The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-27 00:00:00

Carps of Itoyel _
ewe C. Itobcrts, deo.
Biter. I!.
Viret Licat. P. (7. Pc s aefc to De cept., Sift J. Wale, dcc. ; stc.
11. N. Tism.sa to bc Met lieut., vita Pearce*, prom.

Lteut. IL L. Ewe, to be first lieut.

THE FATAL SCAFFOLD ACCIDENT AT PIMLICO.--
Yesterday afternoon Mr. Bedford held an adjourned in-
quest, at the St. George's Hospital, on the body el George
Talk, aged 26, who died in consequence of injuries received
from a portion of a building falling on him. Mr. Lewis
attended to watch the case oa behalf of the widow of the
deceased, and in the course of 'the investigation stated that
ulterior proceedings would be taken in another court for
the purpose of recovering compensation. Mr. OpptrOod
attended (or Mr. Gregg, the builder. The coroner stated
that since the last inquest he had received a letter, which
stated that one of the jurors had made certain remarks
which showed ho was prejudiced with regard to the case is
course of investigation, and bo therefore put it to the sense
of that juryman a Nether it would not be prudent, um!er all
the circumstances, fur him to resign his jurorship.
Thejurar denied tho allegation, but at once withdrew.
The case was then gone into, when it appeared from the
evidence of Ilall, that the deceased, who was n brick-
layer, was employed iu building a house in Lupoc•street,
Bolgravc-road, when suddenly a portion of tho wails and
the ornamental cornice at the top of the building gate way
and tall, knochiug the deceased and seine others elf the
scaffold, and severely injuring them. The honest-surgeon
proved that the injuries received were the cause of death.
Several other witnesses were called—but their examination
was more of a technical character, and interesting only to
practical builders—with a view of eliciting whether any
blame, attached to say one.—Mr. Bedford at length sum-
med up; and the jury, after sonic consultation, expressed a
wish to retire, which they did, and, about half as hour
afterwards, returned with the following Yerilict:—" The
deceased, George Talk, died from injuries recciN be the
falling of a cornice, and portion of a wall ; bet how that
falling was occasioned, there is no evidence to sli.m."
StHITII WALE.; ltAlLWAT.—Tfaflie for the week
ending Sept. 21, 1651, exclusive of snails 1,510'. 1:3, 31.

