

•\ 



442 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



■ 



from those now generally known or at all likely to replace the modes 

 of telegraphing enfiplo}'ed in this counlry. 



In the departments of electricity and magnetism the instruments of 

 purely scientific interest were rare; we have to notice only a Weber's 

 electro-dvnamomeier by Leyser of Leipsig, and very powerful steel 

 magnets by Logeman of Haarlem, Schroeder of Darmstadt exhibits 

 a large and admirably executed set of models of crystals in wood ; 

 Engel of Berlin has a very beautifully constructed hollow wooden 

 model of the wave surface in biaxial crystals ; Nobert^of Greisswald^ 

 ihe well known microscope maker, exhibits sets of his ruled glass test 

 plates for microscopes.^ The philosophical apparatus in the English 

 department is mostly intended for the illustration of lectures, and pos- 

 sesses very little merit even for its purpose. Of apparatus for scientmc 



research there is almost none, if we except the microscopes of Ross 

 and other well known makers. There is however in the English de- 

 partment a considerable display of astronomical instruments, con- 

 structed chiefly upon the principle that such instruments are good m 

 proportion to their weight, and not likely to be adopted by those who 

 are acquainted with the works of the German artist mechanicians. 

 The purely chemical portion of the exhibition is almost wholly without 



objects of interest. There are of course a great number of finely 

 crystallized specimens of alum, bichromate of potash and other showy 

 salts, hut these are remarkable only as illustruting ihe scale upon which 

 iheir manufacture is carried on. Of photographic pictures there are a 

 countless number upon silver, paper and glass; the American daguer- 

 rotype portraits are far superior to any others, but the photographs up^- 

 on paper exhibited in the French department, especially those of Mar- 

 tens, are beyond comparison the finest specimens of the art; the pic- 

 tures executed upon glass possess a remarkable softness and richness 

 as well as sharpness of outline. It is to be hoped that this branch of 

 photography will soon receive attention in this country. w. g. 



2. Aurora BoreaJis. — Since the grand aurora of November 17th, 

 1848, (which was distinguished for its great extent, being seen in nearly 

 equal splendor from Odessa on the east to California on the west,) we 

 have had no exhibition of this phenomenon of the highest class, like 

 those which occurred from 1835 to 1839, inclusive ; but the luie month 

 of September has been signalized by three grand auroras, occurring 

 respeciively on the nights of the 3d, the 6ih and the 29th, An aurora 

 borealis.of the highest class, is distinguished by the presence of all the 

 more striking characters of the phenomenon combined, or at least ex- 

 hibited in rapid succession, such as arches, streamers, a corona, and 

 waves. Each of the late auroras was characterized by marks of the 

 greatest intensity, especially in the completeness and grandeur of the 

 corona, and of auroral waves ; and that of the 29th was remarkable 

 for passing to a great distance beyond our zenith, presenting a well de* 

 fined and very luminous arch, whose point of culmination was within 

 30^ of the southern horizon. Below this appeared a dark slaty seg- 

 ment, probably the effect of contrast, since the stars shone upon this 

 black ground with unusual brightness. What is' quite unusual, this 

 meteor was visible throughout the southern states, and presented a strik- 

 ing and splendid appearance as far south as Charleston and Savanoan. 



