The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-12 00:00:00

THE PEACE CONGRESS.

The following letter has been addressed to Lord
Palmerston by the Peace Congress Committee of
London, relative to the dispute now pending between
the British and Portuguese Governments, on the
subject of the forcible release of Mr. Summers at
Macao :

" Peace Congress Committee, 15, New Broad-
street, Sept. 29, 1849.
" My Lord,—We have learnt with deep regret that a
misunderstanding has arisen between the British and
Portuguese Governments, in consequence of the death
of a Portuguese soldier, killed at Macao by a party of
English marines who were engaged in forcibly releasing
a British subject from confinement. Whilst this trans-
action justly demands the most searching investigation,
we beg to express our earnest hope that it will not be
permitted for one moment to disturb the friendly relit-
Cons of the two countries, and that, should any obstacle
arise to prevent its amicable adjustment, to the entire
satisfaction of both parties, by ordinary diplomatic
negotiation, your Lordship will at once exert your high
influence to secure the settlement of the dispute by
friendly negotiation.
" Signed on behalf of the Peace Congress Committee
of London.
" To the Right 'lon. Lord Palmerston."

CONSUMPTION OF SMOKE.
This often wished for, but never realised improve
ment, may now be said to be effectually achieved,
We speak not from theory, but from actual obser-
vation. A short time ago, Messrs. Chambers of
our city erected a new furnace and chimney for
a ten-horse power steam-engine, which mores
their printing machinery ; and, with a view
to remove all challenge respecting smoke, they ap-
plied Juckes's patent smoke-consuming apparatus.
This apparatus resembles nothing else of the kind.
It consists of what may be called an endless chain
of bars, disposed not crosswise but lengthwise, and
this chain of bars forms the bottom of the furnace,
on which the live coal blazes. The chain moves
very slewly forward—not more than at the rate of
an inch in the minute—from the front to the back
of the furnace, carrying the fire along with it. At
the back or bridge of the furnace, the chain of bars
moves round, and comes back beneath. Thus it
goes on endlessly from morning till night. The
apparatus is fixed on a carriage, which is run into
its place on a species of railroad; and the whole—
that is, the whole bottom of the furnace—can be
dragged in or out at pleasure, by which means
every facility is presented for cleaning, renovation,
&c. The chain of bars is moved by connecting gear
from the steam-engine. The coal ,is laid on a
hopper at the mouth of the furnace, and is carried
forward by the bars, the depth of coals that enters
being regulated by an iron door, which is depressed
or raised like a sluice. The principle of smoke
consumption consists in the slow and regular admis-
sion of the coal. Instead of being heaved with a
shovel, so as to produce continual gusts of smoke,
it is admitted, as it were, by hair breadths. The
ignition is therefore little at a time, and what
smoke is raised having to go over the bright fire
beyond, it is necessarily consumed. Nothing gets
up the chimney but a slight fume, scarcely per-
ceptible to the eye. The skiparatus, we are told,
his the further advantage of economising fuel and
attendance, while it sustains the steam equally with
the common practice of firing. The 'great beauty of
the whole thing, however, is, that the smoke is con-
sumed. We have seldom seen any process of art
more simple, and yet more 'ingenious and beautiful.
It is the first instance, we believe, of Juckes's patent
being applied in Scotland, and the working of the
apparatus is well worth seeing. With a judicious
a; plication of such apparatuses, we do not see
why, towns should any longer be tortured with
nullity clouds of smoke, obscuring the atmosphere,
and damaging public health. There, before our eyes,
is a convincing proof that there need be no smoke
from furnaces. It is, perhaps, not going too far to
say, that henceforth, without detriment to amenity,