The Press. — London, England, 1853-09-10 00:00:00

HOSPITAL F 4 )1t C ,NSUMI'TION AT BIWA' PTON. Tan noble charity has just acquired a considerable addition to its funds wider circumstances so singular as to justify particular notice of them. When the foundation-stone of the building in the Fulham-road wax laid by Prince Albert, on the 11th of June, Isll, a handsome gilt trowel, specially manufactured by Messrs. Elkiugton from au original and elegant design, was wade use of by the Prince. At the bazaar in aid of the institution, held in the grounds of the Chelsea Hospital on that Ma the following day, this trowel was exhibited at the stall of Mrs. Philip Rose, wife of the honorary secretary, and excited general admiration. A gentleman who saw it, John M'Cullom, Esq., of Bedford-place, be came very desirous of possessing it, and ultimately purchased it of Mrs. Rose for thirty guineas. A few days afterwards it became first known to the com mittee that it was usual in such cases to request the layer of the stone to accept the trowel which had been used on the °cession, and all parties concerned were at once desirous of repairing the error into wbitili they had undesignetlly fallen, and of regaining possession of the handsome implement,that it night he offered for the Prince's acceptance. Accordingly, a representation of the circumstances was made to Mr. M'Cullom by Mr. Rose, and,tl gh he was very reluetant to part with an object which he had shown MO much desire to possess, and which appeared to possess peculiar value in Isis eyes, he at length eon 'tented to surrender it, that the wishes of the cone mittee might be complied with. lint he positively refused to receive back the thirty guineas he had paid for it, tl Kit urgently pressed to do so. The trowel, being sent to Prince Albert, was graciously accepted ; and the only return that could be made to Mr. M'Cullom for Isis Liberality was to present him with the handsomely-carved walnut-woad mallet which had also been used by his Royal Highness during the ceremony. On this mallet was a plate, with an inseription, commennuoratiie of the use to which it had been applied ; and it was aecompanied with a note to Mr. Wt.:idiom expressive of the great regret felt at his disappointment. These circumstanees, trifling in themselves, seem to have made a lasting impression en Mr. M.Cul lones mind. So far from feeling aggrieved sit the loss of the trowel, the transaction appears to here strengthened his interest in the charity which he thus for the first time becaine aequainted with. On his death, a short time since, he left the whole of his property absolutely to his sister, his only surviving relative ; but a private memorandum was found in his desk, conveying his desire that, at her death, she would bequeath the property to the Hospital for Con sumption. This wish the lady held sacred ; and by her will, just proved, she leaves her property, with the exception of a few trifling legacies, to this benefi cent institution. Her estate is now being realised, anti, we are glad to hear, will leave a net surplus available to the charity (after all deductions) not far short of lri,ts KV. This fact is the more gratifying as no one is in jured by the reversion of so considerable a property to the support of the charity. Mr. M'Cullom'' sister has left no relatives whatever ; and the peer victims of that fatal malady whose sail condition the hospital is feuntleti to ameliorate thus become, with out reproach, the natural heirs of that property which, for the last nine years, seems to have been conscientiously preserved for them. So curious a story musty bear a title of reflection. The benefit of royal patronage to works of benefi cence can seldom lie measured by its apparent and immediate results. But for the interest excited by the Prince having used the trowel and the mallet, Mr. M'Cullones attention would probably never have been strongly fixed on the mentorions diameter of the institution, tic the suffering it was designed to relieve. Trifles sometimes lead to important c ow sequences ; and we fancy that this little narrative will find permanent Olive in the record of il l y eccen tric motives, anti dispositions of property, by which those charitable institutions which are the just pride of our country have often been founded, helped, or perpetuated. AT THE CITY oFPoN REOISTRATION, the claims and objections which will come before the revising banister are as follows :—Claims freeman anti liveryman, 1; inhabitant householders, 173. Oh. jeetions : freemen and liverymen, 308; inhabitant householders, 1,012 ; total claims and objections. 1,494. Last year they stood thus : free men anti liverymen, 2 ; inhabitant householders, Oltjections : freemen and liverymen, ;):tit ; inhu- Sant householders, IU ; total elaiuN and o bjections, 1 475 71 • THE PRESS. THE CRYSTAL PALACE GARDEN. Tux out of-door arrangements and preparations at the Splculiam Crystal Palace are now in a state of sufficient forwardness to furnish visitors with a good idea of the expected results. It may he questioned even whether the contemplated attractions which are to he uttered inside the edifice will prove more striking and popular than the gardens without Even in its present incomplete condition, the do scription given of the • demesne is highly picturesque, and the changes which art has effected in the uatu• ral beauties of the situation little short of miracu lous, considering the brief interval that has elapsed since the company first took possession of l'enge- park. Thu greater part of the gardens are Upon the smith front. of the l'aluce, sloping down a steep hill tos aids the ('roy don line. Coming out at one of the t h ree south entrances, that side of the l'idace rests upon u high bank of made ground, thrown up to partly counteract the effects of the slope of the hill. This mound, which of cowse extends the whole length of the building, is emered with a rich verdant turf. On the bank, between each of the three great entrances, are placed groups of trues. I ittler each of the transept arches are the grand entrances to the building, Anima by lofty flights of steps of solid granite. 