The Sun.
London, England, 1839-05-27 00:00:00

penditure. and that there is a considerable surplus appli-
cable to the advancement of the objects most calculated to
promote the best interests of useful and scientific educa-
tion 1-1-IZre has also been added another wing to the hos-
Viial containing 25 wards, and this, no douln,
with r. fer-
ence to the interests of those wh.
7 are medical students ha
this College, must be ;in object of Yell great and para-
mount Importance, CentMehl that it is beneficial not
only to the afflicted poor, but also ttj the adVancement of
education, I trust that this charitable attd bsetul establish-
nent will receive frOni the tAtblie that support to which it
is fully entitle'd. It:Minot avoid adverting to another point
which Must give the most solid satisfaction to all who take
an interest in the success of this institution. I refer to the
report made by the Professors of the excellent conduct of
the students. I must also say that I have witnessed with
heartfelt satisfaction the indications not to be mistaken of
the cordial and affectionate attachment manifested this day
by the students towards their Professors. I trust the
day is not far distant when those who have been educated
here will, by their future and continued labours and exer-
tions, attain that eminence and distinction in their proles-
tiun which will add to the fame and reputation of the Col-
lege, and reflect lustre on those from whom they have re
ceised their instruction.—( Cheers.) And I hope that
such fame and reputation will not he limited to this coun-
try. but will extend to those distant region. in which Eng-
lish power prevails, in which the Elglish language is
spoken, and English laws and English freedom are esta-
huished. ( The Right Hon. Gentleman concluded amid
lmd and prolonged cheering. )
The meeting then separated.

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AS A
LOCOMOTIVE POWER ON RAILROADS.

Several plans have been projected for propelling
carriages on Railroads by atmospheric pressure, hitherto
however without success. The first of these was Mr.
Vallance's original notion of shooting the passengers
an carriages from London to Brighton inside a large
pipe, exhausted of air by a pump at the other extremity
One disadvantage of this project, which prob ibly did not
occur to the inventor, was, that unless the distance was
certain of being accomplished within three minutes, all
the passengers would be 'lead from want of air before
they arrived at their destination. A great improvement
was afterwards made on this plan of applying atmos-
pheric pressure as a locomotive power, by adopting a
much smaller pipe, and permitting the carriages to run
on the outside. In this plan a piston about three feet
diameter was placed inside the pipe, and it was connected
with the leadingcarriage by a strong iron arm which passed
' through a slit at the top of the tube. This slit was
proposed to be covered over by an air-tight band pass-
ing round a wheel, which would enable the carriages to
move along. The exhaustion of air was to be produced
by large sir-pumps worked by steam-engines at stations
about five miles apart. Several scientific men thought
highly of this project, but in carrying it into practice it
was found that the band over the slit was quite inad-
equate to keep the pipe sufficiently air tight to produce
any locomotive effect.

Another improvement has since been introduced which
promises to remedy the defects of the former, and to
render this mode of locomotion really available. It is
apparently the same as the last named plan ; the chief
difference, however, consists in the manner of filling up
the slit at the top f the pipes so as to make them per-
fectly airtight. The following description of the inven-
tion, taken from a contemporary, is not so clear as to
give a very correct notion of the mode of operation, but
it will suffice to show the principle on which it depends
and the effects calculated to result :

This invention is styled " Clegg's Patent Atmosphe-
ric Railway," and is, both in its original motive power,
and also in its application to machinery, altogether dif-
ferent from the present railroad system ; for this is
worked: by stationary steam-engines, apart from each
other from two to five miles, according to the nature of
the country—two engines being fixed at each station,
one for the up, another for the down train, excepting on
long inclined planes, where only one is required.
The power of these engines varies according to the
gradients and traffic, for, supposing the traffic to be
•2.500 tons per day, or 1,250 tons each way, and the
velocity required to be 35 miles each hour, the average
power employed on the line would be equal to six-hone
per mile. The size of the engines will vary from six
to 25 horse power, according to the gradients. This
power is communicated to the train by means of a main
or pipe laid between the rails, which is exhausted by
air-pumps worked by the engines. This pipe is divided
into lengths or sections, varying according to the re-
spective distance of the engines, by valves which are
opened by the train as it goes along, and a space is left
between each section with proper sidings for stopping
the train when necessary. The pipe suited to the
above-mentioned traffic would be ten inches, and no
more, in diameter.

A piston is fitted to the pipe in such a manner that it
will slide therein air-tight; the pressure on the back of
this piston (when the pipe is exhausted to the degree re-
quired for the steepest accnts) will produce a vacuum
equal to a column of mercury 20 inches high. An
available tractive force of 714 pounds is thus obtained,
which will draw a train weighing 13 tons up an inclined
plane of one foot in 50 ; and with engines of the above
power the train can be impelled at the rate of 35 miles
per hour, and the sections of the pipe exhausted with
sufficient ral.idity to admit of a train being despatched
each way every ten minutes ; or, allowing for all possible
delay, four trains each way may be despatched per hour,
giving a total of 2,496 tons per day.
To the first or driving carriage of the train an arm
from the piston is attached. This arm passes through
an opening about an inch and a half wide, extending the j
whole length of the pipe on its upper surface, and this
opening is covered by valve, the nature of which con-
stitutes the peculiarity of Mr. Clegg's system ; this
opening is, by a simple and efficacious contrivance ren-
dered completely air-tight. The construction and action
of this valve cannot be "clearly explained without a re-
ference to diagrams or models.

