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The Indian Navy. - Mr. Purser Harrison of the Indian Navy. has committed suicide by swallowing half-a-pint of laudanum; he was Assistant Naval Storekeeper, and had recently been suspended for neglect of duty. The Breakwater Quarries. - The vast improvement effected in the mode of blasting' limestone rock in this port within the last thirty-seven years is almost surpassing belief. In 1811, when the Breakwater Quarries were first opened under the able superintendence of Mr. W. Stuart, the superintendent! engineer of the Breakwater, only small quantities of rock were blasted at a time; and even then the operation was one not altogether free from danger to the men engaged in it. The Mar of improvement has, however. not bean lacking in this department of mechanical labour, and year after year has therefore witnessed a progression in it. But our readers will, nevertheless, be surprised to find that, recently, with a charge of 1 cwt. of powder, placed in a hole in the rock eighteen feet deep, no less than 1000 tons of limestone rock was blasted at one blast, and that, too, without any accident occurring to the man engaged in firing the rock. He was six hours engaged in the operation, and was seven times pulled up from the side of the hole to the top of the quarries before the fire took effect and this huge blast was made. The result is still in part visible in the quarries. -Plymouth Paper. The Antilles has had a long and boisterous passage from Manila, and whilst off Cape Lewin encountered a very heavy gale of wind, in which she shipped a sea which carried away her starboard bulwarks in the waist, washed the longboat and cook's galley overboard, and also one of the seamen, named David Rogers, who was drowned as no assistance could be rendered him. Her carpenter, James Laird, expired on Sunday last, through debility from fever and ague. She brings no news. ^ back to top ^ |