The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-27 00:00:00

DUTCH MAILS.

- -
THE HAGUE, APRIL 26.—1 n the sitting of the Second
Chamber of the States-General, a royal message was
read, accompanying a project for making some altera-
tions in the existing law of the 12th March, 1818, on the
great fisheries.

The central section afterwards brought up its report
on the proposal of Messrs. Nedemeyer and Rosenthal,
for revising the -fundamental law, that is to say, of
Articles 130, 131, 132, and 152. The debate was fixed
for Monday next. We learn from Vienna, that in con-
sequence of misrepresentations to the Austrian Govern-
ment, the augmentation of the tonnage duty on foreign
ships, imposed on the Ist of March, in all the Austrian
seaports, is not to be extended for the present to the
ships of the Netherlands, which will, therefore, be
treated in the Austrian ports on the same footing as
Austrian ships.

THE HAGUE, APRIL 24 —By his Majesty's order, the
Minister of Finance has made a report, dated the 20th
April, 1846, on the amount of the national debt on the
Ist January, 1844, and the Ist January, 1846.
This report, and the accompanying documents, are
published, by his Majesty's leave, in an extraordinary
supplement to the Staats Courrant, of this day (25th
April.) This supplement fills four pages. The general
result is as fellows;—

On the Ist of January, 1844:
Ir. principal. Interest.
The fixed debt ...f.1,201.017,575.18 f. 38,758,894.88
The floating debt.. f. 27,077,418.09 L 740,791.00

f. 1,228,894,993.27 f. 39,499,685.88
On the Ist of January, 1846:
In principal. Interest.
The fixed debt ...f.1,225,212,861.00 f. 35,662,509.83
The floating debt.. 1%5,909,041.161 f. 125,438.00

f.1,231,122,702.16i f. 35,787,947.83
EaThus it appears that the principal of the debt is in-
creased only by a sum of f.3,027,708.89i, and the annual
interest is reduced by the sum of f. 3,711,718,05. It is
to be observed, however, that the amount of the floating
debt, both in principal and interest, will be rather in-
creased in the sequel, when certain sums, now in the
treasury, are disposed of for the purposes of the coinage
and for draining the lake Haarlem. "Your Majesty will
not fail to observe that in consequence of these opera-
tions a part of our floating debt is converted into fixed
debt, so that the floating debt cannot now be estimated
at more than six millions."

THE HAGUE, APRIL 24.—1 n the Second Chamber of
the States General to-day (the 24th), the project of law
for the augmentation of the duties on importations and
exportations, was put to the vote and agreed to by a
majority of 43 to 11; it was accordingly sent to the First
Chamber.

The Java papers received by the overland mail brings
an order to his Excellency the Governor-General, dated
the 11th of February, for the improvement of the circu-
lating medium.

STAALSUND, Arßn 16.—The high prices of corn have
been falling for some time, and continue to fall daily.
There is every appearance of a fine harvest this year.
People must not be misled by the unfavourable reports
spread by speculators.

ROYAL POLYTECHNIC
INSTITUTION.
There is now exhibiting at the Royal Polytechnic Institu-
tion a model of Mackintosh's rotatory steam-engine, an in-
vention which bids fair to eclipse all other rotatory engines,
either for simplicity or economy. It is applicable either to
stationary, locomotive, or marine purposes. The directors
of this establishment have applied it to a locomotive, worked
by atmospheric pressure, upon a circular railway 25 feet in
diameter; and so compact is the arrangement, that even
practical men are at a loss to discover its mode of operation,
for there is nothing to be seen except the cylinders and
wheels, the rest of the machinery being inside the cylinders.
The arrangement consists merely of the ring of a drum, the
inner surface of which is concaved across; over the concavity
is laid a piece of flexible material, called metalised cloth,
which is merely cloth dipped in a solution of metal, which
renders it not only durable and strong, but also impervious
to water or steam. At one part of the circumference of the
drum the cloth is held firmly against the concavity by a
stop, on each side of which there is an orifice, one for ad-
mission, the other for the escape of the steam. If, then,
steam be allowed to enter the former orifice, it will traverse
the circumference of the drum, between the metal and the
cloth, until it escape through the other orifice, producing
a considerable expansion of the cloth ; and, by causing a
roller, "so formed as to fit the concavity, to press against the
cloth, holding it firmly against the drum, the steam, in its
attempts to expand the cloth, will propel the roller before it ;
and this roller being fixed to the end of a lever, gives motion
to the shaft running through the axis of the drum. The
arrangement is rather difficult to he understood without the
aid of a drawing or model, but, when once seen, may be
comprehended at once by the most unlearned in mechanical
science. There is no rubbing surface, the exigence of which
has been the principal cause of the failure of all those hitherto
exhibited. It can be worked by steam, air, or any of the
gases.

" Emilia Wyndham," by the author of " Two Old
Men's Tales," &c. This story turns upon the life-struggle of
a high-minded, devoted girl, whose noble performance of what
she sees to be her duty, conducts her at last through the
roughest and most unpromising paths, through the sternest
and saddest sacrifices, through the most affecting patience and
self-denial, to a solid and sacred happiness. We question if
this idea has ever been unfolded into such sweetness, or
adorned with so much of that inestimable wisdom which
belongs to the common and daily trials, and to the needful
mutual forbearances of hearth and home. "Emilia Wynd-
ham" is a masterpiece—the characters are real, the incidents
unforced, and the whole story a delightful combination of the
natural, the passionate, and the wise. It is, indeed, a most
beautiful tale, with a charming, tender moral. Can novel
readers desire more ? We shall lay it up among our especial
favourites, with the " The Simple Story," and " Mount Sorel."
—Examiner.

BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, APRIL 24.—We have ex-
perienced a very good demand for all descriptions of sugar,
and prices are fully ls. dearer than this day week. Several
parcels of fresh landed sugars have been disposed of as soon
as offered. Rum is looking better.—Bristol Mercury.
EXCURSION TRAIN.—On Easter Monday, the Eastern
Counties' Railway Company offered to convey passengers to
London, from different places on the line, at reduced rates.
The number of tickets was limited to 500—ene hundred
being allotted to Colchester; and as there were many more
applicants than tickets, a large number of persons was dis-
appointed. The arrangements of the company, we under-
stand, did not give satisfaction to those who secured tickets
—the common luggage trucks having been provided for their
accommodation instead of comfortable covered carriages.
Surely the company would best consult its interests by
affording, on such occasions, the utmost convenience, and
di!playing a liberal spirit.—lpswich Express.
lIOLLOWAY FAlR.—'l'
pit•ctiure fair will be revived
to day, and continue four days. A large portion of tile ground is
&WI Prer4tbli aad 1491"!