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AMERICAN RAILROAD JOURNAL.

hours, on the coast of Cuba. Four hundred and

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[From Frazer's Magazine.]

THE PHILOSOPHY OF APPARITIONS.
"I' in the name of truth,

Are ye fantastica!, or that, in deed,
Which outwardly ye show?"

Mr. Coleridge, being asked by a lady if he believed
No, Madam. I have seen

insurgents gained possession of the Reciffe, on the (Lady Conyers, and Marchioness of Carmarthen,)] morning of the 16th, after putting to death a num did not die of grief, but of a malady which she ber of the Portuguese and making several prisoners. caught by having imprudently insisted on H. B. M. corvette Pleiades came to anchor off the companying my father to a hunt, before she was harbor, in order to protect the British subjects resi- completely recovered from the accouchement which ding there, their property, &c. Things remained in gave birth to my sister Augusta. His second wife, a disturbed state, when the B. left, 17th July-and my respectable mother, had, I assure you, too in ghosts, answered, fears were entertained of another insurrection.-proud a spirit to bear with the ill usage of any too many!" Paradoxical as this may at first sight man, no matter who he might be; and this she appear, it is nevertheless good sense, and suffi. [Charleston Mercury.] would have soon proved. I should add, that he ciently explanatory. True it is, that the beneficial lived a long time at Paris, and was in habits of inti. effects of modern science and modern wisdom have macy with the old Marshal Biron, Commandant of not been more interestingly exhibited than in exFROM NASSAU.-By the schr. Leo, we have Nassau papers to the 5th inst. His Britannic Majesty' the French Guards, who, from the similarity of plaining away old puzzling superstitions, and in ac names, and Norman origin of our family, supposed counting for the marvellous occurrence of mysteri schr. N.mble arrived at Nassau on the 27th of July, with her prize, the Portuguese slave brig Hebe, of that there was some distant relationship between us. ous events, by tracing them to a direct, tangible, eight guns and 28 inen, which the Nimble captured He died some years before the age of forty; and physical canse. Chymistry, having escaped from on the 13th of that month, after a chase of four whatever may have been his faults, they were cer the absurdities of its prototype, Alchymy, has open. tainly not those of harshness and grossness. If the ed our eyes to much wisdom, and taught us to look one slaves were on board at the time of the cap-notice should reach England, I am certain that the rather lower than the surface for the origin of our passage relative to my father will give much more grandmothers' awful tales of ghosts and goblins-of ture. [Commercial Adv.] pain to my sister even than to me. Augusta and I white spirits and black, red spirits and gray, with have always loved the memory of our father as much all their trumpery." Sir Humphrey Davy, in his as we loved each other; and this at least forms a pretty little book of Fly fishing, has explained to presumption, that the stain of harshness was not ap- us in a very simple mannar some abstruse points in plicable to it. If he dissipated his fortune, that con meteorology. Thus, among others equally interestcerns us alone, for we are his heirs; and till we re ing, the reason why a red sunset, tinted with purple, proach him with it, I know of no one else who has portends a fine day, is, that the air, when dry, a right to do so. As to the Lord Byron who killed refracts more red or heat-making rays; and as dry Mr. Chaworth in a duel, so far from retiring from air is not perfectly transparent, they are again re the world, he made the tour of Europe, and was ap. fleeted in the horizon. A copper or yellow sunset pointed Master of the Stag hounds, after that event; usually foretels rain; but as an indication of apThis is produced by and did not give up society until his son had offend proaching wet weather, nothing is more certain ed him by marrying in a manner contrary to his than a halo round the moon. duty. So far from feeling any remorse for having the precipitated water, and the larger the halo the killed Mr. Chaworth, who was a spadassin, and nearer are the clouds, and consequently the more celebrated for his quarrelsome disposition, he always ready to fall. It is lucky in spring to see two magkept the sword which he used upon that occasion pies together; because it is an indication of fine in his bedchamber, and there it still was when he warm weather, these birds never leaving the nest To approach nearer our present subject, we can died. It is singular enough, that when very young, together when the weather is likely to prove stormy. I formed a strong attachment for the grand.niece

Captain Tucker, of the brig Samuel, arrived yes. terday, informs that he was bound from St. Thomas to Tobasco, for a load of logwood; was met on the bar of Tobasco and brought to, by the Mexican schr. of war Hermoso Fevacerque, Capt. Thompson, whe endorsed his papers and ordered him off, declaring the port in a state of blockade, and that his vessel would be a lawful prize if he entered, as the port was not recognized by his government.

MISCELLANY.

LORD BYRON AND HIS FATHER.
"Stern death forbade my orphan youth to share
The tender guidance of a father's care:
Can rank, or e'en a guardian's name, supply
The love which glistens in a father's eye?
For this can wealth or title's sound atone,
Made, by a parent's early loss my own?" &c.

