The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-13 00:00:00

N°. I ,853. J LONDON THURSDAY I G
- 7 DECEMBER 13, 1849.

ARGUS LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY,
39, THROGMORTON-STREET, BANK;
And 14, PALL-MALL.
Chairman—The Rght Hon. the LORD MAYOR.
Deputy-Chairmau —WILLIAM LEAF, Esq.
Richard E. Arden, Esq. :J. Ilumphery, Esq., AM.
William Banbury, Esq. • Gupsrt IngleV, Esq.
F.dward Bates, Esq. Thomas Kelly, Esq., Alderman.
Thomas Camplin, Esq. !Jeremiah Pitcher, Esq.
James Cliff, Esq. Lewis Pocock, Esq.
.4.UDlTORS—Professor Hall, M.A.; J. B. Shuttleworth, Esq.
PHYSICIAN—Dr. Jeadreson, 2 Finsbury-square.
SURGEON—W. Coulson, Esq., 2, Frederick's-place, Old Jewry.
CONSULTING ACTUART—Protesser Hall, M.A., of King's College.
STANDING CoUNSEL— Sir John Romilly, Solicitor-General.
SOLICITOR —William Fisher, Esq., 19, Dotwlity-street.
ADVANTAGES OF ASSURING WITH THIS COMPANY.

In addition to a large subscribed capital, Policy holders hare the
security of an _A:surance Fund of more than a Quarter of a
Million, and an annual Income approaching 70,0001. a year, arising
from the issue of 6,500 l'oMos.

-PREMIUMS TO ASSURI £lOO.

WHOLE TEM.!.

Aged One Year. (Seven Years.

.I r With Profits. Without Protitv,
X 1 15 10 £1 11 10
285 2 0 7
3 0 7 2 14 10
4 6 8 4 011
6 12 9 6 0 10

20 £0 17 8- .£0 19 1
30 1 1 8 1 2 7
40 1 5 0 1 .6 9
-50 1 14 1 1 19 10
60 3 2 4 3 17 0

One-half of the " Whole Term" Premium may remain on credit
for seven years, or ouc-third of the Premium may remain for life as a
icht upon the policy at b per cent., or may be paid off at any time
without notice.
_Claims paid in one month after proofta have been approved.
Loans upon approved se..urity.
The medical officers attend every day at Throgmorton-street at a
quarter before two o'clock, at Pall-mall at a quarter before three.
E. BATES, Resident Director.

GUARDIAN FIRE AND LIFE ASSUR.
ANCE COMPANY.
\"o. 11, LOMBA/tD-STREET, at the Entrance of the Old Post
office, London.
DIRECTORS.
JOIIN MARTIN, Esq., M.P., Chairman.
THOMSON HANKEY, jun., Esq., Deputy-Chairman.
'lenry Hulse Berens, Esq. Lewis Loyd, jun., Esq.
John Dixon, Esq. George Lyall, Esq.
Francis Hart Dyke, Esq. Stewart Marjoribanks, Esq.
Sir Walter R. Farquhar, Bart. Rowland Mitchell, Esq.
John Harvey, Esq. James Morris, Esq.
John G. Hubbard, Esq. Henry Norman, Esq.
George Johnstone, Esq. Henry R. Reynolds, jun., Esq.
John Labouchere, Esq. John Thornton, Esq.
ohs Loch, Esq. James Tulloch, Esq.
TORS.
:•4amuel Jones Loyd, Esq.
'hornton, Esq.
oavies, Esq., F.R.S.

AUDI'

1.. W. Robarts, Esq.
Henry Sykes
ACTUARY-Griffith

In the LIFE DEPARTMENT, Assurances may be effected at
ow Rates without participation in the Profits; or at moderate Rates
with participation in one moiety of the Profits every seven years. At
each of the three Septennial Divisions which this Company has made,
the Bonuses amounted to about 1 per cent. per annum on the sum
assured, or about 27 per cent. on the amount of premium received;
and the whole amount of Reversionary Bonus allotted by the Com-
pany exceeded 530,0001.
LOANS granted on Life Policies to the extent of their values, pro-
vided such Policies shall have been effected a sufficient time to have
attained in each case a value not under 501.

