Pennsylvania Hospital.—The expenditures of the Pennsylvania Hospital the last year were about 55,000 dollars. The number of patients during the year ending April 22, 1820, was 945. The deaths were 52. Persons relieved 81. Cured 428. Remain 209. Eloped 23.
Salt water.—The whole western country seems to be under-flowed with salt water. Some late borings through the rock, at depths of from 259 to 317 feet, at Cannonsburg, Pa. have been completely successful.
Fire at Savannah.—An advertisement from the London Phenix Fire Office states, that the loss occurring in Savannah, by the great fire of January last, swept away every thing that had been received for premiums during twelve years, and as much more.
British Revenue, &c.—The ad valorem duty, on British manufactured goods, exported from Liverpool, amounted, for the first quarter of the year 1819, to upwards of 13,000l. For the first quarter of 1820, the amount was only 5,700l. A great falling off, indeed.
Average price of grain in England and Wales, from the returns up to the 15th April—Wheat, 69s. 2d.; Rye, 41s. 9d.; Barley, 36s. 5d.—[Grain at these prices would afford a fine market for the surplus product of the United States; but England will not receive our bread stuffs; she prefers to keep up, and to a most unreasonable extent, the market for her own agriculturists.]
Origin of Almanacks.—The ancient Saxons used to engrave upon certain square sticks, about a foot in length, the courses of the moons for the whole year, whereby they could always certainly tell when the new moons, full moons, and changes, should happen; and such carved sticks they called Al-mon-aght (all-mon-heed, i. e.) the regard or observation of all the moons. There is in St. John's College, Cambridge, a Saxon almanack exactly answering to the above description.
Iron Boat.—A London paper of May 4, says, that a passage boat, of malleable iron, now plies on the Forth and Clyde Canal, in Scotland. It is called the Vulcan, and succeeds to admiration. The length is 63 feet; beam, 13 feet; depth, 5 feet; draught of water, when launched, 22 inches abaft, and 19 inches forward—when fitted with cabins, &c. 37 and 25 inches—when laden with two hundred passengers and their baggage, under 48 inches, on an even keel. The weight of iron employed was 12 tons 113⁄4 cwt. which is less than a wooden vessel of the same dimensions. The iron is of the kind called scrap.
A Great Eclipse of the Sun will take place on the 7th of September next. This eclipse will be visible over an extent of more than four millions square leagues, a surface nearly equal to a sixth part of the earth, and resembling a kind of oval of about 7500 leagues in circumference, comprising all Europe, the western part of Asia, all Africa, as far as to Monopotapa, and a part of North America. The eclipse will last three hours.
Lord Thurlow.—This eminent lawyer's superiority of ability was very early manifested both at school and at college. They extorted submission from his equals, and impressed his seniors with respect. The following anecdote is told of him.—Having been absent from chapel, or committed some other offence which came under the cognizance of the dean of the college, who, though a man of wit, was not remarkable for his learning. The dean set Thurlow, as a task, a paper in the Spectator to translate into Greek. This he performed extremely well, and in very little time; but instead of carrying it up to the dean, as he ought to have done, he took it to the tutor, who was a good scholar, and a very respectable character. At this the dean was exceedingly wroth, and had Mr. Thurlow convened before the Masters and Fellows to answer for his conduct. Thurlow was asked what he had to say for himself. He coolly, perhaps improperly replied, "that what he had done proceeded not from disrespect, but from a feeling of tenderness for the dean; he did not wish to puzzle him!" The dean, greatly irritated, ordered him out of the room; and then insisted that the Masters and Fellows ought immediately to expel or rusticate him. This request was nearly complied with, when two of the Fellows, wiser than the rest, observed, that expelling or rusticating a young man for such an offence would perhaps do much injury to the college, and expose it to ridicule; and that as he would soon quit the college of his own accord to attend the Temple, it would be better to let the matter rest, than irritate him by so severe a proceeding. This advice was at length adopted.