and attempted to draw nur fhrccs 011 1. Failing in 
this, they ltd vanned rapidly on the ground her,ween 
the Clinton and Olay Cut roads. The whole hrnnfc 
of t.ho attack, consequently, fell upon the Four¬ 
teenth Maine. Twenty-first ftidiana and Six'll Mich¬ 
igan. As soon as it became apparent that this was 
the real point of attack, Gen. Williams ordered up 
the Ninth Connecticut, Fourth Wisconsin, and one 
section ot Manning's battery, to support the left, 
ami the Thirteenth Massachusetts and two sections 
of Nina's battery to support ih • right 
You will therefore see that the disposition (with 
the slight exception himed at) and the maneuver¬ 
ing were faultless, 
The conduct of our troops was excellent. The 
Twenty-first Indiana particularly distinguished 
itself. 1 saw a number of the dead of the enemy 
to-day in front of the ground they occupied; blit 
not content with the check they gave the enemy, 
this regiment pursued him quite a distauce, strew¬ 
ing the ground with his dean. 
The brave (Jen. Williams fell in front, of the Sixth 
Michigan, towards (he end of the conflict, while 
giving his men. a noble example of reckless amt 
daring bravery. He was killed by a rifle ball in the 
would have destroyed the whole of tho rebel forces. 
By It) A. M. all firing had ceased, and the enemy 
had retired with haste, leaving over 300 of his dead 
on the field of battle. Every one of his dead were 
buried by our men, except many who died in the 
retreat, or were killed by the long-reaching shells of 
our gunboats. The field presented evidences of the 
desperation of the combats at the crossing of the 
roads where the rebels had endeavored to flank us, 
and where they were met by the Indiana and Mich¬ 
igan regiments. The men fought hard. Those who 
lost their arras tore up the rails from the fences. 
More than one rebel was found dead who had been 
killed in this way. In one spot, behind a beautiful 
tomb, with effigies of infant children kneeling, 
twelve dead rebels were found inoneheap. Every¬ 
where they strewed the earth, and made ghastly the 
quiet graveyard under which they soon ley, victims 
to a madness which, if much longer persisted in, 
will make the entire land red with blood; for the 
rebellion must be crushed, it we have to use the 
last, most certain, but most fatal weapon left, us. 
Eel us pray that they will not force us to this last 
dread alternative—that they will return to reason 
in time, and dismiss the bitter hatred which they 
nourish in their hearts against us. Let them re¬ 
member that as a love begets love,” so does scorn 
and hatred beget, their like; and let them beassured 
that it will bo a sorry day for Southern homos, when 
tiie fierce (ires of ruge and hate begin to burn in the 
Northern heart. I am convinced that as yet there 
is little of that feeling existing; but. it will come. 
A correspondent of the Delta gives the following 
account of the fight between the two iron gunboats 
Essex and Arkansas: 
I will dispose of the destruction of the Arkansas 
at tho outset, by asserting that it was a fair sland-up, 
knock-down, and scratch-gravel fight between the 
t.wo iron-clad nondescripts —the Union Essex and 
tho rebel Arkansas. No matter what the rebels 
CURIOUS FACTS 
The following curious facts wi'h regard to our 
Presidents, appear from history: 
George Washington, 1st President, died without 
children. He was re-elected. 
John Adams. 2d President, had children. He 
was not re-elected. 
Thomas Jefferson, 3d President, died without 
children. He was re-elected. 
James Madison, 4th President, died without chil¬ 
dren. He was re-elected. 
James Mnnroe, 5th President, died without chil¬ 
dren. He was re-elected. 
John Quincy Adams, 6th President, had children. 
He was not re-elected. 
Andrew Jackson, 7th President, had no children. 
He was re-elected. 
Martin Van Boren, 8th President, had children. 
He was not re-elected. 
William Henry Harrison, 9th President, had chil¬ 
dren. He died in about one month after he was 
sworn into office. 
John Tyler, 10th President, had children, ne 
was not re-elected. 
