From Nature. MELTING AND REGELATION OF ICE. be formed exclusively of volunteers; but | rious arms, which will at once be attached it is placed under the laws of war, chiefly to the regular army and take part in its with the object of obtaining for it the pro- operations. It is also proposed that the tection of international law." As to the number of infantry divisions of the "Imcourse to be adopted in raising the "Im- perial militia" shall be fixed at 300, each perial militia," the Gazette points out that comprising 1,000 men, 7 waggons, and 15 experience shows the necessity of laying horses. The cavalry regiments are to be down fixed regulations for this purpose. ten or twelve in number, each comprising In 1855 the formation of a force of this 1,000 men, 9 waggons, and 20 bât horses. kind was undertaken with great energy, The militia will also contain "transport but its organization not having been pre- divisions," with about 10,000 waggons, the viously decided upon, very great inequal- want of transport matériel having been ities occurred in the numbers ordered to much felt in the Crimean war; and from be levied in the different districts, besides 10 to 15 unarmed "workmen's divisions" which innumerable misunderstandings oc- to assist in the various military factories curred as to the regulations, which had and hospitals. Finally, river and fleet dionly been drawn up at the last moment, visions will be formed to protect the and there was much delay in providing the mouths of rivers and assist the Russian men with arms. The purpose fleets in the Black Sea and the Baltic. for which the militia is raised should also be considered. In the regulations of 1812 and 1855 this is stated in very vague terms, without any accurate announcement as to the end or manner of its employment. In 1812 a general levy was ordered for the militia, but it was only carried out in six- AN observation made yesterday caused teen provinces. The divisions (druschiny). me to present to my class, in a lecture on of the militia were employed for various Heat this morning, the following experipurposes, according to their military capac- ment. A piece of wire gauze was laid on ity and the course of the war. Some a convenient horizontal ring, and on this a were only employed to pick up the wound- lump of ice. A flat board was placed on ed, and act as escorts to transports and the ice, and pressure was applied by baggage-waggons; the better armed and means of weights put upon the board. I drilled divisions fought bravely in the put 12 lbs. upon a piece of ice as large as field, and acted as skirmishers, while the an apple. This was done at the combest organized of all were sent abroad, mencement of the lecture, and before the assisted the army in occupying Poland and conclusion I found a considerable quantity. besieging the German fortresses, and final- of ice on the lower side of the gauze, aply went to Paris. A similar state of things parently squeezed through the meshes. occurred in 1855. In that year the levy The temperature of the class-room was was also a general one, but it was only about 15° C. (59° Fah.). The experiment carried out in eighteen provinces. The was continued for eight or ten hours, fresh divisions were scattered about in the Cri-ice being supplied when necessary to the mea, Poland, and the Baltic provinces, and they were employed on all kinds of service. Under the new organization of the army this can no longer be the case. A complete and numerous reserve is now to be formed, which will probably suffice for rendering every assistance to the regular army in case of war. The military committee, therefore, considers that the duties of the Imperial militia will, as a rule, be limited to replacing the reserve troops on home service and taking part in all operations in the rear of the army, such as securing the communications, accompanying transports, repairing roads, &c." It is proposed, however, that those men of the militia who are distinguished by special energy and intelligence should be allowed to enter "volunteer battalions" of the va upper side of the gauze, and, in spite of the continual surface melting and dripping away of water, a very large quantity of ice was formed below the gauze. The ice below the ganze was firmly united to that above. I tried with my hands to break away the upper from the lower, and to break either of them off at the place where the wire gauze separated them; but I was not able to do so. The ice that has passed through the meshes has a kind of texture corresponding to that of the network, and the small air bubbles appeared to be arranged in columns. The phenomenon is a consequence of the properties, announced from theory by Prof. James Thomson, and then exemplified by an experiment; and the explanation depends on the theories put forward by him the first (1857) founded on the lowering of the freezing point of water by pressure, and the second (1861) founded on the tendency to melt given by the application to the solid ice of forces whose nature is to produce change of form as distinguished from forces applied alike to the liquid and solid. The stress upon the ice, due to its pressure on the network, gives it a tendency to melt at the point in contact with the wire, and the ice, in the form of water intermixed with fragments and new crystals, moves so as to relieve itself of pressure. As soon as any portion of the mass is thus relieved, freezing takes place throughout it, because its temperature is reduced below that of the freezing point of water at ordinary pressures, by melting of contiguous parts. The obvious tendency of the ice under the pressure from above is thus, by a series of meltings and refreezings, to force itself through the meshes. The next experiment that I tried I was led to by that