In the FIRE DEPARTMENT, a Return of profit was declared
the 6th of June, upon the premiums received on all Policies
which had been in force seven years at Christmas 1848, and the same
s now in course of payment daily (Friday and Saturday excepted),
between the hours of ten and three o'clock, at the Head Office ; and
Aso by the Agents iu the Country Districts.
Notice is hereby given, that Assurances which expire at Christ-
mas Day must be renewed within fifteen days, at this office, or with
Mr. Sams, No. I, St. James's-street, corner of Pall-mall or with the
Company's Agents throughout the kingdom, otherwise they become
void.

GEORGE KEYS, Secretary.

EA, FIRE, LIFE ASSURANCE OFFICE.
Established by Act of Parliament,
31, 4lortmliLL, LONDON.
Capitalloo,oool., in Shares of 20s. each, to be paid In Bill on allotnient,
bearing a guaranteed interest of 5 per cent. In perpetuity (irrespective
of further dividends) upon the paid-up capital.
Application for Shares to be addressed to the Directors at the
Offices of the Society. Marine, Fire, and Life Assurances granted
on the most liberal terms.
Immediate and Deferred Annuities granted on terms especially
advantageous for investment of capital.
By order,
AUG. COLLINGIZIDGE, Managing Director.

REAT EXHIBITION OF THE WORKS
it. I OF INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS, MI.
The FIRST LIST of the Names of Promoters and Subscribers to
this Exhibition will shortly be reported to the Prince Al-
bert, President of the Society of ,rts. The Merchants, Rankers,
Manufacturers, and other Gentlemen coni:ected with the City of
London who are desirous that their names should be so recorded, are
requested to communicate immediately with the Honorary Secre-
taries of the CITY of LONDON COMMITTEE, addressed to
Guildhall.

STEPHEN REED CATTLEY, Hosiorary
DAVIT) WILLIAM WIRE, 5 Secretaries.
Guildhall, December 12,'1849.

In Svo. cloth, lettered, price 128.

I ETTERS on the THEO'R'Y of PROBALI.
,1 TIES, applied to the Political and Moral Sciences. By
M. A. QUETELET. Translated from the French by Mr. 0. G.
DOWNES.

" We have no doubt that the work Neill be eminently useful in
th's country." - London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Ma
gazine.
" We have rarely seen a scientific work rendered with so much
elegance."—Atlas.
" M. Qnetelet is an able reasoner, and chooses his illustrations
very happily, so as to render an apparently abstruse subject of easy
comprehension. The study of esuses is shown in natural pheno-
mena, such as the flowering of plants ; and the proba'Alities of
life, in the domestic superstition of thirteen to dinner.'"—lllu.s-
-trated London News.

London. Charles and Edwin Layton, 150, Fleet-street.

Just published, price 2s. Gd., or by post 3s.
FI E MOT HER COUNTRY;
or, the Spade, the Wastes, 2nd the Eldest Son.
An Examii:ation of the Condition of England —Home Col ttization
. .

—Poor Law—Peasant Proprietary--Entail and Primogeniture
-Cor-
porations -Charities, Endowments - Church Property—Peace—Re-
ligion— ree Trade—Taxation—Communism—A Paternal Govern-
ment—The Age of Shams, &c.
By SIDNEY SMITH.
John Kendrick, 4, Charlotte-row, Mansion House, London.

