The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-28 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

BIRMINGHAM, SATURDAY.—lnquiries during the pre-
sent week in the neighbourhood of Dudley have con-
firmed conclusions previously expressed as to the unsatis-
factory state of the iron trade; and advices received by
the last packets from the United States give little en-
couragement to the exportation of the raw material from
these districts. The proprietors of some of the most ex-
tensive establishments state that the demand for iron is
comparatively small, and, as is known (from the rates
fixed upon at the last quarter-day), prices are barely re-
munerative; in some instances they are ruinously under
the mark. But although prospects are so cheerless, fur-
naces for the most part remain in blast, and, so far as we
could judge from a cursory ♦iew of the most densely
populated parts of the iron districts, there did not appear
to be any observable or material cessation of employ-
ment; but how matters are to improve without a reduc-
tion of make is a problem yet to be solved.
The decreased demand for British iron in North Ame-
rica owing to the repletion of the market is not the only
drpressing circumstance in connexion with the manu-
facturing interests of this neighbourhood and their trans-
atlantic commerce. Within these few weeks locks,
bolts, and other door fittings, the make of which has
hitherto been confined chiefly to Willenball,
Darlaston, and other contiguous localities, have been
introduced amongst the factors of Birmingham and Wol-
verhampton, as of American make. Samples of cham-
ber bolts have been exhibited which Staffordshire ma-
nufacturers assert are offered; one-third cheaper than
they could afford to make them. It is somewhat singu-
lar, however, that while this kind of iron ware is im-
ported at such low prices from the United States, the
exports to America of other descriptions of manufac-
tured metal goods remain unabated.
Amongst other branches of Birmingham trade at pre-
sent particularly active may be mentioned that of steel
toys. The name does not truly denominate the manu-
facture. Steel toys consist of chisels, pincers, and other
iron and steel implements of a like description. The
make is now unusually large, and the demand for Shef-
field files so great that the factors experience great dif-
ficulty in obtaining the execution of their orders. The
steel•pen trade, now carried on in Birmingham to an
immense extent, continues its career of prosperity. Mr.
Gillott, the eminent manufacturer, has considerably en-
larged his establishment; and Mr. Mitchell and other
pen-makers of repute are in full work. The electro-plate
trade is also thriving. Although a comparatively late
discovery, electre-plate, like plate glass, has already
become of every-day domestic use, and finds employ-
ment in its manufacture for no inconsiderable number of
our industrial population. The Messrs. Elkington's
works in Newhall-street are busily occupied, a large pro-
portion of their productions being for exportation.
Amongst the most splendid specimens of this modern
discovery exhibited in the Crystal Palace will be found
the productions of Messrs. Elkington.
The copper trade is brisk. The demand for the lamp
manufacture and all description of tubing at the present
time is unusually large; so much so, that some of the
first houses are almost run out of stock, and prices, con-
sequently, remain high. Locomotive tubing carries off
an immense quantity of copper, and is now in great re-
quest. The brass foundry business remains steady, and,
notwithstanding continental competition, large quantities
of brass manufactured goods continue to be exported.
Some of our factors speak unfavourably of the state of
the home trade with regard to the demand for Birming-
ham manufactures; but, generally speaking, there are
fewer complaints than gratulations.
MANCHESTER, SATURDAY.—There is no little difficulty
at the present moment in arriving at a correct view of
the position in which the market stands, so much un-
steadiness pervades it; and to-day it has had more of an
uncertain character than during the last month. On
every hand loud complaints are uttered by producers
that they are offered prices which they cannot accept,
because they have a reference to what the raw material
is expected to fetch instead of its present cost; and that,
unless they close with these low-priced offers when made,
they are not usually repeated unless accompanied by a
demand for further concession. Still it is remarkable
that we cannot hear of any accumulation of stocks ; pro-
ducers express a decided repugnance to commence run-
ning short time, and there is an increase of 700 bales in
the average consumption per week (as shown by the de-
mand on Liverpool) compared with the same period last
year, trade there being in a fair state. With such facts
to be remembered, we are bound to repeat that the
causes which brought about what may be termed the mo-
mentary panic of to-day are not to be stated. Want of
confidence, which has hitherto been manifested solely in
respect to the continuance of the raw material at its
present high price, is now manifested with respect to
the credit of certain parties; and the fact that one Greek
house has stopped, that some other small manufacturing
firms have failed, and that others are understood to be
asking for time, has led to rumqurs which we believe to
be exaggerated. The firms that are gone do not, is the
aggregate, represent any very serious amount of loss,
and would scarcely have been noticed at another time.
With a different state of feeling as to the circumstances
we have last named, it is not improbable that a large
business would be done on speculation, for India espe.
cially, as the latest accounts received thence warrant the
belief that extensive orders must be transmitted soon,
possibly by the next mail. Some of the shipping houses
seem to be of this opinion, for we understand that large
offers were made in the course of Thursday afternoon;
and we hear of houses that have given out orders much
more considerable than any before this year, though still
below those which they gave last year at this time. The
demand for home languishes, and does not come up to
that of last year.

