The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-30 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 30, 1854.

CONTRACT FOR SHOES.
Department of the Comptroller for Victualling and
Transport Services, Somerset-place, 26th December, 1854.
THE Commissioners for Executing the Office of
Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, do Hereby Give Notice, that on SATURDAY, the 13th of
January, 1855, at One o'clock, they will be ready to treat with such
persons as may be willing to Contract for supplying and delivering
into her Ifajesty's Victualling Stores at DEPTFORD, the undermen-
tioned articles, viz.:—

5,500 pairs, size No. 10] SIIOES.
5,500 „ „ No. 11
One half thereof within six weeks, and the remainder within six
weeks afterwards, or earlier, if preferred by the pasties tendering.
Tenders may be made for the whole or any portion of the Shoes.
Their Lordships reserve to themselves the power, when the ten-
ders are opened, of contracting either for the whole, or for such
part thereof only as they may deem fit.
Patterr.s of the Shoes and the conditions of the Revised Contract
may be seen at the said office. No tender will be received after one
o'clock en the day of treaty, nor any noticed, unless made on the
Printed form provided for the purpose, and which may be obtained
on application at the said Office.
Every tender must be addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty,
and bear in the left-hand corner the words " Tender for Shoes,"
and must also be delivered at Somerset-place.

TO BUILDERS._SEALED TENDERS for
BUILDING BARRACKS and STABLES for Royal Artillery,
to be erected at Devonport ; with separate Tenders for the Asphalte
Work, will be received at the Ordnance °Bice, Pall-mall, London, on
or before MONDAY, the Bth January next, at Noon, addressed to
the secretary to the Board of Ordnance, and endorsed " Tender for
Artillery Barracks, Devonport," en the left-hand corner of the
Envelope.
The Royal Artillery Barracks Comprise a Building centaining six
officers' quarters and servant's rooms ; a range of stables, with har-
ness rooms, artillery stores, ablution rooms, with internal staircases,
and soldiers' rooms over the whole range; infantry stables and yard ;
forage barn for hay, straw, and corn ; forge, shoeing shed, pharmacy
and cooking house ; guard house and cells; orderly room and work-
shops ; privies, dung and ash pits ; enclosure walls, gates, side doors,
roads, parades, drains.
Plans, terms, and conditions, with specifications, and addenda
thereto, may be seen, fortes of tender and all necessary information
obtained, at the Royal. Engineer Office, Devonport, between the
hears of Nine and Four o'clock, from Tuesday, 19th instant, to
Alathlig.tas 116.. 4hrisupoi Jas,y
Royal Engineer Office, Devonport, 13th December, 104.

16s. TROWSERS, itEDITOED TO 14s.
Trowsers and Waistcpat. 225. ; Coat. Waistcoat, and ?row-
cars, 475. ; made to order irons Scotch Tweeds, all Wool, and
thorouihly; shrank. by B. BENJAMIN, Merchant Tailor, 74,
Regent-street. perfect lit guaranteed.

PATENT FURNACES, AND THE LAW
OF PATENTS.

