The Sun.
London, England, 1837-11-16 00:00:00

THE GAS ECONOMY.

The article copied from the Paisley Advertiser, detailing
en invention by Mr. Cook of that town, by which gas
may );e made subservient to all the purposes of heating
owk cooking, has excited considerable interest in this quarter,
and has been already experimented upon to some advantage.
Mr. Ai!ker., jun., brass-founder, Dumfries, immediately set
to work, and, without any other hint than that furnished in
the 'newspaper has produced an apparatus by which
we ter' is boiled, and beef-steak roasted as well as at an
ordinary kitchen fire. His cylinder or funnel is eighteen
inches in length, and in diameter, upon the top of
which is bound a very fine piece of iron wire gauze ; this is
placed upon'a small eh-offer, in which, and also the under part
of the cylinder, small holes are perforated, and by altering the
position of the one within the other, the quantity of atmos-
pheric air, which is introduced to the cylinder and mixed
with the gas, is regulated as expediency requires. The
gas pipe is introduced within the cylinder, a lighted taper
applied to the top of the gauze, and the flame appears
instantaneously, which by touching the stop cock or alter-
ing the burner, may be given with any force that is re-
quired. Mr. Aitken has used a common jet, slightly
widened, and with this he boils a kettle in twenty minutes,
and prepares a beef steak in ten. By placing an iron plate,
perforated with holes, upon the top of the gauze wire,
the flame and heat are concentrated, and the blaze forces
its way upwards with a roaring sound, somewhat like the
action of a pair of bellows; and the invention is altoge-
ther so simple and useful, that, like Columbus's discovery of
the Western Continent, it is surprising nobody has stumbled
upon it before. It is, in fact, the principle of Sir Humphrey
Davy's lamp reversed—the atmospheric air is burned
without, instead of within the wire ; and the interstices
of the gauze must be sufficiently close to secure the
gas from ignition in the interior of the cylinder. Mr.
Aitken burns at the Prate of four cubic feet of gas in
an hour, which, at the price of 12s. 6d. per thousand,
amounts to somewhat more than a half-penny. Here,
it may be said, nothing is gained in point of economy, for
the supply of gas for one day will be greater than the first
cost of the coal or peat ; but then it must be recollected that
the discovery is only in its infancy, and that it is far from im-
probable that considerable improvement may yet be made
upon it. At all events, in point of facility and conveni-
ence, it is a blessing which no one can gainsay, as by this
means a fire can be lighted in a second and extinguished in
the same space, without the aid of bellows, poker, or tongs,
or the inconvenience of dust or smoke ; and in this respect
it will be particularly useful in summer, when a fire is only
required so long as the pot is being boiled. Further, by a
little outlay, the cylinder may be so fitted up as to form a
most handsome ornament in the room.—Dumfries Courier.

GUILDHALL MEDAL.—We have just been fa-
voured with a sight of an elegant Medal, which has been
struck off in commemoration of her Majesty, Queen
Victoria's late visit to the city. On the one side is an ex-
cellent likeness of her Majesty ; and on the other, a full-
length figure of the Lord Mayor, who is represented in the
act of welcoming his royal guest to Guildhall. Next his
Lordship stands Fame blowing a trumpet, and few paces off
him, Minerva with an olive wreath in her hand. What the
Goddess of Wisdom should have to do with a Lord Mayor
we cannot possibly conceive. Generally speaking, these
great civic dignitaries have but a distant acquaintance with
that divinity. The medal, on the whole, is very cleverly
executed, and is published by Griffin and Hyams.

THE MAN OF THE WORLD.—Those who have
been delighted with the last inasterly production of Mr.
Bulwer, " Ernest Multravers," and who have followed in
that work the career of the man of genius, will turn with
no less interest to the absorbing picture of the career of a
man of the world, in the new production by the popular
author of " The Life of a Sailor." " Walsingham, the
Gambler," will present us with vivid pictures of London
and Parisian life, high and low, derived from actual ob-
servation, and introduce to us some of the most distin-
guished and notorious personages of the day.
The Belgian Chamber of Representatives has
adopted the reduced duties proposed by the Government on
the importation of hosiery, earthenware, porcelaine, linen,
woollen cloths, glass, and chemical productions. A strong
opposition was raised to the duty of five per cent. on glass,
which was formerly prohibited ; and it was carried only by
a majority of one, the numbers being 32 for, and 31 against,
to come into force in 1839. The estimates for 1838 of
the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for his department, amount
to 7.51,000 francs.

Yesterday evening an inquest was taken before
Mr. Payne, the city coroner, in the board-room of St. Tho-
mas's Hospital, Southwark, on view of the body of Thom Is
Thom, aged 66, who came by his death from injuries re-
ceived in the following manner :—From the evidence ad
duced, it appears that on Sunday morning last deceased was
crossing London Bridge when he was knocked down and
trampled on by a horse which was being rode by a lad
about 13 years of age. He did not bleed at the time, but
was immediately conveyed to the hospital, where every as-
sistance was afforded him, but without effect, he having ex-
pired on Tuesday morning, as he had received a severe
contusion on the skull. The boy was not to be found.
Verdict—" Accidental death."

