The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-24 00:00:00

The first invention was that of Mr. Donovan in

1830, who proposed to confer illuminating power on
gases that were inflammable, but not luminiferous,
by charging them with the vapour of hydrocarbons ;
but from the want of a sufficiently volatile fluid, he
was compelted to have a reservoir close to every
burner. The next application was that of Mr. Lowe,
who increased the light obtained from coal gas by
passing it over surfaces of naptha. Mr. Beale's air
light was then noticed; its object was to use hydro-
carbons for illumination, by passing a current of air
through vessels containing those liquids. There
existed, however, the same obstacles to this plan as to
that of Mr. Donovan, viz., the heat required to evapo-
rate the only liquid hydrocarbons then accessible.
The paper represented that at length the difficulty
had been solved, by the discovery of a liquid hydro-
carbon, as volatile as spirits of wine, but containing
sufficient carbon for the most perfect light, and
obtainable in any quantity. This hydrocarbon was
procured from coal tar, and was called "Benzole."
Its volatility was such as to enable i t to napthalize
atmospheric air as effectually as ordinary naptha did
coal gas.
The system proposed by the author (which was
illustrated in the room by a working apparatus) con-
sisted in conducting a stream of almost any gas, or
even of atmospheric air, through a reservoir charged
with Benzole or some other equally volatile hydro-
carbon ; the gas or air so nipthaliaed being then
conducted like common coal gas through pipes
to the burners. It was stated that the system was
applicable on any scale, from the dimensions of
town gas works to the compass of a table lamp.
In the apparatus exhibited, a small gas-holder, filled
by a pair of bellows, supplied common air through
pipes. The gases formed by passing steam over red
hot coke would answer well for this purpose, and it
would depend on local circumstances whether this
mode of generating the current would be preferable
to the expenditure of the mechanical force necessary
for driving atmospheric air through the pipes. Pure
oxygen charged with the vapour would explode on
ignition ; it was therefore suggested that this might
prove a useful source of motive force. It was, how-
ever, stated to be difficult to form an explosive mix-
ture of the vapour with common air. By decom-
posing water with the voltaic battery, napthalizing
the hydrogen with Benzole, and burning it with the
aid of the equivalently liberated oxygen, a simple
light of intense power might be obtained. The sys-
tem was shown to be a great simplification of the
ordinary system of gas-lighting, as no retorts, refri-
gerators, purifiers, or meters were required, and the
products of combustion were as pure as those from
the finest wax. It was expected that the elegance of
the material and the simplicity of the apparatus
would induce its introduction into buildings and
apartments where coal gas was not now considered
admissible.
The apparatus and conditions necessary for the
success of the method were, a flow of cheap gas, or
of air, driven through pipes by any known motive
power, and a reservoir of the volatile spirit through
which the main pipe must pass in some convenient
part of its course ; these pipes and reservoirs being
protected from the cold. It was stated, that though
the liquid did not require to be heated above the
average temperature of the air, it was liable to be-
come cooled by its own evaporation, so as to require
an artificial supply of warmth. This was readily
effected by causing a small jet of flame of the gas
itself to play upon the reservoir, and by a simple con-
trivance, called a " Thermostat," by which the flame
was shut off when necessary, the temperature could
be made self-regulating, so as never to rise above or
fall below a proper degree. The cooling due to the
evaporation would, of course, he inversely propor-
tionate to the quantity of liquid in the reservoir. If
atmospheric air was used as the vehicle for the vapour,
the jet holes in the burner, from which it escaped for
combustion, must be slightly larger than those for coal
gas. Some burners, contrived for the purpose of accu-
rately adjusting the size of the orifice to the quanity of
luminiferous matter escaping, were exhibited and
described; they were made so that by moving a part
of the burner, any required quality of flame, from
lightless blue to smoky, could be obtained, there be-
ing a medium point at which the most perfect bril-
liancy was arrived at. The burners would answer
equally well for coal gas, though that material could
not, even by them, be made to evolve so white and
pure a light aost,hsaot
mfrom d
data
n werezole vapour.
givenon which a
calculation of price was founded.
In conclusion,
It was stated, that a gallon of Benzole, of the de-
gree of purity requisite for the purpose, would cost
about two shillings and sixpence; to this, the expense
of the air current and the interest of the original out-
lay on apparatus was to he added. This the author
presumed would not raise the cost to more than four
shillings for the consumption of a gallon of Benzole.
It was stated, that one ounce of that liquid would
give a light equal to four wax candles, of four to the
pound, for one hour, or one gallon for about one hun-
dred and twenty hours. It was inferred that a gal-
- lon of this material was equivalent to about One
tLQW5gid cubic feet of col gas.

