The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-08 00:00:00

LON ON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 8, 1854.

GRAND BAL MASQUE at 'the CASINO. DE
VENIZE, High Holborn.—Thc Proprietor has the honour to
annon,nce that his LAS'T El AL MASQUE this season is fixed for TO-
MORROW THURSO NY, Feb. .9010854, and which -will present a
scone of ifrilliancy and spiendoUr unparalleled. Mr. W. M. Packer's
iniudtatile 'Paid will perform a 'programme of dance music replete
with novelty and excellence DOOM open at half.past nine o'clock,
to coni.nence punctually at ten.—Gentlemen's Tickets, 55.; Ladle's'
ditto, Zs. each. r4up, er at one o'clock. Tickets, 3s, each.—.N.B.
Mr. 'Nathan, Castle.street. Leicester square, is the aiSpointed Cos-
tumier, •Clowns, Pantaloons, or Harlequins not admitted.

FRENCH CONSULATE-GENERAL.—Notice
is Hereby Given, that on the 15th instant, the Offices of the
ultsulate•(;eneral will be removed to No. 36, King William-street,
London-bridge. Office hours from II till 4.

SPEPIAL APPEAL.-SAILORS' ORPHAN
GAEL'S SCHOOL and HONE.- Patron, the QUEEN.—
Great ~.tfforis are being made to pay a public debt of gratitude owing
to the Naval and Mercantile Marine of Great Britain, and to make
this a 'National institution for F,maleOrphans of Sailors and Marines.
No argument is required to prove that these orphans have a claim
on the Christian and PhilanthroAst. Shall aid ba denied in this
good work? Contributions received by Messrs. Barclay and. Co.,
Lomb :rd street; Messrs. Spooner and Co., Gracechurch-street, and
'at the Office, 76, Cornhill, by James 'lnborn, Esq., E.N.; Secretary.

pURS SELL' S. —BALL SUPPERS and
WE: DING BREAKFASTS SUPPLIED in the first style;
public breakfasts, dinners, and promenade suppers supplied by con •
tract; a lar.,e stock of bride cakes for immedilte use, from one to
twentygutneas e ch ; a handlome cake for five guineas, packed and
sent to any part of the country if required, and warranted to keep 12
months.—Joan R. PuassELL, 162, Regent-street, and 20, Ludgate-
bill, only.

Useful Pamphlets, to be had gratis on application at the Publishers.
(if by letter enclosing a postage stamp.)
ATSON
o? Useful an
adn d Ornamental
COMPANY'S
FURNITURE,
PRICE CUR-
RENTur
Ho
STERY, LOOKING GLA'SES, BEDDING, &c. Also, THE
LADIES' MANUAL, or Guide to the Extensive Mercantile Estab-
lishment of ATKINSON' and COMPANY, DRAPERt+. SILK and
SLIAWL MERCERS, HABERDASHERS, HOSIERS, and LACE-
MEN.

London: Published by the Proprietors, Atkinson and Company,
69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75, Westminster-bridge-road, Lambeth.

