The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-17 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

Sin,—ln anticipation of the approaching hot sumnier
days, the Committee of the Metropolitan Free Drinking
Fountains Association beg to inform the public that funds
are urgently needed to enable the society to continue those
exertions which have hitherto been attended with such
great success. Through the instrumentality of the associa-
tion upwards of 80 fountains have been already erected, at
which it is computed not less than a quarter of a million
people drink daily during the heat of the year. It is the
desire of the society to extend the boon as far as possible to
every corner of the metropolis, so that the thirsty wayfArer
may not be forced into the necessity of repairing to the
public-houses.

The committees are overwhelmed with applications for
new fountains, but are unable to erect fresh ones from want
of funds ; and for the same reason the provision made for
the relief of the sufferings of cattle and dogs from thirst
falls short of what is required. All the fountains of the
association are under constant supervision, and qualified
workmen are employed to keep them in an efficent state,
but several of those erected by private benevolence have
become dilapidated and even dry. If the in bile will afford
the means, the committee propose offering to undertake the
supervision of all the fountains in London, and (thereby to
seeure for each the necessary attention.
I shall be happy to receive contributions in aid of those
objects, or subscriptions may be paid at the office of the
association, 1, Shorter's-court, Throgmorton-street, 8.C.,
where any further information may be obtained.—l am, &c.
SAMUEL GURNEY, Chairman.
25, Prince's•gate, S.W,, May 16, 1664.

ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN [Bora IN
ARMY AND NAVY] TO DO HIS DUTY, and it seenig
likely that our soldiers will very soon be provided with a
little hook, telling them in simple language what their
duty is

TELEGRAPH TO AMERICA.—The necessary ar-
rangements for another attempt to lay a submar ins
telegraph between Ireland and North America have b ?en
made, and the Atlantic Telegraph Company are more s; in-
guine than ever that the experiment to be undertaken ill
the spring of 1865 will be a complete sncess. By the time
that the Atlantic Telegraph Company is ready for its grand
enterprise, a second and entirely different line of telegraphic,
communication between Europe and America will approach,
if not reach, its completion. This is the line running across
Siberia, thence connecting with Russian America, thence
passing through British Columbia, and ultimately rc,achitl6'
our Pacific States. The most difficult portion of this tele-
graph, that through Siberia, is now, according to a recent
despatch, completed as far as Irkutsk, the capital of Ea. deru
Siberia. Mr, Collins, a citizen of the United States, to.
whom the Russian Government has given for d period of
36 years the exclusive right of working this telegraph through
the Russian dominions, has now obtained from the British
Government the right of way through British Columbia.
The Western Union Telegraph Company of the United
States are prepared to assume the construction of the line,
and capitalists are ready to supply the money for carrying
out the undertaking. It is intended to cantinue the tele-
graph northward along the western coast of British America
to Behring's Straits, which will be crossed by a eubmarino
cable 40 miles long, thence along the coast of Arctic Russia
to the mouth of the Ammer River, at which point the B,us--
imtilveist with
n extent,their own.
an d
,Twhhe
enne Nevoline l
completed,
shin Government have agreed to meet the line and connect
be
willn t .a
unite r
4;p20 Europe'
Asia, and America, principally by land,---ffew York Trisune.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.—_Late on Friday night, or
early on Saturday morning, a destructive Ere broke
out on Weddiugton farm, in the parish of Ash, near Sand-
wich. The flames were first discovered by Richard Pay, a
neighbour, about half. past 1 o'clocic on Saturday reornirg'
as he was getting up to go to market. He gave the alarm t°
William Marsh, waggoner and bailiff to Mr John Woo3ruift
the occupier of the premises. On ping to the stable 111 arA'
found his horses dead from suffocation. The lames had then
extended to the whole of the buildings, which were all brunt
to the ground before an engine could be procured. Indce6
if an engine could have been got, it would have been of la°
Use for want of water. Four young horses, we: 1h £3O tacit'
were burnt to death in the stable. After the fire bad burnt
out they presented a deplorable spectacle, their bowels Pr°:
trading as if the careascs had burst with excessive heat.
The hind legs of two of the poor creatures were cornplott'Y
burnt off, Five breeding cows were also found in a sirail3-
y,
condition. The buildings, consisting of a four• horse stable,
a wheat barn, a barley bat; a fodder barn, a bullock lodge,
all birch-built, and thatched, ware completely destroyed'
together with their contents, which included a waggon, two
carts, and a quantity of agricultural implements, and two
straw stacks, the growth of 13 acres. From the aPPear_aolo
l.
of the fire when it ias first discovered it must have f
menced either at the straw stack or at the north corner of
u
:he wheat barn. The waggoner's mate was the last person
on the premises on Friday night, and he left the st able aelo0u:
10 o'clock, when all appeared quite safe. The fire is up
posed to be the work of an incendiary. The damag 1:
variously estimated at from £7OO to £l,OOO, bat the lose I
fully covered by insurance.