James K. Polk, 11th President, had no children, 
and declined the nomination for a second term. 
Zachary Taylor, 12th President, had children. 
He died before the expiration of his term. 
Millard Fillmore, 13th President, had children, 
and was not re-elected. 
Franktin Pierce, J4th President, had children, 
and was not re-elected. 
James Buchanan, 16th President, has no children, 
and nova verrons. 
From the above facts, it appears that no President 
who ever had children has been re-elected to the 
Chief Magistracy of the Nation, while with the ex¬ 
ception of Mr. Polk, who declined a re-nomination, 
all those having no children have been re-elected. 
The American Railroad Journal, in an article 
referring to the late disastrous rain storm and 
lreS bets in Pennsylvania and New York, says: 
• Tbe science of meteorology has now arrived at 
«uch a pitch that every general violent storm, such 
as that on Wednesday week, can be predicted with 
almost absolute certainty twenty-four to thirty-six 
hours in advance. By means of the telegraph, this 
information might be communicated to all parts of 
the country in a few minutes, so that signals could 
be displayed along the coast, while in the interior. 
wo rks could be pul in a state of readiness to receive 
tbe expected visitor. Every reservoir could be run 
drv; every canal be lowered; even tbe boatmen 
could be forewarned. A large number of valuable 
fires perished during the late freshet, every one ol 
which might have been saved to their own families 
an d the community at large. 
‘•We are here making use of no reckless asser¬ 
tions. The experiment of foretelling the weather 
has been tried in England. It is conducted on 
strictly scientific principles, by a Department under 
tbe supervision of Admiral Fiizroy. To defray the 
necessary expenses in connection wilh it., the Brit¬ 
ish Government makes a small appropriation 
annually. A leading English journal remarks that 
this invention has already been the means of saving 
hundreds of lives annually. It is admitted on all 
hands, that though Fitzroy has made frequent mis¬ 
takes as to the local gales, yet that no great storm 
has visited the country during the past year with¬ 
out being heralded several hours in advance, by 
the display of signals along the coast, warning sea¬ 
men to keep off shore, or not venture out for the 
time beiDg. In this country, owing to the uniform¬ 
ity of our general coast lines, tbe laws of storms 
will doubtless be found more simple than in any 
part of Europe. 
“ O, God! may tho shout of the nation ring out 
Till the babe in the cradle its chorus shiUl falter; 
Till the land 
Of brave men, 
Heart and hand 
Joined again, 
Shall swell hut one hymn, around one common altar 
Till the hymn as it walcos 
All the seas and the lakes. 
Shall rise to the dawning of peace as it breaks— 
And breathe, by the banner no brother forsakes, 
* The Union—Now and Forever!”’ 
chest, 
Tim enemy’s forces consisted of two Louisiana 
regiments, ft he Fourth and Thirtieth.) two Missis¬ 
sippi, the Third, Fourth. Fifth, Sixth. Seventh and 
Eighth Kentuckv, two Tennessee, one Alabama 
regiment, thirteen guns. and a large guerrilla force. 
Their attacking force numbered fully six thousand 
men. Our actual force engaged was not over two 
thousand men. Three companies of the Sixth 
Michigan covered themselves with glory, in recov¬ 
ering from a large force two guns posted on the 
right, of the Magnolia Cemetery, which temporarily 
were left by our forces The same three companies 
captured the colors of the Fourth Louisiana, but 
onlv after they hud shot down four successive color 
bearers. 
The exact loss on our side is not yet reported. 
But certain it is, that it is much less than that of 
the enemy. 
The following is the order of Major-General 
Butler, issued on Saturday, the !Hh of August, con¬ 
veying thanks to the troops: 
HKADQCAWTKKS D8I*AimiKNT OP TDK ClTI.K, ) 
NkW OM.KANS, l,A., Aug. 9, 18B2. 5 
Soldiers of the. Army of the Gulf: — Your suc¬ 
cesses heretofore have been substantially bloodless. 
