The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-25 00:00:00

THE ARMI

The following circular, addressed to tho cavalry,
has been issued from the Horse Guards by com-
mand of the Duke of Cambridge
"1. The General Commanding .in-Chief having had
under his consideration the proportions of ammunition al-
lowed for cavalry regiments, as prescribed in paragraph 1,
p. 112, of the Queen's Regulations, directs that all cavalry
regiments armed with the rifle carbine shall receive for the

training of the recruit, and for the exercise of the drilled

soldier annually, the following quantities of ammunition :
For the recruit, 70 rounds of ball cartridge, and 20 rounds
of blank ditto, with 100 percussion caps, also 20 percussion
caps for snapping practice ; to be applied for as wanted, in
such quantities as may be justified by the number of re-
cruits actually present, or expected to join soon. For the
drilled soldier annually 70 rounds of ball and 50 rounds of
blank cartridge, with 132 percussion caps ; to be applied for
in sufficient time to ensure its receipt prior to the date on
which the practice is to commence.
" 2. His Royal Highness desires that the course of in-
struction for the cavalry soldier in the use of the rifle car-
bine be strictly carried out in conformity with the regula-
tions for conducting the musketry instruction of the army,
with such modification only as the different nature of the
duties of the two services requires ; and that commanding
officers, field officers, captains, subalterns, and instructors
in all other respects conform to the rules laid down for their
guidance in the above-named regulations.
"3. The cavalry soldier is never, if it can possibly be
avoided, to be withdrawn from his stable duties for carbine
instruction. The period of the day in which these will be
least interfered with is from 2 p.m. until it is time for even-
ing stables.
"4. The cavalry recruit is to be instructed in the use of
the rifle carbine in all respects as the infantry recruit, omit-
ting the platoon practices, which are not considered neces-
sary in his rifle training.

‘' 5. The course of carbine instruction through which the
drilled cavalry soldier is to be exercised annually is to con-
sist of the following number of drills and practices, which
can be executed easily, and in an efficient manner, in the
period of the day already specified :—Preliminary Drills—
Four lessons in cleaning ammunition, each half an hour ;

four lessons in theoretical instruction, each half an hour ;
four aiming drills, from 150 to 600 yards, each three. quar-
ters of an hour; four position drills, each three-quarters of
an hour; four judging distance drills, two to 300 yards,
and two to 600 yards, each three-quarters of an hour; total
hours' instruction daily, three and a quarter, for four days.
Practice—First period of target and judging distance prac-
tice, 20 rounds and 12 answers, two days; second period
of target and judging distance practice, 20 rounds and 12
answers, two days ; third period of target and judging dis-
tance, 20 rounds and 12 answers, two days ; skirmishing
from 400 to 200 yards, 10 rounds, one day. Total number
of days, of a maximum of four hours, to be occupied an-
nually in musketry drill and practice-11.
6. The foregoing course of instruction (which is a mo-
dification of the infantry course, in consequence of the time
of the cavalry soldier being so fully occupied with stable
and other duties) must be strictly and fully carried out to
insure efficiency in the use of the cavalry rifle carbine.
" 7. It is of great importance that the carbine instruc-
tion.of the cavalry should take place at the same time of
the y ear as the musketry instruction of the infantry ; com-
manding officers will, therefore, take care that this is fully
attended to, and that the course be, if possible, continued
without interruption, until completed.

- -
4, 8. In the case of cavalry regiments which are armed
with rifled carbines not sighted to 900 yarth, or are quar-
tered at stations where a range to the full extent is not
available, the practices to be executed and the quantity of
ammunition to be expended under such circumstances are
detailed in an annexed table.—By comm end of his Royal
Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief,
" JAMES YORKE SCARLETT, Atljt,-Gen."

Yesterday Col. W. R. Nedham, commandant of
the Royal Artillery, commenced his half-yearly in-
spection of the Royal Artillery in the Chatham dis-
trict. The four brigades attached to the subdivision
at Sheerness will be inspected in the first ii:stance,
after which Col. Nedham will inspect the other de-
tachments of Royal Artillery quartered in the dis-
trict.

The 31st and 33d companies of Royal Engineers,
together with the reinforcements for the other com-
panies serving in the Mediterranean, were paraded
at Brompton-barracks, Chatham, at an early hour
yesterday morning, and, having been inspected by
Lieut.-Col. T. B. Collinson, second in command, at
the Royal Engineer establishment, were marched
down to Chatham-barracks, where they joined the
detachment of the 2d battalion of the 4th King's
Own, which proceeds to Corfu to join the service
companies of that regiment. After the troops of
the line had been inspected. by Colonel H. Jervis,
t_he entire body marched off to the station of the
Chatham, and Dover Railway, preceded
by the Royal Engineers' y
band, and proceeded by
special train
for the Mediterranean.
Portsmouth, where they embar*
%al:Ilan. The 31st company goeS
out
et 11270th a:0%11,113% Detachments of 45 men for flip
28th company
Malta, and the 30th at Corfu, also
left Chatham with the
lowing officers :—Capt. iLlituetVanY, and the fol-
T. Campbell, and Lieut. R. Vim, Lieut. W. M.
company, which has been
also
0. lones. The 33d
Gibra.i augmented to its
required strength, proceeds to
the 24th company. Detachments, to
the to relieve
number of
40 men, selected from the companies at
ha
ters, were attached to the 33d company to head
and 27th companies at Gibraltar, where3th'e t
33d
relieves the 24th company. The officers who ac-
companied the 33d company from Chatham were
Capt. R. Hawthorn and Lieut. W. Salmond. The
usual proportion of women and children proceed
with the Royal Engineers to the Mediterranean.
Yesterday the H battery, 9th brigade, Royal
Artillery, numbering 170 non-commissioned officers
and gunners, with 96 horses, arrived at Claathani
from the Curragh. The battery proceeds, a portion
to Canterbury and the remainder to Walrner, where
it will be permanently stationed.
In consequence of the serious of illness of CoI.
Dixon, C. 8., and the indisposition also of Col.
Street, C.B„ Major Lase has been placed in tempo-
rary command of the 9th battalion, and Major West
of the lath battalion, at the camp at Colchester.
. t
ropes of the sth Dragoon Guards have now
arriTved at Ipswich,
, and the headquarters, with
more lthorpob and other officers, and some
'a"' left Colchester yesterday en route for

Norwich. They will probably arrive at Norwich
on Friday.

