The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-09 00:00:00

Meeting of the British Association.

BIRMINGHAM, Sept. 7.
The conversazione in the Town Hall last night brought
together more than 2,000 members, associates, and ladies.
Thorn was a rather heavy collection of works of manufac-
turing ingenuity, models of the original steam-engine of
Watt, and several cases of quartz and rare metals. Pho-
tographing by the magnesium light, and the consequent
production of that class of miniatures called pistolgrams,
was a source of some amusement, and attracted large
groups around the place of operations. The hall was well
lighted and ventilated ; and although it required the exer-
cise of considerable tact to thread a way through the
assemblage in any given direction, the crowding was not
excessive. A large room in the basement was fitted up in
excellent taste with refreshment comptoirs, and in this, as
in all the other arrangements under the direction of the
corporation of Birmingham, the soiree was worthy of the
town and of the association.
The weather this morning was extremely warm. In
Section A there was a good attendance to hear the reports
to be given by Mr. Glaisher and Mr. Birt on the progress
of lunar science. Tho moon has been mapped into four
quarters, and the situations of hills, plains, and vales have
been definitively fixed and sketched. Professor Phillips,
after congratulating the section on the advance made in
their knowledge of the moon, took occasion to recommend
telescopes of six inches in diameter for lunar observations.
This would give a magnifying power of 400, which would
be quite sufficient to define a place like Birmingham, were
such a place existing on the moon. The remainder of the
papers brought before this section were of more scientific
than general interest.
Dr. Angus Smith showed to the Chemical Section the
apparatus and method invented by himself for estimating
carbonic acid in the air. By dissolving pyrites and com-
pressing air, and by the employment of an indiarubber
bulb, a precipitate of carbonic acid is obtained, and the
apparatus has been used as a means of showing the state of
the atmosphere in crowded rooms and in coal mines,
Mr. Parkes gave a description of a new substance in-
vented by himself, and called Parkesine. It may be used
for the same purposes as gutta-percha, and experiments
testing its capabilities for the insulation of electric
telegraph wires are contemplated. A paper was given by
Mr. F. G. Finch on the utilisation of the slag from blast
furnaces. It is thought that this, which is at present waste,
may be material used for pavements.
There was a very large meeting in the Friends' School-

room, where several interesting papers on various branches
of mechanical science were to be read. Mr. Henry Besse-
mer gave an elaborate and complete history cf the Bessemer
process of manufacturing steel. This consists in the burn-
ing away from molton iron those impurities with which it

is invariably impregnated ; and the work is accomplished
by the forcing of air into vessels of a peculiar description,
into which the molten iron has been drawn from the fur-
naces. Several specimens of the steel were displayed for
the purpose of showing tho improvements that had been
made since the process was first discussed at the Chelten-
ham meeting, and also to show the permanency of the
metal under exposure to atmospheric influences and
the wear and tear of use. A long and well-sustained
discussion, chiefly by practical ironmasters, followed ;
and it was recommended that the paper be printed

in extenso in the transactions of the association. Dr.
Fairbairn, in a paper on submarine cables sug-
gested that the attempt to grapple for the Atlantic cable
should be made about five miles from where the end was

lost. His opinion was, however, that the attempt would
not be successful. Three series of experiments that had
been made upon cables with regard to rermeability, ab-
sorption, and insulation, had left on his mind the impres-
sion that the question as to which were the best materials

for their construction had not yet been solved. Papers on
kindred subjects were contributed by Mr. Siemens, Mr.
Hooper, and Mr. Holmes.

Although political discussions are contrary to the avowed
objects of the association, the facts contributed to eco-
nomic science and statistics necessarily border on the
forbidden ground. The piece de resistance in that section
this morning was a paper by Professor Leone Levi, giving
statistical data in relation to the representation of the
people. At the last census the population of England and
Wales was 20,066,259, of whom 9,776,259 were males and
10,289,965 females. Excluding the gentler sex as not
competent to vote, and all males under age and all imbe-
ciles there were about £5,000,000 left. Of 100 men married
in 1861 only 75 wrote their names. Here, therefore, were
1,250,000 men who did not come up to the lowest standard
of intelligence. in 1864 there were 69,000 persons appre-
hended by the police; there were 900,000 paupers, 40,000
civil servants, 100,000 men in the army and navy, and
100,000 domestic servants. Making these deductions
under the most liberal electoral law, there would be less
than 3,000,000 voters. According to the census, there
were 3,739,505 houses inhabited, at an average rental of
£l5 ss. Of these 3,219,514 houses were rented at under
£2O, giving an average of £l9 ss. ; subdividing these, there
were 459,693 from £l5 to £2O ; 822,149 from £lO to £l5 ;
1,277,956 from £6 to £lO ; and 659,724 from £3 to £5.
The reduction of the franchise to £6 in boroughs and £lO
in counties, with a certain lateral extension to lodgers
and professional men, would add 1,000,000 to the suffrage,
making, with the million now on the register, 2,000,000.
Professor Levi was in favour of such extension, accompa-
nied with the provision that every voter should be able to
record his vote in writing. In the discussion which followed
a desire was evinced for official inquiry into the subject.
Interesting reports on the progress of local industries,
and especially on the effect of schools of art, as shown in the
manufacture of toys, were brought before this section.
_ _

