The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-28 00:00:00

INSTITUTION OP CIVIL ENGINEERS— Jan. 25.

tomed with the roar and turmoil of the wind and the
waves than to speak on such an accasion as this. Yet,

gentlemen, I should do injustice to you and to my own
feelings did I not congratulate you on this most auspi- '
cious day, which ensures the success of an enterprise in •
which our most earnest agitated hopes have been cen-
tred. I can but congratulate you upon the complete
triumph of that enterprise and the realisation of those
hopes. I have stood, gentlemen, on the deck when the
elements in their fury seemed about to overwhelm the
ship, and yet I never looked forward with more anxiety
to a safe passage through these trials than I have done
in watching the progress and anticipating the conclusion
of this enterprise ; and when the end came and we stood
before the world in triumph, I can assure you every part
of my frame was quickened, and the blood rushed with
redoubled force through my veins. I need not say it
was a proud day for Mr. Ericsson. The mind that, for
twenty years, has cherished and nurtured an idea like
this, must feel more than pride at its successful applica-
tion. To him who has conceived and executed we owe
all ; and it is my sincere trust that he will be fully repaid
in his day, and I doubt not that posterity will take care
of a fame that will rank with a Fulton or a Morse. I
can pay but a poor tribute to the father of this—the man
who furnished the sinews, and reduced the idea to a
fact ; the man whose comprehensive mind compassed its
entire scope, and whose sagacious foresight anticipated
the result. Need I say I allude to Mr. J. B. Kitching ?
Through concealed opposition, and sneers often openly
expressed, he went straight on, and the end is his own
best reward, and the conscious dignity of success his best
praise. And to those who have constructed and finished
the work, I can say they have performed their part most
faithfully and well. It speaks for itself, and I can point
to it with pride ; and the gentlemen who constructed the
hull have the satisfaction of knowing that a superior
does not ride the waves. Gentlemen who represent the
insurance interests of this great mart, I welcome you on
board of the first caloric ship, which, I trust, you will
find not inferior to any in naval architecture, and will
prove a new era in marine insurance. Gentlemen of the
press, you are most welcome. lam proud to meet you
on such an occasion, and I feel you have witnessed this
day a new motive power, in'which I hope you have been
interested. To you we owe much, as one of the connect-
ing links between thought and mind ; and in presenting
the particulars of this new invention before the public, I
am confident that you will "nothing extenuate, nor set
down aught in malice." The worthy captain concluded
by giving
" Commerce and Justice—Commerce, the great pioneer
of civilisation and the nurse of content; Justice, the hand-
maiden. Nations and individuals alike responsible—con-
nected, humanity must advance."
The owners and builders of hull and engines were also
toasted, and other sentiments given and responded to ;
after which the -company embarked on board the tow-
boat, and arrived in the city highly delighted with their
trip, and convinced that the success of the caloric en-
gines was placed beyond all doubt. The opinion was
general, that with cylinders of proper dimensions, placed
in a boat to correspond, the greatest attainable speed
may be realised, and at an expense lower than had ever
before been thought possible • and furthermore, that all
concerned deserved the highest credit, and had placed
the people and country under obligations to them.
We feel proud that such a triumph has been realised
• in New York, and that American money has enabled the
inventor to accomplish his grand idea.
The Ericsson will be taken to-day to her old dock at
' Williamsburg, to have her engines put in a thorough
state of completeness, previous to starting on her trip to
) Baltimore.

THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY
AND THE YORKSHIRE COAL-OWNERS.

