The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-23 00:00:00

NEW FACTS IN SCIENCE.

The muting of the Geological Society, on Thursday,
Was marked by feaures of peculiar interest. The proem!.
ings commenced with a most elaboratepaper from the
of Professor 0 wen,on the remains of reptiles found in tbor
sandstone of Warwick, and the relation of that deposit to
the keuper formation of Germany. 'rile Professor
detailed the result of some microscopic examina-
tions, conducted with his usual accurary and persever-
ance, and exhibited some microscopic drawings of sin-
gular fidelity and beauty. As the summary of his ob-
servations, we may state that he proved that the ani-
mals considered by Dr. Jaeger, of Stutgard, to form
three genera of Mastodon Saurus, Phylosaurus, and
Dracosaurus, are, in fact, the same creation, whiert
Professor Owen, from the intricate form of the teeth,
denominates the Labyrinthodon. The Professor sue-•
gested the probability of the Warwick sandstones
being identical with the keuper sandstone of Ger-
many, a proposition which mot with some objectioni.,
though but one opinion prevailed as to tho value
and importance of the Professor's investigations in re
zoological paint of view ; the accuracy and patienca
of his research ; the truth and importance of LEA
conclusions. The next paper was on the del/ratio-1
of a part of the coast of Ireland, in the vicinity
of Waterford, by Mr. Austen ; white a communici.
tion from Mr. Dell, on the fish and pther organi::
remains of the Crag of Norfolk and Suffolk, terminated
the written communications of the evening. 'Then':
various topics gave rise to animated discussions, And a
fine display of, intellectual gladiatorship was exhibited,
the combatants being Professors Buckland and Sedp
wick, Messrs. Lyell, Delaboche, Murchison, and other:..

PROGRESS OF GEOLOGICAL DISCOVERY.---It i 8
well known fact that, during certain past ages of 6J:-
history of our earth, volcanic agency was developct:
on a scale of infinite grandeur and importance, ar.O.
that in particular a considerable portion of thra
centre of France, including the whole of the ancient;
province of Auvergne, as well as the country
bordering on the Rhine, was once the site of volcanic:
agency of exceeding power and extent. We owe to
the zeal and energy of two English geologists, Messrs.
Hamilton and Strickland, the discovery of a series oe
dormant volcanos, situated in Asia Minor, cpmmensurate
in importance with those of central France and the Rhine.
In a district in the vicinity of Smyrna called the Katake-
kaumene (name indicative of its burnt iad parched cha-
racter), our spirited countrymen have disebvered a serii.s
of volcanic vents, which though now in:a, state of repos,.
were once awakened to the most fearfa activity, and
must have presented a scene of devastation far; excelling
that of Etna and Vesuvius at the present clay, It is ae
instructive and an awful lesson, to .reflect..that these
once active fires are hushed, but not extinguished ; and
that the same Almighty hand which called ithem first
into being may again rouse them to .all';thqr pristine
energy and power of devastation. "

MEETING OF MIDDLEStX MA-

GISTRATES.

A very numerous meeting of the Magistrates of the
county of Middlesex was held on Thursday at the Sessions-
house, Clerken well, for the despatch of county business.
A very lengthened report of the Visiting Justices of the
County Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell was read, from which
the following is an extract
" Among the many suggestions for diverting the me-
lancholy and exciting better feelings among the violent
patients the appropriating of one evening in the week to
innocent amusements has been found signally beneficial.
On Thursday evenings those who can attend are enter-
tained with music on the organ, and also those who are
able join in the hymns which are sung on the oceasiolk_
" These are among the various means which tlreVisiting►
Justices hope to see more generally adopted in the asylum,
by which the good feeling of the patients may be strength-
ened and their violence in the most effectual way con -
trolled. Many instances could be given of patients on the.
female side in whom, by the considerate care and at•
tention of the matron to these little matters of amusement
and recreation, and by the absence of all harsh trcatmen:
and bodily coercion, the most gratifying changes ha%
been brought about. Cheerful and decent behaviour hr t
taken the place of violence and obscenity, and compara-
tive aptitude for instruction and industry are now in ninny
instances to be seen instead of sullen stupidity or idleness.
Where cure may be hopeless surely much may be done
these means to call forth what remains of mental facult;,
and in s,Ane degree to humanise their manners and con ,
versation.

