The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-04 00:00:00

The London. Police.

It is hard to expect that the -London constables
will be as vigilant as they might be, or as determined
to resist temptations offered to them, when they re-
ceive as pay only 18s. a week, and when they are in
addition ever being tantalized by little reforms with
respect to their mode of living and working. It is
stated that last year every married constable wag
allowed 40 lbs. of coal weekly throughout the year,
and every unmarried one 40 lbs. weekly for the
winter months and 20 lbs. for the summer.
This regulation has now been changed, and a
grant of 40. a-week, no matter how coal may increase
in price, is made instead. The ease of a policeman's
mind is considerably affected by this arrangement, as
ti any shrewd calculator will be able to shew, that 4-0.
is worst than 401bs. of guarantee, Government oral.
VIM is also geat Qbjoction to a policeman IQC9iVilig

money, even so small a sum as sixpence a week, for
calling early risers; indeed it is believed that there is
an express rule made against it, though it is au im-
perative order that a policeman is to " knock up "
those who desire him to do so. All these little econo-
mical and hypercritical observances are likely to
tell on men who are really very arduously worked, and
from whom a very great deal is expected. If a
policeman is left to stand in the dripping rain for
hours considering whether his wife has the means to
have a fire to dry him at, when he goes home, is it
any wonder that he fails to watch the burglar, who
on his part watches well and often, before he
attempts- his robbery at some house " within the
beat ?"

Animal Life on the Surface of the Sea.
"•M fly -travellers see strange things, and many go
through the world with their eyes closed ; but Mr.
Francis Ingram Palmer is evidently not to be classed
in the latter category. That gentleman
has been recently employed in surveying
the coasts of China and Japan, and after
his labours in this tespect he bethought himself to
ascertain what might be the surface-oceanic life to
be found on the way home. With this view he
dragged 12,000 miles of sea one foot deep. In
the vast operation he wore out 40 new nets and
80 repaired ones, but his scientific enterprise and
patience has enabled him to make quite a revelation
of sea life to the world. As the wandering denizens
of the ocean were entrapped, they were brought up
to the deck of her Majesty's ship Rodney, and
made to display themselves under powerful exa-
mining glasses. By this means Mr. Palmer has
been able to draw them in their wonderful develop-
ments of form and brilliance of colour, his delinea-
tions occupying twelve feet in length and eight feet
in depth of drawing paper. This large picture, which
now hangs in the waiting-room of the Admiralty, is
ornamented with sketches of territorial scenes, the
whole achievement affordinff a striking illustration of
the great value of a perfectt knowledge of drawing
for the advancement of science.
London Dust.

The Lancet asks if Londoners ever seriously
consider what they pay for the doubtful
luxury of unnecessary dust. Whatever might
be thought of Professor Tyndall's theories, it
says, We must all accept this fact, that the
air is full of filth. Healthy adults may perchance
breathe it with impunity, and asthmatics may even
like it better than a pure atmosphere ; but
for the children and the ailing what can be worse ?
Our contemporary then speculates upon what will
help us. Macadam, it says, is a great road maker
and a great dust maker. Thousands of tons of dust
are unnecessarily made by contact of iron and stone.
Will not Asphalte pavement help us ? It yields
instead ,of grinds, and it is easily made
clean. It is smoothed with a hot roller,
and in three quarters of an hour will
carry the heaviest traffic without injury.
No dust or dirt comes up as from beneath the stones.
It is cheaper than either of the present modes of
paving, but if the paving rates were doubled, they
would still remain a bagatelle, if we diminshed dust. The
Lancet pronounces clearly for asphalte as a remedy
for this dire affliction.