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

At the last meeting of this society, Mr. James Simp-
son, president in the chair, on reading the minutes of
discussion of the meeting of January 24, attention was
directed to the statement of the experiments recently
made at Alnwick, on the quantity of water discharged
through a " pot-pipe" of 16 inches diameter ; for while,
on the one hand, the results of the experiment suffi-
ciently confirmed the accuracy of the formula of Du
Buat, Eytelwein, Smeaton, Prony, Hawksley, and other
investigators, and as lecidedly contradicted the results
published in the blue-books emanating from the Board
of Health, these results, nevertheless, differed too con-
siderably from other • consistent conclusions to be fully
relied upon, and it was therefore desirable that this ex-
periment should not be taken as a datum upon which to
found any hydraulic law for the determination of the
quantity of water which might be transmitted through
tubes. For this purpose, indeed, the cited experiment
must be deemed unsatisfactory, because pot-pipes were
never of uniform or exact diameter—inclinations were
always more or less vaguely stated, joints were seldom
sound, and when the discharge was, into free space, the
differential level was rarely satisfactorily afforded.
Moreover, this experiment itself was, in some respects,
contradicted by very carefully conducted experiments
made by Monsieur Couplet, at Versailles, on a pipe
18 inches in diameter, the results of which were
extremely consistent with the mathematical deter-
minations successfully resorted to by all practical
hydraulic engineers. The experiment by Monsieur
Couplet was made on a pipe of 43,200 inches long and
18 inches diameter, the motive head was 145 inches
(all French measures), the calculated velocity
was 401 inches, while the observed velocity was 39 1-6
inches, differing from the velocity calculated from esta-
blished formulae only about 3 per cent. It was also
contended to be extremely' undesirable that centralised
authorities should continue to exist, as it was uniformly
found that these authorities did great mischief by the
wide dissemination of errors, apparently under Govern-
ment influence, and by the consequent repression of
scientific and practical improvements.
The paper read was " Macadamized Roads, for the
Streets of Towns," by Mr. J. Pigott Smith, Assoc. Inst.
C.E. The lengthened experience of the author, as sur-
veyor to the corporation of Birmingham, having under his
charge about 150 miles of street road and 50 miles of turn-
pike road, enabled him to express confident opinions
on the comparative cost, durability, and general quali-
ties of paving, and of broken stone, for roads, and
even for streets, subject to a considerable amount of
heavy traffic. The parties chiefly interested in having
good roads were shown to be the owners of carriages
and horses, and the ratepayers, at whose expense
the roads were originally constructed and consequently
maintained. For both these classes, " cheap roads"
(i.e., those of small first-cost) were contended, generally,
the dearest ; horse-power being trselessiy,dvended,.-1
carriages destroyed, and constant repairs to the surface
of the road being necessitated. Any undue increase of
tractive power was shown to fall indirectly on all who
purchased any commodities conveyed through the streets,
and the annoyances and hindrances to commerce arising
from ill-paved or ill-kept, muddy, dirty, and noisy
streets were patent to all. the necessity was thence
deduced for having the roads and streets so constructed
that the surface should be firm, even, and smooth, with-
out being slippery, and be free from mud, or dust, or
loose stones. To attain this, the foundation should be of
firm material, well consolidated, and perfectly drained,
then covered with stones broken to uniform dimensions,
well raked in and fixed by a binding composition of grit,
collected during wet weather by Whitworth's sweeping
machine and preserved for the purpose. This binding being
regularly laid on, watered, if in dry weather, would, in
great thorougfares, consolidate the new metal in a few
hours, preserving the sharp angles of the stones,
which assumed all the regularity of a well laid pavement,
with a considerable saving of material, and a firmer crust
than by the ordinary method, of allowing the vehicles
to pass, for many days, over the uncovered surface of the
new stones, grinding off the angles with a deafening
noise, and forming dust, or mud, to be carried on to the
footpaehs and Into the houses and shops. Instances
were given of the advantages of this system of using the
grit for binding, which should, however, be that col-
lected by the sweeping machines, and not mere slimy
mud. A Street in Birmingham. subject to great traffic,
had been thus perfectly made and consolidated in five
days, whereas, under the ordinary system; three months
would have been required to produce the same effect. The
repairs were capable of being effected any period of the
year ; under no circumstances were the street surfaces,
permitted to be worn down, and they were never stopped
as was the case for lifting and re-paving. Roles were
then given for keeping the surface in perfect travelling
order, for picking off all loose materials, for sweeping
and never scraping, for preserving the profile of the
surface and getting rid of all lodged water, for light
watering in dusty weather, and heavy watering when
there was adhesive mud, that could not be otherwise re-
moved by the long brushes of Whitworth's sweeping-
machines, which were contended to be indispensable
for keeping roads and streets in good repair, and for
preventing the nuisances of mud and dust. The system
employed in London, of heavy watering without remo-
ving the mud, or of scraping and of hand-sweeping, and
lifting by shovels into carts was shown to be bad and
expensive. The loss of speed and the extra power re-
quired to be exerted by horses drawing carriages over
street surfaces in the state of those in London were
shown to be as much as 25 per cent. as compared
to the work done in Birmingham. The employment of
a better system, combined with the use of the sweeping-
machines, had been produetive, at Birmingham, of an
economy of nearly one-third of the materials employed
for the construction andirepairs of the streets and roads.
Instances were given of the actual results of the system
of washing and sweeping parts of the Quadrant, Regent-
street, where the method had been satisfactorily proved
to have produced superior effects, but prejudice had in-
duced obstinate adherence to the old system, to the an-
noyance of the public and with the derision of all
foreigners who visited the metropolis. The actual state
of all the leading thoroughfares could vouch for the jui-
tics of the criticism on the present metropolitan system.
The greatest amount of wear and tear of macadamised
street surface, inßirmingham, was shown to be 4 inches
per annum, the average might be therefore taken at 2
inches; the cost of maintenance was 4d. per super-
ficial yard, and that of watering and cleansing was 2d.,
giving a total of 6d. per yard per annum. Paving cost
15s. per yard ; it required to be renewed once in 15
years, and the cleansing cost about Id. per yard. Paving
was, therefore, evidently about double as expensive as
macadamising at Birmingham. It was, therefore, con-
tended, that macadamised roads and street surfaces, if
properly constructed and carefully managed, well water-
cleansed for mud and watered for dust, brushed, 'or
swept by machinery, maintained with a uniform surface,
and not permitted to become degraded, were well
adapted for towns and cities of average traffic, and for
many localities in and around the metropolis.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.

