The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-13 00:00:00

OUR FORTIFICATIONS.

In April 1868 a committee was appointed by the then
.secretary of State for War, Sir John Pakington, in order
to inquire into the state of the new fortifications erected
under Lord Palmerston's Fortification Act. The com-
mittee consisted of Admiral the Hon. F. \V. Grey (who
presided), Major-General Dickson, Major-General
Simmons, R.E., Colonel Harness, 1.E., Colonel Elwyn,
R.A., and Mr. Hawkshaw, C.E. The report is dated
April 28, 1869, and has just been presented to Parlia-
ment. It is a document of about 125 pages.
The committee commence their report by detailing the
circumstances under which the fortifications were begun.
The original estimate was cli,sr,o,ooo, but this was
reduced, by knocking off various contemplated works, to
f 6,570,000. The commissioners at that time said that
their estimate was only approximate, but they had
every reason to believe that it would be found suf-
ficient. " This expectation," say the committee, " has
not been realised, and the cost of the works has
very greatly exceeded their estimate." In fact, it was
found almost immediately that the land would cost
£300,000 and the works £330,000 more than was esti- -
mated—an increase at once of over ten per cent. It is
now calculated that the total cost will be £7,951,437.
'['his increase is ascribed to various causes. Ist.
The construction of several of the works on a much larger
scale, and adapted for a greater number of guns than those
recommended by the commissioners. 2nd. The necessity
for having recourse to iron structures. 3rd. A conside-
rable rise in the price of both labour and materials. - 4th.
.3nforeseen,difficulties in obtaining foundations. sth. A
:anger demand for the site than was at first expected.
Unfortunately, the increase of cost in the works
actually is not the only addition to the expen-
liture which, according to the committtee, will
nave to be incurred. They say, " there can be no doubt
of the great value of the works that have been constructed,
and the formidable obstacle which they would oppose to
the enemy ; but to give to thdse vital points that com-
plete protection contemplated by the royal commission,
it would be necessary, whenevjr the danger of attack
might arise, to take immediate measures for securing the
weak points left in the lines by the omissions
alluded to." After stating that the rumours of the
unsound and insecure condition of the works are
" greatly exaggerated," they go on to consider the strength
of the works necessary to resist naval artillery, and
they come to the conclusion that walls of granite and
masonry lift. Gin. thick will be found sufficient, but that
it will be necessary to substitute concrete or some other
bard material for earth in the parapets. They attach
great importance to the Moncrieff system.

The wages question in the cotton trade of Black.
burn and East Lancashire Is now, to all appearance, settled.
The notices of reduction, with a fuw exceptions, have ex-
pired, and the hands continuo to work as formerly.
TILE EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE BY GUNPOWDER.
--The inquest on Maria Epsley, aged 48, whose death
through an explosion of gunpowder has recently been
reported, was held on Tuesday at Kuutton. The jury
found a verdict of "Temporary insanity," coupled with
an expression of opinion that such large quantities of
gunpowder should only be left in magazines. The build-
ing in which the explosion occurred is a perfect ruin,
scarcely a vestige remaining standing except a little of
the walls.

Dr. Vaughan, Vicar of Doncaster, the well-known
religious writer, has tried the offertory in his church. The
report brought up at the annual meeting of the church on
Tuesday stated that hitherto a church-rate had been levied,
and had realised at 2d. in the pound about £l4O or £l5O a
year, but at the commencement of the late financial year the
vicar instituted offertories. This change has been a com-
plete success. Although the system has yet only extended
over eight months, the offertories had already realised
£l5B 2s. 6d., or £lO more on an average than the old rate.
A motion to have free seats was rejected.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF WATCHES.—A robbery
of watches and jewellery, amounting in value to between
£2,000 and £3,000, took place within a quarter of a mile
of the Mansion House during Monday night, under cir-
cumstances which disclose an absence of protective police
arrangements that will appear scarcely credible. Mr.
Toser, watchmaker and jeweller, possesses a shop built, as
it were, in mid-air, between the crown of the arches over
Joiner-street and the line of Charing-cross Railway. Ascer-
taining that the duties of the Metropolitan police ceased at
" Findlater's-corner," 200 yards distance from his shop,
Mr. Toser from the first arranged that one of his shopmen
should always sleep upon the premises, as a security
against robbery. Mr. Toser paid his police rates like his
neighbours in Tooley-street ; but the protection he ob-
tained was confined to the doubtful services of a private
watchman of the old school in the service of the South-
Eastern Railway Company. On Monday evening Mr.
Toser's brother closed the shop at 8.30 p.m., and left
Alfred Gilbey in charge. On going to business on Tuesday
morning Mr. Toser's brother found that the premises had
been entered during the night through a hole cut in the
brick party wall between his brother's and the adjoining
shop, belonging to Mr. Brigden, seedsman, &c., and
almost everything of a valuable nature had been carried
off. The shopman, Gilbey, had neglected his duty, and
been absent from the premises during the night. Among
other valuable property stolen may be enumerated 240
gold and silver watches, 100 gold guard-chains, 500 ladies'
and gentlemen's rings, 300 brooches, and a great number
of lockets, earrings, &c. On information being given to
the police, the first exclamation to Mr. 'Toser was, " Ah !
you don't pay police rates." The officer was soon ec-
lightened on this point, and the circumstances having been
reported to Colonel Henderson, at Scotland-yard, under
that officer's advice a reward of £2OO has been offered for
the detection of the thieves.

