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POWERFUL ELECTRIC COIL.—The Abbe Moigno, the talented editor of the Paris Cosmos, states that on the 9th ultimo he saw 11. Rhumkorff pierce instan-
taneously, with his induction coil, giving off sparks upwards of seventeen inches in length, a mass of glass nearly two inches thick. This is one of the most astonishing experiments yet performed with that immensely powerful in- strument.
THE CHARING-CROSS RAILWAY BRIDGE.— On Thursday, the five iron cylinders nearest the Middlesex side were completed above the level of high water, and are now being filled in with brickwork and masonry, The extension of the suspension pier on the same side of the water and the construction of the abut- ment have been commenced. On the Lambeth side the lattice work which assists in supporting the roadway has been carried out some distance beyond the suspension pier, and the greater portion of the girders between the shore and the pier have been fixed. The greatest activity prevails in order to forward the works while the genial weather lasts. THE ROAD MURDER.—The following inscription has been placed in Coulston churchyard, on the tombstone raised to the memory of the murdered infant Saville Kent: "To the memory of Francis Saville Kent, the dearly loved son of Samuel Saville and Mary Drewe Kent, who was cruelly murdered at Road, June 30, 1860, aged three years and ten months. ' Shall not God search this out? for be knoweth the secrets of the heart.'"—Bath Chronicle. SALE OF THE FOREIGN OFFICE.—There was on Monday a sale by auction on an extensive scale of the materials composing the dingy building of Downing-street, which has hitherto been used as the Foreign Office, and which is now to be forth- with removed for the proposed public offices' extension. On the south of Down- ing-street whole streets have vanished within the last few weeks, and more are to be forthwith sacrificed, in order that there may be as little delay as possible in commencing the new works. Yesterday's sale was conducted on the premises by Mr. Gluier, the materials disposed of consisting of 2,000,000 stock bricks, a large quantity of slates, plain tiles, timber in roofs, floors, &c., gilt, moulded, and other doors, mahogany, plate-glass, and other sashes and frames, upwards of 20 tons of lead in fiats, paving, staircases, stoves, and fixtures and fittings of all kinds. Some of the matenals fetched good prices. A RUNAWAY TRAIN.—An accident of a very singular nature took place on Wednesday on the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford line of railway, a short distance from the Pontypool-road station. It appears that the conductor of the morning passenger train from Monmouth to Hereford, as soon as he arrived at Pontypool-road, left the engine—for some reason or other which as yet remains unexplained—and went on to the platform, without taking the precaution of even leaving the fireman in charge. The train was at a standstill, and the pressure of the breaks removed, but it unfortunately happened that the driver in shutting off the steam omitted to completely close the regulator. Further steam was generated, and the engine, with the two carriages attached to it, and in which luckily there were only nine passengers, moved away from the platform, gradually increasing in speed as the motion of the train farther opened the valve. The passengers, finding that they were left entirely without the guidance of the driver, became naturally alarmed, and made the most frantic attempts to leave their perilous position. The engine proceeded along the line in the direction of Newport for about a mile, the momentum of the train augment- ing the rate of speed till it reached about sixteen miles an hour, when it came in view of a goods engine shunting on the line near a place called Cold-y-grie. It ran into the ballast engine with considerable force, causing great injuries to the ironwork of both engines. Happily the passengers, although much frightened, did not sustain, beyond some contusions on the face and limbs, injuries of such a nature as to prevent them from proceeding on their journey. KING'S COLLEGE.—The evening classes of the college have commenced the work of their seventh year with a success not inferior to that of any previous session. Not less than 488 students have entered daring the first fortnight, and the number is still increasing daily. THE ARCHBISHOP OF CHAMBF.RY.—The new Cardinal, Mgr. Billiet, Arch- bishop of Chambery, now seventy-nine years of age, is the son of a farmer of La Chapelle, in Savoy, and up to the age of fifteen was employed as a shepherd. The cure of the village having remarked that he was possessed of great intelli- gence, gave him some instruction. The lad made such rapid progress that at the age of seventeen he was received into the ecclesiastical college, after passing a severe examination. At the age of twenty he was Professor of Theology, and at forty-two was nominated Bishop. He was raised to the dignity of Archbishop of Chambery at the age of fifty-seven, and has consequently held the see twenty- two years.—Galignani. NEw MODE OF TRAVELLING AT OTLEY.—On Saturday night the inhabit- ants of the usually quiet town of Otley were astonished by the arrival, along the highway, of a steam carriage and a party of gentlemen (among whom was Mr. Salt, jun., of Saltaire), from Leeds, en route to Shipley. The ostler at the White Horse Hotel, where the engine, after uttering a shrill and piercing cry as if for assistance, was "put up," was seen buailyengaged in carrying buckets of water in- stead of the customary " hay and corn," to supply the steam " horse," and the novelty of the scene was admiringly witnessed by hundreds of persons, who on the departure of the carriage gave several loud cheers. EXTRAORDINARY CAPTURE OF A PicErocitEr.—Long before the arrival of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales at the Temple, Fleet-street and the Strand were densely crowded in parts where a view of the illustrious visitor might be obtained, but more particularly near the entrance and at Temple-bar. No order having been issued to stop the traffic, the danger and confusion of the crowd were great, during which the light-fingered gentry were by no means idle, the cries being very frequent after lost watches and other property. The several shopkeepers, evidently alive to the fact, had the precaution to close their premises for some time. If such had not been done the result might have been serious, as the crush and confusion at one time were very violent. Just the royal carriage appeared in sight, and every one seemed bent on ob- taining a view of its illustrious occupant, a loud shout was raised near Chancery_ lane of " Stop thief." It appeared that a gentleman was quietly standing on the pavement, when a man, attired as a costermonger, suddenly, and with great boldness, snatched his watch from his pocket and made off, the gentleman in trying to capture him falling to the ground. The thief, with great tact, and evidently aided by his companions, made his way, round the carriages, and got as far as Twining's bank, when a cabman, in flourishing his whip, caught the man round the throat with it, and it fastened on him so tightly that it not only pulled him up, but almost strangled him. He was captured, and the watch found on him.
THE ENGLISH IV Paurs.—I must candidly confess that my own impressions of my count7men abroad did not by any means tally with those of G. U., who is so very sensitive for the honour of his fellow-subjects. When I strolled up the Champs Elysees, if amid the crowd of natives in lacquered boots, dress coats, and the other etcetera appertaining to the full mufti in which Parisians will appear abroad before dinner—if, I say, I observed a particularly manly-looking fellow in a light lounging coat and lace-up boots, I was pretty sure to find, on looking into his honest face, that he was a young Englishman. If a brighter young Hebe than usual passed by, in " maiden meditation fancy- free," it was sure to be a dear young English girl. Amid the arid faces of the Persian fair, to my eye the bright cheek of our English rose was as the waters of some oasis to the traveller after the dreary desert. They might have had round hats, but what of that? I am quite sure they were not " battered," and also certain that they crowned the face with more grace than the best bonnet of Paris would have done. It is pretty well con- ceded that the your Englishman is the best dressed man in the world (a fact which G. U. evidently does not know); but I mean to assert, what will doubtless be contested—that the English gentlewoman carries the palm for ease andaimple elegance of her attire.—Once a Week.
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