Finally, for comparison with coal gas at a distance
from the mines, it was stated, that while to produce
one thousand cubic feet of gas, at least two hundred
pounds of coal must be transported, one gallon of
Benzole did not weigh more than seven pounds; this,
in carriage, would give Thlizole an advantage of
twenty-eight to one over coal as a source of light.
In the discussion which ensued, high encomiums
were passed upon the talent and patient labour exhi-
bited by Mr. Mansfield in the investigation of this
important subject, which promised to lead to most
remarkable results, as an extension of gas lighting to
positions where it had not before been considered
applicable.
The paper announcee to be read at the meeting of
Tuesday, April 24, was " On Locomotive Engines,"
by Mr. T. R. Crampton, Assoc. Inst. C. E.

COL. FREMONT'S EXPEDITION.

The disastrous accounts from Colonel Fremont, which
have so painfully excited the public mind for some days
past, have induced us to inquire at the source most
probable to have the best information, or the best opi-
nions, in relation to his position. The resu't of this
inquiry authorises the belief that some of the most pain-
ful of these reports must be unfounded. All that relates
to the perishing of the party by hunger and starva-
tion are certainly so. Colonel Fremont wrote from the
Pueblos, near the head of the Arkansas, when about to
cross the first range of mountains on the last of Novem-
ber, that his supplies were ample to carry him through
—that he had more flour than he wanted, and left some
behind—plenty of meat, and a reserve of sugar and
coffee, and macaroni for hard times, and for the
sick or disabled. Thus be had abundant provisions,
besides the resource of above one hundred horses and
mules, which, dead or alive, would be a support to 35
men. If frozen to death these animals would remain i❑
that state until spring, and continue sound ; so that
there was no danger of death by starvation. That they
perished of cold is another of the painful rumours. This
is improbable, though the cold must have been dreadful,
and the snows fearfully deep. All accounts, as he ap-
proached the mountains, from Indians and traders, repre-
sented the winter as premature and unusually severe.
So much snow, so early in the season, all agreed, had
never been seen. It was in•the last days of November
that he began to climb the mountain range (above the
Spanish Peaks) which divides the valley of the Upper
Arkansas from the head of the Rio del Norte, la-