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"In all the lives of Lord Byron hitherto pub. lished, the character of the poet's father has been and heiress of Mr. Chaworth, who stood in the sanie now readily account for those dark and dismal fore. alluded to in terms of unmitigated reprobation, for degree of relationship as myself to Lord Byron; and bodings which are sometimes observed about the which the ascertained facts of his history afford but at the time it was thought that an union would have house of death. Who has not listened with horror a slender pretext. He had, like his son, the misfor- taken place. This is a lyng letter, and principally and a sickening heart to the croaking of the raven, tune of being brought up by a mother alone; Admi. about my family; but it is the fault of my benevo and the sharp flapping of its wings against the shutral Byron, his father, being kept at a distance from lent biographer. He may say of me whatever of tered windows; the dull, doleful, and monotonous his family by professional duties. His education good or evil pleases him; but I desire that he should baying of dogs, a sound never to be mistaken; and was completed at a foreign military academy-not, speak of my relations only as they deserve. If you the involuntary and untangible ringing of bells, in those days at least, a very favorable school; and could find an occasion of making him rectify the when a beloved object is hovering between life and attributed these doleful omens to supernatural interfrom this, after receiving a commission in the Cold facts relative to my father, and publish them, you death, and we know not which is strongest in our stream Guards, he was plunged, while yet a boy, into would do me a great service, for I cannot bear to bosoms, hope or despair? Our simple forefathers P.S.-The 11th or 12th of this month I shall position, but we, in this enlightened age of diffusiall the temptations to which a person of singular have him unjustly spoken of. beauty, and manners of the most captivating grace, As life is departing the animal bocan expose the heir of a noble name in our luxurious embark for Greece. Should I return, I shall pass ble knowledge, well know that they depend upon metropolis. The unfortunate intrigue, which has through Paris, and shall be much flattered in meet. pure physical causes, without any intervention from of the dog and raven speedily sniff. The same sub. me as affectionate a place in your remembrance as dy einits a pungent gas, which the keen olfactories been gravely talked of as marking his character ing you and your friends. Should I not return, give the Evil One. tle essence, probably by means of some electric in. possible.-B.'" with something like horror, occurred when he was fluence, causes the bells to ring; and, occasionally, hardly of age. At all events, as Captain Byron, who died in his thirty-fifth year, could have had no UN MOMENT DE PEUR,-Bonaparte lost four aide the doors to shut, with a loud and startling noise. influence in determining the course of his son's edu. de-camps during the short time he was in Egypt. Thus, these "awful sounds extraordinary" may bo sation or pursuits, it is difficult to understand on what grounds his personal qualities have been made One of them, Croisier, appearing to Napoleon to resolved into a little chymistry, and found to have "In very early times," says Dr. Hibbert, "we find the theme of discussion, to say nothing of angry lack the proper degree of boldness at the proper mo. their origin in—gas! vituperation, either in memoirs of Lord B., or re-meat, he burst out against him in one of his violent views of those memoirs. Some unworthy reflections and humiliating attacks of abuse and contempt. The philosophers inclined to doubt, if apparitions might upon the subject were hazarded in a biographical word "coward" escaped him; Croisier determined not be accounted for on natural principles, without not to survive it; he sought death on several occa- supposing that a belief in them was either referable sketch of the noble poet, prefixed to a French trans. lation of one of his works, which appeared very ions, but did not succeed till the siege of Acre. He to hallucinations, to human imagination, or to imposhortly after he left Genoa for Greece; and the re marks which these drew from the son at that time was in attendance on Napoleon in the trenches there sition that might have been practised. At length son, that if an elbow or feather showed itself above ghosts by maintaining that they were not spirits rewill probably go far to soften the general impression when such a sharp look-out was kept by the garri. Lucretius attacked the popular notion entertained of As the letter which Lord respecting the father. Croisier watched his opportunity and jumped upon more than films, pellicles, or membranes cast off from Byron addressed to the gentleman who had forward. or beside them, it was instantly grazed by a bullet. turned from the mansions of the dead, but nothing the platform. "Come down, I command you," the surface of all bodies, like the exuviæ or sloughs ed the offensive tract from Paris has not hitherto This is exceedingly curious and deserving of parbeen printed, and was probably the last he wrote cried Napoleon, in a voice of thunder; but it was of reptiles. too late-the victim of his severity fell at his feet. before quitting Italy, we make no apology for the Murat, the chivalrous braver of all danger, had also ticular attention, for, we find that this strange opilength of the following extract:his moment de peur (moment of fear,) which lost nion prevailed among the Epicurians, and was revi'As to the Essay, &c., I have nothing to object him the countenance of his general, until displea. ved in Europe about the middle of the 17th century. sura could no longer resist the brilliancy of his a- It had its origin in Palingenesy, or the resurrection to it, with regard to what concerns myself person ally; though naturally there are some of the facts chievements. It was at the siege of Mantau, in the of plants, a grand secret known to Sir Kenelm Digin it discolored, and several errors into which the first Italian campaign, that Murat was ordered to by, Kircher, Schot, Gaffer el, Vallemont, &c. The author has been led by the accounts of others. I charge a body of troops that were making a sortie operation of Palingenesy was no trivial one, and this allude to facts, and not criticisms: but the same au from the garrison. He hesitated, and in his confu was the order of its performance: a plant was selecthor has cruelly calumniated my father and my sion declared himself wounded; he was removed ted, bruised, and burnt; its ashes were then colgrand uncle, but more especially the former. So from the presence of the general; he was in every lected, and the salt which their calcination produced far from being brutal,' he was, according to the way discountenanced; in Egypt he was sent on the was carefully extracted. This salt was then put into testimony of all who knew him, of an extremely most distant and dangerous services; in short, he a phial, and mixed with some peculiar substances, amiable and joyous character, but eareless and dis. more than reconquered his character before the bat. which were never disclosed. The compound thus sipated. He had consequently the reputation of a tle of Aboukir, on which occasion Napoleon him. formed was of a bluish color, and easily reduced to good officer, and showed himself such in America. self was obliged to declare he was superb. The powder. This powder was now submitted to a gentle The facts themselves refuto the assertion. It is not brave Marshal Lannes one day severely reprimand. heat, when its articles being instantly put into mo. "Ihat man," said he, "is worse of the ashes, a stem, leaves, and flowers, or in other by brutality' that a young officer of the Guards ed a colonel who had punished a young officer for a tion, there then gradually arose, as from the midst seduces and carries off a marchioness, and marries moment de peur. submitted to this combustion. But as soon as the two heiresses. It is true that he was a very hand. than a poltroon who pretends that he never felt words, an apparition of the plant which had been some man, which goes a good way. His first wife fear."

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'GENOA, 10th July, 1823.

heat was abstracted, the form of the plant which had the manufactures of ghosts, the privilege of raising appeared, as it had done before, in a standing posbeen thus submitted was precipitated to the bottom them in as great numbers, and in as horrible a guise ture. About six o'clock there appeared, also, several of the vessel. Heat was then re-applied, and the as they may think fit, and even without violating walking figures, which had no connection with form once more became latent among the ashes.- probability. The highost flights of imagination may the first.

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This notable experiment was said to have been per- now be indulged on this subject, although no loop. "After the first day the form of the deceased formed before the Royal Society, and it satisfactori-hole should be left for mortifying explanations, and person no more appeared; but in its place there ly proved to this erudite body, that the presence of for those modifications of terror which completely appeared many other phantasms, sometimes repreheat gave a sort of life to the vegetable apparition, baulk the reader's curiosity, and disgust him with a senting acquaintances, but more commonly stran. and that the absence of heat, or caloric, caused its second reading.' Another great convenience will gers. Those whom I knew were composed of liv. dissolution. be found in my system: apparitions may be evoked ing and dead persons, but the number of the latter The famous metaphysician Kircher attempted the in open day, at noon, if the case should be urgent. were comparatively small. I remarked that the rationale of this famous experiment, made on the In the midst of a field, on the surface of water, or persons, with whom I daily conversed did not appear ashes of the rose. He imagined that the seminal in the glare of a patent lamp, quite as easily as in as phantasms, these representing persons who lived virtue of every known substance was contained in the darkness of chaos and old night.' Nay, a per- at some distance from me. I attempted to produce its salt. This salt was concealed in the ashes of the son rightly prepared may see ghosts while seated at pleasure the appearance of persons whom I knew, rose. Heat put it in motion. The particles of the comfortably by his library fire, in as much perfection by intensely reflecting on their features, form, dress, salt were quickly sublimed, and being moved about, as amidst broken tombs, nodding ruins, and awe in- &c. But, distinctly as I called to any imagination vertex like, in the phial, at length assumed their na-spiring ivy." the respective resemblances of three of these inditu.al arrangement. It was evident, then, from this In a work on the duties of a Justice of the Peace, viduals, I could not succeed in making them appear experiment, that these saline particles had a tenden- published, and, we believe, edited by Nelson, we to me as phantasms, although I had before involuney to observe the same order of position, which they have a proof of the existence of witches and witch- tarily seen them in that manner, and perceived thein held in the living plant. Thus, for instance, each craft, which the learned Theban of an editor seems some time after when I least thought of them. The saline corpuscle, which in its prior state was placed to have considered impenetrable. "It appears," phantoms appeared to me contrary to my inclinaon the stem of the rose slip, sympathetically fixed quoth he, "that there must have been such a crime tion, as if they were presented to me from without, itself in a corresponding position on the phial: as witchcraft, because (oh! this brave logician!) di- like the phenomena of external nature, although in other particles were subjected to the same influence, vers statutes have been made against it." Were we reality they existed only in my own mind. I could and thus, at length, the entire apparition of a plant to adopt a similar style of argument, we might read- readily distinguish between phantoms, and real, tanwas generated. ily enough prove the existence of demoniacal agency gible objects; and the calmness with which I ex

