The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-16 00:00:00

" To the Mayor of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

" Sir,—l have had the honour of receiving an address
signed by you on behalf of a meeting of the inhabitants
of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
" I am happy to find that this meeting concurs with
me in opinion that this country ought to be anxious
to maintain the independence of Turkey.' '
" That independence could tot be subverted without
a great change in the territorial circumscription of Eu-
rope ; a derangement of the distribution of power, sanc-
tioned by treaties, and more especially a violation of the
engagements contracted by the great Powers in 1841.
" That independence could not be subverted without
a danger of the aggrandisement of States already suffi-
ciently formidable, and a disturbance of the balance of
power in Europe.
" That independence could not be subverted without
a great diminution of British commerce, now fostered by
the moderate tariff of the Turkish empire.
" You may rely upon the constant vigilance of her
Majesty's Government being employed to prevent such
misfortunes ; upon the sense of justice and good faith
which animates the principal States of Europe ; and
upon the weight of the British Parliament, which will
be ever ready to defend the rights and the independence
of her Majesty's allies.
" I beg you to thank the inhabitants of Newcastle in
my name, for the distinguished honour they have done
me
,and remain, sir, with great respect, your obedient
some,

" J. RUSSELL.

" Chesham-place, April 11, 1853."
—Newcastle Chronicle, April 15.

THE PATENT SMOKELESS FURNACE.:
--•,---

(Front the Mining Journal.)
As "the time produces the man" for its particular
.)
emergency, so does it often . the " means" for at-
taining an immediately desired object ; and just at the
moment when the necessity for aneffic!ent invention to
prevent the formation of smoke, in all its frightfully in-
creasing density and profusion, has become manifest, we
have both the man and the means before us. The smoke-
less furnace invented and patented by Mr. John Lee
Stevens, with whose scientific ability and persevering
industry the readers of the Mining Journal cannot be
unacquainted, appears to us to possess every re-
quirement for the purposes for which it is intended,
its leading points being novelty of conception and
combination, united with extreme simplicity, cheap-
ness of construction, and durability, unendangered by
any moveable parts ; added to which the labour of
the fireman is absolutely simplified and lessened, in-
stead of the contrary. The invention consists in
the combination of two sets of fixed fire-bars, the first of
which is chiefly fed by the scoria and cinders voided
from the second or upper set of fire-bars, with a calorific
plate, the face of which may be protected by a few fire-
bricks ; by which arrangement the current of air enter-
ing at the lower part of the furnace passes through two
strata of fire, and thence between the calorific plate and
the bridge, and is thus so intensely heated as continu-
ously to produce the entire combustion of the gaseous
products of the fuel, and to prevent the ordinary forma-
tion of smoke. It is, in effect, a double furnace, con-
fined to the limits of, and economically applicable to, any
common description of furnace ; has all the advantages
of a hot blast without the cost of any pneumatic appa-
ratus ; is so contrived as uniformly to distribute and
keep up the requisite heat in boilers of whatever form ;
and whilst most effectually preventing the annoyance of
smoke, and the usual deposit of soot in the flues, it
causes an average saving of at least 20 per cent. in the
quantity of fuel consumed, and also admits the substitu-
tion of the cheapest for that of a dearer quality, and of
small instead of large coals, as further means of reduc-
ing the expense of consumption.
These claims to preferential consideration are now
unquestionably sustained by the strong and concurrent
testimonials in favour of the invention that have been
submitted to us, and which place the saving in the cost
of fuel a little in excess of the inventor's calculation,
being in various proportions that range from 20 to 26
per cent. ; and the highly respectable parties from whom
they emanate, agree in declaring that the smoke, visible
only when the " hot blast" is suspended by the door
being opened for a renewal of coals to the furnace, is re-
duced to the lowest possible minimum in quantity, thin-
ness, and duration, and is, indeed, so light, as to be
described as " a little smoky vapour." We may, there-
fore, hope very soon to see the last of the dense smoke,
pouring out in thick and murky currents over and
through the metropolis, from shafts and funnels innume-
rable, and hitherto indomitable. Nor will the benefits
thus conferred on commerce specially, and on society
uniyersally. be onnfin,l to Lo.ndon.—thrpuahout the
United i.ingdom they will be snared, and, we doubt
not, duly appreciated.
Mr. Lee Stevens has already succeeded with his inven-
tion, modified to suit the various forms of boilers re-
spectively used by Messrs. Ward and Co., Grand Junc-
tion Wharf, and Mr. Wm. Batley, engineer, Bridge-
street Works, Northampton ; Messrs. Samuel and Vim.
Standing, engineers. Osborn-street, Whitechapel ; Messrs.
Welch and Margetson, Cheapside ; Messrs. Herring,
Brothers, and Co., Alders,gate-street; Messrs. Keens
and Welch, Garlick-hill ; the General Screw Steam
Company's ship the Earl of Auckland, &c. ; and, we
understand, is daily adding to the number, both in town
and country. We are also happy to hear that he is
possessed of those indispensable adjuncts to extensive
operations in these days—commercial and official in-
fluence to assist, and money power to back him, with-
out which even an enterprise carrying with it the warm-
est wishes of all who value comfort, cleanliness, and
health, might be too much for his admitted experience
and energy.