LIVERPOOL, FEB. 7.

STOCK EXOFIANGE.—The market to-day is about 1 per
cent. lower than yesterday. The proceedings in the House
of Lords 1 Lst night, have contributed to this result. Cale-
donian, 26/ A ; Eastern Counties, 13/ ; East Lancashire,
16/ ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 65.1 ; London and
North-Western, 103 ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, ;
Midland, 63 ;
North British, ; South-Eastern and
Dover, 18/

LEEDS, FEB. 7.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—There has again this morning been
a fair extent of business doing on 'Change. Though open-
ing at yesterday's rates, the market closed at lower terms.
Lanhashire and Yorkshires were first done at 661, then
rose to 665, and then closed at 655. Midlands opened at
63i1 and closed at 63i ; South-Eastern and Dovers were
done at 18 ; and York and North Midlands at 24/.

CITY OF LONDON COMMISSION.

The royal commission sat again yesterday, at 32, Ab-
ingdon-street, and resumed their inquiry. Present—
the Right Hon. Henry Labouchere and Sir John Patte-
son. At the opening of the proceedings,
Mr. Payne, coroner of the city of London, appeared
to explain a portion of the evidence which had been
given at a previous sitting. He wished to state, with
regard to the assertion that the Lord Mayor was the
coroner of the city of London, that this was an entire
mistake. The charter of Edward VI. said that the
Mayor and Commonalty of London might appoint
whom they would to the office of coroner ; and the
act of the 11th George 1., which regulated the City
elections, stated that the election of the coroner and
other officers should still remain in the Common Coun-
cil. Therefore, the Lord Mayor was not the coroner.
Again, it had been stated that ihe office of coroner in
the City was an annual office. He would take the
liberty of stating that it was not an annual office, but
an office which was held during good behaviour ; and
this view was borne out by the decision of the Court of
Queen's Bench in the case of the Queen and Grimshaw,
in 1847, when Mr. Justice Patteson said that "a coroner
well in, was in for life, and could not be displaced
without cause duly shown."

