314 Comet.~Earthquakes.—Steam- Boat.—Light- Houses. 
forming an angle of 50° with the vertical line. ‘This remark- 
able circumstance has led to the conclusion, that falling-stars are 
not aérolites, which, after having hovered a long time in space, 
take fire on entering accidentally into our atmosphere, and fall 
towards the earth.” eo 
COMET. 
A-comet was lately discovered at the Observatory of Konigs- 
berg, inthe Swan, It is not visible without the aid of the tele- 
scope. 
EARTHQUAKES, 
On the night of the 29th.of January two shocks of an wonethe 
quake were felt at Teflis in Georgia.. They were preceded by a 
tempest and a subterraneous rumbling. At ten o’clock the shocks 
grew so violent, that even the inhabitants, though such pheno- 
mena are familiar to them, were struck with terror. They were 
the more terrified, as every shock was followed by tremendous 
rendings, as if the earth were opening her bowels. Several old 
buildings were destroyed. 
On the 26th of February an earthquake was felt at Rome, Fres- 
cato and Albano. Its direction was from 8. E, to N. E. 
; STEAM BOAT. 
A trial was made at Milan on the 19th of February, with a boat 
on a new construction, which moves either with or against the 
stream, by means of machinery, without the aid of vars or steam, 
moved by the power of six men, carrying a load of one and a half 
its own weight, which is stated to have answered every expecta- 
tion. We cannot, for want of sufficient data, make any proper 
estimate of the supposed advantages gained by this construction, 
being neither informed of the load moved nor of the velocity, 
but of the power applied—six men. 
LIGHT- HOUSES. 
New light-houses have recently been erected: one at the point 
of Ayre, at the northern extremity of the Isle of Man; and two 
others at the southern extremity of the same island, They were 
lighted for the first time on the Ist of February, and are to he 
kept burning from evening till morning. 
VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY. 
The Russian Government is fitting out two expeditions for 
scientific researches in remote seas. Each will consist of two 
ships; one of them is designed to make discoveries towards the 
North Pole. Above sIXty officers of the imperial Navy have ap- 
plied to the Minister of the Marine requesting to.be employed on 
this service, 
STATIS- 
