The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-15 00:00:00

(LEFT BITTING.)

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL
ENGINEERS.
Sir JOHN RENNIEa President, in the Chair.
The paper read was a description of the " Helder, or
Great North Holland Canal," by George B. Jackson,
Assoc. Inst. C.E. This canal was constructed by the
late Mr. J. Blanken, engineer, during the six years be-
tween 1819 and 1825, for the passage of frigates and
first-class merchantmen, and extends from Amsterdam
to Nieuwediep, in the Texel. The state of the navi-
gation through the Zuyder Sea in the early part of the
17th century having become so defective, in consequence
of accumulated sand banks and shoals, that camels were
necessarily made use of to lift the vessels over the
shallows at Pampus, thereby incurring both extreme
loss of time and inconvenience, the Dutch Gov_ernment
deemed it necessary to consult Mr. Blauken 94_ the
possibility of remedying the evil. That engineer ac-
cordingly projected the above canal, which has three glk,
visions, the summit level being only 3 feet 8 inches above
the outlets. Its length is 51 miles ; it is 123 feet 7
inches broad at top, 30 feet 10 inches at bottom, and 20
feet 6 inches deep. The pile driving and burin..b experi-
ments undertaken by him to ascertain the probability of
success show that the original sea shore, being the only
really hard ground in the north of Holland, is to be
met with at 43 feet under the present surface of the
ground, and as the foundations of the locks were laid
nearly at that depth, the result of the experiments were
considered to afford sufficient guarantee for the stability
of the works. The character of the soil in that part of
Holland is exceedingly treacherous, and it reflects great
credit on our foreign neighbours that they were able to
overcome the various difficulties with which they had to
contend.

The constructions generally consist of floating and
swing bridges, tide-locks, passage-locks, &s. The float-
ing bridges are peculiar on account of their flexibility,
consisting of two platforms, one fixed to each shore on
piles, the end of each of which is worked by sets of
double levers, and resting on two boats, so that when
the bridge is required to bo opened both boats are with-
drawn, one towards each shore. The Willun lock is
297 feet 8 inches long, 51 feet 5 inches wide, the height
'
of the lock walls being 32 feet 6 inches, and the gates
thereof being each 29 feet 5 inches by 29 feat 4 inches.
The total cost amounted to one million and a half
pounds sterling ; the time required by vessels to make
the passage from Amsterdam to the Helder varies ac-
cording to their size and the means of haulage, fly-boats,
with six relays of four horses each, making it in ten
hours, whilst large East Indiamen require two, three,
and four days, according to the wind. The details of
construction of the whole of the works were given very
freely, with the illustrative drawings. In the discussion
which ensued, it was stated that the only canal in this
country which could be contrasted with that of the
Helder was the Caledonian Canal, which was projected
upon a report by Watt, commenced by Jessop, and
in a great part constructed by Telford, a few years pre-
viously to the Helder Canal. The principal difference
between the two consisted in the nature of the ground
through which they were cut; the former being ex-
cavated entirely out of alluvial deposit, whilst the
latter had to be cut out of hard gravel and in
some cases rock. An interesting account was given
of the mode of forming the spot for the entrance
lock at the Inverness end of the Caledonian Canal.
The object was to carry the work out into
deep water. A large mass of earth was deposited
iu the sea to the full extent intended ; upon this mound
a heavy load of material was laid to consolidate the
mass. After settling for a considerable time, the upper
mass was removed, the excavation was made for the lock
pit, and the construction was effected with comparative
facility, and had endured much rougher weather since,
without any symptoms of failure. The superincumbent
weight which was removed being greater than any sub-
sequent strain, there was no danger of the lock ever
sinking.

The discussion was adjourned until the next meeting,
Tuesday, February 16, when it was announced that the
second part of the paper would be read, treating of
" The method of forming facine embankments and sea
defences in Holland," by G. B. W. Jackson, Assoc. Inst.
C.E.