The geologists had a remarkably successful day, their
meeting in the lending library being one of the best of the
eight divisions of the association. Mr.W. M. Williams, in an
interesting paper on vegetable deposits in the Achenseo,
North America, gave his opinion that coal was not in all
cases formed in the manner now generally credited. He
believed that, in some cases, trees and vegetable matter were
transported from the land by great rivers and estuaries. Sir
R. Murchison concurred, and had no doubt that the snags
now brought down the Mississippi were deposited in the
bed of tho ocean, and were forming incipient beds of coal,
Sir Charles Lyell believed that there were exceptional
cases of this kind, but he was of opinion that all, or nearly
all, of the ancient coal fields were formed according to the
generalisation first brought beforo English geologists by
Sir Wm. Logan. A report was presented by a committee
of the association who had been appointed to explore
Kent's Cavern, near Torquay. This cave has been known
from time immemorial, but it did not attract the attention
of scientific inquirers until 1824. Some remains were then
found ; and, quite recently, the British Association ap-
pointed this Committee to make a complete exploration of
the place. They found in the earliest strata objects of
human art, and along with them were the bones of the
mammoth, the cave bear, and other extinct animals. They
had no doubt that upon further examination they would
discover more valuable relics.

The subjects discussed by the zoologists and botanists
were chiefly remarkable for the hardness of their names.
The homologies of the lower jaw of the skull of the Ovipara
slid the occurrence of Orcynus Alalonga all along the coast
of Devon aro mild specimens of scientific nomenclature.
Notes on the voracity of Chiasmodus were read by Dr.
Dr. Carte. Chiasmodus was not an ancient Roman em-
peror, following the voracious practices of Vitellius and
others of equally high-sounding names ; but he is a little
fish six inches in length, living in four hundred fathoms of
water, and his voracity evinces itself in his devouring
fishes ten inches long. At least one of that length has
been found in the singularly elastic confines of Chiasmo-
dus's stomach. A note appears at the end of the list of the
papers for this section in to-day's journal, requesting the
committee on zoological nomenclature to meet forthwith.

Dr. Cobbold gave to the physiologists in sub-section D
his opinion that beef and veal are more profitable sources
of entozoa than pork is, though the latter is a source of

entozoa.

Geology and Ethnology did not assemble quite so large
a meeting to-day as is usual with this section. In a con-
tribution by Mr. Baines, the Victoria Falls of the Zam-
besi were described in glowing colours. The breadth
of the river is from 1,800 to 2,000 feet, and in the wet
season one sheet of water falling over the edge is a
quarter of a mile wide. The Falls are said to exceed
in grandeur those of Niagara. Mr. Crawfurd, speak-
ing of the Occidental or Western negroes, expressed
his well-known opinions on the inferiority of that
portion of the African race. He pointed out that they had
no literature, and rarely acquired the letters of other nations;
but he admitted they were not so low in the human scale
as the Hottentot or the Australian aborigine.

Dr. Hunt, Mr. M. D. Conway, Mr. Carter Blake, and Mr.
Reddie combated the views of Mr. Crawford, which they
compared to those entertained with regard to astronomy
before the discoveries of Copernicus.

This evening a lecture will be delivered by Mr. Jukes
on the Midland coal-fields, and on the morrow there will
be excursions to various places in the district.

DMUS PULCIIRIOR.—At the last examination
for the Indian Civil Service there was, if a darkly-whis-
pered rumour be true, one candidate who was no other
than the son of Calcraft the hangman. He was, moreover,
a successful candidate, though, as ho had the prudence to
assume another name, the fact is not generally known.
It is a somewhat startling reflection that the son of the
public executioner may one day be Governor-General of
India. The father, we know, is fond of elevated situations,
but we scarcely expected to sea the son rise ton height
compared to which Haman's gallows were but a sign-post.
—Correspondent of Western Morning News.
IMPORTANT TO MARINERS.—Captain Cathorn, of
the ship P. M. Miller, of Nova Scotia, who arrived at Fal-
mouth on the 6th inst., from Rangoon, for orders, reported
to the agents for Lloyd's that, while crossing the Gulf of
Mataban, he distinctly saw a rock of some dimensions,
which he immediately laid down as in long. 93 40 E., and
lat. 11 N. He further reported that, while this rock is
mentioned correctly as to position in the Admiralty chart
of the Indian Ocean (eastern sheet, from Cape Comorin to
Australia), the book of directions not only omits it alto-
gether, but says "no existing dangers here"—an error
which should be immediately corrected.

