The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-24 00:00:00

each pier, an hydraulic press of great power is stationed.
A chain of remarkable construction, which we cannot
now stop to examine and talk about, extends downward
from the hydraulic press, and is fastened to the end
of the tube. 'file press is put to work, and it has the
power of lifting the mass of iron six feet. This we
see, looking only at one pier and at one end of the
tube. But a second press and chain are employed
simultaneously with this at the other end. When
they have raised the large thing six feet, iron
girders of great strength are placed underneath it,
across the groove, the ends of the girders rest-
ing on the stone work of the pier which
abuts on each side of the groves. These being placed,
the press stops and allows its iron burthen to rest on
them, and the chains are slackened. While slackened, a
line, or section of each chain, measuring six feet, is
removed. Each is again fastened to its load; the presses
are again at work, and the tube is raised six feet higher.
Again girders (or bearers) are laid across the grooves;
again the gigantic wonder of the world rests in its
upwards progress; and again the chains are shortened
by six feet each; and again and again the press goes to
work.

And now this ariel tunnel is high enough—its bottom
being 130 feet above the water. The iron bearer, which
is never to be removed, and which has upon its upper
surface the rollers and balls of metal already named, is
placed underneath each end ; the press allows the
obedient monster to sink into its place; and there it is
more solidly at rest than any one will be in his bed to-
night who has been witness to this day's mighty enter-
prise.

To- morrow and the next to-morrow, and the next
again, and so forth, the others will be raised, and laid in
their places, never to be shaken by gales of wind or
deflected by railway burthen. Their own preponderous
weight will keep them immoveable ; the augmentation
of burthen will only strengthen them—at least we are
told so.

PAWNING LINEN.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—Your well known readiness at all times to ad-
vocate the cause of the industrious poor induces me to
draw your attention to a practice, so fraught with moral
evil to the employed, as well as certain risk to em-
ployers, that, should you incline to notice it in your
journal, and comment upon it in your usual able manner,
I think much good might accrue from it.
I allude to the case of laundresses, and the system of
raising money on the linen entrusted to them, induced,
it is alleged, from the want of certainty with which they
receive payment from persons employing them.
This fact was brought under my knowledge in the
following manner:—
Having for some time been dissatisfied with the irre-
gularity with which our linen was returned from the
person who undertakes my family's washing, and an-
noyed by the detention of various articles (not unfre-
quently for several weeks together), the cause was more
thoroughly investigated, and on application being made
at a pawnbroker's in the vicinity of the washerwoman
the lost linen was found there amongst numerous other
articles of table linen, sheets, gentlemen's fine shirts,
silk handkerchiefs, &c., many of which were recognised
as belonging to other parties known to the person making
the inquiry, and marked with the owner's names in full.
A remark of the pawnbroker's, on some surprise being
expressed was, " This is no single case, for not one
washerwoman only, but hundreds adopt the same plan ;"
and from what has since come to my knowledge it ap-
pears that it really is a frequent practice with laun-
dresses though I believe more particularly in the
neighbourhood of London. In the case in question I
fully believe nothing dishonest wss intended, the washer-
woman did not attempt to deny the fact, though ex-
pressing regret at being obliged to have recourse to the
plan ; still she appeared surprised at any impropriety
being attached to it, havir,g learned the system from
her former mistress ; other laundresses in the neigh-
bourhood did the same, and she was in her turn teach-
ing it to her own assistants. Bit when the poor woman
assured me that many of the ladies for whom she washed
often only p.fid their bills monthly or quarterly (very few
wet kly or regularly), and put the question, how was it
possible for her, without capital, to provide herself even
with the necesary articles for carrying on her business,
and support a little family entirely dependent upon her
earnings, without some such loan? I could but feel she
had been placed in difficulty, and that such cases skould
be made pubic, as well as brought before individuals
who may also be thus inconsiderately placing in diffi-
culty and temptation those whose dependence for sub-
sistence is on the labour of their hands.

I am respectfully yours,
THE MISTRESS OF A FAMILY.

STRIKE AT THE COTTON MILLS.
The larger portion of the works of the Hull Flax and
Cotton Company are stopped, and have been so since
Monday week, owing to a strike of the hands. The fol
lowing is a copy of the placard distributed by the fad
tory people on Wednesday :—" Strike of the Strippers,
Grinders, and Scutching men of the Hull Cotton Mills.
Apppeal to the Public.—The above strike took place on
Monday last, July sth, 1847, on account of our wages
being reduced from lls. a week to 10s. Id. which, from
the great price of provisions, &c., it is impossible to
exist upon, we are therefore compelled to appeal to a ge-
nerous public to assist us in endeavouring to repress op-
pression and maintain our rights.—Hull, July 6th,
IB47."—This strike is the first which has taken place
since the opening of these works, and is attributable to
the following circumstances:—On Thursday, the Ist
instant, the inspector of factories in this district caused
tp be delivered to the manager of the company's mills a
copy of the new Act of Parliament for regulating the
hours of labour in factories, prohibiting the employment
'of the operatives more than eleven hours per day. Ac
companying the Act was a circular calling the attention
of the proprietors and managers of the mills to its pro
visions. Notice was immediately given to all the work
people, who were at the same time informed that a re-
duction would be made in the wages of those working
by time, proportioned to the decreased period of labour.
Their answer was that they would require the same
wages as before, to which the manager replied that it
would not be given ; and that they might take a week
to consider the subject. The whole of the time-hands
stood out ; and their absence from the works compelled
the cessation from labour of some others whose opera-
tions depended upon those of the time-hands. The
total number of unemployed were thus about 1,500. In
some other departments of labour in which the parties
are paid by piece, the operations are being continued as
before. In Hull the reduction is in exact proportion to
the reduction of time, via , one in 12, or 8i per cent.
The Hull Flax and Cotton Mill Company have informed
their operatives that they have resolved to bear part of
the loss with them, that is to say—the loss of interest,
consequent upon the unemployment of their capital dur-
ing one-twelfth part of the time which it has hitherto
been worked, or equal to one month in every year.—
Hull Advertiser.

