The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-04 00:00:00

commission

Orders have been received at Sheerness dockyard
from the Lords of the Admiralty to proceed at once
to make good the defects of the Ariadne, 26, screw
steam frigate, 3,214 tons, 800-horse power. She is
to be brought forward for the first division of the
Sheerness steam reserve.

Thd Torch, 5, screw gun vessel, 428 tons, 80-horse
power, was brought from Chatham to Sheerness this
day, and commenced taking in coals from the coal
hulk preparatory to her trial at the measured mile,
which is to take place on Thursday next.
The Rugby, gunboat, Lieut.-in-command F. W.
Prosser, tender to the Dauntless, 31, screw steam-
ship, 1,575 tens, 580-horse power, Coastguardship
in the River Humber, Capt. J. M. Strange, was on
Monday taken at full speed for a run of seven miles
to test her machinery, having undergone extensive
repairs at Sheerness. The run was made in 60 mins. ;
vacuum, 27 ; pressure of steam, 32 ; revolutions of
engines, 172. The trial was very satisfactory. The
Ruby will proceed to her destination as soon as she
has taken on board the stores, &c. for the Dauntless.
Her Majesty's iron steam storeship Supply, Staff
Commander Charles Bawden, laden with a full cargo
of victualling and dockyard stores for the Mediter-
ranean fleet, yesterday sailed from Woolwich for
Gibraltar and Malta.

The deaths of the following officers have been
officially reported at the Admiralty since Sept. 29 :
—Admirals----The Right Hon. Lord Somerville, the
Hon. Sir M. Stopford, K.C.8., and G. Brine ; Vice-
Admirals—H. F. Greville, C.B. ; Rear-Admirals--
H. Lyster and W. Haydon ; Captains—W. H.

Kennedy, H. Randall, B. Haines, and T. Colby ;
Commanders—J. H. Furneaux, H. Stewart, J. R.
Benson, R. E. Twigg, W. H. Smith, L. Dennys,
W. Roddam, I. Salter, G. Mortimer, R. Henn, J.
R. Godfrey, J. Hale, W. Squire, W. P. Johnson,
C. Gale, and G. B. Dewes ; Staff-Commanders—J.
Hardie, W. Barrett, and P. Chown ; Lieutenants

—C. A. F. Paget, W. F. Johnston, and A. P. Still;
Sub-Lieutenant—J. G. F. Leacock; Master—A. J.
Veitch ; Surgeons—J. B. Ricards, C. B. Wood, D.
Jones, W. Ratley, A. Robertson, M.D., and J. W.
Bowler ; Assist.-Surgs.—W. C. Fairbairn and A.
H. Kelly ; Paymaster-in-Chief—J. Pinhorn; Pay-
masters—R. A. Cumming, H. T. W. English, W.
T. James, and J. Palmer ; Assist.-Paymastets—E.
C. Knevitt, J. T. Farwell, and B. Stratford. Royal
Marines—Lieut.-Col.—J. Buchanan ; Capts.—H.
T. Tribe, E. F. Pritchard, and J. Law; First Lieut.
—J. Rogers ; Second Lieuts.—J. Frett and G.
Downer.

Mr. Richardson, C.E., whose method of utilising
petroleum to supersede coal and coke for steam pur-
poses is now under the consideration of Govern-
ment, has been requested by the Admiralty to lay
his drawings for the manufacture of a wrought iron
grate suitable for carrying out the experiment of
burning the oil on an extensive scale before the au-
thorities of Woolwich Dockyard, the Admiralty engi-
neers having reported favourably on the system. A
lecture on petroleum is announced to be given on
the 16th inst. by Mr. Richardson at the United Ser-
vice Museum, in which he will endeavour to prove
, the absence of danger from the contact of a lighted
match, a candle, or a simple spark, with the petro-
leum, unless it be heated to a temperature of 80 or
90 deg. Fahrenheit. During the course of experi-
ments at Woolwich Commodore Dunlop asked Mr.
Richardson what would be the probable effect of a
red-hot cannon ball passing through the petroleum
tank on board a ship of war. His reply was, " that
it would merely vapourise the oil, and that the va-
pour, unless made to pass through flame, would
escape without doing any harm." He added "that,
if the comm.—inde-1- of a ship should have any misgiv-
ings or fear of danger, the oil might be used only
after the petroleum spirit had been extracted from it.
_ A hundred tow of this," he stated, " would be of no

PRICE 4d.
STAMPED sd.

more danger on board than 100 tons of butter or
lard, as it would vapourise until well boiled."

