386 Miscellanies. 
had very little effect upon the road. From the manner in which the 
blocks are surrounded by the broken stone, which has, during the 
late season been carefully placed along the line of the rails in large 
quantities, it is presumed that the action of the frost will be success- 
fully resisted. 
4. Notice of Inflammable Gas issuing from water pipes i New- 
York ; by Wm. N. Buaxeman. 
New York, Oct. Sth, 1851. 
To True EDITOR.—Sir,—I have just observed what to me appear- 
ed a phenomenon which may be worthy of your notice. It occur- 
red at the corner of Bedford and Carmine streets in this city. The 
corporation are laying down pipes for the conveyance of water about 
the city to extinguish fires; the pipes are about ten inches in diame- 
ter, and extended from the fountain at the junction of the Bowery 
and Thirteenth streets, at which place they were filled with water 
from the fountain by means of a steam engine, which raised the wa- 
ter from below the surface. The distance is about one mile from 
Bedford street, one half of the distance was filled with water, the 
other with air; at the end was a stop cock, on the side is an orifice, 
to which was attached a piece of hose with pipe, the orifice of which 
was about one half inch in diameter. 
When the water was let into the pipes, the air began to rush out at 
the small orifice in the pipe attacheé to the hose, with a noise resem- 
bling the letting off of steam from a boiler; after a few moments, @ 
lue flame was to be seen issuing from the tube which continued for 
fifteen minutes, about three inches in diameter and two feet in length. 
The sun’s rays were at the time partially obscured by passing 
clouds. After the air had all passed out, the water followed with 
a force sufficient to elevate it to a height of about fifty feet. The 
quantity of air imprisoned, was about one half mile in length, and ten 
inches in diameter. 
5. Remarks on the Fine Arts; by Prof. GimpreDE of the — 
ry Academy, West Point; abridged from a lecture delivered to the 
Cadets.—Volumes have been written, to describe many of the rare 
productions of genius in the fine arts. 
It is my task to direct your efforts, in selecting 
of the best forms for imitation; and while engage 
formance of this duty, I shall, I trust, virtually prove 
from nature, some 
d in the per- 
the necessity 
