The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-21 00:00:00

IN TELLIGEN CEBY BALLOONS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlB)—The experimental balloons for the convey-
ance of intelligence do not, according to the last ac-
counts published, appear to have answered. A range
of some four or five miles has only been reached, in-
stead of its being satisfactorily shown that as many
hundreds are probably within the bounds of attain-
ment. _ _ _

in the absence of information as to the size of bid-
loons employed, the material of which they were
made, kind of varnish used, and other particulars, I
may venture to state, from the authority of one who
has experimented with small balloons of different ma-
terials, that paper ones are incapable of long flights.
Balloons made of thin calicoond of about 50 cubic feet
contents, properly varnished (perhaps a varnish of
gutta percha may be found to be well suited to the
purpose), will probably attain ranges of four or five
hundred miles, when set free under a condition of a
very strong breeze or gale of thirty miles per hour.
It will, I am assured, be found to be a waste of time
and money to try to attain ranges that are likely to
afford useful results, unless the balloons are of suffi-
cient strength and buoyancy suited to a velocity of
wind above stated.

With many thanks for the space you have afforded
me upon this subject,
I remain, Sir, yours much obliged,
Feb. 19, 1850. NAUTICUS.

SAVINGS' BANKS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The National Debt Commissioners are now
i
calling for returns of friendly societies who have in-
vested in banks for savings, with the date when the
societies were enrolled.
It is a " great fact" that numbers of unenrolled
societies have invested in those institutions; and, let
me ask, why should they not, just as well as clothing
clubs, cow clubs, church Sunday schools, dissenting
chapels' schools, provident societies, and a host of
others not enrolled ? I cannot discover any reason
why they should not. They may give a receipt when
they withdraw equally as safe to the trustees and ma-
nagers as any enrolled societies'.
It is the security for safe and certain rt fund of in-
vestmsnts in banks for savings which is needed, not a
mass of returns nor a multiplicity of quibbles.
Yours obediently, OBSERVER.
February 21, 1850.

CITY COURT OF SEWERS.—At the Court held on
Tuesday, the Chairman read a report from
Mr. Tlay-
wood, the surveyor of the commission, which gave an
outline of the transactions and the works executed by
the commissioners during the past year, The report
included statements of the improvements effected in the
City slaughtering hous,:s and churchyards, and con-
tained copious details of the steps taken to procure the
abatement of nuisances, and the carrying out of various
remedial measures enumerated. The court expressed
their approbation of the repel.; and directed that copies
hould be sent to all the members of the corporation.
GLOUCESTER, ABERYSTWITII, AND CENTRAL
WALES ii-AlLlVAY.—Yestvrday the :Master in Chancery
(Tinticy) cT)A-)1:i
on the soheiters lot the p-t%);:uctiuo of the book 6 end
papers of this company, without which the affairs cannot
Pa would up.

THURSDAY EVENING,

LORD NELSON AND HORATIA.

140 THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—ills T I be permitted to request that you will
give my unqualified contradiction to a statement in
the Times of yesterday, extracted from the Liverpool
Albion, relative to myself? I have never had any
communication with the Rev. Erskine Neale. I
have never seen or even heard of him. May I, also,
at the same time be permitted to express my thanks
to those unknown friends who have, in the pages of
the Times, interested themselves in my welfare ?—I
have the honour to remain your obedient servant,
BORATIA NELSON WARD.
Tenterdcn-vicarge, Kent, Feb. 19.