Liver-
pool were visited by the inspectors, whilst
andmeasuresconvictions for
the
In the two previous
WaIGUTS AND MEASURES IN LIVERPOOL.—
inD Uritlg
last year 17,741 places using weights
fraud were only 528, or 8 per cent.
years, the per centage was respectively 10 and
15.3464tphesr
ocfenat
The average deficiency of the weights was 6
ounce, and 1,462 weights were rejected as irreparable. The
au:lint:ill
convicted ; of 928 coal grocers and provision dealers visited, 168 were convicted of
reegcaeliv:,edi in penalties was 3131. 18s. 6d. Of 4,/ 62
armdesrceahlaens
merchants
were
convicted; of 928 coal merchants and dealers, 45 were con-
victed ; of flour dealers 117 were visited, and 6 convicted;
c4hserws,e3rse
of greengrocers, 1,198 were visited, and 25 convicted ; of
oafn d 2,536 but
335 confectioners, only one was convicted; of 43 brewers,
two were convicted; of 125 licensed victuallers, only one
was convicted; and there was only one cons iction out of 173
milk-sellers. Last year the expenses of the establishment
were 1,4791. Bs. 1014 d.; and the receipts, including fines,
1,3404 155. id.

THE SEWAGE QUESTION.
MR. DOVER'S DISINFECTING PLAN.