Taking and holding tbe most important strategi¬ 
cal and commercial positions, with the aid ol the 
gallant navy, by the wisdom of your combinations, 
and the moral power of your arms, it has been led 
for the last few days to baptize you in blood. 
The Spanish conqueror of Mexico won imperish¬ 
able renown by landing in that country and burning 
his transport ships, to cut otf all hope of retreat. 
You, more wise and economical, but with equal 
providence against, retreat, sent yours home. 
Organized to operate on the sea coast, yon 
advanced your outposts to Baton Rouge, the Capital 
of the State of Louisiana, more than two hundred 
and fifty miles into the interior. 
Attacked there by a division of our rebel enemies 
tinder Command of a Major-General recreant to 
loyal Kentucky, whom some would have honored 
before his apoptaev. of doubly superior numbers, 
you have repulsed in the open field his myrmidons, 
who took advantage of your sickness, from the ma¬ 
laria of the marshes of Vicksburg, to make a cow¬ 
ardly attack. 
The brigade at Baiun Rouge has routed theenemy. 
lie has lost three Brig. Generals killed, wounded, 
and prisoners, many Colonels and field officers. He 
has more than a thousand killed and wounded. 
You have captured three pieces of artillery, six 
caissons, two stand of colors, and a large uumber of 
prisoners. 
* -*»* * . * i < • t • it •• i i i iii . 
ROCHESTER N. Y„ AUGUST 30. 1862. 
THE WAR’S PROGRESS 
Battle of Baton Kongo. 
Onk of the most severe and gallant battles of 
the war has just been fought and won at Baton 
Rouge. The nit miters engaged were not large.— 
only 2 500 on our side,— yet they fought with a 
desperation seldom equalled, and diSCOmfitted five 
thousand rehels. The Arkansas, the rebel iron-clad 
gunboat that defied our gunboats at, Vicksburg, run 
down the river to aid in the capture of Baton Rouge, 
but met a tartar, in tho shape of the Union gunboat 
Essex, and was destroyed. Gen. Williams, the 
commander of the Federal forces, was killed in the 
engagement. The details are so interesting that we 
give them considerable space. 
Tho New Orleans Delta gives Col. Cahill's report 
of the action as follows: 
Hkapquautkhs Srcond Ukqimr.vt, ) 
BaTO.V Itoi'CM, August 6. 3 
Captain :—I have the honor to report that an 
attack was made early yesterday morning, by a 
Confederate force of about ten regiments, under 
Command nf Maj Gen. J. C Breckinridge, and that 
after a fight ol four hours duration, and of great 
severity, theenemy were repulsed. 
1 regret to state that Brig -Gen. Williams was 
killed on the field, by a rifle bull through the chest. 
During the battle our forces were obliged to retire 
about a quarter ot a mile from one original position, 
and the enemy were thus able to occupy, tempora¬ 
rily, the camps of the Twenty-first Indiana, Seventh 
Vermont, ann Fourteenth Maine regiments, and to 
destroy much of the baggage and camp equipage. 
They were, however, driven out: but our numbers 
being much lessened by sickness and the men uu 
the field being much exhausted uy fatigue and heat, 
it was deemed inexpedient to pursue. 
I am unable as yet to give a report of our casual¬ 
ties. which, 1 am sorry to say, are considerable. 
The enemy has retired several utiles, and, from 
all I can learn, is still retiring. I am expecting it 
possible they may receive re enforcements, and am 
disposing tuy troops in the strongest positions. Our 
force engaged numbered less than twenty-five hun¬ 
dred; the enemy had at least live thousand, with 
twelve or fourteen Hold-pieces and some cavalry. 
The ram Arkansas approached with the intention 
of engaging our gunboats, but grounded above the 
point, at a distauce of about six miles, and to-day 
was engaged by toe iron-clad Essex, and destroyed. 
Inclosed is a copy of a communication received 
by flag of truce from Maj -Gen. .1. C. Breckinridge, 
and my reply thereto. You will see by tbe latter 
that Brig-Gen. Clarke and his aid-de-camp have 
delivered themselves up as prisoners of war. 
