The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-30 00:00:00

challenged.
The Water-Witch, lately launched from th
Thames Ironworks, at Blackwall, is an hyclra..aa
iron-cased gun-vessel, of 778 tons and 1.60-107 i
power. The construction of this vessel is n(3l
On each side she has a metal pipe for continnell'l.l4
discharging water by the propulsion of atetillsi
The force of this water is the motive power 141
drives her on. She has a huge water-wheel :fij
feet in diameter and weighing 8 tons. The watt
vg
admitted, through holes in the bottom, into a 10,re
iron box, like the well of a Thames punt, Wheof
gudgeons are kept alive. She ejects 300 tnils,d,
water every minute when working at full aPebe
The wheel is constructed to force the water froln of
box through the pipes in a continuous streaniteo
immense power, and it is said that the sr tho
yields a greater power in proportion to st
fuel consumed than the screw or paddle, tbe
less power is wasted, and that it call re,
turned to drive backwards or forwards at pieta
without stopping or reversing the engines, the 0",0
on command on deck being able to change the 811 v,
course, or to modify her speed instantaneoliSij
without communication with the engine-tro,
out
Her trial proved a speed of two knots an "ail
greater than that estimated for her. The Pall"'i f
veo
Gazette illustrates the principle on which she In° to
in the following manner :—" If any one N 1451010
observe for himself the principle of motion °L
Waterwitch, he may do so at a cheap cost 1)1 0013
chasing one of the iudiarubber skins which are toe
at every toy-ship, and which on inflation asuo,
the dimensions and appearance of a large 513
Directly free egress is afforded to the air by thhe the
moval of the finger from the hole through whic7,l
air has been blown in, the snake rushes for",
across the room, or as far as its supply of air the
carry it. This is precisely the principle a
Waterwitch, except that an hydraulic presTireatlio
substituted for an air pressure, and the hit tbe
pressure is constantly kept up by steam, vill'ote
air pressure on the snake dies away almost
diately as the air escapes. The law which oPerbileftr
in both cases, as also in the illustrations whicli„ed
been adopted, of a gun at the moment a `-tioo
and of a rocket during flight, is the law that ac
alt
and reaction are equal.' The motion is the r tblo
of the reaction of the escaping power, whether
_l9

power be hydraulic, atmospheric, or gaseous... the
Miss Maria S. Cummins, the author of
iro
"Lamplighter" and other widely popular Ot 1,
died at Dorchester on Monday morning, Tii;4l
She was the daughter of Judge Cummins, aoull 010
of cultured and finished literary ability. The
of the "Lamplighter" has exceeded 1,000, o°x
_,,,
000
and since its publication, in 1853, Miss enel,roo4
has written " Mabel Vaughan," "El Fureidistlid
" Haunted Hearts." Most of her later virl
have been published in the Atlantic Monthly 40
PARIS, Oct. 21.—An Imperial decree nhoty
to-day orders the obsequies of the late g•
venel to be celebrated at the public expense, e-that
count of the eminent services rendered bYtoceo
statesman to his country. The Ifoniteur ant and
his death as a loss to the Emperor and countrVigith
adds :—" His name is so intimately associate°. Ad
the remembrance of the annexation of Nicebjec
Savoy to France that his loss will remain the °
of well-founded and honoutlable regret." sool°
The French troops are positively to leave
of
on the 15th December. An instalment Ontgi,
French troops, nearly a thousand of the 81-at ?
ment, will leave Vera Cruz for France oil d tb°
inst. The Austrian Government has orcleresicoi
war steamer Elizabeth to sail immediately for Ale
with what object is not made known.

___ -- __-____-_---
Births. fo
oil°
BIDDULPH—On the 27th inst., at Blackheath, te son. of
Lieut.-Col. R. Biddulph, Royal Artillery, of S wife
BROOKE—On the 28th inst., at Ewell, Surrey, a° the
Henry Brooks, Esq., of a son.
,I 2
, Are'
HANBURY—On the 27th inst., at 21, Portraall-P,
wife of George Hanbury, Esq., of a son. of
JESSEY—On the 27th inst., at righton, the S
Jessey, Esq., Q.C., of a son.
Marriages.
.43, rd";
BALFOUR - KEM—On the 25th inst , at Sind,,r°o- ...„; v-ejilh
shire, N. 8., Francis W. Balfour, Esq of -r7":,01.0
Fifoshire, late Major Rifle Brigade,' to i'd9'.-og- ae• rtio
second daughter of P. S. Keir, Esq., of Kin 1 marl ~e'
DAVSON—CHAPMAN—On the 27th inst., at St•g- Coc'c't#l.,
Church, Lee, Smith H. Dayson, Esq., 31.1),-," ;7'0)1; 61i'
terrace, Kilburn-park, son of the late S. J'a and u'll
9, Berbice, British Guiana, to Rose Annie, sec-
ter of Henry Chapman, Esq., Lee, Kent.
it
it
Deaths.
T.del
CLAYPON—On the 27th inst., at Branch 11111 ..-•° jov,
stead, B. Claypon, Esq., aged 74. „ lle,l3,lti'
DENT—On the 28th inst., at Highwood 110,11';'t CA'
Capt. Robert C. Dent, late of H.M.'s Ist 14 COI '
Indian Army, Madras. , oreVe' „,
GREENAWAY—On the 28th inst., at 218, The so. < )•'
berwell, S. Michael Greenaway, Esq., age',,,ijaleg"'
NEWMAN- On the 28th inst., at FinchleY, ' of li,
C. Newman, Esq., aged 78. a•Sol
•tb,
G.
SMITH—On the 28th inst., Mr. Thomas - . .41
lela
New North-road, Hoxton, aged 55. N• Sl'
WAIT—On
James
Wait,t h e
E27s
qt h., isnhsitp.,oawtn7o,r,Sapgr
ei ndg
7- te.r r a c e:
ad,
or:101
WEBB—On the 27th inst., at 25, East Indiaf ,ged
Webb, of 24, Laurence Pountney-lane, 1.- "
de'
A...- .1,
....
London : Printed and Published by WlLLlAtiroe. 1:00 .
of No. 112, Strand, Painter, at Trtz SON the CO
Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in
Bliddlesea.—Tuesday, Octeber 30,1888.