Having achieved this, it was easy enough to ap. in former times, by citing sundry medical cases; in amined them, enabled me to avoid the commission ply the rationale of this experiment to the elucida. which, by the way, the old German physicians most of the slightest mistake. I knew exactly the dif tion of the popular belief in ghosts. No sooner copiously abounded; where we should see that medi- ference between the opening of the door and the was a body committed to the earth than the saline cines had been administered for the purpose of ex- entrance of a phantom, and the same thing and the particles of which it was composed were exhaled by pelling the devil from the body, just as we should entrance of a real person !

putrefaction: the particles, as in the case of the now proceed to expel the evils of a good feed, undi. The phantoms appeared equally clear and distinet rose, resumed the relative situations which they held gested turtle, viscid bile, or any other abominable at all times and under all circumstances, both when in the living body, and thus manufactured "a hor. obstruction. I was alone and when I was in company; as well rid apparition, tall and ghastly," calculated to But to be serious: That people of excellent cre.in the day as at night; in my own house as well as frighten and appal every one but a Palingenist! dibility and unimpeachable integrity have seen abroad; they were, however, less frequent when I An accident revealed to the Alchymists this ex-ghosts or spectres, or whatever they may be termed, was in the house of a friend, and seldom appeared traordinary discovery. Three of them, with a view is a fact which no one can dispute. The forms of to me in the street. When I closed my eyes they of searching for the Philosopher's Stone, had ob- dead and absent persons have been seen, and their would sometimes totally disappear, although I octained some mould from the church of St. Innocent, voices heard by individuals, whose veracity we have casionally beheld them when I shut my eyes: yet at Paris. While they were carefully distilling the no reason and no right to question. The apparition when they disappeared on such occasions, they were precious dust, they suddenly perceived in their re. of the Genius to Brutus, and of the Fury to Dion, generally visible again when I opened my eyes. I torts the miniature forms of men, which caused are no fables. Both saw them, spoke to them, heard usually saw human forms of both sexes; but they them immediately to desist from their labors. An them speak, and were convinced. But we need not generally appeared not to take the slightest notice occurrence so wonderful soon reached the know ransack ancient history for examples of this illu- of each other, moving as in a market-place, where ledge of the Institute of Paris, which, under the pasion. all are eager to press through the crowd; at times, tronage of Louis XIV., took up the matter with so In a very interesting narrative, written by Nico- however, they appeared to be transacting business much seriousness; and the result of its learned la lai, the celebrated Printer of Berlin, we have a re- with each other. I also saw several times people on bors was duly recorded for the benefit of mankind, markable instance of spectre-seeing, although he horseback, dogs and birds. All these phantoms apand is to be found properly authenticated in the was perfectly aware at the time of the delusion. peared to me in their natural size, and as distinct Miscellania Curiosa. We must find room for one "I have myself," he says, "experienced a case of and perfect as if alive, exhibiting different shades of of those precious morsels:this nature, which to me appears highly remarka- carnation in the uncovered parts, as well as differ. "A malefactor was executed and his body obtain. ble, both phisiologically and medically. I saw, in a ent colors and fashions of their dresses, though the ed by a physician for dissection. After disposing of state of mind completely sound, and after the first colors seemed somewhat paler than in real na. the other parts of the body, he ordered his assistant terror was over, with perfect calmness, for nearly ture. None of the figures appeared particularly ter. to pulverize part of the cranium, which was a reme. two months, almost continually and involuntary, a rible, grotesque, or disgusting; most of them being dy then used in medicine. The powder was left in a vast number of human and other forms; I even head of an indifferent shape, and some having even a paper on a table in the museum, where the assistant their voices, though I knew all this to be merely the pleasing aspect."

slept. About midnight he was awakened by a noise effect of a high degree of nervous irritability, and of It is very evident that this extraordinary delusion in the room, which obliged him to rise immediately. a disordered state of the circulation of my blood. was dependent altogether upon indigestion, occur. The noise continued about the table without any "It being a matter of some importance that the ring in a frame irritated, unstrung, and rendered visible agent; and at length he traced it to the pow strictest attention should be paid to an incident of morbidly sensitive by a distressing degree of ner. der, in the midst of which he now beheld, to his this nature, and that it should be related with the vous irritability. It was a curious fact that these unspeakable dismay, a small head with open eyes most conscientious fidelity, I shall not omit any phantasms were more particularly gamesome and instaring at him; presently two branches appeared, thing, of which I retain a clear recollection. Dur. trusive at the time that the food remained in the sto which assumed the forms of arms and hands; then ing the last ten months of the year 1790, I had ex- mach undigested, and unacted upon by those peculthe ribs became visible, which were soon clothed perienced several melancholy incidents which deeply iar functions of that organ; as soon as digestion with muscles and integuments; next the lower ex affected me. September was a sad and sorrowful commenced they began to disappear, and when the tremities sprouted out, and when they appeared per- month to me, for 1 suffered an almost uninterrupted function was completed, they had totally vanished. fect, the puppet-for he was nothing more-reared series of misfortunes, that afflicted me with the It was a fortunate circumstance for Nicolai that he himself on his feet: instantly his clothes came upon most poignant grief. In the January and February was a man of strong nerves and enlarged informahim (!) and he appeared in the very cloak he wore following, I had the additional misfortune to ex- tion; had be not been so, he must have been irrecoat his execution! The affrighted spectator, who perience several unpleasant circumstances, which verably maddened by these spectral visitants. His stood hitherto mumbling his prayers with unceasing ended on the 24th of February in a most violent own remarks on such cases are admirable. assiduity, now thought of making his escape from altercation. My wife and a friend came into my "Those who pretend to have seen and heard the resuscitated ruffian: but this was impossible, for room in the morning to console me, but I was too ghosts, obstinately maintain they perceived these the apparition planted himself in his way, and, after much agitated by a series of incidents, which had apparitions by the usual agency of their senses. divers fierce looks and threatening gestures, opened most powerfully affected my moral feeling, to be order to defeat that belief, wo generally desire them the door and went out. No doubt the powder was capable of attending to them. Suddenly, I per- to consider how many people have been imposed missing the next day." ceived, at about the distance of ten steps from me, upon by artful novices. We advise them to lay