1 have also fully seventy wounded prisoners that 
were left on the field, also about thirty captured. I 
would like instructions as to tho disposition you 
wish made of them. Some express a wish to be 
paroled. Very respectfully, your ob't ferv't, 
Thomas W, Caijm.u, Col. Com'd’g Post, 
Capt. R. S. Davis. Asst. Adjutant-General, Depart¬ 
ment of tbe Gulf, 
On the morning of the 6tli Breckinridge sent a 
flag ot truce to Cul. Cahill, (upon whom tho com¬ 
mand of our forces devolved after the death of Gen. 
Williams.) requesting permission to bury his dead. 
The Colonel replied that his own troops were en¬ 
gaged in this work, and it would soon be accom¬ 
plished. 
Lieut Weitze], at the request, of Gen. Butler, paid 
a visit on Wednesday to the scene of the conflict, 
and makes the following report to Gen. Butler: 
Your troops at this place have won a glorious 
victory. I do not consider that, there is the least, 
danger of an attack for the present, because one of 
the several reconnoitering parties sent out this 
morning, and which has returned, reports live aban¬ 
doned caissous on tbe Green we 11 Springs road. We 
have sent out to bring them in. This indicates a 
busty retreat on the part ot the enemy. Our forces 
could not pursue, One halt of the men who left 
the hospitals to tight, could not march a mile. The 
conduct of these men was magnificently glorious. 
The attack was undoubtedly made upon represen¬ 
tations of rebels within our lines (hat, our troops 
were nearly all sick and detuoiulized, and Geo. 
Breckinridge undoubtedly expected, in conjunction 
with tbe ram Arkansas, to make a successful dash. 
It, was a complete failure. The ram is blowu up. 
Their troops were repulsed. 
Gen. Williams disposed his forces as follows, viz: 
The Fourth Wisconsin on the extreme left, on the 
light, bank of Bayou Gross, with two pieces of Man¬ 
ning’s battery in the arsenal grounds on the left 
bank of Bayou Gross, to sweep the grounds oil the 
left of the Wisconsin Fourth. The Ninth Con¬ 
necticut was posted on the right of the Fourth Wis¬ 
consin, with two pieces in rear of center, and two 
pieces in the rear ot the right. All of these pieces 
were of Manning's battery, and were posted on 
either sideof the Knoll in the government cemetery. 
Next catne the Fourleenth Maine, posted in the 
rear of the Bayou Sura road, and to the left of 
Greenwell Springs road, Next came the Twenty- 
first Indian, posted in the woods in rear of Magno¬ 
lia Cemetery, with four pieces of Everett's battery 
(under command ol Lieut. Carruth) on their left, 
on tho Green well Springs road. The Indiana bat¬ 
tery of two pieces came up to the support of these 
pieces after the battle commenced. Next came the 
Sixth Michigan, posted across the country road on 
the right of the Magnolia Cemetery, and across the 
Clay Cut road, their left supporting two pieces of 
Everett’s battery, posted on the road to the right of 
the Magnolia Cemetery. The 7th Vermont was 
.posted in tho rour of the 21st Indiana and 6th Mich¬ 
igan, on the right ol the Catholic Cemetery. Tbe 
30th Massachusetts came next, forming the right, 
and posted about one half mile in the rear uf ihe 
Stan- House, supporting Nun's battery. 
This disposition of tho forces was made with tbe 
supposition that the enemy would attack our left 
Hank under cover of the ram Arkansas. The right 
flank depended upon gunboat support,. The only 
fault of disposition— perhaps rendered unavoidable 
by the formation of the ground —was, that the 
camps of the Fourteenth Maine and. Twenty-first 
Indiana were pitched in front of their position in 
line of battle, and consequently came into the pos¬ 
session of the enemy tor a short time. 
