The Sun.
London, England, 1830-05-06 00:00:00

STEAM VESSELS IN FRANCE.

The first steam-vessel known in France %vas in
1819, when the old Leith steam-boat, named the
Carron, was purchased by the French Government
to run as a mail-packet between Calais and Dover ;
it was afterwards thoroughly repaired by Monsieur
de Rheims, and named the Henri Quatre. Since
which four others have been built by the same en-
gineer, the machinery being previously obtained
from England. At Havre and Rouen there are six,
at Bordeaux two, and one at Marseilles, which runs
between that port, Leghorn, and Genoa; besides
these there .are twelve Government steam-vessels,
and four nearly finished, being built at Toulon,
which are engaged for the expedition to Algiers.
In 1820 an iron steam-boat went from London
up the Seine . to Paris, as a Company was then
about to be formed to keep up a regular communi-
cation by water between the two capitals, but in
consequence of the tide in the river Seine only
running two miles above Rouen, and the shallowness
of water, that undertaking was found impracticable,
and it was abandoned.

'1 here are, however, two small steam-boats that
ply between Paris, Rouen, and Havre in the summer
season. They are obliged to have their paddles
astern, instead of on the larboard and starboard as
in the regular steam-vessels, in consequence of the
want of a sufficient draught of water, and the rapidity
of the current.

In Russia there are two—on the Rhine six, and
one in Holland. In Spaia there is one, formerly
the Royal George, which partly belonged to Sir
J. M. Doyle, and left London in 1823, it plys be-
tween Seville, Cadiz, Gibraltar, and Malaga, two in
Italy, four in Greece, and two belonging to the
Paella of Egypt. At Calcutta there are two, the
Enterprise, which left London three years ago,
and the Irrawaddy built at Calcutta of teakwood.
In the Uni►ed States of America in 1812 there
were 170 steam-vessels generally of very small
dimensions, since which, according to the last re-
turns up to 1829 they have increased to 320, em-
ploying upwards of 2,000 men.—lntelligence.

SIR M. HALE.

The character of Sir Matthew Hale as a

Judge was splendidly pre-eminent. His learning
was profound ; his patience unconquerable ; his
integrity stainless. In the words of one who
wrote with no friendly feeling towards him, « his
voice was oracular, and his person little less than
adored." The temper of mind with which he
entered upon the duties of the Bench is best
exemplified in the following resolutions, which
appear to have been composed on his being
raised to the dignity of Chief Baron at the re-
storation :

" Things necessary to be continually had in rernern
bratuT :

" P. That in the administration of justice lam in-
trusted for God, the King, and country ; and therefore,
" 2. That it be done, 1. uprightly ; 2. deliberately;
3. resolutely.

" 3. That I rest not upon my own understanding or
strength, hat implore and rest upon the direction and
strength of God.

"4. That in the execution of justice I carefully lay aside
my own passions, and not give way to them, however pro-
voked.

" 5. That I be wholly intent upon the business I am
about, remitting all other cares and thoughts as unseason-
able and interruptions.

" 6. That I suffer not myself to be prepossered with
any judgment at all, till the whole businesi and both par-
ties be heard.

" 7. That I never engage myself in the beginning of
any cause, but reserve myself unprejudiced till the whole
be heard.

" 8. That in business capital, though my nature prompt
me to pity, yet to consider there is a pity also due to the

country.

" 9. That I ba not too rigid in matters purely con-
scientious, where all the harm is diversity of judgment.
" 10. That I be not biassed with compassion to the
poor, or fa our to the rich, in point of justice.
" 11. That popular or court applau,e or distaste have
ro influence in any thing I do, in point of distribution of
justice.

" 12. Not to he so solicitous what men will say or
think, so long as I keep mys,lf exactly according to the
rule of justice.

" 13. If in criminals it be a measuring east, to incline
:a ureic). and acquittal.

" 14. In criminßis that consist merely in words, where
no more harm ensues, morietatinn is no injustice.
" 15. In ciinninals of blood, if the fact be evident, seve-
rity is justice.