The main pipe is put together with deep socket-
joints
; in each of these an annular space is left about
the middle of the packing, which is filled with a fluid,
and flaws any leakage of air into the pipe prevented.
Th• first experiment was made on Monday, before a
select party of the Nobility, Members of Parliament,
and men of science, amongst whom were the Marquis
of Lansdowne, Lord John 'Russell, Lord Howick,
Marquis of Sligo, Lord Stuart de Rothesay, Lord Burg-
hersh, Right Hon. Poulett Thomson, Hon. W. Temple,
Duke de Regina, Count d'Orsay, Admiral Sir C. Ogle,
Mr. Pried, M.P., Mr. Standish, M.P., Messrs. J.
Lyon, Goldsmid, Ricardo, Dick, Halifhx, Clayton, John-
son, Esqrs., James Bonfit, Esq., of Paris, Captain Mar-
tyn, and several other noblemen and gentlemen.
The trial was made on an ascent done in thirty feet,
With a pipe of 3i inches diameter, and 110 feet length.
This was exhausted by the air-pump, which was at-
tached to the ordinary steam-engine belonging to the
wcrks. A cock was placed close to the pipes, to sepa-
tale them from the pump when required, for the purpose
of cloudy ascertaining any leakage in the pipe itself ; a
vacuum gunge was attached to each end of the pipe, to
ascertain the time that would be required to obtain an
equal vacuum throughout its whole length. On this
trial the carriages were loaded not only with 1,500
weight of iron, but also with the Marquis of Lans-
downe, Lord John Russell, the Marquis of Sligo,
Lord How ick, Lord Burubersh, Mr. Poulett Thorn-
s )n, &c., who were carried about 150 feet in ten
s .roads of time.

The motion of the carriage, though equal to thirty-
fire miles per hour, is perfictly sm-oth and noiselvs, ;
besides this, there is neither smoke, steam, nor dust, to
annoy the passengers, as in the present steam trains ;
and, besides the comfort and convenience in this new
mode of travelling, the cxpense would be considerably
under one•halr of what it noN costs. B. sides, this
invention can be applied eilher to turnpike-roads, with
tieir existing gradients, er to railroads i,o,v constructed.

HON. CAPTAIN PIIIPPS.—rn answer to the
requi•qi in of a gr..at body of V-te clect,,rs rif Liitc:iln,
Clrain P•iipps ackenivle.,ges the kind sn.dlifestation of
confluence expre•sed towalds him by the liberal electors of
Lincoln, and regrts that his private arrangements pre-
clude his acceptance tf the protßred invitation to become
a candidate ar auy future election. Although he repeats
his decided objection to enter into any pledge.; as to his
conduct in Partiattr•rit should he ever tak, a seat, be full;:
rrco,:nis,:s the n: cessity as 1.4,11 as the expediency of it
G :verninent ,dap ice itself to the elAms of a progressini.ly
informed people Advfl tiser.

Ti-iE MOUNTAIN BONFIRES— TITHES.--
The rinmer:..us hontirs which blazed on every hill and
mountain, from the magnificent Slievenaman to Bagwell's
Folly, on the night of the 11th instant, vn.re a mystery try
the au:horitics and to everybody else—but they are no
s;a—the following le,ter from our Multinahone
Corespondent tells "the why and wherefore:"--" A case
involving the abominable and generally detested exaction
of tithes came on Lr trial on the 11th instant, at Tippe.
rary Quarter Si:ssions, before Air. Howley, the Assistant
Barrister, at the suit of Bazil Bryan, Esq., for tithe sup.
posed to be due out of the lands of Ballycullen, near Mul-
linahone, and as a pro bona publiS service, I beg to inform
you and the community at large, that this odious charge,
under the new enactment, has been triumphantly and most
signally defeated, much to the dislike of Mr. B. ; on
which occasion the surrounding country from Slievenaman
mountains to Bagwell's Folly, has been emblazoned by
bonfires, to commemorate the joyful and successful event
—namely, the defeat of that detested exaction."— Tipp&
rary Free Press.

BARBAROUS CRUELTY.--Thursday morning,
between eleven and twelve o'clock, a great degree of pain-
ful excitement was produced in the New Cut, Lambeth,
by the appearance of a half-starved dog which was seen
running out of the shop of a butcher named Nichols, with
a large knife sticking in its back. The poor animal was
howling with pain, and the blood was gushing from the
wound down both its sides. A gentleman who was passing
entered the shop, and inquired the cause of so revolting a
spectacle, but instead of affording him any information the
parties in the shop treated him with the utmost rudeness,
and thrust him into the street. The gentleman said he
should immediately forward a statement of the transaction
to the Animals' Friend Society.
The festival of the Ascension was celebrated
with all its accustomed pomp at Rome, as a correspondent
informs us, and the Pope, who appeared in excellent
~t=its to tle. Clior. ir 7
cbvaeitsgo,,h