(Front the Mining Journal.)
Ire the matter of Letters Patent granted to Mr. John
Lee Stevens, for improvements in furnaces, grates, &c.,
proceedings have been recently taken against a person
who had previously been in the patentee's employment,
Which have elicited the needless and vexatious sacrifice
of time, labour, and expense to which plaintiffs may be
pat by unscrupulous defendants under the new law ;
and to which we call the attention of our readers, to
prepare them for another crusade against the legal
fictions that still remain in our statue books relative to
Letters Patent.
It appears that, notwithstanding the ingenuity of the
defendant, and his acquired knowledge of the patentee's
specifications and practical application of the system
founded thereon, the colourable evasions of the former,
being mere additions to, undoubtedly, the simplest and
most successful means in existence for the prevention of
smoke and economy of fuel, were too palpable, and the
evidence against him too conclusive, to allow the re-
motest chance to his defence. Still the so-called Patent
Law Amendment Act admitted of his throwing difficul-
ties in the way of justice, which, to an inexperienced,
hesitating, or unprovided patentee, might have been in-
surtnountable ; and, in which case, the wantonness of a
dishonest man, the wickedness of an ungrateful servant,
and the recklessness of an impoverished schemer, might
have made the- existing law a triumphant instrument in
the perpetration of the grossest fraud.
Under the new law, it. appears, the defendant's pleas
and objections amounted to the extraordinary number of
forty-three ! , They included everything that could be
brought to bear upon the subject of furnace and other
grates, however inapplicable to the case at issue. .They
declared that the patentee was not the first inventor ;
that the invention was not properly described ; that it
was not, any, manner of manufacture ; that it was not a
new manufacture ; that the invention was not new
when patenteed ; that it was . not specified in
time ; and 'that it ' was not sufficiently speci-
fied. Then the defence went on to declare that
the invention had been previously published, during a
period ranging from about 1814 to 1853, inclusive, in
the Journal of Arts, &c., the Repertory of Arts, &c.,
the Repertory, of Patent Inventions, &en and in the
Combustion of Coal, by Mr. C. W. Williams. Further,
that the invention., had been previously closeribed in the
specifications of numerous patentees, including those of
William Johnson, Josiah Parkes, John Wakai.ld,
Samuel Hall,
W. F. Eggleston, George Holmes, William Bedington,
&c. And lastly, that the invention had been absolutely
in use at enumerated places in town and country ; the
particulars of which we omit, out of consideration to
the highly respectable firms mentioned, to prevent fur-
ther inconvenience to them in gratification of useless
curiosity in addition to the trouble already given and
the annoyance to them by such unauthorised references.
As, however, the last category comes fairly under the
denomination of ascertainable facts, it may be satisfac-
tory to our readers to learn that, at some considerable
cost of labour and expense, their real value, which as re-
garded the purpose of the defence was positively nil,
could he more easily learnt than the vague assumptions
(equally worthless when examined) to be gleaned from
scientific works some of which have long been out of
print, and from specifications, the enrolment of which
began in 1818 and only terminated with 1852.
All this toil and expenditure of money had necessarily
to be made, in order that no allegation on the part of
the defence should be overlooked. To that extent it
will, no doubt, be valuable to the patentee, since the
result has been entirely in his favour. And the process
has obtained for him those statutory certificates from
the Lord Chief Baron which clothe any one, the novelty
of whose invention, and whose rights as a patentee,
have thus been established at law, with great ulterior
advantages, The verdict, therefore, against the
defendant, who may not be able to defray
the damages and costs, will not be altogether barren, as
the power of prompt proceedings in Chancery, or of the
enforcement of onerously increased damages and costs
against defendants at law, must be of considerable im-
portance in respect of an invention so universally adapt-
able as that of Mr. John Lee Stevens'. And our,little
narrative of the facts may not be without service to pa-
tentees who are determined to protect their property ;
nor, on the other hand, in the way of caution to parties
who do not give themselves the trouble to ascertain the
responsibility of those who offer to subdue their smoke,
and economise their fuel. As a matter of course, the
patentee, should such an occasion arise, will prefer re-
spectable firms as defendants to quondam servants ; and
the speediest and most stringent means of enforcing his
rights.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

The Royal George, 120, screw, Captain Codrington,
C. 8., is lying at the Fair-way moorings, Sheerness.
The last ammunition was discharged on Thursday. She
will go into the basin next spring tides ; in the mean-
time, all will be done to lighten her as much as possible.
The crew are going on leave shortly.
The Cressy, 81, screw, Captain Warren, is in No. 1
dry-dock, Sheerness. The whole of the crew were
paid (keeping two months' in hand) on Thursday, and
proceeded on leave till the 15th proximo, with the ex-
ception of 42 of the first-class boys, who went yester-
day. The crews drafted from ships coming home from
foreign stations have long-leave of 60 days. Cressy's
sides are being caulked and her machinery will undergo
a thorough overhaul.
The Majestic, 11, screw, Captain Hope, C. 8., is in
No. 3 dry-dock, Sheerness. Her crew have all been
drafted in the Minotaur hulk, lying in the stream.
They go on leave the beginning of next week it is ex-
pected, for which the " tars" are most anxious.
The Monarch, 84, Captain Patty, Devonport.—The
foremast of the Monarch has been taken out and taken
to the dockyard for survey ; the mizenmast is also to be
taken oit.

