The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-16 00:00:00

Among thoaewho have arrived in Aberdeen to be presen
at the meeting are :—The Duke of Richmond, Earl of Sea-
field, Right Hon. Joseph Napier, ex-Lord Chancellor of
Ireland ; Earl of Enniskillen, Earl of Caithness, Mr. Tite,
M.P., Sir R. I. Murchison, Professor Faraday, Professor
W. Thompson, Glasgow ; General Sabine, General Secre-
tary; Lord Monteagle, Sir E. Belcher, Dr. Neill Arnett,
Rear-Admiral Sir J. C. Rosse, Sir W. R. Hamilton, Rev.
Dr. Robinson, Sir W. Jardine ; Professor G. Wilson, Edin-
burgh ; Mr. C. Wentworth Dilke, Mr. Hennessey, M.P.,
Archdeacon Fenwick, Professor Syme, Sir John Richard-
son ; Professor M'Donald, St. Andrews ; Professor Blackie,
Professor Sedgwick ; Professor Dickey, Belfast.
There were opened yesterday the following exhibitions,
which were numerously attended throughout the day :—A
collection of antiquities and works of art, collected with
great taste and judgment, and no small amount of labour,
by Mr. Charles E. Dalrymple and Mr. Jae. Hay Chalmers.
It begins with relics of the earliest times, at brings us
down through the long periods into which history does not
penetrate, but where science is labouring to resuscitate con-
nected memorials, to those modern times on which history,
romance, and tradition concentrate so much popular inte-
rest. In the collection of portraits are almost all the men
who distinghished themselves in the North during the last
two centuries, with many of the great names in Scottish
history ; and, in the collection of autographs and autograph
letters—of which Provost Webster has taken charge—there
are MSS. mementoes of the persons whose portraits adorn
the walls.
In addition to this admirable illustration of local history,
there was an excellent photographic exhibition, collected
and arranged by Mr. John E. White; and, to those who
wish to see something of local industry, most of the public
works in the city are thrown open.
MEETING OP GENERAL COMMITTEE.
The general committee of the association held its first
meeting in Marischal College yesterday, at 1 p.m., for the
election of sectional officers, ani the despatch of the busi-
ness usually brought before that body. The chair was oc-
cupied by Professor Owen, and there was a large attend-
ance of the committee.
The CHAIRMAN stated that the number of associates now
admitted amounted to 2,000, about the number which the
Music Hall could accommodate. There was, of course, no
limit to the admission of members, but he wished to take
the opinion of the committee whether the admission of as-
sociates—a question of the relation of nuntbers to space—
"should not be limited to the number stated. It was agreed
that the number should be limited to 2,000.
Professor PHILLIPS, assistant general secretary, read the
minutes of the last two meetings of the general committee,
which were confirmed.
The SECRETARY then read the report of the general
council, which was chiefly occupied by a detail of the pre.
ceedings taken by the council with the view of obtaining a
series of magnetical and meteorological observations at
Vaneouver's Island, Newfoundland, the Falkland Isles,
and Pekin. .
The report was approved of.
Professor PHILLIPS read the abstract of the general trea-
surer' s report, from which it appeared that there was abalance
at the commencement of last year's meeting at Leeds
of £238 13s. 3d., the whole money available after the Leeds
meeting having been £2,627 17s. Sd. The grants for the
year amounted to £1,275. The maintenance of Kew estab-
lishment amounted to £5OO, and a like sum had been in-
vested in the 3 per cent. consols. , The balance at present,
after expending several small sums, was £199 7s. 10d.
The report was adopted.
The meeting then proceeded to the election of presidents
and secretaries of the various sections. at the Aberdeen
meeting, when the following gentlemen were elected :
Section A.—Mathematical and Physical Science.
President—The Earl of Rosse, M.A., K.P., F.R.S.,
M.R.1.A., F.R.A.S.
Secretaries—Professor Stevelley, H. J. S. Smith, Esq.,
M.A., J. P. Hennessey, Esq., M.P., Professor Maxwell.
Section B.—Chemical Science.

President—Dr. Lyon Playfair, C. 8., F.R.S., F.G.S

F.C.S.
Secretaries—Dr. Gladstone, Dr. Odling, G. D. Liveing,
M.A., J. S. Brazier, Esq.
