The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-02 00:00:00

GREAT WESTERN OF CANADA.

The report of the directors states that the aggre-
gate expenditure on capital account to the 31st of
July amounted to £5,119,367, leaving a balance of
£26,983. The outlay on capital account during
the half-year was £27,181. The gross receipts on
revenue account for the past half-year amounted to
£284,565, and the working expenses, taxes, and
rent of suspension-bridge to £132,486, leaving a
balance of £152,079. From this was deducted
£17,498 interest on Government loan, £32,464 in-
terest on bonds, £54,937 loss on conversion of
American money, and £26,317 renewal of rails,
sleepers, bridges, &c., leaving £20,862 ; to which
was added £8,295 for mail service on Sarnia branch,
£3,082 amount from Montreal Telegraph Company
under agreement, and £4,571 surplus from the pre-
ceding half-year, making £36,810 ; out of which
the directors recommended the payment of a divi-
dend at the rate of 2 per cent. per annum, leaving
a balance of £3,205 to the credit of the current
half-year. The gross receipts for the six months
ending the 31st of July were £284,565, against
£314,940 for the corresponding half of 1864. The
aggregate receipts for passengers showed an increase
of £14,539, while the freight and live stock receipts
showed a decrease of £45,052, leaving a total de-
crease of £30,513, as compared with the corres-
ponding half of 1864, which was attributed to ex-
ceptional circumstances. The abundant harvest
throughout Canada and the general improvement
of business afforded reasonable ground for believing
that the traffic of the current half-year would con-
tinue satisfactory. A settlement had been arrived
at with the Provincial Government as regarded the
mail service since October, 1858. The appeal of
the Commercial Bank of Canada to the Committee
of the Privy Council had been dismissed with costs.
The receipts of the Detroit and Milwaukee Rail-
way for the half-year ending the 30th of June last
amounted to £147,870, against £119,576 for the
corresponding half of 1864, showing an increase of
£28,294.

DOG JusncE.—A man named Buhler, residing at
Berne, was in the habit of training dogs to perform tricks,
and sometimes cruelly ill treated them. A few days since
he brutally beat a little dog which would not obey his
order, and while doing so one of his large dogs sprang for-
ward, seized him by the throat, and bit him so severely
that he died on the following day.

That the powder so embedded is preserved from caking
by damp, which commonly occurs when packed in the or-
dinary way in barrels : and to obviate which, I am informed,
it is usual to allow 20 per cent. of space to permit the sur-
face to be shaken, and thereby kept broken up.
Furthermore—should the compound become damp, by
being stored in exceptionally moist places, or by accident,
that the compound may be safely dried by being baked in
an oven, or, without special precaution, in any other way,
as no amount of heat can give rise to an explosion.
By resorting to Mr. Gale's process, the compound may
be transported either by common carriages, by railway in
ordinary trucks, or on shipboard, in any quantity, with ab-
solute safety ; and, indeed, it is infinitely less objectionable
than many articles of commerce, such as coal, cotton, wool,
hemp, &c., whether when stored away in ordinary sheds
and warehouses or in course of transport.
Coal, as is well known, is occasionally liable to sponta-
neous combustion, and with the other articles named is
capable of ignition, and, when once inflamed, these ma-
terials, and many others that might be mentioned, add
intensity to the conflagration in the warehouse, building,
truck, or shipboard, in which the fire occurs ; whereas Mr.
Gale's compound would positively act as a damper, and its
tendency, therefore, if exercised at all, is to arrest the pro-
gress of a fire rather than to aggravate it.
In short, I may sum up the result by stating that gun-
powder may now be conveyed, stored, and used by means
of this process with absolute safety to the public, and even
as regards those employed in its manufacture, one danger-
ous process—that of packing—is rendered harmless; and
it is quite possible that other arrangements may be dis-
covered to lessen the remaining risks still to be encountered
in the making, and thus tend to further economy of life
and money.
The Legislature has, therefore, now the means of dic-
tating a mode by which all public alarm as regards the
transport, storing, and housing of gunpowder may be set
at rest ; and although public opinion may enforce regula-
tions to secure public safety quite irrespective of additional
cost—especially should another severe explosion occur—
yet if, as a few observations will show, the result of the
introduction of Mr. Gale's process is, taking all circum-
stances into account, a positive economy, how much the
hands of the Legislature would be strengthened in en-
forcing, by statute, stringent regulations for accomplishing
so desirable an object.

