2J6 



MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. 



Suh-viarine TelegrajyJi. — The British and French governinents have 

 granted permission to two gentlemen to lay down a sub-marine telegraph 

 between the English and French coasts, for the purposes of instantane- 

 ous communication between these two countries. The wires have, pro- 

 bably before this time, been insulated and laid down. The soundings, 

 between the points of commencement selected on the two coasts are 

 gradual, being about seven fathoms near each shore, and thirty-seven 

 fathoms in mid-channel. A similar communication is to be formed be- 

 tween Dublin and Holyhead, and another on a gigantic scale is to con- 

 nect the shores of Europe with those of Africa. No doubt is enter- 

 tained by scientific men of the practicability of these undertakings. 

 Amidst the wonders which science is developing, and bringing within 

 the power of practical and useful application, who will say that we may 

 not yet see the Eastern continent connected, in a similar manner, with 

 the Western, and consequently intelligence communicated instantaneous- 

 ly over the whole of both hemispheres ! 



Remarkaile case of Mirage. — Until recently a large lake, called 

 Lake Torrens, about thirty miles broad and of undetermined length, was 

 believed to exist in South Australia, New Holland. As the traveller 

 looked down from such lofty eminences as Mount Serle or Mount Hope- 

 less, he supposed he saw before him a large body of water, studded with 

 islands. In 1843, Captain Frome visited the region, and found the lake 

 to be one only in appearance, being a remarkable instance of the phe- 

 nomenon called mirage, so common in sandy and desert countries, and 

 so deceptive to the thirsty traveller. The same region was visited again 

 in 1845, by Mr. Poole, who found it to be a sandy desert, containing 

 only some pools of water, the result or the drainage of the hills. 



Salt. — The ocean is the great reservoir into which the atmospheric 

 waters are carried. Whatever is soluble on the surface of the land, is 

 carried thither but is not returned by evaporation. Hence the saltiness 

 of sea-water, and hence wherever a part of the year is dry, and the solar 

 evaporation great, large quantities of salt are deposited from small patches 

 of water separated from the great body, either by artificial dykes, as 

 along the Mediterranean, or by sand-banks forming lagoons, as along the 

 coast of Texas, and the Bahamas. Turk's Islands, in the latter region, 

 have long fuiiiished immense quantities to the market, and now it has 

 been discovered that along the coast of Western Texas, whose climate 

 during the suirimcr months is dry, millions of bushels may be procured 

 for the mere trouble of procuring it. 