Section C.—Geology.

President—Sir Charles Lyell, LL.D., D. C .L., F.R.S,
F.G.S., &c.
Secretaries—Professor Harkness, H. C. Sorby, Esq.,
Rev. Dr. Longmuir.
Section D.—Zoology and Botany, including Physiology
President—Sir W. Jardine, Bart., F.R.S.E.
Secretaries--Dr. Lankestsr, Professor Dickie, Dr. Ogilvie.
Secretary for Sub-Section of Physiology—Dr. Redfern.
Section E.—Geography and Ethnology.
President—Rear-Admiral Sir J. C. Ross, D,C. L, F.R.S.,
F.L.S., F.R.A.S.
Secretaries—Dr. Norton Shaw, Dr. Cull, Professor
Geddes.

•
PRINCE ALBERT'S INAUGURAL. ADDRESS.
His Royal Highness the. Prince Consort took the chair
vacated by Professor Owen ,amidst enthusiastic applause,
and proceeded to deliver the following address :—Gentlemen
of the British Association—Your kind invitation to me to
undertake the office of your president for the ensuing year
could not but startle Me, on its firtst,announcement. The
high position which science occupies; the vast number of
distinguished men who labour in her sacred cause, and
whose achievements, while spreading innumerable benefits,
justly attract the admiration.of mankind, contrasted strongly
in my mind with the consciousness of my own insignificance
in this respect. I, a simple admirer and would-be student
of. science, to take the place of the chief spokesman of the
scientific men of the day assembled in furtherance of their
important objects. The thing appeared to me impossible ;
yet, on reflection, I came to the conclusion that, if not as a
contributor to or director of your labours, I might still be
useful to you, useful to science, by accepting your offer.
Remembering that this association is a popular association,
not a secret confraternity of men jealously guarding the
mysteries of their profession, but inviting the uninitiated—
the public at large—to join them, having as one of its ob-
jects to break down those imaginary and hurtful barriers
which exist between men of science and so-called men
of practice, I felt that I could, from the peculiar po-
sition in which Providence has placed me in this
country, appear as the representative of that large
public which profits by and admires your exertions,
but is unable actively to join in them, that my elec-
tion was an act of humility on your part which to
reject would have looked like false humility—that is, like
pride—on mine (Great applause.) But I reflected fur-
ther, and saw in my acceptance the means, of which neces-
sarily so few are offered to her Majesty, of testifying to you
through the instrumentality of her husband, that your
labours are not unappreciated by your Sovereign—(loud
cheers)—and that she wishes her people to know this as
well as yourselves. (Renewed cheers.) Guided by these
reflections, my choice was speedily made, for the path of
duty lay straight before me. If this, however, are the mo-
tives which have induced me to accept your flattering offer
of the presidency, a request on my part is hardly necessary
that you will receive my efforts to fulfil its duties with kind
indulgence. (Cheers.) If it were possible for anything to
make me still more aware how much I have need of such
indulgence, it would be to succeed as your president a man
of whom this country is justly proud, and whose name
stands among the foremost of the naturalists in Europe for
his patience in investigation, conscientiousness in observa-
tion, boldness of imagination, and acuteness in reasoning.
You have no doubt listened with pleasure to his parting
address, and I beg to thank him for the flattering manner
in which he has alluded to me in it. The association meets
for the first time to-day in these regions, and in this ancient
and interesting city. The poet in his works of fiction has
to choose, and anxiously to weigh, where to lay his scene,
knowing that; like the painter, be is thus laying in the
background of his picture, which will give tone and colour
to the whole. The stern and dry reality of life is governed by
the same laws ; and we axe here living, feeling, and thinking
under the influence of the lopalimpressions of this northern
seaport. The choice appeat4 to Me a good one. The travel-
ling philosophers have had to come far, but in approaching
the Highlands of Scotland they meet nature in its wild and
primitive form, and nature is the object of their studies.
