The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-05 00:00:00

pared with that of wool is se very disproportionate, it leaves no
alternative but the eourse resorted to. The prices at which
the contracts have generally been made for April, though not
lower than at the latter end of March, are of a most discourag-
ing character. Pieces—The feeling that things can get no
worse has been for some time prevalent, and it is more than pro-
bable that it is well grounded, as rather more is done, but at
very unremunerative prices.
TICA.DE OF MANCHESTER, APRIL 3. —There was not
much change in the market today. The rates of Tuesday
have been pretty generally maintained, but in some cases
prices have been a shade easier, consequent on a slight giving
way, and less business in the Liverpool cotton market since the
advices by the Pacific came to band. The India news would
encourage business, but for the adverse state of the exchanges.
There have been some considerable purchases for that market
in fine yarns and in cloth (including 40. inch shirtings, and
printing cloths in shirting length.) On the whole, however,
the market is discouraging. A better business is expected to
spring up for home consumption, but the mixed fabrics of
Bradford and other parts of Yorkshire are a good deal inter-
fering with our fancy spring trade.

CHAMBER of COMMERCE,EDINBURGII.
(From the Scottish Press of April 2.)
A meeting of the Chamber was held yesterday in
their hall, Hunter-square, Mr. Ritchie, chairman of the
association, in the chair.
THE TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
Mr. MACLAREN directed the attention of the Chamber
to the present position of the old Electric Telegraph
Company. Their patent expired about the present
time, and they had applied for its renewal to the Judi-
cial Committee of the Privy Council, grounding their
application on the statement that their business had been
a very unproductive concern, and had paid them very ill.
It appeared, however, from the evidence laid before the
Judicial Committee, that the shares upon which 351.
was paid were made to amount to 501., so that the divi-
dends were nominally moderate. The chairman of the
company also acknowledged that 90,000/. had been put
aside before striking the balance, and had been placed
to the credit of the company after the balance was
struck. In short, the chairman of the old Telegraph
Company was made to confess that the company
bad realized a profit of twenty per cent.
The Judicial Committee, therefore, very pro-
perly retuned the application, on the ground
that the company bad enjoyed so very profitable
a monopoly for such a length of time. The old Tele-
graph Company then attempted to carry their point in
another way, and applied to the London and North-
Western Railway, of which some of their partners were
directors, for the exclusive use of the lines of that com-
pany for telegraphic purposes. They had succeeded in
getting their application referred to a committee, some
of the members of which were members of the Electric
Telegraph Company. Mr. Maclaren concluded by
moving that the Chamber memorialize the London and
North-Western Railway Company end such other com-
panies as may be deemed advisable, requesting them not
to accede to any application from any electric telegraph
company for the exclusive use of their lines.
Mr. JAMES YOUNG seconded Mr. Maclaren's motion.
He said it was important they should keep in mind that
what the old Telegraph Company wanted was a monopoly
of the use of certain lines of railway. If their monopoly
was continued for another twenty years it would be a
very serious injury to the country, considering the pro-
grees that might be made by science during that period.
The old Telegraph Company pretended that they had
been inadequately remunerated; but one of the means
they had taken to prove this was the omission in striking
their balance of the small item of 90,000/.—(Hear, hear.)
There was no reason why they should not have com-
petition in the matter of telegraphic communication as
in everything else. It was quite evident that there
would be both sufficient work and sufficient remunera-
tion for two companies.
After a few words from Mr. A. Black, Mr. Philip (of
Leith), and the Chairman,
Mr. ARCHIBALD THOMSON said he was afraid with
Mr. Black, that if the matter was left entirely in the
hands of the railway companies the use of their lines
would bo sold to the highest bidder and a monopoly
established. He would suggest that a memorial should
be addressed to Government requesting their inter-
ference.
Mr. MACLAREN said he was not sure that the railway
companies would find the establishment of a monopoly
the most profitable mode to themselves. If the number
of the telegraph companies were increased he believed
the profits of the railways would be greater.
After some further conversation, Mr. Maclaren's
motion was agreed to; and it was also resolved to me-
morialize Government on the subject.

