Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-11-07

Inc report VI OUT OWN aStTOnOllclS VIII DC GULL
pared with curiosity with the accounts Of the
approaching eclipse, that may be expected to
come to us from Asia not long after the advent
Of the new year.-N, !. Times.
THE EspY THEORY OF ARTIFICIAL. RAIN
The enormous combustion in the vast fires Of
the Northwest has reopcncd the discussion Of n
grave physical and economic problem. Many
years ago Professor Espy advanced the hypothe
sis that,n dry and rainless seasons. the despond
ing farmer might produce artificial rain for his
whitening and blightcd crops by kidding large
fires and confagraticns. He urged that it was
better for the community Of suffering agrlcul-
turists to burn portions of their woodland than
to see the supply Of bread cut oft and the
whole soil scorched to death. When the dis
tinguished meteorological had published his
views, many admiring friends Of this gentleman
in the rural districts took the pains to collate
and forward to him reliable data corroboratiye
of his theory, and it is impossible to read
1.-THE of them without being convinced that
under certain favorable circumstances, such as
a calm atmosphere and high dew point, rain
is induced by artificial combustion, even on
very limited scale. In numerous instances
copious showers, restricted, however, to very
small areas, fell over and around the region OF tal
low or wood burning, to the great relief Of the
soil.
If there ever was IN opportunity for testing
the Espy theory Oh a grand scale it has been
afforded in the late wide spreading forest fires
of the Northwest and in the awful cont1agratlon
of Chicago. No such artificial burning was
ever known, and it would seem that if the n.y.
potheSiS in question were correct, a. practically
extended to large districts, as Mr. Espy proposed
to extend it, the flames which since August
have been ravaging the States Of Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Michigan should have caused
seas Of rain, and should have proved selfex-
tnguishing many weeks ago Sucll, We know,
has not been the case.
The theory proceeded upon the superstition
that the artificial heat, by causing an ascend
ing current OF air and centre Of raretactlon,
would induce the inrush of air from all sides,
which would also ascend, be cooled, and thus
preci plate its moisture 1t is highly question
able whether the facts as reported from thc
Northwest bear out the reasoning, and there is
much reason for believing that Professor Espys
generalization was deduced from an insufficient
number of details, aud left out some essential
counter considerations. ". T. HeraM
NORFOLK MANUFACTURING CoMpAsr.--
Judge Blow, Of the Circuit court for Norfolk
county, has granted charter for the above
company. which has been organized for the
purpose Of manufacturing railroad cars and
wheels. marine and stationary engines. boilers,
castings, and all kinds oi'manufacturcs compos-
ed of wood and iron also to build and repair
steamboats,, hargcs and other vessels.
The company has purchased the property
adjoining the city known as the Atlantic Iron
WORKS, and have organized by the election of
the following officers NJ Cartwright, Of
Penn, president W. l.. Lance, Of Penn,
vice president and superintendent =; Marshall
Park, general agent; B. +. Tcbault, treasurer;
and De Haven Lance, OF the city Of Norfolk,
secretary, The capital is $500
Mr.. Frick, al experienced canal boa! builder
is preparing to build steam canal boats for the
Northern canals, and expects to Introduce such
improvements rs will adaptthem to their trade,
Mr.. Lance has also devised Il $tcam.engin,,
which combines great simplicity with economy
and by which he expects 10 revo!uionlZc trans
portation by the introduction Of steam on all
the canal boats. Arrangements are now be-
ing made to construct quite i number Of
boats on plans of Mr.. Prick with these en-
gints. N"rJ3N .Lv"nnh.
RGMORED RESIGNATION uF SECRETARY
FISlI.--The correspondents in writing ana tcly.
graphing from this city to the New York pa
pcrs have SO often declared that Mr. Fish WIS
to resign the portfolio of the State Department
at certain day and these announcements
We're So regularly followed by positive denial by
those who had the best right 10 know every.
thing connected with the matter that the pub
lie becanlr wcaicd of the ever. Procuring sub
iect The latest and most positive assertion in
relation to the matter appears in the New
Iork Tribune OF yesterday which says that Mr.
Fish will rcsign mmediatel y on his return from
New York, where he has gone to vote at the
election to-day, and that his successor had been
determined on The President last night de-
clined to sec any one On the subject, and his
reply to 4 request for information about it was,
that '.there was no answer to the Tribune ar
ticle
In quarter usually well informed, it WAS
believed last night that the rumored resignation
has, at last, some foundation in fact, and that
the successor referred to as having been >ecc
ted is Mr.. George William Curtis Of New
York, the president Of the Civil Service Com
MISSION Wash. Ch,on.
PRIZE FluHr TRAINING. The two brutal
individuals Mace and Cuburn, who have been
matched against each other for prize fight, to
come off within Il hundred miles Of New Or
leans on the Both Of November, have gone into
regular training, which will be continued with.
out intcrmiSsion until the day Of the battle: -
There is something in this prize fight training
that is suggestive to iuvalids or t" persons Of
weak constitutions. We find, for instance,
that Coburn rises at six clock precisely, take;
sharp walk Of four miles, brca kiasts on chop
or steak, walks ten Or twelve miles, returns. is
ribbed down, eats tremendous dinner, rests
while, take coupa sfsssa1ss ssSsSsisssssueAs
as sparring handiinH the Indian clubs: etc; ataa
five clock takes and her four mile wall, at six
tires to bed. There is 10 deviation from this
course. and the result is that at the end of i
month he is prepared to give blows that would
kiIfsSgprdinary man. and to receive such with
inipunIy as would put an end to the If" of
an Nx
EDUCATION IN RUssIA.-The Russian COY