In our report of the proceedings at the Royal
Military Academy, Woolwich, inserted in The San
of the 24th ult., the name of a cadet, Mr. Freeth,
who obtained a prize for first landscape drawing,
namely, fthe English school of painting in water
colours, was inadvertently omitted.
The following appointinentS have been made at
the Admiralty :—Lieut. -Orford S. Cameron to the
Cumberland ; John 0. Waye, master, to the St.
George ; William llogton, naval cadet, to the Cad-
mus ; Charles W. King, assist.-paymaster, to the
Bombay; and Alexander W. Brett, assist-paymas-
ter, to the St. George.

Mr. Glaisher's Second Winter Balloon

Ascent, December 30,

TO TILE EDITOR OF TILE SUN.

Sir,—During the period of winter very few bal-
loon ascents have ever been made, and mountains
are not climbed at this time, so that we are in

ignorance of all connected with the higher regions
of the atmosphere at this season of the year—of the

progressive diminution temperature with elevation

—of the diffusion of vapour—of the density and
thiiltneSs of elovdserVArttf-t)e cold currents of

air, &c. It is, therefore, the most important for

experiments, but 'at the same time the most difficult

season to pursue them. I was desirous to ascend

on the shortest day, but circumstances, and Mr.
Coxwell being out of health, delayed it till Friday,

Dec. 30. On this day, at the time of the beginning
to fill the balloon, the wind was S.S.W., giving the
promise of 100 miles of country, but on its comple-
tion the wind was west,•or directly towards the 'sea.
Pilot balloons at first went nearly E., and at a
moderate elevation indicated a N.W. current. The
W. wind is the worst possible starting from Wool-
wich, and the one we have endeavoured to, avoid.

At this time, at Greenwich, the anemometer indi-
cated a very slow motion, and we resolved to use
the gas, as we thought two hours might elapse before
reaching the sea.
On leaving at 2h. 121 m. p.m. our course was
E.N.E. over Plumstead marshes and towards the
river Thames, but when about 500 feet high, and
before reaching the river, the direction changed to
E. nearly. At 2,200 feet we were in cloud; were
nearly over the river, north of Erith, at 2h. 24m.,
when at the height of 2,600 ft. At this time there
were fully 150 vessels under us; the river seemed
dottedwith ships. Our course then seemed to be over
each bight of the river, and had it continued
.so we
"should have passed into Kent. On entering the clouds
at 2h. 29m. at the height of 2,600 feet, we lost sight
of the earth, 400 feet higher the cloud was dark and
dense ; at 3,200 feet it was dense, but bright, and
:When 200' feet higher we passed out of the cloud
into brilliant sunshine—a beautiful purpian un-
clouded sky—it felt warm and looked like surdaer,
and was a great contrast to the dull leaden- sky we
had left. Under us was a perfect sea of dazzling
white cloud, its surface varied with an infinite
number of gauze-like films, evidently caused by the
very rapid evaporation then going on from its upper
surface. The; image. of the balloon, the car, and
ourselves was perfect and very fine. It was with
regret that I could not make many experiments
here ; but Mr. Coxwell said, " In a very short time
we shall be two miles high, we must not ascend
higher than we are, or keep above the clouds longer,"
and very energetically pulled the valve line. He
parted with a great deal of gas before the balloon
took a downward motion, and then, on dipping into
[ the cold-wet-cloud, we descended so quickly, (1,100