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.
Cubits, Esq., President in the Chair.)
The first paper read on Tuesday was "A Description
of a Raft, or Float, used for Submarine Blasting, on
the works of the Hartlepool West Harbour and Docks,"
by Mr. T. Caseboarne, M. Inst. C.E.
This machine was contrived in consequence of the clay,
or marl, forming the bed of the channel, into the harbour,
being so hard, at a certain depth, that the ordinary
dredging machine was found to have little, or no effect,
owing ti its want of stability. The new machine con-
sisted of a platform, or raft, supported by four legs, on
each of which was fastened a rack working into a pinion
on the deck, so that the platform could be raised, or
lowered at pleasure. The working level on the ebb tide
was about 8 feet above the level of the ground, in
which position it remained for about five hours, or five
hours and a half, until the tide fl )wed again; during
this time two sets of boring-irons were in use, working
through wooden boxes, or tubes, which made holes in
the clay 4 inches in diameter, and of the required depth,
for receiving a cartridge containing three to four pounds
ofpo svder, to which ono of Bickford's fusees was attached;
the hole was then carefully tamped, and when the tide
rose to the level of the platform, or raft, the fusees were
lighted, and the raft was floated away to some distance.
The cost of this apparatus, complete, was stated to have
been about 100/.
The next paper read was "A Description of the Lock-
wood Viaduct, on the Huddersfield and Sheffield Rail-
way," by Mr. John Hawkshaw, M. Inst. C.E.
This viaduct was described as consisting of thirty-two
semi-circular arches, each 30 feet span, one oblique arch
of 40 feet span, and another oblique arch of 70 feet
span, the latter having a versed sine of only 7 teet. The
piers were 4 feet 6 inches thick at the springing, and
had a batter of one-sixth of an inch to the foot. The
total length was 1,428 feet, and the height from the
foundations to the top of the parapet was 136 feet.
With the exception of the stone ribs of the flat oblique
arch, the string course and the coping, which were of
ashlar, the whole structure, piers, arches and parapet,
was built [of " snecked rubble masonry," composed of
stones of all sizes, both as to length, thickness, and
width of bed, laid in a thick bed of stiff mortar; but the
beds and joints were roughly scabbled, so as to remove
any projections, which might cause the stones to rock, or
to act like a wedge on the course beneath, and the beds
were laid as nearly horizontal, and the joints as nearly
vertical, as the nature of the stone would permit. The
largest stones were so placed as to form a perfect bond
for those of smaller dimensions, a sufficient quantity of
" throughs" being also used, and the whole work so
built, that the workmanship of the inside and outside
of the walls was of uniform quality, both as to labour
and material. This description of masonry was only
about one-half the price of ashlar, and though not, of
course, capable of bearing the same incumbent weight
as could be supported by solid ashlar, it was considered
superior, when carefully executed, to a thin facing of
ashlar, with a hearting of rubble, a mode of construc-
tion very frequently adopted,
The total cost of this viaduct, including the excava-
tion for the foundations, the scaffolding, the centering,
and every other expense connected with its erection, was
33,0001., being at the rate of 18s. 7d. per cubic yard of
masonry.
The Hall Bottom Viaduct on the West Riding Union
Railway was another instance of a similar kind of con-
struction, the only difference being, that the piers had a
greater taper, and to reduce the increased quantity of
masonry which this plan involved, flues, or hollow
spaces, were left in the piers, the sides of which followed
the line of the face of the pier, so that a uniform thick-
ness of masonry was preserved throughout.
Two other viaducts, likewise designed by the author,
but built of a different description of masonry, were
also alluded to. The first, the Peniston Viaduct, on the
Huddersfield and Sheflield Railway, was constructed of
what was termed " block in course" work, which was a
kind of rough-faced ashlar, the stones averaging about
12 inches in thickness, and from 15 inches to 18 inches
on the bed, backed with a heartine• of rabble masonry.
The average cost of this kind of masonry, which re-
quired great care in the execution, was about 218. per
cubic yard.
The other viaduct was over the river Medlock, near
Manchester, and differed from either of the others, in-
asmuch as the piers were composed entirely of ashlar,
laid header and stretcher alternately, without any rubble
filling, or hearting. The spaces between the external
walls were left vacant; but, as each header extended
completely across the breadth of the pier, and the courses
of masonry were alternated, the spaces were not con-
tinuous, as in the Hall Bottom Viaduct. The cubic
contents of masonry in this work was proportionately
much less than in either of the others, but the cost was
far greater, being at the rate of two pounds five shillings
and sixpence per cubic yard.
At the monthly ballot the following candidates were
balloted for, and duly elected :—Mr. Eaton Hodgkinson,
as honorary member; Messrs. R. Brodie and H. Hubbe,
as members; and Messrs. T. B. Etty, J. Hill, J. Sher-
riffs, G. W. Stevenson, C. Waring, and Lieutenant W.
D. A. R. Short, 8.E., as associates.
The following papers were announced to be read at
the meeting of Tuesday, April Bth:—" Description of
Two Bridges over the river Don, and Canal, &c., at
Spotborough," by Mr. H. Carr Assoc. Inst. C.E.; " On
a Method of Computing the Quantityi of Flood Water
passing over a Weir," by Mr. J. Leslie, M. Inst. C.E. ;
and " On the Nominal Horse-Power of Steam-Engines,"
by Commander Heath. R.N.

(FromiliA MARKET
London N INTELLIGENCE.
ew
T
Price Current, April 4.)
Cocoa.—Although Foreign is offered at a further reduc-
tion there are few buyers. At auction 1,383 bags Guayaquil
refilled from bulk in ship's hold were taken in at 25s to 27s
for dark grey. There is a more plentiful supply of Trinidad.
At auction of 512 bags a small part only was disposed of;
good red at 51s to 545, grey 48s and damaged 365 6d to 468
per cwt. The value of Grenada is 42s to 46s for sound quality.
TEA.—To-day there was a good deal doing in the lower
sorts of black and green Tea at full rates.
COCHINEAL.—This afternoon a public sale of 60 bags Hon-
duras Cochineal went off flatly at as 3d to 3s 7d for low to
good Silvers; these are easier rates.
TALLOW.—This afternoon the public sales of Tallow pro-
ceeded quietly; 270 pkgs South American at 35s 6d to 38s
9d ; 400 cks Sydney, Sheep 36s 6d to 38s 6d ; Ox 36s to 37s
3d; 195 cks old P. Y. Candle taken in at 36s 6d to 383 6d;
38 cks Belgian sold 36s to 38s per cwt.
Ou.s.—This afternoon at public sale 180 pkgs Gingelly
Seed Oil were taken in at 311 103; 28 pkgs Castor Oil sold
at 251 15s; 45 tuns Cochin Cocoa Nut taken in at 311 to 311
3s; 53 tuns Sperm Oil in part sold at 871 fox fitle ; and Head.
matter 921; 1Q tuna Cods sold at 371 158.