Mr. Sergeant Merewether, town clerk, attended, and
produced a list of the offices of the corponttion which had
been purchased by their present nessoaskrs or by their
..
predecessors: They-'were as' olloweit- the two attorneys
of the Mayor's court, the first serjeant of the chamber,
the yeoman of the water-side, the swordbearer's young
man, common huntsman's young man, the water-bailiff's
young man, the fruit meters, and the deputy oyster meters.
He wishell to state that it was the intention of the com-
mon ColTicil to put an end to the practice of selling
offices for the future. Mr. Merewether then reverted to
the subject of the sale by the corporation of Sir Thomas
Gresham's house to the Government in 1768 for a
ground 'rent of 5001. a year. He repeated that the cor-
poration bad made no improvident bargain in effecting a
sale on these terms. Indeed, considering the increased
value of the property since 1768, and the buildings tha%
had been since erected on the site, he thought that the
108,0001. which had been obtained by the Government
at the recent sale did not adequately represent that in-
creased value.
Mr. Anderton, under sheriff for the city of London
and the county of Middlesex, examined. He said that
the under-sberiffs were appointed by the sheriffs. The
secondary of London was, however, practically speaking
the under-sheriff of London, for he discharged all the
duties of the office ; and the under-sheriffs were only
under-sheriffs for Middlesex. His own emoluments as
under-sheriff for the last quarter amounted to 1751.,
which was about a fair average. He had to keep up
some little state, viz., a carriage with a pair of horses—
he had to attend the sheriffs, and to contribute to cha-
rities. He was appointed under-sheriff by Sir John
Musgrove, and afterwards by Mr. Sheriff Wire, without
any solicitation on his part. He had to attend at the
Old Bailey assizes, and to accompany the sheriffs on all
public occasions ; but the work was for the most part
done by the deputy under-sheriff, Mr. Burchell.
The Chairman—What is the use, then, of maintaining
the office of under-sheriff at all ?
Mr. Anderton—To indemnify the sheriff for any losses
he may sustain ; and for giving that indemnity the under-
sheriff receives the fees of the office. Mr. Anderton
then stated' that he had to pay 2001. in the shape of in-
demnification during his last under-sbrievalty. The
officers from whom he took security in that case failed,
as did also their sureties.
The Chairman—ls there any necessity for continuing
the office of under-sheriff of Middlesex?
_ __ _

Mr. Andei:Conli-No, if the corporation would under-
take the risk themselves, as they do in the case of the
under-sheriff-uf London. _

The Chairman—Have you anything more to say ?
Mr. Anderton—Oh, a great deal. (A. laugh.) I have
been a common-councilman for 17 years, and have stood
13 contests, but I never solicited a vote or spent a single
sixpence to procure my election. In the year 1846 I
was deputy-governor of the Irish Society, and I visited
the estates in the summer of that year. The corporation
have no more to do with the Irish Society than any
gentleman in this room. They do not receive a shilling
of profit from it, and their only connection with it is,
that they have a visitorial power over the estates. The
Irish Society has large estates in the north of Ireland,
but I never knew them to exercise any political influence
over their tenants. The land is principally let upon
leases, renewable for ever. Sir Robert Ferguson is one
of their large tenants. lam not now a member of the
Irish Society, because_rze-0tt1y....94ye10r two ynara, apd,
usually retire When ire have acqu,rettAktiowledge of our
duties. The committee receives "line money," and my
share of it amounted to 15/. a year. This money is for
attendances. We had "good-fellowship" expenses be-
sides. The attendances to the committee hare been much
reduced of late years. The governor ifkrantly removed
at the expiration of his two years of office. The present
"governor is Mr. Alderman Humphery, wt.° has been
annually elected to that office for many years past.
The Chairman—l find that in the accounts of the
society for the year 1832 the sum of 3,4601. is charged
for law expenses ; and I see, by an explanatory note,
that a portion of that expenditure was applied in defray.
ing the expenses of Alderman Thorpe's election for the
borough of Colerairm Can you account for this ?
Mr. Anderton—l cannot ; but I am not surpised at
anything that may have occurred many years agi. The
corporation of Londonderry and Coleraine are bound by
their charter to submit their by-laws for the approval of
the Irish Society, and I believe they are agreed to as a
matter of course.