Major Milward, Brigade-Major, Royal Artillery,
at Woolwich, has gone to the southern district of
England, by direction of the Duke of Cambridge, to
inspect the volunteers. The duties of Brigade-
Major at Woolwich will be performed in the interval
by Major Reilly, C. 8., aide-de-camp to the major-
general commanding, Sir Richard Dacres.
Mr. S. Perry, the builder and contractor, has
just completed a range of buildings at the back
of the Royal Artillery mess quarters .at Woolwich
as billiard and smoking rooms, for the more ample
accommodation of the officers and their friends.
Much care has been bestowed on their proper heat-
ing and ventilation. For the latter purpose a long
exterior gallery, or " eastern balcony," supported
by heavy iron pillars, runs along the length of the
building. The entire cost has been defrayed from
the funds of the mess committee.

In consequence of the Woolwich division of Royal
Marines being at present below its recuired strength,
additional recruiting parties have been despatched
to various districts, with instructions to use great
diligence in obtaining serviceable men for the corps.
Yesterday a draught of the 2a battalion of the
6th Regiment left Colchester Camp for Gibraltar. It
consisted of two sergeants, four drummers, and 60
rank and file, under the command of Capt. Stillman,
who was commanded by Lieut. Hall and Ensign
Collis. The draught proceeded to Portsmouth, and
embarked on board the Megmra, in which they ar.
rived from Ireland only a few weeks since.

General Dennis Herbert, whose (bath we have to
announce, was one of the senior Ct nerals in the
army. The deceased, who expired or. the 19th inst.
at Exeter, served on the Continent with the army
under Lord Moira and the Duke of Tork. He was
engaged in the Carib war in St. Vincent's, at Port-
au-Prince, in St. Domingo, and at 'fort Irois, dur-
ing the three months' siege, and alsc at the siege of
Copenhagen in 1807. His commissions bore date :
Ensign, Jan. 1794; lieutenant, Sept. 4, 1794; cap-
tain, Feb. 21; 1799; major, Jar. 30, 1800 ; lieut.-
colonel, Jan. 28, 1808; colonel, Tune 4, 1814; ma-
jor general, May 27, 1825 ; lieut.-general, June 28,
1838; and general, June 20, 1854.
Capt. Oakes has been appointed Adjutant of the
West Suffolk Militia, in the room of Capt. M'Gre-
gor, who retires with the rank of Honorary MAjor.

THE CANADIAN OIL REGION.

(From a Correspondent of the Toronto Leader.)

Leaving London by the 2.40 p m. train, your cor.
respondent went directly to -Wyoming—the de-
barking point for Black Creek, as any one might
suppose who is favoured with a sense of smell. The
peculiar odour of the oil, which is here stored in
large quantities for carriage to the eastern markets,
is perceived, especially if the wind happens to be
favourable, at the distance of a nile or two. I
noticed that the large platform was covered with
the blackest and oiliest of barrels, baying nothing
of the hundreds of empty ones which were
returned from the east, and which in promiscuous
heaps, oftentimes 20 feet high, covered the ground
for rods. The rapid importance this place has
assumed is astonishing. A few months ago, and it
was no place; now it is the place; than there was
a station at a distance of a few miles on either side
of it; it was not even a stopping point ; now it has
stores and shops of every kind. Post-office, carpen-
ters, shoemakers, tailors, blacksmiths—in fact, all
the trades are represented—and two doctors hang
out their shingles. A fine foundry has just been
got into operation. There are livery stables and
teams here without number, and last, but never
least, hotels of a very good kind. From the crowd
of drivers, hotel runners, and lounging stragglers,
one would almost suppose himself at the station of
a city. So great is the increase of business on the
Sarnia branch of the Great Western that the com-
pany are now removing one of the neighbouring
stations to this place, and are erecting storehouses
for the oil.

With the arrival of the morning train from Sar-
nia,
which, by the way, is only 17 miles distant,
and is the resting place of great numbers of Ame-
ricans who come here, I took one of the half-dozen
stages that run to the oil regions. lam sure not
less than 35 or 40 passengers went on the same day
to the creek. The road for the first six miles was
tolerably good, though, the country being a dead
level, with a soil of heavy clay, drainage is difficult.
The road passes through the centre of the township,
is cut and cleared most of the way, and is partially
ditched. Bat soon we hope the labours of the ener-
getic contractor, who is building a plank road from
i Wyoming to Black Creek, will render the route less
wearisome than at present. At a distance of four
miles we come to a store and tavern ; this is Petrone.
West from it about half a mile are the wells known
as " Kelly's Wells." These at one time attracted
considerable attention. There are here about a
dozen wells yielding tolerably. A refinery has been
built at a cost of 10,000 dols. It is now just com-
mencing operations. Proceeding, we occasionally
passed finely cultivated farms. The last five miles
of the journey subject-the traveller to an experience
such as he seldom enjoys. The road is fearfully
rough, so that, notwithstanding the good springs,
we sometimes feared that our backbone might get a
" kifik which might not be so easily shaken out."
As some involuntary exclamations of danger escaped
from me, a rascal sitting opposite laughed. " Why,"
said he, " I guess you're a stranger to these parts,
for if you'd only been here this spring ! Stranger,"
he added, " do you see these logs piled alongside
of the road far miles? Well, I've seen as many
as 20 men at a time scrambling like monkeys over
these ere logs ; this road was covered with water';
the mud was dear knows how deep, and if yOu got
in you was likely to leave your boots, as I have seen
good men do before now. Why, I saw a delicate
young chap, a judge's son from Boston, stuck so
tight that two of us had to go back and help him
out. Look here, stranger ; do you see that ere
canal?'' I had noticed for same miles a strange
looking ditch, about 18 inches deep and five feet
wide, the clay at the bottom of which seemed to
have been smoothed in some way, and had been
puzzling myself to account for it. " That," said my
talkative friend, who was evidently a ' Yankee,
"that," said he, "is the canal in which they drew
oat the oil. It was loaded on stone boats, a barrel,
or perhaps two at a time, and then dragged about
four miles by oxen, sometimes floating, sometimes
slipping through the mud and water, until they got
to the drier road, when the load was transferred to
waggons. Lord! how I larfed at first. Barrels,
oxen, and driver was all of a colour, all equally wet
and muddy ; but these is good times. The road is
beautiful now, and soon the plank road will make 1
it like railroad driving, and it won't cost no dollar
a hundred to get stuff in as it did last spring, and
then you couldn't get nothing in."
We passed a good many waggons of oil going out
to the station. Each waggon carried from four to
seven barrels. The teamsters looked sufficiently well
lubricated to enable them to slip through the world
without trouble. We arrived safely at Black Creek
in time to partake of a good rough dinner in com-
pany with 30 or 40 others. Having fallen in with
an acquaintance, I was much assisted in my tour of
the territory. The place—Black Creek—derives
its name from a creek of that name running through
the oil region. It is about half way between the
eatiastpe,rnbutand at
twheesteexrntrelmimeitssouotfh Eeunnd,isdkiisltleanuttofrwonm-
-Wyoming 12 miles from Sarnia, 24 ,from the St.
Clair River about ;16. The township is about 11
Cues square, The
in the county of Lambton ;
soil, heavy clay ; timber,ash oak. of the most magnifi•
cent kind,
themiargest the
wood, beach, maple,
dbasswood, walnut—in
of
finds of hards.wzeo,
fact, hickory
a ll
settlements, there is no doubto that34dging from the
!o, with a thorough
system of drainage, this woul.dnuetco_me one of the
first townships in Canada.
Spentdays
yfriend, who
diggings, learning all I could from those best
posted.

