The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-04 00:00:00

A NEW COLOURING MATTER.

In a communication addressed to the Academy
of Sciences, M. Verdeil announces the discovery of
a green substance extracted from the flowers of
plants, and quite distinct from the green of their
leaves. It is well known that the extremities of
the petals of a flower, by which they adhere to the
chaly, are white ; in buds they are whiter still, and
particularly in the flower of the thistle. If this
white part be boiled in water, and then subjected
to pressure, the, juice obtained will be colourless,
and remain 05 in contact with the air ; but if a few
drops-ofp solution of carbonate of vodeor limewater
be added, the surface of the liquid will gradually
assume a green colour, and if it be well shaken the
Whole will become dark green. If there be an ex-
cess of alkali the green will acquire a yellowish
tint ; in that case a little acetic acid will transform
it into a bluish green. Alum, the acetate of lead,
and the deutoxide of tin precipitate fine green lakes
of different shades from the liquid. These lakes,
being separated by filtration, and dried, maintain
their colour, and resist the influence of light. The
protoxide of tin forms a yellow precipitate, and
also changes to yellow the green lakes obtained with
alum and the acetate of lead. In order to insulate the
colouring principle the lake obtained with acetate of
lead is decomposed by sulphuric acid diluted with
much alcohol .at 40 deg. of Beaume ; the colouring
principle is dissolved by the alcohol, while the
lead combines with the sulphuric acid. The liquid
is then filtered and heated with ether which pre-
cipitates the colouring principle. her,
being col-
lected on a filter, washed with water, and dried, it
is found to be of a yellowish brown ; it does not
melt, but is decomposed by heat ; it cannot be sub-
limated, but will burn away, leaving some slight
traces of ashes.- It is insoluble in water and in acids,
not very soluble in alcohol, but is very easily dis-
solved in alkalies, to which it communicates a green
colour. An excess of acetic or hydro-chloric acid
will turn the colour into red and precipitate it.
Concentrated sulphuric acid dissolves the colouring
principle, and gives it a brilliant red colour. This
colouring matter has great affinity for aluminous
mordants fixed on cotton, but it does not directly
dye either silk or wool. M. Verdeil conclwles by
saying that our thistles and artichokes are not suffi-
ciently rich in this colouring principle to admit of
its hemg used as a dye on a large scale, but that
those of warmer climates most probably contain
this substance in larger quantities.

[AnvEnusnmENT.]-7Painless Tooth and Stump Ex-
traction.—By her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent. Mr.
Bethel, surgeon dentist, 38, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly,
opposite the• York Hotel, has the pleasure to inform the
nobility, gentry, and public, that he has a patent apparatus
for ;painless tooth and stump extraction, by. congelation
(wiihont the risk of -applying, chloroform), simple iii its
action, and is used with the greatest facility.

The council will consist 9f a president, vice-
president, secretary, and twelve members selected
from the chief inhabitants of the" country.
Their removal will be effected annually by a third.
For the first two years this renewal will. take_ plate
by lot. It will then be carried on in the order
of seniority. The members will be re-eligible.
Two members of the connoil.will assist the presi-
dent each day in trying public cases.
The ordinary sittings of the council will be held
for four months in the year, but the council must,
during the other months, re-assemble whenever
their duties require it. All the' discussions will be
recorded in the minutes, bearing the signatures of
the councillors, and this register will be shown to
the Government, on which devolves the charge of
approving and carrying, out the municipal decisions.
he council will deliberate on the revenues ac-
cruing to the town, on the means of increasing
them, and on the expenses to be incurred.. It will
attend to the proper distribution and sale of the
municipal property in land, to the preservation and
repair of buildings, the keeping of the streets in a
fit state, and the embellishing of the town. The
president is charged with, the reg,ulation of the ex-
penditure, with superintending the employment of
the revenues, and the application of all the regula-
tions respecting the police and the highways.
For the sake of public utility, the council will be
permitted to treat with private individuals for the
purchase of lands and tenements. Should the
owner demand too much a forced sale will be re-
sorted to, and the owner of the property will be
properly indemnified in •conformity with the ver-
dict of a jury composed of four old inhabitants of
the country, four -appraisers, and four of the upper
burgesses. _

The president of the council will receive the re-
ports and informations of the police officers, whose
duty it is to see the police and highway regulations
duly enforced. In virtue of these regulations the
inhabitants are prohibited under penalties from
placing vehicles where they would,cause a stoppage
of traffic, from placing on the highways any build-
ling materials or afensive-,reftve,.. from erecting
booths or sheds for the sale of itierdgandise, &c.
The apportioning of the penalty incurred by the
offenders will be made by at least two members of
council ; but inasmuch as the council has no com-
pulsory powers, the carrying out of the sentence in
regard to those who shall refuse to pay their fine
will devolve on the authorities to whom the offender
is naturally subjected.
The constitution ends with this truly Eastern

phrase :—" Salutation on the part of one humble
before his God, his slave, Mushir Mahommed-
Basha-Bey, possessor of the kingdom of Tanis.
May God be propitious to him! Written on the
20th Moharem, 1275" (August 20, 1858).
We shall confine ourselves to one simple reflec-
_

tion on this characteristic document. Itembodies
the profound revolution that has been forming in
Northern Africa ever since the thw when the ban-
ner of France and of civilisation was unfurled
triumphantly over the Kaabah of Algiers.