The Chairman—You say that the corporation have
nothing to do with the Irish Society. But does not the
society emanate from the corporation ; and in the caw
of misappropriation of the funds, would not the corpora.
tion have the power to interfere.
Mr. Anderton—ln that case they have ; but the cor-
poration only regard themselves as visitors. When I
was a visitor the estates had not been visited for many
years ; but of late years the visits have been more fre-
quent. When I went I was allowed to spend 5001.
altogether, but I only spent 400/. Our deputation was
seven in number, and we entertained the gentlemen of
the county, the clergy of all denominations, and the
principal tenants. We visited every estate, and gave
directions that every labourer
taliaebvoiuretireesehoiunledteabde pefutateeoewpotirekg.
The society thought that we spent too much money in
them.
rrnhe visit,
T
but
we gave
Chairman—l find that in the year 1846 the total
'expense for managing the society's estates was 2,0001.,
out of a gross annual rental of 8,5001. Does not that
sum for management appear to you rather large ?
Mr. Anderton—l do not see where you can reduce it.
The Chairman—But what do you think would be the
opinion of a private proprietor if he found the expenses
of management on his estate so great ?
Mr. Anderton—A private proprietor would not have
so many expenses Lto pay, as he would live on the pro-
f
perty ; and besides, a private proprietor does not do
half the good that the Irish Society does on its pro-
perty. In 1846 we spent 3,481/. on purposes of educa-
tion, and 1,484/. on charitable purposes and public
England 3141. ore; making, in
one year, 3,5751.
year (1846)
the im-
provementsTheCh
society'sai r;m
lawmanal 3,2613., and
out of an income of 8,500/.

Mr. Anderton—That was a very unfortunate year, as
the society had, several law-suits to settle, all of which,
however, they were enabled to get rid of. The society
siona the of
society,quiet , for they bad
allows the corporation of Londonderry 7001. a
-year to-
wards their municipal expenses. I believe they are en-
titled to something under their charter, and they re-
ceivedalw ays thisbee
nk
pmoneyici n
g The Chairman—Do you know any other town whose
municipal officers are paid by grants of this kind ?
Mr. Anderton—No, but I know there are many others
ahsol aes
who would like it. (A laugh.)
The Chairman—l find that the expenses
of manage-
ment in 1853 were very heavy, including 5601. for the
attendance of members. Do you not think that the
expenses of management are generally ~.
• ery heavy 1
Mr. Anderton—lf you or I, sir; had the manage-
ment of the expenditure of the House of Commons it
would no doubt be managed 'cheaper. you cannot ex-
pect public property to be managed as economically as
private property. We have done a great deal of good
in Ireland.
The Chairman—Oh, I do not for a moment dispute
that ; but my question is, as this property is only in-
tended to be managed for the good of the district,
whether greater means of doing good might not have
been obtained if there had been greater economy in the

management ?
Mr. Anderton—l think you might possibly have
saved a few pounds in the management, but I do not'
believe you would have done so much good. If I lay
out a pound liberally I always get 255. back for it. At
the same time I admit that if i were to be appointed
a member of the society again, the experience I have
already gained would enable me to look better after its
affairs. •
The Chairman—Have you anything further to add ?
Mr. Anderton—l wish to say a word on Mr. Thom-
son Hankey's evidence in disparagement of the Lord
Mayor's annual banquet in the Guildhall. Whatever
may be Mr. Hankey's opinion of that banquet, it is quite
clear that Mrs. Hankey's opinion is very different—
(laughter)—because I have in my possession two letters
from Mr. Hankey to the Remembrancer, begging for
tickets of admission for Mrs. Hankey. (Renewed laugh-
ter.) Witness then controverted the adverse evidence
of Mr. Travers with regard \to the respectability of the
aldermen and common councilmen, and afterwards ex-
pressed his hope that the Lord Mayor's show would not
be abolished.
The Chairman—Going back for a moment to the Irish
Society, do you not think that the number of gentle-
men composing the deputation to Ireland is too large ?
Mr. Anderton—Yes, I think it may be ' • but every
member of the committee wishes to do his duty ; and,
moreover, there is a pleasant run into the country, (Is.

