The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-26 00:00:00

GRANITE DUSTY ROADS.

In some former numbers of the Lancet we no-
ticed the fact, not generally known, that emana-
tions from animal and vegetable deposits in our
streets, mixed with granite dust—impeding the
drainage of our sewers and contaminating the
waters of the Thames—are sources of disease, and
highly prejudicial to the health of the inhabitants
of this metropolis. The injury to the lungs and
air-passages by inhaling granite dust, we also ob-
served, is an additional evil to which the public of
London are exposed. We now find, by the evi-
dence adduced before a committee of the House of
of Commons as to the causes of the noxious exhala-
tions from the Serpentine, that the macadamised
roads all round the metropolis, as well as the
granite in the streets of London, have contributed,
for a series of years past, to the augmentation of
these evils. The accumulation of mud in thatornamental piece of water have reached in certain
parts a depth of eight feet ; and when this sedi-
ment becomes exposed to the solar heat in sultry
seasons, decomposition and noisome emanations fol-
low as matters of course.

Another important fact, which appears to have
been also overlooked, is, that a great obstacle to
utilising for agricultural purposes the sewage of
the metropolis and other large towns is the quan-
tity of mud washed into the common sewers from
macadamised roads. This evil can only be eflectu-
tually provided against by the universal adoption of
the improved system of road-making, termed the
Composite ,System," by which the broken granite
is permanently embedded in a bituminous cement,
so as to prevent this constant grinding into dust.
The blocks are of a large size, and are brought into
the streets ready made ; and, being impervious,
they are free from noxious exhalations. The economy
of this mode of paving is undeniable.
Mr. Gibson, President of the Board of Trade,
Mr. M'Kinnon, M.P., and other inhabitants of
Hyde-park-place, have, we understand, in conjunc-
tion with Sir James Duke, the Rev. Mr. Beard,
and other inhabitants of Portland-place, made
various representations to the Vestry of Marylebone
to substitute this system for the Macadam ; but it
is as difficult to get some v
vestrymen
en to travel out
of the antiquated rut of routine as it was in days of
yore to induce them to admit that gas was superior to
oil for street illumination, or to get stage-coach and
post-horse proprietors to acknowledge the superio-
rity of steam power on railways over animal power
on common roads.

We are glad to find that Lord Fermoy is taking
an active partin removing the evils of the Serpentine,
and we should like to see him take the lead in the
formation of an association for providing a remedy
for these evils, by the adoption of this improved
system of covering roads. All the metropolitan
members might take a part in such a movement, as
the health and comfort of their constituents must
always be matters of importance to them; and
nothing could contribute more to such results than
the removal of mud, dust, and deafening noises
from our streets. It may be very true, as it always
has been, that there are certain vested interests in
the maintenance of abuses, and that contractors and
scavengers,with du. st-carts, mud-carts,&c.,would lose
something
systemo ft h
of
leenaoorlmi oeuspssu
whichprofitsblie ni is not
would
ltdlih
keneaol dty orpte
0:
t i
quire their aid ; but the n
submit to nuisances, the subject of such general
complaint ; nor can the ratepayers be expected to
submit much longer to the far greater outlay for
the maintenance of such evils than will henchforth
be required for their removal. Facts are stubborn
things, and truth must prevail sooner or later.--
Lancet.

A REMARKABLE PROPERTY OF IRON.—In the
year 1856, says a contemporary, Mr. March, an able che-
mist connected with the Royal Arsenal, discovered that it
was an invariable rule with iron which has remained a con-
siderable time under water, when reduced to small grains
or an impalpable powder, to become red hot, and ignite any
substances with which it comes in contact. This he found
by scraping some corroded metal from a gun, which ignited
the paper containing it, and burnt a hole in his pocket. The
knowledge of this fact is of immense importance, as it may
account for many spontaneous fires and explosions. The
tendency of moistened particles of iron to ignite was die.
covered by the great French chemist, Lemary, as far back
as the year 1670.
We learn from the Hereford Journal that the
Right lion. Lord Llanover will figure at the Monmouth
assizes as defendant in an extraordinary trial for libel, pre.
ferred against him by Mr. Stone, of Llangattock, a gentle-
man well known in the fashionable aid sporting circles in
this part 9f the cinua try. ne damages reach a high figure.