The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-31 00:00:00

* A petition, which embodies a plan for the total abolition
of the law of settlement, was presented last session to Parlia-
ment, and ordered by the House of Commons to be printed.
—See Public Petitions, Twenty-first Report, March, 1850 ;
Appendix 445, No. 4,116.

M. SOYER AND HIS MAGIC STOVE AT
SHEFFIELD.
A large portion of the elite of Sheffield have visited
M. Soyer, the ruler of the kingdom gastronomic, at the
Cutler's Hall, and had the gratification of beholding the
redoubtable chef-de-cuisine himself exhibit the capa-
bilities of his magic stove. On a large table were
dishes of chops, kidneys, &c., most temptingly displayed,
and so artistically arranged that to use the words of an
humble disciple of the kitchen, "it looked a pity to dis-
turb them." On a small tray, in the centre of the
table, a Lilliputian apparatus of brass and copper, in
two divisions, weighing altogether no more than 31b.
2oz. was placed before the operator. The stove has a
furnace opening with a flue near the bottom, adjoining
to which is fixed a vessel with two receptacles for
spirits of wine. Connected with the bottom reservoir
are two burners with their wicks. The flame
from one of these wicks acting on the upper
reservoir, a stream of vapour rushes down
a tube connecting it with the wick at the mouth of
the stove flue, and a large body of flame rushes into the
stove and all is ready. The kitchen fire, as M. Soyer
said, is ready in half a minute. Over the stove may be
placed a frying-pan, stew-pan, sautd-pan, or other culi-
nary vessel, and " presto," the cutlets, kidneys, or eggs
are done it nzerveille, in almost no time. In this way
Dutton cutlets were cooked before the spectators, and
refreshed with a little of M. Soyer's own "relish," which by
the way would have astonished the Roman epicure with
a new delight, were handed to the admiring visitors for
their approval. Many could scarcely have conceived
that the flesh of the ordinary wether sheep could con-
tribute material out of which any magic stove could
conjure cutlets so far transcending any previous experi-
ence of mutton. " Tho cutlets are delightful," said a
lady visitor, " and then M. Soyer is such a thorough
gentleman!" Poached eggs, or as they are named by
If. Soyer himself, " les a'ufs au mirrior," possessed the
same potent spell, and it was really wonderful with what
ease and rapidity he achieved the most exquisitely fla-
voured dishes by his cheap and portable apparatus. Magic
indeed 1 it appeared to us far more magical than any-
:hing we have recently seen at the hands of professors
of legerdemain. Connected with the magic stove is a
magic kitchen, adapted as well for the overland route as
a modest pic-nic. Bachelors may defy the annoyances
of " genteel lodgings," and travellers may now laugh at
the blundering cook of " mine host " without fearing
the consequence of a spoiled dinner. There has been
a strong demand for these stoves wherever they have
teen exhibited, and Sheffield, we are glad to learn, was no
Exception. Soyer has made and will make many happy
Den, for assuredly good temper waits on good dinners
and good digestion. Net doubt many of our townsmen
will visit Soyer's salon restaurant at Gore House, Lon-
dm, which it is said will be one of the most agreeable
aid " refreshing" reminiscences connected with the great
Exposition.—Sheffield Iris.

TILE WINDOW DUTIES.—The amount of window
day assessed in the year ending sth April, 1850, was
1,92,889/., and the amount received was 1,832,6841, the
number of houses charged being 489,034.

TEN CHILDREN AT A BlRTH.—Under the foregoing
somewhat startling title, we perceive, in a recent number of
the Notes and Queries, a communication, the writer of which
rays—" I have just seen widow Platts, a poor but decent
woman, who keeps a small greengrocer's shop in Westbar,
Sheffield. She says she was born in Spring-street, in that
town, on the 29th of September, 1781, and well remembers
her surprise, when told by her mother that she was one of
ten children born at the same time." The periodical above
named contains a number of particulars, the object of which
is to verify what the writer may well term " one of the
most remarkable instances of abnormal fecundity in an in-
dividual of the human species recorded in modern times."—
She field Times.
aHE MOON AT MID-DAY.—The John 0' Groat
Journal mentions that on Tuesday week the moon was dis-
tinctly visible at Wick at noon, although the sun was shining
brilliantly. Old sailors regard such a phenomenon as indi-
cative of a storm, likely to Le all the more severe if the stars
too are visible • and curiously enough a storm did set in on
the afternoon Of that day. In a separate paragraph the
Journal says—" On Tuesday afternoon last, it came on to
blow from the south, and has continued in that direction since
then, with cold showers and biting blasts. A number of
Buckie crews ran here for shelter, and got in with enough to
do, late in the evening." A Norwegian schooner, since ar-
rived at Wick, was caught in a gale in the north sea on the
day previous (Monday), and was obliged to throw a heavy
deck load of timber overboard.
FALL OF THE NIAGARA. FALLS. --
has been
another fall from the rock over which the stream at Niagara
runs. A correspondent of the New York Tribune thinks it
possible that people now alive may
.see these celebrated Falls
converted into a rapid, or a succession of rapids. The ledge
of rock extends about a quarter of a mile back from the
cataract beyond that, the Niagara is said to be a hundred
feet deep, or even deeper; when, therefore, the groat fall
d9ep time, cu)a, be A PPid.