FINE ARTS.
'Agar:gray.% y. By It. livyr. J. J. Orin and Co. Ha.
Mr. Hunt's present contribution to tho Encyclo-
pedia Metropalitana," is marked with his habitual
scientific acumen, his well-known ardour in experi-
mental investigations and deeply-rooted anxiety to '
pursuit to the public every phase of his favourite
. In a certain branch of science, we know of
no one who can so justly lay claim to literary
übiquity. Whether we turn to the records of meet-
ings held by venerably sapient institutions, to
periodicrl or pamphlet. the name of Mr. Hobert
Runt is to be met in connexion with prac-
tical and instructive lessons on the more or less
abstruse topics of the day. And though a great deal
has been written on the subject of photography,
much of this interesting evidence has lain inhumed
amid a mass of philosophical transactions," or im-
mersed in an unintelligible jargon of scientific tech-
nicality. Mr. Hunt's main task has seemingly been
to collect together the scattered notices relative to
his favourite pursuit, as well as to connect their con-
flicting narratives by adroit interpolations of his in-
dividual experience in its practice.
One unaccountable omission, however, relating to
the new met hod of adapting photography
to purposes of engraving, deserves mention;
the more so, that the work KCBs otherwise
very fairly to sum up. the results of in-
creasing facilities of the invention. Mr. Fizeau
has lately perfected his ingenious method of turning
the Daguerreotype plates into engraved ones, with
the combined aids of corrosive and electro-gilding
agency. The French government has, it is understood,
commissioned experienced hands not merely to test the
merits of the invention, which is now incontestible,
but to rescue from oblivion at least the semblance of
the old French architecture, which is everywhere
undergoing too rapid decay. It is needless to point
out the value of such a record as thee will be; the
necessity for an English companion to it needs
pointing out.
But while missing here an account of a not
bitting branch of photography, ample compensation
will be found in the minute investigation of the art
proper. Every ono who has witnessed the igno-
minious defeats of the amateur Daguerrcotypist,
who has viewed the reckless amount of plates!
"burnt in," and consequent time waisted in vain
attempts to polish them up afresh, will acknowledge
with Mr. Hunt, that to pursue photography with
success, it is essentially necessary that by practice
the hand should be accustomed to the numerous ma-
nipulatory details; that by repeated experiments,
the camas leading to failure may be ascertained; and
that a knowledge of the conditions under which the
chemical changes take place should be acquired.
These pages sufficiently prove, that while giving
hints me must emergencies, they arc only embarrass-
ing unless employed with tact and skill.
Mr. Hunt, who throughout sacrifices historical
narrative to practical development, introduces his
subject with a brief preface. Ile illustrates in a
striking manner the necessity he was put to of alto-
"ether re-writing his " Popidar Treatise on the Art
of Photee;raphy," of which at first merely a reprint
was intended, by announcing that Mr. Hill, of New
York, intends to prumulipite his discovery of a pro-
cess by which external nature may be copied in all
the beauty of colour. It is at the same time inti-
mated that Mr. Fox Talbot has exhibited, at the
Royal Institution, an experiment proving the disco-
very of a process so exquisitely sensitive that ea
impression is faithfully made by the instantaneous
illumination of an electric spark. Thus is afforded
the cutleries spectacle of a noble discovery, as it were,
"tumbled on accidentally by semi-leurned philo-
noplecni followed uu by some practical minds into
miens where all has hitherto been conjectural.
'flu: find chapter, which is devoted to the " Early
History of Photography," is succinct; but this has
et to he written by some person who, as Humboldt
has recounted the discovery of the New World in his
" Cosmos," would recount how, at a given moment,
the diaclusure must infallibly have been made, while
so many were bent on the same track, though un-
known to each other, and almost at the same mo-
ment of time reaching the shores of an unexplored
scientific continent.
Mr. hunt next analyses the chemical changes pro-
duced by solar agency, involving all the most recon-
dite problems under the sun, and its actinic power.
Technical processes next engross the attention,which
will equally help the adept and encourage the tyro.
Some curious facts arc brought to light; for instance,
among the ingredients to be employed in the produc-
tion of photographic sheets of paper, the albumen
of a duck's egg is pronounced more sensi-
tive than that of a hen, and that of a
ib found to be more sensitive than either!
l'lft.,edeseription of "processes on glass plates" is
interesting, as is that of the production of photo-
graphs in their natural colours. The discovery of
Mr. 11111 announced in the preface is once more
brought forward. This gentleman has succeeded in
obtaining upwards of fifty pictures in all the beauty
of their native coloration. The process is not dis-
closed, but is, it seems, only a modification of the
Daguerreotype—one material quite new being intro-
duced--and us soon as the manipulatory details are
perfected the whole is to bo published. Mr.
hunt couples the name of Mr. Becquerel with
that of Mr. Hill for having recently succeeded in
obtaining bright impressions of the spectrum in
colours, and copying highly-coloured drawings on
metallic plates prepared with chlorine. According
to his own statement, we believe, he has been unable
to render the colouring permanent, as, on exposure
to the sun, the pictures turn completely black. Sir
John Herschel, as every one knows, has been more
fortunate. Thermographs, with which Mr. Hunt
closes, fittingly, his remarks, may as yet be counted
amongst those immature scientific projects which,
though pregnant with misty interest, have as yet
been unaccompanied by any satisfactory result.
On the whole, the work of Mr. Hunt will be found
throughout a useful node mecum for the sunlight de-
lineator—clear in its expositions and diligent in
inquiries.

Ytcrasa DT AZT 13CILUYEB.-Mr. Grundy, of
Itegent-street, has at present on view, at his picto-
rial premises, a little picture of the sacred cast, for
which the artist has won such a well-deserved repu-
tation. The theme is "Christ in the Garden," to
whom an angel is ministering. The subject is
treated with the usual powerful feeling of the artist;
and the figures being of a diminutive size, have
enabled him to lavish his powers of finishing with a
less chary hand than he seems willing or thinks fit
to bestow on his more ambitious compositions. M.
Scheffer has invariably achieved his greatest suc-
cesses in such subjects as tended to develop refined
pathos or depth of lamentation. Few who have
gazed on his " Larmoyeur" and his "Femmes Souil-
lotes"—two works which, though his beat, hive
never been engraved—without being equally
Impressed by their imaginative feeling and
harmonious colouring. Though few traces of either
seem to have been left in the latter-day productions
of this composer, the little picture now in Mr.
Orundfs possession seems in no slight measure to
recall them to the fancy. M. Scheirer has never
shrunk from the difficult problems of art. Such have
ever been the &dot:pate representation of the suffer-
ing Christ ; in this he has succeeded no less than in
combating with success the chilly effects of white
drapery in that of the angel, a difficulty in art which
Reynolds proclaimed himself unwilling to encounter.
The anatomy is indicated with that peculiar nicety
which always tells with twofold force in engraving;
in that form we hope to find it worthily rendered.
This Mr. Grundy proposes to be done in line, in the
highest style of art.

POlrt-0171et lint allB.—Sir William Clay, in the
late sanlon, required various returns from the Post-offlee
rianwideig ratiansed letters, and yesterday • paper was
printed ea the mildest. It Deans that in two years, from
the Mb of havisty, 1t49, to the 6th of January last,
18,8281. 11b. 4d., including bank notes, was found in letten
named le die ing letter-office, and 1,228,2821. 18s. Id. in
Mire =Limhe ey orders &e., rawly the whole of
while t meaty, weei delivered to the writers of
the Yaws. Is Mod that so letters an forfeited ;if all
lesibmile term rear the deli of letters fail they see
brush' bask, sprig. endsMaeaed to the writers. Letter
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