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But these are among the most intricate and sub- a form, resembling that of a deceased person; and, hold of the supposed spectres, assuring them that lime solutions. If we come to consider the subject pointing at it, asked my wife if she did not see it? they are generally found to be of a very corporeal of apparitions, we shall find, with the aid of a little My wife, who, of course, saw nothing of the kind, nature. But those who have a predilection for the physical and metaphysical knowledge, that we shall felt very much alarmed, and sent immediately for a miraculous pay no attention to these objections, inbe able to exercise, lay, and drive away more spec- physician, who came and ascribed the apparition, sisting that the productions of their morbid imagi tres and hobgoblins than any magician or enchanter which lasted about eight minutes, to violent mental nations are real beings. We cannot, therefore, of ancient or modern times: from Zoroaster, Mau-emotion; and hoped as I was then more composed, collect too many of such well substantiated facts as gis, and Merlin, down to Michael Schot-ever did, there would be no return. But this dreadful agita- show how easily our imagination imposes on us er. or ever could vanquish. But now— tion of my mind has so disordered my nerves, that roneous notions, and deludes not only delirious

"A thousand fantasies

Begin to throng into our memory,

Of calling shapes, and beck'ning shadows dire,

And airy tongues that syllable men's names

On sands, and shores, and desert wildernesses

These thoughts may startle well, but not astound."

it produced farther consequences, which deserve a persons, but even those who are in full possession of
more minute description.
their faculties, by causing them to see phantoms,
"At four in the afternoon, the form which I had which can scarcely be distinguished from real ap-
seen in the morning re-appeared. I was easy at the pearances."

incident, went to my wife's apartment; but there, Then follows the narration we have quoted, with "I freely offer,” says the jocose Dr. Ferriar," to likewise, I was haunted by the apparition; which these sensible observations: "I cannot assign any

other cause for these illusions, than that a continued year, in the perfect enjoyment of her health and extent, and where there are many individuals who rumination on the vexations I had suffered, which I faculties." lay claim to the title and capabilities of seers, the

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could not forget, and the consequence of which I From these examples-and we could adduce many following occurrence took place, to the great astonmeditated to counteract. These meditations always others we are led to infer that the production of ishment of the mountaineers. We can vouch for occupied my mind three hours after dinner, just spectral illusions is necessarily connected with cer- the truth of the statement, as many of our own teuafter my digestion commenced. .. All that I tain affections of the body, caused by some derange-lu, or clan, were witnesses of the fact. One dark could infer was, that while my nervous system was in ment of the nervous or circulating system. Of such evening, a few winters ago, some persons with whom such an irregular and irritable state, the phantasms affections Reginald Scot, the resolute opposer of we are well acquainted, were returning to Barmouth would appear to me as if I actually saw and witchcraft and demonology, has well remarked, on the south or opposite side of the river. As they heard them; that these illusions were not modified thatapproached the ferry-house at Penthryn, which is by any known laws of reason, imagination, or the "Though they appear in the mind of man, yet directly opposite Barmouth, they observed a light common association of ideas, and that probably they are in the body, and proceed from this humor, near the house, which they conjectured to be preother people who may have seen similar appari. which is the very dregs of blood, nourishing and duced by a bonfire, and greatly puzzled they were tions were exactly in the same predicament." feeding these places; from whence proceed fears, to discover the reason why it should have been The patient was right with regard to the cause cogitations, superstitions, fastings, labors, and such lighted. As they came nearer, however, it vanish.. of these capricious visitors; for, as his nervous ir-like. This maketh sufferance of torments, and, (as ed, and when they inquired at the house respecting ritability subsided, their visits became less frequent, some say,) foresight of things to come." it, they were surprised to learn that not only had until they were wholly discontinued-not perhaps It would really be a most interesting pursuit to the people there displayed no light, but they had without some degree of regret on the part of the follow up this subject, and to show how that pecul- not even soen one; nor could they perceive any recovering hypochondriac; for he tells us," At iar temperament, which constitutes the highest grade signs of it on the sands. On reaching Barmouth, different times there appeared to me both dear of sensibility and genius, contributes to render its the circumstance was mentioned, and the fact cor. and sensible friends of both sexes, whose ad-possessor so susceptible of these curious impressions. roborated by some of the people there, who had also dresses tended to appease my grief. These con. It was this temperament, excited by an accidental plainly and distinctly seen the light. It was settled solatory speeches were in general addressed to circumstance, that produced the well known vision therefore, by some of the old fishermen, that this me when I was alone and most needed them; of Dr. Donne; who, while he was residing at Paris, was a "death token," and, sure enough, the man sometimes I was accosted by these consoling saw the figure of his wife, then in London, pass who kept the ferry at that time was drowned at friends while in company, and frequently while through the room, with her hair dishevelled, and car- high water a few nights afterwards, on the very real persons were speaking to me. These addresses rying a dead child in her arms. The poem which he spot where the light was seen. He was landing consisted sometimes of abrupt but impressive phras- wrote, previously to their separation, will afford a from the boat, when he fell into the water, and so es, and at others they were regularly and eloquent-sufficient clue for the appearance of such a vision. perished.

ly connected." We can readily believe that these It is under circumstances similar to these that The same winter the Barmouth people, as well as addresses were, indeed, "consolatory."-Let us pic. the "Scottish Second Sight" is produced. Much the inhabitants of the opposite banks, were struck ture to ourselves a man of quick, irritable, sensitive has been written about this very extraordinary qual. by the appearance of a number of small lights, disposition-a true specimen of the genus irritabile, ity; and many proofs of its effect have been adduc. which were seen dancing in the air at a place called plunged in grief and anger at the base ill usage and ed. The following instances, related by Dr. Ferri. Borthwyn, about half a mile from the town. A great ingratitude, real or imaginary, of an unfeeling world; er, in his interesting little work on Apparitions, are number of people came out to see these; and, after let us imagine such a person shutting himself in his so well authenticated, and so striking that we shall a while, they all but one disappeared, and this one own chamber, disgusted, and sorrowful, smarting, narrate them in his own words :-"A gentleman proceeded slowly towards the water's edge, to a moreover, under the sharp sting of his assumed connected with my family, an officer in the army, little bay where some boats were moored! The wrongs, calling to his aid, with the air and solem- and certainly addicted to no superstition, was quar- men in a sloop which was anchored near the spot, nity of an enchanter, his attendant genii, and re-tered early in life in the middle of the last century, saw the light advancing-they saw it also hover ceiving from then that consolation which every near the castle of a gentleman in the north of Scot-over one particular boat, and then totally disappear. one else withholds. Such was Nicolai's case, land, who was supposed to possess the second sight. Two or three days afterwards, the man to whom who, conscious though he was of the delusion and Strango rumors were afloat respecting the old chief that particular boat belonged, was drowned in the its cause, must, nevertheless, have yielded somewhat He had spoken to an apparition which ran along the river, while he was sailing about Barmouth harto the strange and vivid impression of the moment. battlements of the house, and had never been cheer- bor in that very boat. We have narrated these But a more palpable physical cause has produced ful afterwards. His prophetic vision excited sur-facts just as they occurred; we must leave the soluan effect equally extraordinary. Persons subject to prise, even in that region of credulity; and his re. tion of the mystery to the ingenuity of our readers. gout have experienced these strange hallucinations, tired habits favored the popular opinion. My friend Considering this as a digression, we return to the particularly in the form of the disease which the assured me, that one day, while he was reading a spectral illusions; and there can be no difficulty in learned called recedent. Although generally a dis-play to the ladies of the family, the Chief, who had attributing them to a particular physical condition ease of the joints of the extremities, gout has occa- been walking across the room, stopped suddenly, of the brain, which may be termed a disease, and sionally attacked the stomach, and the brain; and and assumed the look of a seer. He rang the bell, called Hallucinatio. The physician well knows, in the latter case violent pains have been produced, and ordered the groom to saddle a horse; to proceed that, in certain diseases of the brain, such as inwhich have been followed by the most vivid and immediately to a seat in the neighbourhood, and to sanity, and even simple delirium, spectral illusions painful ideas. To these symptoms spectral illusions inquire after the health of Lady If the ac- occur, and continue, as in Nicolai's case, for many

