and emoluments of the connection than was proper. A few individuals have holden nearly all the offices for many years, notwithstanding others were equally qualified. This concentration of influence in a clique of even the best of men is always offensive and impolitic." This party spirit, it is said, is now passing away, and the conference presents emphatically a united brotherhood. The leading spirits on both sides, Bunting and Beaumont, have passed away, and 66 eye to eye" before the throne. see In American Methodism the emotional element is more prominently presented. The system of quarterly, district, camp, and protracted meetings, are well calculated to keep up the enthusiasm of religious life among us. British Methodism is perhaps slow in moving, yet she is always sure of gaining her object. Constant in her motions, yet she advances with a Juggernaut tread-ponderous but uniform. Though the machinery of each system is alike, British Methodism seems more systematic and constant in her operations. Denominational interests and effort are kept moving with utmost regularity. From "Land's End," in Cornwall, to "John O'Groat's house," the financial economy is carried out, and the quarterly, weekly, and other connectional contributions are made in the most remote, as well as in the most important society and congregation. They are all at it, and always at it." American Methodism has the system, but some think it lacks efficient and uniform working. The returns of the annual conferences seem to confirm this view. We submit that when conference commands obedience should be ren 66 dered as far as practicable; then, we apprehend, our annual Minutes would present but few blanks in the various reports of its benevolent operations. A brief reference to statistics will serve to show the comparative progress and present numerical position of Methodism in both countries. In 1773, at the first conference held in this country, there were reported ten preachers, and one thousand one hundred and sixty members. In the British connection (the same year) there were one hundred and thirty preachers, and thirty thousand members. 06 Compendium of Methodism," p. 121, 122. †These statistics only embrace Methodism proper, namely, British Wesleyan Methodism, and the Methodist Episcopal Church in this country, irrespective of the Church South. In 1791 (the year of Wesley's death) there were in the United States two hundred and fifty preachers, and sixty-three thousand two hundred and sixty-nine members. In Great Britain there were about three hundred preachers, and eighty thousand members. In 1846 (after the organization of the Church, South) the Methodist Episcopal Church numbered three thousand five hundred and sixty-one preachers, and six hundred and fifty-one thousand one hundred and ninety-one members. The British connection reported about one thousand five hundred ministers, and four hundred and sixty thousand members. The The general Minutes of the Annual Conferences for 1857 report six thousand one hundred and thirty-four ministers, and eight hundred and twenty thousand five hundred and nineteen members. British connection, owing to the great agitation that followed the conference of 1849, suffered, through secession and expulsions, a loss of near one hundred thousand members, and reported an annual decrease until 1854, since which time she has been making progress, and at the last conference (in August of this year) the reports indicate that she is fast approaching to the numerical position she occupied at the memorable conference of 1849. British Methodism numbers six thousand six hundred and forty-nine places of worship. The Methodist Episcopal Church numbers eight thousand three hundred and British Methirty-five church edifices. thodism raised last year six hundred thousand dollars missionary money. The Methodist Episcopal Church raised (same time) two hundred and twenty-seven thousand dollars for same object. British Methodism has in her Sunday-schools four hundred and five thousand scholars. Methodist Episcopal Church numbers five hundred and ninety-one thousand scholars. In the British Conference there is a greater proportion of aged ministers than in the American Church. The proportion of preachers now living who have been in the ministry fifty years in the parent body, is one in forty-four, while in the Methodist Episcopal Church it is one in one hundred and eighty-six. From these figures we learn The 1. That Methodism has advanced more "in these United States" than in rapidly England. A recent writer in the "Quar terly," speaking of the advancement of Methodism throughout the world, attributes its enormous increase to the immense progress that Episcopal Methodism has made in this country, where, says he, "its rate of increase has been twenty-fold, while in England its increase has been sevenfold,"* and even this exceeds the progress of any other religious body. We learn 2. That the worthy president of Ohio University is incorrect in stating, in his sketch of "Wesley and Methodism," "there are now about three hundred Wesleyan chapels in England."