The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-07 00:00:00

Hi_urfkr. Bones Found at Pompei;.

In a paper addressed to the Academy of Sciences M. de
Luca adverts to the process successfully adopted at Pom-
peii for obtaining casts of the persons who lost their lives
at the time of the eruption which caused the destruction of
that city. We merely remind oar readers that es
that eruption consisted of stones and ashes, the fugi-
tives, after falling down in a state of suffocation, were
covered by 'the ashes, which settled on all the mi-
nutest folds of their garments and every part of
their body. This coating; of ashes hardened in
course of time, and the flesh wasting away under it, left a
hollow mould, into which the explerers of the present day,
when they are fortunate enough to dlacover it in time, pour
liquid plaster, and thus obtain cr`, exact cast of the body.
The number of casts thus taken is four, and M. de Luca
has presented the Academy with their reductions in plaster
executed by a clever at tist employed at Pompeii. In a
chemical point of view the bones found at Pompei
do not all present exactly the same composition, but
contain all the principles to be met with in the bones of the
present period. Oh being heated in a stove at a tempera-
ture of from 100 to 120 degrees, they lose about 9 per cent.
of their weight, which represents the moisture contained in
them. At a red heat, and protected from the air, the bones
become black, and lose 16 per c„,ilt, more; if calcined in tho
open air, the loss is 20 p,r c.us. '_'ha coal contained in
a closed crucible disapp,;..a in lite shape of car-
bonic acid. The total quantity ci tile latter varies be-
tween 4 and 9 per cent. In letting tea bones with concen-
trated sulp;.pric acid for the purpose of ascertaining the
quantity of carbuT„ic acid aforesaid, the glue tube in which
the operation is penes!rmed exhibits signs ef corrosion,
which is owing to a certain ,F;n-oust of fluoride of calcium
contained in all :le Luca states that, when
found. ti v,^ . • :u•, i at.;,,r being treated kith
-c• : • fur instance, re-
fo•-.7-1 in a ne.tE;a:-OUS ,tats, pr, :ving all the time their
primitive shapes.

Daring the last few dap Lino has been a rather
urmer tore in the marl:eta for fcr:;:gn and colonial
produce. The public sales of tee. hare proceeded
with rather more animation, at steady prices.
Sugars have been in more request, while a fair
amount of business has been done in coffee and
cocoa. Rice, however, has remained inactive, and
t1..3 dealings in tallow have beeo. very restricted
for both present and forward delivery.
FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE MIDLAND RAILNVA,j--
A fetal accident occurred on the Midland Railway at Cot-
linghane, near Newark, on Tuesday last. A man about 60
years of age got ea to the lino, and although every means
were used to induce him to get out of the way he took no
heed whatever and was run over and killed on the spot, toe
injuries he received being frightful. An inquest was held
on Wednesday before Mr Coroner Newton, and a verdict of
accidentally killed was returned by the jury.
SUICIDE OF A BANK MANAGER.—An inquest was
held on the body of the manager of the Berkeley Bank,
named Mr H. Williams, at Berkeley on Thesday. The de-
ceased had during the latter part of last week exhibited ten-
questionable signs of mental derangement, and being missed
by his friends, they went in search of him on Friday morn-
ing. They succeeded in tracing his footsteps to the banks
of the Severn, and at length found his body lying face
downward in the mud of the foreshore, the tide being at the
time out. Some money of his own, which ho lead been in
the habit of keeping in the bank, was found upon m; and
it appeared that he had visited the bank for the purpose of
getting the money on the Thursday night, methodically
leaving a cheque for the amount in the till. The jury re-
turned an open verdict, accompanied with the expression of
opinion that at the time of his death deceased was of un-
sound mind.
HOW COALMINE EIPLOSIONS ARE CAUSED.—
An inquest was held at Ashton-under-Lyne, yesterday, I
touching the death of Alfred Jacques, a collier, who died
on the 25th ult. from the effects of burns which he received
on the 25th of July, from an explosion at Lord's Fields
Colliery, Ashton-under-Lyne, belonging to Messrs. Gar-
forth, of Dukinfield. The deceased had never been able to
tell how the accident happened. Thomas Price, the wag.
goner for the deceased, stated that the deceased and him-
self had worked three night shifts, and were about to
commence work at seven o'clock on the morning of the
25th of July, in a cut from ono level to another. The
men had told them that there was foul air in the cue, and
they turned a ventilator which
,had been placed at the
end of tho working. Whilst witness was turning
the ventilator, the deceases came to him cud lighted h's
pipe, and an explosion immediately took place. Samuel
Crossley, the lot eman, explained that the effect of turning
the ventilator would be to draw the foul air upon the men
in a cloud. The witness said the underlooker never toe',
him there was sulphur, nor did ho get a copy of the rules.
When he got to work on Monday morning there was no
board marked "fire," or any writing on spades. He did
not know that it was a general rule that the workmen wore
not to commence work until an inspection had been made
by the foreman. He did not know he was doing wrong
in turning the ventilator. John Harrison, the under-
looker, gave evidence that the deceased had worked four or
dye years at the pit, and well knew the regulations.
After considerable di,cuzsion, a verdict of accidental death
was returned, the
,itry, however, recomtatuding that mere
cons] ieueua sig-cala eleould Le used.

