The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-15 00:00:00

THE SKATING-ROOM.

The title of this article may seem as strange to many
as it did to ourself, labouring under the ordinary impres-
sion that skating-, would be associated with the natural
atmospheric phenomenon, which must imply the cer-
tainty of a sheet of ice suffiiernt to afford the means of
exercise of skating on all and every days, without re-
gard to times or seasons. Such were our notions when
we went to enjoy the view,
.by especial invitation. There
were many obstacles that presented themselves, we have
no doubt, even to those who had admired the amusement
for its healthfulness and the scope for the cultivation of
elegance of action which it affords; that, by any artifi-
cial substitute the skater could be permanently assured
of field for his sport ; and we went to view the skat-
ing-room under all these impressions in their deepest
dye. We, however, were agreeably undeceived ;we
left the place in the full conviction that the invention
was complete in theory, and demonstrated to be per-
fect in practicable application to the indulgence of
the graceful amusement of skating at all times. The
skating-room is not strikingly capacious, but has been
studiously confined to bounds sufficiently limited to show
that many premises are capable, without material archi-
tectual alteration, of affording all that is necessary for
skating parties. The room we saw on Monday, that had
been fitted up for the purpose, on experiment, did not
exceed twenty-six feet by nineteen feet (certainly not
more space than would be required for a commodious bil-
liard-room) ; and thus it appeared to us that it might be
applied to residences of ordinary magnitude in private
life—to public establishments on a moderate scale, such
as schools, and other establishments of different descrip-
tions. The room, of which we have given above the di-
mensions, was originally the seed-room of the late Mr.
Jenkins, of the Nursery-ground, New-road, near Dorset-
square, had of course been built without reference to the
purpose to which it is now so efficiently made applicable.
The floor• the original fabric which once presented its
fair appearance, has now been transformed into a minia-
ture lake of ice. The lights are admitted through tran-
sparencies only, representing beautiful winter land-
scapes, tastefully contrived to harmonise with the in-
ternal decorations of drooping trees and snow-be-
sprinkled benches, or rural resting-places. The object
altogether presents a perfect panorama of still life, ad-
vantageously and delightfully fitted-up for real life con-
venience and gratification. These remarks, however,
apply only to the external appearance of the apartment,
which may please, but nevertheless are of minor import-
ance compared with the principal object, namely, the
artificial ice, which composes the supposed little lake,
upon which the skaters are to have their play. The com-
position, in appearance at the first glance, is exactly that
of real ice, and in its use as here intended, has seemingly
every property which the experienced skater can desire.
It yields to and resists the skate in the same proportion.
so as to leave the previously proficient in the exercise
little or no practice to make them as much at home as if
on the natural surface to which they had been accus-
tomed. We saw several skaters of celebrity exhibit
their skill, and they afforded a great treat to the visitors,
among whom were a great number of ladies. One of
the skaters was Sir W. Newton, an artist of eminence,
and President of the Skating Club. Mr. Kirk, the in-
ventor, and one of the patentees, exerted himself consider-
ably, and put the artificial ice to the utmost test, far ex-
ceeding that which real ice is ever called upon to endure,
and the composition resisted all effort to damage it, nor
did it mar in the smallest degree the display of Mr.
Kirk's superior capabilities. We left the view in the
full conviction that the invention, in all its professions,
was in fact perfect. The room was beautifully charac-
teristic in its appearance, and the lake substantially
sound for use. We were informed that the above was
only an epitome of a more extensive establishment, to be
entitled the Glaciarium and Frozen Lake. An interest-
ing model of the projected building is to be seen on the
premises, the production of Mr. Bardwell, which itself
would repay the trouble of a visit to any one of ordinary
taste. It exhibits a lake of 300 feet by 130 feet, sur-
rounded by Alpine scenery. The lake, of course, being
preserved for the skaters, while the curious visitors may
ramble in fanciful reality through Swiss villages, loiter in
cottages, 101 l on benches, or take their view of the sports
below from romantic bridges, and make themselves be-
lieve in summer's height they are abroad contemplating
the beauties of winter. The distance is to be managed
in the exclusive admission of light through transpa-
rencies in all directions, above and below ; and, when
completed, the building, we presume, will be the largest
arena perhaps in Europe. The invention is capable of
vast recommendation to the lovers of skating, and may
be the means of creating a taste for the amusement on an
extended scale. Ladies may take lessons without fear,
and enjoy an exercise unexceptionable. There will be
no danger of ice breaking, nor any risk from expo-
sure to weather: The composition, we are told, re-
mains good at one hundred degrees ; and, when the
Skating Club gave their approval of t, they skated in
an atmosphere of 85. Seasons or times cannot affect the
lake; and the principle may be readily applied to col-
leges, club-houses, schools, and mansions generally, de-
scending to within the compass of people of very mode-
rate means. On the most extended plan it is certain to
prove an immense attraction to the metropolis as a pro-
menade. It may not be out of place to hint,
formation of our northern neighbours, that they are
likely now to have an oortunity
• of " curling," when
for the in-
they are inclined
an,.. that the may P
ill Midsummer. We saw a number of visitors of distinc-
tion at the view, all of whom expressed great approbation.
lay" bone-spoils "
rdcaptainL
Adolphus
Litchfield,
Captain Sir W. B. Newton,
Among them we may name:—Le.
Smith, Colonel Gore, Duke
Captain Warren, Dr. Pye
of Brunswick, Lady Walpole, Colonel Seymour and
friend from Buckingham Palace, Mr. Hardwick, and
many others of note.