Every one has heard of the convincing argument used
by the Emperor Vespasian in defence of a certain item
of taxation which formed part of the Imperial Budget.
Drawing forth a piece of coin which had formed part of
the contribution drawn from the obnoxious impost, he
placed it, under the nose of the remonstrant, and with
the remark, non olet mi flius, returned it to his purse,
and Titus no doubt was convinced, for we hear no
more of his expostulations. Mr. Richard Dover is cer-
tainly the Vespasian of our day, for he proposes to draw
a revenue of somewhere about 3,000,000/. per annum
from those great sinks of impurity and filth which as yet
have produced nothing but infection and disease—the
sewers. If Mr. Dover should succeed in his plan, and
carry out the promises which he makes we doubt not that
he will find the public of the present day less scrupulous
than was the Emperor's son, and perfectly ready to con-
cur with him in any undertaking which will not only
remove an evil of the greatest magnitude, but convert it
into a source of profit and revenue.
On Saturday last we were witnesses of some experi-
ments which that gentleman made, on a large scale, on
some sewage water from the great Essex-street sewer.
The scene of his operations was an open space of ground
on the banks of the river, directly over the sewer which
discharges itself into the Thames at the bottom of Essex-
street; and into this grand canal of filth and abomina-
tions be had inserted a pipe, through which, by means
of a force pump, he drew off into a large tank some gal-
lons of dark, filthy, rank-smelling sewage water, which
in a few minutes more would have been precipitated into
" Father Thames," and formed a part of the giant
river so often apostrophised by poets and orators
as waving the shores of the Queen of Cities.
In this tank Mr. Dover had already placed
a portion of the chemical preparation which is the main
point of his discovery, and in a very short time the water
which we ourselves had seen pumped into the tank dirty
and of an almost overpowering odour, emerged through
a tap at the opposite side as pure to the sight almost as
a mountain brook, without the slightest offensive smell,
and which, ou being further passed through a common
filterer, tasted not at all unlike a compound of Harrogate
and Cheltenham waters. The result of this part of the
experiment enacted before our own eyes was sufficiently
satisfactory, and if Mr. Dover had no other object in view
than that of rendering our river the pure and silvery
stream which it was in ancient days, we should have no
hesitation in pronouncing him a public benefactor, and
a more efficient conser,,,of of the Thatues than all the
Lord Mayors who ever floated over it in a gilded barge.
But the best part of the plan remains behind, and Mr.
Dover does not let the sewage get off so easily. The che-
mical agent used by that gentleman to purify and deodonze
the stream of filth, acts, by fixing and precipitating all
those matters which emit noxious smells and poisonous
gases, which at the same time are of the utmost value for
agricultural purposes. A reeidium of these is thus left.
at the the bottom of the task, which, by a drying pro-
cess, is converted into a dark coloured sandy substance, to
which Mr. Dover has most appropriately given the name
of British guano; a large quantity of this was submitted
to our inspection, and on putting it to the usual test of
foreign guano, that of rubbing it between the hinds, we
found it did not discolour them. The practical experi •
meats which have been tried with this British guano in
agriculture have been most successful, and we are in-
formed that in the growing of turnips it has been found
of the greatest value. Tnis Mr. Dover calculates could
be sold to the farther, with a fair profit to the manufacturer,
at 51. per ton; and as this is not one half of the present
market price of foreign guano, it becomes a serious
question whether an extensive manufacture of this article
would not really be a stqa in the right direction towards
the alleviation of agricultural distress; particularly if
the declaration made by a Noble Duke be correct, that
with guano at 51. per ton, the British farmer would
grow wheat to a profit at five shillings per bushel.
Mr. Dover proposes to erect works, of which the cost
would be slight when compared with other projects which
have been submitted to the public on the sewage
question, at the exit of each sewer, and
under his management, the dirty puddle of
a Thames which flows through the metropolis
would become a clear limpid stream, no longer the
bearer of poisonous odours and deadly infection—an im-
portant point in the great sanitary question would he
satisfactorily settled for ever, and the tons of agricul-
tural manure which each day are rolled uselessly on to
the ocean, would be arrested, and made the means of
increased fertility to our lands, and increased surplus in
our revenue.

The remuneration which Mr. Dover asks from Go-
vernment for his discovery is so moderate, as to re-
flect discredit on them should they refuse to give him at
least the advantage of a fair trial. They have before
them a simple, efficacious plan for promoting, nay, en-
suring we mLht say, the sanitary wk hare of the metro-
polis, a cause in which they have been for some time
boasting of their great zeal and anxiety, and with them
rests the responsibility if they neglect to take advantage
of the result of Mr. Dover's long experience and un-
wearied efforts. We understand that the experiment is
to be repeated in a short time, and we shall then have
much pleasure in announcing any new facts which may
be elicited on a subject which must be of the greatest
importance to every member of the community.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, April 26.
(Sittings in Banco, at Westminster, before Mr. Jus-
tice PATTESON, Mr. Justice WIOUTMA.I4, and Mr.
Justice ERLE.)

THE QUEEIi V. BESSELL.

This was a conviction under the Copyright of
Designs Act. An invention for ventilating rooms
had been registered. One pane in the highest row of
a window was to have only half the usual quantity of
glass, and was to be inserted at an angle, and this was
to be managed by a screw at the bottom of the
window frame, so that the air could be admitted.
The claim was the general configuration and combi-
nation of the parts for the purpose designed. The
window pane was an oblong of a square. The in-
fringement was this,—that everything was similar,
except that the window pane, an oblong, was longer
and narrower. The present rule was to quash the
conviction.

