The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-09 00:00:00

IVOVEL EXPERIMENTS.

Some curious experiments have just taken place
at Paris, to test a new contrivance for protecting
firemen from the action of the flames, end ena,blieg
them to resist a strong heat. It consists of gloves
made of amianthus, a kind of filamentous mineral,
a helmet of the same material, fi:ting into another
of wire gauze, and a shield one metre in length
and 80 centimetres broad, besides other garments
of the above-mentioned materials. Three firemen,
having put on the gloves, were enabled to carry
iron bars at a white heat for three minnt-s with-
out being ob'iged to let go their hold. Straw was
afterwards set fire to in a large cast-iron cauldron,
and continually kept •up, while a fireman wearing
the double helmet above-mentioned stood above
the flames, which he warded off with the shield.
Although they rose at times above his head, he
was enabled to keep his post for a minute and a
half; at the end of which time his pulse, which
was at 72 before the experiment, had risen to 152.
Another fireman followed, who, having covered
his forehead with a piece of amianthus, was en-
abled to resist the flames for three minutes and 47
seconds. Two longitu,dnal heaps of chips, splin-
t-rs, and straw had been prepared, about five feet
asunder, and 30 feet in length ; two lateral op,-n-
-ings being left to enable the firemen to get ow
in case of necessity, four men wore now equipped
it' complete suits of wire-gauze, with boots of ami-
anthes ; two of them wore, besiles, a dre-s of anti-
authus over another suit of clothes rendered incom-
bustible by means of borax, alum, and phosphate
of ammonia ; the two others wore a double dress
of prepared cloth ; one man, moreover, was en-
trusted with a basket of wire gauze on his back,
containing a boy ten years old, protected by a hel-
met of amianthus. The heaps bAug set fire to,
these men went into the flames together, and
walking at a very moderate pace, performed
the distance several times. At the end of sixty
seconds, the boy shrieked out aloud, and the fire-
man who carried him immediately stepped out of
the flames ; the bey was examined, but was found
perfectly uninjured ; his skin was cool, and his
pulse, which was at 84 before the experiment, had
only risen to 96; he might therefore have resisted
longer, had he not been frightene.l at seeing the
flames meet over hishead, while, at the same time,
one of the ropes which held the basket had slid
down the fireman's shoulder a little, with a slight
'shook. A few minutes after he was as gay m ever
and betrayed no signs of indisposition. The fire-
man's pulse, which was 92 before, was 116 after
the experiment. The three other men remained 2
minutes and 44 seconds in the flames, and stated
on coming out that they had experienced no parti-
cular painful sensation, except that of excessive
heat. Their pulses, which were 88, 84, and 72 be-
fore, were respectively 152, 138, and 124 after. A
circle of fire about ten metres in diameter was now
formed around them, and they withstood the effect
extremely well with their fire-proof coverings, al-
though at a distance of five metres the heat was so
intense that none of the numerous bystanders
could resist it.

FUNERAL OF THE DUCHESS OF

GLOUCESTER.

(From the Court Newsman.)

