electricians of England, Holland, France, and Germany, were to be drunk in electrified bumpers, under a discharge of guns from an electrical battery.

TELEGRAPHIC GOSSIP.

A RECENT visitor to the central station in Lothbury says: "By the kindness of the superintendent, we were allowed to put one or two of the machines to the test. We therefore wished for a little conversation with Southampton. It was a bitterly cold morning in town, and we had had a slight fall of snow, so that our first question with our invisible correspondent was whether it was snowing at Southampton just then? Before we had time to think of the probable answer, the message was up, 'No.' 'Had any steamers left port this morning?' With the same celerity, came back the instantaneous 'No.' We then asked our Southampton friend to ring the bell of the machine before our eyes? The first reply was not so quick as usual. He was asked to do so again, and in four seconds the tinkle of the apparatus was heard! We had some curiosity to know the state of the weather also at Norwich, and proceeding to that machine, we put the same question, and with equal speed received a similar answer. We were surprised at the expertness of the telegraphists, many of whom were mere youths of fifteen or sixteen; and we could not help wondering at the facility with which they read off the (to us unintelligible) quiverings of a couple of blue needles!"

Here are a few anecdotic cases:

Mr. Joseph Birkitt, of Howden, attended the York fortnight fair, and proceeded to the railway station about three p.m., applying for a ticket, and giving the clerk a half sovereign, but omitting to receive his change. When he arrived at the railway station, he informed the clerk of the circumstance, who immediately communicated by the electric telegraph with the clerk of the York railway office, and the money was sent to Mr. Birkitt by the next train to the Howden station.

In America, a deserter who had started by railway from Washington to Baltimore, after having committed a robbery, in 1844, was captured by the message anticipating the arrival of the train that contained the suspected person.

On another occasion, a physician at Lockport and a patient at Buffalo had a medical consultation by means of the electric telegraph between those two towns. The patient signalled his symptoms in one direction, and the physician his prescription by the other.

NOVEL APPENDAGES TO THE TELEGRAPH.

In order that the telegraph from Hull to other parts may not obstruct the navigation of the Ouse, at Selby, it is so constructed as to cross the river at such an elevation as will allow the largest vessels trading there to pass below the wires, without their striking the

masts.

This is effected by a large mast, seventy-two feet in length, surmounted by a topmast, sixty-eight feet long, secured to piles in the river; and by a second mast, eighty feet long, with a fifty-six-feet topmast fixed in the masonry on land. On the top of these masts, twelve wires are passed, protected by suitable lightning-conductors, and the whole stayed with patent wire rigging. To give as nautical a character as practicable to the erections, the masts and topmasts are fitted with cross-trees and caps, similar to those of a schooner.

SUSPENSE OF A FAMILY RELIEVED.

A FAMILY in Washington was lately thrown into great distress by a rumour that one of its members had met with a violent death in Baltimore, the evening before. Several hours must have elapsed ere their state of suspense could be relieved by the ordinary means of conveyance. A note was, however, dispatched to the telegraph-rooms at the Capitol, requesting to have inquiry made at Baltimore. The messenger waited but ten minutes, when an answer was returned that the statement was without foundation.

TELEGRAPHIC ARREST.

IN October, 1847, a deserter from the U. S. ship Pennsylvania, lying at Norfolk, who had defrauded the purser of the ship of 700 dollars, was suspected to have

The purser accordingly

decamped to Baltimore. called at the Telegraph-office, in Washington; there stated his case, and wished to give notice in Baltimore, at the same time offering a reward for the apprehension of the culprit. The name and description of the offender's person, with the offer of the reward, were instantly sent to Baltimore; in ten minutes the warrant was in the hands of the officer of justice, for his arrest; and in half an hour from the time that the purser preferred his request at Washington, it was announced from Baltimore by telegraph—“The deserter is arrested, with the dollars; he is in jail; what shall be done with him ?"

CREDIT REFERENCE BY TELEGRAPH.

A PERSON in Baltimore, holding the cheque of a gentleman in Washington, was anxious to ascertain if the drawer had funds in the bank to meet it. A message was instantly dispatched to the Capitol, the necessary inquiry made, and in a few minutes an affirmative returned to Baltimore; thus establishing confidence in a money arrangement, the want of which might have affected unfavourably (for many hours, at least) the business transactions of a man in good credit.

PHYSICIAN RETAINED BY TELEGRAPH.

MESSRS. Cremer and Lovell, surgeons, of Chelmsford, having a pressing occasion for the immediate attend

ance of Dr. Addison, of Spring-gardens, sent a message from the railway station, to be forwarded from Bishopsgate to his residence, about four miles distant. A reply from the Doctor, intimating that he would attend, was received in one hour and forty minutes ; and immediately after, Mr. Tomkin, surgeon, of Witham, received an appointment to meet the Doctor at the residence of the patient, in Little Baddow.

A gentleman stepped into the Telegraph office at Buffalo, and desired to have Dr. Stevens, who resides in this village, called into the office, as he wished to have some conversation with him. The doctor was summoned, when the gentleman at Buffalo said his wife was ill, and desired Dr. Stevens to prescribe for her. The physician obtained a full and accurate statement of the patient's symptoms and condition, and then telegraphed his prescription. It is presumed the patient did well, as the local journal stated the doctor was to have been consulted again in the afternoon, if the morning's prescription was not effectual.

THE TELEGRAPH AND THE TABLE.

Two professional gentlemen met each other in Leicester, shortly before dinner, and a knife-and-fork invitation was given. "Would accept with pleasure,” was the answer of the invited, "but have to go to York to-day, to see Hudson." "O, come along," rejoined the inviter, "and let us begin dinner: Hudson mayn't be at home; we'll send to the electric telegraph