ever enterprise Dr.
Page undertakes in that line, will be very apt to go ahead. We hope
soon to obtain further intelligence on the subject.

* * * * *

It is reported that the British government has granted $100,000 per
annum to the royal company of Atlantic steamers, for the establishment
of a post route to the Pacific, across the Isthmus of Panama.

* * * * *

IMPROVEMENT IN BOATS.

There is a model of a steamboat to be seen on the Chesapeake, invented
and constructed by Cyrus Williams, Esq., which is exciting
considerable interest among steamboat men. It is in the usual form of
a boat, but more flat-bottomed, and much longer in proportion to its
width, than the boats now in use, giving it a greater surface to the
water, and of course a lighter draught. The improvement is in applying
the bridge principle of bearers in supporting length of boats. It
looks perfectly feasible. Mr. Williams thinks it will be a great
saving of expense, as it takes much less timber, and all of it can be
sawed in a mill, being straight stuff. He offers to build a boat on
this model, furnishing one third of the stock, and if it does not make
25 miles to the hour, he will forfeit his share.

* * * * *

CASTING IRON CANNON BY A GALVANIC PROCESS.

A hoaxical looking article, under the above caption, is going the
rounds, and represents that successful experiments on this subject
have been recently made at Berlin. As no description or illustration
of the process or principle is given, we leave the subject for those
who are ever ready to swallow whatever appears in a newspaper, without
regard to probability.

* * * * *

NEW SHINGLE MACHINE.

Among the patents particularly noticed in the Commissioner's report,
is one for a shingle machine, which cuts the shingles in a peculiar
form. The shingles cut by this machine does not taper from one
extremity to the other, but the taper is confined to about half the
length of it at one end, the faces of the remaining half being
parallel to each other. This shape of the shingle avoids the bending
which is incidental to those of the ordinary form, when nailed upon
the roof--an object well worthy of attainment.

* * * * *

IMPROVEMENT IN BLACKSMITHS FORGES.

This invention was entered at the Patent Office on t