just described. I supported a block of ice on two parallel boards, placed near to each other, and passed a loop of wire over the ice. The loop hung down between the boards, and weights were attached to it. The first wire tried was a fine one (0.007 inches diameter) and a two-pound weight was hung on the loop. The wire immediately entered the ice, and it passed right through it and dropped down with the weight after having done so, but it left the ice undivided, and on trying it with a knife and chisel in the plane in which the cutting had taken place, I did not find that it was weaker there than elsewhere. The track of the wire was marked by opacity of the ice along the plane of passage. This opacity seemed to be due to the scattering of air from the small bubbles cut across by the wire. I have not, however, been able to try a piece of ice free from bubbles; and, from the nature of the experiment, air may very possibly pass in along the wire from the outside. I next experimented with a wire 0.021 inches diameter, weighing the loop with 8 lbs., and obtained a similar result; and, finally, I took a wire 0.1 inch diameter, and putting a 56 lb. weight on a loop of it, I caused it to pass through the ice, and the block remained undivided. This, though it follows from theory, has a most startling effect; and during the passage of the thick wire through the ice, I was able to see the bubbles of air across which it cut rising up round its sides. I made careful trials to cut the ice with a knife in the lamina through which the wire had passed, but found no weakness there. A string was next tried, but, as might be expected, it did not pass through the ice. I considered that the string was not a good enough conductor to relieve itself of the cold in front and pass it back to the water behind. The capillary action of the string also doubtless takes part in the production of the result. It simply indented the ice and froze into it. On this point of the necessity for a good conductor, and for a way of relieving itself of the cold, a curious observation was made. In one case a thick wire appeared to have stopped (this requires confirmation) as if it were frozen into the ice. On examination it turned out that the ice was so placed that the water formed by the pressure of the wire had flowed away at the first, and a hole was left behind the wire. On supplying a few drops of water to the place from a small pointed bit of melting ice, the water froze instantly on coming in contact with the wire, and the wire moved forward as usual. By this I was also led to try putting a thick wire over a piece of ice having a hollow at the top, so that the wire cutting into the shoulders bridged across the hollow between them. Looking at the wire, which was in front of a window, I dropped some ice-cold water on it, and saw it freeze instantly into crystals on the parts of the wire near to the shoulders on which it was pressing. This is notable as the first experimental confirmation of Prof. Thomson's theory on the production of cold by the application of stress. I have not yet had an opportunity of trying these experiments at a temperature lower than freezing. The amount of pressure necessary to make the wire pass through the ice would of course be very much increased as the temperature is lowered, and it would finally be impossible to cut the ice without breaking it up like any other hard solid. Indeed I saw in one case in which I had a very great weight (80 lb. or so) on a thick wire, the ice cracking in front of the wire; apparently the wire was forced too fast through the ice. These experiments seem to me to have considerable importance in relation to the sliding motion of glaciers. The smallness of the cause has been raised as an objection to the theory of Prof. Thomson. But no one can see the experiments I have described, particularly the first, where a large quantity of ice is squeezed through the meshes of fine wire gauze under small pressure and in a short time, without feel ing almost surprised at the slowness of the | Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign glacier motion. JAMES THOMSON BOTTOMLEY. Glasgow University. From New York Evangelist. HEBER AND HIS HYMN. BY REV. THEODORE L. CUYLER. THERE have been men who have won an honorable immortality in an hour. A brave word fitly spoken, or a noble deed promptly done, has given them a place on the bead-roll of fame forever. Sometimes in a happy moment of inspiration a poet or an orator has "said or sung" what will last for ages. One of these happy songsters, whose grandest strain was born in an hour, but which the world shall never willingly let die, was Reginald Heber, Bishop of Christ's flock in Calcutta. If the great mass of Christians around the globe were asked to name the two English bishops whose memory is most dear to them, they would probably name Jeremy Taylor and Reg inald Heber. Yet the veneration and gratitude felt towards the latter, is mainly founded upon a few lines which he threw off in a sudden inspiration, and which could be written on a single page. Reginald Heber was born at Malpas, in Cheshire, on the 21st of April, 1783. He was a precocious boy, and at seven years of age he had translated Phædrus into English verse. His prize poem at Oxford University on "Palestine," written in his twentieth year, stands at the head of that class of somewhat ephemeral productions. His "Palestine" will live and so will his tender and graceful lines to his wife at Bombay, and so will his nautical hymn "When through the torn sail the tempest is streaming." But all his poetry, and his Bampton lectures, and his able Quarterly Review articles, are weighed down by his single matchless missionary hymn. Its composition was on this wise. Parts." On the afternoon before "Whitsunday" (1819), Heber