have sometimes supervened, as in the following count was favorable, he then directed him to call at days. It is true that Nicolai was neither mad nor case, recorded by Dr. Alderson :--another castle, and to ask after another lady whom delirious; but his brain was, nevertheless, deranged, "I was called to visit Mrs. B., a fine old lady, he named. and excited by his misfortunes, and thus were engenabout eighty years of age, whom I have frequently "The reader immediately closed his book, and de- dered those visions which haunted him so long. In visited in fits of the gout. At a period when, from clared that he would not proceed until these abrupt all nervous maladies the brain must be more or less her general feelings, she rather expected the gout, orders were explained, as he was confident that affected; and it is curious to observe what a strange she was seized with an unusual deafness, and great they were produced by the second sight. The Chief confusion of ideas and perception occurs in such distention in the organs of digestion. From this was very unwilling to explain himself, but at length cases. The senses cither lose their powers altotime she was visited by several of her friends, whom he owned that the door had opened, and that a lit-gether, or so distort and alter impressions, as to she had not invited, and so far considered them astle woman, without a head, had entered the room; create the most extraordinary perplexity. Persons actually present, that she told them she was very that the apparition indicated the sudden death of having imagined themselves converted into stones sorry she could not hear them speak, nor keep up some person of his acquaintance; and the only two and statues-into glass or china ornaments, and conversation with them; she would, therefore, or- persons who resembled the figure were those ladies have been afraid of moving, lest they should be der the card-table, and rang the bell for that pur after whose health he had sent to inquire. A few dashed to pieces by an unluckly fall, or an unforpose. Upon the entering of the servant, the whole hours afterwards the servant returned, with an ac- tunate collision. Some patients have conceived party disappeared; she could not help expressing count that one of the ladies had died of an apoplec- themselves so hugely enlarged in bulk, as to be un. her surprize to her maid that they should all go away tic fit, about the time when the vision appeared." able to enter a room, or a carriago, or a gate: while so abruptly, but she could scarcely believe her when "Another time the Chief was confined to his bed others, carrying about with them an immense she told her there had been nobody in the room. by indisposition, and my friend was reading to him "mountain of flesh," have fancied themselves as She was so ashamed, that she suffered for many days on a stormy winter night, while the fishing boat be. lean as the "living skeleton." But all these illuand nights together the intrusion of a variety of longing to the castle was at sea.-The old gentle- sions, as well as others too numerous to mention, phantoms, and had some of her finest feelings man repeatedly expressed much anxiety respecting arise, of course, from physical causes, and may be wrought upon by the exhibition of friends long lost, nis people, and at last exclaimed, My boat is lost!" traced to some derangement of the brain, changing, and who only came to cheat her fancy, and revive The Colonel replied, How do you know it, sir?' disordering, and reversing the action of the eternal sensations that time had almost obliterated. She He answered, I see two of the boatmen bringing in senses. determined, however, for a long time not to com- the third, drowned, dripping wet, and laying him In addition to the explanation of the appearance plain, and contented herself with merely ringing down close beside your chair. The chair was shift. of apparitions, it has frequently occurred that the her bell, finding that she could always get rid of the ed with great precipitation. In the course of the mind has magnified or distorted harmless and even phantoms by the entrance of her maid, whenever night the fishermen returned with the corpse of one inanimate objects, into the most horrible sceptres. they became distressing. It was not till some time of the boatmen." Fear and terror are wonderfully creative, and the

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after that she could bring herself to relate her dis- These death tokens are very curious, but they scathed and withered branches of an old tree, havo tresses to me. She was all this time convinced of may be physically accounted for by the great and caused more alarm and consternation than a band of her own rationality, and so were those friends who intense anxiety of the seers, directed in most instan- robbers, or a legend of warlike plunderers. This really visited her; for they never could find any one ces towards the objects whose dissolution is portend-species of sceptres carries with it its own detection; circumstance in her conduct and conversation to ed. But connected with this subject "there are but with regard to the more abstruse illusions, their lead them to suspect her in the smallest degree de- more things in heaven and earth, than are dreamt of origin may always be seen by a calm, candid, and ranged, though unwell. This complaint was en. in our philosophy." careful examination. We might have extended our tirely removed by cataplasms to the feet and gentle In a wild and retired district in North Wales, that illustrations to a greater length, but our limits forpurgatives, and terminated in a short time after- namely which extends from Dolgelly westward to bid us to indulge in the exposition, and we have wards in a regular slight fit of tho gout. She has Barmouth and Towyn, where there is certainly as already said sufficient, perhaps, to induce the reflectremained ever since, now somewhat more than a much superstition as in any other district of the same ing reader to "ponder upon our words and be wise."

HOME AFFAIRS.

Another of the heroic race-of those men who made the Revolution, and carried it on to its trium. phant consummation-has descended to the tomb. Col. SAMUEL WARD died on Thursday morning.

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This individual, well known in later life as a respectable merchant of this city, was in his earlier days a gallant and distinguished soldier. A native of Rhode Island, he was in May, 1775, appointed (being then only eighteen years of age a captain in the Rhode Island Army of Observation, com. manded by Greene. In that capacity ho was pre. sent at the siege of Boston. In July, 1775, he be. came a captain in the Continental Line, and com. manded a company in the daring expedition of Arnold across the country, then a wilderness, to Quebec. He was present at the attack, and, with the rest of the survivors of the party, was made prisoner on the 31st of October. 1775. In the fall of 1776 he was exchanged, and immediately resumed active service, being appointed in January, 1776, a major in Greene's Regiment. He was in the battle of Red Bank in October following, and, in Sullivan's retreat, commanded a regiment. From 1779, to 1781, he served with the rank of lieutenant colo. nel in the Eastern States.