The remains of her Royal Highness the late
Duchess of G:oucester arrived at St. George's
Chapel, Windsor, at half-past 12 o'clock yesterday.
A guard of honour of tht3 3d Battalion of Grenadier
Guards was on duty at the entrance, and the band
of the regiment played the " Dead March in Saul."
The nave, through which the funeral procession
passed, was covered with black clo!h, and the floor
and also the seats in the choir were covered with
the same matelial ; and in front of the read-
ing-desk was an escutcheon of the arms of the late
duchess.
On the procession moving from the entrance, the
gentlemen and boys composing the choir of St.
George's Chapel commenced singing the 25th and
26th verses of the 11th chapter of St. John, " I
am the resurrection ;" and, when the body reached
the choir, the 90th Psalm, " Lord, thou 11..5t been
our refuge," was. chanted. The coffin was placed
upon tressels, with the fec.t towards the altar, and
the coronet and cushion were laid upon the coffin.
The chief mourner, the Duchess of Atboll, sat at
the bead of the corpse, attended by Lady Cooper.
The supporters of the pall (the Hon. Mrs. Liddell
and Lady Georg‘ana Ba.hurst) and Lady Caroline
Murray and Lady Charles Som-r.et sat on either
side. The Lord Chamberlain, the Marquis of
Breadalbane, stood at the feet, having on his right
the Vice-Chamberlain, Lord Ernest Bruce, and on
his left the Coinptro'ler and Chief Equerry of the
late Duchess, Colonel the Hon. Agustus Liddell,
and the Comptroller in the Lord Chamberlain's
Department, Mr. Norman Macdonald.
Shortly befote the arrival of the procession, his
Royal Highness Prince Albert, his Royal Highness
the Prince of Wales, and his Royal Highness the
Duke of Cambridge, entered the chapel, and were
conducted to stalls immediately adjoining to that of
the Sovereign. Prince Albert and the Duke wore
the riband and star of the Garter. His Serene
Highness Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar was also
conducted to a seat.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cam-
bridge, the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Meekleu-
burgh-Strelitz, and the Princes Mary of Cambridge
were in the royal closet of the chapel.
Earl Spencer, Lord Steward of the Queen's
Household, and the Marquis of Abercorn, Groom
of the Stole to the Prince, occupied their respective
stalls as Knights of the Garter on opposite sides of
the chapel, and each wore the riband and star of
the order.
Beneath Lord Aberc3rn's stall were seated the
visitors, friends of tite late Duchess, viz.—Earl
Howe, Viscount Fai Viand, Lord Redesdale, the
Hon. Mr. Waldegrave, Sir William Gomm, Colonel
F. H. Seymour (sou f Sir George Seymour), Col.
Forster, and Colonel Stephens.
On the entrance of the procession m the choir
the executors of her Royal Highness the late
Duchess, the Earl of Verulam, Mr. W. H. Vincent,
and Mr. Mortimer Drummond were conducted to
seats in front of those occupied by the friends e!
the deceased Duchess-
There was a large number of the nobility present.
Garter King of Arms, Sir Charles Young, bear-
ing his gold sceptre, stood near the coffin.
The Canons of Windsor, the Rev. William Can-
ning, the Rev. Charles Proby, and the Hon. and
Rev. Edward Moore, preceded the body from the
entrance of the chapel ; and the Hon. and Rev. Mr.
Cust was also present. The 90th Psalm having
been chanted, the Dean of Windsor, the Hon. and
Rev. Gerald Wellesley (who wore his badge of office
in the order of the Garter) read the lesson com-
mencing, " Now is Christ risen from the dead."
When this was finished the members of the choir of

the chapel sang Handers anthem (from Job, chap.
xxix., v. 11 and 12), " When the ear beard her,"
together with the chorus, "She delivered the poor
that cried." The coffin, of crimson velvet, with gilt
mountings, which bad been covered with a black
velvet pall, having eight escutcheons of her Royal
Highness's arms emblazoned thereon, was then un-
covered, and was removed to the entrance of the
royal vault, and the dean proceeded with the rer-
vice, " Man that is born of a woman," and "For-
asmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God," when
the coffin was gradually lowered into the vault,
near the Sovereign's stall.
The choristers then sang, "I heard a voice from
Heaven" (Croft) ; the Dean repeated the Lord's
Prayer, and also the prayer "Almighty God, with
whom do live the spirit' of them that depart." A
second anthem, also by Handel, "Her body is
buried in peace, but her name liveth evermore,"
was then sung.
The dean of Windsor having concluded the burial
service,
Garter King of Arms proclaimed near the grave
the style of her Royal Highness the late Duchess
as widow of William Frederick Duke of Gloucester,
fourth daughter of the late King George 111., and
aunt of her present Majesty the Queen.
The Lord Chamberlain and the gentlemen of his
department remained in the chapel after the depar-
ture' of the Royal Family, to superintend the closing
of the vault.
The funeral was 'conducted by Mr. Banting, of
St. James's-street, whose experience in ceremonies
of this character now includes no less than 14 Royal
interments, dating back to that of the Princess
Charlotte.

DEATH OF MR. CHING, TEE VETERAN

USHER.