GAOL 132tIAKING.—Mr. Bourns, the deputy-
governor of Newgate, and two of the turnkeys connected with
that prison, fortunately discovered a plan which was laid by
several convicts under sentence of transportation fur life, fif-
teen, ten, and seven years, to break through the prison yes-
terday morning. It appeared that the number involved in
the conspiracy amounted to from 30 to 40 persons, and they
had everything prepared for their flight, having made a hole
through the root; through which any ordinary sized man
could pass, and fastened near it a,rope, made out of their bed-
ticks, of more than 20 feet long, to raise them up and after-
wards lower them into one of the adjoining streets.—Dublin
Mail of Wednesday.

HEAT WITHOUT FUEL.—lmportant as cheap fuel
may be, to be able to do without it altogether is more impor-
tant still. A Hungary chemist has taken some promising
steps towards making, this possible. Ile places in contact
two iron plates and a copper cylinder, highly polished, turn-
ing on an axis at the end of a lever, with a balance weight
at the other end, to keep the plates in contact, when, by
means of very simple apparatus and trifling exertion, a glow-
ing red heat may be produced in five minutes, and main-
tained with ease.—Tlie Builder.

ELOPEMENT OF AN HEIRESS WITH HER SINGING
MASTIC/L.—A good deal ofgoseip and some consternation pre-
vailed in fashionable circles of the metropolis yesterday, in
consequence of an elopement which took place on Saturday.
On inquiry the following facts were ascertained : It appears
that the young lady is daughter of the principal of one of the
most eminent establishments in the city, and resided at the
private house of her father in B----- street. She had a
young man named M—, who resided in G—._ street, at-
tending her as music and singing master. It is stated that
an attachment was mutually formed, and on Saturday even-
ing the parties left by the Holyhead packet, and on landing
there took the snail for Bangor, at which place all trace of
them was lost. The lady, it is said, possesses a fortune of
5,000/. in her own right. She is twenty years of age and
very handsome. The young gentleman is twenty-four years
of age.—Dublin Freeman's Journal

CHATHAM BARRACKS, FEB. 11.—This morning
the decision of the general courts-martial held in these bar-
racks in December last, for the trial of Captain Bull, of the
57th Regiment, for conduct to the prejudice of good order
and military discipline, in having placed Major Shadforth,
his commanding officer, in arrest, on board the barque Mary
Ann, on the 9th of July, 1846, then at anchor in Simon 's
Bay, Cape of Good Hope, &c., was promulgated, by which
Captain Bull is ordered to be cashiered; but was subse-
quently restored to his rank, and allowed to exchange into
another regiment. The sentence on Lieutenant Grant, who
was tried by the same Court fur insubordinate conduct
towards Major Shadforth, arising out of the same transaction,
g a
was ordered to be severely reprimanded, and seencotrdtoinghilys
duty; and he was this mornin reprimanded
bbaytttahln.
theeio

ROBBER. SHOT.—On Tuesday night, the 2d inst.,
between twelve and one 'clock, Mr. Sampson, of Bryinp-
ton, was
disturbed by a noise in the poultry yard, which
caused him immediately to get up and open his window. He
Failed out to two persons whom he sawin the yard, " What
is your business there?" but they did not reply, and made
for the lower part of the premises, from which there is a way
to the back yard, where they were lost sight of; but another,
coming from the direction of the hen's roost, and who evi-
dently was not well acquainted with the premises, made for
the orchard gate, opposite Mr. Sampson's bedroom. He
called to him and said, "If you don't answer I'll shoot you."
Ile took no notice whatever of this, but was in the act of
getting over the gate when Mr. Sampson fired. The dis-
tance is about fifty yards. This, however, did not stop him ;
a second barrel was discharged with the like result, as the
fellow made off, crying " Murder, murder," and bellowing
like a bull. lie must have been badly wounded, for, upon
examining the gate, there was blood smeared over the top
bar, and drops of blood from the gate across the orchard.
Mr. Sampson offers 201. reward for information that may lead
to the conviction of the offenders.—Shertionte Mercury.