'flame at the east and west ends fire about an feet and the principal one in the centre 100 feet broad. To aid the effect of these avenues, the steps are flanked at either side with 11111/414IVI: blocks of graoite, which are surmounted ut the terminations by colossal stone sphinxes. Each of the sphinxes is I feet long by 7 feet high ; and though such proportimis artc by nit means insignificant, yet they look mere bagatelles when compared with the gigantic designs m. 41111111 thaw. 011 u it'VCI with the base of the flight of steps is the upper terrace, a grand and imposing structure. It ist!.,Otal feet long, 511 tinsel. and Is high. It is entirely formed of made ground in thin layers, made solid by continuous insulating, and is ern illlellted along its whole' l e ngth with a handsome stone facing and balustrude, supported on stning brick substructions to keep back the ground. )!rive er six broad Rights of steps lead from this to the gardens beneath, when. the beauty of the terrace facing is shown to conspieuous *shanties., and its white stonework ishni• ruebly emanisted with the verdant slopes around. At the base of the terrace opposite each of the three greet en trouts's are a cinrespouding number of nnwrvoirs, into which &tan handsome stone niches twelve or fifteen dol phins continually slant forth bright streams of water. I 'is /II all the pedestals of the balustrioling—the designs of which are exceedingly plain—are to be plactsl a series of allegorical statues and copies from the antique. At the cast end west ends of the terrace some of the tignres are already mounted, out of course their effect considerably 11110'41%1'S the liSpeet of the terries• from below. Among them is an "Italy" by Monti—a clever statue both for design and executituii; and an " Australia" by Bell. Titere is also a copy of the Furless llercules, and two casts of Esculapitts and Mercury. Broad gravel walks, which will wind among parterres and lawns, lead from the upper to the lower tennis.. This is of the same height. lent h. and lavadth as the one al ready described, and the ornamental halustradeswork is also similar. The only difference between tlwm is that the lower terrace is faced with a steep sloping bank of turf instead of carved *atone, and is without the basement, re servoirs, and fountains which add so much beauty to the upper. In the space between the upper and lower ter races, and at their vest and west ends, two of the great fountains will be placed. Their basins. which are 300 feet in eircumference, are already finished, and surrounded with u headstone coping. The jets of these beautiful or naments are intended to be S inches in diameter, and to rise to the height of Ifto f ee t. B e l o w th e l owe r t errace , and opposite the great centre transept. will be the fountain par excellence. Like the other fistuatains On the grounds, its gigantic basin, 1,200 feet in circumference, is com pleted. and looks as if it were destined to contain a littl e lake. As tin the whole, within and without the building, there will be ten great fmnitains, it has been thought de sinible to obtain fresh ideas in the way of designs. A competition has accordingly been invited on a very stab'. titetory footing. Ten architects and sculptors. some foreign and some English, have Is-en selected to give in designs. and lOW. is to be pant to each. Among them are John Bell. Hector Honstu, Owen Jones, Keil* (of Berlin), John Thomas, Dighy Wyatt, etc. The designs. about one him tired in number, have just been completed, but the selec• tions. if yet made, have not been allowed to transpire. The great fi twin at Chatsworth—the largest in the kingdom —throws a jet of water, 9 inches in diameter. 2fe2 feet high With the means and appliances at his command at Sydenham. Sir Joseph Paxton feels confident that he can surpass this colossal waterwork. To effect this the greet fountain will have a jet I I inches in diameter, which, it is expected, with the amount of pressure applied, can he thrown mostmls of 300 feet high. To supply all these waterworks an Artesian well is being bored at the bottom of the hill. trout which it is expected an inexhaustible sup. ply can be furnished. The depth of the bore already ex ceeds Atm feet. Erns this well the water will be rimmed up by powerful machines. erected for the purpose, the main reservoir at the east end of the building, where a large tank, or rather a small lake, 9 'wrist in extent and 15 feet deep, has been dug for its reception. From here it will be pumped to the tops of two towers. •240 feet high, which are in course of erection, one at each end of the Palace. The impetus it will acquire in its descent. through pipes from the summits of these towers, will, it is sup posed. Is- sufficient to force the jets of the fountain to the enormous altitude already stated. After it has supplied all the vie-ions waterworks, four pipes. each 2 feet A inches in diameter. will convey it down the hill into the lower re. Inavoir, oats in tatuat. Lit oho centre es ago tooorroir SATURDAY, will Les a larg,• ialrul, callod the tieological Island, as on it will be collected specimens of the principal strata of earth, from tlitKrciit parts of the United Kingdom. THE LAWSON OBSERVATORY. A munificent offer has been by Mr. Lawson, of Bath, well known for his scientific aequirements, and the magnificent collection of astronomical and !Althea e phicid instruments which he possesses, and of which he has consented to present the whole for the pur pose of funning a Midland Observatory in the neigh bourhood of Nuttinghaln, only on condition that a sum of 111,IMNII. can be raised to build a proper edi fice and found an establishment on a fitting scale. 