The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-21 00:00:00

THE ACCIDENT TO THE FLEET SEWER.

Mr. BAZALGETTE, the chief engineer, brought
up a report in reference to the late falling in of the
Fleet Sewer, and the inundation of the Metrepoli-
tan Underground Railway. It was as follows :
" I beg to report that the railway had been excava-
ted in the line parallel with and close to the line of li
the Fleet Sewer, and at a depth considerably below
the bottom of that sewer. The ground between
the railway and the sewer was made ground, which
having been disturbed and loosened by the railway
company's works, allowed the sewer to spread and
flatters, and on the 16th inst. the crown of the sewer
fell in. On the 16th I wrote to Mr. Fowler, engi-
neer to the railway, a letter, and that on a subse-
quent inspection the condition of things appeared
so critical, that I felt it my duty, for the safety of
the public and adjoining property, to take the mat-
ter in my own hand, and 1 received a letter from
Mr. Fowler. On Tuesday morning, seeing that
further mischief was possible, I gave orders for the
immediate diversion of the Fleet Sewer through a new
open channel, and the strengthening of the timbers
in the trench. A further length of the sewer, and
the side walls of the railway, however, fell in that
afternoon, and the sewer for the present dis-
charges into the railway. This morning I received
a letter from Mr. Fowler, and learned that some
gentleman had inspected the works on behalf of the
company. I, therefore, felt the necessity upon my
own responsibility and upon the emergency to re-
quest two independent engineers to inspect the
works in their new condition in order hereafter to
protect the interests of this board, all which I now
submit for the sanction of the board, and I recommend
that the solicitor of the board be instructed to give
the Metropolitan Railway Company notice that this
board will look to them to defray the cost, and make
good all damage which has most unquestionably
been caused by their works.
" J. W. BAZALGETTE, Chief Engineer."

This led to a short consultation, and the report
was approved and referred to the Main Drainage
Committee, and the solicitor was instructed to give
notice to the Metropolitan Railway Company to re-
instate the works. _ _

The other business was disposed of and the board
adjourned.

THE I.N7E.RNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

It is evident that the Exhibition now floats on
the tide which leads on to fortune. There can
scarcely be a doubt of its financial success, for it is
certain that whatever may have been the numbers
on any day up to the present time, by the end of
July those numbers will be nearly doubled. It
will be in the latter days of next month, and during
August and September, that the rush of country
visitors will come. By that time we shall sec those
throngs of provincial mechanics and labourers who
contributed so much to the surplus which accrued
from the World's Fair of 1851. Already clubs in
the provinces are providing themselves with tickets
for admission a month hence. Yesterday 500
shilling tickets were sold to the representative of
a working-men's club at Hemel Hempstead—and
this is but an instalment from that place. Employers,
too,The G
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Welch and Sons yesterday bought tickets to the
value, respectively, of £3O and £l6; and a host of
others purchased packets of shilling and half-crown
tickets to the value of four, five, and six pounds.
Th. arch-aa visea concession of the commissioners,
which we noticed yesterday, will bear speedy fruits,
and to ,day is expected to be a bumper. We are
informed that the announcement in yesterday's
article that Wednesday would be the five-shilling
day instead of Saturday is erroneous. The admis-
sion on Wednesday will continue to be a shilling;
and the five-shilling days.are altogether abandoned.
It is more than probable that in a few weeks en-
trance on Saturday will be a shilling, at least in
the afternoon ; and, perhaps, it is advisible that for
the present the admission should not be placed lower
than half-a-crown. But we have no doubt that it
will eventually come to a shilling, and we have
also little doubt that when it is lowered to that
sum the commissioners will be astonished at the
addition to their receipts.
The numbers yesterday were 26,849, of whom
5,721 entered by season tickets. Among the distin-
guished visitors were the Viceroy of Egypt, who
remained until an advanced hour of the afternoon,
Lord and Lady Foley,' the Hon. Charles Murray,
and a party of Hungarians, who evidently enjoyed
the brilliant scene that expanded before them as
they entered. Another party of lunatics from
Dr. Armstrong's Peckham House Asylum were
yesterday enabled to see the Exhibition by the
kindness of the gentleman under whose charge they
are, and again we have to notice with satisfaction
that the poor creatures bore themselves with the
utmost quietness of demeanour.
A week or two since we said that every sewing
machine in the Exhibition seemed to the uninitiated
twin brother to its neighbour. There is, however,
a vast difference between those of various makers.
when we come to examine their operation and
their work more closely. Of all that we have in-
spected—and the mere enumeration of them would
fill up all our available space—none seems so per-
feet as that sbown in the Processes Court by Messrs.
Thomas and Co., of Newgate-street. These gentle-
men are well and favourably known to the public
as the original manufacturers and patentees of sew-
ing machines in this country, For 14 years have
some of these machines held their own against all
competitors, and even now there are no machines to
equal them, most certainly none to surpass them, in
every branch of sewing, be it the finest silk or cam-
bric or on harness leather. They are very easily
managed ; in fact a lesson of half an hour's dura-
tion is quite sufficient to qualify the least expert
person ; and they have another decided advantage
—it is almost impossible that they should get out
of order. The stitch is regular and elastic, without
cord or ridge, is both sides alike, and cannot be
pulled out. The Royal visitors, as well as the
Japanese ambassadors, have honoured Messrs.
Thomas with an inspection of their machines,
and the latter especially have been pleased to express
their high appreciation of the ingenuity displayed
in their structure, and the perfection of the me-
chanism which they display. Messrs. Thomas have,
we may here note, presented to all their workmen
and their families tickets for admission to the Exhi-
bition, with a holiday in which to use them.

One of the most attractive stands in the Exhibi-
tion, holding some of the most attractive goods in
Class 21 is that of Messrs. M'Dougall and Co., the
eminent tartan manufacturers of Inverness, whose
London address during the Exhibition is 24, Brewer-
street, Regent-street. One of the most interesting
facts in connection with the tartans of this firm is
that they are made by Highlanders, out of native
wools. Messrs. M'Dougall have, in fact, done Scot-
land a service, by giving to the inhabitants of the
glens an opportunity of remunerative employment;
and really some of the goods thus produced are un-
equalled by any shown in the Exhibition, where are
collected the best samples of every manufacture.
Messrs. M'Dougall's stand cannot be missed. It is
situated right in front of the visitor as he ascends
I the staircase leading from the eastern dome to the
south gallery, and will well repay a few moments
spent in its inspection ere he hastens on to the other
wonders of the building. Among the articles exhi-
bited, which include beautiful linsey woolseys,
tweeds, shawls, stockings, " plaidies" must be espe-
cially mentioned, the tartans of which excel in
beauty, texture, and harmony of colour any goods
of the sort which have ever come under our notice.
Some shawls made of Vicuna wool, imported from
South America will, we are certain, be extensively
patronised as soon as they are known. On one side
these shawls exhibit the natural colour of the wool;
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