Mr. Hindmarsh and Mr. Locke supported the
conviction, and Mr. Webster and Mr. Hunter con-
tended that the conviction ought to be quashed, as it
did not come within the Designs Act.
The COURT thought the very plan of the invention,
as stated by the inventor, was suicidal. The inventor
had disclaimed the window-frame, the pine of glass,
and the screw. There was no new configuration.—
Conviction quashed.
THE QUEEN ON THE PROSECUTION OF WHISTON, CLERK

P. THE DEAN AND CHAPTER OF ROCHEaTER.
Sir F. KELLY said this was a demurrer to certain
pleas pleaded to a return to a mandamus, the manda-
mus being to restore a gentleman of the name of
Whiston to the office of head master of the Grammar
School, at Rochester. The mandamus stated that
Mr. Whiston was nominated head master of the
school, and had always conducted himself properly ;
but that the dean and chapter had dismissed him.
The return, after stating the foundation of the
school, went on to say that Mr. Whiston had been
elected head master, and that he had been removed
from his office for lawful cause, and had not appealed
to the Bishop of Rochester, who was the visitor of
the school. To that return the prosecutor had
pleaded three pleas ; Ist, that the return was not suf-
cient, that the cause for which he had been removed
was not a lawful cause ; 2d, that as to so much
of the return which stated that he had not ap-
pealed to the bishop, he had pleaded in the next
plea that the cause of the removal was alleged to
be the writing a pamphlet ; that the words of the
pamphlet were written of and concerning the bishop,
and that several passages of the pamphlet were
written with the intention of making public what
had been done with regard to the school, and
that he was not bound by the statute to appeal to the
bishop. Thirdly, that Mr. Whiston was elected in
1842, under letters patent, to be head master of the
school; that he had properly conducted himself, and
was not unfit for the situation; that he had required
an augmentation for some of the scholars ; that he
had published a pamphlet on cathedral trusts ; that
the pamphlet was for the public benefit ; that in 1849
the dean and chapter had resolved that he should be
removed, and that there was no other cause for the
removal than the pamphlet. To this plea in bar there
were special demurrers. The Learned Counsel ap-
peared on behalf of the defendants, and submitted
that the Bishop of Rochester was visitor of the
school, to whom, and to whom alone, the appeal lay
against the sentence of the dean and chapter dismis-
sing Mr. Whiston from his office ; and that upon
principle, as well as upon established authority, there
was no concurrent or other jurisdiction, but that
where under statute in a case of this nature upon
any act in the nature of a dismissal being done
by a body like the dean and chapter, and in
respect of an office of this character, if the per-
son dismissed supposed he had cause of complaint,
he must appeal to the visitor, and to the visitor
alone ; and although this Court would interpose if,
upon an appeal being made to a visitor the visitor
should refuse to hear or entertain it, and the visitor
might thus be compelled to do justice, yet until that
appeal had been made, no mandamus would lie, and
it was not competent for this Court to entertain the
question, which belonged to the visitor alone.
Sir F. TRESIGER, on behalf of Mr. Whiston, con-
tended that, although in ordinary cases an appeal
would be to the visitor, yet in the present instance
the Bishop of Rochester was so much interested, that
to appeal to him would be making him a judge of his
own cause. There were passages in the pamphlet
reflecting in very strong terms upon the conduct of
the Bishop of Rochester. They imputed to him a
knowledge of the diversion of the funds of the school
from their proper object, so that, as he had before
said, to appeal to the bishop would be to appeal to a
party who was himself charged with having a know-
ledge of that which was said to be improper conduct.
In the midst of the argument of the Learned
Counsel the Court rose, and the further hearing
was postponed.

LUNATICS (SCOTLAND).—The total number of
pauper lunatics in Scotland on the first day of the present
year was, according to a return just published, 3,36 ?,
and th• total annual cost for their maintenance WAS
44,0231. ls. 3d., making the ayerago cost per head
131. 103. 100.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
NEWMARKET.