I found the oil region extending over a limited
space. From the tests already made the oilmen
have concluded that it does not extend all over
the township, as some at first supposed. Black
Creek seems to be the richest territory yet dis•
covered i❑ Canada, and, according to some of the

best authorities; it is the richest in America. Wan-
dering along the banks and in the flats of the
stream, which certainly deserves the name it bears,
lat every few rods came across a well. They were
in every stage of procedure. Some were just com-
menced; some were just finished; from many men
pumping oil into huge vats. Here let me say that
the wells are of different kinds. First, there are
the surface wells, so called because they are only
sunk to the rock; these are for the most part on
the flats of the creek. Some of them, when within
a few feet of the rock, quickly fill with oil, which,
with much noise and uproar of gas, bursts in from
the loose gravelly substance overlying the rock. I
have known wells 50 feet deep and five feet square
fill to the very brim with oil. Nay, I have seen it
flow over the top and run away in a stream, wast-
ing hundreds of barrels. These wells are dug large,
the sides are cribbed and then puddled, so as to keep
out the surface water. Surface wells are dug and
finished for about three dollars per foot. The oil
from these wells is thicker and less pure than that
from the rock wells, but a refiner told me that,
though it was harder to deodorise and refine than
the rock oil, yet, when manufactured, it made the
best oil ; having more body, it gave the best light,
and burnt longer, It is also best for lubricating
purposes. For rock wells they frequently sink a
well like a surface well, and then drill ; but more
frequently the soil is bored out with a large augur
until the rock is reached, a distance varying from
40 to 70 feet. Then piping like pump logs is put
in and driven down snug on the rock. After this
the slow process of drilling is carried on, by foot,
horse power, or with steam engines, sinking from
a few inches to perhaps 10 feet per day, according
to the nature of the rock. This drilling is done for
about 2 dol. 50c. per foot. The character of the
rock seems to vary with every well. It is generally,
however, soapstone, with layers of shale, which is
here in very small quantities, though at other parts
of the township I have known drillers to go through
50 or 60 feet without change. There are also layers
of sandstone, flint rock, and sulphate of iron ; these
vary in quantities at every well, though distant but
a few rods. In the soapstone the oil is generally
found, and at various distances from the surface. A
continuation of little veins may be struck ; then all
at once a larger one, which may cause the oil to be
forced in immense quantities out of the pipe. (The
quantity of oil this country is capable of producing
is amazing.) My friend led me until I was tired,
and I had seen more oil and more wells in opera-
tion, and in course of being sunk, than I had ever
imagined as being in this county. I was told there
were hundreds; that before January 500 wells will
be down; and I believe it. I came across a well
every few rods. There, in the wild woods, were
hundreds of men, all quiet, intent upon their work.
There was no talking, but tramp, tramp, tramp
went the foot, click, click, click the sound sharp of
the drill as the steel bit its way in the rock. In a
few places in the woods we encountered buildings
of more pretentious appearance than the majority;
here were wells worked by steam-engines. How
they ever were got in I know not, but here they
are, working night and day. Large vats and
tanks held the oil ; some of them hold 1,000 bar-
rels ; the largest are immense pits sunk in the stiff
clay, cribbed and puddled, and these, they say, are
better than wooden vats, which leak the oil out, so
penetrating is it. There being no pine, the houses
are for the most part built of logs or bark of the elm,
which is here stripped for that purpose. The life
led by the oilmen very much resembles that of the
gold diggers of California. There was much discom-
fort, but the prospect of gain is better and more
reliable than ever held out by California. Scarcely
a well at Black Creek fails. Faburous prices have
been paid for good wells, Some acre lots sell as
high as 1,000 dols.

Hundreds of people are coming in every week
from all parts of America, most of them being from
Ohio and Pennsylvania—men who have seen the
good thing made by those who were lucky in getting
into the Pennsylvanian oil region at the beginning,
but who were too poor to do anything there now.
They are men of limited capital for the most part,
but of untiring energy and industry. They are of all
trades and professions, and I must say, considering
there are some 600 or 700 there, they are the best
conducted lot of men I ever say. After the labours of
the day, sitting around on boxes, barrels, benches, or
bags of potatoes (for there was not then a chair in

the house), they discussed topics of general interest,
The Michigan Exchange, where_your correspon-
dent lodged, was a large frame building, built in the
barn style, offering free ventilation. About 50 of
us slept in the upper room in leds ranged like ship,
berths, one above another, and two in a bed at that.
Many slept on the floor, with only a counterpane
,-,na.-, it.,,ul, Lhwii bouts thnir pillow_ Many ITcre
turned away from the door. Early in the spring,
when the accommodation was smaller, and the rush
of Americans greater than since the war com-
menced, it was considered a great boon to be per-
mitted to lie on the floor. A good story is told
of a certain landlord who, after his guests
wearied with their long tramp, notwithstanding
the hard boards, were wrapped in sound and sweet
slumbers, was wont to raise the unconscious
traveller and stand him up against the wall, and
then give his bed to another, who, in turn, was
served in like manner. For the truth of this story
I will not vouch. It went the round of Black Creek.
Talking of good stories, there is one equally good,
but supported by truth. A Mr. --, an old
American, returning through the woods about dusk,
was terribly frightened by hearing immediately
over his head one of the most unearthly and infernal
sounds that ever terrified mortal. He thought his
time had come. The first shack of terror had
scarcely seized him when he received a severe blow
on the head as if from a demon's claws. Something
with glaring eyes whirled past him. Frantic,, he
grasped his head. His hair was on end, but no
hat was there. Finally, raising his eyes, he saw a
large owl quietly sailing away with his hat in his
claws. That was the last he ever saw. of it. To
this day the word " owl" sets him off.
The hotels, and they are of high-sounding names,
such as the Michigan Exchange, Twin Sisters, New
York House, Royal George, and others of the second
class, besides shanties innumerable—are all crowded.
Vast numbers of people come, look around, and
then leave, but return in a short time prepared to
go in. Mr. Brydges, managing director of the
Great 'Western Railway, was here the other day.
He expressed himself astonished; he had not the
least idea of the greatness of the oil development.
No doubt the railway connecting this place with
the main line, a charter for which is already ob-
tained, will soon be built. It certainly would pay,
-as it could be built at a trifling expense. The
quality of freight would make it highly remunera-
tive. Why, while I was there quietly looking on, 1
I saw wells yield day after day from 10 to 50
barrels. Now 300 wells at 10 barrels per day
would give 3,000 barrels. What plank-road accom-
modation could manage that, or even half of it?
And this, I assure you, is a small calculation ; 10
barrels per diem is moderate, and there will be
double 300 wells before a year at the present rate
of sinking. As far as I could judge, failure is the
exception. Not one man in 20 who pretended to
be in the oil region failed to get oil ; nor has any
rock well shown signs of drying up.
There is no doubt of it, a source of untold wealth
is in our midst—an oil territory richer than yet
discovered—and yet we Canadians know it not ;
or, rather, we won't let ourselves know it, but shut
our ears to statements of facts until people from
another country come in and take advantage of
opportunities we let slip. If a particle of gold
had been found there, how soon would the country
ring with the tidings ! Yet here is something
equally valuable, and, for some unknown reason,
all information regarding it has been sedulonely
withheld from the public until nine-tenths of the
people even in Toronto deem the whole thing a
hoax. 1