The geologist will not find many novelties in yonder moun-
tains, because he will stand there on the bare back-bone of
the globe. But the primary rocks which stand out in their
nakedness exhibit the grandeur and beauty of their peculiar
form. And in the splendid quarries of this neighbourhood
are seen to peculiar advantage the closeness and hardness
of their mass, and their inexhaustible supply made avail-
able for the use of man by the application of new mechanical
powers. On this primitive soil the botanist and zoologist
will be attracted only by a limited range of plants and
animals, but they are the very species which the extension
of agriculture and increase of population are gradually
driving out of many parts of the country. On those blue
hills the red deer in vast herds hold =disturbed dominion
over the wild heathery forest, until the sportsman, fatigued
and unstrung by the busy life of the bustling town, invades
the moor to regain health and vigour by measuring his
strength with that of the antlered monarch of the hill. But
notwithstanding all his efforts to overcome an antagonist
possessed of such superiority of power, swiftness caution,
and keenness of all . the senses, the sportsman would find
himself baffled had not science supplied h'm with the tele-
scope-and those terrible weapons which seem daily to progress
in the precision with which they carry the deadly bullet,
mocking distance, to the mark. (Cheers.) In return for the
help which science has afforded him, the sportsman can
supply the naturalist with many facts which he alone has
opportunity of observing, and which may assist the solu-
tion of some interesting problems, suggested by the life of
the deer. Man, also, the highest object of our study, is
found in vigorous, healthy development, presenting a
happy mixture of the Celt, Goth, Saxon, and Dane, ac-
quiring his strength on the hills and the sea. The Aber-
deen whaler braves the icy regions of the polar sea to seek
and to battle with the great-monster of the deep. He has
materially assisted in opening these icebound regions to the
researches of science—he fearlessly aided in the search after
Sir John Franklin and his gallant companions, whom
their country sent forth on this mission, but to whom Pro-
vidence, alas 1 has denied the reward of their labours—the
return to their homes, to the affectionate embrace of their
families and friends, and the acknowledgments of a grate-
ful nation. The city of Aberdeen itself is rich in interest
for the philosopher—its two lately united universities niake
it a seat of learning and science. The collection of anti-
quities formed for the present occasion enables him to dive
Into olden times, and by contact with the remains of the
handiwork of, the ancient inhabitants of Scotland, to enter
into the spirit of that peculiar and interesting people,
which has always attracted the attention and touched
the hearts of men accessible to the influence of
heroic poetry. (Loud cheers.) The Spalding Club,
founded in this city for the preservation of the
historical and literary remains of the north-eastern
counties orticothina, is honourably known by its important
publications. Gentlemen, this is the twenty-ninth anni-
versary of the foundation of this association, and well may
we look back with satisfaction to its operations and achieve
ments throughout the time of its existence. When, on the
27th September, 1831, the meeting of the Yorkshire Philo-
sophical Society took place at York in the theatre of the
Yorkshire Museum, under the presidency of the late Earl
Fitswilliam, then Viscount Milton, and the Rev. W. Ver-
non Harcourt eloquently set forth the plan for the forma-
tion of a British Association for the promotion of science,
.which he showed to have become a want for this country,
the most ardent supporter of this association could not have
anticipated that it would start into life, full grown, as it
were, enter at once upon its career of usefulness, and pur-
sue it without deviation from the original design, triumph-
ing over the oppositions which it had to encounter in com-
mon with everything that is new and claims to be useful.
Gentlemen, this proved that the want was a real and not
an imaginary one, and that the mode in which it was in-
tended to supply that want was based upon a just apprecia-
tion of unalterable truths. Mr. Vernon Harcourt summed
up the desiderata in graphic words, which have almost iden-
tically been retained as the exposition of the objects of the
society, printed at the head of the annually appearing vo-
lume of its transactions—to give a stronger impulse and more
systematic direction to scientific inquiry ; to promote the
intercourse of those who cultivate science in different parts of
the empire with one another and with foreign philosophers ;
and to obtain a more genera)l attention to objects of science,
and a removal of any disadvantages of a public kind which
impede its progress. To define the nature of science, to give
an exact and complete definition of what that science, to
whose service the association is devoted, is and means,
naturally must at all times occupy the metaphysician. He
has answered the question in various ways, more or less
satisfactorily to himself or others. To me science in its most
general and comprehensive acceptation means the know-
ledge of what I know, the consciousness of human know-
ledge. Hence to know is the object of all science, and all
special knowledge, if brought to our consciousness in sepa-
rate distinctiveness from, and yet in its recognised relation
to, the totality of our knowledge, is scientific knowledge.