titude about 36k, longitude about 106. The snow was
about breast deep to the horses when the party was
last seen, about five miles from the summit. Up
to this point the accounts are authentic, two men
from the Pueblos having followed to join Colonel Fre-
mont, but whom he did not receive—probably not know-
ing them, it being his rule to take none but reliable men,
whom he knew, in these dangerous exp( ditions. There
is no doubt but that Colonel Fremont got over this first
range of mountains, and thus entered the valley of the
Del Norte, near the head of the river, and about 3 deg.
north of Santa Fe, A greater obstacle was still before
him—the great central chain of the Rocky Mountains,
there called Sierra Madre. He krsew the difficulty of
crossing this great barrier, there reaching the region of
perpetual snow, and, if unable to do it, expected to winter
in some cove or valley where there might be forests of
evergreens, cedar especially, which would furnish shelter,
and probably game, with some dried grass and soft wood
for their horses to live upon. The account of his coming
to Taos, which is about a degree north of St. Louis, is
proof that he did not cross the Sierra Madre; and, as
he came in for horses, he had probably los: all his by the
cold and deep snows which he encountered after getting
into the valley of the Del Norte. To judge of that de-
gree of cold and depth of snow it is necessary to refer to
what they were known to be at Santa Fe, on the 16.11
of Deceniber, say two weeks after Colonel Fremont had
crossed into the valley of Del Norte. The Santa Fe Re-
publican, received up to that day, says that the thermo-
meter (Fahrenheit) was 20 deg. below zero—(s2 deg. be-
low the freezing point); that the snows were over the
backs of the horses in the gorges of the mountains; that
a detachment of troops with four guides, which had gone
out in pursuit of some marauding Indians, had become in-
volved in these snows, and with difficulty extricated them-
selves; that all travelling was stopped; that persons had
been frozen to death; and that such prematurity and in-
tensity of cold and depth of snow had never been wit-
nessed. This was at Santa Fe, about north lat. 35 deg.
40 min., long. 106 deg., and at an elevation of 7,000 feet
above the level of the sea. At that same time Colonel
Fremont and his party must have been 3 deg. further
north, and about deg. further west, and at an elevation
(supposing the valley to continue rising to near its gorge
in the Sierra Madre) of near 8,000 feet. The cold, there-
fore, must have been greater, and the snow deeper, than
at Santa F 6 —greater and deeper than the cold and
snows which killed the 30,000 horses of the French army
in ose night in Russia. It is probable, then, that
Colonel Fremont's animals were all killed near the
head of the Rio Grande del Norte. But the same pro-
bability does not hold with respect to his men. They
had resources which the poor animals had not. Be-
sides, they knew their danger, and were prepared for
it. Colonel Fremont wrote from Bent's Fort—in sight
of the mountains—that he had his party in the most
perfect order, and every precauti taken for their
safety. They knew what cold was. Part of them had
climbed the Sierra Nevada with him, when half the
horses perished, but no men. Part had crossed the Santa
Barbara mountain with him on Christmas-day, 1846,
when above 100 horses (Californian horses) perished in
a day, but no men. It is probable, then, that none of
his men perished in this terrible cold, and that is the
belief of the best authority on the subject. That he
came alone, as it was said, to Taos, is no sign that his
men were dead. It was his custom, when Mr party were
is danger, and needed relief, to go himself and bring it
first making them as s.fe as possible, taking two or
three men with him (of whom his faithful servant
Jacob, now a messenger to the senate, was alway,
one). That he was on foot only proves the loss of
the horses ; that he made 350 miles, as re
ported, in nine days, is proof that his feet were not
frozen; that he went back with Major Beale, who went
out with relief; is proof diet he expected to relieve his
men, and enable them to come in. It is probable that
early in February he had them refitted, and remounted
in the settlement of New Mexico, and renewed his expe-
dition, crossing the Sierra Madre lower down. This is
the probable state of the party—horses lost, but no men,
and the expedition baulked or delayed two or three
months. Tne supposition that the party lost their way
attoional intelligencer, March 30. Taos, though he had eever been
is wholly unwarranted. Colonel Fremont marked out
his whole route before he set out, and he and his men
knew, every day and every hour, where they were. lie
knewbere howto go
before. /V

COLLISION.—The Dutch man of war corvette, of
20 guns, the Amphitrite, Capt. S. T. Grave van Linburg
Styrum, arrived at Spithead on Wednesday evening, at
seven o'clock. She saluted the garrison with twenty-
onet w( e
She
was replied
af t
e t o r
wbayr
dt s
e h
towed Vic
guns, and the Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Sir
B. Cepel, with seventeen guns, yesterday morning, at
nineto ry ando l ' e o
Platformc o'clock; ; whichß
as
tati salutes ,
rse..
into harbour by the Echo steamer. She is from the
Hader, bound to the West Indies. About midnight on
the 17th instant, when c :minx down Channel, between
the Nrss and Beachyhead, she came in contact with
the Mary Ann, schooner, of London, from Cadiz,
hound to London, last from Plymouth, laden with wine.
The night was dark and the wind blowing fresh. The
crew of the Mary Ann, consisting of the captain and
five men, took refuge on board the Amphitrite. The
former vessel lost her masts, and was stove in. The
Amphitrite lost jib-boons, part of cutwater, and, we
hear, makes water. The Mary Ann did not sink, and
when last seen was drifting over towards the coast ot
France. She will, no doubt, be a good prize for sotre
of the fishing boats, as her cargo (about 90 tons of
wine) will prevent her sinking. Captain Grave, accom-
panied by M. Vandenbourg, the Consul for Holland,
waited on the Commander-in-Chief after the Amphitrite
came into harbour. She will be refitted at the dockyard,
and will, probably, go into dock bcfore she proceeds on
to the West Indies. .
SUICIDE AT THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE'S.--011
Friday, Mr. William PO, wbo had for many years held
the situation of secretary to his Grace the Duke of
Devonshire, in addition., to an office in the Board of
Green Cloth, drowned himself in an iron tank sunk
in the garden. The tank was only. three feet in
length, and about eighteen inches in depth, and was filled
with water.—Yesterday afternoon an inquest was held
on the body, when the jury returned a verdict of" Tem-
porary insanity."
PRESTON AND LONGRIDGE.—At the half-yearly
general meeting of the proprietors of the Preston and
Longridge Railway, held at the office of the Fleetwood,
Preston, and West Riding Junction Railway Company,
or Thursday last, C. Swainson, sen., Esq., in the chair,
a dividend of 12s. per share (clear from income-tax) was
declared, for the half-year ending 30th June next.—
Preston Chronicle.

