The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-08 00:00:00

WHERE SHALL WE BURY OUR DEAD

(From the Leader.)
A long and interesting Report, dated "Whitehall,
April 2, 1851," and signed "Ashley, Edwin Chad.
wick, and T. Southwood Smitb," has been presented
to Parliament and published, on Extramural Inter-
ments in the country towns. According to the report,
the country generally is in favour of an Act of Par-
liament for prohibiting the burial of the dead within
the limits' of towns; and certainly the evidence fur-
nished by the corps of inspectors acting under the orders
of the Board of Health, of the ever-crowded and dis-
gusting state of our graveyards, sufficiently warrants the
conclusions of publie opinion. The inspectors have ex-
amined the burial places of 200 towns, and found them
mainly in as bad a condition as those of London.
A few instances will give an idea of the general
condition of the inspected districts. At Great Yar-
mouth 9,235 bodies have been buried in the parish
churchyard in twenty years. At Burslem and other
towns, bodies are brought into the town from the
country; and at Norwich the churchyards, which
Evelyn declared to, be 200 years ago, a " congestion
of dead bodies, one on another for want of
earth, even to the very top of the walls; and some
above the walls," have since received no less than halt
a million in addition; consequently, in the words of the
report; " a very large portion of the soil, for the depth
of many feet, consists of decomposed human bodies."
Dover, Huddersfield, Portsmouth, and other towns are
in the like condition. In Penrith the churchyards con-
tain, some twenty-one, others fourteen and fifteen layers
of bodies. The stench arising from these patches of
corruption in summer is so strong and baneful, that one
instance is reported of the windows of a church opening
on the yard being boarded up.
At Banbury and Beaconsfield, we are told that the
coffins swim about iu the vaults; the sexton of the
former stating that he always got ;he water out as nigh
as he could when the parties were coming out of church.
The remedy of these evils the Board of Health find in
a general prohibitory Act, giving adequate power to the
local boards for establishing cemeteries, and reserving to
the central board the duty of supervision. The machinery
created by the Public Health Act would be available for
this purpose; and it is recommeeded that general district
rates be levied under such Act where it is in operation,
tor meeting preliminary expenses; and where it is not,
those expenses to be charged on the poor-rates. Choice
of sites, plans, burial arrangements, all these are to be
subject to the approval of the Board of Health. An ad-
ministrative function, the raising and control of the
necessary funds, would be entrusted to the local boards.

Not the least important paragraphs of the report
are those which detail the obstacles in the way of im-
provement. These may be indicated as consisting of
enormous expense attending special Acts of Parlia-
ment; difficulties of inducing unity of action among
the interested parties; and ignorance among the
local authorities. It is also stated that the provincial
cemeteries have generally tailed hitherto, and that, in
spite of the over-crowed state of the graveyards, bodies
are continually sent to be buried.
On the whole the report contains ample proof of the
necessity for burial without the limits of towns ; but it
may be questioned whether the centralizing tendency
is not too much introduced into the plan recommended
to Parliament.

'% INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.
On Tuesday, April 29, (Wm. Cubitt, Esq., President,
in the chair), previous to the ordinary meeting, Mr.
Joseph Whitworth (Manchester) exhibited, in the
Library, a new measuring machine, for determining
minute differences of length. The accuracy of the ma-
chine was demonstrated by placing in it a standard yard
measure, made of a bar of steel, about three- quarters of
an inch square, having both the ends rendered perfectly
true. One end of the bar was then placed in contact
with the' face of the machine, and at the other end, be-
tween it and the other face of the machine, was inter-
posed a small flat piece of steel, termed by the experi-
menter " the contact piece," whose sides were also ren-
dered perfectly true and parallel. Each division on the
micrometer represented the one-raillioneth part of an
inch, and each time the micrometer was moved only one
division forward, the experimenter raised the contact
piece, allowing it to descend across the end of the bar
by its own gravity only. This was repeated until the
closer approximation of the surfaces prevented the con-
tact piece from descending, when the measure was com-
pleted, and the number on the micrometer represented
• the dead length of the standard bar to the one millionth
part of an inch.
Eight repetitions of the experiment in a quarter of an
9% hour produced identical results, there not being in any
/94 case a variation of one millionth of an inch.
jab This method of operating was termed "the system of
3% proof by the contact of perfectly true surfaces and gra-
vity;" and in connexion with it was shown another
in-
teresting
experiment.
When the micrometer was up within one division of
the number where contact would be presumed to occur,
75- the application of the finger to the centre of the steel
bar sufficed to expand and lengthen it instantaneously,
so as to prevent the descent of the "contact piece."
The other method of proof was by having a small
Sod simple battery composed of a piece of zinc soldered on
lii to a piece of copper and plunged into rain water, with-
', out the admixture of any acid; this was connected with
the two ends of the measuring machine, and also with a
delicate galvanometer. On pursuing the same process of
advancing the micrometer, one division at a time, no
effect was produced, until the last millionth of an inch
of distance was traversed and absolute contact occurred
with the end of the bar, when the deflexion of the
needle of the galvanometer instantly detected the move-
ment. Repeated experiments showed this to be unerr-
ing in the result, and on placing the finger on the middle
of the bar, under the same circumstances as in the other
course of experiments, the expansion was instantly de-
tected by the deflexion of the galvanometer needle.
The delicacy of these experiments was so great as to
.preclude the possibilty of making them in a crowd, or
in a room with a varying temperature, therefore, al-
though the machine was destined for the National Ex-
hibition, its merits could not be appreciated or exhibited
there; it was announced, however, that probably another
opportunity would be afforded by Mr. Whitworth for the
exhibition of this beautiful instrument, whose results
were calculated to make great modifications in the cal-
culations of the changes of volumes of metals and other
substances under variation of temperature.
The paper read was "On the Demonstration of the
Rotation of the Earth, by means of Two Pendulums,"
by Mr. Homersham Cox, B.A.
The demonstration of the rotation of the earth was
usually made to depend on phenomena presented by the
appearance of the heavens. Two mechanical experi-
ments had, however, long been known, which demon-
strated the fact that the earth revolved—the one, the
retardation of the pendulum by centrifugal force, a
question discussed by Newton, littygens, and others;
the other, which was suggested by Newton, consisted in
dropping from a great height a ball, which, by the diur-
nal motion, was moved somewhat to the eastward.
The experiment had hitherto been performed with one
pendulum, but in the present instance two pendulums
were used, and were suspended at a sufficient distance
apart to allow of the free vibration of each. The
weights were held together by a thread, which on being
burned released them, so that they were set vibrating,
initially, in the same vertical plane; consequently to the
eye of an observer situated in that plane the two pendu-
lum wires appeared co-incident, one of them covering,
or eclipsing the other. In a short time, however, the
course of the two pendulums visibly altered. As their
planes of oscillation appeared to revolve the same way
on the earth's surface, the wires no longer covered each
other, but appeared to separate and alternately to cross
each other.
ppsamrenantifdeisrteeedtofzthaes.l theirr
arcs planes
diverged The edvantages of this mode of operating were, first,
the rapidity
with which the deviation of the pendulums
wa
ne
'
s revolvedfrom iena
o h
the same
aother
twice as fast as either from its initial position; and,
secondly, the a
wires constituteNpatorenita crossing and recrossing of the
and palpable testt e naked eye, a much more dis-
tinctmotion referred to aplaonfe the result than the aprrent
The pendulum experimbeeneath one pendulum.
that it was necessary to postpone the
so long a period
New Mechanical " paper "On some
~Application ca Vulcanised Caout-
cliouc," 1)y, Mr. proeked.94l. *Air tlar'
e next meetme, on
Tuesday evening, 11,(ay 6th, when •: "r„•4341---
paper

" On a mode of Computation for excluding Floodwater
from a Set of Guagiegs at Regular Intervals," and Mr.
Blackwell's " Results of a Series of Experiments on the
Discharge of Water by Overfalls," were announced to
bo read, and the monthly ballot for members to take
place.

FRENCH RAIL WAY TRAFFIC.
The following are the last returns of the gross re-
ceipts of the principal French Railways :
NORTHERN.—From April 23 to April 29: Passengers,
256,5181.; goods, 204,507 f.; total, 461,0251.
ROUEN.—From April 20 to April 26 : Passengers,
80,6341.; goods, 79,5151.; total, 160,1491.
HAVRE.—From April 20 to April 26 : Passengers,
32,0731.; goods, 34,778 f. ; total 66,851 f.
ORLEANS.—From Apirl 21 to April 27 : Passengers,
94,1371. ; goods, 118,5561; total, 212,693 f.
BORDEAUX.—From April 21 to April 27: Passengers,
39,953'.; good., 42,8751.; total, 82,828 E
VIERZON —From April 21 to April 27: Passengers,
47,276 f.; g00d5,_44,094t.; total, 91.3701.

Bour...oariE.—From April 21 to April 27 : Passengers,
23,344 E; goods, 16,178 f.; total, 39 522 r.
NANTES.--From April 19 to April 25 : Passengers,
23,5261.; goods, 14.322 f.; total, 37,848 f.
STRASBURG.—From April 23 to April 29: Passengers,
85,8191.; go,ds, 61,354 E; total, 147.173 E

BALE.—From April 14 to April 20 : Passengers.
21,736'.; goods, 15,8401.; t0ta1,37,576f.
MONTEREAEL—From April 16 to April 23: Passengers.
11,4371.; goods, 14.284'.; t ,tid, 25 7211.
MARSEILLES.—From April 1610 April 22: Passengers,
45 6141.; goods, 21,1961.; total, 66,8101.
DioNs. —From April 13 to Apri► 19 : Passengers,
111.5251 ; goods, 37,9301.; total, 149,4558.
CHARTRES.—From April 14 to April 20: Passengers
28,44414 goods. 12,951 E; total, 41,3951.