We require, then, for science—that is to say, for the acqui-
sition of scientific knowledge—those two activities if our
mind which are necessary for the acquisition of any know-

ledge—analysis and mnthesis—the first to dissect and re-
duce into its component parts the object to be investigated,
and to render an at ate account to ourselves of the nature
and qualities of these parts by observation ; the second to re-
compose the observed and understood parts into a unity in
our consciousness, exactly answering to the object of our in-
vestigation. The labours of the man of science are there-
fore at once the most l nimble and the loftiest which man can
undertake. He only ices what every little child does from,
its first awakening int o life—and must do every moment of
its existence—and yet ho aims at the gradual approximation
to Divine truth itself.. If, then, there exists no difference
between the work of the man of science and that of the
merest child, what constitutes the distinction ? ' Merely the
conscious self-determil ration. The child observes what acci-
dent brings before it, and unconsciously forms its notion of
it. The so-called•prisctical man observes what his special
work forces upon him, and he forms his notions upon it
with reference to this particular work. The man of science
observes what he intends to observe, and• knows why he in-
tends it. (Cheers.) The value which this peculiar object
has in his eyes is not determined by accident, nor by an ex-
ternal cause—such as the mere connection with work to be
performed—but by the place which he knows this object to
hold in the general universe of knowledge—by the relation
which it bears to other parts of that general knowledge.
(Cheers.) To arrange, and classify that universe of know-
ledge becomes therefore the first and perhaps the most im-
portant object and duty of science. It is only when brought
into a system, by sep "rating the incongruous and Combin-
ing those elements in which we have been enabled to dis-
cover the internal connexion which the Almighty has im-
planted in them, that we can hope 'to grapple with the
boundlessnes of his creation, and with the laws which go-
vern both mind and matter. (Cheers.) The operation of
science, then, has been systematically to divide human
knowledge, and raise, as it were, the separate grounds of
subjects for scientific consideration into different and
distinct sciences. The tendency to create new sciences
is peculiarly apparent in our present age, and is per-
haps inseparable from so rapid a progress as we have
seen in our days. For the acquaintance with and mas-
tering of distinct branches of knowledge enables the eye,
from the newly-gained points of sight, to see the new
ramifications into which they divide themselves, in strict
consecutiveness, and with logical necessity. But in thus
gaining new centres of light from which to direct our re-
searches, and new and powerful means if adding to its
ever-increasing treasures science approaches no nearer to
the limits of its range, although travelling further and fur-
ther from its original point of departure. For God's work
is infinite, and the boundlessness of the universe whose
confines appear ever to retreat before our finite minds,
strikes us no less with awe, when, prying into the starry
crowd of heaven, we find new works revealed to us by every
increase in the power of the telescope, and when the micro-
scrope discloses to us in a drop of water, or an atom of
dust, new worlds of life and animation, or the remains of
such as have passed away. (Cheers.) Whilst the tendency
to push systematic investigation in every direction enables
the individual miad of man to bring all the power of whick
he is capable to bear on the specialities of his study, and
enables a greater number of labourers to take part in the
universal work, it may be feared that consciousness of its,
unity which must pervade the whole of science, if it is not;
to lose its last and highest point of sight, may suffer. It
has occasionally been given to rare intellects of the highest
genius to follow the various sciences in their divergent roads,
and yet to preserve the point of sight from which alone their
totality can be comtemplated and directed. Yet how rare i
the appearance of such gifted intellects ; and if theybefoun
at intervals, they remain still single individuals, with all th
imperfections of human nature. The only mode of sup
plying, with any certainty, this want, is to be sought in the
combination of men of science, representing all the speciali;
ties, and working together, for the common object of pre.:
serving that unity, and presiding over that general direc-
tion. This has been to some extent done to many coun-
tries by the establishment of academies embracing the
whole range of the sciences, whether physical or metaphy-
sical, historical or political. In the absence of such an in!
stitution in this country, all lovers of science must rejoice
at the existence and activity of this association—(cheers)-1-
which embraces in its sphere of action, if not the whole
range of the sciences, yet a very large and important section
of them—those known as the inductive sciences, excluding
all that are not approached by the inductive method of in-
vestigation. It has, for instance (and, considering its pecu-
liar organisation and mode of action, perhaps not unwisely)
eliminated from its consideration and discussions those which
came under the description of moral and political sciences.