It is pretty generally known that, owing to the open-
ing of the Great Northern and South Yorkshire Rail-
ways, the demand for coal from the South Yorkshire
pits has very greatly increased during the last 12 months.
Formerly a large supply was always in readiness at the
pit's month, but latterly it has been found impossible to
meet the demands of the railway companies, notwith-
standing the number of new shafts recently sunk in this
district, and now in full working operation.
The operative miners, perceiving this state of things,
demanded at the close of last year an increase of wages,
which in almost all instances was complied with by the
coal proprietors. This concession necessitated an in-
creased price to the consumer through the- larger and
more immediate purchasers— the Great Northern Com-
pany. It was, therefore, intimated to the directors of
the company, early in the present month, that an in-
creased price of 6d. per ton (viz., from 4s. to 4s. 6d.), at
the pit's mouth would in future be required by the coal
proprietors, and also that the extra cwt. theretofore al-
lowed in each ton for breakage would be charged in the
traffic account.
In consequence of this intimation, a meeting of the di-
rectors of the Great Northern Company was held at
King's-cross station, on the 4th instant, at which, after
a long deliberation, it was resolved that the proposed
advance should be resisted. Accordingly, instructions
were immediately given to the officials of the company
to receive no further supplies from the pits of Earl
Fitzwilliam, Messrs. Newton and Chambers, and Messrs.
Day and Twyvell, of the Elsecar, Thorncliffe, and
Hoyland Collieries, until further notice. The accumu-
lation of orders on the books of the Great Northern
Company, however, rendered it imperative that a new
source of supply shall be forthwith obtained ; and,
after some negotiation, they effected terms with the pro-
prietors of the Gawber-hall pits, near Wakefield, not-
withstanding that the arrangement involved an increased
mileage of 24 miles, at the rate of 10d. per mile, and an
increase of 9d. per ton in the price of the article, as com-
pared with the original charges of the South Yorkshire
pits.

The effect of this change was, as might be expected,
very considerably to diminish the traffic returns of the
South Yorkshire Railway Company (whose line runs
from Doncaster to the pits), the reduction being, in fact,
as much as 2,0001. per week. This company, however,
being dependent on the coal-proprietors at one end of
their line, and on the Great Northern Company at the
other, had no alternative but to submit to the loss until
the dispute between the two bodies was adjusted, which
was ultimately done as follows :
The Gawber-hall proprietors, having learnt the state
of affairs just described, and that the Great northern
Company had resorted to them as a matter of temporary
expediency, and also hearing that the coal-owners of the
north had, at a general meeting at Darlington on Mon-
day, the 17th inst., come to a determination to advance
the price of their coals 9d. per ton, resolved to increase
the price of the Gawber-pit coal in the same ratio as the
South Yorkshire pits, viz., 6d. per ton. This being in-
timated to the Great Northern directory, Mr. Seymour
Clarke, the general manager of the line, accompanied by
Mr. Middlemess, the mineral agent of the company,
proceeded on Friday last to Elsecar, where they had an
interview with the agents of the various coal-proprietors
of the South Yorkshire district, the result of which was
that arrangements were made for resuming their traffic
with the South Yorkshire pits at the increased price.

[ADVERTISEMENT].—IMPORTANT FROM AUSTRALIA.--
"We consider we are performing an act of humanly to
the community of Van Diemen's Land, in acknowledg-
ing that statements have been made to us by several per-
sons who have taken Parr's Life Pills, with the most
beneficial effect to them. Accounts of their efficacy
have been furnished us by various individuals who have
taken them, since the supply furnished by the patentees
in England to Mr. Dowling ; but they have generally
savoured so much of the marvellous, that we have hesi-
tated to make the statements public. However, we are
now satisfied from further accounts given to us, that to
hesitate longer would be perpetrating an act of criminal
omission to our fellow-creatures, and having taken the
pills ourselves with the most satisfactory result, we per-
form only an act of duty in most strongly recommending
them to the public at large. This we feel the more con-
fidence in doing, knowing that under any circumstances
they cannot do harm • and our conscientious belief is,
that they cannot be taken by any person without doing
him good."—Cornwall ( Van Diemen's Land) Gazelle.
Parr's Life Pills are eagerly sought after in all our colo-
nies, especially in Australia, where a small box recently
sold for 10s. In America, the West Indies, India, and
China, also, their lame is known and their virtues duly
appreciated, causing an immense demand for them ; and
there is no country or port in the world where they will
not speedily become an article of extensive traffic, profit,
and general utility, as they may be had recourse to in
all cases of sickness, with confidence in their simplicity
and power to produce relief. None are genuine, unless
the words " Parr's Life Pills" are in white letters on a
red ground, on the Government stamp, pasted round
each box ; also, the fac-simile of the signature of the pro-
prietors, "T. Roberts and Co., Crane-court, Fleet-street,
London," on the directions. Sold in boxes, at is. lid.,
2s. 9d., and family packets at lls. each, by all respect-
able medicine vendors throughout the world. Full di-
rections are given with each box.
[ADVERTISEMENT.]—Deafness—New Discovery.-39,
Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, observe, opposite the York
Hotel. The organic vibrator, an extraordinary power
ful, small, newly-invented instrument, for deafness, en-
tirely 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, is not perceptible ;
it enables deaf persons to hear distinctly at church and
at public assemblies ; the unpleasant sensation of singing
noises in the ears are entirely removed ; and it affords
all the assistance that possibly could be desired. The
Royal Exhibition valuable newly-invented, very
powerful waistcoat pocket glass, the size of a walnut,
to discern minute objects at a distance of from four to
five miles, which is found to be invaluable, for yachting,
and to sportsmen, gentlemen, and gamekeepers. Tele-
scopes, possessing such extraordinary power, that some
31 inches, with an extra eye piece, will show distinctly
Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the double stars.
They supersede every other kind, and are of all sizes for
the waistcoat pocket, shooting, military purpciSes, &c.
Opera and race-course glasses with wonderful power ; a
minute object can be clearly seen, from 10 to 12 miles
distant. Invaluable newly-invented spectacle.—S. &
Solomons, Aurists aztd Opticians, 39, Albemarle-street,
Piccadilly, observe opposite the York Hotel.