Return of her Majesty to England.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Sept. 8.
The Queen, with their Royal Highnesses Princess
Helena, Princess Louise, and Prince Leopold, at-
tended by the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting,
left the Castle of Rosenau, near Coburg, at a quar-
ter before 10 o'clock on Tuesday evening, for the
station at Oeslau, where a special train was ordered
to convey the royal party.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess
of Coburg and Prince Alfred dined with her Ma-
jesty before leaving, and the Duke and Prince Alfred
accompanied her Majesty to the station.
Shortly before eight o'clock on Wednesday morn-
ing the train arrived at a station in the Forest, near
Darmstadt, where the Grand Duke of Hesse and
their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Louis
of Hesse were in readiness to receive the Queen.
Her Majesty and the royal family left the train and
accompanied the Grand Duke and Prince and
Princess Louis to Kranichstein, and the ladies and
gentlemen proceeded to Darmstadt.
In the afternoon the Queen, with Princess Helena
and Princess Louise, drove into Darmstadt, to the
Grand Duke's palace, and received a visit from the
King of Prussia, who remained about half an hour
at the palace.
The Queen then drove to see Prince and Princess
Louis's new palace in the town, and returned to
Kranichstein.

Her Majesty, the royal family, and suite left the
station at Darmstadt in the evening at a quarter to
nine o'clock by special train. At seven o'clock on
Thursday morning the train arrived at Malines,
where her Majesty's carriages were separated, and
her Majesty, accompanied by Princess Helena and
Princess Louise, and attended by the Duchess of
Roxburghe, Lieut.-General Grey, and Dr. Jenner,
went to Ostend to visit his Majesty King Leopold.
Their Royal Highnesses Prince Leopold and
Princess Beatrice, with the remainder of the ladies
and gentlemen and suite, went to Antwerp and em-
barked in the royal yacht Victoria and Albert.
The Queen (after visiting the King, whom her
Majesty found in much improved health) left Os-
tend at a quarter past eleven, and arrived by rail-
way at Antwerp at 2 p.m., and at once went on
board.

The royal yacht very soon afterwards got under
way and steamed down the Scheldt.

After a fine passage her Majesty arrived off
Greenhithe this morning at seven o'clock, and at a
quarter past nine left the royal yacht, and having
embarked in the Alberta, arrived at Woolwich at
a quarter after ten.
A special train from Woolwich Arsenal conveyed
the Queen and royal family to Windsor Castle at
12.15 p.m.

Her Majesty and the royal family are well, but
much fatigued by the heat experienced on the
journey.

The Duchess of Wellington, Mistress of the
Robes, will arrive to-day, in attendance on her
Majesty.

Her Highness Princess Anatole Bariatinsky, ac-
companied by her son, Prince Alexander and suite, has
arrived at the Clarendon Hotel, from Germany.

The Duchess of Roxburghe has arrived at the
Clarendon Hotel.

The Duchess (Dowager) of Sutherland is ex-
pected to leave Stafford House, St. James's, on Monday
next, for Trentham, Staffordshire, and her grace will after-
wards go on a visit to the Right Hon. the Chancellor of
the Exchequer and Mrs. Gladstone, at Hawarden Castle.
The Marquis and Marchioness Campana de Cor-
vine have arrived at Claridge's Hotel from Paris.

The Earl and Countess Delawarr, accompanied
by Sir Alexander and Lady Arabella Bannerman, have left
Buckhurst Park to spend a few weeks at Eastbourne.

The Earl and Countess Fitzwilliam will receive a
distinguished party at Wentworth House, Yorkshire, dur-
ing the ensuing week, for the Doncaster Baces.

_ .
The Earl Granville returned to town early in the
week from attendance on the Queen in Germany.
The Earl of Powis will receive a large family
circle at Powis Castle, Welshpool, during next week, on
the occasion of the marriage of Lady Lucy Herbert, his
lordship's sister, with Mr. F. Calvert. _ _ _

The marriage of the Countess of Jersey and Mr.
Charles Branding, of Middleton Hall, near Leeds, will taka
place at an early date.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston leave Cam-
bridge House this afternoon, cat their return to Brockett
Hall, Herts.

Viscountess Jocelyn and Hon. Miss Jocelyn have,
since they left Lord and Lady Dufferin's seat in the north
of Ireland, been visiting the Marquis of Aborcorn and
Ladies Hamilton at Baron's Court.