Thanks, however, to the enterprise of some of the
Torontonians, the Americans are no longer to enjoy
a monopoly of the oil refining business. One firm
iu Toronto is buying some thousand barrels, while
another is introducing it largely into Europe. Once
the European
acsmarkt is opened it must create an
immense trade, for ubstance from which are made
refined toilet-soaps, candles superior to wax, oil
that gives a cheaper and not less beautiful light

than gas, and much more convenient, and furnish-
ing the best machine and lubricating oil yet known,
must ultimately be brought into universal use.

THE WHALE FISHING.

In Eastern lands it is high praise to say of a coun-
try that corn, wine, and oil abound there—the oil
being last in order of the three foremost requisites ;
and in Dundee we are equally hopeful for an abun-
dance of oil—but with this difference, that it is not
the mild buttery produce of the olive, but the more
luscious one of the whale we desire, and that
we desire it so much as to put it first, conscious that
if our harpooners and shipowners get but plenty of
it their corn and wine will be sure. Taking an ave-
rage of years, the whale fishing pays. One good
season covers many bad ones, just as a little charity
covers a multitude of sins. This year is the year of
reward, the season of makeweight. This year the
catch of our eight ships is (allowing 150 tuns to the
narwhal) 764 tuns, valued, with bone, at about
£42,000. This is emphatically a good year. When
the news left Davis Straits, the fishing was so far
from concluded that we are warranted in expecting a
catch of about one-third more fish before the season
expires; and we may remind our readers that, two
years ago, the whole of that year's catch was taken
after the date at which our whalers are reported
as having this year secured their 764 tune. It has
been said that this year's success is unprecedented.
That is an error. In 1823 the ten Dundee ships
took among them 282 whales, being' more than 28
fish to each vessel, and 2,168 tuns of oil, or over 216
tuns for each ship. In 1828 all the Dundee whalers
returned " full." This year the average per ship
was, at the end of July, 951 tuns—in 1849 it was,
at the end of the season, 146 tuns; in 1856, 166
tuns ; in 1850, 100 tuns ; and in 1823 it was over 216
tuns. The memorable fishing of 1823 stands by itself.
That year was a famous. one. Each fishing port saw
itso the
sodden from deck to
keel, covered the docks with a film of creamy blub-
u,hheo
fattym e
ber, and some men drove a good business in skimming
the grease-covered docks as dairymaids skim cream
bowls. How the ships were garlanded and wel-
comed ; how the fatty, ruddy-faced tars came to
port rich in pocket and in perfumes, and how the
boys swarmed in the rigging and raced along the
stays, for the garlands are things not readily to be
forgotten. That year the Princess Charlotte,
Capt. Adamson, came into harbour on the 25th
of September, with 26 fish, 230 tuns ; the Achilles,
Captain Valentine, with 37 fish, 260 tuns ; the
Dorothy, Captain Deuchars, with 27 fish, 225
tuna ; and the Advice, Captain Webster, with 23
fish, 210 tuna. On tho 27th of September, the
Thomas, Captain Thorns, came in with 38 fish,
240 tons. On the 6th of October,:the Three Brothers,
Captain Foreman, arrived with 28 fish, 215 tuns ;
on the 10th, tha Horn, Captain Jeffers, came,bring-
ing 321 fish, 240 tuns; the Friendship, with 17
fish ; and on the 16th the Estridge, with 30 fish.
Last of all, in November, came the Fairy, with 22
more whales, and she closed the arrivals for that
truly extraordinary year. What the value of the
great bone and blubber harvest was in 1823 we
have no evidence' before us to show. The value,
however, of some of the best of more recent years
is thus stated :—ln 1849 Dundee's five ships brought
home over £30,000 worth of bone and oil. In 1856,
when a succession of wretchedly bad years had re-
duced our whalers to three, each whaler got an ave-
rage of 166 tuns of oil, and the gross value obtained
by the three vessels was over £31,000; and in 1859,
when the trade was looking up again, and when
our town sent five ships, the total take gave 109
tuns to each vessel, and a collective value of £29,000.
The year 1855 was almost blank, and the whole
gross series of years from 1849 to 1856 varied from a
yield of £2,000 to £13,000 worth of Arctic produce.
This brief preliminary statement will help our
readers to an estimate of the fortunate nature of this
season's fishing, When eight whalers have, long be-
fore the close of the fishing time, and with every
prospect of yet securing more fish, secured oil
.and
bone of the value of £42,000.—Dundee Advertiser.

EX? R R ORDINARY NON - DRLIV y
./111,13 lIIALVERSATION OF 1,500 LETTERS.

Yesterday the mcst remarkable cases of non-de-
livery and partial malversation of public letters
that has occurred since the establishment of the
General Post-office was brought to light by the
apprehension of a young
man, 19 years of age,
who had been employed for the last twelve months
on the Lombard-street and Fenchurch- street walks,
one of the most commercially important and re-
sponsible districts connected with the General
Post-office.

