be pressed and dried, and
the potash and other salts extracted. These
floating meadows, it is estimated, will produce
every year sufficient matter to manure over
!. $50 600, 600 acres.
-Aman in the dress OF working man was
lately seen walking 10 the streets of Berlin
with packet in his hand, sealed and inscribed
with an address, and 8 note that il contained
one hundred thalers in treasury bills. As the
bearer appeared to be at loss. he was accost-
ed by passenger, who asked him what he was
looking for. The simple countryman placed
the packet in the iuquirer's hands and request
that he would read the address. The reply
was made as with an agreeable surprise, "Why,
this letter is for mel have been expecting it
for long whilel" Upon this the messenger
demanded ten thalers for the carriage Of the
packet, which was readily paid, with liberal
addition 10 the portsr. The new possessor OF
ths packet hastened to an obscure corner to
examine his prize; but on breaking the seal
found nothing but few sh eets of paper, on
which was writtea-"Done I"
Some years ago photograph OIL bronze
statue was taken at Berlin. Besides the i'm
age it showed q few small, faint streaks OF
light, one of which shot upward from the point
Of spear held in the hanl Of the statue. What
pr oduced them was o question which at length
was solved by member Of the Prussian Aca-
DENY of Sciences. He suggested that the
figure was in an electric condition while the
photograph was taken; hat streams OF cleo
trio light was passing off at various points, and
that these. though invisible to the eye, we're