This has not been done from undervaluing their importance
and denying their sacred rights to the special attention of
mankind, but from a desire to deal with those sUbjeets only
which can be reduced to positive proof, and do not rest on
opinion or faith. The subjects of the moral and political
sciences involve not only opinions but feelings, and their
discussion frequently rouses passions, for feelings are " sub-
jective," as the German metaphysician has it., they are in-
separable from the individual being—an attack upon them
is felt as one upon the person itself, whilst facts are objec-
tive, and belong to everybody; they remain the same facts
at all times and under all circumstances. They can be
proved, they have to be proved, and when proved, are
finally settled ; it is with facts only that the association
deals. There may for a time exist differences of opinion qn
these'also, but the process of removing them and resolving
them into agreement is a different one from that in the
moral and political sciences. These are generally ap •
preached by the deductive process ; but if the reasoning be
ever so acute and logically correct, and the point of depar-
ture which may be arbitrarily selected is disputed, no agree-
ment is possible. Whilst we proceed here by the inductive
process, taking nothing on trust, nothing for granted, but
reasoning upwards from the meanest fact established, and
making every stay sure before going one beyond it, like the
engineer in his approaches to a fortress, we thus gain
ultimately a roadway, a ladder, by which even a child may,
almost without knowing it, ascend to the summit of truth,
and obtain that immensely wide and extensive view
which is spread below the feet of the astonished beholder.
This road has been shown us by the great Bacon, and who
can contemplate the prospects which it opens without
almost falling into a trance similar to that in which he
allowed his imagination to wander over future ages of dis-
covery. (Cheers.) From amongst the political sciences it
has been attempted in mode& times to detach one which
admits of being severed from individual political opinions,
and of being reduced to abstract laws, derived from well
authenticated facts. I mean political economy, based
upon general statistics. A new association has lately been
formed, imitating our perambulating habits, and striving
to comprehend in its investigations and discussions, even a
still more extended range of subjects in what is called
"social science." These efforts deserve our warmest appro-
bation and goodwill. Our own association has since its
meeting at Dublin recognised the growing claims of politi-
cal economy to scientific brotherhood, and admitted it into
its statistical section. It could not have done so under
abler guidance and happier auspices than the presidency of
the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr. Whately, whose efforts in this
direction are so universally appreciated. But even in this
section, and whilst statistics alone were treated in it, the
asociation, as far back as 1833, made it a rule that in order
to ensure positive results only those classes of facts should
be admitted which were capable of being expressed by
numbers, and which promised when sufficiently multiplied
to indicate general laws. If, then, the main object of science
—and I beg to be understood henceforth as speaking only
of that section which the association has under its special
care—viz., inductive science—if, I say, the object of
science is the discovery of the laws which govern
natural phenomena, the primary condition for its
success ,is accurate observation and collection of facts
in such comprehensiveness and completeness as to furnish
the philosopher with the necessary material from which to
draw safe conclusions. Science is not of yesterday—we
stand on the shoulders of past ages, and the amount of ob-
servations made, and facts ascertained, has been trans-
mitted to us, and carefully preserved in the various store-
houses of science. Other crops have been reaped, but still
lie scattered on the field. Many a rich harvest is ripe for
cutting, but waits for the reaper. Economy of labour is
the essence of good husbandry, and no less so in the field of
science. Our association has felt the importance of this
truth( and may well claim as one of its principal merits the
constantendeavour to seeurethat economy. Oneof the latest
undertakings of the association has been the conjunction
of scientific memoirs, which, by combining under one head
the titles of all memoirs written on a certain subject will,
when completed, enable the student who wishes to gain
information on that subject, to do so with the greatest
ease. It gives him, as it were, the plan of the house,
and the key to different apartments in which the mea-
sures relating to his subject are stored, saving him at
once a painful and laborious search, and affording him,
at the same time, an assurance of what is here offerer,
contains the whole of the treasures yet acquired, while
this has been one of its latest attempts. The asso-
ciation has from its very beginning kept in view that its
main sphere of usefulness lay in that concentrated atten-
tion to all scientific operations which a general gives to
the movements of his army, watching and regulating the
progress of his impetuous soldiers in the different direlytions to which their orders may have led them, carefully
noting the gaps which may arise from their independent
and eccentric action, and attentively observing what
impediments may have stopped, or may threaten to stop,
the progress of certain columns. Thus it attempts to fix
and record the position and progress of the different
labours by its reports on the state of sciences publishei
annually in its transactions. Thus it directs the atten-
tion of the labourers to those gaps which require to be
filled up, if the progress is to be a safe and steady one.
