The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-18 00:00:00

.NEW COURT.

The C)urt was occupied the whole morning with tho
trial of Mint cases.

MARLBRCY-STREET—(THIS DAY.)
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY BY AN ERRAND BOY.—Robert
Swill, a youth about fourteen years of age, in the em-
ploy of Mr. Edwd. Grayson, jeweller, &c., No. 16, Brewer-
street, was brought before Mr. Bingham, charged with
having stolen a quantity of gold filings, the property of
his master.
The prosecutor deposed that tho prisoner had been in
his employ as errand boy for about eighteen months, and
the greatest confidence was placed in him. Latterly,
in consequence of gold and gold filings being con-
tinually missed from the drawers of the workmen,
to which the prisoner had excess, the latter was sus-
pected as the thief, and information was accordingly
given to the police, who lcept a sharp eye upon
the prisoner's motions, and succeeded in taking
him into custody on the previous evening as he was
leaving his work. On being searched at the
station, gold filings worth 21. were found upon him. O❑
being taxed with the theft, the prisoner admitted having
stolen the gold, which he was in the habit of selling to a
refiner on Clerkenwell-green for Is. per pennyweight,
the same being worth at least 3s. The prosecutor added
that he had been robbed to the extent of 1001.
Police. constable Gregory, C division, proved taking
the prisoner into custody lad night. On searching him
he found 11. Its. 6d. hi gold and silver, a watch and
chain, and a quantity of gold filings. He subsequently
searched the part of the workshop to which the prisoner
had access, and found a sovereign and a half secreted
under one of the boards.
The prisoner, who did not deny the charge, was fully
committed for trial.

THE LONDON CLERKS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlB,—The social ev►ls of the city of London, and
the many crimes and distresses which arise from
them, have lately much engrossed the public mind,
and there is one to which I would particularly direct
your attention, as I am confident it bas a very great
influence on the rising generation.
You are , no doubt, aware, that in many of the large

mercantile houses in town the clerks, assistants, &c.,
live on the premises. These young men are hard at
work from morning till eight or nine o'clock at night,
when they are then allowed to go out till ten or
eleven.

This is the only boon they have conferred upon them,
as far as regards relaxation from business; but this indul-
gence ii,s'ead of having any good effect has in many in-
stances the very opposite tendency. They club
club together and spend their leisure hours in
taverns, gaming-houses, &c., &c., spending the small
salaries many of them are allowed for the mere
gratification of the moment, that they may net be
behind their companions in (miscalled) generosity,
and that they may be considered " of the right sort.'
These malpractices go on every night, and when their
scanty salaries are all spent they must find money
somewhere, and sometimes I fear by no very creditable
means. lam far from imputing this to the whole
community of clerks, but it must be allowed it goes
on to an incredible extent.

As a remedy for this, I would suggest that a fund
should be raised by public subscription sufficiently
large to establish libraries and reading-rooms in various
localities of London, so that the really well-disposed
of the thousands of young men who are now being led
astray from the golden path of duty, might read and
amuse themselves in a rational manner, and free of all
expense. This, I think, would have a tendency to put
a stop to that particular species of demoralization which
I have mentioned ; and might I venture to hint to
the many merchant princes of the city of London
that 201. expended in purchasing a small library for
their assistants, would not only be an act which would
call forth the grateful thanks of many a young man
whose natural disposition is averse to scenes of riot
and debauchery, but it would be positively for
their own interest. A few merchants have got such
libraries for their clerks, but they are very few.
The "Early Closing Association" may do their
utmost to abolish the long-hour system, and there is
every probability that in a very short time their
efforts will be successful, but unless they also do some-
thing to provide a rational amusement for the many
additional men who will hi early relieved from
business, their success will do infinitely more harm
than good. Let them, therefore, not think that they
have finished the work they have taken in hand until
they have public libraries and reading-rooms
established all over London. If such rooms could
not be entirely free, let there be a small charge of
Id. or 2d. per evening exacted of every one who
goes there to read. Many would eagerly avail
themselves of such an opportunity of improving
their mental faculties and usefully employing their
leizure time, who could very ill afford to spend two
or three pounds as a yearly subscription to a club. I
have no doubt that if a spirited committee were
formed to raise a fund for such a purpose the mer-
chants of London would, with very few exceptions,
soon swell up the subscription list to a handsome sum,
and in so doing they would be tendering a graceful
acknowledgment of their appreciation of the services
of a class of men through whose industry and business
capabilities they have themselves in a measure been
enabled to rise to their present proud position.
The young men of London may think me a mi-
santhrope, and that I wish to represent them in false
colours. There are many good, sober, honest, indus-
trious and persevering clerks in London, I am well
aware; but it must also be admitted there are many
bad ones, and many of the cases of embezzlement and
petty larceny seen in the police reports could be
traced to the practices I have mentioned. I can be
actuated by no ill feeling towards any of them—l am
one of them myself, and have known from experience
that what I have said is correct.

Craving your indulgence for thus intruding upon
you, and trusting you will hare the kindness to insert
this letter in a corner of your very liberal and widely
circulated paper, should you think it worthy of such

notice,

I remain, Sir, your most obedient servant,
A CLERK.

RESISTANCE :OF FROST BY
GUTTA PERCHA TUBING.
The following notes of an experiment with gutta
percha tubing filled with water, and inserted in a low
temperature, during the recent frost, have been fur-
nished by a scientific gentleman of Birmingham. The
object of the experimentalist was to learn how far the
non-conducting property of gutta percha would
protect water from frost, as compared with lead :
A vessel made of gutta percha was provided,
which was 6 inches deep and 4 inches diameter.
A piece of 3 -Bths gutta percha tube 7 inches long,
with one end closed, the material less than 1-16th of
an inch thick. This was called No. 1.
A piece lead pipe 8 inches long, closed as above,
the metal 3-l6ths of an inch thick. This was called
No. 2.
Another piece of gutta perch tube 7 inches long,
the sides inch thick. This was called No. 3.
The three tubes Nos. 1,2, and 3, were filled with
ice cold water, and were placed in the first-named
vessel. The tubes were separated so as not to touch
each other, or the sides, and all round was packed with
pounded ice.
On the ice was poured a quantity of hydrochloric
acid, which in a short time melted it, and reduced the
temperature 2 degrees of Fahrenheit below zero.
In five minutes the lead pipe No. 2 was frozen half-
way up, commencing at the bottom ; no ice at the time
in No. 1.
At the end of 10 minutes No. 1 was frozen about
1 3d of its length, No. 2 up to the top, and No. 3 no
ice in it.
In 15 minutes No. 1 was full of ice, and No. 3 just
commencing to freeze at the bottom.
In 20 minutes the No. 3 was nearly full of ice, and
the temperature of the liquid had risen 4 degrees, or 2
•,ve zero.
• a tube of gutta percha took a quarter of an
As the while the lead was frozen as much in
hour to freeze, as far as one trial goes, that
five minutes, it shown.., • fer from frost at least 3to
gutta percha will protect avu.
1 against lead. •
We were prepared, in the first
what would be the effect of freezing water
of gutta percha, closed firmly at each end, but a
having come on, and having used all the ice prepared,
this is necessarily put off till the frost comes on.
Birmingham, 9th Dec. 1849.

stance, to see
;n a tube
i-swe

NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE RAILWAY.—A committee
of shareholders in this company has been appointed
for the purpose of, if possible, reducing the number of
directors, to cultivate a friendly feeling with thm
London and North-Western Railway, to economize
the working expenses, and to postpone sine dine the
construction of all branch lines for which powers are
now possessed.