† We make mention of this because the mistake has been copied by a recent writer on the "Itinerancy," and presents an erroneous idea of the extent and influence of Methodism in the mother-country. These figures show 3. That British Methodism has one minister to about two hundred and nine members, while the Methodist Episcopal Church has one minister to one hundred and thirty-four members. We find also 4. That British Methodism raises for "missions" one dollar and forty-two cents per member, annually, while we (in the Methodist Episcopal Church) raise for the same object but twenty-eight cents per member, annually! The American Church has more abundant means, and about double the membership, and ought, in all fairness, to outstrip the parent Church in the amount of her contributions. These figures show Lastly. The inherent elasticity of the system. Notwithstanding the effects of agitations and divisions, she has sufficient power to right herself. The mighty pressure of repeated secession may have for a time prostrated her, yet when such pressure has been removed she springs erect, kisses the sunbeam, and drinks in the fertilizing shower, giving evidence that she has not been broken, but merely bent. In bringing this sketch to a close, we venture to endorse the suggestion of our worthy Bishop Simpson, that British Methodism would not be injured by the introduction of something of republican liberty and progress, and that the American Church would be none the less efficient by the infusion of something of the conservatism of the English body. The amazing spread of Methodism throughout the world is a proof that some thing more than the skill and acumen of Wesley was concerned in its establishment. Her entire family of two and a quarter millions, and thirteen thousand itinerants scattered over the earth, is an evidence of her progress. Like some noble tree it increases in size and strength. Over our fathers it extended its ample shade, and we, their children, would take refuge under its spreading branches, and though possibly it may need trimming, such must be seasonable and guarded. But so long as its growth and fruit indicate thriftiness and health, we would humbly seek to guard it from the ruthless hand of ultra-radicalism on the one side or stereotyped conservatism on the other. The tempest may shake it, but this will only make its roots strike deeper, and the fruit to fall on those who are safely "lodged beneath the branches of it." Let us be jealous of her glory. Past achievements call for grateful songs and warrant our ardent zeal. She has proved her adaptation to both Old and New England society, to the population of the seaboard as well as of the "wilderness West." Aggressive in her movements, and missionary in her character, with increased facilities for scattering the blended light of science, literature, and religion, she marches forward in her career of conquest to take the continent and to send the shout of free salvation leaping like lightning from one hill-top to another, until, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, "All may catch the flame, All partake the glorious bliss." "THIS ARTIFICIAL ICE-MAKING. THIS our planet" is for the greater HAS suport one. How things may be, as to heat and cold, with our neighbors further afield, it is not our present purpose to inquire; but considering our position, in point of nearness to the central luminary, it cannot excite surprise that the inhabitants of our globe should for the most part experience, in an inconvenient degree relative to their physical constitution, the power of his rays. Even during the short summers of the north, the heat is oppressive; it is still more so in the long ones of the temperate regions; while the wide tropical belt, embracing the greater portion of the earth's peopled surface and the vast majority of its inhabitants, suffer an almost continual oppression and distress from its exposure and taken for so small a supply only show to the unmitigated glare. Under such circumstances, the supply of ice, where it can be obtained, becomes next in importance to that of the absolute necessaries of life. It so happens, however, that within the tropics, where it is most needed, it can scarcely be procured. In vast regions it is wholly unknown; while in Southern Europe, and other places in more temperate latitudes, ice can be had in abundance, and at a moderate rate, in many favored localities. In these special, fortunate instances, the source of supply is accessible as well as inexhaustible, and the cost representing only that of the manual labor required for transport. Thus, the "snow-harvest" of Naples has long been an interesting subject of observation for the statistician, employing, as it does, a considerable number of hands, and a numerous navy of small-craft, by whose means the treasured snow of Etna is conveyed to the burning streets of the capital; and the sweltering Neapolitans are served with their indispensable sorbetto in the highest state of perfection. In that country, where labor is at a price almost nominal, and a man will be content, as Forsythe says, " to wind up the rattling machine for a day with a few fingerings of macaroni," it is doubtful whether any method of obtaining the same result artificially would be worth inquiring after; but, as very few places can boast of