The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-13 00:00:00

THE PROJECTED CITY

PROVE ME TS .
On Wednesday a meeting of the ward of Farrir.gdun
Without was held at the New Court, Old Bailey, for the
purpose of protesting against certain improvements pro-
posed by a committee of the Court of Common Council,
with a view to facilitate the public traffic through the
Gity of London. Alderman Sir J. Duke, by whom the
meeting had been convened, was in the chair, and about
a dozen Common Councilmen were on the bench. The
Chairman having introduced the subject,
Mr. W. CARPENTER moved the first resolution, and
made some observations on the great interest and im-
portance of the subject to the citizens of London. The
Ceurt of Common Council of that city had passed a re-
solution for the appropriation of 300,000/. for the con
struction of a new street from King William-street, along
Cannon-street, to Queen-street, Cheapside, for the pur-
pose of relieving the traffic in that portion of the city.
But this was only part of the contemplated alterations.
It was proposed to carry the new line of thoroughfare
from Queen-street to the south side of Saint Paul's-
churchyard, in order to meet the expected increase
of traffic from the proposed railway terminus in the
vicinity of Southwark-bridge. Now this was prepos-
terous, because that enormous sum of money would
be applied for a slight relief to the Poultry and the
eastern end of Cheapside, and the increase of traffic along
the stew street would be thrown on Ludgate-hill, St.
Paul's-churchyard, and, Fleet- street, which were already
overcrowded to an uncomfortable extent. The whole
cost of these improvements would be upwards of a mil-
lion, and it was the duty of those who would have to
bear the burden to protest against it if they would not
derive any benefit from the application. A street could
be made at a far less cost from the Poultry into Earl-
street, Blackfriars, where a junction would be formed
with a street about to be made, and which would then
run across Whitefriars to Bouverie•street, effectually
relieving not only the Poultry but the whole line of road-
way from the Mansion-house to Fleet•street; and if that
unsightly nuisance called Temple-bar were removed, the
whole direct line of thoroughfare through the city of
London would be materially improved. There were five
projects laid before the committee, and the one adopted
was the very worst. One plan was to carry a street
direct from Cheapside along Paternoster-row, across
Farringdon-street, Fetter-lane, Chancery-lane, into
Lincoln's Inn-fields, uniting with the Government im-
provements, and form a direct line of communication
to Piccadilly. They did not meet to oppose improve-
ments ; but the sanatory condition of the City
had greater claims upon the improvement fund
than new streets, and the committee ought to
adopt measures for the preservation of the health and
lives of the citizens. Public health had now become a
great national question. There were many societies
to promote it, and it had had two Government Com-
missions—the reports of which reflected shame on the
corporation of the City of London—a body with a re-
venue of 200,0001. a year. The mortuary register
showed the average duration of life to be, in the middle
rank of society, 43 years, and in the lower only 22 years,
while epidemic diseases prevailed to only 6 per cent
with the former, and to 19 per cent. with the latter.
Now there were the highest authorities to show that
half of this might be abolished. The consideration of
this would be better than the construction of streets
of questionable utility. The city of London had what
was called fever districts, and all these were ill-drained
and ill-ventilated, and had inefficient se warage; and it
was a notorious fact, that in the metropolis there were
93 receptacles for dead bodies, and which were actually
now being used for that purpose. It was incumbent,
therefore, upon the Court of Common Council to con-
sider these facts before they proceeded to construct use-
less streets at such overwhelming cost.
Two resolutions protesting against the proposed im-
provements were then moved and seconded, and being
put from the chair, were unanimously carried. After
some discussion between the members of the Common
Council present, the meeting was adjourned till Wed
neada,y next, at ten o'clock.

CONFLICT BETWEEN the POLICE

AND WHITEBOYS.

