The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-21 00:00:00

Noxious Gases in Wells.

The recent loss of life caused by noxious gas
in, a well at Beeton, North Woolwich, induces
Mr. W. Gossage, of Widnes Soapery, War-
rington, to make public the following very simple
means of prevention. Take some pieces of carpet or
common sacks; and make them up into a loose
bundle nearly as large as the area of the well;
enclose it in a brick to give weight, and
attach to the bundle a rope of sufficient length
to reach the bottom of the well. Throw this bundle
down and haul it up again as quickly as possible.
Repeat the operation rapidly for ten minutes, and
the atmosphere will, he says, become quite . innoxious,
as may be proved by letting down a lighted
candle. Mr. Gossage explains that the bundle carries
before it a quantity of fresh air from the surface, and
this displaces the foul air from the bottom. He adds
that he first used this plan forty years ago, and has
proved its efficiency repeatedly.
The Music of the Sea.

It is said by some sea captains that the smell of the
turf consumed in Ireland can be experienced in the
air at sea three hundred miles away from the coast.
These navigators assert that it is more perceptible
after long voyages through a variety of climates.
Another phenomenon, equally surprising to
the uninitiated, is just now being discussed
in the pages of Nature by travellers who
have traversed the sea round the western coast of
India, along the seaboard of Chili, or the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans generally. They describe a
strange musical noise, which vibrates against the
sides 2f ships, chiefly iron-bottomed, when they
are plssing through certain waters. The noise
is not unpleasing, is " such as one might imagine
to proceed from a thousand tEolian harps," is " deep
with ever varying notes." Much gossip has arisen as
to the cause of this strange concert, and the
opinions put forward, though widely different,are in-
genious. Cuvier is quoted in support of the idea that
the music is caused by shoals of what are known as
trumpet fish, whose noises are said often to guide
fishermen to their whereabouts. A. Mr. Millet
fancies that the sounds arise from quantities
of bubbles, or gas globules coming up from
sandy or muddy bottoms, and beating against the
vessel. Taking into consideration the fact that the
murmurings are oftener heard by those in iron than
by those in wooden vessels, Mr. Malet's solution does
not appear to be a very extraordinary one. All the
writers on the subject appear to be bereft of senti-
ment, as none venture to. attribute the harmony to
nymphs, or tritons, mermaids or sirens, although one
gentleman, Sir Emerson Tennant, says that the music
is chiefly audible over the face of the waters when
the moon is nearest its full.

Public Health and Public Works in Rome.
Sanitary science appears to be at a low ebb in
Rome, where all the attractions of the (Ecumenical
Council cannot detain the frightened visitors.
Never, it is said, has the extreme unhealthi-
ness of the climate been attended with
more fatal results than during the present
year. Nevertheless, though the foreign visitors are
rapidly taking flight, th. prelates cannot imitate their
example, but must do penance for their sins by
braving out the season, whose evil influence the Col-

lege of Cardinals would no doubt confine, if they
could, to the unduly active minority. The Romans are
consoling themselves for the present loss by antici-
pating a rich future harvest, as they believe halt
Europe will flock to Rome to celebrate the 25th
year of the Pontificate. The prices of living are, how-
ever, exorbitant, the municipality allowing the pro-
duce of the country to be bought up at the gates of
the city by monopolists, who keep up a fabulous
price. The poorer classes suffer greatly from the
taxes, while a few individuals who retain the
monopolies in their hands amass large fortunes.
There is one item of news connected with Rome
which gives some promise of bettor times. The
new port of Ostia is being pushed forward, and a
canal railway is then to connect Rome with the
sea at a short and easy distance. It is evident that
this will give a great stimulus to trade, and must
tend to break up the monopolies complained of.

Egypt and the Porte.
An uncomfortable bit of news comes from Con-
stantinople. Ismael Pacha, it will be remembered has
a brother named Mustapha Fazyl Pasha, and be-
tween the two tlr. most deadly animosity prevails.
bout a fortnight ago Mustapha was advanced by
the Sultan to the office of Chief Justiciary at Stam-
boul. This appointment was justly regarded as a
decided manifestation of on the part of the
Sultan towards the Viceroy of Egypt. And
now matters look still worse. His Im-
perial Majesty has strengthened his hostile
demonstration, by conferring the first class of the
highest order in his gift (the Osmanlieh) upon the
leader of the Young Turk party, and has enhanced
the significance of that distinction by causing the
insignia of the order to be set in brilliants—a favour
rarely bestowed upon persons of less than Royal
rank. It looks as if there would soon be more
trouble between the Sultan and his great vassal.

Political Disturbance.
Amongst the many good things brought
by the recent political changes in France was a total
cessation of the mischievous rumours of war which
were so persistently. spread about previously to the
famous interpellation of the 116. These rumours
were particularly rife during the summer of
1868 ; but since June, 1869, they have happily been
wanted. Unfortunately a revival of the canards is
now becoming noticeable. The Due de Grammont's
appointment as Foreign Minister of France has made,
we are told, a very bad impression at Berlin. The
C'onstitutionnel—that old and flagrant offender—is
now busy telling us that foreign politics have been
unduly neglected lately. Count I)aru, we are inforthed,
knew nothing of foreign affairs; but the Dun de
Grammont will set everything right. Its mission will
be to restore France to her proper place in regard to
all the great questions which agitate the world, and
which must not be resolved without her prepon-
derant voice being heard. This ominous talk
indicates two equally undesirable things: first,
that trade is again to be impaired by an alarmist paper
warfare; secondly, that the concessions to liberty are
finished, home affairs are disposed of, and France
has now time to trouble herself with her neigh-
bours.