and his father-in-law sat chatting with a few friends in Dr. Shipley's parlor. Dr. Shipley, knowing his son-inlaw's happy gift in rapid composition, said to him, "Write something for us to sing at the service to-morrow morning." Short notice that for a man to achieve his immortality. Heber retired to another part of the room, and in a little time had prepared three verses, of which the first one ran thus: "From Greenland's icy mountains; Roll down their golden sand; Their land from error's chain.” Heber read the three verses over, and only altered a single word. The seventh line of the second verse was "The savage in his blindness." The author erased that word, and substituted for it the better word heathen. ley, "that will do very well." Heber was "There, there," coolly remarked Dr. Shipnot satisfied, and said “No, no; the sense is not complete.' In spite of his father's earnest protest, Heber withdrew for a few moments longer, and then coming back, which rings like the reveille of the milennial read the following glorious bugle blast morning: "Waft, waft ye winds, the story, It spreads from pole to pole! In bliss returns to reign." "What shall we sing it to?" inquired Dr. Shipley. Mr. Heber who had a fine musical ear, suggested a popular air called ""Twas when the seas were roaring." The While Reginald Heber was rector of the suggestion was adopted, and on the next Episcopal Church at Hodnet, in Shrop- morning the people of Wrexham church shire, he went to pay a visit to his father- listened to the "first rehearsal" of a lyric in-law, Dr. Shipley, then Vicar of Wrex- which has since been echoed by millions of ham, on the border of Wales. Heber was voices around the globe. The air to which in his thirty-second year, and had come to it was sung originally has given place, at Wrexham to deliver the first of a series least in our American churches, to a sonoof Sunday evening lectures in Dr. Ship-rous and lofty tune composed by Dr. Lowley's church. In the morning of that ell Mason. The air is worthy of the same day, Dr. Shipley was to deliver a hymn, and both are perfect. No profane discourse in behalf of the "Society for the hymn-tinker ever dared to lay his bung Some eggs being laid on the ground, it suck them. Occasionally it left the eggs, and went up to the cobra, within an inch of its neck, as the latter reared up; but when the cobra struck out, the mongoose was away with extraordinary activity. ling finger on a single syllable of those and round the enclosure, occasionally venfour stanzas which the Holy Spirit moved turing up to the cobra, apparently quite Reginald Heber to write. Little did the unconcerned. young rector of Hodnet dream, as he listened to the lines sung that Sabbath morn-rolled them near the cobra and began to ing, that he was catching the first strains of his own immortality. He "builded better than he knew." He did more to waft the story of Calvary around the earth than if he had preached like Apollos, or had founded a board of missions. In the "monthly concerts," held in New England school-houses, in frontier cabins, on the decks of missionary ships bound to "Ceylon's Isle," and in the vast assemblies of the American Board, Heber's trumpethymn has been sung with swelling voices and gushing tears. It is the marching music to which Christ's hosts "keep step as they advance to the conquest of the globe: Heber lived but seven years after the composition of his masterpiece. In June, 1823, he departed for Calcutta as the missionary Bishop of India. For three years he toiled and travelled incessantly, and wherever he went his apostolic sweetness of character and benignity won even the "heathen in their blindness." After a laborious day's work at Trichinopoly, he went to his bath to refresh his weary frame. He remained in the bath-room until his attendants became alarmed, and when they came in they found Reginald Heber asleep in Jesus. His gentle spirit had stolen away to join in the " 'song of Moses and of the LAMB." From Nature. FIGHT BETWEEN A COBRA AND A MON GOOSE. THE snake was a large cobra 4 ft. 10 1-2 in. in length, the most formidable cobra I have seen. He was turned into an enclosed outer room, or verandah, about 20 ft. by 12 ft., and at once coiled himself up, with head erect, about ten or twelve inches from the ground, and began to hiss loudly. The mongoose was a small one of its kind, very tame and quiet, but exceedingly active. At length the mongoose began to bite the cobra's tail, and it looked as if the fight would commence in earnest. Neither, however, seemed anxious for close quarters, so the enclosure was narrowed. The mongoose then began to give the cobra some very severe bites; but the cobra after some fencing forced the mongoose into a corner, and struck it with full strength on the upper part of the hind leg. We were sorry for the mongoose, as but for the enclosure it would have escaped. It was clear that on open ground the cobra could not have bitten it at all; while it was the policy of the mongoose to exhaust the cobra before making a close attack. The bite of the cobra evidently caused the mongoose great pain, for it repeatedly stretched out its leg, and shook it, as if painful, for some minutes. The cobra seemed exhausted by its efforts, and putting down its head, tried hard to escape, and kept itself in a corner. The mongoose then went up to it and drew it out, by snapping at its tail, and when it was out, began to bite its body, while the cobra kept turning round and round, striking desperately at the mongoose, but in vain. When this had continued for some time, the mongoose came at length right in front of the cobra, and after some dodging and fencing, when the cobra was in the act of striking, or rather, ready to strike out, the mongoose, to the surprise of