Hide Article Text (OCR)
The Eclipse. An annular eclipse’of the sun, as we have before observed, will occur on the 26th of the present month. The Boston Journal thus speaks of the matter : “It will commence at thirty-three min utes past 4 o’clock in the morning, sod continue two hours and four minutes, or until about twenty-three minutes before 7 o'clock. So our readers will have to rise the limes to see it. In this eclipse the ap arent diameter of the moon compared with that of the sun will be about as 18 to 19, and consequently some nine-tenths of the sun will be covered. The path of the eclipse will cross the western part of the Atlantic Ocean, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Upper Canada, Lake Superior, Northwest and Washington Territories, and thence through the southern edge of British America to the Pacific Ocean. The cen tral line of the eclipse will enter New England near Portsmouth, and its path will extend sixty-two miles on either side. Boston will fall within its path. To those on the central line the sun will appear, du ring the middle of the eclipse, like a huge circle of light, the moon covering every part except a very narrow rim on the outside. In Boston the appearance will be much the same, only the ring of light will be wider on one side than on the other. The central path of the eclipse will be from Kittery, opposite Portsmouth, in a north— westerly direction, through the towns of Dover, Barrington, Pittsfield, Canterbury, Franklin, Hill, Grafton and Lebanon. The eclipse will, however, be visible, to a greater or less extent, in all parts of North America excepting Guatemala and the southwest part of Mexico. It will also be visible in Ireland, Greenland, Northern Russia, parts of Sweden and Norway, the eastern part of Asia, the West Indies, and in the northern countries of South Ameri ca. say The Shanghai correspondent of the New York Evening Post, writing in De cember last, gives the following particu lars as to the war in China: “We have war (Chinese war) in this place all around us. On the 7th of last month, Shanghai was surprised by a party of rebels, who overthrew the imperialist officers with the greatest ease, and obtain ed possession of the place with hardly any bloodshed. But an army of the Emperor, amounting to about eleven thousand men, are now be sieging the city, and we have an opportu nity of seeing with our own eyes how the Chinese conduct their warlike operations. Shanghai is a walled city, about four miles in circuit, and well capable of defence against Chinese. The foreigners reside outside the walls, on the banks of the river so that we see all that is going on with comparatively little danger. ‘The city has been cannonaded several times by a fleet in the river, and innumerable assaults have been made upon the walls by the army on the land side, but thus far with ut any effect, hardly one of the defenders being injured.” You would be amazed to see a Chinese army; it is very showy; it is literally“an army with banners,” though not very ter rible. Most of the soldiers have long spears, with a pennon on the end, and every tenth man carries a banner. The banners are of various gay colors,so that when several thousand of the troops are seen marching across the fields to attack the rebellious city, they present a very picturesque sight in the distance. But as you go near to them the illusion vanishes; most of the soldiers are badly dressed, are scrubby, poor looking fellows, with miserable wea pons—inefficient, rusty matchlocks, more dangerous to him that fires than to those towards whom they are directed. Their method of assault is most absurd. They sometimes march up quite close to the walls, then howl, make faces, kick up their heels, wave their banners to and fro, as if in defiance, fire their matchlocks any where, their main object appearing to be, to frighten their enemies! After playing a game of this kind for an hour or two, and having several of their number knock ed over by shot from the walls, they re treat to their camp, about half a mile disc tant. The rebels are better soldiers than the imperialists, and defend themselves very well. They return the bowl and ugly faces with interest, wave their banners, and when the enemy come near enough they shower brickxbats and stones, and all sorts of missiles, as well as gun shots, which have, thus far, effectually repulsed all attacks. The leader of this band of rebels has hoisted the banner of the Teping» Wong over every one of the gates, but as yet he has not been able to communicate with that famous chief. If he is not relieved before long, I fear that he will be thrown out and overwhelmed by the number of imperial troops which will be brought against him. Both the contending parties of the Chinese treat the foreigners with the greatest forbearance and consideration, as they know our power, and are desirous that, if they cannot get us to aid them, we will at least not go against them. (es The following is a necrology of those who, in a comparatively few years, have sacrificed their lives in attempts to penetrate the mystery of the African continent . Leyard died at Cairo, in 1788. Harneman died of fever, in Central Af rica, between 1802 and 1818. Mungo Park was killed at Boussa, 1805. Burkhardt died at Cairo, in 1817. He had adopted Mohammedanism for his pro tection. Ritchie died at Mourzuk, in 1819. Bowditeh died of exhaustion, in 1824. Major Laing was killed near Timbuctoo, in 1826, Oudney, died at Nurmur, from a cold, in 1824, Clapperton died of dysentery, a Siccatoo, in 1827. To these are to be added the names of Davidson and Richardton, (as We remember witnessing the com plete discomfiture of a wit of no inferior order, by a message politely delivered at a supper party by a little girl: “If you please, Mr. B., mamma sends her compli ments, and would be much obliged if you would begin to be funny !’S ay Now, we maintain that this govern ment of ours was, by our good and wise forefathers, meant for a republic, not a Democracy; that the progress towards the latter is fast destroying the former, and in a word, converting this from a free into a despotic government.—.V. O. Picayune. (a) The branch of the Exchange Bank at Abingdon, says the Abingdon Virginian, has stopped discounting, because it has already gone up to its limit, and must therefore, for a while, stop accommoda tions.
Newspaper Details
Richmond Mail
Richmond, Virginia, US
Thu, May 04, 1854
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Sean B.
CA 24 Jun 2026
Other Publications Near Richmond, Virginia
Richmond Family Visitor
Richmond Evening Truth
Richmond Critic
Richmond Childrens Friend
Richmond Christian Observer
