The Express.
London, England, 1862-10-06 00:00:00

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE

ADVANCFJIANT OF SCIENCE.

CAMBRIDGE, SLTVRDAT.
The proceedings of the association have been
varied from the mere formal meetings of the section'.

latst evening • grand dinner was given by the master
and fellows of Trinity College, in the noble hall of that
society, to the members of the association. Nearly 500
gentlemen were present. Several excellent speeches were
delivered by Dr. Whewell, Professor Sedgwick, sad other
gentlemen. The party broke up sbortl after 8 o'clock, in
order to *Used a soiree at the ta , at whisk • great
number of distinguished /areas and the aite of the nth.
varsity and neighbourhood, including • large proportion
of elegantly drooled ladies assembled. Two rows of tables
ran alone nearly the whole length of the room, and on them
various objects of scientific interest were placed for the
inspection of the company. The microscopes for showing
the effect of polarised light when thrown through various
objects, such as small oysters, crystals of potass, malachite,
fin, were largely patronised, and several scientific experi.
manta were performed, but as these gatherings are more of
a social than &scientific character, there is nothing special
to record.

This morning about 120 members of the association made
an excursion, by a special train of the Great Featernßailway
Company, to Hunstanton in Norfolk. Amongst the ex-
cursionist we observed Professor Phillips, Professor Wing-
too, the Rev. Dr. Cookson. master of St. Peter's College ;
Professor Tennant., Professor Rooper Jones, Mr. C. H.
Cooper. F.S.A., Mr. Lucas Barrett, F.L.S., and the Rev.
T. Wiltshire. The train started from Cambridge at 9 a.m.,
and arrived atHunstanton, about sixty miles distant, a few
minutes after 11. The line from Lyon to Hunstanton was
only open to the public on Friday last. It passes by Wol-
verton, Snettisbam, and Ileacham, and is about sixteen
miles in length.
Some of the excursionists accompanied Professor
Babiog-
ton on • botaniaisg exploration, but the greater portion of
them, under the able conduct of Professor Phillips, employed
themselves in examining the cliffs, the beach, and consul
ballast pits in the vicinity of the railway.
Most of the party partook of an excellent lunch at the
Royal Hotel, after which several speeches were delivered.
Huustanton is • retired watering place, havieg a fine
beach and cliffs of considerable extent, she stratification of
which is worthy of special attention. There are two good
hotels and • few lodging-houses. but, so far as we could
observe, but one shop in the village. The intelligent officer
in charge of the lighthouse on the cliff has a good collection
of fos4a, and has formed numerous ornaments in jet and
amber. Adjoining the lighthouse are the remains of a
chapel dedicated to St. Edmund, from whom a neighbouring
promontory derives its name of St. Eilward'enesa. The
church, a fine structure, with • good tower and • *Ta-
ejon' and noble porch, is in enoelleat repair. The
foot is ancient and remarkable, and there are numerous
monuments of the family of Lestrange. Amongst them
may be mentioned the alter tombs of Henry Leonel:we, Esq.
(1465) and Alice his wife, sod of Sir Roger Les
Knight of the Body to Henry VII. (1506). Thereto
an inscription to the memory of the once-celebrated Sir
Hamon Lennox., who died in 1654. Hunstanton Hall,
the ancient and stately seat of the family of Lestrange, is
situate at a short distance from the church. The late pos-
sessor, Henry Lestrange Styleman Lestrange, Esq., who
died in July last, was • great promoter of the railway from
Lynn. He also deserves remembrance for his greet work,
the painting of the roof of the nave of Ely Cathedral, on the
design and execution of which he bestowed many years of
severe toil. Of this family was Sir Roger Lunacy, the
noted royalist, journalist, and miscellaneous writer.
The train started on the return journey at 5 p.m., sad
reached Cambridge shortly after 7. All patties expressed
themselves highly delighted with the excursion.
11endesthe above excursion, many members and associates
visited the Middle Level Sluice, the cause of the late) disas-
trous Norfolk deluge.
All the sections resumed their sittings this morniug, ex-
cept 13 (Zoology and Botany), and G (Mechanical Science).

To-day the members of the Mechanical section
of the British Association, to the number of about
eighty, proceeded to St. German's to view the Middle
Level drainage works, and to see the recently eosstructed
syphons in action. The darn, the construction of which woe
attended with such immense pains and labour, may now
be termed a bank, as it is quite solid, 2.5 feet wide at the
top, and having • slope of 2 to 1, so that it is about 125
feet wide at the lase. There is a smaller bank on
either side, to facilitate the fixing of the syphons.
The recervoirs or coffer dams formed on either side
of the main dam are kept clear of water by two of
Appold's pumps. The smaller banks will be cleared
away when the temporary purpose for which they have
hem erected has been acoomplishad. The syphons which
are laid over the top of the main bank are each 150 feet in
length, and each is furnished with two valves, one at each
end, hung in the "tankard lid" fashion—that at the inlet
opening into the syphon, nod that at the outlet opening out-
wards. The use of these is to prevent the sea wear returning
through the syphons into the draio and also to kcep the
syphons, when not working, full of water reedy to
start afresh on the tide receding. There is a third valve
on the top of each syphon, by which air can be admitted at
Pleasure, and the Bow of water immediately stopped.
The typhoon will each discharge with • Ifeet had of water
29,3626 gallons per minute, and with a 6.feet head 41,490
gaffe= per minute. As it is proposed to erect 16 syphons is
all, their aggregate power of discharge would be 662,840
gallops per minute. The efficiency of the sew drainage
service already established may be seen in the fact that
during 24 hours' working last week the level of water within
the drain, which is 90 feet wide, was reduced 14 inches.
The quantity of water discharged was computed at
184,3211,000 gallons. As during the workiag of the sin
syphons the fixing of the others cannot proceed, they will
probably ratan at rest until the whole are completed,
noloss an acenimilatioe of upland water should teceeeitate
their use. •