The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-11 00:00:00

•44.1
4,,
JULY 11 1848.
atim

THE ROYAL POLYTECHNIC IN-
STITUTION.
On Thursday evening we visited this celebrated
and admirable establishment. In all those depart-
ments for which it has already obtained a name of
great eminence,' it still excels any other institution
of a similar character. The mechanical curiosities
arranged in the large room, the model steam-engine,
the model steam-vessels, the diving-bell, the statuary,
the glass-blower, the glass-spinner, the seal-cutter—
all attracted their share of attention from the nume-
rous visitors to the Polytechnic. In addition, how-
ever, to those objects of interest, in addition to the
beautiful dissolving views explained by Professor
Bachhoffner, and the admirable chemical lectures
delivered by Dr. Ryan, there is at present one feature
in the exhibition which, from its singularity, its
novelty, and its extraordinary nature, monopolized
the principal share of our observation. We allude to the
lectures now being delivered every day by Mr. Isharn
Baggs on the Phenomena of Thunder-storms and the
Cause of Lightning. From the remarkable character of
the discoveries which have originated these lectures on
electricity it was essential to convey the facts to the
public as rapidly as possible, and to this end the re-
marks of hlr. Baggs are necessarily of a:very prelimi-
nary and introductory kind. Speedily, however, as we
understand, it is the intention of the lecturer to extend
his views upon this wonderful science in a series of
lectures more calculated to explain the importance of
those discoveries, by which he has added to the reve-
lations made by Professor Faraday. On Thursday
evening we witnessed a variety of very novel and beau-
tiful experiments, in illustration of the theorem pro-
pounded by Mr. Baggs, and among these we must par-
ticularize a most ingenious little instrument, invented
by that gentleman himself, to carry off the superfluous
electricity when charging a battery, and by that
means preventing the possibility of bursting the Ley-
den jars, just as the safety-valve of a;steam-engine, in
carrying off the superfluous steam, prevents the possi-
bility of the bursting of the boiler. The exordium
of the lecture was devoted to the consideration of the
bounteous and universal distribution of electricity
throughout the universe, that subtle force being
evolved by the smallest amount of friction even
among the material atoms of the creation—by the
movement of a grain of dust, or by the falling of a
leaf in autumn. The whole discourse was of a very
popular character, and abounded in anecdote. Mr.
Baggs throughout displays his familiarity with the
secrets of natural philosophy, and above all reveals
the mastery which he has acquired over this abstruse
and (even now) merely nascent science. His manner
of delivery is peculiarly agreeable, and his language
at all times scholarly, and occasionally rising into
eloquence,
—technicalities
o f scientific a s admirably irei an bglymatters
eithert o adapted
an
nv
avoided
id e d unscientificconveyenti a
;entirely,
ya
doirt,oknow-
ledgeriyf
employed, immediately explained. Notwithstanding
the heat of the weather, the lecture-room was

crowded, and those who were present appeared to
appreciate the new attraction which has been thus

added to the many already crowded together in the
Polytechnic Institution.

lIAMBURGH MAIL.

rTAMBURGII BOURSE, JULY 7.—Business in exchanges
was very flat. London bills and money, and Amsterdam,
i❑ demand. Paris, no business. Frankfort might be
had. Vienna at sight in demand. Berlin, Breden, and
Leipzig in demand, but wanting. Plenty of money in
the market.

HAMBIIRGH BORSENHALLE, Juts 7.
Bills. Money.
Hanoverian Loan, 1846 .. .. • ..... • . • • 101
Austrian 5 per Cents .• ••• • .• ........
Bank Shares ........................ _
Anglo-Russian Loan ....... •••• .• • • 93
Russian 5 per Cent., Hamb. Certificate.
Ditto Ist series 1n5cripti0n............
_Ditto, /lope andCo.,3d and 4th series— 87
Ditto, in Certificate ... . .. .. ...... ..
New 4 per Cent., Hope and Co. ......
Ditto Stleglitz .... ........ ~........ 77 ..._
Spanish New 5 per Cent • • ...... ••• • •• 8
Ditto 3 per Cent .• • ....... ••• • • ... 16
Anglo-Portuguese Loan, 2% per Cent • •
Dutch Actual Debt, 2% per Cent......
Ditto 3 per Cent. ••....••• • . • .. ..
Polish New 4 per Cent. Loan, 1844....
Swedish Loan ..... ..... .. .. ... ••• .. 9l
Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per Cent ... •• . 68 67
National Bank Shares ................