It appears, from the most authentic information
that could be gained upon the subject, that
ever since April last numerous representations
have from time to time reached the " Mis-
sing Letter Department " of the Post-office
from bankers, commercial firms, and companies in
Lombard-street and its neighbourhood, stating that
letters containing notes, cheques, advises, and cor-
respondence, had not duly come to hand; and the
authorities, although, through their deetectives and
I other officers, exercising every vigilance, were alto-
gether, until yesterday, completely non -plussed and
at a total loss to account for their non consignment
and delivery. From- information, however, re-
ceived, and from suspicions afloat, Edmund William
Bullen, of 5, Mercer-street, Shad wpll, unmarried,
min living with his parents there, was taken into
custody, and the circumstances that led to his ap-
prehension and to the subsequent discovery of this
wholesale detention of letters are rather remarkable
and curious. A short time ago some notes were
presented and cashed at the Bank of England, but
these notes not having been received by the proper
parties, notice of the non-receipt of them was com-
municated to the Post-office, who gave information
of it to the accountant of bank-notes, who for-
warded them for inspection to the Post-office autho-
rities, by whom, it appears, a well-founded sus-
picion was entertained that the endorsement of the
name and address upon the notes, although
ninttous, was in the handwriting of the delinquent.
On being apprehended yesterday, and brought
before Mr. Peacock, the solicitor to the Post-office,
and the other authorities, Bullen was requested to
fit,Degeavucuitietgneinrnhtii
write his name and address upon paper, and on
comparing it with the handwriting on the stolen and
abstracted notes the similarity was so self-evident,
so unlike an escrow, that the authorities at once
determined on detaining Bullen in custody. He
was then searched by the officer, and on examining
his pocket-book two £5 notes were found that had
been abstracted from a letter sent through the
Norfolk post, addressed to Messrs. Hankey's,
bankers, in Fenchurch-street, and which in the
usual course of things should have been delivered
at the bank ten days ago. On being asked how
he came by these notes, Bullen replied,
" I found them yesterday on Cornhill." Sub-
sequently the prisoner's cupboard, a recep-
tacle that each of the letter-carriers has at
ty
oaawofedmbnedtwaebrhr
the General Post-,ffice to put his things in, was
searched, and there, to the astonishment of the esta-
blishment, were found whole bundles of letters, con-
taining
ono
theonh not
ta
hvfdeeeawoype
reachedrt t
hotehwy than nwt
theirhlei
were
5e Ot infhOoer wl
a asall,rt
forwarded
week,e with
destinationi t
thoi
nodntat
their
eeeisreai
which
tnyd
postmarks from all parts of the country, as far back
as April and May, and extending over
re-
spectivesubse-
quent
reeeeedsrefrs.skreseoetesmile ,
anei
partiesteve oateds_.l
d months
womeebnAheygineotiseohetsobssromaatag.
h,gahlole,
ttasl
commercial surprisethose
uontpHavehowaa
Smith
tsfia errwdmasensrodef
received
occu-
pyingpli
thememoro-
- letterso. ur dedsri
codoahmml
East India merchants; Messrs, A. Milne,aa George-
yard,
dde o rCCgooe : :,
and other firms, containing dock warrants, advises,
and correspondence. Similar letters were delivered
at the various banks, insurance and other companies
in Lombard-street and the district ; Mr. Elmslie,
solicitor, of Lombard-street, a dividend warrant for
£5O, indentures, and numerous other remittances
by other parties. There were also between 70 and
80 letters addressed to barristers and solicitors in
the Temple, the explanation of this being that,
Bullen being what is called a supplementary or
assistant letter deliverer, was occasionally employed
on other walks besides the one in Lombard-street.
Bullen, it appears, was taken into the service in
consequence of his respectability and the satisfactory,
nature of his testimonials and antecedents. He re-
ceived 18s. per week, and was employed in the ordi-
in the morning until 6in the evening; recently,
nary collection and delivery business frombut so'clock
by means of some arrangement with the other men,
he had occasionally absented himself from his duties,
indulging in billiards, skittles, and excursions on
the river, and commenced the career of "a fast young
man," latterly working only about eight hours a
day, and going on some three or four deliveries,
with which he was entrusted, over men who had
been for years in the service. Further inquiries
have been set on foot to ascertain whether theme are
any accemplieea connected with the extraordinary
transaction.

ow-sireCt 1. he oucgo
Af letWs containing mo-
ney was
tbrlgirtsuepofb yeefosrteertdhaey,magi
charged
ney and other property.
h
Smee, the Post office constable, u,t
str a w
ei t at
stealing a great numbet t
present at the assistants' office, General POs,,
yesterday, when the prisoner was brought there on
another inquiry, and I received orders to search him
with his own consent. I found in the pocket of
his official coat 35 post letters of various dates. He
was asked how be aclounted for having them in his
pocket. He said some be had neglected to deliver,
and same ho had been unable to deliver,

innosed—i was
4--office,

I also found in his trousers pocket a purse, which I
now produce. I asked him what money it con-
tained, and if it was his ? He said, " Yes, it con-
tained two £5 notes, and £1 9s. in gold and silver,
which was correct. Being asked where he got the
notes, he said he found them two days ago in Lom-
bard-street, lying loose with a letter, which he
produced. I have since received information that
they formed part of a remittance of £153 10s. in
bills, drafts, and notes, from Messrs. Harvey and
Hudson's bank at Thetford, Norfolk, addressed to
Messrs. Hankeys and Co.'s bank, in Lombard-street.
I also found on him an ivory ticket for the Horti-
cultural Society's Show, and a Foreign Office pass-
port.
It was stated that an incredible number of letters
had been secreted by the prisoner.
Ho was remanded for further examination.

THE CHARGE OF ARSON AT PECKHAM.

Yesterday Frederick Clift and George Clift,
quill merchants, lately carrying on a part of their
business at No. 2, Lansdowne, Peckham, and
who have been in custody for a fortnight on the
serious charge of wilfully and maliciously setting
fire to their house and premises, with the inten-
tion of defrauding the Globe Fire Office, and
further with conspiring together to defraud the
same insurance company, were again brought up
and placed at the bar before Mr. Elliott, at Lam•
beth Police-court, for further examination.
Mr. Metcalfe, instructed by Mr. William D.
Freshfield, of the firm of Freshfield and Newman,
appeared, as before, for the prosecution ; and Mr.
Sleigh, instructed by Mr. Bartley, attended for
the defence.

The court, as on former occasions, was much
crowded, and the prisoners appeared more smartly
dressed than on any former examination.

The first witness called was Inspector Frost, of
the P, or Camberwell, division of police, who de-
posed that he was present at the fire at the house
No. 2, Lansdowne-villas, on the night of the 2d of
August last, and on the same night he received the
brass candlestick he produced from Mr. Brindle, a
gentleman residing at Nunhead Lodge, close by.
William Frederick Metcalf said—l am an engi-
neer belonging to the fire brigade, and attached to
the Waterloo-road station. On the night of the fire
I went to the house of the prisoner George, and
there saw him, and also the other prisoner, Fre-
derick, and the wife of one of them. I asked if
they could give any account of the fire and how it
occurred; and Frederick said he could not.
Mr. Metcalfe—Did he say why ha n.,11,1 :tot
Witness—Yes ; he said they had been down to
Waltham Abbey to inquire about the character of a
servant or servants ; that his wife had gone to the
doctor's with a child; and when they came home
they found it out.
Did you ask him how about his insurance ?
Yes ; I asked him if he was insured; and he said he
was, in the Globe Fire Office. I asked him if he
had his policy so that I might take its number and
forward it to the Globe Office, and he said his bro.
ther could tell me more about it than he could ; and
the brother gave me the number.
You saw the remains of the quills in the stable ?
—Yes.
Now in your judgment what height of feathers
must there have been to produce these remains ?
About three feet.
Thomas Knott—l live at Littlefield Lodge,
close to Lansdowne-villas, and am servant to Mrs.
Soper there. On the day after the fire I found a
street-door key, wrapped up in the handkerchief
produced, in my mistress's garden.
Mr. Elliott—What did you do with the key ?
Witness—l gave it up to my mistress.
Mr. Metcalfe—Did you afterwards see your
mistress deliver the same key to Baxter, the fire-
man in charge of the ruins ?
Witness—l did.