,The
dockyard to-day. She may
Captain Warden, will be out
of
fo
thess
ib l
hands ,
remain
ififnop,i
no screwrtths emsea basin far a few days, from theo
want of a berthing hulk.
The Euryalus, 61, screw, Captain Ramsay,
was taken
into No. 1 deck at Devonport on Thursday.
The Melampus, frigate, fitting.wut as a troop-ship, Is
still in the basin at Sheernees, her lower masts are
stepped, but just new few hands working at her.
The Amphion, 34, screw, Captain A. C. Key, is still
over on the west shore at the moorings, Sheerness. She
14.,0.,,,,, 94.4,4,41 sx ,to mirk,* • „
alre Sig meinteeng, butia ci. -,. -'—. ' ' iiore"tr
has, we believe, not yet receivekany
being defective; the opinion gains grant. a . , eern
definite orders ;
and on board, that ultimately she. win bt, (*urea to
Woolwich.

The Penelope, 22, paddle, Captain Caffia, This vessel
will pay down as soonas they can arras the mode of
payment ; the men will have 60 days' leave, with per-
mission to volunteer into any of her Majesty's ships at
the expiration of their leave. We are happy to say that
the crew of the Penelope have subscribed a day's pay
towards the " Patriotic Puad," which has amounted to
something over 281.

yesßirteeh frota Woolwich.
9 arrived in Sheerness
at
2a t
abort
Perloe2rtw.simo Copau.Pmtht, Yesterday
and called in here to take
ahTrebhioes u
bound Ers
S
any " liberty man" that wanted a passage. She re-
mained at No p.m.

The Pylades, 21, screw corvette is still under the
sheers in tke basin at Sheerness. She has taken in all
the machinery and both boilers, which came down in the
Beaver ; one boiler is in the hold, being stowed away ;
the other on deck.
The Malacca, 17, screw, Capt. Ilillyer, was completed
at Devonport on Wednesday; she went out of harbour;
and sailed direct on Thursday morning, with a heavy
mail, for the Black Sea.

The Geyser, 6, paddle, Cozarsander Roderick D•w,
was towed down to Portsmouth Harbour, yesterday, by
the Echo, steam•tug, and swung, to ascertain the devia-
tion of her compass,

The Cuckoo, 3, paddle, Lieut. Commander Augustus
Murray, which left Sheerness yesterday morning for
Plymouth, takes with her a number of supernumeraries,
there to be distributed as required by the service. She
has undergone many improvements since she came home
from Bumarsund, and steamed well out of the harbour.
The Oberon, 3, iron paddle, at Portsmouth, lit fires
yesterday morning and got up steaao. She worked her
paddles in the steam-basin dock for eome bean to prove
boilers and machinery.

ARTILLERY PRACTICE.
The artillery at Shoeburyness practised the whole of
yesterday morning, at the long gun exercise, of
which we have ample proof here, in consequence of
the loud reports felt every two or three minutes, not-
withstanding► Shoeburyneds is'over on the Essex coast,
and distant many naileefrom Sheerness.

men being sent home. The corps musters at present,
after allowing for deductions, about 550 ; but since the
visit of Captain Bourke on Monday about 140 men have
volunteered into the regular service, and of these it is
expected that a considerable number will ultimately pass.
The Lord-Lieutenant, who is Colonel of the regiment,
has handsomely given a Lieutenant's commission to Ser-
jeant-Major Macdonald, who has also been appointed
Quartermaster.

