The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-25 00:00:00

STATE OF THE COUNTRY.

On Friday evening last a public meeting, convened
by the Currency Reform Association, took place in
the Town-hall, Birmingham, for the purpose of con-
sidering the propriety of sending a deputation to the
Prime Minister, with a memorial setting forth the
state of the country, and requesting the adoption of
such measures as might be calculated to afford relief
in the present alarming state of affairs. There were
present R. Spooner, Esq., M.P., G. F. Muntz, Esq.,
Mr. Alderman Weston, Mr. T. C. Salt, Mr. Coun-
cillor Baldwin, Mr. Joseph Corbett, Mr. J. Harlow,
Mr. J. Mason, and a great number of merchants and
manufacturers of the town.

Mr. WESTON was called to the chair, and opened
the business by observing, that since they had met a
few days ago, at Dee's Royal Hotel, the commercial
affairs of the country had gone on from bad to worse,
and it was now clearly the duty of every man, how-
ever humble, to come forward and lend a hand
towards mitigating the evils of the country. The
merchants were falling in great numbers, and it was
impossible they could go down without affecting the
manufacturers, and the manufacturers could not be
ruined without the working men being thrown out of
employment, and reduced to very great distress. All
classes were deeply interested in the present position
of affairs.

Mr. HARLOW, of the Midland Counties Herald, pro-
posed the memorial, which was of some length.
Mr. SALT seconded the adoption of it, and urged, in
strong terms, the immediate union of all classes, for
the purpose of obtaining from Government the adop-
tion of such measures as might tend to the relief of
the country, and recommending that, if the Ministry
lacked the courage to assist them, an immediate appeal
should be made to the Crown, requesting her Majesty
to dismiss her Ministers, and call in men who would
serve the nation.

Mr. BALDWIN proposed an amendment, deprecating
any change in the established monetary system, and
recommending reduction of taxation.
Mr. J. CORBETT seconded the amendment, which
was also supported by Mr. MANTEL.
Mr. MuNTz and Mr. SPOONER each addressed the
meeting, and urged an alteration in the currency.
The memorial was eventually carried by a large ma-
jority; and a deputation, consisting of the Mayor, the
two Members for the borough, and Messrs. Spooner,
Harlow, Salt, and Mason, was nominated.

LILLIPUTIAN EXPRESS ENGINE.
On Saturday an experimental trial took place upon
the Eastern Counties Railway, to test the powers of a
small locomotive engine of a novel description, de-
signed and constructed by Mr. Samuel, resident en-
gineer of the Eastern Counties line. It is of two-
horse power, runs upon four wheels, requires no
tender, and not only carries sufficient fuel and water
for its own consumption within the smallest possible
dimensions, but is also capable of conveying seven
persons (besides the engineer and stoker), in the
afterpart, which resembles an open Irish car. The
total weight of this little locomotive bijou is 22 cwt.,
its extreme length, including boiler, Irish car, and
all, is only 12 feet 6 inches, and the height, from
the rails to the floor of the engine, is not more than
one foot. The little novelty left the Shoreditch
static& at half-past twelve o'clock, with a party of
seven gentlemen, including Mr. Samuel, Mr. Martin,
superintendent of the Eastern Union Railway, and
the representatives of the daily journals. Mr.
Samuel himself drove the engine, and a speed of 40
miles an hour was soon attained. The perfect ease
and steadiness of motion at this high rate of speed
were remarkable in so light a vehicle, while its
diminutive size and proportions, and the singu-
larity of its appearance, excited no little aston-
ishment among the passengers of the trains
which it met en route between London and Cam-
bridge. Three stoppages were made to take in water,
and the party arrived at Cambridge at a quarter to
three o'clock, having travelled the distance, 57 miles
(exclusive of stoppages) in about an hour and three
quarters. At one time the rate of travelling was 43
miles an hour, and Mr. Samuel stated that he had
tested the powers of the engine to go at the rate of
47 miles an hour. Mr. Samuel's invention appears
to be admirably adapted for newspaper and other
expresses, since the consumption of coke is so exceed-
ingly small that the company can afford to run this
engine at one-fourth the present rate of charge for
expresses. The engine is also found to be a useful
and economical substitute for the larger locomotives,
in those incessant visits of supervision along the line
which form part of the duty of the resident engineer
of a railway. We subjoin a few details of the pro-
portions, &c. :—The boiler is tubular, having 34 tubes
of 11 inch ; diameter of boiler, 2 feet ; height of
boiler, 3 feet 6 inches ; height to the top of the fun-
nel, 7 feet 6 inches ; stroke, 6 inches. The supply of
water is contained in a box under the feet of the
passengers, and the economy of space is carried out
to the fullest extent. The engine behaved admirably
on crossing the points and rounding the curves of the
line, and there appeared to be less rocking and jolt-
ing than is usually experienced in a first•class carriage
of the usual size when travelling at the same rate of
speed.

ROYAL SURREY THEATRE.—Notwithstanding the
houses continue to be as crowded as ever, Mr. Bunn is
bent on giving his patrons every variety of entertain-
ment, and accordingly produces Balfe's opera of The
Enchantress this evening, on a scale of splendour to
which the playgoers of Surrey aro altogether strangers,
and which will equal anything Mr. Bunn ever did at
Drury-lane.

Mr. Albany Fonblanque is to succeed Mr. Porter
in the Statistical department of the Board of Trade.
The whale Liberal party will feel grateful to Ministers
for this recognition of services to which that party is so
deeply indebted. It would not be easy to name any single
agency through which liberal principles have been so
successfully recommended to the educated classes as they
have been through the writings of Mr. Fonblanque. Nor
is this so much the effect of that exquisite style which
will place his collected writings amongst the classics of
our language, as it is owing to the unswerving consis-
tency, the integrity, and manliness which have charac-
terised the career of the conductor of the Examiner.
We heartily join in thanking Lord John Russell for this
acknowledgment, inadequate though we may think
it, to one to whom we all owe so much.—Chronicle.
BuNN AND JENNY LIND.—In this celebrated action
it will be remembered that Mr. Justice Williams granted
a commission to examine witnesses at Berlin as to the
alleged breach of engagement of Jenny Lind with Mr.
Bunn, and it was stated that Meyerbee7, the composer,
would be examined. The commissioners—Mr. Lewis
for Mr. Bunn. and Mr. noggins, barrister, on the part
of Jenny Lind—proceeded to Berlin a short time since,
and to the surprise of the parties the instructions on the
part of the defendant were not forwisrded, and after
waiting a week the commissioners returned without any
examinations of the witnesses. The commissioners' re_
port was made returnable on the first day of Michael-
mas term, and in the event of any further application
for a commission it is expected that the costs must be
paid by the defendant.
TILE Bisnor OF LONDON.—A paragraph appeared
in the evening papers of Saturday, stating that the
Bishop of London was seriously indisposed. Such is
not the case. Some weeks since the Right Reverend
Prelate sustained a fall while on board her Majesty's'
steamer the Fairy, and cut his forehead, but the wound
is now almost healed. He had also been affected with
a slight cold. No later than Friday last his Lordship
drove from the Palace at Fulham to his mansion in-
James's-rquare.
The death of Major-General Philip Ray is an.
nouncA. He entered the army in June, 1796, and
March, 1812,
served in the Scots Fusilier Guards
Un;tedlip to
azette.
when he retired on half. pay.—
Sir Robert Peel arrived in town on FridayGazette.
Service
in communication with some of
and was, on Saturday,night,
his departure for
her Majesty's Ministers, previous
Windsor Castle on a visit to heorliesty.—Observer.