The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-30 00:00:00

PRIZE PIANOFORTES.

Recently we have been favoured with a view of three
exquisite and costly pianos, about to be transmitted
across the Atlantic by the ma,nufactureps—Messrs.
William Stodart and Son of Golden-square—for the pur-
pose of display in the New York Exhibition. They are,
of course, of different: characters— one being a "grand,"
another a " square " and the third a " cottage ' piano-
forte. The Grand is a seven octave instrument encased
in walnut wood, the mouldings round the top and bottom
being of carved rosewood. Elegant pannelling is intro-
. duced along the sides and elliptic end—the centre of
each containing a shield in a circular framework. The
instrument is supported by solid walnut legs, designed
with admirable taste, and altogether, both in tone and
external appearance, bears evidence of being in all re-
spects a masterpiece of skilled workmanship. The
Square is in every way dissimilar from the noble piano-
forte just mentioned. Its principal characteristic is its
compactness. The conspicuous beauty of its case con-
sists in the bold and massive carving of the rosewood.
Besides these peculiarities, the instrument possesses
others still more remarkable. Although unusually small
in dimensions—being only five feet two inches by two feet
six inches—its tone is singularly powerful. Added to
which, we find en examination that the principle of the
action is altogether different from that which has hitherto
been adopted in the construction of other
.square piano-
fortes. Among other things, for example, the move-
ment of the two pedals is capable (without altering
the quality of tone) of giving greater effect to the
crescendos and diminuendos. It appears that this
novel 'result is produced by the simultaneous action
of the hammer-rest and the key-board--one diminish-
ing the force of the blow from -the hammer, and the
other lessening the depth of touch—thus enabling the
performer to exercise greater command over the fortes
and pianos, and doing this by what has been termed " a
gravitation action "by the manufacturers. The Cottage
is noticeable among the three as quite a curiosity. But
it is not only curious—it is also eminently beautiful.
Cased in walnut, it is decorated, besides, with satinwood,
richly carved in the style of Louis Quatorze. Curtains
of blue satin cover the doors both at top and bottom,
the former displaying the " arms " of the United States
in the loveliest coloured embroidery. Again, instead of
being cut out of ebony and ivory as usual, its keys are
of tortoise-shell and mother-of-pearl ! Altogether, these
three exquisite pianos—while extending the reputation
of the Messrs. Stodart—cannot fail to reflect credit upon
our English manufactures.

ROYAL SAPPERS 'AND MINERS.—WOOLWICH, MAY
28.—One •sergeant and 12 rank' and file arrived at
head-quaiters here on Thursday last from the Royal
Military College, Sandhurst. The 11th Company,
under the command of Captain Hassard, Royal En-
gineers, ordered from Alderney to head-quarters,
are expected to arrive here on the Ist orF 2d of June.
The Master-General has approved of a knapsack of
much smaller dimensions being issued to the corps than
the kind hitherto used, and a great part of the kit at
present carried by the men will be placed in a canvas
bag, and carried on the baggage waggons or othei con-
veyance. The new arrangement is certainly a great
improvement in the right direction, and there' is every
reason to believe the authorities of the line will soon
follow an example which will afford such ease and com-
parative comfort to the men, who on long marches have
been almost borne down by their heavy knapsacks.
DEATH OF MR. CULLING SMITH, BROTHER IN-LAW TO
THE LATE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.—It is with feelings
of regret we announce the demise of this venerable gen
tleman, who died at the residence of his son-in-law, the
Duke of Beaufort, in Arlington-street, in the 79th year
of his age, on the 26th inst. Mr. Culling Smith was a
member of .an old English family, and was closely re-
lated to Sir Cullen Eardley, or Cullen Eardley Smith, as
he is better known. The deceased gentleman had held
situations in connection with the Excise . and other de-
partments Of the government. In 1799 he married
Lady Anne Fitzroy, widow of the Hon. Henry Fitzroy,
daughter of the first Earl of Mornington and sister to
the Duke of Wellington. Strange to add, the Duke of
Beaufort married two of the daughters of Lady Anne
Wellesley—his first wife being her daughter by the Hon.
Mr.
.Fitzroy, and his second, his daughter by the im-
mediate subject of the notice. The legality of his Grace
the Duke of Beaufort's marriage to the two half-sisters
being surrounded with doubt, a special act of Parliament
was passed to render its validity undoubtable.
[ADVERTISEMENT.] ASCOT RACES. —9, Albe-
marle-street, Piccadilly observe, opposite the York
Hotel. The Royal Exhibition. A valuable,
newly-invented, very small powerful waistcoat-pocket
glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person
can be seen • and known one mile and a half distant ;
they answer every purpose on the race-course, at the
opera-houses, country scenery, and ships are cclearly seen
at 12 to 14 miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer-
stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers,
and tourists. Telescopes—A new and most important
invention in telescopes, possessing such extraordinary
powers that some, 3,22 inckes, with an extra eye-piece, will
show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and
,the
double stars ; with the same telescope, weighing only 3
ounces, pan be seen a person's countenance three miles
and a half distant, and an object from 16 to 20 miles.
They supersede every other kind for the waistcoat-pocket;
and are of larger and all sizes, with increasing powers
accordingly. Opera and race-course glasses, with wonderful
power; an object can be clearly seen, from 14 16 to miles
distant. Messrs. S. and B. Solomons, opticians, have in-
vented invaluable preseiving spectacle lenses, immediately
they are placnd before imperfect vision, every object
appears clear and distinct, the most aged, defective sight
becomes bright and brilliant, is brought to its youthful,
natural, and original state. Deafness—New Discovery--
The Organic Vibrator, an extraordinary powerful, and
newly-invented instrument, for Deafness, entirely different
from all others, to surpass anything of the kind that has
been, or probably ever can be produced. Being of the
same colour as the skin, it is not perceptible ; it enables
deaf persons to hear distinctly at church and at public as-
semblies ; the unpleasant sensation of siaging noises in
the ears are entirely removed ; and it affords all the assist-
ance that possibly could be deiired.—S. and B. Solomons,
Aurists and Opticians, 39, Albemarle-street,
Observe, opposite the York Hotel. .