feet per minute) that the instruments could not take
up their successive temperatures till we were within
700 feet of the earth. This rapid descent was
checked-at the expense of a large amount of sand.
Thus we lost both gas and ballast. On taking care-
ful note of our position we found.thatwe -were about
a mile north of Purfiect, and moving directly to-
wards the middle of Sea-reach. At 2h. 54m. we
were about 11 miles north of Grays, and moving
towards Mucking, and when approaching it we de-
scended, with' the intention of landing near to the
river-side---but on coming to within 300 feet of the
earth we fell into a current that took us somewhat

inland, and in the direction of Stanford-le-Hope--
Mr. Coxwell brthight the balloon to the earth, close
to the railway station, at ten minutes after three,
about twenty miles from Woolwich. The anemome-
ter at Greenwich in the same time had registered
seven miles.

The temperature of the ground before starting
was. Vi deg. ; at 500 ft. it was 401 deg. ; at 1,000
ft., 37 deg. ; at 2,000 ft., 33i deg. ; at 2,500 ft., in
the cloud, 31 deg. ; at 3,300 ft., just at the upper
boundary of the cloud, 27 deg. ; at 3,700 ft., 400 ft.
above the cloud, it was 312.. On descending it de-
creased to 28 deg. in the cloud, and then increased
to 38i at 900 ft. high. There was no change from
this height to 300 ft. from the earth, when the in-
struments were picked up. At ten minutes after-
wards the same temperature was found on the
ground—viz., 381. At the Royal Observatory,
Greenwich, the temperature was 39 deg.; without
change between the hours of two and three.
The temperature at which vapour was deposited
as water was, on the earth, 35 deg., or about 7i
deg. lower than that of the air ; at 1,000 ft. high it
was 6 deg. below ; at 2,000 ft., 3 deg. ; in the cloud,
1 deg., showing that the air was very nearly satu-
rated ; but above the cloud the air was very dry, it
being necessary to cool the instruments down to 13
deg. or 14 deg., or 17 deg. below that of the air,
before any moisture was visible.
The actual amount of water present in a cubic

:oot of air was 21 grains on the ground, 11 grains

in the clouds, and grain above the clouds. At the
Royal Observatory, Greenwich, there were 2 grains
in the same mass of air.

Unlike the previous:asc,ent, the balloon was con-
stantly in a state of revolution, and I did not suc-
ceed in obtaining a single magnetic observation
No ozone was shown.

It was unfortunate that the wind changed to the
direction it did. The time for observation was so
shortened in consequence that the facts, which if
sufficiently numerous at this time in the year would
be very valuable, were too limited ; all that could
be done was done by Mr. Coxwell, and he kept up
to the last moment.
The management of a balloon in the winter season
is far more exacting upon him than one in summer ;
indeed, winter ascents are so upon both of us, and
increases the regret that when undertaken should
not produce a finer series of observations than I
could take on this occasion.—l am, &c.,
JAMES G-LAISHER.

Blackheath, Jan. 3.

THE WEATHER IN THE NORTll._Winter set in
in earnest on New Year's-day in the north-eastern
counties. The air was intensely cold, and the frost was
very keen. Most of the ponds and small sheets of water
in Northumberland were covered with ice on Monday
and, as that day was a general holiday in the north, troops
of skaters from the large towns were out in the country
enjoying that manly exercise. Snow was falling in heavy
showers on Monday night. The face of the country was
covered with a white mantle, and there was every appear_
ance that there would be a heavy fall of snow
before
morning.
lowestan
temperatureWel regis-
teredrn, 23 degs.
This is the lowest register this winter,
at
h Begs., g thes
~ dat
except for a solitary
night last month (December 18), when 22 degs. were
marked. ,
ADVERTISEM .1 ENT.-1101.0Way's pills and Ointment.—
CoCds, Shortness of Breath.—These corrective remedies
aro infallible for these pectoral complaints, which neglected
often end in asthma' bronchitis,
Ointment well rubbed. Upon the chest and consumption. The
the skin, is carried directly to the est and back, penetrating
impurities. All the blood lungs, when it expels all
i
through the lungs, and there
all noxious particles tending
_ be quickly, thoroughly, and perma-
nently
neutralised,rendered harmless, or ejected from the
system. Holloway's Ointment
this purification, and
d and Pills perfectly accom-
plishthe influence of thesell'
n
wonderful medicaments reaches the
1 remotest parts of the human body and thus cures all
I diseased action, whether internal or external.