Did you find a second key P—Yes, I found the
second key stuck in the earth, about a span from
where I found the first. _ _

Did you see that key also given up to the fire-
man ?—I did. The witness further said his mis-
tress's house was nearly opposite to that of Mr.
Brindle, in whose garden the candlestick produced
had been found, and about two minutes' walk of
the house of Mr. Goodwin, the grocer.
Mr. Metcalfe here said that the keys spoken of
had been identified on a former examination, by
Mr. Puller, the landlord of the house, as those of
the stable and pantry, and they as well as the
candlestick had been found, as stated, close to
where the fire took place, and in the direction the
prisoner George was seen to run just before the fire
was discovered. He, Mr. Metcalfe, should call a
witness as to the identity of the candlestick.
Lucy Byatt, a respectable-looking young woman,
here got into the witness-box, but, on the oath
being about to be administered: to her by Dixon,
one of the ushers, she at first, and for some minutes,
refused to be sworn. At length, however, she con-
sented, and the oath was administered to her. She
said she was sister to the wife of the prisoner Fre-
derick Clift, and had lived with him a short time
as Fervant.

Mr. Metcalfe—Have you been shown a candle-
stick by the police ?

Witness—Yes, sir.
Mr. Metcalfe—Now, look at the candlestick be-
fore you, and tell the Court whether you did not
say that you knew it well from having cleaned it
shortly before, and that it belonged to your brother-
in-law, the prisoner, Frederick Clitt ?
Witness (hesitating)—No, I said it was too tall
to be his.

Now be careful what you say, young woman.
Look at this candlestick again, and tell me whether
you did not say that it belonged to the prisoner
Frederick, and that you knew well P—No, I did not.
It is too tall.
Now I should advise you to be careful, for I have
your statement where you said it belonged to the
prisoner Fred. Clift, and that you should know it
out of a thousand. It is not so long ago since you
stated this, and I wish you again to look at the
candlestick, and tell me what you said about it P--
The witness, after some hesitation, said—l do not
think it is the same ; it is too tall.
Mrs. Mary Austin, the wife of a cowkeeper and
dairyman on Peckham-rye, deposed that on the
afternoon before the fire, about 4 o'clock, she was
passing by the house No, 2, Lansdowne-villas, and
saw a van drawn up close to the door with a num-
ber of bales of goods in it, and other bales lying
about the lawn.
Mr. Elliott—Did you see the van take these goods
away ?
Witness—No, I did not stop for that.
Mr. B. Watkins, quill merchant, No. 1, Cannon-
street, City, said he saw the debris of the quills in
the ruins shortly after the fire, and in his judgment,
and judging from the quality of the quills, the
quantity of quills to produce it would not exceed in
value £BO or £lOO. It was also his opinion that if
the place had been quite filled with such quills they
would not exceed in value £3OO.
Mr. Metcalfe—Did you notice any swan quills
there ?
Mr. Watkins—None.
Had the place been filled with swan quills, what,
in your judgment, would be their value P—l should
think one thousand pounds.
You think nothing like £2,500 ?—Certainly not.
The following document of the claim made by the
prisoners on the Globe Fire Office was here put
in :
" Sehedulq of stock in the hands of Messrs. George
and Frederick Clift, quill and feather merchants, of No. 2,
Lansdowne-villas, Albert-road, Peckham, destroyed by fire,
on Tuesday, the 2d day of August, 1861, with value of same
to Messrs. Clift at the time of such fire, and insured in the
Globe Fire Office for £2,500. Number of policy, 7215.
6,000,000 foreign quills, value to Messrs. Clift at the time of
the fire, 10s. 6d. per 1,000, and cannot now be pur-
chased
80,()00 swan quills, value 16s. per 1,000 640 0
241 b. sable hair, value 16s. per ounce 307 4
A quantity of Russian matting, bags, rags, and
sundries, estimated value at 7 10

£4,104 14
" We hereby declare that the foregoing is a truo account
of the goods destroyed by the fire tat occurred on the 2d
inst., and we call upon the Globe Insurance Office to pay
the amount insured by them, £2,500.—Signed Geo. Clift
and Fredk. Clift. Dated Aug. 13, 1861."
Mr. Fuller, the landlord of the house, was re-
called, and deposed that to the best of his belief the
signatures to the document were in the handwrit-
ing of the prisoners.
This being all the evidence Mr. Sleigh addressed
the Court, and said he was desired to say by the
gentleman who had instructed him that he had a
complete answer to the present charge, and had a
number of witnesses in attendance for the defence,
whose testimony would fully bear out his assertion;
but before calling them, and taking up the time of
the Court unnecessarily, should wish to be guided
by the opinion of his worship as to whether the
evidence given on the part of the prosecution was
such as called on him to send his clients before
another tribunal. If so, he should reserve his wit-
nesses for another place, and he (Mr. Sleigh) was
therefore anxious to have an expression of his wor-
ship's opinion.
Mr. Elliott said that, without offering any opinion
whatever on the case, it was undoubtedly his in-
tention to send it before a jury. At the same time,
he was prepared to hear any witnesses Mr. Sleigh
wished to call.
Mr. Sleigh thanked his worship, but said h©
should, under the circumstances, decline calling wit-
- gt present, and this matter being
-lication to make for the liberation of
esseb disposed of
;1 .as would ensure their pre-
he had an apt._
his clients on such --Pr, requested
sence to take their trial. - this,

Mr. Elliott, before giving an ann.. .
the whole of the depositions to be read over, au..,

being done, he said he could not listen to a Lny appli-
cation for bail.

Mr. Freshfield intimated that the sessi on being
at present holden at the Central Criminal Court, it
would be impossible to have the case ready in time,
particularly as it was intended to indict the prisoners
for a conspiracy to defraud the Globe Insure nce Com-
pany as well as for arson ; and, therefore, it would be
more convenient to adjourn the case over tb e present
and to the next session.

This was conceded to ; the various with sses were
bound over for the next sessions, and the prisoners
ordered to be brought up on another day prepare.
tory to a final commitment.