Between eight and nine o'clock on Wednesday night
an armed party of 12 men, with their faces blackened,
attacked the dwelling of John Piper, at Scart, within
two miles of Rathkeale, in search of arms, when five of
them entered, and succeeded in carrying off a gun.
From this they proceeded to the residence of Mr.
James Condon, adjoining the same townland, where they
demanded admittance at the back door, but were refused,
that gentleman informing them from one of the windows
that he bad no firearms, at the same time adding, that if
they did not believe his word to go to the front door, and
he would allow them to satisfy themselves. They, how-
ever, declined the invitation, and retired from before the
house, having first cautioned Mr. Condon against de-
manding rents from his tenantry, under pain of death.
They did not go far when they were observed by a
small party of police then on patrol, consisting of four
men, viz., constable Alfred, sub-constables Bairns, Shea-
han, and Laurenson, who followed them across the fields,
calling on them in the usual way to stand and surrender.
The gang peremptorily refused, telling the police to go
back, and at the same time turning round they dis-
charged five shots at the constabulary; the constable re-
turned the fire, and one of the gang fell, apparently
wounded, but being raised by his associates, was carried
over a ditch into an adjoining field.

The other three policemen then loaded, and prepared
to pursue the fugitives, who in the interval gained some
ground, and, as they retreated, turned round occasion-
ally, firing at their pursuers, fortunately without effect.
After a good run the police closed with them as they
were crossing a high wall, and again fired, when a second
man was observed to fall from the top, manifestly
wounded, as the stones were besmeared witb blood,
which was also discernible along the grass. It being a
moonlight night, the police did not lose sight of the
party, whom they chased into a haggard where several
stacks of corn were piled, behind which the Whiteboys
took refuge ; but the police, nothing daunted, inter-
cepted two of the Whiteboys, with whom they had a
desperate combat, when the rest of the fellows fled in
the confusion, and the police eventually overcame the '
two, who were made prisoners after much difficulty and
handcuffed. Upon search, both were found armed with
guns; and one of them had a very fine military sword
attached to his girdle, which has since been identified
by Mr. George Massy, of Creaves, as his property, and
which was taken from that gentleman's residence about
a month since.

The Rockites were brought into Rathkeale Bridewell
the same night, without being allowed to remove the
disguise from their features. One of them received a
bayonet wound in the breast during the struggle with
the police, but the other sustained little injury. The
names of the parties are—John Sheehy, a blacksmith,
from Askeaton, and James O'Donnell, a farmer's son.
Next morning the police searched the neighbourhood of
the scene of action, and found two guns, which the rest
of the party left behind in their precipitate retreat.
While in the bridewell on Thursday night, one of the pri-
soners attempted to commit suicide, by cutting his throat
with a piece of window glass.--Limerick Chronicle.

APPROACHING MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.--We
hear that the Earl of Waldegrave is about to lead to the
matrimonial altar Mrs. Millard, widow of Mr. E. Millard.

