Sagua La Grande, on the island of Cuba, was the only place where total darkness was produced by the eclipse of the sun, on the 25th of July, 1846. The eclipse phenomenon commenced at 9h. 41m. 32s. a.m., sky clear. As the time of the total darkness approached, all animated nature gave signs of approaching night, man only excepted. Still, the mirth of the gay donnas and senoras soon ceased; the slaves abandoned their occupations, and many fell on their knees. The darkness came on gradually, and at 17 minutes past 11, the sun was totally obscured. There stood the moon, covering the whole face of the sun, and presenting the appearance of a great black ball in the heavens, with rays of light diverging from behind it. The rays gave out a pale, aurora-like reflection upon the earth, resembling that cast by the moon when half-full. This lasted only fifty seconds; and, at a little past 12, the eclipse ended.
THE DIVING-BELL.
Was first used in Europe at Toledo, in Spain, in 1538, before Charles V. and 10,000 spectators. The experiment was made by two Greeks, who, taking a very large kettle suspended by ropes with the mouth downward, fixed planks in it, on which they placed themselves, and with a lighted candle gradually descended to a considerable depth.
RATE OF BALLOON TRAVELLING.
Mr. Green relates some singular experiences of the variety of currents in our atmosphere, influencing the rate of his aërial travelling. He has found that at a great elevation, the north-west current generally prevails throughout the year, without reference to the direction of the wind near the earth; this constant current being at an elevation of from 13,000 to 14,000 feet. This upper current carries his balloon at the rate of six miles an hour; whilst the lower current wafts it at the rate of thirty miles an hour. He states, that in one of his ascents from Liverpool, he entered the constant current at an elevation of 14,000 feet, and descended into a lower south-east current at the height of 12,000 feet; the former carrying his balloon at the rate of five miles, and the latter at the rate of eighty miles an hour. He has travelled ninety-seven miles in fifty-eight minutes, and his speed has often been from sixty to eighty miles an hour.
SAFE DESCENT IN A PARACHUTE.
This feat, of very rare occurrence, was accomplished in September, 1838, when Mr. Hampton ascended with a parachute attached to a gas balloon, from Cheltenham, to the height of 9000 feet. At this altitude, he cut the connecting-cord, when the balloon rose for some hundred feet, and burst; Mr. Hampton safely descending in the parachute, within thirteen minutes; the collapsed balloon having reached the earth before him.