The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-16 00:00:00

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THAMES TUNNEL.

These works are now in a state of considerable forward-
ness, and the present mode of proceeding is probably the
same that will continue till the completion of the under-
taking. A perpendicular shaft has been sunk, of about
ninety feet in depth and fifty felt in diameter, lined with a
strong wall of brick, which was not built from the bottom,
but let down as the work of excavation proceeded. This
shaft affords an ample opening for the steam-engine pumps,
and for the machinery destined to carry off the excavated
clay or to supply materials to the workmen. From the
bottom it presents the appearance of a lofty dome. On
the south side the workmen are just cutting away the
brick-work, in order to commence the ascending part of
the tunnel-road ; the other side, towards the river, al-
ready exhibits the, aspect of the finished tunnel. Two
strong arches, about fifteen feet high and twelve wide,
narrowing a little towards the ground, and separated by
a wall of about three feet in thickness, ere the portals of
the subterraneous pasiages. The whole is built of brick,
and joined with a cement which resists the action of water.
The manlier in which the work is carried on is as fol-
lows. A machine called a shield, consisting of a frame of
strong iron, and subdivider) Into 12 or 13 cells or cages,
is pressed forward by screws into the excavation, which it
exactly fills ; in each of these subdivisions is a workman ;
the back and lateral parts of the shield are fitted with
boards well connected together, and pressed against the
sides of the cavert by screws; in each subdivision of the
shield one only of these boards is removed at a time, and,
when the workman has cut behind it to the depth of four
or five inches, it is immediately replaced and screwed
close to the clay ; another board is then removed and thus
the work is continued, every part of the cavern being
supported, except that on which the workman is actually
employed. When the whole interior surface has been
thus cut away to a small depth, the shield itself is driven
forward, and the space which it leaves unsupported is at
the same moment built up. With this safe and simple
arrangement, about thirty feet of the archway has been
already built ; the ordinary weekly progress with nearly
300 men is only three feet; at which rate the work can-
not be completed in less than six years.
The obstacles to the accomplishment of this bold design
have been very much magnified in the vulgar apprehen-
sion. The weight of so great ariver, it was commonly be-
lieved, and the constant action of the water, would render
any subterranean work impossible ; but the pressure of the
water on any part is to be measured solely by its perpendi-
cular depth in that part ; the greatness of the river being
no element of the calculation. 'The weight to be sustained
would, iii all probability, be greater if the superincumbent
mass were earth instead of water; and as to the action of
this latter element, the stratum through which the present
works are being carried on, and which there is very little
reason to doubt extends uniformly through the entire line
of the intended excavation, is a dense bituminous clay,
almost impermeable to water. We have no doubt, there-
fore, that the difficulties to be encountered in this great
work will afford an easy triumph to the well-proved
abilities which direct its execution.

FREE ADIIIRSIONII.—The great number of free admis-
sions to our theatres is, undoubtedly, one of the causes of
the difficulty under which they have for some years
laboured. It appears, however, that this abuse is carried
to a much greater extent in Paris. "'There are three sorts'
of free tickets," says a French journalist, " billets d'autessrs,
billets d'acteurs, and billets de service. Undoubtedly,
authors have a right to such tickets, for they form in gene-
ral a part of the bargain between them and the managers.
But the number of those to whom such tickets are given
has considerably increased within the last thirty years.
Formerly, the author of a piece of three or five acts was
allowed four or six places in the pit. Now-a-days, we fre-
quently see four or five authors combine to produce a piece
in one act; and each of them conceives himself entitled
to a certain number of tickets. In some of our theatres
they perform four pieces in one evening. There are, there-
fore, sixteen or twenty authors having a right to tickets,
which we are willing to believe they distribute, in the first
instance, to their friends, but the greater part of which are
afterwards put into the hands of various agents, to be sold
at a low price. Thus the pit of such a minor theatre is
nightly invaded by sixty or eighty persona, who occupy it
almost entirely, and exclude the real public." The jour-
nalist has omitted to state how many tickets are given to
the police ; we have known as many as thirty for one
theatre distributed in a single hureau.—Gbdte.
Rome, FED. 12. The well-known Kaschiour has
lately again become a subject of converution, but in a very unex-
pected manner. Our readers will perhaps remember that this man
is a pupil of the Propaganda, by birth a Copt, and, as it is slid.
the son of a favourite of the Viceroy of Egypt, was expressly 'eked
for by the latter as Patriarch of Memphis, and, in consequence,
though much below the age required, was sent by our Government
in this capacity in Egypt, at a great expense; but on his arrival
there, to the astonishment of every body, he was not only not re-
ceived, but sent back in a disgraceful manner, without even being
permitted to land. Various conflicting reports were spread at the
time respecting this event. Some affirmed that Kaschiour'a father
died in the interval, and that the new favourite of the Viceroy
had, out of jealousy, put away the son of his predecessor, with-
out his master's knowledge; others considered the whole affair
as a mystification (or hoax); and others, that there had been, if not
a direct imposture, yet at least an adventure, undertaken at random.
All agreed in one point, namely, that the Viceroy had made to the
Papal See the formal and repeated proposal to send young Kaschiour
to Egypt in the above mentioned quality. When the latter, on his
return, landed, not in Roman or other neighbouring port, but,
(what was then considered as singular) at Genoa; it was reported '
that on his return to Rome he lad been arrested, and confined in
the Castle of St. Angelo. This was in October or November 18'25.
Since that time the matter was no farther spoken of. All at once.'
we now learn, that on the 31 of this month Kaschiour was removed
from the Castle of St. Angelo, (where he was confined in the same
apartments Cagliustro once occupied,) brought before the tribunal
of the Inquisition, and condemned to death. It is said thathe fainted
away on hearing of his sentence. As soon as he came to himself, it
was signified to him that his Holiness, in compassion to his youth '
(he is said to be under thirty years of age) and especially not to
give again a public example of severity, commuted the sen-
tence of death into imprisonment for life. Four pupils of the
Propaganda were present at the passing of the seetence.—
It is affirmed that Kaschiour will be confined for the remainder of
his life in one of die prisons of the inquisition. Nothing has trans-
pired with respect to his crime. Another ernel murder has been
committed. A journeyman carpenter had an illicit connexion with
the wire of a stone mason, who it appears had sonic other lovers. On
the morning of the 6th of this month he appointed to meet her ate
coffee.house. She had scarcely entered, when the monster rushed!
upon her with a knife, and at one blow ripped open her body quite
across. She lived just long enough to receive absolution from a priest,
whose hand she pressed, tieing unable to speak, as a sign that she
forgave her murderer. %What adds to the enormity of the crime
is, that the woman is said to have been in the sixth month of her
pregnancy. This horrible deed has again spread such conaterna.
tion in the city, that even the most indifferent among the inhabi-
tonts are convinced of the necessity of checking the wickedness of
the populace of Rome by more severe messures. It is thought
that the object cannot be better attained than by the establishment
of a military tribunal, which should peas sentence of death on every
convicted murderer within 24 hours.
DESTRUCTIVE Fl E.—About eight o'clock last night
the neighbourhood of Frith-street, Soho-square, was again thrown
into confusion by the alarm of fire from the inmates of the premises
of Mr. Ramuz, cabinet-maker, or the above street. A boy having
failed to put out a candle, and which ignited some shavings, soon
set the whole of the property on fire, which communicating to the
backs of the dwelling-houses, threatened destruction to the whole
of the row. The engines were soon on the spot, and, by a plentiful
supply of water, stopped the Nrther progress of the devouring
element, but not until a very considerable loss of property had
been sustained.