| Places. | Wind. | Weather. |
| Southampton | W.S.W. | Cloudy. |
| Gosport | S.E. | „ |
| Portsmouth | S.E. | „ |
| London | E. | Rain. |
| St. Ives | W. | Very fine. |
| Cambridge | S.W. | Cloudy. |
| Newmarket | E. | Cloudy. |
| Yarmouth | E. | Fine. |
| Lowestoffe | E. | Stormy. |
| Norwich | E. | Fine. |
| Chelmsford | N.E. | Cloudy. |
| Colchester | S.E. | Fine. |
| Ipswich | Fine. |
The above description of our changeable climate, it occurred to us, would not very incorrectly represent the present political state of Europe.
During the day telegraphic information flashes upon these boys from the Stock Exchange, informing them of “prices and closing prices of the funds and principal railway shares. With remarks.”
From the London Cattle Market, stating “the number and quality of beasts, sheep, calves, pigs. Holland beasts, sheep, calves. Danish beasts. With remarks.”
From the Meat Market, stating “the prices of every description of meat, with remarks.”
Also similar returns from all the other markets we have enumerated.
As fast as this incongruous mass of intelligence arrives, it is, in the mode already described, transcribed in writing to separate sheets of paper, which are without delay one after another lowered down to the superintendent of “the Intelligence Department,” by whom they are rapidly digested for distribution either to the whole of the Company’s reading-room stations, or for those lines only which any particular species of information may partially interest; such as corn-markets requiring corn intelligence; seaports, shipping news, &c. &c.
As quickly as these various despatches are concocted, the information they respectively contain reascends through “the lift,” or wooden chimney, to the instrument department, from whence it is projected, or rather radiates, to its respective destination; and thus in every one of the Company’s reading-rooms throughout the kingdom there consecutively appears, in what would until very lately have been considered magic writing upon the walls, the varied information which had only reached London from all points of the compass a few minutes ago! But not only does this wonderful power, which it has pleased the Almighty to develop to mankind, facilitate in a most extraordinary degree our communication with each other, and thereby materially adds to our wealth, but it affords us a proportionate increase of power to defend that property which, by integrity and industry, our nation has, under Providence, been enabled to acquire.
In case of war, our Commander-in-Chief would not only be made acquainted with information even of the smallest importance as soon as, or even before, it reached our shores, but he would simultaneously be enabled to issue orders to the troops at every station in the kingdom as rapidly as if they were all assembled on the parade before him.
In like manner the Admiralty would receive intelligence and despatch directions, which, in combination with the arrangements at the Horse Guards, War Office, and Home Office, would give to our naval, military, and civil forces a combined strength which it has hitherto been impracticable for them separately to develop.