The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-13 00:00:00

THE FOSSIL JAWBONE.

M. de Quatrefages ha; addressed a third com-
munication to the Academy of Sciences on the fossil
jawbone found at Moulin•Quignon, near Abbeville,
his previous note on the subjeot having, he says,
been wrongly interpreted by some persons, who took
it in the sense of a doubt expressed on the authen-
ticity of the discovery. This he declares to be a most
erroneous impression, his previous conviction having
rather been strengthened than shaken by a further
examination both of the jawbone and the flint hat-
chets found near it. When he wrote his first paperon
the matter he was not aware that all the hatchets
found at Moulin-Quignon had been declared counter-
feit, and that consequently the jawbone had also been
involved in the same condemnation. He had therefore
contented himself with stating the grounds on which
he founded his opinion of its authenticity ; but now
he must give positive proofs. In the first place, he
quotes the opinions of MM. Mime, Desnoyers,
Gaudry, de Vibraye, and Lyman, who all concur
in considering the jawbone perfectly authentic. M
Pictet, after examining it with the greatest care
had declared that he had not expected it to offer
such conclusive evidence. He next proceeds to ex-
amine the objections. It has been argued that a
tooth had been found which, besides being very
white, still contained a large proportion of gelatine.
Now the existence of gelatine had occurred ere this
in fossil teeth of much greater antiquity than any
wnich could be found in drift. But even granting
all possible weight to such an argument, how could
the tooth examined in London stand in any con-
nexion with the jawbone of Abbeville? The tooth
had indeed belonged to the collection of M. Boucher

de Perthes; but that gentleman had always ex-
pressed Lis doubts about it, and never consented to
guarantee it. As for the whiteness of the tooth, and
at all events the insignificant depth to which a
slight tinge of colouring matter had penetrated,
these were peculiarities entirely dependent upon the
theabl
e, nature
cannotof the colour.
icnogmpmoastitteior,n of
which,thesoifilthe colour.
ing matter, which, if insoluble, cannot Penpenetrate
through the substance. To prove it, M. de n
1 insoluble,
fages states that a very minute fragment of
deeply and firmly imbedded in the coat:
which covered the bone,
care, and found to be as whit
‘ocuatre-.
a tooth,
had bee coati of earth,
extracted with
.e as ,
jections made to the . raper. The oh.,
hatchet, extracted by m. authentic -e
vl the second
from its bed in the • de Quatrefer, • drift h ~es himself
erroneous; one of , e represents
been washed • the corners of i the as equally
with boil' hatchet having
quite free front ing
water,
have be all glu , and found to be
tinous matt
been used to deceive matter 'which might
Quatrefa
ges, M. de Vibr eye. After M. de
certain appearances b aye rose and pointed out
'night be distinguished
genuine flint hatchets
feits. We
meetings have may
also add that some interesting
Gar-
den of Plants since then taken place at the
_,
Royal
between four distinguished Fellows
theegleoiogici:i
anldSociety, representatives of English
paleeontologial knowledge—MM.
Prestwich, F
alconer9 Burk, and Carpenter, tied
-MM. Quatref
ages, Desnoyers, Gauery, Lartet, and
men of under the
other well-known science,
presi-
dency of Dr. Milne Edward, of the Institute, to dis-
cuss, and, if possible, to decide on the authenticity
and antiquity of the flint hatchets and human jaw
in question. Sir John Bowrivg, being in Paris, was
invited to the contereoce. The results of the ex-
amination, though by no means of a positive cha-
racter, have, on the whole, served to confirm the
doubts expressed by, the British geologists as to the
trustworthiness of these particular specimens of
ancient civilisation. That large quantities have
been fabricated and sold by French workmen admits
of no question; but the genuineness of many of
those found at St. Acheul was established by the
unanimous opinion of the conference, as was 8 thee
riaudulent elit.rnelPr of the greater number of
found at Moulin. Quignon. The whole
those
however, is to undergo a turther !thrt te, ' t'ubject I
inveatigation in the iocatity, 11:,(1 th ' )re thorough
of the learned inquirers is aW4itett n final opinion
tude.—Galiynanr. W 411311401 tiolici.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on. the woolsack at
the usual hour.

PETITIONS.

The Bari of SHAFTESBURY presented a number of
petitions from Blackfriars and other parts of London on
behalf of Poland.

The Marquis of NORMANBY presented petitions from
Romrtn Catholic congregations in Scotland in favour of the
Prison Ministers Bill.

THE VOLUNTEERS.
Lord HARDINGE asked the noble earl the Secretary
for War whether he had any objection to lay upon the table
of the house a copy of the regulations relative to the volan-
teer force which had been promised by his predecessor (Sir
G. C. Lewis).
_ _

Earl DE GREY and RIPON said the late Sir G. C.
Lewis had not promised to lay these regulations before Par-
liament; but he would, on the second reading of the
bill, which would be before the House of Commons this
week, state the nature of these regulations. They would
merely refer to the discipline of the force which would be
necessary to entitle them to the proposed Government
allowance,

LONDON (CITY) TRAFFIC REGULATION BILL.
On the motion for going into committee on this bill,
Lord CHELMSFORD stated the object of the bill. The
traffic through the City had of late 5 ears increased enor-
mously, and at some times its dimensions caused inconve-
nience. This bill would enable the Corporation to make bye-
laws to mitigate the evils of the present system. Cannon-
street had some years ago been widened, with the view of
diverting into that channel part of the traffic flowing east
and west; but the expectations then formed were not rea-
lised, as Cannon-street was not a favourite line for public
vehicles. One day last year, between the hours of half-
pant 12 and half-past 1, 291 omnibuses passed through
Cheapside ; while, at the same time, only two passed
through Cannon-street. It was found that, between 10
and 11 o'clock in the morning of one day, the number of
vehicles which passed Bow Church was 1,255; and be-
tween. 4 and 5 o'clock in the afternoon 1,252, while the
number of vehicles entering the City daily was 57,765.
The bill would enable the City authorities to regulate this
enormous traffic. It was provided that the regulations to
be licensed by the Lord Mayor and aldermen were not
to come into operation until a month after they had re-
ceived the approval of one of her Majesty's Secretaries of
State.

Lord REDESDALE said the provisions of the bill were
of a novel and stringent character. It was a large power to
give any municipal body to allow them to determine what
route should be taken by public vehicles. However, think-
ing such a measure to be necessary he did not offer any op-
position to it, contenting himself with bringing it under the
attention of the house generally before it was adopted.
_ _ _

Lord CRANWORTII thought power ought to be given
to the Secretary of State to call upon the City authorities
to adopt such additional regulations as he might think ne-
cessary.

Lord CHELMSFORD thought the matter might be safely
left with the City authorities.

The Earl of DERBY called attention to the nuisance that
was caused by the practice of driving a number of empty
cabs backwards and forwards along the streets. A few days
ago he had counted in Pall-mall 12 or 14 empty cabs mov-
ing slowly along, and in some cases two of them side by
side, the drivers of them conversing.
Earl GRANVILLE promised that steps would be taken,
if such were possible, to abate the nuisance complained of.
The motion was agreed to, and the bill passed through
committee.