gentry and villagers. The cattle, however, stand at bay affrighted, their tails are horizontal, and they run wildly away. But a group of friends draw up near the balloon, and although some few question whether we belong to this planet, or are just imported from another, yet any doubt upon this point is soon set at rest when we tell our story, how that we travelled the realms of space, not from motives of curiosity, but for the advancement of science, its applicability to useful purposes, and the good of mankind.

F. Fixed. Fl. Fixed and Flashing. R. Revolving. I. Intermitting. Est. Established.

GODREVY LIGHT.-The Trinity House of London has given notice that with the view of indicating the position of the Stones Rocks by night, a Fixed Red Light will be exhibited from the lighthouse on Godrevy Island, in the direction of and so as to cover those rocks.

The red light will burn 27 feet below the present revolving light, and will be shown on an arc from N. W. to N.W. N., from the lighthouse.

GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE WEATHER FOR DECEMBER.-We have received the following for insertion in the Nautical Magazine in reference to the weather for December, viz. :-The month will commence with strong winds and unsettled weather to about the 7th instant. From about the 8th to the 19th the weather will be of a very stormy character, except at short intervals, with some severe gales. Strong winds will again occur about the 21st, 22nd, and 28th instant. Throughout the month the weather will be unsettled, with some snow and frosts towards the end of it.

G. SHEPHERD.

FLOATING CYLINDERS FOR LAYING ELECTRIC SUBMARINE CABLES, Proposed by Captain J. H. Selwyn, R.N.

The project of an electric cable for the bed of the Atlantic, implies not only the best form of construction of a cable for the intended purpose, but also the best mode of laying it safely, in the place which it is intended to occupy-assuming that by previous investigation this has been found. The sad failure of the first, in the Agamemnon and Niagara is still fresh in our memory, and these pages have borne testimony to the mistakes that were made in the grand work of depositing it. And in order to avoid the injuries arising from coiling in a ship, the heat of the hold, and the possibly imperfect hasty joining, besides the severe straining to which it was subjected, Captain Selwyn, R.N., comes forward with a very novel proposal for effecting the concluding operation of laying it down. This consists of a huge hollow cylinder, of sufficient dimensions to carry it all wound round its surface, and to be thus towed astern of a ship, which as she moves forward on her course, compels the cylinder by rolling, immersed as it would be in the water, to unwind the cable, and thence it descends to the bottom. Does the cable from its weight incline to run too fast, the speed of its descent is checked by the resistance of paddles at each end of the cylinder.

At first view of this plan, simple as it appears, there are so many conditions from which objections are started, that the proposal seems to be scarcely worth entertaining. The high seas, the current, the way of the ship, the small rate of progress, the course steering probably not being in the line of direction in which the cylinder is turning, and many more points have no doubt been started against it. But to all of these Captain Selwyn has given straightforward seamanlike answers, and moreover, as no experience of such a machine was made, he cannot be met with the force of argument from that quarter and Captain Selwyn in the ordinary service of towing, is abundantly at home as to the most judicious manner of effecting it.

Were that faithless element the sea as it often has been, in a moderately quiet condition during the whole voyage, Captain Selwyn might be certain of thus slowly effecting his object. And even if he could always command a certain speed in spite of the sea, he would also be successful, because he could always keep ahead of his cylinder. But being obliged to lie to with it in a gale of wind, adverse to his course, would be the opposite state of things, from which it would not be so easy to say that he would come off scatheless. We recommend Captain Selwyn to fortify his proposal with the opinions of some of our leading seamen, as an inducement to get the experiment tried; and as to the further application of his cylinder, which he has so very ably devised for bringing home petroleum from Canada, we must say his figures are entirely satisfactory. We have not yet heard however that a cable is to be laid; the form of which as well as the mode of laying it, will we hope undergo the most searching trial, before the actual work is taken in hand.