The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-01 00:00:00

Mr: RUSSELL and Mr. BARNES respectively returned
thanks, remarking upon the agreeable unanimity of feel-
ing which pervaded all departments.—(Cheers.)
" The healths of the Contractors for the Stations—
Mr. Saunders, Mr. Revitt, and Mr. Read." Three
times three.
At this period Mr. BRUFI entered, and upon being
informed his health had been drunk, and upon its being
again proposed and drank with all the honours, returned
thanks in a very feeling speech. He said he hoped he
should always occupy the same place in the estimation
of his friends which he did at the present moment.
Whatever little success he had gained in the position he
held in this locality, could not be wondered at, when he
had so many good friends, who had aided him by their
exertions.—(Cheers.) Nobody could fail with such co-
adjutors, and it was his fervent hope that with his pros-
perity theirs also might increase. They had gone on
band in hand together, and he hoped that their present
successes might be the forerunners of many others
in time to come.—(Cheers.) They had had some work
together ; he hoped they might have much more ; and
that they would continue to go on, liking each other the
better the more they knew of each other.—(Cheers.) In
conclusion, he paid a handsome compliment to Mr. Ogil-
vie, stating that he was the man to encounter and to
evercome difficulties, and that in all future works he
hoped to have his able co-operation, and at his back the
capital fellows he saw assembled in that room.—(Cheers.)
Mr. OGILVIE could only repeat that the credit-attend-
ing the successful completion of the works was due to
Mr. Bruff ; without his able assistance, and the aid of
his engineers, he had no doubt they would have stuck
fast in the tunnel, and lost themselves in the bog.
Other toasts were drunk, and several songs were sung,
and the parties separated at a late hour. The kindliest
feelings predominated throughout, and a merrier or plea-
santer party never spent an evening together upon such
an occasion.

THE PRICE OF BREAD.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sza,—Having read a paragraph in your paper of No-
vember 23. taken from the Sunday Times, relative to
the price and produce of each sack of flour. I must say
1 feel surprised that pars ns so exceedingly ignorant of
the baking trade should attempt to advance en argu-
ment upon a subject they know so little about, a, d by so
doing mislead the public by an erroneous and incalculable
statement, as it is well known, even to the most inex-
perienced men in the trade, that neither the average
price of a sack of flour, nor the numb( r of loaves it pro-
duces, correctly is given by the correspondent of the
Times. And, in order to bear out my remarks upon the
article referred to, I am prompted to lay before you, as
far as my humble experience will allow, a simple state-
ment of the average price of a sack of flour, according to
the present market returns. Good flour cannot be
bought under 48s. to 525., and that, if well manufactured
may produce 90 41b. loaves. Now, the general price of
bread throughout the metropolis does not exceed lid. or
Bd. the loaf ; so that it will be clearly seen that for every
50s. (I take the intermediate price), the gross produce of
90 loaves at 7id., realises but 565. 3d., 3s. of which, and
I cannot say less, must be allowed for the expenses of
baking, &c., leaving the baker a solitary 3s. 3d. for
house and other domestic expenses, instead of the very
enormous and unjust profit of 145., as allowed by the
over-wise calculator of the Times. Now, Sir, this may
appear rather inconsistent with reason; but it is an in-
disputable fact, although I am free to confess (and
deeply regret it is not so) that a more regular and
equitable system of business might exist between the
bakers of London, by which the detestable practice of un-
derselling might be entirely abolished, and a more rea-
sonable profit obtained without such injury to the public
as these continual fluctuations in the price of bread are
likely to occasion ; but, Sir, it may be said the article
referred only to the full-price trade-9d. In that case
the argument is not strengthened, for the full-priced
baker generally pays a much heavier price than that I
have already allowed, and in 90 cases out of 100 is com-
pelled to wait some three, six, or even twelve months for
the return of his capital, which, surely, to say the least
of it, entitles him to some little extra profit, or interest,
for his outlay ; so that it is evidently clear from these
calculations—and I challenge a contradiction to the truth
of it—that neither the one class of bakers or the other
are reaping such very princely profits by this ready
money and ever-turning trade, as this well-informed
person will have it ; but there is certainly a repeated
spirit of opposition carried on by what may be termed
the more opulent class of tradesmen, who in some
instances are led by their selfish and capricious desires
to pursue this system, with a view only of crushing and
keeping back the more humble class of their fellow-men.
I must now, Sir, apologise for thus intruding upon
your time; but being a staunch advocate for fair prices
and reasonable profits, I have presumed to offer these
few remarks in reply to the statement of the Sunday
Times, with a view, if possible, of preventing a repetition
of such inconsiderate calculations being set forth in the
public journals, by persons whose only desire must be to
create a feeling of discontent among the poorer or work-
ing classes of the country, instead of endeavouring, as
they should do, to promote good feeling between man
and man, and securing for them, if possible, cheap bread,
at a fair and consistent price.—I am, Sir. &c.,
HENRY THORNTON.
27, 'Lambeth-walk, Nov. 28, 18 46.