SCOTCH IRON TRADE.-GLASGOW, JULY 8

The circular of Messrs. Thorburn and Co., of Glasgow,
states that the iron market has been more active this
week than for a considerable time past. In consequence
of the improvement in the money and share market,
, combined with the prospect of the resumption of imme-
diate shipments to the continent, an advance of fully 2s.
per ton has been established since the opening of the
week. Large purchases were made at 445. 6d., 455. 6d.,
and 465. net cash for all Nos. The price is firm at 465.
'or mixed Nos., and 465. 6d. for all No. 1, net cash, in a
few days.

TIIT SOUTH DETON RAILWAY. PLYMOUTH,
JULY 9.—During the past week, the
electric telegraph
has been completed on the line to Lairs, and it is now
in full operation. The directors have just completed the
purchase of nearly three acres of land behind Devon-
shire-terrace, in Union-street, at present in the occupa-
tion of Mr. W. Rendle, and belonging to Mr. Joseph
Whiteford, for the purpose of their station in Plymouth.
This quantity which they have now purchased, added
to that on the opposite side of Union-road, lately be-
longing to Colonel Elliot, will give them about seven
acres for their terminus. The works from Lairs, which
is two miles from Plymouth, will probably be resumed
within a few days, and great efforts are to be made
forthwith to get the station completed to Plymouth.
LEEDS, DEWSBURY, AND MANCHESTER RAII,
WAY.—This great undertaking is nearly complete. The
directors, contractors, engineers. and several of their
friends, had an excursion over the line from its junction
with the Lancashire and Yorkshire, at the Dewsbury
end, to the terminus :at Leeds, on Thursday last. The
train started from the Dewsbury station, about half-
past nine o'clockin the morning, and consisted of four
of the company's beautiful new carriages, and a most
powerful engine, driven by Mr. Mole ; after proceeding
to Leeds, where some more of the directors joined the
company, the train was again set in motion, and at every
viaduct, bridge, or other work of importance, the direc-
tors, engineers, and other friends alighted to inspect
them. The whole is in such a forward state, and has
been, erected so substantially, after the chaste designs
furnished, that in a fortnight it is expected to be ready
fur passenger traffic. After the inspection, and with
which every one seemed perfectly satisfied, the com-
pany, to the number of fifty, sat down to partake of a
cold collation set out on the platform of the Dewsbury
station, J. Gott, tEsq., presiding, who was supported on
his right and :left by his brother directors. Mr. Bott,
the secretary occupied the vice-chair. The viands, wines,
and dessert were from the stores of Mr. Walkington, of
the Royal Hotel, and gave the greatest satisfaction.
Amongst the toasts proposed were " Success to the
Leeds and Dewsbury Railway," " The Queen," " The
Contractors and Engineers," " The Directors," " The
Sub Contractors and Labourers." The day being re-
markably fine, every one appeared to enjoy the excur-
sion. The line, for its length, is perhaps the most
remarkable of any in the kingdom, passing through a
densely populated district, and from the nature of the
country presenting so many and such different pic-
turesque views. The Vale of Calder, the ruins of How-
Icy, the Kirkstall grounds, the towns of Dewsbury,
Batley, Morley, Churwell, and a view of Leeds, un-
equalled on any of the other lines approaching that im-
p irtant town. The extensive viaducts—the lofty and
wide spreading bridges—the tremendous embankments
—the deep cuttings through very fine beds of stone—
and last, not least, the great tunnel at Morley, reflect the
greatest credit upon those who designed and those who
have executed the work.—Halifax Guardian.
MEETING OF DEPUTIES FROM THE DISSENTERS OF
THE METROPOLIS.—The half-yearly meeting of the
deputies appointed by the Dissenters of the metropolis
for the purpose of watching the general interests of that
body, was held yesterday, at the King's Head Tavern,
in the Poultry. Mr. J. R. Mills, M.P., was in the chair.
The chairman explained that Mr. Osborne, to whom the
question of the abolition of church-rates had beenin-
trusted, and who had intended to bring it forward in the
House of Commons this session, found it necessary, in
consequence of the illness of Mrs. Osborne, to leave town
for six weeks, and that he had since found that an open
day for the discussion of the subject could not be secured
till too late a period to leave any hope of serviceably
agitating it during the present sitting of Parliament. It
had, therefore, been determined to defer the discussion
till next session. A petition against church-rates, for
the purpose of enabling Mr. Osborne to call the attention
of Government to his intention of introducing the ques-
tion early in the ensuing session, was unanimously
agreed to. A petition was next passed against the 56th
clause of the Health of Towns Bill. This clause would,
it was stated, enable the local boards, should they be so
disposed, to exercise, as an instrument of oppression,
the power proposed to be given to them as respects the
erection of chapels and schools. A vote of thanks was
given to the chairman, and the meeting broke up.
FOUR PERSONS POISONED.—Jane Kemp, residing
at Midhurst, in Sussex, with her husband, mother, and
sister, a few nights back prepared a supper, of which
they all partook. The meal consisted of pork, cabbage,
and bacon. They had barely finished the meal when
most alarming symptoms were perceptible, the whole
family being seized with violent retching and excru-
ciating pains. Medical assistance was obtained, but the
unfortunate female expired. The other three sufferers,
though still very ill, are recovering. An inquest has
been commenced on the body, and after the above facts_
were sworn to in evidence, the Coroner said it woYl
be impossible to conclude the inquiry at present.h
He
considered that an analysis of the contents of
fldt e
de-
ceased stomach should be made, which
allow
time for the full recovery of the other three sufferers.tthe
The jury acquiesced in the recommendation,he deceased,
o
Coroner, and the inquest was adjourned.
1
would
who was highly respected, had been married only a few
months.

MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS.
CITY, QUARTER TO 7 BREE.
The Cotton Market at Liverpool yesterday was firm.
There was a fair demand. The sales were 5,060 to
6,000 bales. Railway Shares had been very quiet, and
rather flat.
The accounts received from Paris are not considered
to be very satisfactory, as increased vigilance is shown to
be indispensable on the part of the authorities, such
is the lawless character of the red republicans.
The doubt thrown upon the conclusion of the armistice
between Germany and Denmark, or rather with respect
to its probable ratification, has also excited rather an un-
favourable impression.
There is an arrival from the Cape of Good Hope, but
it only brings intermediate dates.
The co-operation of our colonial possessions in the
free-trade policy which we are endeavouring to carry
out is so important, that it cannot but be matter
of the highest gratification to know that the
Quebec Board of Trade is decidedly in favour
of an alteration in the navigation-laws, fully
comprehending the great advantage that must there-
by accrue to Canada. A memorial has been adopted
by the Quebec merchants, and came to hand by the
America steamer. It is addressed to the Queen
in Council, and states, among other things, " that
a chain of ship canals connecting the navigable
waters of the river St. Lawrence and the great lakes of
Canada is ;now completed, whereby the produce of the
most fertile parts of this province and of the Western
States of the American Union may be transpotted to
the ocean cheaper than by any other route ; that
these canals have been constructed at an immense
expenditure of capital, raised under the liberal guaran-
tee of the Imperial Government, and in connexion with
similar improvements in the United States, open up an
uninterrupted inland navigation from Quebec to New
Orleans, a distance of more than four thousand miles,
with ramifications extending far into all the intervening
territory.
" That in the opinion of your Majesty's petitioners, el
that is now wanting to render the St. Lawrence the out-
let, and Quebec the depot, of a large portion of the vast
and varied productions of the fertile regions rendered
accessible by this unequalled internal navigation, is to
throw it open without restriction to the ships and vessels
of all nations, allowing them during the pleasure of your
Majesty freely to carry to the ports of this province the
produce of their own or any other country, and to take
thence cargoes as well to, the United Kingdom and its
possessions as to any other part of the world.
" That your Majesty's petitioners firmly believe
that the merchants, ship-owners, and ship-builders of
Canada have no cause to fear the competition of
foreigners on fair and equal terms, in either external or
internal navigation. In the former they already success-
tethfilouenv,l,oslcyiload%riecaharobelanaslrteeipaofroennetr,dseeumlwilataskyt.h their neighbours even in their own
ports, and in the latter your Majesty's petitioners feel
Unitedtt
ohe the
ey ofKrueri
en Agldaojme navigations ya and
d i
persuaded that such competition would lead to still more
youresb Majesty'secognrnaecci
oteuds
graciously
p therewith, petitionerse a pleased
ed
or
or humblyrecommendwhich pp rr ae y.
takingot
sf
pt the
se
to Parliament to remove all restrictions that now exist
abroad,t . Lawrence,
so with
a s
vent the free carriage of goods by sea to and from the
this colony, is, concerned, subject to such control by
your Majesty in Council as may be necessary."
The Sugar Duties Bill is now considered to be as good
as passed, and the trade will be relieved from further
suspense.
Her Majesty's ship Collingwood, from South America,
does not bring so much specie as was reported. The
amount is 1,000,000 dollars. eriisrvieeomrnsisses into your Royal