A fine black tiger, from India, a very rare spe-
cies, has arrived at Havre, for the Garden of Plants, and
also some gazelles and a dog from Java
Died on the 25th ult., at Palgrave, Mary Minter,
aged 30. She had been subject to fits from her infancy,
which impaired her faculties. She notwithstanding at-
tained to full stature, but afterwards became a lunatic,
and was confined to her bed for sixteen years. So - _ great
were her sufferings that her lower extremities Were
drawn up, with her legs almost imbedded in her body
and her knees up to her chin. When a corpse she mei:
sured only 2ft. Sin. in length, and 15in. over her body
Added to the melancholy scene of death, her father hid.
lain twelve years in the same bed, in a deer state,
unable to get up !—Norwich Mercury.

A BENEFICIAL RESULT TO DEFECTIVE
EYE-SIGHT.--..A - gentleman
is desirous to acquaint the
-
AI Public
essrs
.o fst. I aaen
db ell e. fit
so lie%
iheanss derived
, newly
inventedPeetacles.e s
" I consider it my duty in justice to the public and those
gentlemen to state that my eyesight had been in a bad
state for many years, so much so that I could not walk
nlptro in
procure
the
li
out, without a personto lead me. I have been under
metropo s to
spectacles, and
after doing so at the principal Opticians, I could not find
nt hoe
effect.
.o of everythen e
denaNe-
n utr Oculist
to is
ur
any to afford me relief, and on the 15th April last, I ap-
lied to Messrs. S. and B. Solomons, 31
eminent
31, Albemarle-
street, Piccadilly, to be suited with spectacles, to assist
my sight, and to my most astonishing surprise they
suited me with a pair of their newly invented spectacles
that enabled me to discern objects with distinctness, and
from that time to the present my sight has been progres-
sively improving, and I can walk out and see Injy way
about without the slightest difficulty. My case is well
known to every eminent Oculist in London ; as also to my
neighbour; and may be ascertained, upon inquiry, by
any individual. J. M.:CUNNINGTON, 10, Gloucester-place,
Kentish-town, Nov. 24, 1841."—The Invisible Operative
Voice Conductor Sound Magnifier; for deaf persons is
not the least perceptible, nor more uncomfortable than
having a piece of wool in its place, they give immediate
relief to old standing extreme cases of deafness. 39.,
Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, opposite the York Hotel,
and 76, King William-street, City. No connexion with
persons of the Same name.