ZI ,t,',4,Nt, (c...,•,(---`-t=;': ,-,:p.?;
/ •
HEAL T 42,,
- .
(From the Registrar-Generals Tireekl&trta,)
In the last week of the year the deaths in London
rose to 1,697.
They had been in the previous week
1,523. There was no increase in the mortality of
young persons ; but a considerable increase occurred
among those of advanced age. The deaths at 60
years and upwards rose from 323 in the previous
week to 417 last week. The mean temperature of
the air in the first week of December was 44.9 deg.
In the three following weeks it was 37.3 deg., 34.5
deg., and 35.6 deg. Last week the thermometer
fell on five nights below the freezing point of water.
The average number of deaths in the last week of
ten years, 1854-63, is, with a correction for in-
excess of the estimated number by 177.
crease of population 1,520. The actual result is in

The mortality from bronchitis increased conside,
rably. In the_ last three weeks the deaths from this
The
corrected average
•si-sllefocessir last week
successively
189,
Pneu-
monia 22 was fatal in 107 cases, against an average of
is
only
andl 84 2. 82 .
108 ; heart disease in 77 cases, the average being
61. Of the 282 deaths from bronchitis, all except
89, occurred among persons 20 years old and up-
wards ; 115 occurred in the period from GO to 80
years. The cold weather has raised the mortality,
principally by producing or aggravating this form
of disease among the old.
Eight nonagenarians died in the week. The oldest
were two widows aged 95 and 96 years.
Typhus predominated among zymotic diseases—
it caused 90 deaths ; measles caused 42 ; scarlatina
53, both of the latter complaints having declined in
the week. Five deaths from measles were registered
in the Kensington Town sub-district ; 11 frOm
typhus in the Greenwich district, which contains
Deptford and Woolwich:. -Eighteart etrth.s-from
typhus were recorded,in Islington West, in which
sub-district the London Fever Hospital is situated.
On the 23d of December a charwoman, aged 64,
(lied at 16, King's-terrace, Homerton, of " starva-
tion and cold." (Inquest.)
A cabman died of "acute farcy" after 16 days'
illness.

Last. week•the births of 1,000 boys and 956 girls,
in all 1,956 children, were registered in London.
In the 10 corresponding weeks of the years 1854-
63 the average number (corrected) was 1,824.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 30.047 in.
The mean daily reading was above .30in. on the first
five days. The reading of the barometer was 30.39 in.
on Sunday ; it fell to 29.62 in. on Saturday. The
mean temperature of the air in the week was 35• G
deg., which is 1.3 deg. below the average of the
same week in 43 years (as determined by Mr.
Glaisher). The highest day temperature occurred
on Thursday, and was 43.5 deg. The lowest night
temperature was 27.8 deg., and occurred on Tues-
day. The range in the week was, therefore, 15.7
deg. The mean daily range was 6.2 deg. On
Sunday, Monday, and Thursday the range was
only about 3 deg. The difference between the
mean dew-point temperature and air temperature
was 5.3 deg. The mean degree of humidity was
81, complete saturation being represented by 100.
On four days the prevailing direction of the wind
was north-east. On Wednesday and the two fol-
lowing days it was south-west. The whole amount
of rain or melted snow was the tenth part of an
inch, which fell on Saturday. The mean of the
highest temperatures of the water of the Thames
was 43.8 deg. ; that of the lowest was 36.1 deg.
The births registered in Dublin during the weeks
ending the 24th and 31st of December were
138 and 185, and the deaths 151 and 170 for the
same periods. The population of Dublin (municipal
limits) was 254,808 in 1861, spread over an area of
3,808 statute acres.