The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-05 00:00:00

LAW I NTELLIGENCE.—May 4,

VICE CHANCELLORS' COURTS—MAy 4.
(Before Vice-Jhancellor Sir J. STUART.)
BRIMFIT V. MORTON.
This was a bill for the specific performance of an
agreement dated on the Gth of December, 1856, by
which the plaintiff agreed on or before the sth of
January then next to assign to the defendant "the
two messuages or pubic-house called the Cider
Cellars, being No. 20 and 21, in Maiden-lane,
Covent-garden, for the residue of two several terms
of 60 years and 21 years, for which the plaintiff held
the same under leases, of which terms 38 years and
8 years, or thereabouts, were unexpired, subject to
the yearly rents of 154/. and 50/. respectively, and
to the covenants in such leases contained and free
from all encumbrances." The agreement also con-
tained stipulations that the defendant should take
the tenant's fixtures, and the stock of ale, porter,
wine, and spirits on the premises at a valuation,
and that the defendant should accept the assign-
ment before mentioned "without requiring evi-
dence of any title prior to the above-mentioned
leases," and that he should "not make any objec-
tion thereto, notwithstanding any recital, state-
ment, or covenant therein contained, or by reason
of the leases being derivative or under leases." It
appeared that the plaintiff was not entitled to all
the premises comprised in the lease for 60 years,
but that he was entitled to a part only thereof, and
that such part, together with all the premises com-
prised in the term for 2/ years, had been assigned
to him in 1854, for the residue then unexpired of
the two terms of 60 years and 21 years, except the
last seven days of each of such terms, at a rent in
the one case of 1 0/ and in the other of 501. The
other part of the premises compris -d in the term
for 60 years had been demised, iu 1836, by the per-
son in whom the tile to that term was then vested,
to one Levy, and it was now used as a Jewish syna-
gogue. It also appeared that the defendant at-
tended at the office of the plaintiff's solicitor, in
company with his own solicitor's clerk, in order to
sign the agreement before-mentioned, and on that
occasion an abstract of the plaintiff's title to the pre-
mises'which furmed t he subject of the case was banded
to the clerk, who looked merely et one or two pages
at the commencement of the abstract, but did not
examine the abstract sufficien ly to make himself
acquainted with the plaintiff's title, and in a few
minutes afterwards returned the abstract to the
plaint.ff's solicitor. The plaintiff delivered an els-
wract of his title to the defendant on the 11th of
December last; and, after some correspondence
lei-tweeu their respective solicitors on the subject of
the defendant's requisitions as to the plaintiff's
title, the defendant on the 4th of February declined
to complete his purchase. The bill was then filed.
Mr. Craig and Mr. Rogers were fur the plaintiff;
and Mr. Bacon and Mr. Bazalgette for the de-
fendant.
Vice-Chancellor said that the plaintiff asked
for the specific performance of an agreement to
purchase certain leasehold property. The defendant
insis ed that ou the production of the title the
pleintiff was shown not to have such a leasehold
interest as was described in the agreement. The
question turned on the language of the agreement
as appl.ed to the p 1 intiff's title. The plaintiff's
contention was that th- defendant at the time of
signing the agreement had sufficient information as
to the nature of the interest ha was purchasing to
bind him to his contract. There was no ambiguity
in the description of the property to be purchased
by the defendant. The difficulty was as to the
nature of the plaintiff's interest which was de-
scribed in the agreement. The original lease, creat-
ing the term of 60 years in No. 21, Maiden-lane,
reserved a rent of 1541., whereas the lease tiudr
which the plaintiff held reserved a rent of 150/.
But that was not all. The defendant, on investi-
gating the plaintiff's title, found that the lease
creating the term of 60 years comprised other pro-
perty which was now underlet to one Levy and
used as a Jewish synagogue, and that this property
was nut comprised in the agreement of the 6t of
Dec-mber last. Thus the defendant by no default
of his own would be liable to be evicted from a
part of th' premises comprised in the agree-
ment in case of a breach by Levy of any of the
covenants contained in the lease creating the
term of 60 years. To expose a purchaser to such
a risk there ought to be a certainty either from the
language of the agreement or upon the evidencethat
he was avrare when he signed the agreement he
was purchasing subject to such a risk. Here there
was no such evidence, nor did the agreement on
the face of it show that the plaintiff's interest was
exposed to such a risk. There was also nothing in
the evidence which would justify the court in hold-
ing that the production of the abstract on the occa-
sion of the agreement being signed would fasten the
purchaser wi.h notice of the plaintiff's pecular title.
It was a case in which it was impossible that the
court could decree specific performance ; but, as the
defendant had shown a want of caution and pru-
dence in the matter, and as a good deal had been
done by him in respect of having a valuation made
of the fixtures and stock to be taken by him, the
b 11 would be dismissed without costs and without
prejudice to either party's right to any action at
law.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS—MAY 4.
(Sittings in Banco—Easter Term.)
DENIS V. MORLEY AND COMET.
In this ca,e Mrs. Cobbett moved for a habeas
corpus to bring up the body of her husband, now
in the Queen's prison, in order that he might be
enahled to move for a rule for a new trial. The
action was in ejectment, tried before Mr. Justice
Williams, in which the verdict was found for the
plaintiff. A long affidavit filed by Mrs. Cobbett
was then read by the Master, setting forth the
grounds upon which she wished to move for a new
trial.