ItOOFF'S IMPROVED RESPIRATOR (Pa-
tent), for CONSUMPTION, ASTIf MA, and DELICATE
LUNGS, is particularly recommended for the easy respiration it
permits, having separate channels for the inspired and expired air;
formed of tubes instead of wire gauze, it warms and purities the at-
mosphere without becominz clogged, and neither requires cleaning
nor repairing. No unsightly appearance.
Testimonials seen, and descriptions sent.—Depot, 183, Strand, near
Norfolk-street.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN ClRCUlT.—Liverpool, Dec. 12.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN.)
John Robinson was indicted for forgery. Mr.
Monk and Air. Joseph Pollock prosecuted, Mr. James
defended the prisoner.
It appeared that the prisoner had planned and exe-
cuted a series of forgeries which have been carried
on in Manchester, the metropolis, and elsewhere with
great ingenuity and succese. The fraud consisted in
forging cheques on the different banks, by obtaining
by some means the genuine signatures of the parties
who kept accounts at the several bankers', and then
in skilfully filling up cheques, signing the name, and
obtaining the money. Apprehensive of detection
when getting the cheques cashed, a plan was devised
fer making use of persons unconscious that any such
fraud was being practised.
In the case now tried, the prisoner was indicted for
has ing, on the 28th of April last, at Manchester,
forged a cheque for the sum of 3251. 95., with intent
to defraud William Burton. In a separate count he
was charged with uttering merely.
It appeared, from the statement of counsel and the
witnesses called, that on the IS-h of April there
appeared an advertisement in the Liverpool Courier,
for a young man required to fill a commercial situa-
tion. A young man named Frederick Whitfield, now
clerk is a house in Dublin, answered this advertise-
ment; and subsequently received a letter from the
prisoner, who 'adopted the name of "Whittam."
Whitfield was requested by the writer to meet him
at the Corn Exchange, in Manchester ; and they met
there accordingly. Prisoner, after talking with
Whitfield for some time, and representing himself to
be a corn-merchant, left fur a while, saying that he
had some one to see. On his return he requested
Whitfield to go and get cash for the cheque in ques-
tion, which the other agreed to do. The cheque was
on the bank of Sir Beni smin Heywood and Co., and
purporting to be drawn by Mr. William Burton, who,
it appeared, had kept an account at that bank for
some time before. Whitfield went to the bank, re-
ceived the money ix six 501. Bank of England notes,
and the remainder in ca.* and brought it to the
prisoner. Prisoner then_ asked him to carry the
notes to the Branch Bank of England, in King-
street, Manchester, and get them exchanged for
gold, giving him sixpence to pay for a bag to put
the cash in, and observing that he did- not like to
go as the bankers were jealous of being called on
to pay in cash. Whitfield thereupon went to the
branch bank and got the gold, prisoner having en-
dorsed the notes, " Whittam, Preston." To prove
the guilty knowledge in the prisoner, on the charge
of uttering, there were several other similar previous
utterings by him. Two of these were made subjects
of distinct charges by two other indictments. The
prisoner had obtained by these means, in the whole,
about 1,5001.

Verdict—Guilty. Sentence—To be transported
for twenty years.

NISI P-RIUS COURT.— (B,,fore Mr. Justice

TALFOURD.)
Thomas Hardman was charged with having mar
ried Jane Haswell, his former wife being then alive.
Mr. Monk prosecuted; Mr. Joseph Pollock de
fended the prisoner.

It appeared that the prisoner was married on the
Ist of January, 1835, at Bolton, to one Eliz. Raws-
thorne, by whom he had several children, who, having
become chargeable to the parish at Wigan, .the poor-
law guardians instituted the present proceeding,
havitg. discovered that the prisoner was married at
Gretna Green on the 14th of November, 1847, to
Jane Haswell, who was a barmaid at an inn in
Carlisle, from which place they eloped, and were
duly married by John Murray, a toll-collector near
the border.

The first marriage having been proved, and the
second wife having given evidence as to the second
marriage, the Counsel for the prosecution called
John Murray, who said I am a toll collector at
Alison's Bank, in the parish of Gretna. I produce
register of marriages which I keep (the following is
an extract) :
" Alison's BAnk Toll-house, Parish of Gretna,
Scotland, 14th November, 1847.

" We, Thomas Hardman, residing in the parish of St.
Mary's, in the county of Cumberland, and Jane Has-
well, residing is the parish of St. Mary's, in the county
of Cumberland, d) hereby acknowledge ourselves to be
married parsons' in testimony whereof we have re-
quested William Graham and William *Can to sign
this as witnesses to the genuineness of our signatures.
" Wm. Graham. " THOS. HARDMAN, his mark.
" Wm. M•Can. " JANE HASWELL, ;-..1 her mark."