BLYTH'S NOVEL STEAMERS ON THE
DANUBE.

Under a charter granted by the Austrian Government,
the exclusive privilege of the regular traffic of the
Danube is conferred upon an Association established
under the title of the "Imperial .and Royal Steam
Danube Navigation Company," which now possesses
upon that great stream and its tributaries, the Theiss and
Saavo, a fleet of eighty-eight steamers, with an aggre-
gate of ten thousand horse power. These vessels,
averaging two hundred feet in length, are built for
speed, fitted with the utmost elegance, and every re-
quirement for the comfort and luxury of their passengers.
At certain seasons, however, the traffic is interrupted,
sometimes for several weeks, by a bed of rock, known
as the " Iron Gate of the Danube," near OrsOya, a fron-
tier town of Little Wallachia, about 40 miles east of
Moldova, on the borders of Hungary. This rock barrier
has hitherto rendered it necessary to land the passengers
and convey them in rude waggons, over most execrable
roads, to re-embark where the river again becomes navi-
gable. The company, however, has now surmouted this
inconvenience, having just added to its fleet a steamer
that can pass the Iron Gate in all states of the river,
her draft, with passengers and -fuel, being only twelve
and a half inches / This vessel—which has been
constructed by Messrs. J. and A. Blyth, the eminent
marine engineers, of Limehouse London, who have
laitsilrbsilwlattssilbsktAnsonss4l is ill34lllnralliens of
Aisis-natnre icor farm service where shallow draft is a
160 feet-in length, and 20 feet
beam ; has oxcell.ent accommodation for passengers, and
has only nominally 40-horse power, or 1-horse power to
8 tons measurement. Her extremely light draft, com-
bined with strength and speed, has been obtained by
some peculiarities in the construction and arrangement
of the vessel and her Machinery. For instance, the hull
is composed of four longitudinal and six transverse divi-
sions, arranged in the form of A compound truss ; and,
with the bottom and sides of the vessel, forming 15
water-tight compartments. The boiler occupies the centre
of the vessel,. and is suspended by attachments to the
vertical ribs, so as to diffuse the weight over the whole
surface of the bottom of the steamer. There are two
pairs of paddle-wheels, very small and light, constructed
with revolving floats, and each pair driven by a distinct
pair of engines, the forward wheels making 87, and the
after Oa revolutions per minute. This duplicate arrange-
ment of the paddle-wheels is entirely new, and is in-
tended to diffuse the weight as well as the force of the
machinery taxer a larger extent of the surface of the boat
than usual, and to meet the difficulty of obtaining suffi-
cient propelling surface, with 12 inches immersion, with-
out immoderate width of float. The engines, which are
very light and compact, arc an adaptation of the light
screw engines of these well-known constructors to pad-
dle-wheel propulsion.
The Tachtalia (so the vessel is called), en her trial
trip, under the superintendence of Captain Maejon, at-
tained a speed of 1111 miles, against the current ; and
from the novelties in her construction and appearance,
and the important improvement in the navigation of the
Danube which she is destined to effect, she is an object
of much interest on that river. A still greater signi-
ficance is attached to her, and to the principle her
example is certain to achieve in the sy-tem of steam
transit on this great riverine artery of Austria, when we
contemplate the peculiar position of that empire in the
present European struggle, and reflect what may be the
consequences, whether to her own disaffected depen-
dencies, or to the Allies, or to Russia, from the facili-
ties these engineers have now placed at her disposal for
pouring troops into the provinces on the Lower Danube,
without the delay which previously intervened at the Iron
Gate. This famous pass may be said to be the very key
to the strategetic position it will probably be moat im-
. portant for Austria to secure in the approaching crisis
in her fate and the fate of civilisation in that part of the
-world ; for it is literally the "Gate" between Servia and
Wallachia on either side the river, is the focus of the
Sclavonio populations it is so much her interest to con-1
ciliate or control, and may be said almost to com-
mand Widdin, so valuable to the Turks. It is some-
what remarkable that the last ship launched by Messrs.
Blyth should also have approached its destination at a
most critical moment in the fortunes of the Government
it was built for. The noble war-steamer, the Tacuari,