The great tapestry gallery, which the King has
founded at the Louvre, is about to open this week in the
Salon Carree. That noble saloon, which is 700 feet long,
is well calculated for the display of the tapestry, of which
there are 2,000 square yards of all dates, the most ancient
being the production of the 15th and 16th centuries.

TITHE COMMUTATION AND POOR-RATE.—
Inquiries have been made of the Poor-law Commissioners
as to the future liability of tithe commutation rent charge
to the Poor-rate, under the late Act to regulate parochial
assessments ; and assuming its liability, whether the assess-
ment will be upon the full amount of the rent charge, or
upon such a sum only as the rent charge would be worth,
after deducting parochial rates. The Commissioners have
given their opinion, that the net annual value of the tithe
commutation rent-charge, under the 6th and 7th William
IV.,.cap. 96, is the net value of such rent-charge, after de-
ductions made for the parochial rates ; parochial rates being
identical, as far as they are incurred, with the rates de-
scribed by the Acts as " Tenants' Rates," .and any other
interpretation being liable to the objection that the rate-
payer would be rated for au outgoing or burden, instead of
a profit.
IMPROVED TELEGRAPH.—NO machine for mak-
ing signals or numerical symbols can, with any propriety,
be called a telegraph, unless it be adapted to express a suffi-
cient
number of letters so as to form words, not only in one,
but also in every written language, and by which words and
sentences may be formed expeditiously. We have much
pleasure in stating to our readers that Dr. Clanny, of Sun-
derland, has so improved his telegraph, that the advantages
hinted at above arc now completed, at the trifling expense
of 50s. for each station, if the station be 10 or even 20
miles.—Tyne Mercury.
COUNCIL CONIMITTEES.—In our last we stated it
as our belief that the York Tories were anxious to thrust
all gentlemen who entertain liberal principles from the
City Council ; that they kindly intended to relieve the
Whigs of the onerous duties of office. That we were not
wrong in such a supposition, will be obvious from the report
of the proceedings of the City Council held yesterday. It
will be said, " Surely there can be no cause of complaint
in this matter ; there have been no party distinctions made
in the appointment of committees to manage the city bu-
siness." We appeal to the report of the proceedings. It
will be there seen, that while twenty•four Tories have
been placed on Committees, no more than twelve Whigs
have been chosen as committee men ! ! Every Tory Coun-
cillor, including the Lord Mayor and Sheriff, have, with the
exception of. Alderman Gray, whose indisposition prevents
him taking on himself the duties, been appointed on one or
more committees ; yet but twelve Whigs appear on the
lists. This simple fact speaks volumes as to the wishes and
intentions of the Tories. It discovers in naked deformity
the corrupt designs which that party has upon the city. It
shews their grasping, insatiate disposition, and goes far to
prove the assertions which we have from time to time made,
that their object is to keep possession of the Corporation,
and exclude therefrom every man who possesses the courage
to oppose their sinister designs.—lrorkshircnot.

y •
EXTRAORDINARY LARCIIES.-0 tne glrden of
Monzie are five larches, remarl'u'o:e for their age, growth,
and symmetry. They n:d coeval with the zeiebrated
larches from Dunk-id, having been 'orotight along with
them to this e'suntry from the same place, and are now
superior t(,,, them in size and beauty. The tallest measures
102 feet in perpendicular highth ; another is 22 feet in
circumference at the ground, and at the distance of 21 feet
from the ground, 16 feet, and it throws out branches to the
ex:anordinary distance of 48 and 53 feet from the trunk.
The late Duke of Atholl, it would appear, evinced a more
than ordinary degree of interest in the progress of these
fine trees---sending gardener annually thither to observe
their growth. When this functionary returned and made
iii wont'A report, that the larches of Monzie were leaving
ihosn hf Dunkeld behind in the race, his Grace would
4ocularly allege that his servant had permitted General
Campbell% good cheer to impair his powers of observation.
.--Prirtio Constitutional.
The Corporation of London have presented to the
Queen a quarto volume, beautifully printed and illustrated
by George Woodfall, and superbly bound and gilt by Lewis,
containing the words of the vocal music, as sung at Guild-
hall, at the Royal Banquet, on Thursday last, preceded by
the following dedication :—" To her Gracious Majesty the
Queen, this Copy of the Selection of Vocal Music, per-
formed at the Banquet given by the Corporation of London
at:the Guildhall, November 9, 1837, is
presented with their
dutiful. homage.' Only one other copy has been printed
frith the dedication, which is deposited among the City
archive 3.

On Saturday, Nov. 25, will be published, in 4t0., price 215., ele-
gantly boand ; or with the Plates coloured in imitation of the
Drawings, price 21. 25.,
BEAUTY'S C 0 ST UME:
a series of Female Figures in the Dresses of all Times and
Nations ; containing twelve Engravings, by the First Artists.
With Original Descriptions,
By LEITCH RITCHIE, Esq.
London : Longman, Orme, and Ce.