The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1873-02-28

pillar, it is 100 feet high, and the
capital weighs 1000 pounds. 1t is
something Of a feat to hang 1000
pounds at that hight in theair, and
the few men who can do it would
better discuss Egyptian mechanics.
Take canals. The Suez canal alb
serbs half its receipts incleaniug ont
the sand which fills its continually,
and it isnota pecunlary success. The
ancients built canal at right an
giles to ours, because they knew it
would not till up if built in that
direction, and they knew such a
one as ours would. There were
magnificent canals in the land Of
the Jews, with perfectly arranged
gates aud sluices. We have only
just begun to understand ventila-
tion properly in om houses; yet
late experiments at the Pyramids in
Egypt show that those Egyptian
tombs were ventilated in the most
perfect and scientific manner.
Again, cement is modern, for the
ancients dressed and joined their
stones 50 closely that, in buildings
thousands Of years old, the thin
blade OF a penknife cannot be forced
between them. The railroad dates
back to Egypt. sArago has claimed
that they had a knowledge of
steam. A painting has been dis
covered ofa ship full Of machinery,
and a French engineer said that the
arrangement of this machinery
could only be accounted for by sup
posing the motive power to have
been steam. Bramah acknowledges
that he took the idea Of his cele-
brated lock from an ancient Egyp-
tian pattern. DE Tocqueville says
there was no social question that
was not discussed to rags in Egypt.
OLD HINTS OF NEW THINGS.
"Well," says you, "Franklin in
vented the lightning-rod." ! have
no doubt he did; but years before
his invention, and before muskets
were invented, the old soldiers on
guard on the towers used Franklin's
invention to keep guard with; and
if 4 spark passed between them and
the spear head they ran aud bore
the warning Of the state and condi-
ton Of affairs. After that you will
admit that Benjamin franklin was
not the only one that knew Of the
presence Of electricity, and the adj
vantages derived from its use.
Solomon's Temple, you will find,
was situated on an exposed point
Of the hill; The temple was 50 lofty
that it was often in peril, and was
guarded by a system exactly like
that Of Flanklin's.
Well, ! may tell you . little Of
ancient manufacture. The Duchess
of Burgundy took a necklace from
the neck Of q mummy and wore it
at a ball given at the Tuileries, and
everybody said they thought that
it was the newest thing there. A
I1indoo Princess came into court,
ard her father seeing her, said,
$50 home, you are not decently
covered; 60 home !" and she said,
"Father, ! have seven suits on;"
but the suits were OF muslin, 50
thin that the king could SEQ through
them. A Roman poet says: "lhe
girl was in the poetic dress Of the
country" | fancy the French
would be rather astounded at this.
-Four hundred aud fifty years ago
the first spinning machine was H.
troduced in Europe; | have evi-
dence to show that it made Is ap-
pearance 1000 years before.
Well, ! tell you this tact to show
that perhaps we don't invent just
everything. Why did ] think to
grope III the ashes tor this ? Be
cause all Egypt knew tile secret,
which was not the knowledge OF.
the professor, the king and the
priest. Their knowledge won a
historic privilege which separated
them from and brought down the
masses; and this chain was broken
when Cambyses came down from
Persia, and by his genius and intel
lect opened the gates Of knowledge,