The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-04 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL STEA3I-ENGINES.

" Yes," said Plummer, " there have been very
great improvements lately ; and in no branch of
our business is this more noticeable than in the
construction of these engines about us." I looked
interested, and he continued :—" Ten years ago the
term Agricultural Steam Engine' had scarcely a
recognised existence ; now there are some thou-
sands of these busy bees humming away in this
country alone." I asked what he considered the
chief agents in working such a revolution. " In-
crease of improvement and adaptability to their
work in the machines," he replied. " T
The first en-
gines of this description were expensive, ill-made
pieces of machinery, costly in working, and diffi-
cult to move from place to place, from their great
weight; now they are models of lightness, good
workmanship, and economy. Our annual show has
done wonders in bringing about this change, and
the system of competitive trials of the relative
merits of engines by the different makers has pro-
duced very marked results. This engine," he con-
tinued, nodding towards that near which we stood,
"is our last year's racer—a first-class engine in
every respect." " Last year's racer!" I exclaimed
what do you mean ?" " Ah," he replied,
racer' has grown to be quite a recognised term
in the trade now. We call those engines ' racers'
which we exhibit and enter for the Royal Agricul-
tural Society's prizes ; and I can assure you," he
added, " that the run against your rivals, as well
as the preparatory ' training' and trial gallops,'
are by no means unexciting amusements." "Do
you. mean to tell me," I said, " that you really
train engines— steam engines—for these yearly
races' as you call them ?" " Most seriously I do,"e
said Plummer ; " but you seem interested as well as
surprised: make up your mind, then, to run down
into Blankshire for a week next June, and we will
give you a peep into the mysteries of an agricul-
tural engineer's mechanical stud,' and show you
the paces of some of our forthcoming crack entries
for the Carlisle meeting of 1858."—Once a-Week.

Los DON HOSPITAL.—A special general meeting
of the governors of this institution was held yesterday for
the purpose of electing a physician of the hospital. Dr. lohn
Laugdon llaydon Down, of the Asylum for idiots at Earls-
wood, and Dr. Jabea Spence Ramskill offered themselves
for he pos, but prior to the election Dr. Down retired, and
the choice of ►
the governors consequently .fell upon Dr.
Ramskill.
BRITISH EXPORTS TO AUSTRALIA.—The returns
from the Board of Trade for the half-year ending :lune 30,
1859, show a decrease of exports from the United Kingdom
to our Australian possessions. We find the declared value
of enumerated articles gives a collective amount of
£3,252,315, and as the total for the same period of last year
was £3,290,295, there is necessarily a decrease of £61,320.
Articles closely associated with the mining interest, under
the head of metals, iron, lead, hardware, and machinery,
furnish a total of £650,028 ; apparel and slops amount to
£552,283; leather goods, £446,647 ; bear, ale, and spirits,
£326,782 ; haberdashery and millinery, £331,069 ; cotton.
£326,731; woollens, £154,833 ; stationery, £128,278 ; silks,
£92,690 ; linens, £64,960 ; earthenware, £35,847 ; oil seed,
£24,691; and soap, £B,276.—Xising Journal cfJuly 30.