The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-18 00:00:00

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

On Tuesday (James M. Bendel, Esq., President, in
the chair), the discussion turned chiefly on the compara-
tive advantages of the under-ground system of connect-
ing wires, as prectiQed in Prussia, and the suspended
system. in use in this country. On the first introduction
of the Electric Telegraph, it was not known to what ex-
tent it would be employed; and on that account the sus-
pension system was preferred, as enabling additional
wires to be fixed with bat little extra expense. At pre-
sent, a single line of telegraph wire in Prussia, insulated
by gutty percha covered with lead, laid at a depth of
two feet under ground, cost 301. per mile, inclusive of the
instruments. The suspended system was shown to be not
nearly so expensive, and when accidents occurred, they
were more rapidly and easily repaired. The recent great
improvements in Bun's Printing Telegraph were de-
scribed; and it was shown, that by it three hundred
words per minute had been sent through this instrument;
that fifty-six thousand messages per mouth had been
transmitted on the Eastern Counties Railway, for rail-
way purposes alone; and that such was its extended use
for mercantile purposes, that the content of a closely-
printed Bvo. volume was sent out in messages, per day,
from the Central Telegraph Office alone. Such was the
facility afforded by the instruments now in use, that
they were chiefly worked by boys taken from the rphan
Asylum, who fully understood how to work them after
a fortnight's practice.
Several very ingenious applications of the instruments
were described, and specimens of the Submarine Tele-
graph wire, intended to be laid down between Dover and
o,tend, were exhibited.
The general advantages of the introduction of the
Electric Telegraph were pointed out, and it was stated,
that attention should be directed chiefly to improvements
in the mode of insulation of the wires, in both the under-
ground and the suspension systems, as the instruments
were now comparatively perfect,
The papers announced to be read at the meeting of
Tuesday, March 23, were—" On the results of the use of
Tubular Boilers, or of 'Flue Boilers of Inadequate Sur-
t, or Imperfect Absorption of Heat," by Admiral
d Dundonald; " On certain Points in the Construe-
tion of Mbyarti.ine Boilers," by Mr. J. Scott Russell,
B •„o
le B.; and "Description of a Diaphragm Steam
Boutigny (d'Erreux).
R A.l

LWAYSHARE MARKETS.
BRISTOL, MARCH 17.
STOCK EXCHANGraLt;
:rho share market continues firm, at
Shares),
transactions to-day were—
rather advanced
LIVERP
Great Western (Original
00T:imex div.—Taff Vale, 150.
—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 71s/ 8714—Midland Stock, 593
to-day,
improved feeling ex-
ARCH 17.
71,haend a good business
STOCK EXCHANGE.—There
jaadizajnBc3e4d—pEricesaiste.rn
hibited in the share market
Counties,transactions were as
follow:—Caledonian, iso
wb been
Lancashire, 17A—Birkenhead, Lancashire, 8 9-16—East
Cdoanleedoant
11% dis.—Ditto (late Chester and Birkeheaand Cheshire,
cashire and Yorkshire, 724—Ditte, Fifths, 6d?;-17-I.an.
London and North-Western, 11714—Ditto, New 1G dis.-
3% p. —Ditto, Fifths, 3 44 p.—Manchester, Sheffield
colnshire, 34—Ditto, 61. New Preference, 12%—blidlain.
6 t7i—Ditto, New Preference, 4% per cent., LA die._ South.
Eastern and Dover. 205 —York, Newcastle, and Berwick,
18 41—York and North Midland, 2234—Dutch Rhenish,
37M die.
MANCHESTER, AT
___ARCII 17.
StocK ExcHARGN.—A considerable amount of business
was transacted in our share market to-day, and prices
closed firmly at the range of yesterday. The transactions
were as follow:—Caledonian, 19—East Lancashire, 174
Eastern Counties, 814—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 7214
Ditto, Fifths, WA n. dis.—London and North-Western,
1174/4—Ditto, Fifths, 274 P.—Manchester, Sheffield, and
Lincolnshire, 333i—Midland, 611,4—Blackburn (No. 1), 5 liii
--North British, 7%—North Staffordshire, 8% dis.—South-
Eastern and Dover, 20 11-16—York and North Midland, 23
—Manchester and Birmingham (C), Quarters, V% P.--
Preston and W yre, 45—Cheshire Junction, 11% dis.— Cale-
donian, Preference, 8 ih—Matlocks, 2%

Lord John Russell had a Parliamentary dinner
at his residence in Chesham-place. The
party on Tuesday,
company consisted of Earl Grosvenor, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Sir
Mr.. 101 Glyn,
Abel Smith, and Mr.
C. Douglas, Sir John Hanmer, Mr. Willcox, Mr. Mackin-
non, Mr. Wrightson, Mr. Hastie, Mr. Strutt, Mr. Tennent,
Lord Melgund, Mr.
Bright,Mr.
tir. u Ma r rd. c Wu
teiset,h eisaldr:
Granger. 1

THE ADOPTION OF THE BALLOT THE BEST
MEANS FOR PERMANENTLY SECURING
THE BLESSINGS OF FREE TRADE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—Whil;tthO—vtrious political chiettans are
manceavring to obtain power by securing the triumph of
their own particular dogmas—at a time when we have
a Protectionist Government actually in power, threaten-
ing to endanger the permanence of free trade, thereby
reviving the excitement of the Anti-Corn•law League,
and the antagonism of class interests,—and when from
the pledges of the Protectionists doubts are
engendered in the public mind as to what
may be the future commercial policy of this
country, it ; appears tolerably certain that the
battle between Protectionist and Free-trade principles
will for the present throw entirely into the shade all
prospect of a reform in our representative system, and
possibly retard for years the accomplishment of the
peoples natural desires, unless some decided steps bo
taken for uniting under one common banner the various
sections of Free-traders and Reform're. Strange that
such should bo the position of the Reform party with a
majority of professed Liberals in the Commons House of
Parliament ! _

