miles inland, that the
Russians had made an attempt to supply them with provisions and
necessaries, but had been prevented by the natives. No communication
could be opened with the spot where they were said to be, as a hostile
tribe intervened. The Esquimaux confirmed this rumor, with the addition
that the whites had been murdered in a quarrel with the natives.

MISCELLANEOUS.

M. XAVIER RAYMOND, a practised and accredited author, has begun a series
of essays in the _Paris Journal des Debats_, on the British and American
Steam Navigation Companies: historical details, statistics, modes of
forming, organization--comparison. He agrees with our Secretary of the
Navy, that it is better for government to subsidize companies, and
partly or mainly rely upon them for war-steamers, than to build and
maintain a steam-fleet for itself, at greater cost, and with no
superiority of adaptation for belligerent service. He admits that this
plan would not find grace with the European Ministers of Marine; but,
for them, circumstances are different. The report of the Secretary has
been received here as able and satisfactory. M. Raymond observes that,
notwithstanding the amount of subsidies granted in England and America,
to various Companies of Steam Navigation, he knows but one among those
which operate on a line of more than five hundred leagues that is in a
prosperous condition. This may be a mistake.

The Paris _Moniteur_ contains a very curious and interesting biography,
by an able hand, Dr. Parise, of Dr. Joseph Ignatius _Guillotin_, the
inventor of the famous instrument of decapitation called after him. His
character was benevolent, and his design humane. This is now realized.
He proposed his machine (not altogether original, but improved
laboriously) in 1789: a report was ordered on it, by the Legislative
Assembly in 1792; and on the 21st August of that year, it was first used
for a political execution. It gave occasion for numberless effusions of
verse at his expense. No one experienced more horror at the abuse of it,
than he uniformly testified. Seventy-six physicians and surgeons
perished under its slider. He rescued as many intended victims as he
possibly could. He was finally arrested himself, for execution; by some
chance he escaped, and then withdrew, in despair, from the political
theatre.

We noticed lately the death of the Italian Professor SARTI, whose
anatomical museum was exhibited last year in Broadway. The lib