Witness, in continuation—When the parties came
into the room I asked tham to stand up. I said,
" Are you, Thomas Hardman, a single, unmarried
man ?" and he said, " Yes." I then said, " Are you,
Jane Haswell, a single, unmarried woman ?" and she
said, " Yes." I then asked Thomas Hardman if he
took Jane Haswell to be his lawful wife, and he said,
" Yes." I then asked Jane Haswell if she took
Thomas Hardman to be her lawful husband, and she
said, " Yes." I then told Thomas Hardman to put a
ring on her finger; and he having done so, I asked
them if they declared themselves to be man and wife
before God and the witnesses, and they said " Yes."
This is a usual form of marriage in Scotland.
Cross-examined by Mr. POLLOCK—My place is
called Alison's Toll-bar. I am nearer Carlisle than
Mr. Linton's, the original blacksmith. I have mar-
ried for seven years, at the rate of about 400 couples
a year. They generally take a little whiskey both
before and after the marriage.
Alexander Downie—l am a writer at Dumfries.
I have heard the evidence given by the last witness.
That is a perfectly good marriage, according to the
law of Scotland.

Mr. POLLOCK addressed the jury for the prisoner,
contending that, from the evidence of Jane Haswell,
the prisoner had been drinking on the morning of the
marriage at Gretna, and was not in a state to render
any contract made by him binding.
Hie LORDSHIP having summed up, the jury re-
turned a verdict of Guitty.—Sentence deferred.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.

Samuel Lourio, Bernard Gordon,; and Loderick
Faderman, underwent a long examination on Tuesday
evening before the Lord Mayor, upon the charge of
having engraved plates in imitation of the plates used
by the Imperial Bank of Russia, with which notes are
struck off for issue, and with having prepared the
spurious notes with intent to defraud the Russian
Government. .

Mr. Clarkson attended for the Emperor of Russia,
instructed by Mr. Peachy, from Messrs. Oliverson
and Co., Old Jewry; Mr. Isaacs and Mr. Norton at-
tended for the prisoners.
Mr. Clarkson, who had produced upon the first
examination of the prisoners as much evidence as he
considered to be necessary to justify a remand, went
upon the present occasion into a full detail of the
circumstances of the case. He prefaced his statement
by representing that the law considered as guilty
those who committed, through the instrumentality of
an innocent person, an illegal act, without at all in-
volving the latter, although aware of the fraudulent
intention of the persons accused. He then, in the
clearest manner, described the whole progress of
the work, and called Mr. Feger, from whose evidence
we select what was not adduced upon the first exa-
mination, and which was as follows :—I first saw
Gordon 18 months ago, when he came and gave me
en order to prepare cards for him. On the same
evening I saw Lourio and Gordon, and the latter
said he did not like to see any young man about, and
that the business must be transacted with me alone.
In engraving a plate of this description there are
various branches of the trade engaged, and I employed
several assistants. Four plates were necessary (be-
sides the numbering on either side of the bottom in
the circles) to complete the note. Lourio and Gordon
paid me three half-crowns to buy the copper before I
saw Faderman, whom they called the " gentleman."
I received no other money until September, when
they said the gentleman had arrived, but I had asked
before, and they made excuses. In the middle of
that month I received from Lourio, in the presence
of Gordon, a blue five-rouble note, that I might
engrave a fac-simile of the back for a ten- rouble
note, anal after that order was finished I was to have
a good order for the blue. When Lourio gave me
the five rouble note, he made a comparison
with an eyeglass of the back of the ten-rouble note,
to see if they were the same. When I entered the
house in which Federman was, they appeared to
shield me from the observation of any one, and locked
the door of the room in which we were. There was
a rumbling in the next room, and they looked in,
and sent down a woman who was making the bed.',
After some conversation, I said, " When the plates
were finished I should go into the country, take the
plates with me, and there work off the notes." On
the 29th of September I took to the lodging of
Federman, at Kennington, .the print of the front
plate, with the writing and the arms on it. I showed
it to all the prisoners, who handed it to a foreigner
who was with them, and held it up to the light of
the candle to see if the watermark was right, and
they appeared satisfied, and spoke to me about taking
a house in the country. On the 12th of October
Lourio and Gordon came again to me, and gave me
11. to pay a deposit for a press which we had been
looking at, and about a fortnight afterwards they gave
me 41. 145., and told me to add 6s. to it and

