architects, surveyors, and travellers who require to measure the
heights of buildings, trees, cliffs, or hills, in some instances
difficult of approach, has been described by Mr Laslett at a recent
meeting of the Institute of British Architects. It is the 'Metroscope,'
'an instrument for measuring inaccessible heights and distances, and
for levelling.' To be able to measure the width of a river, or the
height of a tower to the very top of the weathercock, is a manifest
advantage, which is further increased by the instrument being provided
with a scale, on which the measure can be read off in feet and inches,
or feet and decimals. To give a clear idea of the construction,
diagrams would be necessary; and it must suffice here to say that it
combines adjusting screws, spirit levels, reflecting mirrors, and a
telescope; as may be seen by any one who will call at Pastorelli's, 208
Piccadilly, London.
The third volume of the Report on the Geological Survey of Victoria
(Australia), by Mr Brough Smyth, has been published. It furnishes
interesting information concerning the surveys going on in different
districts--the several goldfields--the volcanic rocks--the
palæontological remains--the various methods of treating auriferous
pyrites--the gold found in the water of mines--the mineralised woods,
and precious stones. Apart from its scientific statements, the book is
valuable for the historical particulars it gives of the discovery of
gold, and of the 'rushes' of enthusiastic diggers. The total amount of
gold produced up to 1875 exceeds L.182,000,000 sterling. Announcements
of discoveries of minerals are often made for speculative purposes, and
the process of 'salting' appears to be as well understood in Victoria
as in Nevada; and in one instance a rumoured discovery of coal--a seam
of lignite--proved, on examination by a government geologist, to be a
trick: the specimen lumps had been ploughed in.
A line of telegraph from one end of Africa to the other is talked of.
From Alexandria to Khartoum, 1100 miles, a wire is already erected,
and is to be carried on to Gondokoro. From this place to the northern
termination of the South African lines stretching from Cape Colony, the
distance is about two thousand miles; and it is thought that to erect
and maintain a line across that wild region would not be more difficult
than it was to carry a line across the great continent of Australia.
Travellers in the interior might then flash their messages to Cairo or
Cape Town at pleasure.
LINES TO A LATE-BORN MOUNTAIN LAMB, ON A BLINK OF SUNSHINE IN WINTER.
Wee lammie, on yon Scottish hill,
Sport while ye may, and tak your fill
O' this bit glint o' simmer still,
Puir feckless[1] thing;
Winter a routh[2] o' cauld and chill
Too soon will bring.
Sport while ye may, my bonnie fay;
'Twill last na lang this autumn day;
For sour and dour,[3] without delay
Auld Winter's bound
His heavy hand o' skaith[4] to lay
On all around.
Unsheltered on the bare hill-side,
The sleety storm is sair to bide;
Caught in its arms, O wae betide
The hapless hour!
In thy sair stress, whar will ye hide
Frae its fell power?
What tho' the snaw-wreath cover thee!
An' frosty hand shall close thy e'e,
Thy young life in adversity
Thus pass awa';
'Tis surely best thou shou'dstna dree[5]
What _might_ befa'.
I wadna hae ye like to me,
Aye fu' o' care for what may be,
Thy glad hour clouding waefully
Wi' threatened ill;
Rather wi' careless thoughts and free,
Thy bright hour fill.
_We_ look behind! wae worth the day!
Aft miry path and feet astray,
Our guiding light a flickering ray,
No frae aboon--
An ignis-fatuus 'mid decay
And earthly gloom.
How aft wi' heart's ain dool[6] opprest;
How aft wi' ithers' pain distrest;
How afttimes pained, how seldom blest;
Joy's fairest bloom
Grows on a slender stem at best,
A touch its doom!
We come but with a fretfu' cry,
A wailfu' note to trouble joy;
We go, and Nature's agony
Doth still attend;
The sinking heart, the weary eye,
Proclaim the end.
We look beyond, and there we dreed!
Frae folly shall we e'er be freed?
We hope, we trust, that there indeed,
In time to come,
We may attain the heavenly creed,
And leal become.
And there, my lammie, like to thee,
Passive and pure, nae mair to be
Assailed wi' doubt or fear that we
Shall lapse or fa',
But evermair frae trouble free,
And earthly thraw.[7]
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Weak.
[2] Plenty.
[3] Stubborn.
[4] Harm.
[5] Endure.
[6] Grief.
[7] Pain.
* * * * *
Printed and Published by W. & R. CHAMBERS, 47 Paternoster Row,
LONDON, and 339 High Street, EDINBURGH.