Theenemy formed in line ot battle on the open 
grouuds, bordering on the Greenwell Springs road, 
God covered the skull with hair. Some people 
shave it off Mischievous practice. It exposes the 
brain. God covered a part of man’s face with bait- 
Some people shave it off. Mischievous practice. It 
exposes the throat and lungs—the eyes, likewise, 
say wise physiologists. 
Men become bald. Why? Because they wear 
close hats and caps! Women are never bald except 
by disease. They do not wear close hats and caps 
Men never lose a hair below where the hat touches 
the head, not if they have been bald twenty years. 
The close cap holds the heat and perspiration. 
Thereby tho hair glands become weak—the hair 
falls out. What will restore it? Nothing, after the 
scalp becomes shiny. But if in process of falling 
out, or recently lost, the following is best: — Wash 
tho head freely with cold water once or twice a day. 
Wear a thoroughly ventilated hat. This is the best, 
means to arrest the loss and restore what is sus¬ 
ceptible of restoration. 
What will beautify a woman’s hair? Whatever 
will invigorate tbe hair glands. Cold water is best. 
At first the bead looks like a witch, but after a few 
weeks it makes the hair luxuriant. By the persist¬ 
ant use of cold water, I have seen thin, poor hair 
become rich and curly. Only the part of the hair 
next the scalp should be wet. It must be thorough¬ 
ly dried.— Dio Lewis, M. D. 
A PENMAN ON PENS 
What a pen is to be made of is still unsettled. 
The quill, the steel pen, and the hard nibbed gold 
pen, have their several advocates, and are largely 
used; but still every one complains that he is not 
suited; nothing that is good and cheap lasts. 
Various contrivances have beeu adopted for keep¬ 
ing steel and corrosion apart. Pens have been 
galvanized on Davy's plan for protecting the ship’s 
copper, but not with good effect Washes of all 
kinds have been applied; the latest, we have seen 
being of gutta-percha, with the very improper 
name of the gutta-percha pen. Glass has been 
tried, but has not come into use. A correspondent 
informs us that he strongly su-pects that simple 
gold, without any hard nib, is the truo mate¬ 
rial. When his nibs have come off, whether by 
wear or accident, ho grinds the gold ends in an 
unskillful way into something like a practical form, 
lie thus produces a rough pen, which is so dura¬ 
ble that he thinks the manufacturers would do well 
to turn their attention to the imitation of a quill 
in gold. The metal is to be excessively thin, and 
our correspondent suspects that the best imitation 
of a quill would require so little gold that a pen 
might be sold for a shilling. This pen, he thinks, 
would last for six months, at least, even in the 
hands of a reviewer. At any rate, it is worth 
while to repeat, from time to time, Ihe complaint 
that the world, in this prodigiously-putted and 
loudly-lauded nineteenth century, it still without a 
oea—London Athenieum. 
The Defense of the Beard.— There are more 
solid inducements for wearing the beard than the 
mere personal appearance and the cultivation ol 
such an aid to the every-day diplomacy of life. 
Nature, combining, as she never fails to do, the 
useful with the ornamental, provides us with a far 
better respirator than science could ever make. 
The hair of the moustache not only absorbs tbe 
moisture and miasma of fogs, but it strains the air 
from dust. It acts also in a scientific manuer, by 
taking heat from tbe warm breath as it leaves the 
chest, and supplying to it the cold air taken in. It 
is not only a respirator, but, with the beard entire 
we are provided with a comforter as well. The 
remarkable thing is, too, that the beard, like the 
hair of the head, protects against the heat of the 
sun; it acts as a thatch does to the ice-house; but 
more than this, it becomes moist with the perspira¬ 
tion, and then by evaporation cools the skin. A 
ten years’ experience may have made us ourselves 
a little enthusiastic; but if a total immunity from 
toothache, relaxed usual coughs, colds, and all the 
hostsof rheums, be any inducements, then we can 
cordially recommend the beard in all its glory,— 
Temple Bar. 
TREATMENT OF CROUP, 
Haul’s Journal of Health says:—Croup is an 
inflammation of the inner surface of the windpipe. 
