The Portland daily press., 1872-10-14


urday evening at Music Hall was listened to
with close attention by very large audience.
The lecturer, after briefly presenting the points
of the elementary lecture, proceeded with his
experiments to illustrate the nature of electric
ity, its office and mower. In the previous lee
ture he showed how it was produced through
the union of gases; in the second lecture it was
created by the slow union of acids and alkali;
and also by the contact of copper and zinc;
thus using the three elementary agents; and il
Illustrating the truth of the proposition that cleo
trical intensity depends upon the ease Of chem
ical activity in the agents employed. 1t is one
of the powers of electricity, he remarked, that
by it we can decompose almost everything that
is compound in its nature, The process of
electro-plating was shown and explained, and
from the experiment was deduced the fact that
electricity is not fluid but the motion of par
ticles of matter, and the more readily they
move the more perfect their conducting power.
His illustrations in connection with this branch
of the subject were very interesting and bril-
liant, particularly when flashes of intense light
were produced by current of electricity brought
in contact with mercury. The science of Mag
netism very naturally was the next study in
course and its nature and origin were also elu-
cidated and explained by the use of the proper
apparatus. 1t is impossible to give satisfac-
tory report of these lectures much of their
force and clearness is dependent upon the Pro-
lessons apparatus and experiments. They are
of great value and interest to all classes of peo-
pie, and ought to be more fully attended.
POLICE ITEMs.-Sunday morning about Al
o'clock, as officer Place was about to leave his
beat he heard cries from the neighborhood of
Sturdivant's wharf, and on going to ascertain
their origin, discovered man in the dock. He
got him out with considerable difficulty and
took him to the police station, where he was re-
stored from his almost exhausted condition.
His name is Charles w. Holley, victim of i'll
temperance, who has squandered 4 considerable
property by his excuses. He said he deliber-
ately attempted self-destructioL; but the cold
water probably brought him to his senses The
tide was out, and to this fact he owes his life,
for he could not have sustained himself if the
water had been much deeper
John w. Purinton made an assault with
knife yesterday on Mrs. Watson, who keeps
boarding house at No. SO Newbury street, with
| whom he boarded He struck powerful blow
at her, but she escaped it, and the knife strik-
ing a door, was broken into three pieces. Rum
was the cause of the assault Officers Seth
Sterling and Rich arrested him.
| Officer Staples attempted to arrest a drunken
man on Washington street, yesterday, when
the fellow assaulted him. Mr.. Brooks, a shers
| ifs deputy, was called to the assistance of the
policeman, when the drunken man made a
more violent assault, striking both officers
heavily, and escaping arrest.
THE services at the Free street Baptist
church yesterday, were entirely in the interest
of temperance. In the forenoon Rev. Mr..
Small preached from Daniel i:S-"But Daniel
purposed in his heart that he would not defle
himself with the portion of the Kings meat,
nor with the wine which he drank" The
preacher after considering the conditions which
surrounded Daniel, a comely young man,
brought from one of the provinces to receive
the favor OF the King and placed in the way of
preferment, proceeded to consider the subject
of temperance under four heads: DANCER.
Allurement, Resistance and Results. The SER
mon was very comprehensive and embraced
nearly every topic connected with the subject
of intoxicating liquors, the defement of the
body, which he placed infinitely below the de-
basement of heathenism; the impossbility OF
obtaining pure liquors, and the enormous waste
of money in the support of the traffic. The resis
lance of Daniel, if initiated by the young mer
of our country, would render laws nugatory
and the result would be noble manhood.
The same subject was the leading theme a
tie Sunday School concert in the evening, a
which addresses were made by several.