FRENCH IGNOR.4NCE OF ENGLISH
MANNERS.

The absurd ignorance of our neighbours the French
upon all matters relating to England is so well known
to our readerQ, that an illustration of it now scarcely
raises a smile; hut we have translated the following ex•
tract from Le Siècle of the 27th April, in the belief that
nothing more ridiculously false or more absurdly at
variance with the manners of Londoners of any rank,
class, profession, or age, has ever been produced. When
we reflect that this is not extracted from a cheap or low
class newspaper, but from a journal which holds the
position in Paris that our Times or Morning Chronicl
holds in our metropolis, we may allow that if it were
but to undeceive our credulous friends, their visit to
London in this present season, and the attraction of the
World's Fair, will not be valueless:—
"In London people can hardly be said to live during
the day; they are so busy that they hardly have time to
think whether they exist. After dinner the merchants,
gentlemen of fortune, and noblemen go to the theatre:
when the performance is over they adjourn to their
clabs, where they smoke and drink, but this is not the
last nocturnal resort. There yet remains the z' Finish,'
either an ignoble pothonse, or a vast and. sumptuous
tavern, so called because the amusements of the night are
finished in these places. In some of them merchant's
clerks and men of that rank drink ale and smoke
abominable tobacco; in others, the fashionable drink the
wines of France and the Rhine—port and madeira, and
smoke the most expensive cigars; but in both orgies are
carried on to the height of brutality. I had frequently
heard of these ' Finishes,' and a friend of mine, a
Frenchman, who had resided for ten years in London,
offered to act as my cicerone to one of them. I accepted
his offer and went. These splendid taverns have a
physiognomy peculiar to themselves. Outside you might
take them for temples of sleep or silence ; but on
passing through a little door, carefully closed and fas-
tened, you are almost bewildered by the blaze of a thou
sand gaslights. You find yourself in an immense hall,
divided into two parts; in the one tables are arranged,
shut up by high partitions, as they are in%ll English
hotels, and with handsome sofas on each aide. Before
you, in the other division of the room, is a sort of stage,
with benches, where splendid women, magnificently
dressed, sit on show,' like statues, without speaking or
moving, till some gentleman invites one of them to de-
scend and partake of the luxurious provisions and wines
which are furnished on demand by the waiters. The
habitues of the place arrive about one in the morning.
Many of these gin palaces' are the daily rendezvous of
the elite of the aristocracy. These young Lords anis
honourable Members of Parliament, who all day have
been stiff and solemn, answering • Yea' and No,' and
not daring to make any further remark on the romances
and literature of the day than shocking' or
ell these sieves of cant and conventionalism, under
the influence of champagne and the alcohol of madeira
and port, throw off their coats and cravats, open their
waistcoats, and in fact undress in public. The great
amusement at the Finish' is to make e poor girl dead
drunk, and then pour some vinegar mixed with pepper
and mustard down her throat, which throws her into
horrible convulsions. This is capital fun! Another game
much appreciated by these fashionables is to throw
glasses of punch and otter liquids over the dresses of
these miserable girls whom they have intoxicated. I
have see❑ the moat gorgeous satin dresses, of which the
original colour could not be discerned amid a confused
mixed of stains of porter, brandy, wine, and coffee.
which made a thousand fantastic patterns. When a
foreigner is present at a scene like this he will see that
there is at least one man who is better understood in
this proud and powsrful British empire than Shake-
pere—it is Fals Taff About seven or eight in the
morning they retire from the 'Finish.' The servants
call cabs. Gentlemen who can stand search for their
clothes in a heterogeneous mass of great coats, paletots,
coats, and waistcoats. As to the others, the waiters
dress them with the first garments they can lay their
hands on, carry them to cabs, and tell the driver where
the package' is to be delivered. If they do not know
their address, they stow them away in a particular room
until they have sense enough to say where they live. I
need hardly say that the charges at these establish-
ments are enormous, and that those who get drunk are
generally relieved of their purses, watches, and gold
chains. In fact, the science of theft is so well known to
the deities of these places that, although drunk them.
selves, they always manage to pick the pockets of their
noble victims. The next moment the same people go to
their clubs, ask the news with the greatest nonchalance,
but never make any allusion to the adventures of last
night. They meet as if they had never seen ono
another at the Finish;' on this subject there is a sort
of mutual assurance established in London on a large
scale. London is iho town of colossal debauchery and
ridiculous modesty in language. All the legs of the
sofas and chairs have trousers. It is the same with the
pianos. I asked my hostess why these articles of fur-
niture were clothed more than the ballet girls at the
Haymarket and Covent•garden. Oh, sir,' said she,
would not you be shocked to see the legs of the chairs?'
In England, if you were to speak of the legs of a
chair it would be ' very shocking.'"