Inflammation implies heat, and that beat must be 
subdued, or the patient will inevitably die. If 
prompt efforts are made to cool the parts in case of 
an attack of croup, relief will be as prompt as it is 
surprising and delightful. All know that cold, 
applied to a hot skin, cools it, but all do not as well 
know and understand that hot water, applied to an 
inflamed skin, will as certainly cool it off. Hence 
the application of ice-cold water with linen cloths, 
or of almost boiling water with woolen flannel, is 
very efficient in tiie cure of croup. Take two or 
three pieces ol woolen flannel of two folds, large 
enough to cover the whole throat and upper part, of 
the chest; put these in a pan of water as hot as the 
hand can bear, and keep it thus hot, by adding 
water from a boiling teakettle at hand; let two or 
three of tbe flannels be in the hot water all the 
time, and one on tho throat all the time, with a dry 
flannel covering the wet one, so as to keep Ihe 
steam in to some extent; the flannels should not be 
so wet when put on as to dribble the water, for it is 
important to keep tbe clothing as dry as possible, 
and keep up this process until the doctor comes, or 
until the phlegm is loose, the child is easier, and 
begins to fall asleep; then gently wrap a dry flannel 
over the wet one which is on, so as to cover it up 
entirely, and the child is saved. When it wakes 
up, both flannels will be dry. 
Gas Works on the American Continent. —The 
American Gas Light Journal, edited by Professor C. 
Eltou Buck, presents in its first January number 
interesting tables of gas works on this comment, 
from which it appears there are 
420 American gas works, representing.$51,620,910 
28 British.Colonial co-s works, “ .. 2.112.040 
22 Cuban and S. American “ . 6,350,000 
405 gas works. Total capital .$60,022,980 
Showing a grand total of sixty million twenty-two 
thousand nine hundred and eighty dollars, being an 
increase in this country since the date of tho last 
tables, July 16, 1860, of thirty-nine gas works, and 
ot capital, three million six hundred and lbrty-uine 
thousand seven hundred and twenty-five dollars. 
anu tooKing uirectty miu me camps oi iu« luuiana, New Ironsides. 3,500 (about) 400 18 
Massachusetts and Connecticut regiments. The Roanoke. 3,400 300 8 
front of this cemetery is fenced with paling, while MS^abJut"::::::;: 1,000 loo 
the cemetery is thickly strewn with large tombs, Galena... 1,000 loo 7 
and overgrown with high rank weeds. This was carondelet. 800 100 16 
the position of tho rebel center. Our center was Cairo--— 8oo loo 16 
composed of the Indiana Twenty-first, the Massa- Cincinnati.. 800 loo 16 
chusetts and Connecticut, drawn up on the opposite A. o. Tyler. 800 loo 16 
side ot the roads, and not more than torty-Uvc rods ciioetaw. soo aoo 16 
distant. The rebel right approached, through corn- —— — — 
. - _ . . > i AA 1 1 • . 1 i.bUO lOO 
fields and over a rolling country, attacked with 
great impetuosity the Fourteenth Maine's camp, . There ma 7 be one ° r two “ ore of s “ allar 
aud drove them out, burning and pillaging the sions, but these are the most important. IheRoai 
camp in a few minutes. The Fourteenth. Maine oke is the only craft among them not manned an 
rallied, and supported by the Massachusetts and rt ’ady lor immediate service. 