We have heard with regret of the death of Mr. Ching,
the veteran and venerable usher of the Court of Queen's
Bench. Missing him from his accustomed post—a post
which he occupied upwards ef forty-six years with great
credit to himself and satisfaction to the bench and bar,
we inquired for him, and heard that he had passed this
life, lie had seen, in his time, many changes in
the Court of which he was himself not an important
part. lie had seen several men elevated from
the bar to! the Chief Justiceship of his Court,
and many other men of high legal attainuienA
raised to the dignified position of Judges there-
in, and in the various judicial successions he had
the good fortune to be respected by all. As an instance,
we may refer to a little incident that reflects honour on
Lord Campbell, and credit on the memory of Mr. Ching.
Some years ago when the late Lord Denman presided as
Lord Chief Justice of the Court, Lord Campbell, who
now occupies that position, and who had then ben
raised to the dignity of Lord Chancellor of Ireland, had
official occasion to present himself in court ; and, seeing
Mr. Ching, his lordship stepped down from the bench
and shook hands with him. His order and regularity in
his arranuements, and his memory of the statutes, we: e
such that he knew where to lay his hand instantaneously
upon every law authority, from "Doomsday B ink" to
" Coke upon Littleton," and from " Coke upon Little-
ton" downwards, and thus, amidst a multitude of authori-
ties and statutes, showed his valuable aptness as a
law libr alai:), in a position where the authorities called
for require to be produced concurrently with the points
of the arguments which call fur their suppers. His
habits were most temperate ; and during his long ser-
vice he had never been a day absent from his put, nor
a minute late in the morning in appearing at it at the
sitting of the Court, His death was not expected. lie
had been always healthy; and in the fulness of years,
after a well and usefully-spent life in the public service,
he passed from this life while sitting in his chair, with-
out a struggle, his death being as placid as the even
tenor of his way was undisturbed. A gentleman in an
usher's gown, Mr. Ching enjoyed in life the respect of
all who knew him, and is accompanied in his grave
with the regret of .his many friends for his death.—
Advertiser.

DEATH OF LORD WILLIAM FlTZROY.—lntelligence
the death of this nobleman was received in London yes-
terday. Lord William was the third son of the third
Duke of Grafton by the daughter of the late Rev. Sir
Richard Wrottesley, Bart. He was born in 1782.
We regret to announce the death of the much-
respected Lady Mildmay, in her 93d year, which took
place at her ladyship's residence yesterday, in Belgravia.
Sir Henry St. John Mildmay, her great-grandson, is
heir to Dogmersfield-park, in Hampshire, and the vast
estates in different counties. The baronet is married to
the daughter of the ex-Speaker, Viscount Eversley. By
the death of Lady Mildmay the large families of Mildmay
(one of our historic names), Radnor, Boiingbroke,
Methuen, Radstock, Paulet, Bulkeley, Ellice, Baring,
Shaw Lefevre, be placed in mourning.
THE GENERAL VALUATION OFFICE, IRELAND.—The
employdi in the General Valuation-office ot Ireland
commenced extra work on the Ist inst., and are
fully ocupied. Some five or six have obtained an in.
crease c
of pay, which is to take effect from the same date.
—Civil Scrvke Gazette.
MINIM—The market opened heavily this week, but
improved after a few days, though we cannot report
any great amount of business transactions, or any par-
ticular novelty. There has been some excitement re-
garding Trefuiis, the lode in tne shaft having improved
to 601. per fm., and shares, which a few months since
were unsaleable at 3, rose to 12 ; this only strengthens
what we have more than once remarked in reference
to mines in the neighbourhood of the Bassets. Great
South Tolgus has also very cons_derably improved, and
sharss have been in demand at 14 to 15. Grambler
St. Aubyn bas staid its first dividend, having at the meeting
per share) and charged th
mouth's ores ; the
againstdivided 4861.
t*o (2 Imine retehomuognhthnso'tctohset
present productive part of it, has been Working upwards
of 40 years. Botallack shares have advanced to 270,

and will probably go higher ; the lode at Wheal Cock
has much improved, and there is a fair probability that
the dividends will further increase. South Frances
shares have been rather more freely offered, at 320 ex
div• of 101. per share, which was declared at the meeting
on Monday ; to pay this dividend the balance in hand
was reduced 2501., but in the accounts 3251. was
charged for balance of a steacr-whim ; the new dis-
covery on Basset lode is worth 91. per fm. on the north
part; altogether, the report of the mine is not so favour-
able as that presented at the last two monthly meetings.
Xininy Journal (of this day.)