any out ItulricAriattz}.-raz You! Arrive at r4/11-
guay, having on board the late ambassador to England
and France, Brigadier General F. Solano Lopez, son of
the President, shortly after his father, having quar-
relled with the United States diplomatic authorities at
Asuncion, had ordered to be closed against all foreign
vessels of war ; the Brazilian Government also being
simultaneously intent in demanding reparation from
President Lopez for some slight offered their Chargt
d'Affaires, and having resolved to send war-steamers to
Asuncion to exact satisfaction. The presence of such
a vessel as the Tacuari at such a conjuncture would
doubtless produce a most marked change in the relative
bearing of the disputants, especially when it would be-
come known that she was to be followed by a fleet of
six or eight steamers of a like kind from the same yard
on the Thames, General Lopez having left orders for
their construction before his departure, and seen their
machinery far advanced towards completion.

POSTAL TREATY BETWEEN ENGLAND
AND FRANCE.

(From the London Gazette of last Evening.)
Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, and his Majesty the dinperor
of the French, alike animated by the desire of improving,
by means of a new Convention the Postal Service between
the two countries, have named as their plenipotentiaries
for that purpose ; that is to say :
Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Henry
Richard Charles, Lord Cowley a Peer of the United King-
dom, a Member of Her Majesty's Privy Council, Knight
Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath,
Her Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to
His Majesty the Emperor of the French ;
His Majesty the Enaperor of the French, M. Edward
Dronyn de Lhuys, his Minister and Secretary of State of
the Department of Foreign Affairs, Vice-President of the
Senate, Great Cross of the Imperial Order of the Legion
of Honour, &c., &c. ;
Who, after having communicated to each other their
respective full powers, found in good and duo form, have
agreed upon the following articles :
ARTICLE I.
The postage to be collected in France and Algeria upon
paid letters addressed to the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, as well as upon unpaid letters origi-
nating in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire-
land, shall be as follows :-
1. For every paid letter, forty centimes per Eleven
grammes and a half, or fraction of seven grammes and a
half.
2. And for every unpaid letter, eighty centimes per
seven grammes and a half, or fraction of seven grammes
and a half.
Reciprocally, the postage to be collected in the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland upon paid letters
addressed to France and Algeria, as well as upon unpaid
letters originating in Francis and Algeria, shall be as fol-
lows :
1. For every paid letter, four pence per quarter of an
ounce British, or fraction of a quarter of an ounce British.
2. And for every unpaid letter, eight pence per quarter
of an ounce British, or fraction of a quarter of an ounce
British.

ARTICLE IL
The rate at which the Post-uffice of France shall account
to the British Post-office for paid letters addressed to Greit
Britain, forwarded by the French exchanging offices to the
British exchanging offices, as well as for unpaid letters or:•
ginating in Great Britain, forwarded by the British ex-
changing offices to the French exchanging offices, shall be
as follows :-
1. For paid letters addressed to Great Britain, the sum
of sixty centimes per thirty grammes, net weight ;
2. And for unpaid letters originating in Great Britain,
the sum of one franc twenty centimes per ounce British,
net weight.
Reciprocally, the rate at which the British Post-office
shall, on its side, account to the Post-office of France for
paid letters addressed to France and Algeria, forwarded
by the British exchanging Offices to the French exchang-
ing offices, as well as for unpaid letters originating in
France and Algeria, forwarded by the French exchanging
Offices to the British exchanging Offices, shall be as fol.
lows :-
1. For paid letters addressed to France and Algeria, the
sum of one franc per ounce British, net weight ;
2. And for unpaid letters originating in France an,.
Algeria, the sum of two francs per thirty grammes, net
weight.