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
VICE-CHANCERY COURT,
.May 7.
(Before Lord CRANWORTH.)
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. HARDY.

This was a motion argued before his Lordship in the
present term to prevent the trustees of two chapels,
called the Old and New Chapels, at Holt, in Norfolk,
from permitting them to be disposed of or used ad-
versely to the provisions of the deeds under which they
had been established; and also from claiming to act fur-
ther as trustees of the new chapel under the deed of
1837. The present motion arose out of the recent
schism in the Wesleya❑ body. In July, 1814, a deed
was executed between Messrs. Hardy, Curteis, and
Johnson, as trustees for the general body of Methodists,
by which deed the trustees were empowered to
mortgage an old chapel at Holt, and in 1833
a further arrangement was come to, by which Mr.
Hardy, who was treasurer of the chapel, agreed to re-
duce his mortgage debt to a sum of 3501 In 1837 the
Wesleyan body having greatly increased in number, a
larger chapel became necessary, and accordingly one was
erected at Holt; and by a deed dated October of that
year, the chapel and the land on which it was built was
conveyed to trustees, and the effect of this arrangement
eventually was, that Mr. Hardy became entitled to a mort-
gage upon the now chapel to the amount of 6004, in addi-
tion to his mortgage of 2001. upon the old chapel. In
1842 Mr. Hardy died, and by his will Mr. Cozens Hardy
became his executor, and entitled to the mortgages. Io
1849 the schism broke out among the members of the
Wesleyan body, and extended itself to the Holt district.
Mr. Cozens Hardy, who is a gentleman of fortune and
a country magistrate, sympathised with the three
ministers expelled, and agitated, as it was called, the
Wesleyan body in their savour. After some contro-
versy, the Conference proceeded, under the rules of the
society, to expel Mr. Hardy, and Mr. Coleman, who
was also a trustee of the old chapel. In May, 1850, Mr.
Cozens Hardy, as executor of Mr. W. Hardy, applied to
Mr. Curteis, one of the trustees of the old chapel, for
payment of the sum of 2001., due on the mortgage,
intimating that if the amount were not paid he should
resort to legal proceedings. Accordingly in May,
1850, the chapel was advertised for sale. In the oc.
tober following an angry correspondence took place
between Mr. Hardy and the Rev. Mr. Worker, who
is the superintendent preacher of the circuit. Even-
tually the old chapel was put up for sale, and knocked
down to a Mr. George Turner for 2001.; and about the
same time Mr. Hill, one of the defendants, took an as-
signment of Mr. Hardy's mortgage on the new
chapel for a sum of 6001. These are substantially the
facts contained in the case. The bill alleged that Mr.
Hardy and the surviving trustees of the old chapel had
been expelled from the Wesleyan body, and that he and
others were using their influence adversely to the inter-
ests of Methodism, and that they had improperly sold
the old chapel. The bill also alleged that the transac-
tion between Mr. Hill and Mr. Hardy was only colour-
able, and the plaintiffs by this motio❑ asked to restrain
the sale of the chapel, and the continuance of the defen-
dants in office as trustees.
His LORDSHIP this morning gave judgment, and after
going through the fat of the case at some length, dis-
missed the bill.

PORTANT AND EARLY NEWS FROM GREENLAND.
•By the Enterprise, Cardno, which left the ice on the 21st
ult., arrived at Peterhead at noon on Thursday, with
9,500 seals, the result of only four days' fishing,
we have the following intelligence:—The Commerce,
Seller, 4,000 to 5,000 seals ; Columbia, Birnie, 1,100 ;
Dublin, Mackie, 8,000 to 9,000-90 tuns oil; Eclipse,
J. Gray, unknown; Fairy, Robertson, unknown; Ha-
milton Ross, Johnston, unknown; Mazinthien, Bur-
nett, unknown; North of Scotland, D. Gray, 1,700;
Pomona, Robertson, unknown ; Resolution, Walker,
600 ; Traveller, Hutchieson, 12,000 to 13,000; Union,
R. Walker, 5,000 to 6,000 ; Victor, Martin, 400. The above
are all Peterhead vessels. The Flamingo, Lee, of Hull, is
the only English ship reported—she had 400 to 500 seals.
It is feared that the ships not reported have nearly all missed
the fishing ground, owing to the peculiar state of the
Foreigners are poorly fished,--Aberdeen tirriaa