Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-07-08
THE WONDERS OF THE SEA.


After several days energetic sightseeing in
very hot weather, we packed our valises and
stole away to the Isle of Wight, by way of
Brighton, where we stopped over for three
hours TO see the aquarium. You descend
series OF elegant terraces, and fud yourself ap-
pareu;ly at the bottom OF the sea. Cool,
a,chcd, grottoike halls extend 10 every direc
ton, ending lG terDerlcs bright with falling
water, while along the sides Of the long ar
cades only crystal wall separates you from
the watcIy homes of fishes, eeIs, and all the 10.
uumerabic hOny and funny inhabitants OF the
deep. You look up through the green waters
as II you were fish yourself, and know for The
first Time how it feels to be ut the bottom of
the sea. Great, solemn, a!dermauic looking
cod-Whltlng sWln up aud stare toto your very
eyes; enormous congcr eelS Writhe playtully
around your head ldiotlc- looking doc. fish lie
piled on one auothcr, aud bliuk pacldly into
your face like so many sheep, while the skates
aud the stiugrays are hateucd out 10 pautiug
tlccidty upon the gravel at the bottom. Lit
lie silver herring and golden hucd young sal
mon drift about Ike clouds lit by the moon,
and on all sides, against the rocks that vary tie
surface OF the tauks, wave the exquisite tringes
OF the sca.ancmoncs. Here, above all, is the
supreme beauty Of the water world.
Every variety Of fringe and fower-cup is
minicked here 10 hucs that fairly rival the
roses otthe garden. Purest white, soft, creamy
lcIIows, rich salmon color, every shade of ten
der rose and glowing red and royal purple and
vivid green 7prlug from these rocks living
flower, with petals as delicate as they are dead
ly. tvr these beautiful trIngcS and ethereal
looking bubbles OF color are SO many murderous
arms outstreched for food. As We watch them
>waylng gently in the current poor little
transparent shrimp comes padding swiftly by.
lie touches Osc-colur petul, it flashes round
ham, he is sucked into the gorgeous heart of the
hJwer, aud It closes contcntrdiy over bis van
lshcd toru. They know their dauger generally
these poor little creatures and did they touch
ever SO lightly the tip OF d ,atlng fringe, would
spring away from 1t with au electrical recuil.
IL Is very interesting thug TO spend few
hours at the bottom OF the sea to see the eight
armed plcuvrc hauging irom The rocks, or the
green turtle siccplug peacefully just below the
surface OF the water; TO watch The hermit crabs
scuttlng busly bout each ID Ills stolen shell:
and 10 study the InanneIs ul the tipioepg cray-
hsh and the uuboe1 lobster. There are curl
Gus fresh water tlsh here, too, 10 large globes.
Among others Mexican azotis, most melancholy
OF fish, draped iu inky hues, black as hearse
and feathers, with plumy tufts waving all about
their di>consolate heads. Then there are the
telescope fish from China, swollen and distorted
golden carp, with their eyes so google that they
really look like spy-gasses.
Velocity AND DURATION OF LIGurNING.-
large hash OF lightning, distinctly seen, often
leaves upon the MUD an impression that it has
lasted iully second or more, but it is proved
that such is not the fact. lis velocity is at the
rate OF 2SS,UOO miles per secoud. The utmost
duration OF flash from beginning to end is es
tlmated not to exceed the sixtleth part of a
sccoud, though retained upon the retioa so
much Logger. This may be proved during a
storm on a perfectly dark night by setting a
wheel to work so rapidly that in steady liz ht
It's spokes appear to blend and become iudividu-
ally invisible. 1t being dark, and the wheel
rapidly revolving as above, when fash of
lightning occurs the wheel will appear to the
eye motonless, every spoke beug distinctly and
separately visible and still. This was first OBJ
served by Wheatstone, and is recorded by him,
III conjunction with other similar experiments.
as conclusive proof that the duration of the fash
Is excessively brief.
CHICAGO Is claimed 10 be better off in the
matter Of munlclpal Indebtedness than apv
other CITY 10 the country 10 proportion to popu-
latioD. The Times asserts that it owes less
than half as much as Boston, though to day a
much larger city, and also less than half as
much as Brooklyn, though nearly as large
CITY: It's debt Is not so great by $l2 0UU, 900
as that OF Baltimore, ana s., 900 less than
that OF st. LJulS 1t owes but ST 900, 600 more
thap Clnclnnatl, though it probably has nearly
twice as large population at the present time.
New Orleans and Washington are left out of
the reckoning altogether, because the ooseness
IN those cities has been so glariDg that there is
20 room tor legitimate comparison. The rea-
son assigned for the good fortune of Chicago is
that the limitation OF city debts 10 Illioois was
absolutely fixed by the constitution of the State
in 1871.
Mrs PARTINGToN AS CHEF OLA DIVISION.
Among the rcceot changes lr one OF the Gov
crument Departments was the reduction of the
chici OF an important division to q subordinate
position on account of incompetency. Accord
ing to the current report, 10 the department re.
icrrcd to, this employe is fully the equal of
Mrs Partngton and one of the former Com
lSSlonerS OF Agriculture 10 his misuse Of the
Mugs English. As a specimen of his stye.
both IN writing and speaking, it may be stated
that he invariably calls synopsis 'synopis, y
hsca year physical year, aud 'mutilated
letters mulltated letters" The head Of
tne department, alter interviewing him cou-
c'uded that he was hardly the person to prop
cry discharge the duties of chief of division
aud relieved him. Wash Star.
"A California story tells Of man who resoly.
cd to give up drinking, and went to a notary
10 10 get hun to draw up an affidavit to that effect
The document was drawn, read and proved:
the party held up his hand and murmured the
usual promise. The paper was then properly
sealed and delivered. What's to pay p ask
eI the pedge.taker. ITO paY--to pay p ex
claimed the notary. "Notblug of course--this
Is labor of love-" Nothing to pay T. re.
.urn'd the grateful but forgettul pledge taker.
Lou are brick. Let's take drink"
Ii Is said that the British government has
stnt Out an agent expressly to collect the seeds
.. '9e Caucho trees of Darien, for the purpose