The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-02 00:00:00

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LIBRARY OF THE BRITISH
MUSEU M.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—In common with all students at this institution,
I have to thank you for the remarks which you have
made from time to time on the defects of the present
catalogue, and on the necessity of immediatel
having a " Finding " or common-sense catalogue completed, to guide authors and readers to
the treasures which it contains. Amongst other
restrictions by which such students suffer, the rule laid
down by the Museum which excludes all books from' the
catalogue till after one year from the date of publics•
Lion, operates very injuriously to them without yielding
any advantage to authors and publishers ; and I am
authorised by the principal publishers to state that the
rescinding of this rule would have no injurious effect on
them.
My researches at the Library have been chiefly in
connexion with the subjects of the discovery of the coal
fields in the Islands of the Pacific Ocean and the adja-
cent continents—and the capabilities of our colonies to
sustain an increase of population, with a view to as-
sisting emigration from densely-populated countries.
I have had, therefore, to refer to the journals of mission-
aries and other residents in those distant countries,
and' to consult recent works on practical geology.
Amongst other instances of my disappointment at
not being able to refer to some valuable modern
books, I may mention that I required in connexion
with the extension of steam to Australia having
been one of the firot projectors with the late Lieutenant
Waghorn—Stoke's ",Survey of Torres Straits," pub-
lished some years since under the patronage of the
Admiralty. I inserted the title of the work in the book
kept in the library for omissions, &c., three years ago;
but it has never yet appeared in the catalogue.
With regard to the question of time in the preparation
of such a catalogue as the public want,—surely, if at
Lloyd's they can register all the daily arrival of ships with
casualties, and if every banker contrives to ascertain
the " balance" of every customer, however many he may
have, before the clerks leave, Government; has but to
pay a few clerks to post up the arrears in the catalogue
of this important institution, or to remunerate the present
staff for extra attendance. Some of -the officers in this
department now leave at tte early hour of, three o'clock,
although the library is open till seven o'clock. ,
I am, Sir, &c., H. SMITH EVANSk.,

MAP OF LONDON AND WESTMINSTER.
All topographical antiquaries will examine with
interest a very curious map recently engraved by
Nicholas Taperell and James Innes, representing the
ancient cities of London and Westminster, as they
appeared in the early part of the reign of Queen
Elizabeth. From the period of the reign of Queen
Elizabeth to that of her present Majesty Queen Vic-
tonic (to whom the splendid plate referred to is most
appropriately dedicated), it may be presumed that
most wonderful changes have been effected in the
appearance of the metropolis. Even Aubrey, even
Defoe, even Jesse, even Hunt, even the most graphic
writer who ever lived, would fail to give, within
a reasonable compass, any adequate notion of these
changes in• the aspect of London and Westminster.
What they could not accomplish, 'however, without
penning volumes, is effected by a glance at this re-
markable engraving—where we see (and stare to see)
the deer in St. James's-parke, hedge rows bor-
dering the Haymarket, St. Giies'a Church
literally in the fields, St. Martin's-lane boun-
den at one end by a paddock, with a
horse in it grazing, and at the other by the Crosse at
Charing; cows wandering about the meadows by
Drury-lane; trees and grass covering the space at
present occupied by Covent-garden, and a variety of
other matters as surprising and wonderful. The
map is worthy of all commendation for its distinctness,
and its examination must be a source of especial
pleasure to the Metropolitan Commissioners.

MONEY MARKET.—The premium on gold at Paris
is 9 per mile, which, at the English Mint price of
31. 17s. loid. per ounce for standard gold, gives an ex-
change of 25.37; and the exchange at Paris on London
at short being 25.321, it follows that gold is 0.18 per
cent. dearer in London than in Paris. By advicea from
Hamburgh the price of gold is 433 per mark, whicb,
at the English Mint price of 31. 17P. lOid. per ounce for
standard gold, gives an exchange of 13.9; and the ex-
change at Hamburgh on London at abort being 13 94,
it follows that gold is 0.12 per cent. dearer in Lon-
don than in Elamburgh. The course of exchange at
New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight is 1101
per cent., and the par of exchange between England and
America being 109 23.40 per cent., it follows that the
exchange is nominally 0.67 per cent. in faTour of Eng-
land, and after making allowance for difference of
interest and charges of transport, the present rate
leaves a small profit on the importation of gold from the
United States.