At the conclusion of the war he abandoned the profession of arms, and applied himself to the pur. suits of commerce in this city. In a ripe yet vigor. ous old age-with an unspotted name-surrounded by an attached family—the object of respect to all -he has now sunk into the tomb;-one of the latest survivors of those days, which, and the men of which, are destined to mark a new era in the history of men and nations.

POETRY.

THE HEART.

The heart-the gifted heart-
Who may reveal its depths to human sight!
Wha: eloquence impart

The softness of its love-the grandeur of its might!
It is the seat of bliss-

The blessed home of all affections sweet;
It smiles where friendship is--
It glows where social feelings micet.

'Tis Virtue's hallow fane-
'Tis Freedom's first, and best, and noblest shield!
A strength that will remain,
When grosser powers and feebler spirits yield!
It is Religion's shrine,

From whence our holiest aspirations wing;
Where joys, which are divine,

And hopes, which are of heaven, alone may spring!

The fount of tenderness

Where every purer passion has its birth,
To cheer-to charm-to bless-
And sanctify our pilgrimage on earth.
Oh, heart!-till life be o'er,

Shed round the light and warmth of thy dear flame,
And I will ask no more
Of earthly happiness, or earthly fame!

DEATHS.

DIED-On Wedn-sday, 8th ult of the prevalling epidemic,
fer a very few hours illness, Mr. Wm. T. Sayre, in the 2711
year of his age, formerly of Salem, N. J.
Friday, 10th inst., of the prevailing epidemic, Mrs. Morlan!
Micholl, aged 30 years and 6 months.

Thursday evening, 9th inst. of the prevailing epideinic, Peter
Ward, aged 25 years, a respectable journeyman tailor.

On Thursday morning, August 16, of bilious fever, in the
76th year of his age, Colonel Samuel Ward.

On Thursday morning, August 16, after a lingering illness,
Sarah R., daughter of John Beckman.

At Fort Columbus, N. Y. harbor, Miss Nancy B., daughter of
Dr. James Mann of the U. S. Army.

NEW-YORK AMERICAN, TRI-WEEKLY. The NEW-YORK AMERICAN is now published THREE TIMES A-WEEK, in addition to the Daily and Semi-weekly, as usual. This arrangement is made to accommodate a large class of business-men in the country, who are desirous of see ing the advertisements of the day, yet are unwilling to encoun ter the expense of subscription and postage of a daily paper By this arrangement, it will easily be perceived, their wishes may be gratified, at one half the expenso of a daily paper, as most of the advertisements, both of the Daily and Semi-weekly papers, will appear in the Tri-Weekly American; and the reading matter as published in the Daily paper. It will be issued on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, at FIVE dollars per annuni in advance,-to subscribers out of the city of New-York, and forwarded, according to their order, and or any length of time.

All letters relating to the TRI-WEEKLY AMERICAN may be addressed to the Publisher and part Proprietor,

D. K. MINOR, No. 35 Wall-st. N.Y. The New-York American is published DAILY at $10 per annum, and SEMI-WEEKLY, at $4 per annum, in ad vance, as heretofore, at No. 35 Wallstreet New-York.

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TOWNSEND & DURFEE, Røpe Manufacturers, having machinery for making ropes to any required length (without splice), offer to suppiy full length Ropes for the inlined planes on Rail-reads at the shortest notice, and deliver them in the City of New-York, if requested. As to the quality At West Farms, on the 4th of August, of inflammation on the of the Rope, the public are referred to J. B Jervis, Eng. M. & brain, Francis Lawrence, youngest son of Thomas Ludlow Og-H. R. R. Co., Albany; or James Archibald, Engineer Hudson & Delaware Canal & R. R. Co., Carbondale, Luzerne County; de, in the 17th year of his age. Pennsylvania. Palmyra, Wayne County, New-York,

On the 11th inst. at the residence of Capt. John Blake, Stat
island, Mrs. Martha Innes, wite of Mr. George Innes, of New
York, in the 54th year of her age, in full hope of a blessed im-
mortality.

Friday morning, 10th inst., at Fishkill. Duchess Co., Emil
laughter of James M'Call, of this city, in the 16th year of her age
Friday, 3d inst., at the residence of his father, Cayuta Lake.
Catharine's Town, Tioga County, Richard, son of Samuel Law.

Capt. Pettit, of the schr. George, 20 days from Honduras, informs us that Mr. SHANNON, Chargéence, Esqr., aged 18 years. d'Affaires for Guatemala, and his niece, died at Ysa bal on their way thither. Mrs. Shannen was well, and expected to return to the United States soon.

At Paterson, N. J. on the 12th inst. Maria Louisa, daughter the late Genl. Alexander M. Muir, of this city, aged five years and six months.

At Ghent, Columbia county, on the 6th inst, of a severe and protracted illness, Mrs Catharine Snyder, consort of Captai Teunis G. Snyder, in the 54th year of her age.

1st mo. 22d, 1832.

330 tf

PATENT, RAIL-ROAD, SHIP AND BOAT SPIKES.

THE TROY IRON & NAIL FACTORY keep constantly for sale a very ex ensive assortment of Wrought Spikes & Nails, from 3 to 10 inches, manufactured by the subscriber's Patent Machinery. which after five years successful operation and now almost universal use in the United States (as well as England, where the subscriber obtained a Patent,) are found snperior to any ever offered in market