Mr. George Robins has for a long time threatened
to furnish his beautiful Marine Villa, at Kemp-town.
He has at length redeemed his promise. We have not
been in the favoured list that have bad a bird's-eye view
of the tact that we learn is so conspicuous throughout,
but we are assured there is no other mansion whose pre-
tensions can at all approach the one under review. Next
week we promise our readers to go and judge for our-
selves. It should seem it is to be ready for occupation
next week. Mr. Robins does not intend to let it
for a less period than three or five years; he observes
ho cannot afford to have all the gold obliterated from the
gingerbread before it has been six months occupied. It
will be a treat to see it, and a private order can be ob-
tained from Mr. Robins at the Old Ship, to admit any
one not determinedly bent on curiosity only. It will be
seen there has been a great christening in East-street;
Mr. Robins now proclaims Mr. Martin of old " the
Brighton Gillow" for ever and ever. —Brighton Gazette.
We perceive that Zadkiel's Almanac, which has
bad an extensive sale for sixteen years past, is reduced
in price to sixpence. It is likely to sell largely ; but we
hope that the prediction of disease in the wheat may not
be as correct as was that this year regarding the potatoes.
RIGHTS Or ARTISTS.-1n discussing the Hyde
Park-corner absurdity, too much stress cannot be laid
on the moral wrong done to Mr. Burton. No sooner is
a line of railroad projected than we are deafened with
the shrieks of landed proprietors, the alarm-whistle of
vested interests. The rights of private individuals are
jealously guarded, and compensation granted for what
often turns out to be a benefit instead of an injury. No
such consideration is evinced to the artist ; his designs
are seized upon, added to, curtailed, altered in any way
that suits the caprice of a Committee, without the
slightest apparent consciousness, on the part of the per-
petrators of the act, or the public who witness it, that
there is any right or wrong in the matter. With the
merits of the statue we have nothing to do, it is with its
position that we quarrel ; so long as it is allowed to de-
grade Mr. Burton's arch into a mere pedestal, the feel-
ing of outraged justice will, in every well-constituted
mind, outweigh even that of offended taste. Let us
labour to impress on the nation that the works of the
poet, the painter, the architect, offsprings of man's
head and heart, produced at the cost of thought, study,
and self-denial, such as the world can never know, are
property at least as sacred, and no more wantonly to be
tampered with than houses, lands, or the Three per
Cents.—Correspondent of the Builder.
THE COMPLEMENTS OF MEN-OF-WAIL--The
Admiralty have issued (dated Nov. 1) a new scale of
the " Table of complements of her Majesty's sea-going
ships, sloops, steam-vessels, Sze." It is not to apply to
those at present in commission, but only to such as may
in future be brought forward. Both officers and men are
to be reduced in number; a lieutenant less
inss a
to every
vessel, except steamers; and in three-decked ships
reduction of about fifty men. All steamers are have
fewer seamen, but more stokers and coal-trimmers; the
boys, both first and second class, to continue as before;
as also the marines. The number of lieutenants to be
as follows, viz.:—First-rates to have 7 instead of 8;
second-rates to have 5 instead of 7, but if on three decks
to bear 7 lieutenants, 22 mates and midshipmen, and 6
naval cadets; third-rates to have 5 instead of 6; fourth-
rates to have 5, as before; fifth-rates to have 4 instead of
5; sixth-rates to have 3 instead of 4. Steam-vessels of
four rates—viz., 300, 260, 240, and 195 men, to have 3
lieutenants; those of 160 and 140 men, to have but 2.
Sloops of five rates—viz., 145, 130, 125, 120, and 80
men each, to bear but 2 lieutenants instead of 3. We
are sorry that the Admiralty have lessened the comple-
ment of men in our ships of war; also of one lieutenant
in each ship. The best appointment of late years was
the third lieutenant to sloops of war, which by this order
is revoked. We hear that the difficulty of obtaining lieu-
tenants is the cause of the latter, and %;xceeding the vote,
of the former,—Rampshir (Telegraph,

SIR ROBERT PEEL-THE RISE
OF HIS FAMILY.
In stating, as I did, in a former communication on this
subject, that the late Sir Robert Peel in the last genera-
tion, and Mr. Cobden in this, were the greatest improvers
1 of the calico printing trade, it may have appeared as if I
gave to them the credit of the discoveries in the me-
chanical and chemical sciences which have so greatly ad-
vanced that trade. lam not aware that either of those
distinguished calico-printers were inventors or disco-
verers; but both succeeded by rewarding inventors libe-
rally, and securing the best operative talent by paying
the best pi ices for its operation.
When the first Mr. Peel put his hands to the trade he
was a femur at Cross, near Blackburn; but he had tried
his skill at carding cotton by a cylinder before that, and
had thus proved that he was of an enterprising mind.
The use of the cylinder whereby cotton is carded in a
continuous roll is one of the most effective improvements
in the cotton factories. It enables the spinning ma-
chinery to do finer work, and adds to the healthfulness
and cleanliness of the operatives. This cylinder (there
is every reason to believe, save positive proof itself) was
the invention of the farmer of Cross, grandfather of the
present Sir Robert Peel. But he dropped the practice of
it to take up something more profitable and not less in-
teresting to his genius.
He engraved blocks of wood with his own hands, and
with such tools as he could command. The first design
is said to have been a parsley-leaf. The blocks were of
sycamore, about ten inches long by five broad; the figure
of the parsley-leaf was raised, as wood-engraving is still
practised, by the other parts being cut down. A handle
was put to the back of the block to hold it by. The
colour to be used was put in a vessel covered with
woollen cloth, the cloth touching the colour so as to
absorb it. The block was put on this saturated cloth,
and then transferred to the piece of white calico, which
was stretched on a table. Pieces of wire at each corner
of the block enabled the operator to fit it to its exact
place. The block was then struck by a mallet, and the
impression was fixed on the calico. The use of a calen-
der was not then known for smoothing the calico after
it was thus printed, and the females of the family,
therefore, ironed the pieces with the usual flat irons.
—...

