The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-08 00:00:00

-
40i likrU

THE GREAT EXHIBITION•
(THIS DAY.)
A brilliant sunshiny day, resembling more the open-
ing of September than the approaching fall of October,
has afforded the holiday folk another opportunity of
seeing the lions of the metropolis to the greatest possible
advantage. St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, the British
Maseum, the National Gallery, and the numerous other
sights with which London abounds, have been crowded
with visitors, while the gay appearance of tho streets would
almost induce a stranger to believe that the day had
been set apart for the celebration of a festival, or made
the occasion for some univergal rejoicing. People
as they roll lwestward like a waving current seem
to ba bent on nothing but pleasure, as no doubt the ma-
jority of them are, and no matter what locality you
dred upon in the neighbourhood of the parks, you were
certain to encounter multidudes of merrymakers heavily
ladein with refreshment baskets. The numbers ad-
mitted into the Exhibition fall very little short of yes-
terday's return. They are as follow:
At 10 o'clock 20,627
At 11 o'clock 48,141
At 12 o'clock 71,279
At 1 o'clock 87,431
At 2 o'clock 97,756
At 3 o'clock ~. 105,709
At 4 o'clock 108,776
Probably the attractions of Hampton Court, Sion
House, and such like suburban places, have assisted in
drawing off many of our foreign and country visitors.

STATE OF TRADE.
(From the Manchester Guardian of this day.)
MANCHESTER, TUESDAY.— By the Niagara we have
adviees of a further decline of c. in the price of
cotton at New York, with accounts of a dull state of
things in the southern markets, owing to increased
receipts at the ports, and rather unfavourable reports
from this side the Atlantic. In this market the subsi-
dence of prices from those nominal quotations for
yarns which were the result of the late active de-
mand, hae proceeded somewhat further to-day, or,
at least, has become somewhat more decided than
it was last week. This, however, does not apply
to 24's and 28's warps, and not in any marked
degree to water twist in the bundle, or to 40's
mule. But the decline from the late highest rates
for the general run of current numbers, is not more
than :id. to yd. per lb. ; the larger fraction being
found chiefly in the lower counts of warps. These
modified terms have induced some of the buyers,
whose previous contracts had come to an end, or
we:re on the point of doing so, to give out fresh orders,
though in a most cautious manner, and only to a
limited extent. The transactions of the
day have
been chiefly for home consumption. The German
bu:vers find nothing to stimulate them in the letters
from Leipsic, where the business of the fair
is proceeding but languidly. The Indian
houses are taking scarcely any yarns. In
goods, the sales have been altogether inconsiderable,
and the bias of prices, for the most part, against pro-
ducers, though only slightly so. Amongst the
steadiest articles are 36-inch 72 reeds. The India
and China buyers continue quite out of the market,
and the consequence is a further depreciation in the
value of shirtings, madapollams, and other fabrics
particularly adapted for the eastern trade. That this
should be the case is not at all surprising, when,
along with a consideration of the fall of prices on the
other side, the enormous shipments, as shown in the
subjoined table, are taken into account. It was ex-
pected that the exports in September would exhibit a
falling off; such, however, is not the case.
RocianaLE, MONDAY.—We have had about an
average market to-day, both as regards prices and
the amount of business transacted. There is little
change in the wool market, except that the dealers do
not press sales so eagerly_ at former prices.
MACCLESFIELD, TIIESDAY.—Our market for manu-
factured goods continues fairly active, and prices are
generally well maintained. This satisfactory state of
things is, no doubt, mainly attributable to the fact,
that stocks of goods in the hands of makers have
been unusually small this autumn, and for the present
continue so, the demand being pretty nearly equal to
the production. The thrown silk market is extremely
quiet, and the inducements held out by holders to
consumers, having been almost without result in the
shape of business, have had the effect of further cur-
tailing the hours of labour in the mills. The raw
silk market is equally quiet; prices, however, are
without material alteration, and seem likely to remain
so, stocks in the hands of consumers being known to
be small.

HALIFAX, SATURDAY. —There were not many
buyers in our piece hall to-day, and the principal
sales were in fancy goods, of low quality. A few
set's were also inquired for. The yarn market is
fully as much depressed ; and, as the prices are wholly
unrenaunerative, the spinners are greatly curtailing
production. There is no change to be noted in wool,
which Boss off slowly, without any alteration in the
quotations.

- HUDDERSFIELD, TUESDAY.—Our market to-day
has passed otf much the same as last, without any de-
died improvement. The home and export trade
are both quiet for the season, though more has been
done in the warehouses during the week. We have
every reason to expect, from appearances at present, a
good trade being done during the winter season. In
the wool market more has been done to-day than for
some time past, at nearly the acme prices as last.