Now with regard to the bulk and weight of the mixture,
which is an obvious objection—namely, that the compound
being five times heavier or thereabouts than the powder
contained in it, renders it necessary to convey five tons for
every ton of gunpowder—it is to be remarked that, as the
mixture may be classed for railway transport with the
heaviest and commonest articles, instead of being specially
rated as gunpowder is (in consequence of the special and
costly mode of constructing the trucks used for its con-
veyance), the real cost would undoubtedly be less.
The same observation applies still more forcibly to gun-
power on ship board, which, in addition to the precautions
essential to its pro oction, and unless its presence is con-
cealed involves an extra rate of insurance extending
over the ship and the entire cargo ; whereas the com-
pound, if in any large quantity, and properly packed in
bags, might be stored in place of ballast.
The result appears to me obvious : that the cost of
transport by sea—taking all elements into account (not
omitting the fact that passengers would, if possible, avoid
sailing in a vessel partly loaded with gunpowder—must
be less for the compound than for the unprotected gun-
powder.

With. regard to the storage of gunpowder on board or
on shore, it is only necessary to reflect on the special
arrangements now made to lessen the danger in order to
arrive at the conclusion that a very heavy rent is imposed
on this dangerouartiele. Sometimes old men-of-war are
used as magazines : those, though more free from the
chance of such an accident as that which occurred at Erith,
are, nevertheless, excessively costly as stores. Indeed, if
interest on capital, insurance, and salaries bo taken into
account, the cost of storage would be found to be enor-
mous, without absolute safety being obtained.
The more usual mode, however, is to select some
remote locality on the margin of a navigable channel, and
then construct casemates specially for this purpose, and
then to locate, as near as may be, a few select attendants.
This may not be so expensive as floating magazines ; but
as compared with housing the compound in bulk, in barrel
or in bags—in any ordinarily contrived sheds, provided
there is a dry floor and a sound water-tight roof, and
situated in any neighbourhood, however dense—provided
only that it be convenient for the purpose, and necessitat-
ing no other special protection or attention--I do not hesi-
tate to express my decided conviction that the housing of
this material—whether afloat or on shore—must neces-
sarily be much more economical than that of pure gun-
powder—though less by 5 to 1 in weight, and of 3 to lin
bulk, when stowed in barrels, or of 2 to 1 when stowed in
bags.
It is hardly necessary to allude to the necessity of some
protection being secured to the public from the storage of
gunpowder by retail dealers. No one resident in a town of
any size can be certain that he is not within the influence
of an explosion of from ono to two cwt. of gunpowder.
Our police reports indicate the reality of this source of dan-
ger ; but if it bo rendered illegal for any person whatever
to have in his possession any quantity of gunpowder ex-
cept as a compound, this cause of apprehension would
cease.

I may just advert to the facility of separating the powder
from the protecting material ; this process is so familiar to
every mechanician—and indeed so many contrivances at
once present themselves for effecting this safely and ra-
pidly, whether for ordinary purposes or even in the excite-
ment of an engagement—that I content myself by observ-
ing that no objection could be raised that could not in-
stantly be sot at rest.

So readily indeed does the protecting powder separate
from the gunpowder, and so little is the gunpowder affected
by the process, that on mixing 101 b, of gunpowder with
401 b. of protecting powder, and separating them again,
there was not oven the turn of the scale to indicate any
loss or gain of weight in the gunpowder.
There is ono element of cost—viz., that of the compound
itself—which must be taken into account. This, at pre-
sent, I am informed, amounts to £1 lOs per ton, or £6 for
every ton of gunpowder.

This cost will doubtless be subject to large reductions,
like every other article of manufacture, when the demand
increases. And as regards the watte of the material, this
is only likely to occur in the case of the export of gun-
powder, when the economy of transport must be so large
as altogether to outweigh the expenditure ; while for home
consumption the powder may be used over and over again,
the only charge being for the return-carriage of a low-
classed article.
On the whole, therefore, I am clearly and decidedly of
opinion that for all commercial purposes Mr. Gale's pro-
cess may be introduced with the certainty in almost every
case of securing an absolute economy to the consumer,
while at the same time securing the public from the recur-
rence of those distressing accidents to which the use of un-
protected gunpowder is necessarily exposed.
I have refrained from going into the question as to its
applicability to warlike purposes, military or naval. It is
obvious that the danger for the future may be confined to
the powder actually prepared and stowed in a battery, or
on shipboard for immediate use.
In the dangerous process—that of charging shells—
the risk may be confined to the small quantity of gun-
powder immediately dealt with, as the , powder in bulk
being kept in the compound form is thereby safe from
explosion.

In conclusion, I will only add, that I unfeignedly feel
that Mr. Gale has accomplished a national object, namely,
that of providing for the use Of gunpowder with absolute
safety to the public; and not only without adding to its
present cost, but, in all probability, with a certain future
reduction to the consumer.—l am, dear Sirs, faithfully
yours,
G. P. BIDDER.
24, Great George-street, Westminster, Sept. 5, 1865.