The report of the directors, to be submitted to
the shareholders at the half-yearly meeting on Wed-
nesday, states that on assuming the management
of the affairs of the company the directors found
the railway closed ; and in addition to the absence
of any revenue, the company was incurring the re-
sponsibility of interest on debentures to the extent
of about 5,0001. per annum. The full action of
the present board has not been in force for much more
than six months. The fisrt object of the directors was
to re-open the line, which they did in September last;
and notwithstanding all the disadvantages of the tem-
porary suspension of railway communication in the dis-
trict up to the present time the revenue, as compared
with the corresponding period of the previous year, has
considerably increased, while the expenses have di-
minished. The directors attribute these results to the
zeal and economy of Mr. Brown, who, in addition to his
duties as secretary, has been acting as manager at New-
market. Mr. Jackson, by far the largest debenture
holder, took the lead in liberal arrangements, which were
with equal cordiality acceded to by oihers, and the result
has been that of the total number• of debentures
issued by the company, amounting to 107,0001., chi. fly
bearing interest at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum,
102,5001. are now chargeable at 3} per cent., so that
only 4,5001. remain at 5 per cent. Mr. Jackson has
consented to renew his debentures as they fall due, for
a further period of five years. An agreement was en-
tered into with Mr. Jackson by which he cancelled his
former contract for the completion of the works, on such
terms as will prove a saving to the company of at least
25,0001.—an important feature of the agreement being
that Mr. Jackson has entered into a contract to com-
plete the line to Cambridge for a min not exceedieg
9,9001., on being furbished with a certain quantity of
rails and sleepers. In order to meet the engagements of
the company, and to provide for the completion of the
line to Cambridge, the directors foresaw that it would
be necessary to make the last call of 21. per share; but,
before doing se, they resolved in justice to those share-
holders who had regularly paid up their calls, to endea-
vour to enforce the payment of all cane in arrear, and the
result was that of above 5,000 shares in arrear when the
bite directors resigned, the holders of more than 3,500
have paid up their calls, leaving only about 1.500 shares
which were absolutely forfeited in February last. The
report then refers to the agreement entered into with
the Eastern Counties Railway for working the line, of
which the following is an abstract:—" The basis of the
agreement, fu►ly concluded, consists of the tree use of
the Cambridge and Chesterford stations, with the ne-
cessary staff of clerks and porters; the supply of roll-
ing stock at cost price; the gross earnings (less 40 per
cent. for working) on all the traffic brought by this rail-
way to the Cambridge station, and conveyed along the
Feteb,rn Counties line from Cambridge to Chesterford,
and Cambridge to Ely ; a contribution of 5,0001. per an-
num, if le quired, to make up a dividend of 3p• r cent.
on the capital of the company of 350,0001." Some fur-
ther concessions of minor importance having been made,
it was lastly agreed that the Eastern Counties Company
should have the right of purchasing the Newmarket
line, and assuming all its liabilities, on a satisaictory
guarentee of a 3 per cent. annual dividend on a payment
of 151. for every 251. share. These advatiteees end the
participation of the profit of the traffic from Cambridge
to Chesterford, and from Cambridge t t El, and the
contribution of 5.000/ a year (which is in itself
within a fraction of 1 per cent, on the capitel of
350,0001.), leave no doubt in the minds of the dire c•
tors that a dividend of 3 i.er cent. is secured on the
capital stock of the company as soon as the line to
Cambridge is completed, when a large increase of
traffic must necessarily take place. The object of the
directors is now to complete the line to Cambridge with
the utmost speed possible. The works wilt be imme-
diately proceeded with, and will not require more than
eight or ten weeks for completion. Atter having dis-
cbarged every claim upon the company of whin the
directors are cognizent, they have disposable funds at
their command amply sufficient to enable them to com-
plete the lice. Tao directors confidently look for an ap-
proval of the result of their labours, and that the share-
holders will confirm the agreement which they have pro-
visionally entered into with the Eastern Counties Com-
pany, which is, in their opinion, highly conducive to
the best interests of the Newmarket Huilway.