LEEDS, TUESDAY.—On Saturday last we had an
active market in the cloth halls, and a fair quantity
of ends were diiposed of ; but to-day the market has
been dull and languid. Prices very firm, and stocks
not large for the season.

THE PROGRESS OF RAILWAY
COMMUNICATION IN EUROPE.
The Paris Constitutionnel publishes the following
account of the tour of M. Atigne, the Minister of
Public Works of the French Republic, undertaken for
the purpose of examining the state cf railway com-
munications throughout Europe :--
"The Minister of Public Works has just resumed
his functions, after his tour through various parts of
Europe, to examine the state of railway communica-
tions. M. Magne made an interesting excursion.
Accompanied by M. Chatelus, chi4f of the railway
division in the department of Public Works, he visited
Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Italy, stopping
at Berlin, Vienna, Trieste, Rome, Genoa, and Turin.
The foreign Governments gave him everywhere a
most cordial reception, afforded him every fa-
cility for his investigations, and the Ministers of
Public Works of Prussia, the Roman States, and
Piedmont were polite enough to accompany him
themselves in some of his investigations. What
the Hon. Minister hes, above all, been able to con-
vince himself of, aad what he will no doubt detail to
the Assembly, is the persevering- efforts of eur neigh-
bours to place the ports of Ostend, Antwerp, Ham •
burgh, and Stettin in communication with the
southern states of G-t2rm.my, in order to unite all Italy
with the Austrian provinces, and to draw to Trieste
aid Genoa the transit between England end India.
Whilst we are discussing and delaying, others turn
time to account, and obtain an advance on us.
Foreign railways pare at our very doors, and we still
deliberate. What, for instance, did the Hon.
Minister see in Germans? Railways crossing each
other in every direction, from the North Sea and the
Baltic to the Adriatic ; from Hamburgh and Cologne
to Trieste ; from lioningsb• rg to the Lake of Con-
stance, Switzerland and Italy. He can say that he
saw seven and thirty sovereignties, independent of
each other, acting in accord for the construction of
a complete railway system; whilst we, with that cen-
tralisation of which we are so proud, have not yet
been able to agree on the execution of the most im-
portant line in our territory. It is matter of no-
toriety that, for a great part of Germany and for the
circles of Prussia and of Bavaillba, the shortest dis-
tance from the sea coast is the right line drawm from
Havre, through Rouen, Paris, Metz, and Strasburg.
It i 8 the natural commercial course for central
Europe. The Antwerp to Cologne line now dispute
that transit with us. The recent opening of the line
which unites Hamburgh and Stettin ev. ith the
centre of Bavaria, and soon with the lake ofCon-
stance, has produced a competition which not less
menaces our relations. Fortunately, the Strasburg
line is one of the most advanced of our number, and
the works are being urged on most energetically.
Three sections of that line were opened during the
past year ; the line will be open to Commercy in
November ; the branch line of Metz will soon reach
Forbach, and touch the Prussian frontier, and the port
of Havre will be united to our frontiers of Alsace and
Loraine in the first month of 1852, so that in that di-
rection we shall arrive in time
to
preserve a transit
which belongs to us in virtue ofgeographical posi-
tion. But it is the communications between
England and
the Mediterranean and India which
spoke are most energeti-
cally disputed to us. We have often t.he efforts
made by the Austrian Government t o un? °1
the
Trieste port of
g at
intni c
Al r
TriTriesteto the German railways, and the
which it has undertaken to cross the Jgua
the passage of the Summering. AI. Magee and at
Chatelus visited all these works, sometimes on foot,
sometimes in a carriage, and were present at several
of the trials betweE n the locomotives of which an ac-
count has been published. If we are well informed,
the Hon. Minister was above all things struck with
the immensity of the works at the passage of the
Sommering. Thirteen tunnels and twenty-five via-
ducts, amongst which is that of Kaltenrinne of two
stories, so metres in height, and 222 metres in
length, can give an idea of those great works. The
tunnels are terminated, and the works of art are ad-
vancing rapidly. Not less than 13,000 workmen
and 2,000 horses are employed in the work-yards, and
the engineers are in hopes of terminating the works
at the beginning of 1853. The Austrian Government
is now having the definitive survey made for the part