[AuviRTIsEmENT.I-LHolloway's Pills an effectual Re.
medy for
.Gout and Rheumatism.—Extract of a letter
from Mr. W. Moon, at Messrs. Godwin's, auctioneers,
Winchester, dated April 8, 1852.—T0 Professor Hollo-
way. Sir,—l beg to inform you that for years I was a
sufferer from chronic rheumatism, and often laid up for
weeks together, unable to move. I was attended by the
most eminent surgeons here, but obtaining no relief, was
induced to go into our county hospital. The medical
treatment there, however, being of no avail, I left, and
commenced using your pills, which, I am happy to say,
in a short time effected a perfect cure, and enabled me
to resume my employment.—Sold by all druggists, and
at Professor Holloway's estabhshment, 244, Strand,
London,

James Meadows Rendel, Esq., President, in the chair.
The discussion on the preservation of timber was re-
newed, by. the exhibition of specimens of timber, ren-
dered inflammable, by Sir W. Burnett's process (chloride
of zinc). It was stated that in the most intense fire
timber, or even linen, so prepared, could only be charred,
and would never burst into flame. The President ful-
filled his promise of procuring, from Southampton, por-
tions of unprepared and creosoted timber, which had
been attached to the worm-eaten piles of Southampton
Royal Pier, in February, 1848, below the level of high
water of spring tides. The specimens showed that,
whilst the unprepared and the " Payneized" timber was
entirely converted by the worm into a mass of disinte-
grated fibre, the creosoted timber had not been touched
by those insects. An offer was made to attach, in an
identical position specimens of timber prepared by any
process, and to bring them after a given time before the
institution, to enable the merit of the system to be practi-
cally ascertained. The President directed attention to the
Dublin Exhibition and Mr. Roney (the secretary) stated
that the undertaking was progressing most favourably.
The original size of the buliding would be nearly doubled,
and, to meet the additional outlay, Mr. Dargan had in-
creased his donation from 20,0001. to 50,0001. It was
believed that the department of machinery in motion
would be quite as interesting and attractive as that in
the Great Exhibition of 1851, in London. The Society
of Arts had determined that their East India Exhibition,
and all the influence of their body, should be transferred
to the Dublin Exhibition. There would also be a me-
diieval court, and an archieological collection, which
would show that Ireland, though of late years not pro-
gressing so rapidly as this country, was, in former times,
a country possessing high attributes of' civilisation.
There would also be a fine collection of ancient and mo-
dern pictures of every school. Mr. Roney concluded by
_soliciting the members to aid the exhibition by the loan of
models, whether working or stationary, and of works of
art, of which great care would be taken. The paper read
was, " On the construction of fire proof buildings," by Mr.
James Barrett, Assoc. Inst. C.E. The author first intro-
duced some remarks on the use of timber, for building pur-
poses, referring to its injurious effects in weakening the
walls of buildings, its combustibility, and its liability to
dry rot and the ravages of insects. The great loss of
life and the vast destruction of property, resulting from
its too common use in buildings, rendering essential
some strong measure, by which the public safety would
be insured. The iron-girder and brick-arch system of
construction was then referred to, and the evils which
might result from the adoption of that principle were
exemplified by reference to the fall of the cotton mill, at
Oldham, in 1845 ; where the lateral thrust of one of the
arches having fractured a cast-iron beam, had caused the
sudden destruction of the entire building. The author
contended, that a system liable to produce such calami-
tous results, could not be regarded with that degree of
confidence which should be felt where many lives and
much property were at stake. The paper then proceeded
to describe the system of fire-proof construction, which
had been to some considerable extent adopted, as a
substitute for the usual methods of building, and as a
remedy for the defects complained of. The chief objects
to be accomplished were described to be, making each
floor of the building fire-proof, so as to prevent the com-
nication of fire from story to story, avoiding all lateral
thrust or weakening effect upon:the walls, securing the
building from the effects of dry rot, giving increased
durability to the structure, and rendering it at the same
time practically sound proof ; combining these advan-
tages, at the same time, with simplicity and economy of
construction. In accomplishing these objects, joists of
wrought or rolled iron, of an improved form, combining
lightness with great strength and economy, were used ;
and by the employment of layers of incombustible mate-
rials, chiefly concrete, supported by and consolidated
with the joists, a strong and solid fire-proof foundation