While these experiments were going on, the house was
kept closed against all prying neighbours. And thus
did the ingenious farmer of Cross, grandfather of the
great statesman who so recently ruled this great empire,
begin the fortunes of his family.
His mechanical genius soon discovered the use of the
calender (vulgarly the mangle, and this superseded the
labour with the flat iron as regarded calicoes. The
mangle has not superseded the flat iron in the " getting
up " department with the laundress; but its introduction
has enabled many a poor woman to earn a livelihood.
Perhaps few who keep a mangle, and work with this
humble machine, know that it was invented by the grand-
father of Sir Robert Peel.

If more colours were required to complete the pattern
than one, blocks had to be applied more than once,
and each time a different block. Calicoes are made in
pieces of 28 yards each. One piece required the block
448 times.

Subsequent to this the block-printers in:the:neighboar-
hood of London had engravings done in copper, and fixed
upon the wooden blocks. But the first great advance-
ment was in the use of a cylinder. The invention of
this has been variously attributed; but as no single indi-
vidual has made out a good claim to it, and as Mr. Peel
of Cross, was known to have used a cylinder in carding
before he took to printing ; also as he kept all his inven-
tions very quiet, I see many reasons to believe, and. few
to doubt, that he was the inventor of cylinder printing.
A roller of copper so long as to correspond with the
breadth of the cloth which is to be printed, which roller
is three or four inches thick, is engraved with a design
all round its circumference. It is laid in a box, and re-
volves upon its axis by the force of a wheel at one end
of the box. Colouring matter fills the box partly up, so
that the roller wets itself with it in turning. A blade of
soft steel shaves off the colour from its surface, save in
the hollow lines made by the engraver. The cloth to be
printed passes round a cylinder, and is pressed in contact
with the engraved roller on the side where the blade has
shaved the colour away, and by this pressure the colour
left in the hollow lines of the engraving
fixedinstan-
taneously to the cloth as it passes. The cloth as printed
passes between other cylinders (to common readers I
may say a cylinder is a barrel—in this case it is of iron,
about 16 inches in diameter) filled with steam. They
are hot, and dry the cloth in two minutes or less. In
that short time a piece 28 yards long is printed, which to
be printed with a block would require 448 applications
of the block. But as many as three, four, or five rollers
can be applied with different patterns and different co-
lours to the one piece of cloth while it revolves around
the cylinders ; and thus complicated patterns, which
would have required the application of blocks by hand
896, or 1344, or 1792, or 2240 times are printed in the
same brief period.
Mr. Peel, of Cross, having removed with his humble
workshop, for the sake of water, to Brookside, two miles
from Blackburn, he, by the aid of his sons, extended his
business there very considerably. The eldest son, Ro-
bert, distinguished above them all for his acuteness and
vigorous adherence to business, quitted his father's con-
cern in 1773, and going into partnership with his uncle,
Mr. Haworth, and a Mr. Yates, entered upon the busi-
ness on a more extended scale at Bury. He subse-
quently married the daughter of his partner, Mr. Yates,
and she became the mother of the present Sir Robert
Peel. This establishment carried on cotton-spinning as
well as printing, and both with success. The other sons
of old Mr. Peel, of Cross, removed to a place called
Church, and set up print-works. They were also suc-
cessful; but, like their elder brother, who became Sir
Robert Peel, they succeeded in a greet measure by the
application of cylinder printing.
But another discovery was made. The expense and
delay of engraving the copper rollers was prodigious ;
they were also soon worn out. It was, therefore, greatly
to the advantage of the printers to find that a very small
steel roller, two or three inches long, could be engraved,
while decarbonized or softened. This done, it was har-
dened, and worked by machinery, against another piece
of steel, of its own size, also softened. This received the
impression of the hollow lines of the other, and showed
them raised. This one was hardened in its turn, and
worked with a heavy steady pressure against the large
copper roller, which in its turn was engraved with the
hollow lines desired. Other methods are used. That
now described is the one used now or recently for en-
graving the plates from which the notes are printed in
the Bank of England.
It would not come within the compass of this brief
sketch to describe the other mechanical inventions which
the Peels and other printers discovered or appropriated
for the extension of their trade and the advancement of
their individual fortunes. I shall now turn to the che-
mical discoveries.