ACCIDENT ON THE NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY.-
On Saturday afternoon an accident of a very alarming cha-
racter, but fortunately not attended with fatal consequences,
occurred on the Musselburgh branch of the North British
Railway. It appears that a train heavily laden with pas
sengers on their return from the 'Yeomanry races, and con-
sisting of twelve or fourteen carriages, had left the Mussel
burgh station at five o'clock for Edinburgh, and was ascends
ing the steep incline between Niddry and Fisherrow, when
from the small progress made it was determined to divide the
train. Four or five of the carriages were in consequence de-
tached from the train, which proceeded up the incline to-
wards Niddry, it being understood that the engine (the
lightest in the company's service) was to return for then.
The detached carriages were kept, in their position by a
block of wood, technically named a "scutch ;" but, from
some cause not yet clearly explained, they immediately
began to move down the incline towards Fisherrow (which
has a gradient of 1 in 47), and, not. ithstanding the at-
tempt of a man to stop their progress by the application of
the break, their speed became accelerated to a fearful degree,
to the great alarm of the passengers. Some of the switches
a short distance from the bottom of the incline being open
the course of the carriages was diverted from the main line
into a siding, which lies in a cutting; but, from the frightful
velocity they had acquired, two of the carriages were
thrown off the rails, and the front wheels of one, a third-
class carriage, imbedded in the sand, while the body or
framework was raised on its end, and thrown upon the
neighbouring bank, dislodging the stones in the retaining
wall. Another carriage also sustained serious injury; and
the passengers in the train, besides the intense alarm which
prevailed among them, from the violence of the collision, re-
ceived in many cases severe bruises, cuts, and other injuries.
Some medical gentlemen present rendered every assistance
in their power, and active exertions having been made to
clear the line, the passage of the train was resumed in a
short time afterwards, and the injured parties brought to
Edinburgh.

ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.—At the monthly
general meeting held yesterday, at the society's house in
Hanover-square, Mr. Yarrell, V.P., in the chair, the
Earl of Abergavenny, Slk J. Ramaden, Bart., the Hon. A.
Russell, Captain the Hon. G. Campbell, R.N., Captain
*Wynne Payne, Rev. H. J. Cummins, and Mr. H. Padwick,
were elected fellows ; and Mr., Arthur Walker, of Port Natal, •
a corresponding member of thiasociety ; and Viscount New-
port, M.P., Sir Conwallis Rickets, Bart., Mr. G. Ransome,
and Mr. H. Wordswoith, proposed as candidates for the
fellowship. The report of the council stated that the number
of fellows elected since January 1, 1850, exceeded the whole
number of elections in 1849 by 11 ; that the number of •
visitors to the gardens during the month of July exceeded .
the corresponding period of 1849 by 34,484; and that the'
total number of visitors since January 1, 1850,-exceeded the
number admitted in the whole twelvemonths of 1849 by
59,810. The report concluded by stating that her Majesty
had honoured the society by visiting the gardens on the 18th
inst., for the purpose of seeing the hippopotamus, and had
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topus) which had ever reached this country.
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at Croydon.
Provincial
Grand g
The
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the
1 o'clock an excellent sermon, adapted to the occasion, was
preached in St. James's Church by the Very Worshipful
Brother the Rev. J. E. Cox, grand chaplain of the order. A
hymn, composed expressly for the occasion. WAS sung by the
children of the Royal Freemasons' Female School, after
which a masonic procession was formed from the church to
the asylum. The ceremony of consecration then took place
in the hall of the asylum, and at its close those ladies who
had silver purses to present were severally introduced to the
Provincial Grand Master. The proceedings terminated with
a rkjetiner, and all the arrangements connected with the
occasion were carried out in a very satisfactory and effective
01111:111er.

GRAND SWIMMING PETE.
On Wednesday evening last a grand treat was afforded
to the lovers of the art of swimming, at the National
Baths, High Holborn, on the occasion of the benefit of
Mr. Harold Kenworthy. The spacious and elegant baths
were crowded, it being estimated that upwards of 1,000
persons were present, among whom we noticed several
noblemen and gentlemen of distinction, patrons of the
bath. The evening's entertainments commenced with a
match for a gold Leander medal, presented by Mr. James.
Horace Kenworthy, which was open to all the world,
excepting those who have won golden medals. The
chairman of the Holborn Swimming Clubs Dr. Jones,
acted as referee for the evening. The entries for the gold
medal were fifteen, comprising the.most eminent swim-
mers of the day, viz., T. Young, D. Young, Beckwith,
Styles, Walker, Grant, Roberson, Hansard, Evans, &c.
The distance to be swum was six lengths of the bathe,
trial heats, and'eight lengths in thegrand or final heat.
The greatest excitement prevailed in the betting, but
T. Young and Beckwith were decidedly the favourites,
both I. eing individually backed against the field.
After a gallant contest Mr. Beckwith was
proclaimed the successful competitor amidst
the most protracted cheers, having swam the eight
lengths in the incredibly short space of time of three
minutes end forty-nine seconds. David Young was
second, and his brother, T. Young, third, both of them
receiving a manila) silver Leander medal. It is but
right to state that T. Young was accidentally fouled by
Styles, or there is every reason to believe that, if not
first at the goal, he would have been second. At the
conclusion cf the race George Pewters entered the
water, accompanied by Evans Evans, and perforin6d
some of the most extraordinary feats in natation thet
we had ever seen. Pewters succeeded, without any
difficulty, in undressing himself under water, havi dived in with his clothes on, and we must certainly say that, taking him all in all, he, and he alone, de-
serves the title of Champion of England. Mr. Evans'
feat of walking on his hands under water was very
clever, and was loudly applauded. Mess, flowsoa
and le a
Kenworthy scientific swimming called forth the
loudest plaudits, and the whole of the evening's enter-
tainments concluded with a race between Master Turner
and Master Jones for a purse of sovereigns. After •
sharp contest Master Jones came in a winner by a yard.
Great praise was due to Mr. Hedgman, the worthy pro-
prietor of the bath, for the admirable arrangements
made for the spectators, and everything passed off to the
satisfaction of all present, the beneficiare included.