was obtained, upon which any description of finished sur-
face, adapted for a floor or roof, might be laid. The
various parts of the structure having been minutely de-
scribed, it was stated that, in point of strength, the floors
even of an ordinary dwelling-house, constructed on this
principle, would, if crowded to the utmost possible extent, be
loaded with only one-fifth of their breaking weight. The
various applications of the system to such building as
Guy's Hospital, King's College Hospital, the Training
College, Chelsea, and the flax mills at Newry, the spans
of which were considerable, were then detailed ;
these consisted of the use of girders of cast-iron, with
minor joists of the same material ; of boiler plate girders
combined with cast-iron joists, the whole of the additions
to Guy's Hospital having been built in this manner; and
of boiler-plate girders combined with rolled iron joists ;
the latter method providing for every possible con-
tingency, whether as regarded width of bearing,
strength of floors, or liability to impact, or vibration ;
and in cases where the use of columns could be ad-
mitted, to shorten the bearings, both girders and joists
of rolled iron' were employed ; this latter applica-
tion referring chiefly to mills, warehouses, manu-
factories, and similar buildings. The fullest details
NN ere given of the actual, as well as the relative cost, as
compared with °the': floors, under all circumstances ;
and it appeared, from a detailed comparative statement
of the cost of different floors for domestic buildings,
given in an append'x to the paper, that substantial and
well-constructed timber floors were actually more
costly than the fire-proof floors finished with a s ar-
face of cement ; and that the fire-proof foundation,
finished with the ordinary boarded surface, was, on the
average, very little more expensive than ordinary
timber floors. A comparative statement of the cost
of a floor for a mill, or factory, formed in three dif-
ferent ways—namely, with timber, with cast-iron girders
and brick arches, and with girders and joists of
rolled iron, showed a decided economy in the use of
the latter system, as compared with cast girders and
al cl-es. The author, in conclusion, referred to the diffi-
cultes attending the introduction of any innovation in
the ordir ary arts of _life, and cited instances where great
improvements were only fully recognised after the lapse
of years, when prejudices had died away. He stated
the subject to be one of great importance, considered
merely in a commercial point of view, from the fact of
nearly half a million sterling being annually paid, in
London alone, for fire insurance, exclusive of the duty,
adding the well-known fact, that upwards of 1,000
fires occurred annually in the metropolis, and that
more than half of those which reached the structure of
a building were considered to have originated in defec-
th e, or overheated chimney flues, acting upon the tim-
bers. It was contended, also, that whilst the general
adoption of a system of fire-proof construction would
prove a remedy for that fruitful source of crime, incen-
diarism, it was a question, if insurance companies them-
selves would not ultimately be considerable gainers,
and it was added that, though in the course of his
remarks objections had been stated to the use of cast-
iron girders and brick arches, yet that it was rather
to bring fire-proof construction within the reach of every
one, than to 'offer any particular system, in opposi-
tion to other methods, that the plan had been intro-
duced. This plan, however, was not to be looked upon
as a mere theory, but as one the value of which had been
practically demonstrated for many years, and applied
to every variety and description of building ; and it
was not one of its least recommendations, that its
adoption would greatly extend the use of a material, the
whole of the cost of the production of which was
spent in employing home labour. In the lobby,
one of Jennings' sluice valves was exhibited ; the im-
provement was stated to consist in simplifying the con-
struction, by casting the " body" and " faucet" ends
in one piece, thus avoiding the use of bolts, nuts, and
joints. The slide was first fitted, and made to work
properly on the body of the valve ; it was then removed,
and with two gun-metal faces, was turned, ground, and
accurately fitted. The slide, through which a small hole
had been previously drilled, was again placed in the
valve, the two faces were introduced, and all firmly
bolted together. The joints of the faces, which were
dovetailed to the body, were then made with lead, or
with iron cement ; the bolt was removed, the hole
plugged, and the valve was completed at considerable
saving of time and cost. These valves were stated to
have been extensively used under considerable pressures.
The following paper was announced to be read at the
meeting of Tuesday, February 1 :—" On the Pneumatics
of Mines," by Mr. Joshua Richardson, M. Inst. C.E.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.