A substance called chlorine was discovered, which,
with the magic of nature, exceeding all the magic of
fable, bleached a fabric whiter and purer in a few hours
than the old methods of bleaching had done in weeks
and months upon the grass. To print the richest pat-
terns, the purest bleaching was requisite before begin-
ning to print. The discovery of chlorine gave this
purity. Again, the colours could not be fawned in the
cloth without some other chemical matters, known by
the general name of mordants (from the French mordre,
to bite). Different colours required a different mordant,
and these the science of chemistry afforded. Again, the
whole globe was ransacked, and not in vain, for dye-stuffs
to make colours. Chemistry compounded those colours,
and taught the artistic designer how to use them ; their
proper use was a leading element in the ri'e of th Peel
family. One process often used in printing is to use the
mordant which may be colourless in the boxes with the
copper rollers. Those rollers print the mordant upon
the cloth, instead of the colour. The \ piece of cloth is
then put into a vat, and dyed all one colour. When taken
out it is washed, and then the colour washes out of it,

leaving it white save the lines or figures which had been
printed by the mordant; these retain the colour in beau-
tiful integrity.
Another method, called discharge work, which origi
nated in Scotland, is to print those parts which are to be
white, with an acid, which resists the power of the mor-
cant. The piece is then steeped in the mordant, quickly
dried, and then dyed in the vat. It is then taken out and
washed, and the spots which had b. en printed with acid
(lemon juice) are found to yield the colour, and
submit to become a pure white. This last system
though originating in Scotland, did not thrive th,re;
the Peels introduced it to England, and by this method
form the imitation of Indian patterns, which it enabled
them to produce in elegance and fastness of colour ; it
gave their goods of that kind, a character which never
was lost.

A discovery which led to a process more common now
than any yet named, was made by a man named Grouse,
of London, who had no chemical or other scientific know-
ledge, strictly so called, but who, it is said, was fond of
trying fireside experiments. This is called Resist work.
It consists of the cloth being printed with a kind of paste
where it is to be kept white, the remainder having the
mordant applied. The cloth is then dipped in indigo for
a few seconds. The paste is found to have resisted the
blue dye; it is washed off, and those parts are white.
Without this paste, indigo would not wash out, as the
colours used in discharge work do ; and it
ties; n
s o f therefore,blue
to this discovery that we owe so many
b pa
ground with white spots, the blue being a
the material cheap, and the processspeedy in execution.
Grouse, who was a commercial traveller,
theo
u n rightds
.
to use his discovery to Sir Robert re elf soorfilvde pounds.
It required a year or two to bring it to perfection; but
when it was perfected it raised the reputation of Sir
Robert Peel for producing
wealth as to the wealth of cheap and fast colours very
greatly • and added to his
single discovery
of printer since, more than any other
of colours. Its cheapness has been its popular quality.
The dyeing of Turkey red, and the discharging of
parts of it by a chemical process, so as to leave the pat-
terns white, is a discovery belonging to the year 1.8100
but not perfected until some years after. It does not
properly belong to the art of printing, nor, so far as I
can ascertain, did the discovery in any way affect the
fortunes of the Peels.

The colour of bronze, which we now see so much in
common prints, was discovered in 1822. It is a metallic
colour, is cheap, adds to the beauty of pattern, and does
not fade; was not known when the Peels were in the trade.
A Mr. Mercer has improved on this bronze colour by
a process only known to himself, from which bronze he
has made much gold; but I cannot go farther into the
subject. The most recent improvements have been not
in the, chemistry of colours, but in the artistic elegance
of design. It is in this last respect that Mr. Cobden has
advanced the trade so much.—Advertiser.

-lISICAL HARACTERISTICS.--Mr. George Etna-
land delivered a lecture last night (Thursday) on the
above subject, at the Westminster Literary and Scien-
tific Institution. He canvassed the peculiarities o-f the
German and Italian composers, and the styles of Lover
and other popular ballad writers. He elicited a warm
encore in Russell's song of " The Gambler's Wife.," John
Parry's " Young England," and he also sung Lover's
"Sally, Sally," and the "Standard Bearer," su d other
justly admired pieces, with much applause.