The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-28 00:00:00

SPAIN.

The Madrid journals of the 22d contain nothing
of much importance. Admiral Armero, it is said,
only wanted to prorogue the Cortes to the 30th
Nov., but at the request of the Queen, who wishes
to open them in person, a prorogation to the 30th
December was resolved on. Some of the journals
say that the new cabinet will encounter strong op-
position in the Cortes, as the retired ministers and
their partizans, who are numerous ; M. Bravo
Murillo and his party, who are upwards of 90 in
number ; the Polacos, who are from 15 to 20
strong ; and the Catholics, who are between 30
and 40 in number, will join in opposing it.
It was said that Admiral Arinero bad been
prohibited by the Queen from admitting any Vical-
varist general to his cabinet, but this is contra-
dicted. M. Bravo Murillo, it was said, intended
to return to Paris until the meeting of the Cortes.
The railway from Albacete to Ain:tans° was to be
opened for traffic in a few days. According to the
Epoca, an understanding has been come to between
the Spanish Government and the Pope, relative to
the destination of the property of the Church, and
the diminution of holidays to the number that
exists in France, with in addition three days which
are regarded with peculiar sanctity by Spaniards.

SORTRIDGE CONSOLS MINING COMPANY.—Yesterday
the quarterly meeting of the shareholders was held at the
London Tavern, Bishopegate-street ; W. A. Thomas,
Esq., in the chair. The report of the committee, inserted
in The Sun last week, was read, and a statement
of accounts, showing a balance in favour of the company
of 1,4131. The report of Captain Richards, dated 26th
inst. stated that in Hitchin'e engine shaft they had sunk
5 fathoms 3 feet since the last meeting, making a total
of 12 fathoms 3 feet below the 62. The lode is from 2to
3 feet wide, composed of quartz, mundic, peach, and rich
stones of copper ore. There are 8 pitches working at an
average tribute of 7s. sd. in the pound. The ore in re-
serve in and throughout the mine amounts to about 400
tons. The cost for the next three months will be about
6001. per month, and the hi-monthly sampling about 140
tons. The reportand accounts were unanimouslyadopted.
Mr. Schofield having resigned, the Chairman and Mr.
Wm. Orr wire re-elected the committee of management,
with the addition of Mr. Robert A/Malian.

ENGINES WORKED BT ETHER.—M. Tissot, an en-
gineer of some standing, has communicated to the French
Academy of Sciences the description of an engine en-
tirely worked by the expansive power of ether. The
combination of this power with that of steam has long
been tried on a large scale with apparently good effect ;
nevertheless it is attended with certain inconveniences
which more than balance its advantages. M. Tissot
therefore endeavoured to eliminate steam altogether, by
mixing two litres of an essential oil of any kind except oil
of turpentine with the ether. The boiler is encircled
with a water bath ; moreover, each time that the ether is
re-conducted to the boiler, it is made to pass through a
thin stratum of olive oil. The boiler is filled to a certain
depth with water, in which a small quantity of soda (one
gramme per litre) has been dissolved. The other, in
passing through the oil in a state of vapour, carries some
particles of this oil with it ; and the latter, coming in
contact with the soda, is converted to soap. This double
action produces an excellent effect, since the soapy sub-
stance in question acts as a preservative on the various
parts of the engine, which on being undone after
a long time is found to have undergone no change
from the effects of wear or friction, a thin coating
of a fatty substance having spread over the surface
of the cylinders and pistons, and preserved them from
injury. An engine of this description of two-
horse power having been constructed and tested with
satisfactoryleffect, another of 12-horse power was esta-
blished some time ago in a brewery at Lyons instead of
a common steam engine, and has been found to answer
perfectly. The evaporation of ether is much more rapid
than that of water ; thus, a quantity of ether, which, if
it were water, it would take an hour and a half to eva-
porate, may be turned into vapour in the course of six
minutes, with much less fuel ; the quantity of coal con-
sumed per hour and per horse power being only one and
a half kilogrammes, while the ordinary quantity is four
kilogrammes.
THE LATE SMUGGLING CASE AT LEITH.—The Provost
of Leith has received a communication from the Board
of Customs in answer to a memorial adopted at a public
meeting there, relative to the case of nine men of the
steamer Holyrood, who, in default of payment of 1001.
each, were lately sentenced to imprisonment during her
Majesty's pleasure for being found on board of a vessel
in. which was a quantity of smuggled tobacco, stating
that the board have directed the immediate release of
all the parties concerned, except Dixon, against whom it
appeared, from the report of the evidence submitted to
the board, that the evidence was stronger than against
the other parties.