The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-05 00:00:00

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

of Mark Cunningham, at Hexham, on the 25th Sept. last.
Mr. Price and Mr. Liddell wore for the prosecution, and
Mr. Davidson for the prisoner.
It appeared that the prisoner and the deceased were both •
hawkers, and for a week before the death of Cunningham
had been lodging together and sleeping in the same bed. On
the night in question the prisoner was in the Sun public-
house at, Hexham, somewhat besotted with drink, having
been in and out of the house drinking all the ink, ha
for
five days previously. The deceased and one Gordon cahame
into the house both tipsy. Deceased said that theyh
d
just been turned out of a public-house by
the police, wen
the prisoner said, " Then you have been in worse company
than I have ;" and a quarrel ensued, in the course of which
Cunningham said if the prisoner would come out he would
give him what he wanted, either in light or dark. Cun-
ningham " clicked" Cawthorn by the shirt breast and
pulled it open, whereupon the prisoner said people would
say he had been in bad cempany. Gordon and the prisoner
played at dominoes for ale, which the latter lost, and on
refused to supply any,
his calling for the ale the landlady
as he was without money. However, on their giving up
the dominoes and promising to go home she let them have
the ale. Prisoner asked the deceased if he wanted to use
hiM badly, to which the lndlady replied that nobody
would use him (the prisonear) badly if he would only go
home, and she asked the deceased and the man Gordon to
let the prisoner pass, and got one George Dodds who was
in the house to help Cawthorn lest he should be ill-used.
About half an hour afterwards the deceased went out to
his and the prisoner's lodgings, and onCunningham's going
there the prisoner produced a knife and said the police had
told him to defend himself with it. The deceased told the
prisoner ho was no mau or he would get up and put down
the knife, and see what he could do bare-handed, and
thereupon struck the prisoner on the face with his open
hand, and immediately the prisoner stabbed the deceased,
o
who cried, "Oh! my belly." There were wounds the
arm and the back, and in a few days afterwards Cunning.
ham died.
Mr. Davison in his defence contended the case
was
one
of manslaughter, and not one of murder; the knife
had
not been used deliberately, but in a moment ofpassion.
The jury found the prisoner guilty of manslauglite
His Lordship sentenced him to be transported for and
15

years.
William Fleming, who was last night found guilty of
manslaughter, was sentenced to four years' penal servitude.
Lawson was charged with the manslaughter of
James Oliver, at Newcastle, on the 18th of October.
The Hon. A. Liddell and M. Greenhow appeared for
the prosecution ; and Mr. Da,Alson defended the prisoner.
The deceased, a pitman, on the night in question was
drinking at a public-house in the cloth-market with some
other pitmen ; they were all talking about a coursing
match, when a dispute arose between two of the men
called Harle and Liddell, in the course of which tho pri-
soner interfered. He was told to remain quiet, and on in-
terfering a second time the deceased, Oliver, stretched
across the table and struok him, knocking off his hat. The
prisoner then sprang up and knocked Oliver down, and it
was alleged that after the deceased was down the prisoner
jumped on Oliver, producing an internal rupture, of which
he died. Witnesses wore called for the defence, who de-
posed to both men jumping on the table, and to it having
broken down, and, in the course of the scuffle, that Oliver
met with injuries, which, it was suggested for the defence,
caused his death. It was positively sworn to by wit-
nesses, who stated they were present the whole of the
time, that the prisoner did not jump on the deceased as
deposed to by the witnesses for the prosecution.
The jury at once found a verdict of not guilty.
(Before Mr. Russell Gurney, Q.C.)
Anne Cannon, was charged with the murder of her
infant, at Berwick, on the 27th of August.
Mr. Robinson Fowler was for the prosecution. had a
The prisoner on the Fowler
of August denied having
child, hut on a surgeon being sent for she admitted she bad,