Thus it comes forward with a helping hand' in striving to
remove those impediments which the unaided efforts of
the individual labourer have been or may be wa.

The Lords of the Admiralty landed from the Os
borne yacht in Hamoaze at the Devonport Dockyard
at half-past 10 o'clock on Wednesday morning. The
First Lord, the Duke of Somerset. went to the office
of the Admiral Superintendent, Sir T. Pasley, and
held a levee, which was attended by a large number
of naval officers residing in the western district.
Admiral Pelham, Commodore Eden, and Sir B.
Walker were in the meantime occupied in the
Arsenal. At half-past one their lordships returned
to the Osborne, and after a short delay visited the
gardship of ordinary, Royal William, 104, flagship
of Rear-Admiral Sir T. Pasley ; the new screw
steam frigate Orlando, 50, Mr. Buchan, chief engi-
neer, and one of the gunboats, and then pulled for
the powderworks at Bull Point. During the after-
noon Admiral Pelham, Commodore Eden, and Sir
Baldwin Walker inspected the Royal Sailors'
Home at Devonport, and expressed themselves
pleased with the arrangements. In the evening
the Lords of the Admiralty entertained Port Admi-
ral Sir Barrington Reynolds, the various naval
officers in commission, and the heads of depart-
ments at Moorshead's Royal Hotel, Devonport, after
which they patronised a ball in favour of the Royal
Female Orphan Asylum, which took place in St.
George's-hall, Stonehouse. The business of the
Board at Plymouth would close probably yester-
day, and their lordships are expected to leave to-
day. Their next place of inspection is Pembroke.
Yesterday intelligence was received at the Ad-
miralty, under date Lagos, West Coast of Africa,
Aug. 16, that on the 18th of July Lieut. Hope, of
her Majesty's gunboat Brune, with Mr. E. J. Kil-
brow, second master, James Mack, gunner's mate,
and 10 kroomen, were off the Bar of Lagos taking
soundings, when their boat got into the surf, was
capsized, and every soul perished except one kroo-
man, who was picked up four days afterwards 70
miles distant, clinging to the boat and nearly dead
from want of food and water.
The Defence Commissioners, who are now at Ply-
mouth, inspected Catwater, Catdown, and the Laira
on Wednesday. There being no outwork of any
description, this district, which lies to the eastward
of the town, is quite unprotected, excepting that
part which is near the citadel.
The screw frigate Ariadne, 32, having had her
lower masts put on board, was yesterday removed
from the shear-hulk and taken into the large second
dock at Chatham, for the purpose of being rigged
and made ready for sea.
The naval store ship Hope is making good her
defects at Chatham.
The Odin, 22, paddle, in the steam basin at Ports-
mouth, got up steam yesterday to try machinery.
She is ordered to be prepared forimmediate service.
The Sphinx, 6, paddle, and the Ringdove, 6, screw
despatch vessel, are also under orders to be at once
prepared for commission.
