The Express.
London, England, 1863-08-28 00:00:00

Ehe •noreoo.

TO 001tRISPONDENTS.
aduallasseets taModed for TN, Myrna" London Wallas
:per, must he at the odkm 10, houreMeatreet, by Two
:ffk on Um day of yohnostka.

Tim imam NINO JOHN. [lag John, Mr. Walter Nont-
peaery.—To be followed by • WWI( DIAMOND.

1111/TANNIA.

Tna yysirps, THE A:ETIIE74 PEACE. illustrated by ma
GREAT GROGT EFFECT Professor reppor's Adaptation of klr.
Dtretis Inreotkm —Mr. Porter and Mr. eloolart.—And DIE
DUI:MI E. or. TICCIT OF LEAV/C

MON WAIDIN AT LONDON BALDOIL
INo DAT Ilerstsa 1% IL. ..Aftiesoos. Id ltm.
rwcolutow—maers& Ik. Ks— .Altintoos. fx 19A.

LONDON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 28.

SIR WILLIAM AR3ISSONO'II address as President
of the British Association is interesting not only
to philosophers and men of science, but to men
immersed in the practical business of life, to
intelligent artizans, and even to thrifty and saga-'
cious housewives ; for while reviewing the latest
discoveries and glancing at the higher laws of
science, Sir WiLniam discusses at length ques-
tions connected with the commonest domestic
duties, in which every householder and almost every
man and woman in the kingdom may be said to have
a direct interest. It is just twenty-five years ago
since the Association last assembled at Newcastle,
and in the interval physical science has advanced
with such rapid and gigantic strides that it is
scarcely an exaggeration to describe its progress
during the quarter of • century as exceeding in
magnitude of results the whole sum of its previous
movements for two thousand years. The great
discoveries and inventions which have followed
each other in quick succession during this prolific
era, have changed the face of the country, sub-
verted the old conditions, not only of trade and
commerce, but of agricultural industry, and revo-
lutionised in many important respects the habits
and manners of the people. It is difficult for the
present generation to realize, even by • strong
effort of imagination, what England was, and
what the ordinary conditions of English life were,
thirty years ago. That was the age of slow coaches,
sluggish canals, sailing vessels, oil lamps, and
elevenpenny letters. AU this is now so completely
changed that those who have grown up amidst the
splendid scientific discoveries and mechanical in-
ventions that have done so much to annihilate
space and time, and render intercommunication of
every kind as easy and common as it once was diffi-
cult and rare, are almost as widely separated from
the England of thirty years ago as they are from
the England of the middle ages. They have been
familiar from infancy with the great and charac-
teristic powers of modern science which have sub-
dued nature, and ministered so largely to the re-
lief of man's estate.

Speaking generally, heat in its various forms
and applications may be taken as the sum and
representative of these powers ; and beat accord-
ingly is the main theme or text of Sir Wrutsx
AamsrsoNo's Newcastle address. Coal is, how-
ever, for practical purposes the chief agent in the
production of heat, and it is perfectly natural and
appropriate that at Newcastle this great scientific
power should be mainly considered in connexion
_ _