To abhor all private solicitations, of what kind
soever, and by whomsoever, in matters depending.
" 17. To charge my servants, 1. Not to interpose in
any matter whatsoever ; 2. Not to take more than their
known fees ; 3. Not to give any undue precedence to
causes ; 4. Not to recommend counsel.
" 18. To be short and sparing at meals, that I may be
the fitter for business."

Under the influence of resolutions like these,
the conduct of Hale on the bench appears to have
been almost irreproachable.—Dr. Lardner's
Cabinet Cyclopredia, Vol. VI.

On Si ythe dog which was kept to guard the
night a gang of robbers, after
premises, broke into the house of Mr. Mou.ixtux, of
Walthanastow, and carried off plate, linen, wearing appa-
rel, re], Sze. Not less than five attempts have been made
within the last year to rob the premises.
p oSunday n.
da

With all the visionary fervour of his imagi-
nation, its fondest dreams fell short of the rea-
lity. He died in ignorance of the real grandeur
of his discovery ! Until his last breath, he en-
teriained the idea that he had merely opened a
new way to the old resorts of opulent commerce,
and had discovered some of the wild regions of
the east. Ile supposed Hispaniola to be the
ancient Ophir, which had been visited by the
ships of King Solomon, and that Cuba and
Terra Firma were but remote parts of Asia.
What visions of glory would have broken upon
his mind, could he have known that he had in-
deed discovered a new continent equal to the
old world in magnitude, and separated by two
vast oceans from all the earth hitherto known by
civilized man ! and how would his magnanimous
spirit have been consoled, amidst the afflictions
of age, and the cares of penury. the neglect of
a fickle public,-and the injustice of an ungrateful
king, could he have anticipated the splendid
empires which would arise in the beautiful world
he had discovered; and the nations and tongues
and languages which were to fill its lands with
his renown, and to revere and bless his name to
the latest posterity!"—Family Library, No.
XL—Columbus.

GILDING OF EMBROIDERY.

EXTREME DIVISIBILITY OF MATTER.--..

In the manufacture of embroidery it is necessary
to obtain very fine gilt silver threads. To ac-
complish this, a cylindrical bar of silver, weigh-
ing 360 ounces, is covered with about two ounces
of gold. This gilt bar is then wire-drawn, as
in the first example, until it is reduced to a
thread so fine that 3,400 feet of it weigh less than
an ounce. The wire is then flattened by passing
it between rollers under a severe pressure, a pro-
cess which increases its length, so that about
400 feet shall weigh one ounce. Hence, one
foot will weigh the 400th part of an ounce. The
proportion of the gold to the silver in the original
bar was that of two to 360, or one to 180.
Since the same proportion is preserved after the
bar has been wire-drawn, it follows that the
quantity of gold which covers one foot of the
fine wire is the 180th part of the 4000th of an
ounce ; that is, the 720,000 th part of an ounce.
The quantity of gold which covers one inch
of this wire will be twelve times less than that
which covers one foot. Hence, this quantity
will be the 8,640,000 th part of an ounce. if
this inch be again divided divided into 100
equal parts, every part will be distinctly
visible without the aid of microscopes. The
gold which covers this small but visible
portion is the 864,000,000:h part of an ounce.
But we may proceed even further ; this por-
tion of the wire may be viewed by a microscope
which magnifies 500 times, so that the 500th
part of it will thus become visible. In this
manner, therefore, an ounce of gold may be di-
vided into 432,000,000,000 parts. Each of
these parts will possess all the characters and
qualities which are found in the largest masses
of the metal. It retains its solidity, texture, and
colour ; it resists the same agents, and enters
into combination with the same substances. If
the gilt wire be dipped in nitric acid, the silver
within the coating will be dissolved, but the hol-
low tube of gold which surrounded it will still
cohere and remain suspended.—Dr. Lardner's
Cabinet Cyclopedia.