DECEinEII 2.
Joseph Locke, Esq., M.P., Vice-President, in the chair.
The paper read was " On Recent Improvements in Water
Meters," by Mr. T. T. Jopling.
After alluding to the generic merits and defects of piston
and bucket meters—merits which were generally appre-
oiated, and defects which were apparently inseparable from
these machines, and had only as yet been partially re-
moved, the author proceeded to describe a meter con-
structed on the piston, or diaphragm principle, which
appeared to meet the objections hitherto made to that
class of meter. It consisted of two measuring cylinders
set parallel to each other, with working pistons, the rods
of which projected out of the cylinders in opposite direc-
tions, carrying at their extremities slide-valve frames,
for supporting and operating on the slide-valves that
governed the ports of the cylinders. These measuring
cylinders were contained in a cast-iron case, or tank, into
which the water to be measured entered under a certain
pressure. The water thence passed into the cylinders, from
which, after having acted upon one or other of the pistons,
it made its escape. Through the agency of suitable count-
ing apparatus connected with one of the piston rods, the
reciprocating movements of the piston were counted, and
thus the quantity of water passed through the meter in a
given time was iedics„ted. The measuring chambers were
made somewhat like ordinary steam-engine cylinders, as
respected the inlet and outlet ports, but in ono of the cylin-
ders the direction of the inlet ports was inverted, in order
that the right-hand port might pass the water to the left-
hand end of the cylinder, and the loft-hand port to the
right-band end. By this means the two pistons were en-
abled to follow each other in the same direction, and to
maintain a corttinuous stream of water, without the use of
cranks. The slide valves were pressed up against the ports
of the cylinder by means of springs, in order to retain them
in contact with the faces when the meter was at rest. They
were free to remain stationary during the greater portion
.1 the progress of the pistons ; bntjust as the piston of one
cylinder was completing its stroke, one of a pair of tappets
on the valve frame, carried by the piston-rod of that cylin-
der, would strike against the valve which that valve frame
carried, and altered its position over the ports of the other
cylinder, whereby the direction of the flow of water into
that measuring cylinder was reversed. For transmitting
the reciprocating motion of the pistons to the index, one of
the valve frames was furnished at the back with two ribs,
or feathers, set parallel to each other, but one in advance
of the other. These feathers acted as teeth, and in sliding
hack wards and forwards with the piston-rod they entered
alternately the teeth of an escape wheel, and so drove it
round tooth by tooth. The arbor of this wheel led through
the water-case to the counting apparatus ; and thus motion
was communicated directly to it, without the aid of pawls
and ratchet wheels.
By this arrangement the meter became a very simple and
inexpensive machine, not liable to derangement, or if in-
jured it was easily repaired, as the only moving parts were the
two valves and two pistons. There was an entire absence
of concussion ; the pressure of the head was preserved, and
being similar within and without the cylinders there was
no friction upon the pistons ; and the water-tight external
case, or chamber, served as a deposit for sand, or other
extraneous matter. These merits were admitted by the
engineers of the f.iunderland waterworkS, where the meters
had been connected with meters by other manufacturers,
and exhibited identical results.
Models of Jopling's, Kennedy's, Siemen's, and Chad-
wick's meters were exhibited in action during the evening.
In the course of the discussion descriptions were given
of Kennedy's, Chadwick's, and Siemen's meters. The for-
mer was described as consisting of a single vertical cylinder,
wherein a deep piston worked, with a packing consisting
of a vulcanised india-rubber ring, made to roll between
the piston and the cylinder, allowing for easy motion, and
yet being perfectly water-tight without friction. The
alternate action of the piston was communicated to the
counting apparatus by means of a rack and pinion, and
action was given to the inlet and outlet valves by means of
a tumbling weight. This machine, it was contended, was
very durable and easily kept in order, the elasticity of the
packing and the peculiar rolling motion diminished the
friction ; the pressure of the water was preserved through
the meter, the action of the valves was mg-ear and simple,
and under the most extreme trials the variation had never
been found to exceed 1 per cent. The meters were stated
to have been extensively employed and much approved by
waterworks engineers.
Chadwick's new meter was described to coached of tbhtreee
or more rollers, revolving on their axes,
t:ed in
periphery of a wheel, the spindle of
juopuornn aal s
bag,
ain g tosry o p
iuepc upright go hf t
prepareclleather,
rsupports
ttchhoenerwlehwiciltwith
rollerswinlet
et rustedand
a thelate of
outlet passages, and so fixed upon a
brass as
beingto oardmmtiht
admitted
eemd eta: nor?
bg a chamberp
g'assre% over every part and
ward, so that they each in tit,i_renmpby ureter.ll s The
or-
the outlet pipe. The
expressed the fluid before h pe 1 l'efcl th
rocoouvinntfngi n
apparatus
aorpapt
uo s-
motion was regulated by
meter, described on a
et e rat
present cl n o t
site direction to the roltebras,tg:aavnedbrlndt°hre
was identical with that
inferential"
that it was
fbeermenevre°eyeelaoststiantutshee;l nbi suot tfi t,
tuhateis °m;
wr
eaTrsehceiOneuludnibe,
seen, they
scsalolefd
tshuecceelsissfsult.er
Siemen'sinnoetas'lrrs considered'namingedhtnetsrecobweemssaahryy to give any minute description of
their construction beyond stating that its action was simi-
lar to that of Barker's mill, the water entering at the
centre and being expelled through numerous curved ori-
fices at the periphery of the revolving meter.
pressure meters
me
wwasp—neeadrrefeetrc,
nehmaeeescapasc:anesrusaadegyelsuroefm waterceonnwt s
iuttrnhudoceutritovinel
_rays
It was contended that the chief desiderata for high-
o
fgfohrmt
ne theeass
ov fa rpyriensgs upr
wiGthooddurmabeitlei
,essb.oth of the piston and dia-
phragm class, and many did register excellently during la-
boratory experiments and for short periods ; but the real
test was the action after 12 months' constant work, and it
was generally found that some injury had occurred to
piston, metres from the introduction of sand or other ex-
traneous matter, whereas the action of the differential
meters was as perfect after several years as when they were
erected. Arguing that a certain force was required to
cause motion, it had been stated that these meters were
not capable of registering small quantities of fluid at low
velocities. This was, however, an erroneous opinion, in
proof of which it was mentioned that a small house-meter
had registered accurately so small a quantity as half a gill
per minute. These meters gained in sensitiveness as they
worked, whereas piston and other metres were liable to
wear and tear; the former could be so applied as to pre-
sent little more resistance than a bend in the pipe—they
were so compact in form, and so small, that they could be
adapted to almost any situation, however restricted; and
under either high or low pressure, and with constant or in-
termittent action, they had been found to give satisfactory
results.
It was stated that the East London Waterworks Com-
pany had 200 of Siornea's meters now at work. They had
cost on an average 10/. a-piece ; but few failures had oc-
curred, and those quite capable of being remedied, so that
casualties were likely to be even less frequent in future.
They were almost exclusively used at Bristol, whore they
were tested every three months, and it had been observed
that they gained from Ito 2 per cent. The r eve meters
were consequently adjusted so as to allow for that gain.
_a
It was admitted that both Jopling's and KennedtT'
meters had, when tested, been found to act very sa 9s
meters
and that practically they could be received
very efficient machines, both for the water companies and
the consumers.
It was shown that there had been at least 11 distinct
classes of meters, and probably not less than 10 varieties in
each class, which could be taken as 110 distinct inventions.
They might be divided into two reat. classes—high pres-
mains, and delivering the water withoutanysensi • ble sure meters—i.e., working under the direct pressure of the
remain, merely delivered it
receiving the water under p
dimi-
nution of the pressure; and low-pressure meters, which,
into a cistern, or other receptacle, generally situated at
the top of the building to be supplied. The latter class
was asserted to be generally the best, especially in those
cases where the consumption was large and irregular—as
that
class bleachers, calico-printers, &c. Of
this
was said to register accurately under
of brewers,
Parkinson
rk ib adzr
all circumstances of change of head and velocity, or quan-
tity delivered. Thep iston, diaphragm, puff-bag, and screw-
meters, were then successively described. In reference to
Siemon's meter it was asserted that it was in principle
simply a turbine, or a Barker's mill, and that it partook of
the errors of those machines, which no superiority of manu-
facture or skill in invention could overcome. It could not
register so small a quantity as would not give impulse to
the machine. It had also been remarked that in some
situations it was liable to become corroded, which mate-
rially lessened the speed, and that in some instances the
meters had actually been stopped.
Explanations were given of the cases of objections to
Siemen's meters, and the question was announced to be
further treated on a future occasion.
It was announced that the following paper would be
read at the next meeting, Tuesday, Dec. 9, "On the Laws
of the Strength of Wrought and Cast Iron," by air. W.
Bell.
At tho monthly ballot the following candidates were
balloted fpr and duly elected :—Messrs. C. Cheyne, H.
Conybeare, S. De,on, and J. Raseen, as ilenabtrs ; ;Aid
b rn
Messrs. S. B. Boulton, J. Cameron, J. Curran, C. A.
Hartley, J. W. Heinke, A. G. Linn, E. Price, W. M.
Shaw, A, Siebe, and A, R. Terri, se POrMiatelf.