ROYAL MUNJTICENCE.—At a meeting of the go-
vernora and committee of the Adult Deaf and Dumb
Institution, 26, Red Lion-square, Bloomsbury, J.
Michael, Esq., in the chair, it was stated that a commu•
nication had been received from George Maule, Esq.,
the solicitor to the Treasury, announcing a very liberel
gift from her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen. The
letter of Mr. Mania stated that the property of the
late Thomas Hane, Esq., who died intestate, having
reverted to the Crown, her Majesty had been
pleased to sign a warrant, directing a dona-
tion of two hundred pounds to be paid out of
tho said estate towards the purposes and objects of the
institution for the adult deaf and dumb. J. G. Simpson,
Esq., to whom the above had been addressed, observed
that the munificence of her Majesty was a most timely
aid to the funds of the charity, not alone as regards
the want of funds for general purposes, but as indicat-
ing, he hoped, an early increase in its operationg, for
which it was to be regretted too great a necessity existed.
STATE OF WESTMINSTER ABBEY.—It has been
stated that the Dean of Westminster has, with his well-
known liberality and enthusiasm, resolved to apply a
considerable portion of his income to the repairs and im-
provements of the Abbey ; hut the following extra-
ordinary circumstances have not yet been made known
to the public, though they are deeply interesting. Dr.
Buckland having determined to set a noble example,
very judiciously began by a close investigation of the
actual state of the edifice; and lot it has been discovered
that buttresses and other essential parts of the building
are in a dilapidated, and even imminently dangerous
condition, so as to threaten with destruction some of the
venerable Royal chapels, and the unequalled national
relics they contain. It is, indeed, fortunate that the
appointment of a dignitary alike remarkable for rare
acquirements in science and a generous disposition, has
saved the country from the impending misfortune, and
the Abbey guawritiefi from unavailing reproaches,—
Builder.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

House OF LORDS, April 23.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his svat upon the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock. _ .

The Bishop of WORCESTER presented several peti-
ions in favour of the Pr,>vention of S,duction Bill.

The Eirl of HARROWBY presented several petitions
praying for an Amendment of the laws regulating
beer shop;.
SALE OF LANDS (NEW SOUTH WALES) BILL.
On the motion of Earl GREY this Bill was real a
second time.

ST. JOIIN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND, REBUILDING

BILL.

Earl GREY moved the second reading of this Bill.—
Agreed to.

AFFAIRS OF ROME.

Lord BROUGHAM asked if it was true that the

Roman and Tuscan Republicans had laid a sacrilegious
hand on the works of art, and had sold them• He hoped
that those rumours were false ; indeed, he knew that
the rumour that one of the greatest of the works of

art had been bought by an agent of the United States,
was incorrect. He had ale heard that a member of their