the same advantages, the question of ice-making by chemical means has long been a deeply interesting one, and engaged the attention of naturalists and philosophers. the great value attached to the commodity. Other modes of obtaining the same substance have been introduced from time to time, but, as before observed, at an almost prohibitive expense. In many cases where great heat is felt in the lower levels, a tantalizing scene is presented; for snow lying on lofty hills is in sight of the panting dwellers on the plains below, but quite inaccessible for all useful purposes. We ourselves spent a hot summer, a few years ago, in an Alpine region, where a glacier, containing thousands of tons of ice, was within an hour's walk of our house; and yet, such was the difficulty of procuring a regular supply, that we were forced to abandon the attempt, after getting the apparatus necessary for domestic use into readiness. It has long been known that artificial ice may be obtained by chemical means. By availing ourselves of the property of quick evaporation possessed by ether and other volatile liquids, this effect can be produced at pleasure; the only difficulty being the expense, which, on the grand scale, is prohibitory. A man wrapped in a flannel dress, and kept moistened with ether, may be frozen to death in a very short time, under “the line." In fact, the warmer and drier the atmosphere, the more speedily will the effect be produced. A bottle of wine or other liquid so treated will freeze, or become ice, most effectually. Even the evaporation of water under a strong sun produces an excellent effect in cooling down liquors in warm climates; and "coolers" of unglazed earthenware saturated with water, and then placed in the sun with the bottles of liquor within, will "render up their trust" in a very desirable state of refrigeration after an hour or so. The judicious and habitual use of ice as a cooler of ordinary beverages, and as a sort of eatable, in the way we all understand so well, is the one available resource against the debilitating and enervating effects of heat, whether encountered within But the most wonderful fact connected the tropics, or during the summers of more ice-making is the glorious experiment by temperate regions. Hitherto the great which water was frozen in a capsule of expense attending its use, whether natural platinum at a white heat. This wonderful or artificial, has been for the most part an achievement proceeds upon the theory, insurmountable obstacle. that water will not touch a body of metal Artificial ice-making has long been prac-heated beyond a certain degree. A most tised on the burning plains of India. It is made by exposing water during the night in unglazed earthen pans, and a very thin coat of ice is thus procured each morning. This resource is, however, partial in every sense, and can in no way meet the necessity of the case. The great pains required cases whatever. important fact it is for all connected with steam-producing, that it will assume in such a case a spheroidal shape, and that a clear space will be preserved between it and the glowing metal, owing, doubtless, to the repulsive effect of great heat in all Professor Faraday has carried this marvel even a step further, and actually frozen a ball of mercury in the midst of a glowing furnace, by the judicious admixture of carbonic acid and ether, so as to give greater vigor to the evaporating process. We merely allude in passing to these more recondite matters connected with refrigeration, as they will prepare the reader for the process of ice-making on the grand scale, which it is our object to explain, resting, as it does, on the essential principle of rapid evaporation, and, to express it technically, the consequent abstraction of the caloric contained in the substance to be acted upon. All we see, all we are, and all the changes that have taken place in our world, seem to be referrible to the fact of heat. Rocks are hard and "solid" because they contain now only a certain amount of caloric. With more of it, they may be fused, and, with still more, evaporated like water. Keeping this principle in mind, we shall see that water, in the liquid form, depends for that form on its actual calorific state; with more heat, it would evaporate; with less, it would congeal into ice. The object, then, of artificial congelation is to extract the caloric from it, and this may be done by evaporation, as we have mentioned. The highly interesting process for which all this preparatory matter is intended to prepare us, is this: An ingenious inventor has now produced a machine, by which the invaluable properties of ether as an evaporator are fairly called into play, and thus large quantities of ice can be speedily produced; but he has done much more; for he contrives matters so that the precious liquid is recovered after it has done its work, and employed over again, for any number of times, without the slightest loss! It would be difficult, if not impossible, to convey to the general reader a clear idea of the machine itself without the aid of engravings; and even these do not convey, at least to us, any notion of how the result aimed at is obtained. We shall therefore confine