THE EXECUTION A!: r KIRKDALE.
LIVERPOOL, APRIL 26.—Patric k Lyons, wet) with bis
witty was at the last assizes sente seed to be hanged for
the murder of Peggy Fehey at Warrington, expiated
his offence on the 8 cAY,Id at Kirk dale G:ol to-day.
Since his condemnation Lyons has paid the most de-
vout attention to his religious duties, expressing the
utmost contrition for his crime, arid being quite resigned
and prepared to meet his fate. On Thursday he had an
interview with his sister. The pay ling scene was very
affecting, but nothing material pass ed between them. On
the following day he took a last fru -ewell of his wife, and
intimated his intention to declart t her innocence on the
scaffold. By twelve o'clock a ler %ge crowd was assem•
bled to see the execution, but n, it so large by several
thousands as on the occasion of Gleeson Wilson's exe-
cution. Lyons had been engaged in devotional prepa-
ration in the interior of the p into'. Pausing coca-
sionelly, he paced up and down th t) room, and more than
once expressed impatience at whit t appeared to him the
unnecessary delay in carrying oat the sentence of the
law. He did cot betray the a lightest apprehension
regarding his approaching en d. When Calcraft
(who arrived in Liverpool: ar Friday afternoon)
entered the room the criminal saluted him with a
familiar nod, accompanied by a, peculiar smile. He
submitted to the operation of pinti ming with the same
fortitude which had characterised his previous conduct.,
On the way be nodded to several , the turnkeys, cheer.
fully bade them a final adieu at " God bless them."
He carried in his hand a small b, eok, which was given
to him at his own request, and a 4 :ruci x. At the toot
of the gallows he knelt down a ed repeated after the
priest. " Father, into thy hands [ commend my spirit;
Lord Jesus, receive my soul." In emedietely on mount-
ing the scaffold he turned quickly .round and looked up
at the beam, from which the small! chain to which the
noose is attached was suspended. ITo eyed it for a few
seconds, and again facing the come tune of people he
bowed twice or thrice. As Calcraft was about to draw
the cap over the eyes of the criminal I he intimated that
he wished to address the people. ETe spoke distinctly,
sometimes pausing, as it were, to ete collect what he had
intended to say. His address ran as follows:—" My
dear brethren,—l'm sorry for what .1 have done, and I
confess to the Almighty God, and all here today, I
firmly believe I am guilty of this mei rder; and I firmly
believe my poor wife is innocent, as it inocent as a child.
Lord have mercy upon her! Here is the band that has
done the murder; here is the body el tat has committed
the sin. (A pause.) Thank God tls at I am willing to
suffer; but my suffering is nothing. I am willing to
nail my hand to the tree; I am willin g to drag me be-
tween four horses; lam willing to p it me in the fire
and burn to ashes—fur the sake of ix, y soul, because I
knew I was doing wrong; I knew the ,t I had committed
a sin. And, my dear brethren, Vi hat must be the
cause of this? I neglected my mass ; I neglected God;
I neglected my prayers morning and evening, and, only
tee I did this, I would not be ag here to-day for
such a guilty crime. My dear Chris ti lane, let this be a
earning for ye, and learn to be wie this world. I
hope in my Saviour Jesus Christ for s alvation, and the
Blessed Virgin to pray for me, and ri i I god Christians.
(Another peutie.) I expect you will p ray for me to-day,
and I Cruet in God he will listen to in e, and the Hety
Virgin Mary, and the angels in hea Seen. Pray for me
this day. My dear Christians, learn to be wise in this
world. We are here to-day and gone to-morrow.
( The criminal a-gain paused.) The g eutlemen of this
place a ere very kind to me, especially the governor. I
am very mush oblige d to him, and I thank him for hie
kindness. My pier wife lies in bert e and grieves very
much about this. May the Lord deli rer her from gaol."
Here there was a pause, end the d teomed man seemed
to intimate to Celcreft that he had ti t isted what he had
to say, and in another moment he ;was launched into
eternity. The greater portion of th i i crowd then dis-
persed. After hanging the usual Limo the biddy was cut
down and buried in toe gaol.
We learn that. during the moraine, , Bridget Lyons,
the wife, remained in prayer in her eel t. She was much
affected when informed that the expo sution had taken
place, and that her husband had excites rated her.