The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-16 00:00:00

ROYAL POLYTAOHNIC INSTITUTION.

The last novelty at this institution is a lecture by
Mr. Pepper on the progress of " A Scuttle of Coals
from the pit to the fireside," so copiously illus-
trated by dissolving views of a picturesque as well
as scientific kind that it almost approaches the
character of as " entertainment." Comprehen-
sive as the title may appear, it is less so than the
subject of the lecture. Mr. Pepper goes a long,
way beyond the pit, beginning with those primae-
val fore.ts to the combustion of which the coal
formations are attributed, next proceeding to the
consideration of the fossils that bear marks of their
vegetable origin, and then explaining the geological
circumstances connected with the discovery of coal,
before he even sets foot in the vehicle that takes
him into the region of the modern miner. The ac-
count of the "pit" itself is, in fact, a narrative of
Mr. Pepper's own descent, anti the spectators are
net only informed of the whole process by which
coal is hewn and brmight to the surface, and ini-
tiated by means of an illustrative experiment into
the mysteries of "down-zast'' and "up-cast,'' but
are, moreover, made acquainted with tree peculiari-
ties of subterranean existence, the misery existing
prior to the Earl of Shaftesbury's reform being con-
trasted with the comparative comfort of the present
day. The latter portion of the lecture is devoted
to the consideration of firedamp ; and here Mr.
Pepper introduces a minute explanation of the
" Davy lamp," showing by experiment the virtue
of the wire gauze, and illustrating the danger of
carelessness by a view of the recent explosion in the
Lundhill Colliery. At last, when his underground
work is finished, he brings the whole discourse to a
cheerful conclusion by views of the banquet given
by the Marchioness of Londonderry to her work-
' men, and of the London Coal Exchange, this being
tho nearest approach to the "fireside" capable of
picturesque exposition. Altogether this lecture is
one of the most amusing and initructivo that has
ever been delivered within the walls of the Poly-
technic. There is scarcely a fact recorded that is
not illustrated by a picture, or a principle stated
that is not elucidated by a diagram, so that if the
ears of the spectators refuse to receive the informa-
tion, which is clearly, eloquently, and sometimes
even hurnourously given by Mr. Pepper, his eyes
can scarcely refuse the intellectual nutriment.

THE PENINSULAR MAILS.—The Peninsular and Ori-
ental Company's steamship Alhambra, Captain J. K.
Joy, arrived at Southampton on Saturday, with mails of
the following dates, in charge of Lieu Cuarlton. R.N.,
Admiralty agent :—Gibraltar, Nov. 5 ; Cac iz, Nov. 6 ;
Lisbon, Nov. 3 ; Oporto and Vigo, Nov. 10. She had
32 passengers, among whom was his Excaleney M.
d'Oztroff, Russian Ambassador for the Court of Lisbon ;
and on freight 6001. in specie and a large cargo of
oranges, lemons, raisins, chestnuts, dried fruit, eggs,
wine, cigars, orchella, tta. The Alhambra, during the
homeward voyage, had light northerly winds and fine
weather. She hove to off* the Needles all Friday night
on account of the thick haze. The British steamer Eu-
phrates, Captain Joy, arrived at Gibraltar on the morn-
ing of the sth from Liverpool. Her Majesty's ship
Curlew was at Gibraltar. At Cadiz were a Dutch frigate
and a Danish brig of war. Her Majesty'adhip Scourge
arrived at Lisbon on the 7th from the We t Coast of
Africa, and left on the 9th for Portsmouth. At noon
on the 9th, off Cape Roca, the Alhambra spoke the
steamer Corinthian, of Liverpool, steering south, and at
the same time the steamer S,:amander, steering north by
east. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Tagus, with the outward mails from Southampton,
was at Vigo. Lisbon advices are anticipated by the
Teviot.

ROBBERY AND ATTEMPTED MURDER ON WESTMINSTER.
BRlDGE.—Yesterday (Sunda)) morning no little sensation
was 'created in the neighbourhood of Lambeth and West-
minster in consequence of a report that a foreign gentle-
man had been Waylaid on NVestuainater-bridge, twice
stabbed in the lower part of his stomach, and afterwards
robbed of between 131. and 19/ , and that he was lying
in the 'Westminster Hospital without hopes of recovery.
Upon toe reporter making inquiries, it was ascertained
that between the hours of 4 and 5 o'clock yesterday
morning, Police-eergeant Budd, of the L division, while
on duty in the Belvidere-read, Lambeth, noticed a
Frenchman staggering along the road with his bands
pressed upon his stomach, and apparently in the act of
falling. The officer thinking that he was inebriated ran
copiouslyer puncturedflowing
to his assistance, when the man pointed to his stomach,
bosodwas clothes
wore
ianda
twothe spel raec, 11 ee: tasnd saw
that
tt his
from each hole. He at once took the wounded man to
a surgeon's and afterwards to the Westminster Hospital,
when it was found that he had two stabs over half an
ielh in depth on the lower part of his stomach, and
upon inquiries being made as to law they were inflicted
be stakd that as he Wai passing along Trafalgar-square
he was accosted by a wan to whom he paid no attention,
but the same person continued to follow him until he got
to the foot of the bridge, when the fellow gave him two
violent blows on th? stomach which too!: he, breath away
and then rubbed bins of between 18/. and 191. At filet
he was not aware that he had been stabbed, but upon
vialkin away felt exhausted, and then noticed the
blood flowing from the punctured wounds. Everything
has been done for the man, and the lmelorrhage has
been stopped by the medical officers of the hospital, and
there seems every chance of his recovery. Mr. Super-
intendent Walker and Sergeant Saunders of the detec-
live force have been actively engaged in inquiring into
the case, and from the fact of a knife being found in the
mans
'pocket, the point fitting the holes in the dress,
and his prevaricating in his statements as to the manner
in which he was stabbed, these officers ere of opinion
that he stabbed himself with the knife found in his pos-
session.