pay 6/. for the press, which I did. Two days after-
wards they came to look at it, and took an im-
pression in red ink of the back ground of the
front plate, and said the " gentleman" did not
like the impression in black ink, and wanted to see
it in red in which it was to be printed. On the 4th
of November I went with my assistant to Faderman's
at Kennington, where the other prisoners also
were, taking with me an impression of the back of
the note to show them for their approval. Feder-
man read it, and Lourio corrected the errors with a
pen. He read it in a foreign language as I could do
English. There were about 25 corrections in it, and
before they were made Federman and Li,urio corn
municated together. Before I left Federman's that
day Lourio produced whit I beliwve to be a Bible in
Hebrew and English, and said to me the "gentleman"
wished me to swear that I would lose no time in exe-
cuting the work, and that I would pay no attention
to any other work but theirs till I had done it. I
went through the ceremony of swearing on the book.
The others were sworn also, and then we shook hands
and parted. On the 20th of November my man and '
I went to Faderman's lodgings, with impressions
printed of the note entire, all but the figures 40.
Federman was alone, and he examined it, and. said,
" Good, good," and we were again sworn. He
handed the book to me, and kissed it, and gave it to
me ; and he said " Lose no time," and I kissed the
book. The witness in the course of his evidence
particularised .the various sums of moaey he -re-
ceived as he proceeded in the work, and described
the frequent visits he had received and paid up to
the day on which the prisoners were apprehended
by John and Daniel Forrester, the Mansion-house
officers.

The witness underwent a long cress:examination
by Mr. Norton and Mr. Isaacs, the object of which
appeared to be to show that, inasmuch as the prisoners
were not actually engaged in the work of engraving
and printing, and no issue of the notes had taken
place, there was no legal offence committed by them
The witness said he had never engraved any plates
of the kind before, nor been before a witness in such
a case.

Mr. Clarkson stated that Mr. Feger had acted with
a great deal of judgment and discretion in applying,
the moment he discovered the intentions of the pri-
soners to be fraudulent, to his solicitors, Messrs.
Wire and Child, and acting exactly according to
their advice. The Learned Counsel requested that the
prisoners might be remanded from time to time until
the arrival of the necessary witnesses from Russia.
The LORD MAYOR acquiesced, and remanded the
prisoners till Tuesday next.
It is said the amount of the whole mass of notes, if
they all git into circulation, would exoeed 150,0001.

Mr. ARNOLD said he was so much surprised at th..,
eitraordinqry nature of the proceedings, when the
matter was first brought under bis notice, that he had
been unable to give that attention to the terms of the
Act tinier which they were taken which was neces-
sary to arrive at a correct judgment upon the case.
After a careful perusal of the ath section of the
steuta up ,n which the course against the defendant
was groun led, he was clearly of opilion that
its intention was solely to refer to persons
who were paupers in the ordinary sense
of the word, and receiving relief from the parish
funds, wl.e:tas in this instance it was shown that
the defendant was a gentlem m and a professional
person, and, so fir from being a common vauper,
voluntarily seeking aid from the parish, had been in.
veigled into the workhouse, ani forcibly detaine 1
there 94.ainq his will, which he consi lered was not
sufficient to render him chargeable within the meaning
of the act. fraying arriv.d ar, this conclusion, after
mature deliberation, he coesidered that it was not in
his province to determine whether the defendant was
a lunatic or not, as the case had not properly come
within his jurisdiction,' and he must therefore order
the defendant to be forthwith discharged.
Immediately the Magistrate pronounced his decision,
Mr. Bowers, the medical attendant upon Mr. Eliot's
family, and another gentle:nan, named Wise, stepped
forward to obtain warrants against the defendant, for
using threatening language towards the former, and
assaulting the latter, both of which offences were
alleged to have been committed in the interval which
had elapsed since the defendant was last before the
magistrate.
The first of these cases was . partially gone into,
but adjourned for the production of a necessary wit-
ness, and Mr. Bowers, who preferred the charge,
expressing his conviction that he would not be safe
from personal violence, if the defendant were allowed
to go at large without some security being takM fur
his protection,

Mr. ARNoLntrdered the defendant to put in two
substantial bail, in 301. each, for his peaceable be-
haviour towards the complainant until the next exa-
mination, and the defendant, who laboured under
much excitement, being unable to procure them, was
transferred to the House of Detention in the prison
van.

