The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-17 00:00:00

CDINEESE METHOD OF BORING.—Mr. Vignolles read
a paper in the mechanical sectivn on the Chinese method
of boring, as practised on the Continent, and as appli-
cable to the boring of Artesian Wells, and for the venti-
lation of mines. The Chinese method, which has been
in successful operation for two thousand years, consists
in having a heavy weight, at the bottom of which is
fixed the cutting tool, attached to a long rope, which is
wound round an axle. The weight is drawn up for a
few feet, and then allowed to fall, like the monkey of a
pile-driving engine. By this means the .labour and
time required to remove a rigid heavy rod, to withdraw
the rubbish, is greatly saved, and the work proceeds far
more quickly, and at much less cost. Though this
method has been introduced on the Continent very suc-
cessfully, the prejudices of English workmen have pre-
vented its adoption in this country.
The followitig is the list of all the papers read yester-
day:— . .
SECTION A.—HATHEDIATICALAND PHYSICAL SCIENCE.
Phillips, Professor—Report on anemometry.
Sykes, Colonel—On the fall of rain on the coast of
Travancore.

Brookes, C., Esq.—On a new self-registering ba-
rometPr, thermometer, and psychrometer.
Miller, J. F.—On the fall of rain in the Cumberland
Lake district.

Lee, Dr.—On meteorological observations made at
Alten in F►nmark, and
Lee, Dr.—On the aurora, at Alten, in Finmark ;
Christiana in Norway.
Rankin, Thos., Esq.—Account of a halo, paraselene,
and remarkable aurora borealis.
Dolland, G., Esq.—On an atmospheric recorder.
Childers, W. W., E,q.—On the meteorology of Jersey.
SECTION B.—CHEMICAL SCIENNE, INCLUDING.ITS APPLI-
CATIoN TO AGRICULTURE AND THE ARTS.
Forchammer, Professor—On comparative analytical
researches on sea water.
Oersted, IL C., Professor—On the changes which
mercury sometimes suffers in glass vessels hermetically
sealed.
Rose, IT., Professor—On a second new metal (pelo-
pium) in the Tantalite of Bavaria.
Leeson, Dr.—On the crystallography and a new
goniometer, illustrated by apparatus and models.
Connell, Professor—Analysis of the American nema-
lite,

Daubeny, Dr.—On Cavendish's experiment respecting
aie production of nitric acid.
Percy, Dr., and Miller, Professor—Report on crystal-
ine slags.

Gassiot, J. P., Esq., F.R.S.—On the electricity of
.ension in the voltaic battery.

SECTION C.-GEOLOGY AND PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.
Buckland, Very Rev. Dr.—On the applicability of M.
Fauvelle's mode of boring artesian wells to the well at
Southampton, and to other wells, and sinkings for coal,
salt, and other mineral beds.
Forbes. Professor E.—On some natural history phe-
nomena bearing on geology, observed since the last
meeting.
Forchhammer, Dr.—On arctic currents, as exhibited in
the distribution of the north drift.
Jukes' J. 8., F.G.S.—Notice of some tertiary rocks
in the Islands, stretching from Java to Timor.
Ditto—Sketch of the geological structure of Australia.
SECTION D.-ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY.
Owen, Professor—On the vertebral structure of the
skull.

Thompson, Mr. W.—Zoology of Lough Neagh (the
entomological part by Mr. Halliday).
Portlock, Captain—On the natural history of Corfu.
Allman, Professor—On the structure of Christatella
mucedo.

Owen, Professor—On the embryogeny of pulmogrades
and ciliogrades, by Mr. J. Price.

SECTION F.-STATISTICS.
Guy, Dr.—On statistics of life in professional men.
Neeld, Mr.—Report on the criminal and miscellaneous
statistics of the police in Manchester.
Knowles, Mr.—On the supply of coal in Great Britain.
Porter, Mr. G. R.—Report on the iron manufacture of
Great Britain.

SECTION G.-MECHANICS.

Sharp, Mr.—On gas meters.
Ricardo, Mr. M.—A description and models of sett,
registering mechanism for recording the velocity and
resistance of railway trains.
Fairbairn, Mr.—Gave a short account of the experi-
ments in connexion with the proposed tubular bridges
across the Conway and Menai Straits. The subject will
be renewed to-morrow, Tuesday, the 15th inst.
Russell, Mr. Scott.—Account of some recent experi-
ments on railway trains, for the determination of the
resistance at high velocities.

SUBSECTION OF ETHNOLOGY.
Jukes, J. 8., Esq.—On the aborigines of Newfound
land.

Lytham, Dr. R. G.—Remarks on a Newfoundland
voeahulary.
Jukes, J. 8., Efq —Varieties of th%hunian race in the
neighbour h..rod of Torres Straits.
Port Essington—On the inhabitants of Port Essington.
I)avit•s, H. 8., Esq.—On the Tasmanians.
Von Middendorf, Professor—Ethnological notes on
Siberia.

Brien, Captain—On the Africans of the neighbour-
hood of Bonny.
Freeman, Rev. T. B.—On the inhabitants of Prince's.
Island.

Retzins, Professor—On the ethnological distribution
of ronnd and elongated crania.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
WEST RIDING UNION.
The first general ordinary meeting of shareholders in
the West Riding Union district of railways, was held on
Monday, at the large room of the White Lion Hotel,
Halifax.
Upon the motion of Mr. G. POLLAND, H. W. Wick-
ham, Esq., took the chair.
Mr. Orri.Er, the secretary, read the report of the
directors, which glanced at the formation and progress
of the company. In the last stages the supporters of
the West Riding Union Railways received an unfavour-
able reverse at the hand of the Standing Orders' Com-
mittee, and it required the greatest exertion of the
Manchester and Leeds directors and the Members of
Parliament for the borough and the riding to obtain a
second reading before the Committee. In the end the
directors of this company conceded terms to the Liver.
pool and Leeds Company, whereby the opposition of
that company was withdrawn. The Bill was next
opposed by the Huddersfield and Manchester Company,
who applied for a branch to Bradt4d, which was a
vital part of the West Riding scheme; but their
application was unanimously rejected. The directors
reported that it was the opinion of Mr. Robert
Stephenson and Mr. Randshaw that the project of the
company, as at present sanctioned by Parliament, was
more complete than any of the rival schemes brought
forward last year; and those gentlemen were of opinion
that the directors acted properly in withdrawing from
their original scheme. The capital of the company was
two millions, in 100,000 shares of 201. Of these the
number of 29,070 had been allotted to the Manchester
and Leeds Company, 29,070 to the scripholders in the
late West Riding Junction Company, 29,070 to the late
West Yorkshire Company,
.9,375 to the Huddersfield,
Halifax, and Bradford Company, and 3,417 in part dis-
charge of 12,000 ,bares agreed, to -be given to the Liver-•
pool and Leeds Company, and the residue of the 12,000
shares to be borrowed from the Manchester and Leeds
Company. The total length of the lines. including three
short works, is 45k, and the sum of 194,7111. 9s. 10d.
had been received in deposits. The directors were not
able to state the exact liabilities of the company; but
the following was as near the mark as possible:—
Deposits received with interest

'Disbursements paid far land, engineering, &c. £27,283
Property at Bradford
Interest due to Mr. Wright....