The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-18 00:00:00

MAST MAKING.

TO THE EDITOR or THE NORTHERN TIDIES.
Sir,—lu the Exchange Newsroom there is exhibited a model
of what the constructors term " Union Mast," with the names
of Mr.'John Brown, a mast maker, and Messrs. Holderness
and Chiltori's appended to it. Or a piece of card board is the
following graphic illustration of its utility :—" While giving
all the advantages of iron masts, in preserving the head from
decay, has all the advantage of the elasticity of a wooden mast,
and at a much less cost than either, and saves the rigging
going round the head." For the good of our Mercantile
Marine, I will thank you to put the following questions to its
inventors:-
Ist, How can they give the advantages iron masts possess to
a structure which is to be composed of metal and fibre ?
2nd, If timber will decay in masts, why make a mast of
metal and wood, when the gentlemen state themselves the
iron is to preserve the timber from decay?
3rd, If it be essential to have lower masts with elasticity in
them, how can they expect to get it in iron ?
4th, How are they to overcome the nature of the fibre,
when it absorbs and emits moisture?
sth, Will there be no working between the metal and the
fibre, especially upon that part of the mast that receives the
greatest strain, which, in what they term the " Union Mast,"
will be the weakest P
6th, If the Union Mast will Oat less than masts made
entirely of metal, what use can there be in the former if they
have to apply the advantages of the latter to make the termed
1' Union Mast" serviceable ?
If those gentlemen are labouring under ignorance of what
iron is capable of doing for mast making, I beg to
info
hter thrm them
that iron masts can be made at least 26 per cent. ligan
wooden ones, with a strength not attainable in fibre, and at a
cost not exceeding the price of woolen masts, coupled with
durability.
These gentlemen appear to imbibe the silly idea that it is
requisite to have ships and their masts to bend, buckle, and
spring, to make them sail fast,
A vessel's good qualities ought to be efficient from naval
marine architectural science ; the lower masts that rigid t tha
their stability will ensure safety to the masts and spars above
them. If this is not the case, why make use of stays, either
before or behir4l the masts, &c. ? Are they mere ornaments,
and of no utility. JOHN CLARE, JUN.
21, Exchange Buildings, Liverpool, 17th Dec., 1856.

AN INIPOMRTA.NT DISCOVERY AND
ODEST PROPOSAL.

We have received the following letter from a gentle-
man in town, to whom it was addressed, and as it is a
curiosity in its way, we give it publicity— •
Moreton Bay, New South Wales, Nov. 1856.
Sir,—Some years ago I passed through Torres Straits,
and during a period of ten days I had an opportunity of
examining sea coast, I discovered gold in various
localities, but in one particular it was in abundance. I
have kept my secret for a long period, for certain
reasons. lam now willing to go out there under the
following conditions :
• In the first place, I most have a schooner rigged
screw steamer, of about 400 tons, and I must have
comniand.
Secondly. My expenses are to be paid from the day I
leave here until my return here.
Thirdly. I am to be found in everything as master of
the vessel, such as masters or captains of East India
ships are always found in.
Fourthly. I am not to receive any pay as master.
.Fifthly. My wife must have an order to draw for fifty
tr-, per month, from the date of my
pounds sterli
departure from°her until my return.
Sixthly. I will take medical charge without pay, but
must have an assistant.
I should like to round the Cape of Good Hope about
the latter end of February, at furthest.
Now, sir, my wish is, that you show this letter to any
of your wealthy merchants, and others disposed to form
in the undertaking.
The proceeds of the voyage to be settled hereafter.—l
am, sir, your obedient servant
A,
LEXANDER LANE, M.D.
P.S.—A. reply is requested, I am living here at ease
and in affluence.

-- -.-
DEATH FROM DESTITUTION..-rA shocking case of death
from destitution has just been brought to the notice of the
parochial authorities of St. Mary, Newington. The
deceased person is a Mr. Alfred Burrell, aged about 47,
who was formerly a solicitor well known in Newington,
Camberwell, &c , having on one occasion contested the
latter parish for the office of vestry clerk. For some years
past, having addicted himself to intemperate habits, he
had become a deplorable object, and was chiefly supported
by his friends and acquaintances. A few days since he
was found by a police-constable in the Walworth road,
apparently in a dying state, and was removed to the work-
hones, where he shortly afterwards expired. He had not
slept in a bed for months, but spent the night wandering
about the streets.
HOW TO MARE NIAGARA FALLS USEFTJL.—We lately
heard an idea suggested, of such a held and extraordinary
nature that it struck us with awe, from its very magnitude.
Of course the originator is a Yankee, for no one but a
Yankee could eliminate such a gigantic idea. The propo-
sition is simply this, to construct an immense water wheel
at Niagara Falls. Not a small, temporary affair, but one
large and strong enough to use the entire power of the falls.
From this, with proper grading, be would lay down a
permanent shaft through the state of New York, terminating
at Albany. Those in want of power could theta " belt" on
ad libitum, ad infinitum. What a splendid row of pitline ies,
manufacturing cities, would grow up along the whole
of the shaft. Steam engines would then belt' owhere, and
as for those paltry water powers called " prleges," they
would be like children dismissed from school by an indulgent
master, henceforth to play at leisure, running through their
course" without a restraining dam,—.MontrealTransorips.
THE GALLOWS VINDICATED.—ii newspaper scribbler,
writing in the Times, utters the following inhuman senti.
meats. He well and truly designates himself "A. London
Scoundrel," when he writes thus That good old insti.
tution the gallows reared its honest head once again, to
my great satisfaction, in the Old Bailey this morping-7its
first appearance since its late severe indisposition from
diseased sympathy. A. wretched brute was hung like a
dog, as he deserved to be ; and as his dreary
nt and
swayed in the eager north wind, it was a pleasa
cheering thing to think that nobody could now give him a
ticket of leave, and let him loose again upon society, He
was disposed of once and for all, in the cheapest and most
effectual manner. It was, sir, a fine wholesome corrective
sight. I thonght of this shattered, senseless victim—of
the bloody work by which that poor was
smashed and killed—of that awful night at the hospital,
when the grating trephine set free a flitting consciousness,
and the identity of the assassin was established; and as
the brute fell with the drop, and his muscles contracted
with one short terrible spasm, I wondered bow he liked it."
TEE PORT or LoNDoN.--The departures from the port
of London for the Australian colonies during the week
have comprised seven vessels—four to Port Phillip, one
to Sydney, one to Adelaide, and one to Hobart Town, with
an aggregate capacity of 5,448 tons. The rates of freight
exhibit rather less firmness. In the general business of
the port of London during the past week there has been
little activity. The total number of vessels reported inward
was 177, being 94 less than in the previous week ; and the
total cleared outward was 117, showing an increase of 28,
the number in ballast being 17.