Our obituary of to day records the death of this
distinguished engineer. By birth he was a French-
nun, but his life and genius were almost wholly
devoted to the invention and construction of works of
great public utility in this country. Sir I. Brunel
was born at Ilacquevitle, in Normandy, n ,eit in the
Department de l'Eure, in the sear 1769 ; a year since
remarkable for having given birth to m any eminent
men. His family his for many centuries held, and
now hold, the estate on which he was born ; and the
name of B:unel is found constantly mentioned in the
at: lent archives of the province. He was educated
for the church, with ths prospect of succeeding to a
living, and was accordingly sent at an early age to
the seminary of St. .Nicain, at R men. Bat he soon
evinced so strong a predilection for the physical
sciences, and so great a genius for mathemaPics, that
the superiors of the establishment recommended he
should be educated for some other profession than that
of the church. His father strongly objected to his
adopting the profession of an engineer, as one more
likely to prove beneficial to others than him-
self; and he therefore determined that he should be
educated for the naval service, in which he thought his
son's proficiency in mstlismetics might lay the foun-
dation of his advancement in that profession. At the
proper age he entered the royal navy, being indebted
for his appointment to the Alareschal de Castries,
then the Minister of Marine. On one occasion he
surprised his captain by producing a sextant and
quadrant of his own construction, and which he used
for making observations. He made several voyages
to the West Indies, and returned home in 1792. At
this time the French Revolution was at its height.
As Mr. Brun.-1 entertained Royalist opinions, which
he was not very careful to suppress, his life was more
than once in danger, and he was, like many others al
that time, forced to seek safety in flight. He emi-
grated to the United States, where necessity, fortu-
nately, compelled him to &How the natural bent of
his mind, and to adopt the profession of a civil en-
gineer. He was first engaged to survey a large tract of
land near Lake Erie lie was employed in building the
Bowery Theatre, in New York, which not many years
ago was burnt down. He furnished plans for canals,
and for various machines connected with a cannon
foundry then being established in the state of New
York. About the year 1799 he had matured his
plans for making ship blocks by machinery. The
United States was not then the field for so inventive
a genius as Brunel's. He determined upon visiting
England and offering his services and plans for this
purpose to-the British Government. Lord Spencer,
then we believe First Lord of the Admiralty, la,came
his friend and patron. He became a frequent guest
at Spencer-house, and never failed to speak warmly
of the assistance and encouragement he derived from
the friendship of Lord and Lady Spencer. From this
time he continued to reside in England, and refust d
to entertain many propositions made to him to leave
England and settle abroad under the auspices of other
Governments. After much opposition to his plans,
for a very powerful opposition was arrayed against
him, not lessened in that day by his being a French-
man, he was employed to execute them in Portsmouth
dockyard. To perfect his designs and to erect the
machinery was the arduous labour of many years.
With a true discrimination he selected Mr. Henry
Mandalay to assist in the execution of the work, and
thus, possibly, was laid the foundation of one of the
most extensive engineering establishments in the
kingdom, and in which, perhaps, a degree of science
and skill has been combined and applied to mechanical
invention and improvement scarcely exceeded by any
other in the world. The block machinery was
finished in 1806, and has continued ever since in full
operation, supplying our fleet with blocks of a very
superior description to those previously in use, and at
a large annual saving to the public. It was esti-
mated at the time that the saving in the first year
amounted to 24,0001. per annum; and about two-
thirds of that suns were awarded to Mr. Brunel. It
is needless to describe the originality and beauty of
this well-known machinery. Even after the lapse of
forty years, notwithstanding the marvellously rapid
strides we have made in the improvement and con-
struction of machines of all kinds, it remains as
effective as it was when first erected, and unaltered.
It is still an object of admiration to all persons in-
terested in mechanism. A few years afterwards he
was employed by Government to erect sawmills, upon
a new principle, in the dockyards of Chatham and
Woolwich. Several other inventions were the off-
spring of his singularly fertile mind about this time
—:he circular saw, for cutting veneers of valuable
woods, and the beautiful little machine for winding
cotton thread into balls, which greatly extended its
consumption. About t.vo years before the termina-
tion of the war Mr. Brunel, under the countenance
of the Duke of York, invented a machine for making
shoes for the army by machinery, the value and
cheapness of which were fully appreciited, and they
were extensively used; but the peace of 1815 lessen-
ing the demand, the machinery was ultimately laid
aside. Steam navigation also at that time attracted
his attention. He was engaged in the building of
one of the first Ramsgate steamboats, and, we believe,
introduced the principle of the double engine for the
purpose. lie also in laced the Admiralty to allow
him to build a vessel to try the experiment of towing
ships out to sea, the possibility of which was then
denied. Many other objects of great public utility
occupied his mind, which in this mere outline of a
long and active life must be excluded. The visit of
the Emperor Alexander to this country, after the
peace, led him to submit to the Emperor
a plan for making a tunnel under the Neva, where
the accumulation of ice, and the suddenness
with which it breaks up on the termination of winter,
rendered the erection of a bridge a work of great
difficulty. This was the origin of his plan for a
tunnel under the Thames, which had been twice
before attempted without success. In 1824, however,
a company was formed, and supported by the Duke
of Wellington, who took from first to last a deep in-
terest in the week. Many men of science also joined
it, amongst whom the late Dr. Wollaston was the
most prominent, and whose brother long continued
one of the most active and able promoters of the
scheme. The work was commenced in 1824. It was
stopped more than once during its progress by the
breaking in of the river, and more effectually at last
by the exhausted finances of the company, which never
extended beyond the command of 180,0001. At length,
after the suspension of the work for many years, by a
special Act of Parliament a loan was sanctioned, the
Exchequer Loan Commissioners advanced the funds
necessary for the completion of the work under the
river, and, notwithstanding many weighty profes•
sional opinions were advanced against the practica-
bility of the work, from both the loose alluvial nature
of the soil through which it had to be con,tructed,
and the superincumbent flood of water, it was finished
and opened to the public in 1843. In a scientific point
of view this work will always be regarced as display-
ing the highest professional ability, an amount of
energy and perseverance rarely exceeded, and a fer-
tility of invention and resources under what were
deemed insurmountable difficulties, which will always
secure to Sir I. Brunel a high place amongst the
engineers of this country. During Lord Melbourne's
Administration Mr. Brunel received the honour of
knighthood, on the recommendation of the late Lord
Spencer, then Lord Althorp. Sir I. Brunel was a
vice-president of the Royal Society, a corresponding
member of the Institute of France, and a vice-presi-
dent of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He was
also a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. He was
unaffected, simple in his habits, and benevolent, and
as ready to do a kind act as be was to forget an in-
jury. He died in his 81st year, after a long illness,
which first visited him soon after the completion of
the Tunnel. The care, anxiety, and constant strain
of body and mind, brought on a slight attack of
paralysis, from which he never thoroughly recovered.
He leaves a widow, Lady Brunel, one son, the eminent
engineer, and two daughters, the eldest married to
gr. Hawes, the Under-Secretary of State for the
Colonies, and the youngest to the Rev. Mr. Harrison,
the vicar of New Brentford.