THE MENAI STRAITS' TUBULAR

BRIDGE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
The interesting experiments noticed at various times
in your columns, relative to the intended bridge over
the Menai Straits, appear principally to have been
directed to determine the capabilities of the iron tube to
sustain the weight of the trains intended to pass over it.
No experiment having been reported showing it equal
to resisting the action of the wind when blowing a hurri-
cane from 31•7501b5. to 46•8751b5., or probably up to
52.0831b5. to the superficial toot. In the autumn of last
year I was engaged on the sections of the then intended
London and Holyhead direct railway, and I particu-
larly noticed at various places the immense masses of
rock that had been blown by storms from the mountains,
and several in the Snowdon Pass from a most terrific
height ; one of which, by measurement, weighed 700
tons. I always remarked that the beautiful suspension
bridge over the Straits (about 10 chains from the intended
tunnel, and near the same level), designed by the late
eminent engineer, Telford, had been injured by the
vibration of the chains and roadway in the many storms
it has withstood ; and crossbraces had been fixed to the
chains, rendered necessary to prevent the piers being
further injured, the very small surface exposed to the
action of the wind being sufficient to cause injury to such
a stupendous structure. The immense surface of the
intended tunnel, exposed at the same level (say of
f 0 feetthe
high in the centre of the tube), to the action
greatesttrem e tremendous ocua
us
t; storms m
ass
to that
tthe
e tragetubular
uilna
rtfhoer
DI being
S tr a! q, demandsadopted. the
I remain, &c.
J. ROEBUCK.
and
li Inspectoranch oe
fstWer Railway,orksiudNdeorvs.fileOld.

CLERICAL INTELLIGENCE.--PREFERNIENTB.—Pwev,
T. P. Alcock to the vicarage of Woodnesborough, 'near
Sandwich, Kent ; Rev. R. Wise, M.A., to rectory of
Ladock, near Truro, Cornwall; R. E. Mansfield, 8.A.,
to perpetual curacy of Ruardean, GlOucestershirel Rev.
J. H. Butterworth, BA., to perpetual curacy of Staple-
ton, Glouces tershire ; Rev. James Reece, M.A., to per-
petual curacy of Swinton, near Rotherham, Yorkshire;
Rev. Gibbons W. Mayne, 8.A.; to the incumb ency of
Ingram-cum-Bainworth, Yorkshire.

:THE WEATHER.—tEEDS, Nov. 29.—Last, night
we had a heavy fall of snow, which came
•very gently,
and covered the ground to the depth of six inches:. The
weather, for several days preceding yesterday, was damp
and-dull ; but a sharp frost set in on Friday night, and
continued until yesterday afternoon, when it gave way,
and was succeeded by the first fall of snow this season.
GENERAL RAILWAY STATION.—A meeting of
deputations from the four railway companies which have
agreed to erect a United Station was held at the Bush
inn, on Tuestlay last, when several alterations were made
in the original plan of the building. The intention of erect-
ing a yard for minerals near the station was abandoned, it
being considered better to allow the coat yards at present
in ex istence to remain where they are, each company being:
at liberty to fix on the site most convenient to itself..
Lieutenant-Colonel Maclean was appointed Chairman,.
and Mr. E. S. Bolden, Secretary, of the joint com—
mitteess and in all the proceedings the greatest unani—
mity prevailett—Carlisle Jounial.

A 'Goon ---gentleman residing r.ot a
hundred miles from this town, made the following re-
turn to the Income-tax Commissioners :—" For the last
three years my income has been somewhat under Mot.,
in future it will be more precarious, as the man is dead
a I of whnm T hnrrnuaroti tho wannal,"—.../les/mmnri Tnllw --L

_:.; :.:( health of of Mr. Bruff, which they would all drink ,n%i
enthusiasm. He was sorry Mr. Bruff was not pre -
.&, :,IS,
. and be should, therefore, call upon Mr. Richards()
....‘4::...,
tiA
A
. acknowledge the toast. Three times three, and " on? ~'
cheer more."
•
Catch, "For he's a jolly good fellow." .-
Mr. RICHARDSeN remarked that he felt it to be a
great honour to have hls name associated with Mr.
Bruff. and as one of Mr. Bruff's oldest assistants, he
sympathised heartily in the successes that gentleman had
achieved. They would allow him to remark that the
making and drawing of lines was a very ancient affair.
Hogarth had drawn his line of beauty. They had now
their "line of beauty" from Ipswich to Bury St. Ed-
mund's, and they were as proud oftheirs as Hogarth was
of his.—(Loud cheers.) He again thanked them for
the honour they had done Mr. Bruff ; he drank his
health with •!1 his heart, satisfied that the country did
not possess a better engineer, or the private circles a man
more universally esteemed as a gentleman.—(Cheers.)
Mr. BARKES proposed the health of the Secretary, Mr.
Saunders, observing that in every position in which he
had been placed, he had done full honour to the com-
pany with which he was connected. Three times three.
Mr. EYRES acknowledged the toast and was warmly
applauded.
The CHAIRNAN proposed health and success to the
resident engineers, Mr. Winterbottom, Mr. Mitchell, and
Mr.. Sheppard.—(Three times three.)
Mr. SITEPPARD returned thanks. They had had many
difficulties to encounter, and he thought the weed of
praise should be given where it was deserved. The line
had been completed by some of the best workmen in the
kingdom; he therefore gave them the health of the sub-
contractors, hoping that the success they had achieved on
the line, would attend them in future Undertakings.—
(Three times three.)
Mr. DOUGLAS returned thanks, expressing the pride
he felt in being employed under such a contractor as Mr.
Brassey, and remarking upon the state of the works.
Danger had been apprehended by some respecting the
hoggy place down yonder; but they had got over it; and
he thought that under such men as Mr. Brassey and
Mr. Ogilvie;- and with the assistance of such an able
engineer as Mr. Bruff, they could almost do anything.
The healths of Mr. Bruff's assistants.—(Three times
three.)

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