The Public Securiiies have been steady to-day, with a
moderate business doing. The jobbers are " reading "
to-day, but it is not yet certain how the account will
turn out. Consols have been 86 to 87i for present
transfer, and 87 to 871 for time. Exchequer-bills
realise 41s. to 445. premium. The New Three-and-a-
Quarter per Cents. are 87i to 8.7. Bank Stock is 192
to 194.

In the Foreign Market very little is doing. Spanish
Three per Cents. are 214; Portuguese Four per Cents.
are 11 to 18i; Mexican are 17 to i; Dutch Twc-and-
a-llalt per Cents. are 44i to 45f.
Shares have been stead.y.

NE
PRICES OF BRITISH FUNDS. O'CLOCK. LOCK. PRICESG
Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Reduced Anns ..... 8714%1% 87%
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities B7l 66% 87% 87%
New 314 per Cent. Aims--
Long Amis. to expire Jan. 1860
Ditto 30 years, Jan. 5, 1860 8 9-16 8 9-16
India Bonds, 1,0001. ...... .. 26 p 26 p
Ditto under 1,000/. . ....... .-.... 26 p 26 p
Consols for Opening B7 87N1A1A 87%
Exchequer Bills. 2%d.
1,000/. June 36 33 P 33 p
1,0001. March ... 4l 44 p 44 p
5001. June
Small, June
PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS. oirz CLOSING
O'CLOCK. PRICES.
Brazilian Bonds
Chilian Bonds 6 per Cent........., — 83
Dutch 21,4 per Cent.
Grenada Bonds, 1 per Cent.
Mexican, 5 per Cent. 1846 17% 17 17
Ditto, Account l7 17 17
Portuguese 5 per Cents. —
Ditto, 4 per Cent. —
Ditto. Account 171,4
Ditto, Small lBl
Russian Bonds ... ••••
Spanish 5 per Cent. 1840.
Ditto, Passive
Ditto 3 Der Cent.... 213/4
Dividends an the above payable in London.
Belgian 41A per Cent
Dutch 2% per Cent., 12 Guild 4514 44% 441.
Ditto. 4 per Cent. Certificates 71 70 70% 70%
PRICES OF PAID. BUSINESS DONE CLOSING
RAILWAY SHARES. AT ONE O'CLOCK. PRICES
Aberdeen 5O
Amber., Nott., Boston,
and Eastern Junction 334 ......
Ayrshire and Galloway.. 2%
Belfast & County Down 16
Birmingham and Ox-
ford Junction .... .- 20
Birmingham, Wolver-
hampton, and Dudley 10
Birming.,Wolverh'pton,
and Stour Valley 12/. 4s ... ...
Birkenhead, Lancashire,
and Cheshire Junc.... 10
..• • • ..... ..•
Boston, Starad & Birm. 5
Bristol and Exeter B5
Ditto, Thirds
Buckinghamshire... 14/. 4s.
Caledonian
Ditto, Half Shares .. 834....,,
Ditto,ClydesdaleJunc 50
•••
Chester and Holyhead... 42%...... 20% 2Ol/
,
Ditto, Preference
Clarence
Do. Ist Class, 6 per Ct. 10 -
Do. 2d Class, 5 per Ct. 10
Do. Governni ent Loan, .........
4 per Cent.
Direct London, & Ports-