all, made a sudden spring at the cobra, and bit it in the inside of the upper jaw, about the fang, and instantly jumped back again. Blood flowed in large drops from the mouth of the cobra, and it seemed much weakened. It was easy now to see how the fight would end, as the mongoose became more eager for the struggle. It continued to bite the body of the cobra, going round it as before, and soon came again in front, When the mongoose was put into the and bit it a second time in the upper jaw, rectangle, it seemed scarcely to notice the when more blood flowed. This continued cobra; but the latter, on the contrary, for some time, until at last, the cobra beappeared at once to recognize its enemy. ing very weak, the mongoose caught its It became excited, and no longer seemed upper jaw firmly, and holding down its to pay any attention to the bystanders, head, began to crunch it. The cobra, but kept constantly looking at the mon- however, being a very strong one, often goose. The mongoose began to go round got up again, and tried feebly to strike the mongoose; but the latter now bit its head and body as it pleased; and when the cobra became motionless and dead, the mongoose left it, and ran to the jungle. The natives said that the mongoose went to the jungle to eat some leaves to cure itself. We did not wish to prevent it, and we expected it would die, as it was severely bitten. In the evening, some hours after the fight, it returned, apparently quite well, and is now as well as ever. It follows either that the bite of a cobra is not fatal to a mongoose, or that a mongoose manages somehow to cure itself. I am not disposed to put aside altogether what so many intelligent natives positively assert. This fight shows at any rate how these active little animals manage to kill poisonous snakes. On open ground a snake cannot strike them, whereas they can bite the body and tail of a snake, and wear it out before coming to close quarters. This mongoose did not seem to fear, the cobra at all; whereas the cobra was evidently in great fear from the moment it saw the mongoose. R. REID. Ratnapura, Ceylon, April 11, 1871. From The Examiner. THE INDUSTRIAL CLASSES IN GERMANY. We have shown that a very low rate of wages prevails in Germany as compared with what our people are accustomed to receive in this country. There are, on the other hand, compensating advantages, but it is doubtful whether they are of a nature to attract the English artisan. The relative purchase power of money in Germany is not given with great detail, but we gather that food in general, particularly vegetables, cost much less than it does here; and that beer and wine, very pure and wholesome, arc excessively cheap. In the large towns, Berlin, Leipsic, &c., the prices are higher; but in Saxony they are very moderate veal, mutton, and pork varying from 5d. to 6 1-2d. per lb.; sausage (a staple article of food), from 6d. to 9d., according to quality. Eggs are three for 2d., but butter and cheese are dear. In the very small and less populous States provisions are still cheaper - in Saxe Coburg, for instance, of the sour bread used by the lower classes, enough for a meal can be had for a halfpenny, and beer is 2d. per quart. The food principally consumed by the working people consists of rye bread, dumplings, sausage, soups, cabbages, (of which there are a great variety), pork, veal, mutton, porridge, and beer and coffee in large quantities. A considerable amount of corn brandy is also drunk; it is very cheap, but bad and fiery. If, however, the Englishman's food costs twice as much as the German's from the quantity and quality of the meat which he insists on having, as well as his wasteful mode of dressing it (a roasted joint is the only thing he recognizes), the German in point of the frequency of his meals and the amount devoured distances every nation in Europe. The dietary given for the ordinary Saxon artisan in towns comprises a repast every three hours, and is as follows: - 6 A.M. Three cups of coffee with white bread; 9 A.M. More bread, butter, cheese, and brandy; 12. Soup, with meat and vegetables in it, and beer; 4 P.M. Bread, butter, cheese, with either coffee or brandy; 7 P.M. Bread with sausage or cheese; and beer. Sometimes stewed or baked meat is eaten at twelve, instead of soup. The diet in the country villages is perhaps a little lower in quality, but it is, at all events, ample in quantity, and contains a fair amount of nitrogenous matter. As compared with Englishmen, the Germans are large and indiscriminate feeders, and compared with French workmen their gastronomic tastes are gross and unrefined. In such a large country the price and quality of lodgings vary considerably, but on the whole there is a very high standard of comfort maintained, and in several States the laws are so stringent with regard to ventilation and drainage that epidemics are exceedingly rare. In villages a two-roomed cottage with garden costs 30s. per annum, in Leipsic three rooms would be about £7 per annum. The Saxon peasant cottages are solid and comfortable. Prussia appears rather behindhand in this respect. As regards the country districts, whole families often live together in one room, costing about 18s. or 24s. per annum. The weavers' houses in Silesia are miserable, low, dark, and damp; in Westphalia a goat or a pig is often more or less domesticated with the family; in Posen accommodation is wretched and costly £3 15s. being paid for one small room. In Berlin in 1867 there were 15,574 dwellings in which six or seven persons occupied one room. Factory operatives and miners are, however, generally provided for by the proprietors, and the blocks of buildings constructed for this purpose are comfortable and cheap. In the west, jointstock and co-operative building companies |