RAIL ROAD COMPANIES MAY BE SUPPLIED WITH SPIKES having countersink heads suitable to the holes in the Mortality among our Official Agents in South Amer ron rails, to any amount and on short notice. Almost all the Rail roads now in progress in the United States are fastened ica.-Prevost and Cooley died in Peru; Graham, At New Orleans, 80th ult. John, youngest son of Mr. John with Spikes made at the above named factory-for which purWright, and Tudor, in Rio de Janeiro; Rodney.rendergast, aged about 5 years. This interesting but unfortu pose they are found invaluable, as their adhesion is more than Dana, Forbes, and Rogers, in Buenos Ayres; Miller ate little fellow was, about four weeks ago, bit in th hand blouble any common spikes made by the hammer. All orders directed to the Agent, Troy, N. Y., will be in Montevideo; and Shannon and another previous. dog runni e in the street, supposed to be at the time in a rabie HENRY BURDEN, Agent. ly, in Guatemala. One British Chargé died on the tate; the sequel has alas! proved the report to have been bu punctually attended to. too true-on Sunday afternoon he was taken suddenly ill, show Troy, N. Y., July, 1831. route, like Wright and Shannon, and two Consulsing evident symptoms, in the paroxysms with which he was Spikes are kept for sale, at factory prices, by 1. & J. General were assassinated. seized, of the fatal nature of the disease, though it had been la- Townsond, Albany, and the principal Iron Merchants in Albany Future applicants for diplomatic situations, inllowing day, when he expired, leaving his di consulate parent Jones, Philadelphia; T. Janviers, Baltimore; Degrand & He lingere until midnight of th and Troy J. I. Brower, 222 Water street, New-York; A. M. tent for a space in the system those countries, must hold their lives at a cheap weep over the fate of their darling child.-[Leu. Adv.] Smith, Boston. purchase, if they are not intimidated at the fate of Obituary -Departed this life on the 2d inst., at the residence of P.S. Rail-road Companies would do well to forward their or their predecessors. er brother-in-law, Professor Webster, at Geneva, Ontario Coders as early as practical, as the subscriber is desirous of exMrs MARION FOOT, consort of Samuel A. Foot. Esquire, o tending the manufacturing so as to keep pace with the daily inNAVAL.-List of afficers on board the U. S. ship this city. Mr F and lady left New-York, for the West, early increasing demand for his Spikes. J23 1am ef July last, in perfect health, with a view to escape the then pre H. BURDEN. Erie, arrived at Boston from the West India station,vailing pestilence. After spending a few days at Geneva, she and last from Havana-officers and crew all well-was seized with a bilous intermittent fever, which, in twelve A RAILROAD IN PRACTICAL OPERATION, John H. Clack, Commander; Lieutenants Henry A. days, terminated fatally. The many excellent qualities of Mrs. within ten miles of the City of New-York. Foot had endeared her to a numerous circle during her residence] THE PATERSON AND HUJSON RIVER RAILROAD Adams, James T. Homans, Fitz Allen Deas; Wm. Her active charities and unaffected piety will long is formed from the town of Paterson to the village of AquackaJohnson, Surgeon; Henry Etting, Purser; Jacob shed a delightful fragrance upon her memory, and endeat it to nonk, a distance of 43 miles, and is now in actual and successZeilin, Lieut. of Marines; Samuel Barrington, Asher bereaved relatives and fiends. The select few who knew ful operation between those places.-The Company have placed sistant Surgeon; Lor. T. Bennett, Acting Sailing and justly appreciated her unostentations benevolence and ardent upon the road tree splendid and commodious Cars, each of zeal in the cause of pure and undefiled religion, will long revere which will accommodate thirty Passengers, and have supplied Master; Midshipmen Francis Bartlett, Jos. F. Green, her unpretending virtues, and deprecate her sudden withdrawal themselves with fleet and gentle horses, and careful drivers. Robert F. Pinkney, Benj. S. Sly, John M. Maulsby, from a life scrupulously devoted to usefulness, and strikingly With a view to suit the convenience of those persons who may Francis B. Wright, Geo. G. Wyche, Wm. A. Jones; displaying the Christian graces. It will be consoling to the nu wish to avail themselves of this rapid and delightful mode of merous friends and admirers of this estimable lady to know that traveling, the following hours have been fixed for leaving those Wm. Hart, Boatswain; Daniel Kelly, Gunner; her last moments were peculiarly marked by calmness and re- places. Alonso Jones, Carpenter; Wm.. Bennett, Sail Ma-signa ion; pourtraying at that uying hour, as she illustrated PATERSON. ker; Martin Burgual. Purser's Steward. throughout her valuable life, a strong faith and holy confidence Passengers in the Erie, Mrs. J. H. Clack, children in the merits of a blessed Redeemer.

and servant.

among us.

No more, O! pale Destroyer, boast
Thy universal sway:

At half past 7 o'clock, A.M.
10 do do

AQUACKANONK.

At half past 10 o'clock, A.M. + before 1 do P.M.

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To heav'n born souls thy sting is lost-
Thy night, the gate of day."

half past 4

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ON SUNDAYS.
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The following is a list of the officers on board the U. S. schr. Shark. left at Havana 20th July,-all well-to sail next day on a cruise :-Wm. Boerum, The City Inspector reports the death of 467 persons during the Lt. Com.; Robert D. Thorburn, Lieut.; J. M. Ber. week ending on Saturday last, 11th instant, viz:-147 men, 138 rien, Acting do.; J. Brinckerhoff, Acting Surgeon; women, 90 boys, and 92 girls-Of whom 65 were of the age of E. M. Yard, Acting Sailing Master; Midshipmen 1 year and under; 39 between 1 and 2, 31 between 2 and 5, 29 J. K. Bowie, J. Carroll, M. D. E. W. Watson; H.between 5 and 10. 15 between 10 and 20, 35 between 20 and 30, Parties of twenty or more persons can be accommodated at 79 between 30 and 40, 64 between 40 and 50, 40 between 50 and Ingraham, Captain's Clerk; Wm. Christie, Boat. 0,21 between 60 and 70, 15 between 70 and 80, and 5 he either of the above hours with a private Car. FARE reduced to is 6d- -Children under 12 years of age, half swain; Nathan Stephens, Gunner; Nathaniel Fic-ween 30 and 90.-Diseases: Apoplexy 2, childbed G, cholera ket, Carpenter; John Carter, Sail Maker. morbus 1, cholera malignant 281, consumption 32, convulsions price.-Paterson, June 20th, 1832. ELIAS B. D. OGDEN, Secretary 20, cramp in the stomach 1. diarrhea 5, dropsy 1, dropsy in NB.-Persons leaving Hoboken by the 8 o'clock Stage, for he cheat 1, dropsy in the head 13, drowned 1, dysentery 5, fever 3, fever scarlet 1, fever typhus 3, flux infantile 24, hæmor- Aquackanonk, will have ample ime to view the Falls of the thage 1 hives or croup 3, inflammation of the bowel S, inflam. Passaic, and other objects of interest in the flourishing town of mation of the brain 2, inflammation of the liver 1, inflammation of Paterson, and return to New-York the same day. jy:18 the stomach I, intemperance 6, marasmus 3, measles 1, mortifi

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A new post office has beeen recently established in the township of Bloomfield, bearing the name of spasm 2, sprue 3, stillborn 4, teething 5, unknown 10. worms the 8 o'clock A. M. and 7 o'clock P.M. turns from Acquackanock,

Pine Lake-John Ellenwood, Esq. appointed postmaster.

2.

ABRAHAM D. STEPHENS, City Inspector.

[Of the interments, 185 were in Potter's Field, and 79 in St. Patrick's Cathedral,

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RAILROAD

OFFICE, 35 WALL-STREET.

CONTENTS.

Editorial Notices-Locomo.

tive Power upon Inclined Planes..

New American Locomotive
Engine..
Saratoga and Schenectady
Railroad, &c........

Literary Notices...

.548

548

..545

New Engines..

.545

Alleghany Portage Railroad 545
Canal Tolls, &c.
...545
Description of Motive Pow-
er,and Disposition of Rail-
roads..

....516

Home Affairs.-Summary..552
Foreign Intelligence....
Miscellany....

Advertisements..

..547 Bank Note Table..