" The Visiting Justices on this, as on former occasion .
are gratified in being able to repeat that the managemei
of the insane in the Asylum is carried on without person:
coercion, and that nothing has occured since their last r,
port to shake their confidence in its final success. The .
think it due to this humane system to say thus much, with
out committing themselves so far as to deny tie posslbilit..
of a ca,te arising which may require a return to one c
ether of the old instruments of coercion. This, howeve
they can declare, that there has been no such instance a
Hanwell, and they sincerely hope, for the sake of humanit:
that there never may. if they have been led to spc:
with confidence, it is because they believe much to be,.
stake, for though their attention has hecn limited t
its effects upon the patients within the walls of the Asylun
they cannct shut their eyes to the fact, that if this hums,
system he proved by experience to be the right one a ,
Hanwell, the medical profession, rid thuse who have ti ,
regulation of s'enilar institutions, will not bo long in cll.
covering end admitting that such a system, if e,,rried et.
with judgment, cannot we wrong elsewhere."
The N.ev. Mr. Triimuria then rose to call the attentie
of the Court to the last Report of the Visiting Justices
the County Lunatic Asylum and of Dr. Conolly. The
worthy Magistrate entered into a levy lengthened state-
ment relative to the treatment of patients in the Asylum,
and said he altogether disapproved of the s 3 stem of treat-
ment adopted in the Asylum since the retirement of
William Ellis.

The Chairman and several other Magistrates replied r
very considerable length.
After a discussion, vdlich lasted several hours, the d •
bate was adjourned to a faturo day.
The Report of the Committee on the County Tre
surer's Accounts was read, and a county rata of a pen
in the pound agreed to.

It is stated in the City that the Lord May,
does not intend to swear in Mr. Gibbs as the new bridg
master, in consequence of the disclosures relative to son
personating voters; this is the more likely as the reject.
candidate intends to demand a scrutiny.
Since the conclusion of the Mackau treaty ti
people of Monte Video arc in the utmost despair. TI
apprehension is certainly not without cause, the I'o
people having been placed under the protection of Franc
itirosindatyowanitng!l
—Charicari.
FATAL ACCIDENT,--Ott
landlord of t
o I ark corner the horse to,
about ten o'clock, as Mr. J. Lawleo,
George Inn, Hounslow-, and formerly proprietor of t
gig, on arriving rOctunrniTn
Telegraph, Readingatco
la
lc.: id,
vehicle
_against the railings
fright and ran the ; the co,
eussion was so great that the unforttnate gentleman vz
ti:rovvn with Inch violence on his head that his death v.,
Almost instantaneous.
FISHERROW, JAN. 18.—A melancholy ac(
dent occurred here on Saturday last, A yawl, om
by John Cunningham, an infirm old man, gin belou- • g
this place, had left the harbour at hal' oast nine o'c c
this morning,• with a crew consistin,., of himselfa m
named Ritchie, and two boys, aged 'fourteeni-444 fifty
years, for the purpose of dredging oysters. They I
gone shout two miles north-west from the pier-he
when a sudden squall from the cast struck the sail, r
the sheet being fast, the boat capsized. Cunningbi.
i who s an excellent swimmer, assisted by an oar, kept
self afloat, and was picked up about 15 minutes alter •
accident ; but, we regret to say, the other man
the two boys were drowned. Yesterday (Sunday>)
greater number of the boats and crews belonging
the place, in a most praiseworthy manner, turned out,
were all day engaged under the ab'e superintendenet
Mr. John Gibson, fish curer (and who rupplicd refr•
moms), in dragging for the bodies, and were ruccesafu
finding them all, teg ether with the boat, near the p
where the accident happened. To-day the whole fisl
men have remained at borne to attend the obsequies,
have just followed the bodies in procession to their
resting-place in Inveresk church-yard. The kindness
syrnralhy displayed to the survivor and relatives of the
ceased, in the present ins=tance, by the seafaring 1)34
our ropui,thoo, i; dererving of the highest praise, and
altog-ether sierthy of their proverbially blunt and ho:
character.—Edinburgh Paper.
THE CORN-LAWS.—A Correspondent info!
US that Sir Robert Peel will take en opportunity o'•
in the House of Commons that it be referred to a C
mince to take into consideration the present iuctua
duties on corn, with a view to the reduction of the s,
if such.shGuld be deemed advisable.

According to a Vienna coirespondent of
sth instant, accounts have been received there from P.
creating great alarm as to the health of the Archduc
Maria Louisa.

MORNING EDI rioN