Nitns’ battery, returned to the attack, and drove the u requires no elaboration to give importance t 
enemy back with great slaughter. these ,acts - A little °™r a y ear a S°t the Londo ‘ 
The fiercest part of this conflict at this tide ol the Times reproached us for not thinking of buildup 
battle, occurred before and within a house which iron-clad vessels. It may not be agreeable to it t< 
the rebels obstinately determined to get possession observe how apt scholars we are when we choose t< 
of. The most conspicuous of the rebels at this leain * Tbal England should be able to have, • bj 
place was a huge negro, armed and equipped with tbe end of 1862,” fifteen iron-plated vessels, whici 
knapsack, musket and uniform; he led the rebels, cannot do anything but light in over 25 (veto! water 
and met Ids death at the hands of one of our men. ma y lj « a matt « r ° f congratulation to the people o 
Pressed back by our left and the ground regained, Great Britain; but that the United Mates shoult 
the battle raged in front with desperate fierceness. bave o0 mailed craft, which can iig.it m sa ant 
So silently did the rebels approach, and so well fresh watery and disappear to the very surface whet 
were they concealed, that they were in the cemetery necessary, may also be a fact worthy ot their con 
and drawn up in battle array without our knowing slder ation. 
it. With a yell they rushed up to the fence, dashed We ma y r *P eat *■“> al ?Tf <T ° 
through it and across the road, bearing everything ve8se ' s is comp'” 40 up to t is • ay, t may e ven 
before them. At one time the opposing forces were * ar sbold °f being 80 " IX wee enee. 
hand to hand, and our handful of men were driven 
outot their camps and back into tbe town; but,ral- Starvation Imminent in Virginia, 
lied on every hand by their officers, and the cool The Christian Banner, published at Fredericks 
daring of Geu. Williams, assisted by the gunboats, burg, Virginia, has the following editorial state' 
that began to tire shell on each flank with perfect rnent: 
accuracy and deadly effect, our troops bravely Mon may laugh and sneer at the idea as much ai 
rushed to the front aud drove the entire rebel center they please, but facts before us prove that V irgink 
back across tbe road into and beyond the cemetery, wilt be starved out in twelve months if tne war con 
from which they were not able again to emerge. tinues in her territory. Everybody knows, who hat 
I am convinced that had Williams not fallen, he I brains to think, that there is but little now pro- 
What is Heat Lightning?— The flashes of 
lightning often observed on a summer evening, 
unaccompanied by thunder, and popularly known 
as "heat lightning,” are merely the light from dis¬ 
charges of electricity from an ordinary thunder¬ 
cloud, beneath the horizon of the observer, reflected 
from clouds, or perhaps from the air itself, as in the 
case of twilight. Mr. Brooks, one of the directors 
of the telegraph line between Pittsburg and Phila¬ 
delphia, informs us that, bn out* occasion, to satisfy 
himself on this point, he asked for information from 
a distant operator, during tbe appearance ot flashes 
of this kind in the distant horizon, and learned that 
they proceeded from a thunder storm then raging 
two hundred and fifty miles eastward of his place of 
observation.— Trof. Henry. 
The Dinner Hour. —There are few changes in 
social customs more interestiug than those relating 
to the hours of repast. In an old manuscript, treat¬ 
ing of Henry VIIPs household, dinner is ordered to 
he served at ten o’clock, A. M., and supper at tour 
o'clock, P. M. The Duke of Northumberland’s house¬ 
hold book shows that the dinner hour, in the middle 
of the seventeenth century, was eleven o’clock. A 
hundred years later, we find the members of the 
Boyal Society Club dining at one o’clock, and the 
hour was subsequently periodically altered to two, 
three, lour and five o’clock. This last hour con¬ 
tinued in force from 1818 to 1853, when it was 
ordered that dinner be put on the table at 6ix 
o clock precisely, without waiting for further 
orders .—Notes and Queries. 
Naval Invention.— An invention is claimed to 
have been made by a person near Rochelle, France, 
who, it is said, has been engaged ten years in per¬ 
fecting it. He claims that, by an application of 
electric power, be can concentrate at the moment of 
discharge all the guns on the side of a vessel upon 
any given point on the enemy's vessel or fortifica¬ 
tions, and that no iron plates, however thick, could 
resist the terrible effects of such a converging fire. 
The Emperer has sent the inventor a flattering 
letter, and conferred upon him the decoration of the 
Legion of Honor. 
The farmer is a conqueror who wins victories 
upon important fields—at the point of the plow¬ 
share. 