with the useful mineral which is to so large
an extent its local embodiment and representative.
Though Sir W■*.uav is a man of practical science
rather than an artist, he is evidently not insensible
to the effect of local colour. Early in his address
he plunges into the familiar local theme, gives an
interesting sketch of the neighbouring coal-pita
from the earliest period of their working, investi-
gates the nature and origin of the mineral, and
discusses at considerable length the state and
prospects of the fields from which it is
obtained. These fields are in all respects of the
very highest interest and value to us. Coal is an
essential constituent of the material power, the
mechanical superiority, the wealth and prosperity
of the country. Coal may fairly be regarded
as funded heat, and our native coal-fields
are thus rut storehouses of that marvel-
lous force which in its developed form, and work-
ing through the appliances of modern science, is
able to move mountains, raise up valleys, span the
mightiest rivers, fill the desert with the clang and
roar of successful industry, and convert the wil-
derness into a fruitful field. It is clearly of the
utmost importance that we should continue to
possess a supply of this invaluable mineral
equal to our growing need. At present the sup-
ply is practically unlimited. Our coal-fields are
vast in extent, amongst the largest in the world,
and with proper management may continue to
meet even our enormously increased demand for a
thousand years. But this is on the supposition
that we exercise a reasonable amount of
economy in our habitual consumption ; that
we husband our resources, instead of squan-
dering them thoughtlessly away. Sir WIL-
LILY Aaxgraoso raises a warning voice.
He declares that instead of exercising proper
circumspection we are wasting our mineral sub-
stance in riotous living, consuming coal in the
most extravagant and useless ways, and that unless
we show a little inoreconsideration for the future,and
retrench our lavish expenditure, the coal-fields will
be prematurely exhausted, and the nation reduced,
at no verydistant date, to a condition of bituminous
bankruptcy. We are extravagant, Sir WUJJ/LII
as-
serts, in our use of coal for mechanical purpose~_
when it is employed to evolve heat as a motive power.
Science has demonstrated that the mechanical
energy resident in a pound of coal and liberated by
its combustion is capable of raising a weight of ten
million pounds a foot high. In our best engines a
pound of coal at present actually realizes only
one-tenth part of this possible result, while the
great majority only distantly approach by some-
thing like a thirtieth degree to this attainable
economy of power. The average qua-
lity of coal, therefore, which we expend
in realising a given effect by means of the steam.
engine is about thirty times greater than would be
requisite with an absolutely perfect heat-engine.
Here, then, is ample scope for retrenchment, and
for the operation of ecomical reformers. But
our domestic expenditure of the heat-producing
mineral is, it appears, equally lavish, if not
actually marked by still greater extravagance.
" It is computed," says Sir W. AmserioNo, "that
" the consumption of coal in dwelling-houses
" amounts in this country to a ton per head per
" annum of the entire population ; so that up-
" wards of twenty-nine millions of tons are annually
" expended in Great Britain alone for domestic
" use. If any one will consider that one pound
" of coal applied to a well-constructed steam-
" engine boiler evaporates ten pounds (or one
" gallon) of water, and if he will compare this
" effect with the insignificant quantity of water
" which can be boiled off in steam by a pound of
" coal consumed in an ordinary kitchen fire, he I

" will be able to appreciate the enormous trade I
" which takes place by the common method of
" burning coal for culinary purposes. The simplest
" arrangements to confine the best and concen-
" trate it upon the operation to be performed
" would suffice to obviate this reprehensible waste."
After all, our stock of coal is confessedly so l►rge
that there is no immediate winger of its falling
short, the earliest possible date of that national
bankruptcy being two centuries distant. But that
is no reason for persisting in the reckless waste of
our resources. It is time for our rude and un-
scientific methods of consumption to be replaced
by contrivances more in harmony with the ad-
vanced state of mechanical science ; and the fact
of the subject having been prominently brought
before the British Association will no doubt help
to quicken invention in this direction.

Ebt own.

ROSENAIT, COBURG. Avacar 24.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Helena,
attended Divine service in the chapel at the Kai=
yesterday, where the service was performed by
Superintendent Dr. Meyer.
Her Majesty and the Princess remained at the Kalleoberg
for luncheon, where the Duke of Coburg and the Crown
Prince of Prussia had arrived that morning.
Her Majesty and the Princess afterwards visited the
Prince and Princess Augusta' of Saxe Coburg, at Coburg.

Despatches were sent from the Colonial-olio to the Go-
vernor of Canada, and to the Lord High Commissions of tie
lonian Islands.

A LEGACY TO QUEEN VICTORIA.-SINGULAR

LEGAL PROCIZDINGS.

A singular case has just been brought before the
Tribunal of the Seine. It appears that a lady, a native of
London, who was married first toe rich English gentleman,
was marrieds second time to a French nobleman, Count de
Silly. She died in October last, and in her will, which cos-
tamped numerous legacies, was the following bequest :—" I
bequeath to her Majesty the Queen of England a sum of
100,000 franca, to be employed for the benefit of the Louden
poor." The several legatees and the executors mete to the
English ambassador to acquaint him with the fact, in-
formation of which was in doe time transmitted to bar
Majesty, who decided to accept the legacy. One
of the legatees then insinuated that her Majesty
should let the relatives have the money. The
English legal authorities were consulted, and they
gave the opinion that the relatives had no right to the
money, of which the Queen was the sovereign dispenser, unless
they came under the category of the poor. The general
legatece then required the royal signature legally affixed
to a formal document, and they proceeded to summon the
Quoin to appear on the 2nd of July, either in person or
11 by procuration. The summons was sent on the 22nd June.
The case then came before the Tribunal of the Song, the
plaintiff applying that an order should be made for the pay-
ment of the legacy to her Majesty's ambassador. The legal
representative of her Majesty proceeded to contend that the
money should be paid over to the ambassador, who was
recognised by all legal authorities, many of whom ware
quoted, as representing in everything the person of his sous.
reign. A precedent was cited, in which a legacy to the Popeof
=estate bedbug given over to the nuncio after some dispute.
The question, the advocate for the Queen contended, was not
one of private law, but of international law. The advocate
ce the other aide maintained that the legacy van made to
the Queen as a private individual, and the intentions of the
testatrix would not be carried out unless her Majesty
became personally the almoner of the sum left at her
disport. The ambassador represented his govern-
ment, that is, the Chambers of his country, the mi-
nistry, and the royal person ; but he could not represent one
of those parties separately from the rest. The French law
knew neither sovereigns nor ambassadors. The Queen
ought to submit to the requirements of that law, sad to
put her signature at the foot of a special and authentic pro-
curation. That was the only guarantee which the legalese
could have that the sum left bad puma into the august
heads for which the testatrix had deathbed it.

