The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-30 00:00:00

ped, of course, in some way, accessible to the
scavengers at all hours of the night, and must be
frequently emptied and carried off, mingled with
the sweepings. Our coal cellars and underground
rooms are supplied with coals and stores from the
street ; there is nothing wanting but well-devised
and well-placed receptacles to enable what now pol-
lutes the sewers to be removed by approaches from
the street also. Scores of miles of costly sewers will
never accomplish what a few horses and carts
before business hours would do, provided our
engineers could be humble-minds]. enough to try
to effect in detail what they now drive at in one
grand and imposing scheme. Depend upon it,
the man who devised an easy plan to cart the
night soil a few miles out of London, and who
thus made us receivers instead of payers of
money, would enjoy a better reputation with his
fellow-citizens than the best of the present sewer-
constructing engineers. Health, food, and mo-
ney in our pockets !—he who gave us these
would not be forgotten.
So much for the first great farmers' want ; the
food for his crops. Our towns could furnish it
much nearer at hand than Peru. We only want
some BESSEMER to show us a plan which every
one says at once—will do—and which we shall
only wonder was not thought of before. The;
other great want is not quite of so simple a)
character ; still as it has never been fairly looked
in the face. Ws should not despair of its
being met if it were. It is nothing less than to
conquer, as we cannot get rid of it, our fickle cli-
mate. Having turned our town guano into our
fields, we want to render the crops it produces in
dependent of a wet harvest ! The readers of the
Mark-lane Express wll laugh at the very mention
of such a thing. Ju3t let them look at its adver-
tising columns, and think how they would have
laughed half-a-century ago at the idea of the Reap-
ing Machines which they see pictured there, and
still more at the thought of steam ploughs which
have lately illustrated its pages. They do not, how-
ever, laugh at these now. It begins to be seen
that one-half the victory over climate is already
gained by the reaping machine. To cut down a
large field the very day it is ready for the sickle
is the first thing ; the next is to render it imme-
diately safe against a threatening sky. A
bulky article to carry away, and to stow away
under cover, it must be confessed. Then, too,
the straw, and ears likewise, need drying in
the air to get rid of the remaining vegetable
juices, and the green weeds also, if numerous, might
endanger heating. But weeds are to be got rid of
in modern farming. The Earl of CARLISLE has
issued an edict against them in Ireland, and Aus-
tralia has passed an act of Parliament against
thistles ; so no more of weeds in a few years.
Then as to the partial greenness of corn, we mean
to have but little of that when CROSSZILL or DRAY
march into our fields when fully ripe and level
them in a day. However, as corn will not al-
ways be dead ripe, and as it will often get wet
before it could be carried, we ask for the univer-
sal plan, the mode which every one will say, must
do, of drying a whole field under cover. A mode
by which sheaves or loose grain could be protected
from descending showers, and exposed to hori-
zontal draughts of air, while not in such close
contact as to cause decay or sprouting of the ears.
Impossible Well, it may be dreaming just
yet, but we believe it will be done one day. Who
would have thought before the Crystal
Palace was built of roofing in some score
of acres with glass, and Mr. 33Essiosza is likely
to bring iron ratkvii more neatly to the price
of wood than hitherto. It may be found
advisable to cut the stubble higher, to secure the
best part of the crop, as in the back settlements
of America, and to gather up the straw afterwards.
However, again we say we are not machinists or
engineers. We leave the practical part to those
who know all the practical points. We only, say
put the end to be attained fairly before our
agriculturists, and their implement makers, and
they will some time or other succeed in attaining
it. The reaping machine will compel invention
to complete its task. The agriculturist will not
long be content after he has succeeded in cutting
down his crop all at once, and just at the right
time, if he do not find a way to carry it all at
once also out of the reach of English rains.
Perhaps this attempt will be Mr. MEaufs next.
If he succeed in it lie will earn to himself an
immortal name. He will be the agricultural
ARKWRIGHT or BESSEMER.

THE DARIEN EXPEDITION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sia,---I have carefully read in your impro3sion
of ye,terclay Dr. Cullen's Report on the Darien
Expedition of 1854, in which he refers to me for the
accuracy of the statements therein concerning the
treatment ho received in Caledonia Bay.

Having been on board H.M.S. E3piegle during
the whole time the expedition remained in Darien
I was fully cognisant of all the circum3tance3 he
relates and can vouch for their stri ct accuracy.

His account of the English and French explora-
tion coincides exactly with that given to me by the
officers who accompanied it.

In every instance in which I had an opportunity
of testing Dr. Cullen's original statements, which
led to the organisation of the expedition, I found
them to be strictly true ; and in that point in which
I was more particularly interested, viz , the healthi-
ness of the climate, I fully coincide with him—not
a single case of sickness having occurred either
amongst the men who formed the exploring parties,
although they were constantly wading in rivers
during the day and lying in damp ground at night,
or amongst the crews of the ships in harbour. I
shall publish my report on the climate at an early
date.

As to the levels and feasibility of the canal, I
have, from the deck of the Espiegle, and different
positions in the harbour, distinctly seen a valley
across the Cordillera, and having often accompanied
Mr. Parsons, Master in command of H.M.S.
Scorpion, whilst making his admirable survey of
Caledonia Harbour and Port Escoces, I have heard
him express his opinion that it was highly prob-
able there was a lino of country of low elevation,
between Caledonia Bay and the Gulf of San Mi-
guel, which would offer every facility for a ship
canal.

I am confident that had Dr. Cullen been in com-
mand of the expedition, or had any authority in
its guidance, it would have resulted successfully.
—I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient
servant,
WILLIAM WDERMOTT,
Surgeon, R.N., M.D.
1, Berwick-terrace, Balgrave-road, Aug. 30.

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER,
—We are happy to learn that her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Gloucester is somewhat better—a more fa-
vourable medical report being given yesterday. We
are happy to say that the illness of her Royal Highness
is not of a serious character. The inquiries both at
Gloucester House and Richmond are very numerous.
The Earl of Eglinton has, during the week, enter-
taihed a select party at Eglinton Castle, Ayrshire.
Lord and Lady Colville have, we regret to learn, sus-
tained a domestic bereavement by the death of their in-
fant daughter. Her ladyship, although feeling acutely
the loss of her infant, is progressing satisfactorily.
Lord and Lady Ossulston have been seeing company
at Chillingham Castle, near Wooler. The Earl of
Malmesbury has been among the visitors.
MEDITERRANEAN PACKETS FOB EGYPT.—In Conse-
quence of an alteration in the arrangements for despatch-
ing from Marseilles the French mail packets on the
Egyptian line, the mails for Alexandria, intended to be
thrwarded by those packets, will in future be made up in
London on the morning and evening of every alternate
Tuesday, calculating from Tuesday the nth inst.—By
command of the Postmaster General, ROWLAND HILL,
secretary