LIVERPOOL, DEC. 4.
BToox EXUHANGE.—The Stock Exchange to•day was
doing a very steady business, and prices closed at a good
improvement. North British, 9.lB.9.—Great Western,
70t Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 358 --
Caledonian, 29,1—South Eastern, 22 I—Lancashire and
Yorkshire, 97 ei 21
—London and North Westert, 100—
Ditto, sths, 21—East Lancashire Blackburn, Ss.
9d. Eastern Counties, 9g—Midland, 82 $.

LEEDS, DEC. 4.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The transactions l
have been imited
to-day. London and North Westerns, 10q—Midland,
82 g--North Eastern, York, 30A—Ditto, Leeds, Di.

BIRMINGHAM, DEd. 4.
►STooK EXOHANGE.—This market was rather firmer to•
day, with a good business doing. North Staffords, 5-16 d•
—Great Westerns, 70i—Shropshire Unions, 49.

MANCHESTER, DEC. 4.
43T00K EXCHANGE.—The market opened quiet to-day,
with a moderate business. Midlands, 84—Leeds, 97k'
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolns, 3.5i—Birmingham
Quarters, 10j—South Eastern and Dover, 221—RoPI
Swedish, 1 3-16—East Lancashire, zli—Ditto, oths,
—Preston and Wyre, 441.