LIVERPOOL, JAN. 27.

- • -
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market has been flat all day,
and quotrtions are much the same as yesterday. The day's
transactions are thus reported :—Lancashire and Yorkshire,
761 9; London and North-Western, 121 ; Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lincoln, 303; Midland, 773 c; North British,
9 1-16 ; South Eastern and Dover, 24
and Berwick (G.N.E. purchase), 2i d ,'York,Mner, Shef-
field, and Lincolnshire (101. shares), 11i ; Demerara, 24 d.
MANCHESTER, JAN. 27.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—Prices to-day were not so good as
yesterday, but business increased slightly. The sales were :
—Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction, fli d;
Dublin and Drogheda (Thirds), 204 • Eastern Counties,
12i ; East Lancashire, 19i; Great Northern (4,11 per cent.
scrip), 3p ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 794; London and
North-Western, 1203 ; Ditto (Manchester and Birming-
ham Quarters, C.), 13 p ; Manchester, Sheffield, and
Lincolnshire, 31; South Eastern, 234.
BIRMINGHAM, JAN. 27.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—This market was very inactive again
to-day, and the transactions chiefly in local shares.
LEEDS, JAN. 27.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—There was little business done in
Railway Stock this morning, which closed as follows :
Midlands, 784 ; North Westerns, 83 ; Leeds Northern
Extensions (No. 3), 4 pm.
RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURN.
•

SCOTTISH CENTRAL' RAILWA7.—T -a,f6e return for the
week ending Jan. 23, 1853 £1,664 18
Corresponding week last year 1,664 2 4
4
[A.mr-

.ERTISEMENT.I—Diseases of the Kidneys, Bladder,
&c.—. Dr. Denis Cronin has removed from Leicester-place
to 35, Bruton-street, Berkeley-square, where he may be
consulted, as usual, from ten till two, on his treatment
of affections of the kidneys, bladder, and prostrate gland,
in their connection with diseases of the stomach and
liver. Urinary Analysis (the importance of which to the
successful treatment of disease is now fully acknow-
ledged) conducted daily, in accordance with Dr. D.
Cronin's new theory.
PLYMOUTH, JAN. 27.--The Castor, 36, Commodore
Christopher Wyvill, arrived here this afternoon from the
Cane of Good Hope, last from Ascension. Her dates
are—Cape of Good Hope, Dec. 7 ; St. Helena, Dec. 20 ;
and Ascension, Dec. 26. The Castor has been in com-
mission two years. She has only lost one man since she
has been in commission, which was on the 19th of De-
cember, through an accident he received in his hand, and
mortification eflsued shortly afterwards. She will leave at
daybreak to-morrow (Friday) for Chatham, to be
paid off.