The Colossus, 80, screw steamship, lit fires in the
steam basin at Portsmouth yesterday for the purpose
of testing the efficiency of her furnace in the filling
of hollow shot with molten iron. The Serpent
target brig was selected as a mark on which to try
the effect of these fearful missiles, fired from a gun
on board her Majesty's ship Excellent. The fur-
nace worked in the most satisfactory manner, sup-
plying without any difficulty fully one ton of
molten iron per hour. To explain this any' further
is quite needless for obvious reasons, but we may
state that the hollow shot or globes which were to
be filled with the liquid iron were supplied by the
patentee, and were of three different degrees of sub-
stance. No. 1 representing the thickness of iron
to 11 inch in one part, and in the opposites an
inch. No. 2, 4 inch, and t an inch. No. 3, 4
inch, and aof an inch. The effects of these globes
of liquid metal striking a ship are supposed to be,
that they would break, and scattering the liquid
metal on the woodwork of the ship, at once set her
on fire. The nature of the experiment yesterday,
however, precluded its being tried in this sense, and
it was merely tried with reference to its effects as
compared with red hot shot as hitherto prepared
for such purposes. The hollow iron globes were
filled with the molten iron from the furnace on board
the Colossus alongside the north wall of the steam
basin, and were then conveyed in an iron bucket to
a boat on the opposite side of the quay, which pulled
aboard the Excellent ; the average time from the
metal being run off from the furnace until the
missile left the mouth of the gun on its errand of
destruction being six minutes. To ascertain the ef-
fects of the practice it was of course necessary that
the shot should effect a lodgment in the object fired
at, but this was found, from the rotten state of the
Serpent and the short range-800 yards—to be a
matter of too great difficulty. Ten shots were fired
altogether, two of which burst, but the metal inside
of them had lost too much of its liquidity from the
length of time it had been drawn from the furnace
to produce the effects intended in its liquid state.
It is expected that the Colossus will be moved out
of the steam basin, and further experiments carried
out from her own guns at the Undaunted target-
ship at a longer range. Capt. R. S. Hewlett, C. 8.,
of her Majesty's ship Excellent, directed the experi-
ments.
On the occasion of the paying off the Alarm, 26,
Captain Curry, last week, at Devonport, £5,200
was paid to the crew in half an hour, and several
of the men received upwards of £lOO. They wore
all perfectly sober at the pay-table, and when paid,
those not belonging to the neighbourhood proceeded
to their respective homes. The Alarm had a very
young crew ; they were in good:discipline, and very
well behaved—the generality of them continuous
service men. A long service medal and gratuity
of £l5 was awarded to John Sinclair, boatswain s
mate, and William Barthrop, private, R.M. Good
conduct gratuities were also given to six other
petty . officers. The Alarm has had an
alarming name during her commission, but, en-
tirely owing to the admirable management of
Captain Corry, few ships have ended their term of
service more favourably. He will have no difficulty
in getting men, should he again commission a ship.
Several of the officers are also much respected.
Many of the officers of the dockyard observed that
they bad not known a hip to pay off more credita-
bly, or a crew that were more orderly. On Friday
evening the gun-room officers gave a splendid en-
tertainment at the Royal Hotel, to which were in-
vited Lieuts. Hooper and Legh, Mr. Death, pay-
master, and Mr. Bluett, assistant surgeon. Lieut
Hooper was prevented, by a serious illness, from
being present. So pleasant an evening had not
been before, during the Alarm's commission.
The Rhadamanthus paddle steamer arrived yester-
day at Portsmouth, with machinery, from Woolwich.
The Svetlana, Russian frigate, left the Mother-
bank yesterday, at 6 p.m. On leaving she exchanged
the customary salutes with the garrison and her
Majesty's ship Victory.
The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Captain R. D. White, to
the Madagascar, vice Commander Leycester, su-
perseded at his own request; Dr. W. M. C.
Saunders, surgeon, to the Renown ; Charles S.
Harford, midshipman, to the Arrogant; Alan B.
Thomas, midshipman, to the Marlborough; R. F.
Hammick, midshipman,
t o the Melpomene , • and the
Hon. A. F. Hood, midshipman, to the Trafalgar.

(From the Australian Mail.)
Mr. Stuart returned to Adelaide yesterday in the
Marion steamer from Port Augusta after an absence
of six months. His party consisted of two persons
besides himself, and they had with them about four
pack and four or five saddle horses. Mr. Stuart's
first business was to survey and lay off the runs
discovered and claimed by him some time ago.