SUGAR.--The strong upward tendency of the mar-
ket during the past few weeks, and the favourable
features at present generally shown, evidence that an im-
portant change has taken place in the position of the article
since the opening months of the year. This has, to some
extent, been unexpected, as continued liberal arrivals,
added to already excessive stocks, inclined the more
cautious section of the trade to the belief that any
material advance in value would be checked until the
turn of Christmas at least, and the improvement wo now
witness may be chiefly attributed to the extraordinarily fine
weather fcr this season of the year, and the fresh impetus it
has given to consumption by insuring abundant crops of fruit.
Both refiners and grocers have been ready buyers, and heavy
quantities have changed hands; but towards the close the
dealers have not come forward so freely, partly in consequence
of the higher proton sions of holders, the light amount on offer,
and the advance rate in th:,‘ Bank rate of discount yester-
day to 441- per cent. Nevertheless, extreme firmness pre-
vails, and quotations range from Gd. to ls. 6d. per cwt.
above those of this day sen'night. The leading trans-
actions have been as follows .-Foxy brown to grey Mauri-
tius, 295. 6d. to 345. Gd. ; middling to good yellow crystal-
lised, 365. to 395. Gd. ; low to good Gurpattah Bengal,
335. 6d. to 365. Gd. ; good white Benares, 38s. 6d. ;
common Madras Jaggery, 28s. ; grainy, 295. to 295. 9cl. ;
good brown to good yellow Penang, 335. to 335. 6d, ;
clayed Manila, at from 325. 6d. up to 345. ; unclayed, 30s.
to 30s. 6d. ; No. Havana, 375. Gd. to 38s. ; Cuba Mus-
covadoes, 355. Gd. to 365. 6d. ; and low to good yellow
Porto Rico, 355. 6d. to 395. 6d. Floating cargoes are scarce,
and we have no oaks to report.-The Grocer.

This so-called test of insanity, which is the great
source of contention at the present time, is generally
said to have been laid down by the judges in their
answers to the questions of the House of Lords in
1843. As these answers are constantly referred to,
it will be well to look at them a little closer. On
March 5, 1843, Macnaughten was tried for the
murder of Mr. Drummond, whom he had shot, mis-
taking him for Sir Robert Peel. The judges were
the Lord Chief Justice Tindal and Justices Williams
and Coleridge. Before the close the Lord Chief
Justice stopped the trial and directed an acquittal
on the ground of insanity. Great indignation
was expressed on all sides at this result. It was
said that the law was in fault which per-
mitted it, and the House of Lords was urged
to pass some Act which should better secure the
punishment of such offenders. An important debate
took place on March 13, in which the Lord Chancel-
lor Lyndhurst, Lords Brougham, Cottenham, and
Campbell took part. The Chancellor asserted that
the law wanted no alteration and deprecated any
fresh legislation on the subject. " Your lordships,"
said he, " might pass such a law : you have the
power to do so ; but when you come for the first
time to put it in execution, the sense of all, the feel-
ing of all reasonable men, would revolt against it ;
and your lordships would be obliged to retrace your
steps and repeal the law which you had passed in a
moment of excited feeling in consequence of recent
painful impressions, but which you could not have
passed under the influence of sober and steady rea-
son." And then he went on to state what the law
is, and to quote the words of Mr. Justice Le
Blanc, who, in 1812, tried a man who had been
found lunatic, by inquisition, and who had com-
mitted murder when undoubtedly insane. Justice
Le Blanc told the jury, " If you should be of opi-
nion that when he committed the offence he was
capable of diitinguishing right from wrong, and was
not under the influence of such a delusion as dis-
abled him from distinguishing that he was doing a
wrong act, in that case he is answerable to the jus-
tice of his country and guilty in the eye of the law."
The Lord Chancellor also quoted justice Mansfield,
who, upon the trial of Bellingham, laid down the
law in very similar terms. " Therefore," said his
lordship, " there is no need of any change. Can your
lordships say that if a man when he commits a crime
is under the influence of delusion and insanity so
as not to know right from wrong, so as not
to know what he is doing, is it possible that your
lordships can by any legislative provision say that
such a man shall be responsible for his act ?" Lord
Brougham also deprecated any interference with the
existing law, but he criticised severely the expres-
sion we so often hear, viz., the " knowing right from
wrong." " One judge," says he, " lays down the
law that a man is responsible if he is capable of
knowing right from wrong.' Another says, "if he
is capable of distinguishing good from evil ; another
capable of knowing what was proper ; another what
was wicked." Lord Brougham said " that he was
not sure that the public at large knew right from
wrong, though their lordships knew that distinguish-
in g right from wrong' meant a knowledge that the act
a person was about to commit was punishable by
law." The other lords discussed the questions
which might be put to medical witnesses, and also
the power which a judge had of stopping a case or
directing a jury to acquit. The result of the debate
was that the house acted on the Lord Chancellor's
advice, " to leave the law as it stands ;" but certain
questions were put to the whole bench of judges as
to the application of the law, and as to the way in
which certain questions might be put to witnesses.—
" Conzhill Magazine" for October.