THE METIWPOLITAN RAILIP :AY.

_--t____..~

The continuous thoroughfare which formerly' N 7as known
as the New-road, but which latterly has been p, erochially
divided and renamed, has gained very little by tb e change.
It has always been and it remains a dull, unlevf ly street,
struggling fitfully for existence. Without the attt actions of
a syren, it seems in some way or other to lure busi iness-men
to ruin. From whatever quarter they come, they generally
discover it to be the high road to the Bankruptcy Court.
Tradesmen who deal in tall ladders, zinc chimney-pots, and
artificial stoneware, appeared until lately the only people
who could flourish, like violets, in that shady region. Re-
cently, howeier, the purveyors of penny ices, and merci-
less twopenny photographs, have migrated to it, and dis-
played their wondrous specimens to tempt tho pedestrians.
Wherever no business or show of business is seen a shabby
gentility sits sadly by the wayside, with patches of rank
vegetation forming forecourts to the monotonous
brick houses. The freshness of the Regent's-p ark, and the
stateliness of Portland-place, expire instinctively when
they come in contact with the New-road. Those Oriental
gems—the royal family of Oude—could not bring wealth or
fashion to it, but found there an appropriately lazy, dirty
atmosphere. The very omnibuses which tray erse it peri-
odically do so in a hum-drum, lifeless way, as though they
were likewise afflicted with the partial paralysis which pro ,
vails there. No opposition troubles, no nurses follow them.
Their coachmen are never fined for furious driving, and
their diversions, caused by the monopoly of portions of the
New-road by the railway men, excite no murmur. They
seem as though they were condemned for some unrecorded
offence to drive, in all weathers, uselessly and unprofitably
from Paddington to the Bank, or else to be engaged in gently
exercising invalid horses. A full load is a very great rarity
with them, and causes their blank features to be varied with
an admixture of astonishment. An empty omnibus occa-
sions no concern in them. They have grown quite stoical
and suit the thoroughfare admirably.
Oxford-street and Holborn take all the through passen-
gers to the Bank. Carriages, waggons, vans, and vehicles
of every description crowd into those main arteries. and
will not be diverted into the New-road. Numerous schemes
have been started to relieve the overcharged streets ; one
man proposed to run railways along the widened balconies of
all the first-floor windows of the principal streets, forming
colonnades beneath them. Another suggestion pointed at a
belt of connecting lines around London ; but at length the
notion of extending the termini into the very heart of the
metropolis has assumed a practical form. The London,
Chatham, and Dover will be pushed forward into Farring-
don-street, the South-Eastern into Charing-cross, and the
Great Western and Great Northern will be linked together
by the Metropolitan, which will have its terminus in Vic-
toria-street. Whether for good or whether for ill, these
lines will be completed. One effect of them will be to give
greater facilities to City men to dwell in suburban homes,
and to furnish the same accommodation on other lines as
the London-bridge railways now almost exclusively afford.
Now a max may reach his place of business as quickly from
' Reigate by rail as ho can from Bayswater by omnibus.
There is no reason why, with the Metropolitan Railway, he
may not, without loss of time, dwell in one or other of the
beautiful villages adjacent to stations on the Great Western
or Great Northern lines. There is, of course, a dread
amongst cab and omnibus proprietors that their occupations
will be gone when "steady and swift the self-moved cha-
riot moves" in their domains; but it may be some consola-
tion to them to remember that two centuries ago the same
fear existed on account of the substitution of coaches for
pack-horses, such as the Wife of Bath was wont to ride,
" girt with a pair of spurres sharp." The omission of all the
paraphernalia of swords, pistols, pillions, strapping, saddle-
cloths, horse-keepers, and yeomen, incidental to a journey
in the " good old times" was foretold to be the ruin of
trade. Let them also recollect that the Lyonese who broke
the machines of Jacquard in 1806, raised a statue to his
memory in 1840. Even if the Metropolitan Railway did
dispose of our modern style of omnibuses, there are few
riders who would mourn their decease ; but there is little
hope of so blissful a consummation. A; omnibus " station"
is on every inch of its course, a railway station is only at
intervals. The new line will, nevertheless, be a great boon
to the public, and a real relief to the traffic in our streets.
As an engineering work it is one of great magnitude and
skill. None but those who have threaded its cavern -paths
can fully appreciate the difficulties which have been so suc-
cessfully surmounted. From the commencement of the line
to its conclusion there has been one long series of obstacles
to conquer, the chief of which have been the miles of gas
and water-pipes which had to be safely diverted before the
"labouring pioneers with spade and pickaxe armed" could
cut the permanent way.

The line leaves the Great Western Railway at the north
end of the Paddington station, and passes under the coal
wharf, being there covered for a distance of 140 feet by iron
.girders. Thence—