After that work was finished he started with his
party on a further exploratory expedition, and the
result has been the discovery of an immense tract
of country exceeding in richness of pasturage and
abundance of water anythinc, that has yet been met
with. The distance traversed was 300 miles beyond
the farthest point reached by Mr. Babbage and
Major Warburton, and the country was found to
be luxuriant beyond description. Mr. Stuart
started from the Emerald Springs about the begin-
ning of April, and reached lat. 26 S., the northern
boundary of the colony, about the middle of May,
and during his entire journey there and back he
states that he was never a single day without
water. The country traversed consisted chiefly of
immense plains interspersed with innumerable
hillocks from 100 to 150 feet high, from the sum-
mits of which gushed springs of pure fresh water
intersecting the plains and discharging themselves
into numerous creeks and rivers running in an
easterly direction. One of the rivers discovered is
reported by Mr. Stuart to be three miles broad in
one part of its course. The ranges flanking the
plain are chiefly table-topped and about 1,000 feet
high. Mr. Stuart made a detour occasionally of
from twenty to thirty miles on each side of his
track, and found the country everywhere of the
same beautiful description • and it seemed to be of
a similar character as far the eye could roach beyond
the farthest point attained by him. Indeed, he
seems to have turned back through surfeit of good.
country. He thinks there would not be any diffi-
culty whatever in crossing over to the Gulf of Car-
pentaria, or to any other portion of the north coast.
His impression is that an inland lake or sea exists
its
to the eastward, which probably discharges
waters in Victoria River to the north-west. At any
rate, the theory that the centre of New Holland is
nothing but a desert may now be exploded. Mr.
Stuart has brought back specimens of the grasses,
seeds, and minerals of the country, the latter of
which are said to include some precious stones. A
considerable portion of the ground traversed is
represented as auriferous. We have had an oppor-
tunity of inspecting Mr. Stuart's map and sketches,
which are at present in a rough state, but we are
not at liberty to publish further details at present.
We hope pbe able to do so in a few days. We
need scarcely say that should these new and im-
portant discoveries be verified, we hope that Mr.
Stuart will meet with some adequate reward for
his enterprise as an explorer from the Government
and the country.

THE 10TH OF OCTOBER AND THE INCOME TAX.
—Under the new Income Tax Act the 10th October is the
half-year in which the additional income tax of 4d. in the
pound on £l5O and upwards, and under that sum of lid.
will become due.
abmade Under
epoasni cdhoirend
aul.ll2teezßetehtichese
firstin newli
Our acottfoebliBenrwiik
agt
~
Eng-
land is 2d. in the pound and lid. in Scotland and Ireland.-
etmeallowed to maltsters in consideratione of
tlAhn er
discounteexs pc
respect
t tois dutyimalt,
oa il
bst
the reduction of credit. The act recites that her Majesty's
mKoinstodounitifuilnanrdarlioiyaaral Commons
esuntbjasectsse,mthbleed,
necessary supplies, have freely and of the United
give and 'grant to her Majesty. the seorawla
rates
voluntarily resolved to
under the act.
DISINFECTING PLASTER.—The French Academy
of Sciences has received a new communication on the sub-
s raisinga
d du duties
sub-
ject of Drs. Come and Demeaux's disinfecting composition
of plaster and coal tar, from Dr. Bonnafont, physiceian
hie
to
the Invalides. At the request of Dr. Faure, th
physician, the mixture was made according to the for-
mula announced by Dr. Velpeau, and tried for the space
of thirty-two days on various patients. All the sur-
geons were instructed to write down, when on :duty,
the results they had observed in dressing the wounds
in the evening ; Dr. Bonnafont himself su
usip ens comeerintend-
ing the dressing every morning. The concl
to were as follows :—l. The mixture of coal-tar and plaster
destroys or covers the smell which arises out of sores; 2.
Its action is in an inverse tio to the quantity of suppura-
tion ;3.1t is not very absorbent; 4. On taking off the
bandages nothing is smelt at first but the coal-tar ; but it
soon appears that the matter below has lost none
of etor ;5. This mixture, in consequence of
its n itsot f
being very absorbent, is ill adapted for mili-
tary hospitals, especially during a campaign, since
it renders a more frequent repetition of the proeess of dress-
ing necessary ; G. Some of the powder also remains stick-
ing to the wound, and it requires some time to remove it ;
but other powders are more difficult to rem eve than this ;
7. Its action on the wound is undoubtedly 51Outary, but it
remains to be ascertained whether it be mor e so than other
powders which have longbeen in use. Upon the whole, Dr.
Bonnafont's experiments do not seem to hallo led to such
i favourable results as Dr. Larrey's at Milan, .