17%
181,t
98

3
21%

29%

outh..— . .
Du mouth ..... 5. - .
Dublinand aelfast June. 30
......
Dundalk & Enniskillen 17% —.. —
East Anglia, 251., L. &
E. and L. and D...... 25
Do., 18/., :E. & 11.... 18 .....
Do., 3/. /.03.
Eastern Coust ies...
Do. New Cuaranteed
6 per Ceti t.
Ditto,Ext tnsion,s per
Cent., Z"io. 1......61.135. 4d.... IA p x d % pxd
Ditto ditto, No. 2...6/. 13s. 4d...
Do. North. & Eastern 50
Do., 5 per rent.
Do. Quai to rs ...
Do. New .
••• ---
Eastern Union, Cl A

_....., _lass _
(late E. U. Shares) 25
Ditto, Clasd A, ditto... 1
Ditto, Cla,;s B (I. &
and 8..)
Ditto, (2'.ass C, ditto... 171,x.
Do. Scrip (6 percent.) 1.0
..•••• 00000000
Ditto (C. fir E.)

guar.

5 per cent
East LaucasEdre
Ditto, Neer_
Ditto, Nev., Quarters 17GU......
Do., 6 per. Cent. Pre-
ference Quarters ... 21A ......
East Linear ishire
Edinburgh !and Glasgow 50 ...... 43
Ditto, Half Shares ... 15
.. .. -
Ditto, Quarter Shares 121,4......
Edinburgh.andNorthern 2.5
Ditto, .N.ew.. 614
Ditto, N ewport l3 -
......
Ditto, ditto, New 3l,i
Exeter,Yeovil, & Dorch. 2% ..... *" ......
Ditto, New ... 2% — .. .............
Glasgow, Dumfries, and
Carlisle . ' .... ... ..8/. t6s. 8d
Glasgow,K ilraar., & Ayr 1,0
Ditto, New ... - 4 0
••• ......
Do.Prefere nee Consol.
x. i. 1.5
ig
Great North ern
..... Do., Load on and York 2%.....
Great Sont';‘. and West
(Ireland )
232
Great Nort hof England.l.oo ......T1 .
Ditto, N ew, 404-- 15
............... ......
Ditto, N *ew, 30/ 2O
DittoLNew, 15/ lll4 -..— ... ............
Great We stern .90 ... .. •••• ..........
Ditto, 1 k shares
.50
....
Ditto, I i
..
, Shares
.........
19
Ditto, 1 ifths
~ii
Ditto, N *ew 171........ 13 ...
........
Huddersfi eldandtdanch. 28
..........
Ditto, ' l'hirds
9 .....
...... ............
Hull and. Selby ..
„..„.. 9914:- ...........
Ditto, Half Shares
Ditt% IA :,hares l2l/2...„ ...............
LaneP,ster aw,d Carlisle 5O —531 _ ......
- .....
DP.to, Thirds -
Yorkshire 9 3 ...
Ditto, ditto- ............ 8%5 .....
..... ••..., -
4:3
••
Do. Quarter Shares.- 1; '1
A,
137,14
Do. Fifths._
...... ~. i"" ..... 13
. AI —
Do. Sixteieriths ...... .. 6 I
. -
4
Do. Thirdki(Reg.) l3 /
...

991 A