On either side
Its massive walls arise, and overhead
Arches the long passage.
The arch is of an elliptical form, 16 feet 6 inches high from
the level of the rails, and 28 feet 6 inches wide. It is com-
posed of 6 half-brick rings, forming a depth of 2 feet 5 inches.
It curves about, following the direction of the South Wharf-
road, till it arrives at Pracd-etreet, trhero there is a junc -
tion by a huge bell-mouth, with a branch which is to run
westwards along Praed-street to the Great Western Hotel.
This bell-mouth, covered with elliptical wrought iron ribs
2 feet 6 inches deep, cross girders between them, and iron
plating over the whole, is one of the grandest engineering
pictures which we have for a long time seen. Lit up by
the several jets of gas, it has a very fine effect. The girders
rest on stone templates, projecting forwards from, and let
into the brickwork, and spring over the two tunnel mouths
to the extent of 58 feet 6 inches. There are fifteen of these
girders, 7 feet 6 inches apart, They diminish gradually in
width to 35 feet, where they are joined with the brick
arches, which again are gradually diminished till the ordi-
nary width of the tunnel is attained. A layer of asphalte is
laid on the top of the iron plates over the girders, the
haunches are filled in with concrete, and on this the road-
stuff is laid. It forms a work of extraordinary strength
and solidity, as well as beauty. The line then runs directly
eastward under Pracd-street, and crosses under Edgware-
road at right angles. Here special provision had to be made
for the gas and water pipes, which are carried on either
side of the roadway, above transversely through the rail-
way arch, in troughs of ca-t-iron, 7 feet wile and 25 feet
long. The soffit of them is 2 feet below the soffit of the
underside of the arch, The tunnel terminates on the east
side of Burno-street, where, as well as in Chapel -street, a
portion of the houses had to be demolished. Between the
tunnel-mouth and Lipson• street the first station will be
situated. The booking-office will be at the corner of Chapel
andlßunie-streets. The space here will be 49 feet wide and
and 180 feet long to Lipson-street-bridge. It will be suf-
ficient for platforms and for flights of stairs, and will
be covered by a cast-iron roof. Thence we pass un-
der Lipson-street-bridge, a segmental skew bridge 50
feet thick, with a span of 42 feet, and a rise of 5 feet
six inches. It is faced with white brick capitally executed.
A similar expedient to that which we mentioned at Praede
street had here to be resorted to, in order to convey the gas
and water pipes across. After passing the bridge there is a
vast open space, 500 ft long, with an average width of 140 ft,
which will be used as a depot for engines and carriages,
and will be provided with appropriate sidings. The retain-
ing walls are built in a very economical manner, with con-
crete and white brick, from Arsley, near Hitchin ; the long
ranges of arched recesses built on the latter afford an agree-
able play of light and shade, besides being a fine specimen
of brickwork. This space is bounded by Mitcham-street on
the north, and by Chapel• street and Marylebone-road on the
south. It gets narrower towards the eastern end by Har-
court-street, where a series of vaults have been constructed
under the roadway. Tho tunnel then recommences by a
bell-month 36ft. wide, diminishing gradually to the ordi-
nary width of 28ft. 6in. Our course is soon checked by the
masses of wooden framework, muck waggons, lifts, piles of
bricks, navvies, bricklayers, and labourers, all busily at their
work. We ascend into the Marylebone-road, and find a per-
fect labyrinth of pipes;all of which have to be tenderly cared
for until such time as they can be quietly stowed away in
the haunches of the tunnel vault. A syphon 3ft. in diame-
ter to be carried under the railway with flushing gates in
Stafford-street, by means of which the sewage can be sent
down Harcourt-street westwards, or down a new egg-
shaped sewer which the railway has had to construct by
the side of the tunnel on the north side of Marylebone-road
as far as Baker-street, where it is connected with the
King's Scholars' Pond sewer, which there crosses the road.
This reminds us that the company have had to build a sewer
4ft. by 2ft. 9in., egg-shaped, to drain all the houses which
they have passed, and to take in all the sewers and drains
which they have intercepted in their course hither from the
Great Western Railway, and that they had even to come
mence a considerable distance westwards of their work so
as to obtain the necessary fall.
The sewer which we have just mentioned in the Maryle-
bone-toad is 6ft. by 3ft. 6in. They have likewise had to
divert 1,500 ft. of 21-inch main between Stafford street and
Gloucester-place in addition, to gas-pipes and water-pipes
innumerable.

At Baker-street, the King's Scholars' Pond sewer has to
be carried transversly through the tunnel arch by a large
enclosure of iron plates, supported by two cast-iron girders,
only 13ft. 6in. above the line of rails. Here the second
station will be situated. The arch will be extended to 45ft
in width—to embrace the platforms on either side; the sta-
tion and stairs leading downwards will be built in the front
gardens of the two corner houses. After passing Baker-
street, we commence with another sewer which is carried
beneath the railway into the Regent-street sewer at the top
of Harley-street.

The line is complete, with the exception of the pepermanent

rails, up to Stafford-street. Thence to a point 180 ft. west
of Northumberland-street nothing has been done besides the
sewers. From that point to Harley-street it is again finished,
and about a month's work remains to connect it with the
portion at Portland-road, where the next passenger sta-
tion will be built, partly 'in the oval at the angles of the.
Portland-road and Euston-road.
At Harley-street even an ordinary passer-by is able to
judge partially of the difficulties which have never deserted
the con tractors,and of the admirable provisions made by them
for carrying out their undertaking. One of the many
thoroughfares, which they have had to preserve all the time
their work was going on is here carried on beams, whilst
the banks of the cutting are planked and strutted, and the
labourers at. work in every direction. The excavations
are made with the nicest accuracy, so as to receive the re-
quisite thickness of brickwork against the supporting planks, .
which are allowed to remain between it and the earthen
sides. All the arches are turned on cast-iron centreing,
which ensures perfect uniformity. The work is done in 12.
feet lengths, On the top of the arches there is a layer of as-
phalte, and on that and in the haunches concrete is put.
Just by the Portland -road the engine is fixed for hoisting
the excavated earth—a one-horse load is lifted each time
with surprising facility. There are also engines for mixing
the lime and sand for the mortar. Adjoining the Regent's-
park provision had to bo made for the tunnel under the
roadway for communicatic inwith the two gardens, and which
could not be removed. 'she sides of this tunnel are now
carried on girders, 2ft. 6in . deep in the centre. Cross girders
run between, and York stone landing forms the floor of it.
It is in this way suspend ed 3ft. 6in, below the arch soffit.
By the side of the Reg•et It's-park, opposite Portland-place,
another piece of extra work is being constructed. It is a
winding staircase, 41 foet deep, leading to the sewer under
the line of rail. The dicAm.3ter is altogether llft. The stairs
themselves are 2ft. Gin. wide. They are divided by a ring
of brickwork 9in. thick from the central shaft, through
which solid matter malr be hoisted out. The stairs are of 4 -
inch York stone. At t;he bottom there is a passage leading
through an arch under the foundation of the tunnel wall to
the junction of the Marylebone-road and Regent-street
sewers.

About 100 feet west ,of Tottenham-court-road a sower 3ft.
9in. by 2ft. Gin, was put in on each side of the tunnel, and
the aggregate of all more than occupied the width of the
street; the sewer was, therefore, built partly in the tunnel
wall, and the greatest care and circumspection was needed
to carry the work suceossfully through. At Tottenham-
court-road the sewers run in opposite directions, one going
northwards into Ham ps tead-road, the other southwards
into Tottenham-court- road.

The next station after Portland-place, forming the fourth
from Paddington, will be at George-street and Gower-street,
Euston-road. The arrangements for it are precisely similar
to those we have h.f^r

me western era of Euston-road forms the boundary of
Messrs. Smith and Knigb t's contract. There, about 100 ft.
is finished, and the remainder is being rapidly pushed for-
wards.

The works are being done from the plans, and under the
direction of, Mr. Fowler, with Mr. Johnston as resident
engineer.

Mr. Armstrong, Messrs. Smith and Knight's agent, is
constantly on the works, and to him they are greatly in-
debted for the able prosecution of their difficult task. We
are likewise indebted to him, and acknowledge the assistance
he has given us in our survey of the line. Next week wo
shall notice the progress on the concluding portion of the
works between Euston-square and Victoria-street.—Build•
ing News.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

BRISTOL-SETT, 24.

At our market to-day there was a fair attendance of
millers, but a very poor business was done, and in prices
we have no alteration to report.

LEEDS-SEPT. 24.

lire have a god show of grain to-day, and business was
rather slow in both old and new wheat, at a decline of is
on last week's currencies, In barley, unless very fine, rates.
declined is. Other articles unchanged.