The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-01-20
LETTER FROM CONNECTICUT.
Correspondence OF the Journal.
HARTFORD. Jan. 10th. 1870.
A CALCULATING MACHINE

your correspondent. 1t is the invention of a
Frenchman, one NJ. Thomas de Colmar. and
is called the Arithmometer The first ma
chine was issued thirty years ago, since then
the inventor has been engaged in making
successive improvements. The size is small. |
the entire mechanism being inclosed in an
ebony box twenty-one inches in length and
three inches in height. The Arithmometer
solves all Arithmetical problems, however
intricate 1t multiplies eight figures lin line)
by eight figures, in eighteen seconds; divides
sixteen figures by sixteen figures in twenty
four seconds; long columns of figures are
added in time almost Incredible the eXtrac-
ton Of a square root of a number Of sixteen
figures is worked with the proof in one min
ute and a quarter.
Perhaps it is needless to say that the
Arithmometer does not resemble in the least
Webb's Adder nor any of the common tables
based on the correlation of figures. Pam
dora's box in its exuberance sent forth evils,
but now that wonder is half paralleled by
this little mechanical novelty. Although alb
stract thought does not come from this, the
embodiment does. for the work Of the intel
lect is performed and replaced.
The instrument we saw is owned by the
Charter Oak Life Insurance Company. 1t
must be of invaluable service in the life in
surance business. Quite refreshing It's to,
think of the headaches the Arithmometer
will prevent
THE CoNyICT's FRIEND"
Mr. II. P. Dorsey of Pautucket, r. l., has
by his rather eccentric but generous interest
in criminals we'll earned that name This
gentleman gives 4 good dinner once or twice
q year to those confined in our State Prison
He is soon to make a donation of 4 work of
art to the Hartford Insane Retreat. But per-
haps his most singular act Of liberality is the
presentation to prisoner named Clark of
chain composed Of siNtysiX twentydollar
gold pieces, all Of the date 1869 The value
of these golden shackles (not counting work
and gold lnks) is S1,320. The recipient has
been confined fifteen years,-unjustly, Mr..
Dorsey thinks The case will be heard soon.
and it is Mr.. DIS intention to bring the
prisoner into court bound by these golden
fettcrs
ADJUSTMENTS
during the past year have cost Hartford peo-
pie siNtv-tive thousand dollars This perhaps
seems a'large sum. yet few managers have
carried plethoric pocket-books ont Of town,
and some instead have taken with them un-
receipted hotel bills. 1t is proverbial that it
takes a long pole to stir UP our citizens
six great artistes, few actors or singers can
'draw'' here.
Mark Twain appeared at Allyn Hall not
long since, but his lecture-so far as we can
learn from private opinion-was a sad an
titheSis to expectation. The daily papers.
however, praised Twain; but then You know
daily newspapers (wecklcs never, Of course)
sometimes do present to their readers beauti-
full eases Of logic quite independent Of facts
But what a good lecture really is,-who can
formulate?
Kate Field has been here, too and talked
about Woman in the Lyceum while her re-
marks were agreeable and discursive, they
were entirely inconsequent. Miss Field
proved nothing new, and in her reasoning
was rather unreasonable. OF the many other
lectures which have been delivered of late.
it is not worth while to speak in detail. Part
were given by old favorites, and part by
new applicants for public favor Then we
have had that peculiar drama in which, if the
actors 60 not really appear IN purjs naturo2i-
bus they cndcavor to make it seem that they
do, and the Great Unwashed go away salts
fled with the evenings exposition The
managers of the horse drama too.-NIiss
given us a sight Of their ''iery steeds' in the
play Of Mazeppa.
| The less said about 'Formosa" the better,
but even she has not forgotten us. But as
we are not Il nil admi,uri philosopher, turn
ING from this dismal resume of the abortiyc
attempts made to amuse, it is pleasing to re-
late now some account Of the glorious
RUSSIAN CONCERTS
given last week by Dimitri de Agrencff
Slayiansky's troupe Of sixteen native Russian
singers These novel concerts consisted of
national airs and hymns sung by a full chorus
of male voices unaccompaned by any instru-
ment, of ballads sweet and sentimental and
of Duets from Russian Opera. The cxquis-
itc blending Of choral voices which seemed
as one of ineffable sweetness and limitless
power,-thc perfect renditions of the solos,
the unique but magnificent costumes Of the
Empire Worn by the members of the COM
pany.-the maire. perfectly natural stage
manner of the singers, made up q charming
ensemble. Being as they are, the bold, free
eutpourings of nature, these Slavonic har-
monies. surprise at first the ear cultivated to
meretricious taste for the studied intricacies
of Italian music. But the hunldn in the
heart of even the most scrupulous critic must
yield to the electric influence of these natural
songs, although pronounced in q language
known to few outside of Russia.
cone touch Of Nature makes the whole world kin"
Once the full company dropped into Eng
lish, as Silas Wegg ."dropped into poetry"
as mental sandwich after the heavier meal