rve a relic of the olden time from decay will find many
imitators. Pilgrims will thank his lordship for many a generation to
come. And, to leave the past to the present; metropolitan promenaders
are about to have a cause of satisfaction, for the embankment of the
Thames from Vauxhall Bridge to Chelsea Gardens is at last to be
commenced; and London will cease to be the only capital in Europe
which cannot obtain a view of its river. If the authorities could be
persuaded to extend this beneficial work through the whole length of
the city, what popularity would be theirs!
An official notice from the Post-office states, that from the first of
the present month London is to be placed on the same footing, with
respect to letters, as the rest of the country--that is, they must
either be stamped before being posted, or sent unpaid. This is a
measure which will materially diminish the labour of keeping accounts
at the central office; and the more that labour is saved, the more
will there be left to facilitate postal communication. Books and
periodicals can now be sent to most of our colonies at the rate of a
shilling a pound--a fact which those who have hitherto sent their
parcels at any one's trouble and expense but their own, will do well
to bear in mind. Ocean Penny Postage is growing into favour, and is
talked about in such a way as to shew that the project will not be
left to take care of itself.
The French are going to send a new Scientific Exploring Expedition to
South America, chiefly for researches in Brazil and Paraguay. Perhaps
the veteran Bonpland, who was so long detained by the dictator
Francia, may be induced to come home in it, as he has written to
express his desire of returning to France. And something has been said
at Washington, about sending a couple of frigates to survey the great
river Amazon, in which, as the official document states, there is a
sufficient depth of water to float a large ship at the foot of the
Andes, 1500 miles from the sea. America will surely be well known some
day. Meanwhile, we are extending our knowledge of Africa; a map of
that country is about to be published, comprising the whole region
from the equator to 19 degrees of south latitude. In this the recent
discoveries will be laid down, and we shall see Mr Galton's route of
1600 miles from Walfish Bay to Odonga, near a large river named the
Nourse, and to the country of the Ovampo, described as an intelligent
tribe of natives. W
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