PRECURSORS OF OUR MODERN " GIGANTIC ENGI-
NEERS "—ln 1802, says Mr. Samuel Angell, in the
Builder, Mr. George Dance submitted to a Select Com-
mittee of the House of Commons a design of great mad*
niticence arid practical utility ; it consists of a (lentile
bridge, in the place of old London-bridge, to admit
of the passage of ships by the alternate ele-
vation of a drawbridge on either of the two
bridges, whilst an uninterrupted way over the
other would be afforded at all times for carriages and foot
passengers, without impeding the navigation, and with-
out the necessity of such elevated arches as the height
of ships' masts require. The plan embraced the embank-
ment of the river both above and below bridge, the erec-
tion of quays and a line of warehouses extending from the
Tower to the bridges,vvith dock entrances,and terraces on
arches, the Custom House being placed in the centre.
Besides these manifestly advantageous alterations, he
proposed to throw open to the river the noble monument
erected by the genius of Wren, making it the focus of
an extensive amphitheatrical area on the north side of
the Thames, and to erect a naval trophy in the centre of
a similar space on the Southwark side. The bridges
were to be perfectly level, consisting each of six
arches of great span, independent of the centre or
drawbridge. Its very magnificence and the necessary
sacrifice of valuable ground were the principal reasons
of its non-adoption. A failure in this account, however,
was not confined to the city architect, for among many
bold and ingenious designs submitted to the House of
Commons at that period, I find one by Messrs. Telford
and Douglas, to replace old London-bridge by one of
cast-iron of a single arch, 600 feet span, and 65 feet in
height ! Mr. Dance appears to have been consulted on
the subject of the approaches to this pons triumphalis.
THE CONDEMNED YOUTH WILLSMORE, FOR THE
MURDER NEAR ROCHFORD.—CIIELMSEORD, THURSDAY.
—The wretched youth, James Willsmore, who was left
for execution by Baron Parke for the murder of John
Terry, near Rockford, will, in all probability, have his
life soared. It will be remembered that the convict
struck the unfortunate man on the head with a hoe,
which, fracturing his skull, terminated in death, and,
although that violence was used in order that he might
more successfully carry out his intention of robbery, yet
there is every reason to suppose that he did not meditate
the awful consequences that ensued. That inference it
appears has been borne out by many circumstances, and
the inhabitants for miles round of all grades of society,
entertaining that presumption, are exerting themselves
to their utmost to save him from the scaffold. Yesterday
a very large meeting was held at the Shire Hall, for the
purpose of memorialising her Majesty to spare his life,
urging his youth, the absence of malice prepense, and the
sparing of the feelings of the townspeople, which would
naturally be considerably shocked by a public execution.
The memorial has been signed by several of the county
magistrates, and even, it is said, by the very justices who
committed him. The jury strongly recommended him
to the clemency of the Crown, and it is believed that
after all the extenuating circumstances have been laid
before the Secretary of State, the Learned Baron who
presided at the trial will not stand in the way of mercy,
and that Sir G. Grey will be induced to advise the Crown
to reprieve him. The unhappy youth, who is confined in
the convict's gaol at Springfield, is said to conduct him-
self in a manner befitting the awful position in which he
is placed. lie does not deny striking his unfortunate
victim over the lica•, with the hoe, but positively declares
that ho had no intention of taking away his life. The
convict, as before stated, is quite a boy, being only in his
sixteenth year. He is daily visited by the chaplain of
the prison, whose exhortations are listened to with
much attention by the doomed youth.
A Deputation from the Hibernian Fisheries Asso-
ciation, had an interview at the Home-offiee yesterday with
Sir Witham Somerville, Secretary of State for Ireland.
Sir William expressed his cordial approbation of the
objects, and his determination to assist in advancing the
views of the association to its fullest extent.
SUICIDE IN JERSEY.—On Friday morning, about
ten o'clock, Captain Thomas Calder, of the Royal Navy,
who resided in the parish of St. Lawrence, blew out his
brains with a pistul. An inquest was held on his body
in the evening, and a verdict returned, " Died by his
own hand, whilst in a state of temporary derangement,"