'l'o this fund Mr. Lawson has also volunteered a sultscriptiott of 1,111111 guineas. A colinnittee tins accordingly been formed in order to take step,' for rendering available the magnificent present ; and nearly 4,0001. have already been contributed towards the ftmd. Mr. Lowe, of 1 lighfield-house Observatory, Notts, has communicated the following description of the various instruments which Mr. Lawson has thus placed at the disposal of the public : " 1. Au extremely fine refracting telescope, with an object-glass of seven inches clear aperture and a focal length of 126 inches, having an achtontatic middle lens. This telescope is of the same size as that with which hlr. hind has made all his discoveries. It was manufactured by Dollond, who pronounced it the best he ever made. The telescope is equatorially mounted, having the right aseen abt and declination circles esentplete. A mercurial cheek (invented by Mr. Lawson) is attached to the axis of the telescope, in order is , MOW it at the same speed us the eh ject under examination ; c onsequently the heavenly bodies never move out of the field of the telescope. 'rite collet don tif eyepieces is 11111 l terous and very complete—ono set nnanlifyinif instil till to 1.400 times : another set of 14011 Th Male eyepiece% are of the celebrated German manuthe ture; and a third set are single lens, with convex and con cave glasses of equivalent foci. The mien 'meters attached to the telescope are veil . good, and include a lens miens meter of double -refracting space. by which the (deserver can measure the most mi 111 l te angles or elistaneesof double stars. lit connection with this telescope is a reclinia. or reclininit-chair (also invented by Mr. Lawson, and which obtained the silver medal of the Society of Arts). This serves to place the observer in the most easy position for delicate observations. " 2. A smaller refracting telescope, with object-},lass of clear aperture, and a 6 peal length of (MI inches, made by 11olbaul, and possessing meamifying powers front 441 to Am. This telescope is mounted on HD 11,711111Uth unit altitude stand, moving horizontally, and so constructed as to carry any telescope whose length is between 6 inches and 6 feet. It is exceedingly useful in sseeping for comets " 3. I'ariteus smaller telescopes, by lhakmd, with low powers arranged our comet-sweeping, Lc. Opera-glasses and other helps for the practical astronomer. " 4. A small transit instrument by which true time can be obtained from observe( of the sun or stars. This instrument gives the suit ' s altitude, and has in eounection with it the curious variation cempass, whereby more veer wet observations caw lie Male of the magnetism of the earth, or of matmetic changes. " rs. A valuable chronometer which marks sidereal time, and either watches, both curious and usefill. " 6. A nuignehselectric dial (invented by Mr. Lawson!, with galvanic battery, &c. " 7. Quadrant levels. plummets, lamps, and other tools indispensable in an observatory. " M. The atmospheric recorder (invented by Mr. Law son), which is a mechanical wonder, worked by clockwork, by which the amount of rain, amount of evaporation, amount of electricity, direction and force of wind, height of barometer, height of thermometer, and degree of humi dity, are constantly writing themselves down, day and night, each change being recorded at the precise moment of occurrence, without the aid of an Ithserver. " 9. A Lawson thermometer - stand , c har } with ther mometers. hygrometers, and ram-gauge. " 16. A standard barometer, according to the arrange ment of the British Meteorological Society. " 11. A Daniel's hygrometer in a suitable stand, well arranged for the purpose of accurate and easy registration of this delicate instrument. " 12. Electrical apparatus with insulatera,electrometers, etc., for experimenting on the electricity of the atmosphere, the close observations of which may elucidate the prievi plea of vegetation. " The objects of the proposed observatory." adds Mr. Lowe, "would be twofold—first, the extension of the do main of actual science ; secondly, the spread among all classes of more accurate scientific knowledge. The science of meteorology, premising so much to navigation, agricul ture, and the public health, is far from the perfection to which 'tannagey has almost attained. The multiplication of records on plans continually improving in accuracy setillet to he the only way of laying the tiettnehai 111 l of an exact knowledge of the changes of the atinesphere, as It regards heat, pressure. humidity. motion. a wl e lectric state. which are, doubtless, linketi together by laws as real as that which connects the planetary system together. though they have hitherto eluded the search of phileso pliers, chiefly for want of observations taken with sufficient accuracy, regularity. and length of time in well-chosen situations. and uniformly reduced on one systent. For astronomical and meteorological olseenstions, few plavea, if any, oirer so advainageons a position as the neighbeur hood of Nottingham. Occupying the venue of at great gap in our English observatories, it possesses an unusual dear ness of atmosphere—no unimportant matter. considering how firw hours, comparatively , , are available ler astron,,TeJ• cal observations. its oantrid position in England gives