The President of the Tribunal, IL Benoist, decided in
favour of her Majesty, saying that an ambassador repre-
sented his sovereign in a supreme dives, and that ell he
said and did was substantially mid and done by his
sovereign.

THE Pulses AND Prinrcsee or WALVi. —Their
Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived
at the Fart of Fife's seat, Mar Lodge, Aberdeenshire. on
Wednesday. The Relative Journal, is anticiretkin of
the royal visit, says :—" Fran the time it was known that
their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales
were to honour Mar Lodge with a reit, the Earl and
Counters of Fife bars been untiring in their exertions to
provide for their reception. Brenner is, of coulee, merely
a shooting lodge, but every endeavour has been made in
fitting up the suite of rooms appropriated to the Prince
and Princess to render them as simple and as elegant as
time and space will permit. On Thursday their Royal High.
names will drive direct to Old Mar Lodge, which they will
reach a few minutes after three, after which the games will
immedi►tely commence. There will be a mod torchlight
ball on Friday evening, which must be a novelty to their
royal highnesses, the only ate of the kind ever given in Soot•
land being one given by the earl and counter at Mar Lodge
in 1851, ou the OCCIiiOO of the vidt of the Queen ad Prince
Crewe. Nearly all the aristocracy now in the Highlands
have received iovitatious to have the honour of meting the
1 Prince sad Prioress.•

Her Royal Highness the Princess George of
Emsoay will les.. Scarborough next week is a tour. Baron
Gendorff, loag resident in England as Berea Meister, will
sooompsey her royal highness. BMWS, Blame (wife of
the Hsnoveriae chargi &affair*, who hag bees staying
with the pianos, is Dot expected at the Haeoverian legatiaa
until the deputese of her royal highness on her return to
Germany.

The Earl and Countess of Derby will entertain
a large circle of friends at Knowsley the week after next.
His lordship has been unable to avail ham& at invitations
to the north in consequence of Lis Mom( disks to person-
ally fail his duties as chairman of the losomidre Belief
Committee.

The Earl and Countese Grey are staring on a
'kit to the Wight Hoe. Edward Ellice, at Gleoquoich,

Earl Granville, the President of the Council,
who is in attendance oa the Queen daring her Majesty's
stay in Germany, arrived at Coburg oa Monday, Iron
Frankfurt.

The Earl and Countess Russell, Lord Amberly,
and the other members of the noble earl's family. arrived
at Loohearnbead Hotel, Perthshire, on Tuesday last, and
left on Wednesday for Callender sod the Trammels.
The Archbishop of Dublin continues in the same
etate. Up to a late hour on Wednesday evening no no.
&valuable symptoms had bees reported.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer acknowtedges
the receipt of a 201. Beak of England note " for the public
service r•

A new edifice for religious worship, entitled the
Yentas-hall, was opened at Dublin on Wrdansday. It boa
boas erected by public subscription, at a cost of 16,0001.,
and is intended for the celebration of divine worship with.
oat any of the distinctive characteristics of the different
sects, thus " affording a neutral ground on which Christians
of all denominations may unite in public devotion." The
building, which is situate at the corner of Lower Merriam.
street and Harcourt place, is constructed of whits Suffolk
brick, with a richly orosniented front of Caen and Portland
stoos. It covers an area of 6,800 superficial feet, end will
accommodate 5,000 persona. The Rev, James Denham
Smith, by whom, admirers the project was set on foot, will
be the principal minister.

• -
Sir Charles Trevelyan ham, it is said, made
certain recommeadatioas to the India•offce for &sages in
the system of selectiog civil servants by oonmetitioa.
Leaving it, as at pretreat, quite unrestricted, he would
limit the age for posing the first esaiinatioe to Mitres
18 sod 21, sad seed all who paned to either Oxford or
Cambridge for two years, without any allowance for
sponse. H. would have each competitive ma study the
two veroaeaLus of the Presidency to which he is to be
appointed daring these years, tartest of is lad* sad
would seed the young civilian iminsdietely on arrival to
hie station in the interior, detaining only the net men to
begin work is the secretariat alas o[ Calcutta,