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CAST-IRON STOVES.—Some experiments, which
will have great practical utility, have just been made in
Paris on those pestiferous, fever-generating engines, cast-
iron stoves. From all these numerous and varied experi.
ments it appears, first, that besides the inim:diate and
,crious danger inherent to all metal stoves from their Eo
easily attaining a red heat, cast-iron stoves offer the parti-
ular drawback of evolving a considerable but variable
quantity of oxide of carbon, a highly-poisonous gas ;
secondly, that under the same circumstances sheet-iron has
the same defect, though in a lower degree ; thirdly, that
in rooms heated by such stoves the carbonic acid of the
atmosphere and that emanating from persons are apt to be
decomposed, and set oxide of carbon at liberty ; fourthly,
that this gas may proceed from different sources, viz.,
from a cast-iron stove, since it will penetrate through the
metal, from the direct action of the oxygen of the air on
the carbon of the cast-iron at a red heat, from the decom-
position of carbonic acid, or, lastly, from the organic dust
suspended in the air ; fifthly, that want of ventilation may
greatly increase the danger ; and, sixthly, that iron stoves
.not internally lined with non-conducting clay to prevent
their becomin,g red-hot are highly injuriowg tp itealtlia

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IMPERIAL 2ARLIA fiEN

.110USE..OF COMMONS—fins EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
METROPOLITAN STREET TRAMWAYS BILL.
On the cc it,i(h-rafion of the bil as atu:!ntled.

Mr. PEASE moved the insertion of a clauaeallowicg all
vehicles to :on on the tramways other than the company
promoting the bill. The amendment also empowered par-
ties running vehicles for hire also to use the rails, pro-
vided they had the iiesiose from the Board of Traie.

Ca' t iiu GROSVENDR oppisA the clause. fie thought
the resolution d the cominitte3 (light to be supi,ort,l by
the hott,c, the more especially a. th..y hail kara the whole
of the evidence that could be procured against the pro-
moters of the bill.

Mr. SCLATER-BOOTH, as chairman of the committee
to which the bill was referred, denied that there was any
monopoly of the road, but only a monopoly as far as re-
garded the use of the rails. They had fully considered
the question of monopoly, and the resolutions the com-
mittee had come to fully showed that: They had *also'
taken precaution against the rails becoming a nuisance,
because in such case provision was made for the removal
of the rails. It was desirable that an experiment should
be made to try the merits of a very important arr!thge-
ment. He thought the committee had taken every pre-
caution with respect to the public convenience, and there-
fore he hoped the bon. member would not divide the
house.

Mr. BRIGHT said the carryicg of these clauses would
be tantamouct to overthrowing the bill. He thought the
Chairman of the committee had quite settled the matter
with respect to the consideration of the interests cf the
omnibus proprietors.

Mr. PEASE could assure the house he had not the
slightest desire to push the omnibus interest forward ; all
he wished to do was to promote the public convenience as
far as was in, his power. After the observations of the
right hon. gentleman, the President of the Board of Trade,
he would withdraw his amendments.

The bill was further considered and ordered to lie ou
the table.

THE PATENT` LAWS.

Mr. MACFIE gave notice that, on the house assembling
alter the holiday A, he should move for leave► to introduce
a bill to abolish the patent laws.
SALE OF LIQUORS ON SUNDAY.

Mr. RYLAND gay.i notice that when any bill was in-
troduce) for the improvement of the licensing of public
houses, he should move the insertion of a clangs prohibiting
the sale of liquors on Sundays.