ourselves to a description of the principle of the machine, and an enumeration of what may be called its achievements. The evaporating vessel is merely a tubular boiler. In this, the ether will boil at a temperature much below freezingpoint. The ether is contained in air-tight vessels relieved from the pressure of the atmosphere. The cylinder, in the center of the apparatus, is fitted with air-tight valves, so that each stroke of the piston withdraws a quantity of ether-vapor from the left-hand vessels, and forces it into a condensing vessel on the right hand. When the vapor is raised, an intense cold is produced; when it is condensed, a corresponding degree of heat is evolved. The ether, after resuming the liquid state, returns by a self-regulating valve to the evaporating vessel, and the process thus continues uninterruptedly, and without the slightest waste of material. Indeed, as the pressure inside the vessel is less than the outside atmosphic pressure, it is impossible that any ether can escape. It will be seen that the evaporation of ether goes on in this machine in a cold medium, and that, vice versâ, it is re-liquefied for further use in a warm one, being a reversal of the ordinary processes-as with water, for example. Intense cold being produced in the machine, this cold is utilized and conveyed to the freezing portion of the apparatus by the ingenious employment of a stream of salt water, which does not freeze at the same degree as fresh water does. It thus carries with it, in a fluid state, cold enough to freeze rapidly the fresh water with which it comes in contact. This salt water circulates in a continued stream also, being returned to the boiler again after having parted with its cooling power. Thus, it will be seen, no waste of material is incurred, except of the fresh water, which it is the object of the operation to convert into ice, and of the fuel and water necessary for working the engine. The ice, we are informed, can be made of any required shape or thickness. It is at present turned out in slabs of eighteen inches square on the sides, and an inch and a half thick. These slabs can be placed together so as to form blocks of any thickness. The ice formed rapidly at the coldest end of the trough is white and opaque, while that formed more slowly at the lower end is more transparent. By increasing the dimensions of this trough, and thus insuring more uniformity of action, the ice will be transparent throughout. The white ice is colder, and more effective for immediate use, but it does not bear carriage so well as the other. Experience must decide which is preferable for general purposes. The expense of the process—an important point is simply that of the motive power. An ordinary steam-engine of ten horse-power consumes a ton of coal per day, and the product in ice will be four to five tons. The removal of the ice when formed, and re-filling the molds with water, are the only parts of the operation requiring the services of an attendant. It is in hot climates, however, that the full value of the invention will be felt. Ice, within the tropics, will soon be looked upon as a necessary of life; as much so at least as fuel is a necessary in the winter of temperate regions. The preparation of cooling drinks is one of the least important of its uses. The preservation of animal food, and the cooling of apartments will be the most important. The fearful mortality arising from the prevalence of fevers, in an atmosphere varying from eighty to a hundred degrees, can only be checked by keeping the patients in cool apartments. It is evident that buildings can be cooled, as they are now warmed, by the circulation of water in pipes. cooling of the water for this purpose is estimated at a few pence per barrel. The Mr. Harrison's first machine was made in Geelong in 1855, but, from the inferiority of colonial workmanship, the trial was a failure. Discomfited, but not disheartened, he went to England, and achieved success. He has wisely abstained from bringing his invention prominently into notice, until he has had it fairly tested both on a small and a large scale. For some of these particulars we are indebted to the Illustrated London News of May 29, 1858, in which an engraving of Mr. Harrison's machine is given, but which, as before observed, can convey but very little idea of the process. THE family would seem to present almost as many varieties as that of their human adversaries. The bear is a giant or a dwarf, according to latitude and climate, and differs in size and ferocity, according to his different species, as much as the Patagonian does from the Bosjesman, or the predatory Tartar from the peaceful Laplander. Thus it is that the accounts of travelers regarding Bruin vary so much. Some represent him as the most savage and formidable of monsters; while others seem to regard him as a comparatively harmless neighbor, who will not interfere with you if you will only observe the same conduct with regard to him. There is a wide difference between these two extremes, and yet there may be truth in either representation. Perhaps the following sketches, in which the bear of Siberia and Central Asia figures in various lights, may serve further to illus |