Lordships ' i louse had purchased the Transfiguration; this
he believed was false, and he could not believe that any
person in the station of their Lordships would purchase
such works, unless for the purpose of restoring them;
but he feared some of the less.lr works of art

might be purchased by persons in this country,
and he hoped some measures would be adopted to pre-
vent these works from being disposed of in this country,

as the w.int of title to dispose of them was notorious.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE believed that the
reports were very much exaggerated, and that the
great works of art had not been touched,
nor had any attempt been made to dispoe
of them. With regard to the smaller works of
art, he was not able to speak so positively, but he agreed
with the Noble and Learned Lord in denouncing any

attempt to dispose of them, and he did not believe th;t
any person in this country would disgrace himself by
purchasing them.
Lord RE DESDALE said that he hoped

that no person would purchase these works of
art; but if ever there was a de facto
Government, it was the Government of Rome, and no-
thing but foreign intervention would put it down; and
he believed, if speculators chose to purchase, that Go.
vernment could give a good title, and as to its having
been established by murder, every revolutionary Go-
vernment had been so established.
MESSRS. MARRINER AND CHADWICK.
Lord BEAUMONT moved that the petition of these
gentlemen to be released from custody be taken into con-

sideration.
Lord MONTEAGLE thought their Lordships had
sufficiently vindicated its privileges, and therefore would
not object to their release.
Earl GREY thought their Lordships were indebted to
his Noble Friend for the steps he had taken to vindicate
the privileges of their Lordships' (louse; but he hoped it
would be under=tood that, should a similar case occur
again, the parties would not be so leniently dealt with.
Lord BROUGr' HAM, having understood that both
these gentlemen were labouring under severe indisposi-
tion, would not oppose their release.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE thought if they were
released, that release should be accompanied by a solemn
reprimand. He thought the House was greatly indt bted
tot his Noble Friend who had. brought this subject
forward. . . _

Lord BEAUMONT would not attempt to palliate the
raisconduct of these parties, and he moved that they be
reprimanded at the bar, and then discharged on pay-
ment of their fees.

The motion was agreed to, and Messrs. Chadwick
and Marriner were brought to the bar.
The LORD CHANCELLOR then took his seat on
the Woolsack, and, putting; on his hat, reprimanded
them, after which they were ordered to be discharged,

on payment of the fees.
PETITIONS.
Earl POWIS presented several petitions against (as
we understood) any alteration in the law prohibiting
marriage with a deceased wife's sister.
POOR•LAWS (IRELAND) COMMISSION.

The Earl of DEVON aAced whether the report of
the Poor-law Commissioners of Ireland would bo laid on
he table, or whether the Government intended to act on
the recommendation of the report?
The .Marquis of LANSDOWNE was understood to
say that the Government were prepared to recommend
certain alterations in the sense of the report ; but his
reply was so inaudable that it was scarcely possible to
catch its purport.
NAVIGATION LAWS.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition
from the Mayor, Aldermen, and Town Council of Man-
chester, prayirg for a repeal of the navigation•laws.
AFFAIRS OF TEIE RIVER PLATE.
The Earl of LIARROWBY moved for copies of all

