The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-05 00:00:00

ARCHITECT'S ORIGINAL ESTIMATE.

The architect reports, that his estimates were not, and could
not be, in detail; that they were general calculations only,
and, to a great extent, conjectural: That, owing to the
uncertainty as to the amount of work that might be
required, the alterations could not be, and were not, con-
tracted for at a gross sum, but have been undertaken at
prices according to the amount of work executed : That the
excess of cost beyond the amount of the original estimates,
relates only to works of absolute necessity, and not of dura-
tion, involving, in the present case, the reconstruction of an
entire story of the Privy Council Office, a greater sacrifice of
the old stone-work than was expected, and other heavy con-
tingencies not provided for: That, in fact, the extra works
are such only as could not be foreseen in altering an old
building: That with respect to the completion of the front
towards Whitehall, forming part of the Home Office, it is
not likely that there will be any excess upon the estimated
cost of it, inasmuch as the building will be entirely new, and
has been tendered for at a gross sum below the amount of the
original estimate.
(Signed)
ORPETH,
Commissioners of her Majesty's
A. MILNE,
Woods,
and Forests,
Buildings.L ndßevenues,
Works,
Office of Woods, &c., Aug. 19, 1846.

TIIE TEMPERANCE CONVENTION.—Tom Hood has
capitally said of some teetotallers, that they think they
have a right to believe themselves beauties, simply be-
cause they are not beasts. Assuredly, many of the
water-spouters recently playing at Covent-garcen Theatre
are of this notion. It would be difficult to brew or distil
any beverage stronger or more deleterious than much of
their language. The American apostles of temperance—
like many other saints—have made themselves especially
notorious for unseemly words. Never was water dirtied
with fouler words. The Rev. Thomas Braynard, how-
ever, of Philadelphia, has settled the question by shift-
ing it upon the shoulders of weak woman, whom he twit-
ted with an indiscretion (now a few thousand years'
standing) in a very shabby spirit. He said, '• one woman
had ruined the world by persuading a man to eat, and it
was now for woman to show an example, by persuading
him not to drink." Eve having plucked the apple, it was
the duty of her daughters to set their faces against cyder.
We would by no means be thought to undervalue tho
blessings of temperance as preached by Father Mathew
and others; but when we read the stuff that has recently
been uttered in the eause of total abstinence, we certainly
do feel inclined to wish that at Covent-garden the authori-
ties had imitated certain Strand authorities at church
' time, and " put locks upon the pumps."—Punch.
'TIE CORN-LAWS.—The ruinous effect of the re-
peal of the corn-laws was very forcibly displayed at the
sale on Saturday evening last at the Eagle Hotel, of the
lease of the Manor farm at Grantchester by Mr. Went-
worth. We never remember to have seen a larger or
more respectable company at an estate sale in this town
than was assembled on that occasion ; or to have wit-
nessed more spirited competition. The lease is granted
by King's College, to whom the estate belongs, for a
term of years, of which nineteen are unexpired, subject
to a corn and money rent of about 2001. per annum. The
improved rent paid to the College lessee by the occupy-
ing tenant, Mr. Frederick Lilly, amounts to 6001. per
annum. The lease was ultimately knocked down for
the very trifling sum of 6,1601., to Mr. Devereux Den-
ton, on behalf of the occupier, Mr. Lilley. So much for
agricultural distress, and the miserable prospects of the
farmers.—Camhridge Advertiser.

A man named Pierre Pignol, who has by turns
carried on the business of coffee-house keeper and per-
fumer, was on Tuesday brought before the Correctional
Tribunal, on a charge of obtaining goods and money
under false pretences, he having represented himself es a
son of the Emperor Napoleon. On bring called on to give
his name, he replied, "Eugene Napoleon Bonaparte, Duc
de Delmas. The name of Pignol is that of my foster-
father ;" and then entered into a long rhodomontade
connected with his alliance to the imperial family, and
that it was disgraceful that a son of France should
be treated as he had been. During the proceedings, a
letter, not remarkable for the correctness of its
orthography, was produced, which the prisoner had the
impudence to address to the Avocat du Roi, and in which
he assured the learned gentleman of the legitimacy of his
imperial descent. The court listen( d with patient
attention to the story of the soi disant duke, and ulti-
mately dismissed the charge, as there was not sufficient
evidence to convict him.—Paris Riper.
GREAT SOUTHERN AND IVESTERN (IRELAND) RAIL-
WAY CONPANY.—On Sunday next the G inpany will
commence carrying the mails, and consequently an
alteration in the starting of the trains will take place.
The first down train will leave at half past seven in
the morning, and the mail train will follow at eleven
o'clock, and the evening train at five o'clock. The first
up train from Carlow will start at half-past nine o'clock
in the morning, the mail train at ten minutes past twelve
o'clock, and the evening train at five o'clock. We
stated in our last that Mr. Dargan had been declared
the contractor for the entire line from Tipperary to
Cork, and the board are most anxious to have the works
advanced as speedily as possible. For the purpose of ar-
ranging the purcbasc of the bind, the company's officers
proceeded last week along the extension line, to endea-
vour to effect amicable arrangements with the proprie-
tors and occupiers; and it is certainty to be hoped that
as the company offer very liberal terms, the proprietors
and occupiers will meet them in an equally liberal spirit,
and thus save litigati,n. The traffic from Dublin to
Carlow is such as to afford the greatest satisfaction, and
to justify the strongest reliance on the resources of the
line.—lrish Railway Gazette.

THE LION QuEEN.—At Donnybrook fair last
week, the chief " lion " of the fair was a certain Mrs.
King, who is called the " Lion Queen-," and exhibits at
Wombwell's. She enters the den of three lions, and
whips them about at a great rate. She also enters the
den of two ferocious h)fenas, all of whom are evidently
in great dread of her. A pleasant time Mr. King must
have of it.
COPPER SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOD AND IRON IN
BOAT-BUILDING.—We have been informed of the intro-

duction of a novelty in river and port navigation, which,
if it bears out all that is claimed for it, cannot be long
before it comes into general use. It is nothing less
than a boat of copper, made of four sheets only, stamped
to due form, by powerful machinery, and rivetted
together; it is twenty-three feet long, five feet wide, has
four times the strength of wooden boats, and requires
one-third only the power to propel at the same speed as
a wooden boat of the same dimensions ; one-third less
weight • no caulking, renailing, or pointing, is required ;
and, when worn out, the metal will sell for three-fourths
of the first cost. Boats, cutters, gigs, ship's boats, race
boats, and others, from ten feet to sixty feet, may be
made in four pieces ; their strength has been tried by
dashing them against rocks, and running a-head against
stone piers, and it appears almost impossible to sink
them. Verily, this is an age of wonders !—Penzance
Gazette.
The splendid mansion of the Marquis of Hertford,
in Park-lane, known as Dorcht ster _House, has been
disposed of, and his Lordship has taken auother in
Dexiseley-spore.