of the line between Laybach and Trieste, and is neg-
lecting nothing to promptly fill up this unfinished
portion. We hope that when M. Magne explains
all this in the tribune, the Assembly will see the
necessity of at last coming to some decision rela-
tive to the Lyons and Avignon lines. How can we
consent to any new delays when Austria is making
such immense efforts to terminate the rival line of
Trieste ? Already the Assembly has departed from
the system of adjournment by deciding that Bills for
the resumption of the works should be placed on the
order of the day. The becoming discussion must end
in some useful result, if France is not to lose the
transit from the East and India. The Minister also
found Italy much occupied with the construction of
railways. Austria is busied about the execution of
the line from Venice to Milan. A bridge of 222
arches, three kilometres (nearly two English miles)
in length, cast over the lagoons, joins Venice to the
main land, and the line is already opened to Verona
and Mantua. The Governments of Modena, Parma,
Tuscany, and the Roman States have recently
treated with Austria for a network of railways
to be connected with the line from Milan to Venice.
In fine, the means of execution of the long-projected
line from Rome to Ancona are under consideration.
But no Government is more occupied about railways
than that of Sardinia. The line from Turin to Genoa
is terminated between Turin, Alexandria, Novi, and
Arqueta, to the foot of the Apennines. Works not
less gigantic than those of the Sommering are at this
moment in the ccurse of execution for the passage
over the Apennines between Arqueta and Genoa. It
is supposed that they will be terminated in 1853,
and the port of Genoa, like Trieste will then be able
to dispute with us the passage to India. M. Magne
was received at a private audience by the King of
Sardinia. Everything leads to the belief that
during this interview, which lasted not less than an
hour, the King spoke to M. Magne of the projects of
his Government for the eseention of the railway to
unite Turin to Lyons, across Savoy and Mount Cenis.
It is said that an English company has already,
treated with the Sardinian Government for the con-
cession of the line between Turin and Suza, and that
the negotiations opened for the concession of the
line from Modena to Chambery and the French
frontier are far advanced. Neither of the. two sec-
tions
ahiel
wiai ny eus
prneistei nu gt s theyPiedmontese
uhlnt
iee
st o;
bthe
F enc of
between Modena and Suza Mount Cenis must be got
through by means of a tunnel 12 kilometres (71
English miles) in length. M. Matisse, the engineer
in chief of the Turin to Genoa line, has invented an
excavating machine, by means of which he will be
able, he thinks, to execute this gigantic tunnel in
five years. The Hon. Minister having returned to
France by Mount Cenis and Savoy, went over the
direction surveyed by the Piedmontese engineers, and
was able to judge for himself of the possibility of this
magnificent undertaking, destined to cross the highest
chain of mountains in Europe ; and we hope that,
when the Assembly shall have decided definitively re-
lating to the Lyons and Avignon lines, it will seri-
ously take into consideration a line to unite France to
Italy. It will then be possible to say that there are
no longer any Alps, and that with better reason than
the great King said formerly, that there were not any
Pyrenees."

POLYTECHNIC IN STIT UTION.
If the Great Exhibition has bewildered a few of

its visitors, charmed others, and disappointed some,
there will yet remain a vast treasury of facts in the
recollection of the beautiful specimens of nature's
work, or the handicraft of man, from which those
(whose pleasant and ennobling duty it is to instruct)
will draw never ending themes of learned discourses ;
but, foremost and perseverin,, in this respect, must
be named the lectures at the Royal Polytechnic In-
stitution, where Mr. J. H. Pepper, the professor of
chemistry, is at the present time delivering a very
interesting lecture on iron and steel.

The subject is of course treated in a popular man-
ner, and commencing with a succinct account of the
various ores found in different parts of England,
from which the metal is obtained, the learned lecturer
specially mentioned one he had lately received from
Cleveland, Yorkshire, to analyse, which contained
about 39 per cent. of iron, and was likely, from its
excellent position for water and land carriage, to be-
come one of the largest iron producing districts in the
kingdom. A number of brilliant experiments fol-
lowed, demonstrating the various stages of oxida-
tion, and the smelting of the ores was
carefully exp!ained. The different impurities which
the iron contains, and their prejudicial effects on the
quality, particularly in connexion with manufactures
in steel, were then detailed, and after a general
summary of the preparation of blistered, shear, and
cast steel, the lecturer concludei by bringing forward
some admirable perfectly tempered specimens of steel,
in the shape of sword-blades, manufactured by Mr.
Wilkinson, Pall-mall. An iron plate was pierced

through with cue of them, without affecting in the
slightest degree the sharpness or edge, whilst the
other vigorous tests to which it had been subjected
were also explained, and by employing the beautiful
principle first discovered by Mr. Wilkinson, that in
every sword there is a place called the centre of per-
cussion, where the whole muscular force of the arm is
concentrated, the lecturer, though ignorant of the
sword exercise, performed the curious feat of cutting
in half a thick wooden rod, supported on two vessels
filled with water, without spilling a single drop. With
such a happy admixture of science and practice, it is
needless to add, the audience departed well pleased
with the learned lecturer's clever discourse.