The marriage of Lady Louisa Cavendish, onlY
daughter of the Duke of Devonshire, with Captain the
Hon. Francis Egerton, son of the first Earl of Ellesmere, fel
fixed to take place on the 26th inst., at Holkar Hall, the
Duke of Devonshire's seat, near llilnthorpe.
The Right Hon. Sir Charles Wood, M.P., and
Lady Mary Wood have arrived at their house in Belgrave-
square, from spending a few weeks at Homburg.
Mr. W. H. Gladstone, M.P., left town yesterday
to join the Chancellor of the Exchequer 'and Mrs. Glad-
stone at Hawarden Castle, Flintshire.

RARE MUSICAL WORKS.—The musical library of
the late Rev. Edward Orlebar Smith, Rector of
Holcott, Bedfordshire, was sold by auction at Mr. South-
gate's Rooms, Fleet-street, on the 31st ult. The extent of
the collection, and the fact that it included a set of Handel'a
Works in forty volumes, drew together the principal
musical booksellers, in addition to the ordinary attendants
at the book auctions. The Handel set fetched £7 lOs ; it
was purchased by Mr. Laycock of Oxford. Purcell'a
" Orpheus Britannicus" was sold for 12s. Master Mace's
" Musick's Monument," and Morley's " Introduction to
Music," were knocked down at 15s. and £1 ss. Playford'S
interesting old book on harmony and composition, together
with Holder's " Treatise on Harmony," dated 1731 (which
was, we believe, the second work on the subject published
in London, the first being Matthew Lock's " Melothesia")r
and six or seven other old works on music, fetched 9s. onli•
Burney's " History of Music," in four volumes, and in eaPi"
tal condition, went for £3 3s ; while Hawkins' was run 11?
to £4. The remainder of the library comprised a collection
of old English operas by Dr. Arne, &c. ; Marcello's psaltna:,
£2 4s. ; Busby's "Biographical Dictionary of Musicians,
and a large number of Italian works. Two volumes of old
songs, with engraved headpieces, entitled " Clio and
Euterpe," only fetched 4s. 6d.—Musical Standard.
THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY IN IRELAND.--T'6
Tablet says :—" A rumour is in circulation to the
effect that the bishops at their recent meeting named the
four archbishops as a deputation to communicate with the
Government ; that the Archbishop of Tuam declined
act ; that the Primate and the Archbishops of Dublin and
Cashel, accepting the deputation, arrived in Dublin and
had an interview with Sir George Grey last week ; 02,
that it was arranged, in consideration of an endowment of
£25,000 a-year, that the Catholic University should re;
nounce its original establishment and designation as 0
university under the Papal Bull and the decrees of tlit
Synod of Thurles, and should accept from the Governoteo ;
letters patent constituting it a Queen's college inst.:'ci0
that the archbishops wished to have it called the Catholi
University College, Queen's University, but that the 01).:
vernment objected to any reference being made to its 011 i
ginal foundation, and especially to coupling the titles ~
the two antagonistic institutions in any way togetlfei
that it was accordingly arranged that it should be °'t
the Queen's College, Dublin ; in fine, that the Governra.e
ors
agree to add five Catholic gentlemen of their own selectl•
to the Senate of the Queen's University, and that to°,
names are—Lord Castlerosse, M.P., Mr. Justice O'llaglio
Mr. Monsell, Mr. 3lontesquieu Bellew, and Sir tro

Howley."
THE ARCHBISHOP OF WESTMINSTER.—On 1!.°11:.
day next, the 11th inst., Archbishop 31anning leaves J-4°.,,e
don. for Rome. His Grace, it is understood, will receleo
the pallium in the Solemn Consistory which is to be b e,
by the Holy Father next month, and will return to P'

land by the end of October.
A SAVAGE.—A man named George Golding IV!,
charged at Manchester on Wednesday with biting °ll
woman's under lip. The prosecutrix, Mary Morrio4o',
she was a lodging-house keeper, living in Bootle-53.-etie
and the prisoner was her son-in-law. A few days ile„r
was beating his wife, and on the woman Morrison i9'.;3;
faring he made a savage attack upon her, and after Pital
her against the wall he bit off her under lip. This 17.°:0-
is now an out-patient at the Infirmary. Mr. Fowler :foil
tenced the savage to three months' imprisonment with Pd,
labour. On leaving the dock the prisoner exclahne
When I come back I'll eat her." prig,
THE BLAKELY ORDNANCE.—The Count de —re
the Duke de Montpensier, and the Duko de '
Cll,l,ftiei
visited the Blakely ordnance works on Thursday. 40.•
were received by Captain Blakely, and inspected the
tory. Two 600-pounder guns and a new form of Igee
loading cannon attracted particular notice.