On Thursday night Sheridan pushed or down
the Shenandoah Valley. Two divisions of cavalry
went down Luray Valley. Sheridan says if they
push on to the main valley the result of the en-
gagement will be still more signal.
Correspondents' letters assert that Early's loss in
prisoners in the first day's fight will approximate to
5,000. Among the killed and wounded were Con-
federate Generals Rhodes, llams)n, Gordon, Terry,
Goodwin, Bradley, Johnson, and Fitzhugh Loe.
The Federal loss in the same battle is estimated at
between 2,000 and 4,000 men.
General Sherman is strongly fortify irg at
Atlanta.

General Price has crossed the Arkansas river for
an invasion of Missouri. General Shelly is co-
operating. The Missouri militia retreated before
Shelby from Charleston to White Water River.

Fremont and Cochrane have retired from the

Presidential canvass.
Postmaster General Blair has retired from the
Cabinet al President Lincoln's request.
The Democratic Peace Party have resolved to
support General

The _Richmond lnpirer contains a report that
Sherman has proposed an informal peace confer•
enco r;tb th'., vernor of Georgia and Vice Pre.
sfkeit Stephn-.2. Numerous other peace rumours
are current.

The Perein, Borns3ia, and the City of Cork have

arrived out.

NEW YORK, SEPT. 24, Morning,

Sheridan pursued Early beyond Strasburg, and
again routed him at Fisher's Hill, capturing 16
guns. The pursuit continues.
No fighting has taken plum at Petersburg.
The Confederate pirates on lake Erie have been
captured.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW YORK, SEPT. 24 (Morning).

Money easy. Gold and Stocks are depressed by
peace rumours and the favourable military intelli,
genes. Gold, 210 t. Stocks depressed. New
York Central, 119 i. Illinois, 1231. Erie, 1001.
5.20 Bonds, 110.

Cotton dull.lling Upland, 155. Flour
very dull. Wheat end corn a downward tendency.
Provisions depressed. C e dull. Sugar tending
downward. Molasm -..ited demand. Petro-
leum, crude, 1 ; refined, 72.

MEXICO.

NE W YORK, SEPT. 24.

Advices from Matamoros to the 9th inst. confirm
the news of the occupation cf Brownsville by

Cortinas.

(FROM THE TIMES CORRESPONDENT.)

NEW YORE., Sm. 23.

The latest accounts from the Shenandoah prove
the first report of Sheridan's success on l‘londay to
have been greatly exaggerated. Enrly's entire loss,
it is now stated, did not exceed 6,000 men, while
that of the Federals in killed and wounded alone
wa© upwards of 4,600. At one time the Fedorals,
mowed down by the Confederate artillery and
musketry fire, were thrown into confusion, and
wore on the point of giving way, when, by a
desperate charge of all his cavalry, Sheridan turned
Eaziy's right flank, and compelled him to retire.
Early continued to fail back during the 20th,
followed by Oheridan, and on the 21st made a
s'.and at Fisher's-hill, two and a half miles south
of Strasburg. Sheridan attacked him in the even-
ing, but was repulsed. Yesterday, at 4 p.m.,
Sheridan renewed the attack, and after a severe
conflict, lasting until dark, forced Early to evacuate
the position with the loss of 16 cannon.

The looses in killed End wounded upon either
side are not stated, Eatly is relieved to have re-
tired towards Stanto7.

SEPT. 24, 11 A.M.

Sheridan reports, at 11 30 p.i. on the 22d, that
he is pursuing E%rly down the Shenandoah Valley.
There is yet no news of the expected conflict
between the opposing forces on the Weldon Rail•
war.

Deipatches from llacor, Gcorgia, of the 17th, to
the Richmond Inquirer, state that General Sherman
bac:, invited Governor Brown, of that State, and
Vice-liret.idont Stephens to Atlanta, to confer upon
the subject of Oace.
Sherman and Hoot; hava concluded the elrcl,an,r;e
of 2,000 prisoners upon eit`Jaer side captr.:Td upon
the recent battles at Atlanta and Jonesborough.
The truce for the removal of the Atlanta inha,
bitanta, which expired on the 22d, has been ex-
tended.

New Orleans letters of the 15th annouuce that,
with the exception of the garrisons left in Forte
Morgan and Gaines, General Granger's forces, lately
co-operating with Admiral Farragut. in Mobile, have
returned to that city.

St. Louis despatches of the 22d state that Gene•
ral Price, with 25,000 Confederate troops, has
crossed Arkansas river, and is going northward,

By the admission of a Confederate officer arrested
in disguise at Sandusky City on the 18th, it ap-
pears that the object of the Confederates, who
seized and destroyed the steamers Island Quepr,
and Parsons on Lake E:ie, was at the outset
the capture of the Federal steamer Michigan and
the liberation of the Johnstown Island prisoners,
The arrest of the cfficers prevented the necessary
cooperation from the land, and compelled the
abandonment of the enterprise.
_ .

The report that two Confederate armed steamers
had appeared on the Dike was untrue.
Postmaster-General Blair, at the request of Mr
Lincoln, has resigned (Ace. Ex-Governor Denni-
son, of Ohio, succeeds him.

- .
QUEENSTOWN, eel. 7.
The Inman steamship City of Manchester from
New York, on the 21th ult., arrived here at 5 a,m.
with 234 passengers, 330,00 dols., and £32,828 in
specie. She landed 48 passengers and proceeded
for Liverpool at 5.15 a.m.

CAPTURE OF A SIIARK.—On. Saturday a :ice
epccauen of the diodon, or barking shark, v:cigliihg rcra`:-.•
7cwt., was captured at Newquay, Cornwall,
flew the atote..