The Sun.
London, England, 1825-07-16 00:00:00

STEAM-ENGINE.

(From the Scotsman.)
DUNDEE AND NEWHAVEN FERRIES.-TWIN
STEAM-BOATS, &c.—The last number of the Edinburgh Phi.
losophical Journal contains an interesting article from the able
pen of Captain Basil Hall, on these ferries, and the adaptation
of twin steam-boats to ferry navigation. After noticing the
previous state of the Dundee ferry, and the tragical event
which more immediately led to its improvement, he gives a
detailed view of the proceedings of the trustees, a luminous
description of the twin steam-boat, and the vast facilities it af.
fords for the transportation of passengers, horses, carts, car-
riages, and cattle. It appears that previous to 1821, when the
steam-boat began to ply, the average number of foot passengers
seems not to have exceeded 70,000 annually, and the receipts
were never much upwards of 2,0001., whereas last year the
number of foot passengers exceeded 100,000, and the receipts
were 3,7901.

• (From the Fife Herald.)
In the year 1792 we chanced to be at the quay be:ow.
Dumfries, for the purpose of sea bathing, and we shall
never forget the interest with which, on a pleasant summer, or
rather harvest afternoon, we beheld a large double vessel
making her way along the Nith without sails, and by the aid of
machinery alone. Upon inquiry, it proved that this was only
one of " Miller of Dalswinton's numerous maggots," at which
the country in general, and the sailors on this occasion- in par-
ticular, took the liberty of laughing immoderately. We had,
indeed, heard again and again of Mr. Miller, but had always
been taught by-the sage and calculating neighbourhood to con,
sider him as an individual but one remove from insanity, who
took delight in spending great sums of money, nobody could
see with what view, or for what good purpose. Little did we
think at the time when the vessel passed us, that we are ac.
tually witnessing the introduction of a new kern into the art of
navigation, and that we were joining in foolish and popular ri-
dicule, and even contempt of a man whose name will go down
to posterity, whilst names at that time more likely to be re-
membered will be entirely forgot. From a paper which we have
just read with great interest in the Edinburgh Philosophical
Jiurnal, we find that Patrick Miller, Esq. the son of the late
Mr. Miller, of Dalswinton, in Dumfrieshire, has come for,
ward, and in is distinct and most satisfactory and convincing
manner, asserted his father's claims to the application of the •
steam-engine to the movement of vessels. The small steam,
engine used by Mr. Miller as far back as the year 1788, for
the purpose of propelling a small boat upon his pleasure lake
at l)alswinton, is still preserved by his son, and this will re-
main to many succeeding generations in all probability an
heir-loom in the family, and an evidence of that incalculable
debt which his country and the human race owe to this emi-
nently enterprising and enlightened individual. We have beefl
led to these observations respecting the double boat of Mr.
Miller, which we actually saw launched in the year 1792,
from observing the similarity in her construction to those
which are now plying with such success betwixt Newport and
Dundee, upon which, as well as upon the Dundee and New.
haven passages, we have a very sensible and interesting paper,
in the same periodical, from the masterly and authoritative pen
of Captain Basil Hall, of the Royal Navy.

GUILDFORD THEATRE.-Othello was perform,
ed on Tuesday night at this Theatre, with the
Follies of a Day, supported, according to the
Play Bills, by 4' a combination of unusual and
extraordinary resplendency." The principal
male characters of the Tragedy were sustained
by amateurs, and Desdemona was performed by
Mrs. BUNN. Colonel BERKELEY played the • „
Moor. His performance, in many instances, was
powerful, and throughout judicious.
Dublin is immediately to be honoured with a
visit from Sir WALTER SCOTT, who is going on a visit to his
son, Captain SCOTT, of the 15th Hussars, now quartered in
Dublin. Sir WALTER was expected yesterday.
Dr. THORNTON, of Horbury, started from that

place at two o'clock on Monday morning, for a wager of one
hundred sovereigns, to run his horse, in a gig, to London, in
forty-eight hours, which he performed in forty-one hours,with-
out at all distressing the horse.

A new three wheeled carriage has been invent
ed at Bristol, which will travel at the rate of eight miles per
hour, and is to be propelled by manual labour from within the
vehicle.

ITALIAN BEAUTY.—A tourist gives the follow-
ing account of Italian beauty:—At Turin, several young
Italian women were walking on the terrace, in English dresses,
and with graceful downcast looks, in which you might fanc3K
that you read the soul of the Decameron. It was a fine, serious
grace, equally remote from French levity and English sullen.
ness, but it was the last I saw of it. I have run the gauntlet of
vulgar shapes and horrid faces ever since. The women in
Italy (so far as I have seen hitherto) are detestably ugly.
They are not even dark and swarthy, but a mixture of brown
and red, coarse, marked with the small-pox, and with pug fea-
tures, awkward, ill-made, fierce, dirty, lazy, neither attempt-
ing nor hoping to please. Italian beauty (if there is, as lam
creditably informed, such a thing) is retired, conventual, denied
to the common gaze. It was, and it remains, a dream to me. •
THE KING'S BODY GUARD.—For some years'
past, the Royal Company of Archers, his Majesty's Body
Guard, have shot matches betwixt the married and bachelor
mebers of the Company, with nearly alternate success ; and
on Tuesday last, the match was most keenly contested, when,
after a great deal of excellent shooting, the bachelors counted
16, and the married men 15, the last point being gained by a
very close measure, decided in favour of the bachelors.—( Edin-
burgh Courant, July 14.)

An experienced correspondent in Hamilton
mentions that bees have swarmed uncommonly
well this season. There is scarcely an old hive in
Hamilton but what has thrown off a swarm or two.
A man in Campbell-street has a fine swarm that
he set down in the country, and it has throlv n
off (that day four weeks it was put into the hive)
what beemen call, a virgin swarm. If the
season holds on propitious, honey will be very
plenty this season. A man in the Townhead, who
is accustomed to weigh his hives nightly, found
that one of them, in 3 weeks, was 501 b. clear of
the board or stone that it stands upon. One very
fine day it gained no less than 5f lbs.—(Glasgoz
Chronicle.)