It behoves, therefore, all sections of Reformers at a
crisis like this to be united in purpose, and firm in the
principles on which they are to take their stand. I re-
joiced to observe that an influential meeting took place
on Thursday last at Lord John Russell's residence, as,
from what transpired at that meeting, hopes may be
entertained of bettor things for the future from the
Whig party, should they again be called to take the
helm of the State. Lord John has withdrawn bis milk-
and-water measure of reform, and will probably
see the necessity of making considerable amendments in
it before again introducing it into the Rouse of Com-
mons, so as to make it more palatable to the great body
of the people. Ere many weeks can elapse a dissolution
of the present Parliament will take place, when the
Reformers will have to fight the battle under disadvan-
tages to which they would not have been subjected
bad Lord John's late measure been better adapted
to the exigencies of the times, and contained a
clause for taking the votes of electors at all future
elections by ballot, without which, I maintain, it will be
almost impossible to arrive at a fair conclusion as to the
feeling of the people generally, either under the present
system, or even supposing the suffrage to be extended
in the manner lately proposed by the Wt►ig Govern-
ment.

The course that now appears to me to be open to the
various sections of the opposition party, comprising
Peelites, Radicals, and Whigs, is to unite firmly on two
grand points—" Reform and Free Trade," by which the
blessings of cheap food may be permanently se-
cured to the people, the prosperity of the country
at large maintained, and the cause of progress
materially advanced. The policy of free trade was
nobly carried out by the late Sir Robert Pael, to the
sacrifice of his own personal interest, and it is but due
to the memory of that distinguished statesman that
his followers and the admirers of his policy should
make a glorious struggle for the maintenance of the
legacy for which that patriot suffered so much
abuse from former friends, besides loss
power. There are many able statesmen left
of the Peel party, with Sir James Graham standing
prominently forward as their leader; these statesmen
are decided favourites with the great mass of the people,
and if they play their cards well, are certain very soon
to be called upon to take a prominent share et least in
the management of the affairs of the country.
The Russell Reform Bill being shelved for the pre-
sent session and Parliament, let a demand be immedi-
ately made for the ballot; all sections of Free-traders
should now unite on this one subject, and let a measure
be at once brought forward, before the present Parlia-
ment be dissolved, to secure " freedom of election and
protection to voters in the exercise of their franchise,"
and even under our' present system of representation, free
trade would be saved from all danger. If this course be
not adopted, it is far from 'improbable the landlords' and
Government influence combined will secure a majority
to the Protectionists at the ensuing election, and whether
they could succeed cr not in re-imposing a duty on corn,
the country would be thrown into a state of convulsion
from one end to the other; trade and commerce would
suffer to a great extent by the distrust thereby
caused with regard to our commercial policy;
and instead of progressing, we should be decidedly taking
a retrograde step. The Wbigs have over been more zea-
lous Reformers in opposition than when in power. Now,
then, should be the appointed time for the Liberals to
urge upon the Whigs and Peelites the necessity of con-
ceding the ballot. This accomplished, the Protectionists
would speedily be driven from office, and we should per-
haps see established in their place a really strong Admi-
nistration, comprising the most liberal and enlightened
statesmen of the age.
I, for one, do not despair of seeing a popular Govern-
ment formed from the ranks of the three parties to which
I have before alluded,. viz., Peelites, Radicals, and Whigs.
Surely the following list contains names deserving of
respect and confidence, and far better qualified for
safely guiding the vessel of State than the Protectionist
Government:—Sir James Graham, for instance, as Pre-
mier, and to lead in the Commons; whilst Lord John
Russell should succeed the Marquis of Lansdowne as
President of the Council, and with a Peerage to lead in
the Lords. The other more prominent offices of the
Cabinet could easily be arranged, when we have such
men as Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Cardwell, the Duke of New-
castle, Mr. Sidney Herbert, and others of the Peel party;
Lord Clarendon, Lord Palmerton, Lord Granville.

Lord S4mour, Mr. Fox Maule, and the snore active and
liberal of the Lae Whig Government (including the late

Attorney and Solicitor-General); and from the Radical
party the names of the veteran Hume, Mews. Charles
Villiers, Milner Gibson, Sir B. Hall, Cobden, Mac-
gregor, and other favourites, might fairly be selected to
iake what is but their due, a share in a Liberal Govern-
ment. _ . . _ . _

such an Administration as the one I have hinted at
would give confidence to the Reform party throughout
the entire length and breadth of our country, and weal
be enabled to bid defiance for ever to Protectionist land-
lord., who have only their own self-aggrandx--ment in
view in striving to re-impose a duty on corn.
In conclumn, then, let me urge on all Free-traders
and Reformers cordially to unite for the purpose of de-
feating the monopolists, and if it be not possible to carry
the ballot during the existence of the present House of
Commons. let the programme of a greatly amended
Reform Biil be at once submitted to Parliament,
that when the general election takes place
the people may feel they have something to expect irom
a new Parliament, and something really worth making a
struggle for. Let the watchword In—" Reform, Free
Trade, and Vote by Ballot."
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Totnes, March 15, 1852. A LIBERAL-PEELITE.