instructions given to British envoys to the republics
situated on the River Plate since the instructions issued
to Mr. Ouseley in 1846. Since that period we have
had no information officially of what was going for-
ward en the affairs of the River Plate, although
we had two formal missions to and two irregular
communications with General Roses, the President of
the Argentine Republic. The mission of Mr. Ouseley,
who was sent out in conjunction with a French envoy, was
unsuccessful; the missions of Lord Howden and of all the
other envoys lied been equally so. The last envoy, Mr.
Southern, had not been officially received, although he
had been permitted to rei(le in a private house, and the
President of the Argentine Confederation hal offered an
insult to Great Britain such as had never before been
()tiered to her. He wished to have official information on
this subject, and that was the reason why he now moved
for those papers. At present they knew nothing offi-
cially. All they knew was, that the interference of the
two most powerful mations in Europe had been treated
with contumely by the President of the Argentine Con-
federatien. Those negotiations were now over and
completed, and there could, therefore, be no ground for
withholding information. They had heard mysteri-
busty, from papers communicated to the Legislatures of
other states, that the contending parties were willing to
accept certain bases, termed Hood's bases," with cer-
tain modifications; but what those bases or modifications
were they did not know. It had been the policy of the
President of the Argentine Confederation to create a
feeling of jealousy between the two mediating powers,
and he feared that to a certain extent he had succeeded
in sowing discord between the two nations on that
question. Lord Howden ha 1 gone over to Buenos
A.yres in the beginning of 1847, remained there in nego-
tiation with the President Roses for a considerable time,
and at last, being dissatisfied with the ill-progress of
those negotiations, had crossed the water and gone to
Monte Video. There be communicated with the Presi-
dent of Monte Video, and announced to him that having
failed in effecting a settlement with Rosas, he proposed
to address h mself to the military commander of the army
besieging Monte Video. He accordingly went to Gen.
Oribe, and proposed a convention, to which, however,
that General roused to accede, except on certain modi-
fications being made. Lord Howden, then, without furl
her communication with Monte Video, declared his mis-
sion at an end, and abruptly quitted the River Plate.
This was most extraordinary conduct on the part of
Lord Howden. In a letter which he sent to
the Eng'ish Government, one of the grounds he alleged
was, that the Government was in the hands
of foreigners. But it had been known for a long
while that there was ire Monte Video a great num-
ber of foreigners, but that had not caused interfer-
ence on the part of the English Government. Looking
at the result of that interference, he thought he was en-
titled to ask for information. All that ho knew at pre-
sent was, that two of the most powerful Governments in
Europe hail been compelled to give way to General
Rosas in a way in which they had never done before.
President Roses distinctly stated that the blockade was
raised with the approbation of her Majesty's Govern-
ment; bat, from all he had heard, that approbation was
not felt in France, where the intelligence had caused
very considerable dissatisfaction and discontent, and it
was also rumoured that this dissatisfaction had been ex-
pressed to Members of her Majesty's Government. The
House, therefore, had a right to information on this
point. Another point which he found stated in the
papers was, that before we could even gain an admission
for the representative of her Majesty he must make
certain modifications in the very basis of the terms
on which he was to treat. As far as he (the
Earl of Harrowby) could learn of the nature of
these modifications, they were the very terms which
caused Lord Howden to put an end to the negotiations
before he would admit them. He asked, therefore, if we
were really to humble ourselves before this transatlantic
State, and submit to the rebukes contained in some of
those papers? He asked whether we were to agree to the
compensation of two millions sterling, for damaging
ships and property in the course of the blockade? He
wanted to know in what condition the affairs were in
those countries commanded by Oribe? These were the
questions to which he wished to have an answer, and
upon which the House were entitled to information, in
order that it might know how our interests were now
placed in that country. The Noble Lord proceeded, in a
nearly inaudible tone, to refer to the nature and the im •
portance of the trade with these countries. In the
year 1842 the value of English commerce alone amounted
to three millions sterling, and if the common
course of nations had been pursued our trash in the
River Plate must now have been very much greater. In
1845 the value of one convoy which went out to Parana
was estimated at sixteen million dollars, and this was an
entirely new kind of commerce, showing how greatly it
might have been increased and developed by proper mea-
sures. It was, therefore, no trifling matter, looked at
merely in a commercial point of view. But it was more
than this. It was important to the welfare of the people
that treaties should be observed, and that we should not
allow these two great nations to give way to one power.
R 0323 had shown no desire to make concessions; on the
contrary, he had increased the limitations upon com-
merce in these great waters. The who!,3 conduct of
the Noble Lord at the head of the Foreign-
office, in this matter, led him to the conclu-
sion, that it was his wish to substitute an entirely
different policy for that of the late G evernment; and
lie was afraid that the object of ;the Noble Lord would
not be realised, but, on the contrary, attended with dis-
appointment. In order to show that we were not un-
mindful or indifferent to the vast interests at stake—
that the present state of our relations with the Argen-
tine Republic might be understood—that it might be
known whether we were going to support the obligations
of treaties, or for the purpose of removing the impression
r
that we had abandoned our ancient policy, he asked for
these papers. The Noble Earl concluded by moving his
motion.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE (who was very indis-
tinctly heard) said that, in rising to oppose the motion,
he was at the same time perfectly ready to give any in-
formation in his power that could promote the welfare
of the large and increasing commerce with the countries
on the River Plate. But the state of aflairs at the pre-
swit gum) wi elatioly dia9Nat fr9lll that which OA-