laugh.) I know that I never spent such a month in m 2,,,
life. -

The Chairman—You mean that it was a most agree-
able trip ?
Mr• Anderton—l do, sir. It was the most agreeable
one I ever took part in. (Renewed laughter.)
Mr. Richardson, solicitor, who was previously ex-
amined respecting the purchase of the Citizen newspaper,
attended for the purpose of repeating his former evidence,
to the effect that Mr. Benjamin Scott and Mr. Toulmin
Smith were joint purchasers and proprietors of that
paper. He thought it necessary to appear and state that
he adhered to his former evidence on that point, be-
cause Mr. Scott had in some manner contradicted him.

Mr. Turnley, chairman of the navigation committee of
the corporation, was next examined. He said that he had
held his present office for the last three years. He was
a lighterman on the river. The chairman of the com-
mittee was not always connected with the river trade ;
but there were at present two members on the committee
who were engaged in that trade. There were other
gentlemen on it also who were perfectly conversant
with the business of navigation; and who had acted on
the committee for several years. There were shoals in
the river and always would be. The committee, how-
ever, had not sufficient funds to keep the navigation in
as efficient a state as was desirable. The river was not a
source of profit to thecorporation, but rather the contrary.
Witness then said he wished to state that in June last he
was elected one of the sheriffs of London, but declined to
serve. A man named Roe came to him one day and said he
wanted to see him. Roe then said, "I am very sorry, but
I must make you sheriff to-morrow." (A laugh.) Witness
replied that he was very much obliged to him, but if elected
he would neither serve nor pay the fine. Witness was a
member of the Merchant Tailor's Company, and Rose
therefore, no doubt, thought he was fair game for plunder.
This man Rose had importuned him every year, but
witness had kept his hands out of his pocket. Having re-
fused Rose money, witness was at last elected sheriff. He
then memorialised the Court of Aldermen to excuse his
paying the flue, and had told them that they might have
his body, but they should never have his property. (A.
laugh.) After Mr. Rose had done him the honour of
electing him, he sent some hundreds of "unwashed gen-
tlemen" to him forhim to pay them for supporting him.
Three years before the same man came to him in the
same manner, and said, " I am sorry, but I must make
you sheriff." Witness then told him that he had 400
persons who would attend and hold up their hands
against him, when Rose exclaimed, "Oh, I don't mind
that; I have 900 who will hold up their hands for you.
I have 200 bankers' clerks who come out at one o'clock
to their thnners and they will vote for you." (Laughter. )
Tie system was certainly a very disgraceful one, and no
reslectable man would act as sheriff whilst it continued,
The lorporation had nothing to do with Mr. Rose' pro-
ceedirgs ; in fact, he acted altogether independent of
them.

Mr. cones, solicitor, of Crosby-square, examined : He
had been% member of the Court of Common Council for
the last 26years, and'had acted as a member of the
Irish Society in 1843 and 1844. The management ex-
penses of tie Irish Society were certainly rather large,
but there wac, no analogy between the society's estates
and the estate: of a private proprietor. The society's
law expenses hal been very great some years ago ; but
the suits were ah now terminated, and this heavy item
of expenditure world not again recur. The society had
been driven into a tourse of litigation to defend its own
rights, and had had lo other alternative but to embark
in these proceedings a give up its property. The 7001.
paid by this society to \he corporation of Londonderry
went to defray the salaryof the recorder and other muni-
cipal officers ; and if the society did not make this con-
tribution a town-rate world have to be made for the
same objects, and to this rate the tenants of the society
would have to contribute. The society used to exercise
a political influence over its tenants, but it exercised no
such influence now. The mode formerly was for the
society, when the candidates Mere in the field, to tell
the tenants the man whom it expected they would re-
turn, but all that had been since changed.
The inquiry was then adjourned till Thursday.