LEASE OF THIS CALEDONIAN AND DUMBARTON-
SHIRE RAILWAY —This railway has been leased for a
period of six years, to Messrs. G. and J. Burns, the
well-known steam-`'eat proprietors, on the following
terms :—First year. nwtt 5,000/., yielding 2i per cent. ;
second year, nett 7,0001., yielding 31 per e.7nt. ; third
year, nett 9.000/ , yielding 4} per cent. ; fourth year,
nett 10,0001., yielding 5 per cent. ; fifth year. 10,0001,
yielding 54 per cent. ; sixth year, nett 11,0001, yielding
5i per cent. The cal ital required to complete the line
and meet the outlay of every description, is estimated
not to exceed 200,000/. It is believed that it will not be
necessary to make any further call ; but eve❑ if this
should be required, it will not increase the capital be-
yond the sum stated. It is rumoured that the Messrs.
Burns are backed by the Forth and Clyde Canal Corn-
piny and certainly the Parliamentary notices in the
newspapers give an appearance of probability to the
rumour. But desirable as this connexion would be, the
high standing and respectability of the lessees render the
arrangement as it now stands perfectly satisfactory.—
Scottish Railway Gazette.
DEATII OP MR. DEPUTY DIXON.—This gentle-
man, well known in the City circles from his lung con-
nexion with the ward of Cripplegate Without, died yes-
terday morning at tho advanced ego of 73. his decease
was not unexpected, he had suffered from illness for
some time past. Ile has left a numerous family to
mourn his loss.