The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-15 00:00:00

DIORAMIC

THE OXY-HYDROGEN LIGHT.

A remarkably pleasing and altogether new applica-
tion of the powers of hydro-oxygen light is at pre-
sent absorbing the atteation of the visitors at the
Royal Polytechnic institution, where it was first exhi
bited on Easter Monday. The exhibition consists
in displaying on the large disc in the theatre of the es-
tablishment a series of magnified pictures, properly
called" dissolving views," the effects of which are abso-
lutely surprising to the last degree. What we ourselves
saw we will endeavour to convey to the imagination of
the reader by description. The first picture represented
three line-of-battle ships, one English and two foreign,
preparing tor engagement. On a sudden, and by imper-
ceptible means, the commencement of the action was in-
dicated by the appearance of large volumes of smoke.
These, in tern, were succeeded by a representation of the
conquered foreign ships in a crippled state; their yards
shot away, their rigging floating about, and the standard
of England flying from the remaining stumps of masts.
This accomplished, the vessels faded from the vision,
their receding shadows giving place to a view of Green-
wich Hospital from the river, with yachts and steam-
boats at anchor. These changes are so nicely gra-
duated that the eye scarcely recognises the illusory
transformation. Ono of the most pleasing series of
views was that in which were represented the old Royal
Exchange, with its subsequent destruction by fire, the
appearance of the ruins, and the (to be) new build-
ing. These changes were brought about as if by
magic, the second taking the place of the first as
if it actually grew out of the canvas, for the purpose of
displacieg its successor. Altogether we saw 18 of
these metamorphoses, and, judging from the enthu-
siastic and even boisterous applause bestowed upon each
picture, we should infer that nothing has been produced
for a long time,leven at the novelty exciting Polytechnic
Institution, so well calculated both to please and
astonish. The effects we have alluded to arc produced,
not by mountebankism, but by science. Messrs. Cary,
the celebrated opticians, are the inventors of this new
and very charming application of the powers of a well-
known chemical light ; raid their modus operandi is the
result of philosophical principles. Some appropriate and
very well-executed airs' were played by a petite band
behind the disc during the progress of these dissolving
views. We foresee that this invention will become the
stepping-stone to an altogether new style of dioramic
representation to an unlimited extent. Shakspearo's
" Seven Ages," Thomson's " Seasons," the achievements
of a navy, the battles of armies ; in short, every class of
event by " flood and field," may succinctly be given by
this all-attractive method of pictorial story-telling.

REPRESENTATION OF IPs wrcu.—We last
week announced the intended retirement of Sir Thomas
Cochrane from the representation of this borough, upon
the dissolution of the preieut Parliament, since then the
" why and the wherefore " of the divorce of this political
union has been bruited abroad. Of the cause of this dis-
agreement, " many tongued rumour " has circulated some
most extraordinary tales. The real state of the case is
now fully ascertained. A letter has been addressed by the
Hon. and Gallant Knight, to numerous persons, who, it
appears, have claims for certain electioneering debts, and
who have been moat wofully left in :he lurch. This letter
fully exculpates the Hon. and Gallant Knight, and shows
an open and straightforward dealing, and at the same time
a zeal for his patty, which command respect and justify his
high character as a gentleman.—lpswich Express.
At the late assizes at Kingston a black man,
named John Giddy, from the river Gambia, was indicted
for feloniously assaulting Zoula Lander, with intent to do
him some grievous bodily harm. The prosecutor and the
other witnesses, in support of the prosecution, were all
Africans and had a very imperfect knowledge of English,
and Mr. Baron Parke had considerable difficulty in ascer-
taining from them what form of oath they considered would
be binding upon their conscience; and all that could be
elicited from them was that they believed that if they told
a lie they should go "down, down, down." The Learned
Judge, after some further inquiries, said he thought the
prosecutor might be sworn, and he then, partly by very
intelligent signs and by words, explained that he and the
prisoner formed part of the crew of a vessel called the
William de la Noix, and that they came from Gambia in
her, and during the voyage the prisoner was continually
abusing him, and upon ono occasion he attempted to
"gouge" one of his eyes, and he showed the Court the in-
jury the prisoner had inflicted at that time. On the day of
the transaction referred to in the indictment be and
the prisoner were both drunk on board the vessel
and they began to quarrel, and as the prisoner was in the
act of getting up the rigging, the prosecutor laid hold of
his heel, and be immediately got down in a great rage, and
seized an iron bolt, a most formidable instrument upwards
of two feet long and three inches thick, and with both
hands struck the prosecutor a tremendous blow on the head,
and Le continued beating him with the iron bolt for several
seconds after he was upon the ground. He then ran
away and hid the bed', and told the ship's cook not to let
the " white man" know that he had taken it. The pri-
soner in his defence said that the old man (the prosecutor)
had ken "on to him " all the voyage, and that ho aggra-
vated him to do what be did. True Jury found the pri-
soner Guilty, and Mr. Baron Parke, after observing tbat
an offence committed by soufchthaepolaowr
laws and
ms ascutshto of thee prisoner,
w i
who as quite ignorant
be visited with the Same s •
country, ought not to evenly,
as it would under ordinary circumstances, sentenced the
prisoner to be kept to hard labour for four months.
TAXING LUXURIES.—The Louie oozftz
Rsvei
pl
rl
ee
3eAntd:
ievre;
ybill upon carriages and gold
htiasveer saysthatadeded t tabenew Kentucky
tax
watches a proposition to tax other luxuries, such as
whisky, tobacco, and hemp 1' Whisky and tobacco luxuries!
One is an unmitigated curse' and the other an intolerable
nuisance ! Hemp a luxury ! Why,
in-
dispensable necessity as long it is an article of
as the whisky and tobacco
are used."

MORNING EDITION.