The Sun.
London, England, 1834-09-19 00:00:00

TICKET AND TACKLE POSTERS.

This subject, in which the public haw of late become so
much interested in' consequence of the numberless imposi-
tions and extortions committed by porters possessing exclu-
sive privileges in the city of London, was next brought for-
ward.

The report of the committee made several statements and
recommendations, the most prominent of Which were the

following : •
After duly examining the statements and allegations of
all the witnesses, the committee were of opinion that the
employment of ticket porters at the steam packet wharfs
afforded the best security to passengers landing and embark-
ing at such wharfs ; but that such charges only should be
adopted as were reasonable and just, and that the rulers
should Ib.;± required to depute a power'to the whatfingers to

On Monday we witnessed a completely successful and a
very important experiment, made by Mr. Wells, the
patentee, in the conversion of salt sea-water into a per-
fectly fresh and pure liquid, fit for every purpose of do-
mestic use and economy. A barge was moored in the
Thames near Westminster-bridge, and a number of naval
officers and scientific gentlemen were invited to inspect the
process. The sea-water was brought from off Ramsgate,
and fully impregnated with the saline principle ; some of it
was in a very impure and dirty condition. The apparatus
invented by Mr. Wells consisted of a cast-iron cooking-
machine ; a cube on a comparatively small scale, especially
when we looked to the extraordinary utility of its operation.
It seemed about four feet in height and the same in width ;
and contained ovens, roasting-fire, pots, pans, kettles, &c.
&c., sufficient to dress a dinner for seventy or eighty men.
The consumption of fuel is very small—about two bushels,
we are told, in twenty-four hours ; and yet, by the internal.
application of the heated air, by means of spiral and cir-
cular tubes surrounding the various parts of the machine,
roasting, boiling, and baking were carried on with the ut-
most regularity and precision. llere, alone, would be a
valuable addition to the convcniencies and comforts of life,
. nhether ashore or afloat ; and, even without the far greater
improvement yet remaining to be described, would entitle
Mr. Wells's invention to high encomium and general adop-
tion. Whilst the cooking is proceeding, the sea-water is
gradually supplied from a cask, or tank, as may be most
ready, and, passing into the interior of the machine, is
there submitted to distillation. In its distilled state it then
flows into a pipe of cast iron, or of copper tinned, which
pipe is led over the bow of the vessel and along the cut.-
water into the sea ; and thence along the bottom of the
ship till it returns into the hold, with a common stop-cock
to draw off the water. The grand improvement in this, is
the making the element in which the vessel floats the con-
denser of the altered liquid ; which runs off at the rate of
about a quart a minute, perfectly tit for drinking.
for
wirsh-
ing, and for every other purpose for which fresh water is
employed. We tasted it both before and after undergoing
the process, and we used soap in washing our hands with
it ; and we can truly declare, that in the first instance it
was sweet and palatable, and in the second soft and pleasing.
The patentee, however, proceeds to filter it through char-
coal, in order to restore the carbon which is lost in the die-
tilling ; and you have the pure and sparkling element, equal
in every respect to spring water. We have thus minutely
stated what we saw and tested ; and we do so with very
great satisfaction, since it is hardly pOssible to imagine any
economic discovery of such vast importance to the navy
and to the nation. All the watering of ships rendered
unnecessary, and the ocean itself converted into one abun-
dant and everlasting fountain of supply, forms, indeed, an
epoch in the history of navigation. We need hear no
more of the sufferings of brave and hardy sailors, from the
want of this essential article of human subsistence. The
room required in merchantmen for the stowage of water
for the voyage, may now be filled with goods of any kind.
In fine, it would be difficult to overrate the value of this
admirable invention, which, there can be no doubt, will be
speedily and universally adopted, and will, we also trust,
amply reward the inventor of a benefit to his country and
fellow-creatures, the worth of which can hardly be excelled
in the annals of useful humanity. The sea-water around a
ship is incessantly converted into excellent fresh water fit
for every purpose ; and the ocean itself is made the chief
agent in this metamorphosis. It is a great and wonderful
achievement.—Literary Gazette.

HUNGERFORD-MARKET.— Tlie finishing of the
houses in Hungerford-street, leading to the market, which had
been suspended for some time past, was resumed this week,
several of the operative builders having returned to their
work. The new row of houses will be ready for the tenants
in the course of this year, and will complete the improvements
in the West Strand, and will be a handsome entrance to the
market.

A FEROCIOUS WOLF.—Jeanne-Marie Coubere,
of Porlet, near Aspect, in the Haute Garonne, was sent out
by her father about six in the evening of the 3d inst., to bring
home a horse that had been turned out to feed on the hill
called the Charouante. As she had not returned at half-past
seven, the family became alarmed, and the father, with his
son, about sixteen years old, and another young man, his
son-in-law, went out in search of her, and remained traversing
the hill in every direction without finding any trace of the lost
girl. About ten o'clock, a she wolf suddenly sprung upon
the party, and tore severely both the young men. They,
however, after a severe conflict, succeeded in killing the fero-
cious animal, and dragging its carcase to the entrance of the
village, despairing of ever seeing the poor girl alive. At
daybreak they called their neighbours together, and re-
newed their search, and at last found the mutilated body of
the girl on the summit of the hill. A part of the bead had
been devoured, and the body had been dreadfully mutilated.—
French Paper.
COST OF A CONTINENTAL SOLDIER.—V. Von
Polene, War Minister of Saxony, made a report to the First
Chamber at Dresden of the estimate of the expenditure for the
War Department for the year 1835, amounting to 1,163,078,
which will be a saving of 118,516 riadollars effected by the Go-
vernment, which is a considerably larger reduction than was
expected. The military journal lately gave a view of the mi-
litary budgets of several European States, showing the ex-
penses of each man, officers, &c. included. It shows that each
soldier costs in France 350 florins ; Prussia 324 ditto ; Hano-
ver 168 ditto ; Hesse Darmstadt 147 ditto ; Wurtemberg 134
ditto ; Saxony 202 ditto ; but according to the new estimate
it will be only 160.

Whenever two Americans are conversing together,
whether in the counting-house o 5„ in the street, whether sober
or intoxicated, whether sitting or walking, whether at meeting
or parting, whether at the tavern or at church, at the theatre or
at market, at the coffee-house or home, in short, on every oc-
casion, by water and by land, by day and by night, in every
town, village, and hamlet throughout the Union, you may be
sure, before a minute has elapsed, to hear the watchward
<< dollar"—the only object of their thoughts, the only god of
their adwation. The American, when sitting, may be distin-
guished at the slightest glance from the native of any other
country in the world. If you see a pair of legs stuck ap
against
the window, they belong to some American dandy, who sits
rocking himself upon his chair, smoking a cigar, or chewing
tobacco, and is employed, to a certainty, trimming his nails
with a penknife. If you pass coffee-houses, hotels, pastry_
cooks, taverns, and such like places, the street is full of chairs,
on which 101 l human bodies, while the legs belonging to them
arc shored. against the wall, or against the pillars th..t support
the awning, spread over the whole breadth of the pavement in
front of houses of that kind. From the windows beneath the
awning dangle as many boots and shoes as can find room at-
them. Such feet as cannot here find a point of .support,
p th tobaccouice is
usurp the back of a chair that is already occupied, and com-
pletel bar the way. At such
squirtey ti d about like fire of rockets laces,
.—Papere in the Ath-j
encrunt.