.5471

JOURNAL.

NEW-YORK, AUGUST 25, 1832.

[provement, if it should prove in practice what it
promises in experiment, will render it a valuable ac.
quisition to the moving power upon Railroads, as it!

VOLUME I....NO. 35.

[From the Rochester Daily Advertiser.] The Railroad which is to connect the Erie Canal at Rochester with the head of navigation on the East side of Genesee River, is now almost finished.

The Cholera.......... 58 may, at a small expense, be attached to locomotive The tracks are laid across Main street, and in a few ....550 engines now in use, and in a great measure, if not days will reach the Canal near Ely's mill, east end 554 altogether, do away with that expensive appendage, of the Aqueduct. Some elegant cars for the con.557 stationary power. We are not, however, sufficiently ford's establishment; and in a short time our citizens veyance of passengers are "being made" at Han359 acquainted with inclined planes, or steam-engines, may have an opportunity of judging by a brief ride and Deaths; Passengers.560 either locomotive or stationary, to decide upon their of the comforts of Railroad conveyance. The AMERICAN RAILROAD JOURNAL is pub- merits. We shall, in our next, endeavor to give the road is constructed under the direction of Elisha lished at 35 Wall-street, New-York, at $3 a year, in advance result of further experimenta, with a more intelligiJohnson, Esq. and Judge Bates.

Law remitting the Duty on
Railroad Iron.

Boston and Ogdensburgh
Railroad, &c..

Prices Current; Marriages

AMERICAN RAILROAD JOURNAL.

ble description of its construction.

This

[From the Philadelphia Literary Gazette.] ALLEGHANY PORTAGE RAILROAD.-A friend, whe We saw, a day or two since, a new and beauhas recently visited the western part of this state, tiful Locomotive Engine at the West-Point Foun- informs us that this great work, which will connect dry establishment in this city, designed and nearly our eastern and western canals, is progressing with ready for the Hudson and Mohawk Railroad Com. much industry. Many of the sections, where the work was not heavy, are nearly graded; and conpany. It will, we understand, be completed in a tracts have been entered into for laying the rails on few days-when we hope to be able to give a more the whole line. The works of greatest magnitude particular description of it. are a tunnel near the western termination of the line, 900 feet long and 24 feet wide, by 22 feet high, cut out of solid rock; and a viaduct of hewn stone across the Little Conemaugh River.

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NEW-YORK, AUGUST 25, 1832. LOCOMOTIVE POWER UPON INCLINED PLANES.-We have recently witnessed the performance of an experimental locomotive engine, constructed by Mr. Sands Olcott, upon an inclined plane, which we think well worthy the attention of Railroad Companies. Its construction is very simple, there being scarcely a [From the London New Monthly Magazine for July. wheel required to effect its operation in ascending IMPROVED STEAM ENGINE.-The Sheffield Iris" or descending the plane, in addition to those neces- has been recently made by Mr. George Rennoldson, unaccustomed to see the efforts of human industry states that a great improvement in the steain engine sary for its use on the level road; yet its perform- of South Shields. This engine has three cylinders would consider almost impracticable: the quantity ance upon an inclined plane, that rises 1 in 5, with from one boiler, with the connecting rods on a trian- of work done by the enterprising contractors, J. & a load nearly twice its own weight, was vory satis. gular crank, so that while one piston is moving up- E. Appleton, reflects much credit on their untiring factory to those who witnessed it. This engine as. wards another is going down, and another passing exertion and skill; they drive the work night and the centre, the pistons following each other in a reg day, and are now nearly half through: this tunnel, cends or descends the inclined plane with great faci- ular divisien of time, and completely balancing each shortens the distance of the road about two miles. lity and safety, by means of a strong cable or chain-other as far as weight and pressure are concerned. The railing on the portage will be cast iron, firmly passing round a drum, beneath the frame and be the slides of course moving upon a smaller triangu- secured to stone blocks; the road is 55 feet wide, tween the wheels of the engine-made fast at the lar crank. This engine has nearly as completo an calculated for two tracks. base and summit of the plane, and resting between the to procure from a rotatory engine. The necessity valuable improvement will be in operation next sumFrom the present state of the work we think this rails upon something to keep it from the dirt. of a fly-wheel is altogether superseded. It is so mer. Much credit is due to the Canal CommissionWhen a train is to ascend or descend, the loco-steady in its motion, indeed, as hardly to affect the ers, and to Sylvester Welsh, Esq. the Engineer, for motive moves over the end of the cable, which is frame in which it stands, and makes so little noise the permanent nature of the work, and for the spirthat it would scarcely be known to be at work, were ited manner in which it has progressed. passed round the drum, and again made fast to the it not seen to be so. Such an engino must necessa- The opening of the Railroad will form a new era windlass, turned by a crank, in order to draw it rily be of great use in steamboats, in cotton fac- in the annals of Pennsylvania. The cheapness of straight-after which the engine is put in operation, tories, and in those manufactories at Birmingham transportation from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, by and the whole ascends or descends, or may be stop-An engine of this description will go in less bounds has not been experienced before. May those pioand Sheffield where fine metal-work is wrought.-this route, will give an impetus to trade, such as ped in any part of the plane, without the least dan-than those of the ordinary construction. A space neers who have borne the heat and burden of our ger of running backward when ascending, as it is of five feet four inches by seven feet nine inches will great state improvements reap the reward of their under the control of the engineer of the locomo- hold one from fifteen to fifty horse power; and en-labors. tive, who can of course manage better than an en- gines of twenty horse power on this plan may be set within a frame five feet square. The present is a [From the Albany Argus.] gineer at the stationary engine, and at a distance high pressure engine, but a very slight alteration CANAL TOLLS.-The tolls collected on the Erie and from the train. Thero is no delay in passing from would give it the condensing principle. From the Champlain canal for the month of July, amount to the plane, as the advance of the locomotive, after it great power it possesses, however, at comparatively $102,904 98-less by $3,953 52 than the collec has gained the level road, ungears the windlass-the a very light pressure of steam, it appears to be quite tions in July of last year. The tolls on Oswego and eable or chain is detached, and falls to the ground, as secure as any condensing engine could be made. Cayuga and Seneca are groater than in July of last year. The increase on the Oswego canal is $192 and the train passes on. By this arrangement the Messrs. G. F. Hopkins & Son, of this city, have 63, and on the Cayuga and Seneca $725 44. The rope remains stationary, and the friction or wear of published in a very neat, and we are informed, in a decrease of tolls for July on all the canals, comparit is much less, we should imagine, than where it is very correct manner, the official acts of the 14th of ed with last year, is therefore only $3,035 39; July, 1832, respecting Railroad Iron, and the Tariff which is less than could have been expected, conconstantly ascending and descending the plane, Law, with the Treasury instructions in relation sidering the great stagnation of business occasioned upon grooved rollers, The simplicity of this im- thereto.-[Daily Advertiser.] by the prevalence of the cholera.

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