The Lord Chief Justice—Your husband in this
affidavit does not show that he is not in a condition
to apply to the court through learned counsel.
Mrs. CoVett—l should be very happy if any
gentleman would do it. There is a gross conspiracy
against my husband. All the counsel I have spoken
to about it say, " You are right, but you will never
succeed, because all the judges are against you."
The Lord Chief Justice—l fear the court has no
power to grant such a habeas.
Mrs. Cobbett—Oh, yea. Chief Baron Pollock
in a similar case in which my husband was con-
cerned said he could have a habeas ; and Mr. Jus-
t:co Williams gave my husband a habeas at china-
hers.

The Lord Chief Justice—ln whst court did you
ever obtain a hatteas ?
Mrs. Cohbett—Oh, 50 or 60 habeases, my lord,
in all the three courts. I have moved for a habeas
to bring my husband up in all the courts. I was
never refused a habeas. The Court always held I
had a right to apply for one.
The Lord Chief Justice—We understand there
was a doubt expressed on the subject by Mr. Baron
Parke • but have sent to inquire. Af er a short
interval, his lordship said the inquiry bad been
made, and the Court found that, although at one
time a practice had grown up of granting applica-
tions very much at Mr. Cohbett's instance, the
mater had since been reconsidered, and the Court
of Exchequer had corns to a resolution that such
applications as the present could not be granted,
and the Court of Queen's B. nch had concurred in
that rule. The Court felt that this practice was ir-
regular, and they must also be bound by the rule
laid down in the other courts, which was only going
back to the old decisions. The learned judge referred
to the case of Mr. Hunt, who made a similar ap-
plication to be brought up on a habeas from It-
chester gaol, to show cause against a rule, which
was refused.
Mrs. Cobbett—My husband was imprisoned 12
years wrongfully for a contempt of the Court of
Chancery, and I moved for 56 habeases, and he was
discharged at last.
The Lord Chief Justice—lf he is wrongfully im-
poisoned, no doubt you can move for a habeas.
Mrs. Cobbett—He is falsely imprisoned now.
The Lord Chief Justice—The Court is of opinion
that they have no power to grant this application.
If you wish to move on other grounds we will hear
you.

Mrs. Cobbatt slid she was not then prepared,
and retired from the court.

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THR DELAYS IN THE TRANSMISSION
OF THE INDIAN AND AUSTR ILrAN
MA ILS, VIA FRANCE AND MAR-
SEILLES.

The Rist India and China Association, in their
recently issued report; publish a letter addressed to
them on this subject by Mr. De Salis, a gentleman
well known for his able advocacy and energetic
promotion of questions of Australian interest. Mr.
De Salis's remarks will be read in the colonies as
well as as India with great interest, while the sug-
gestions which he makes for the improveirent of a
postal service, every day becoming of greater im-
pertauce to the public, merit the early attention of
the French and English Governments. It is well
known that serious delays are always occuring in
the despatch of the mails from Marseilles ; and al-
though it admits of no question that from thence
letters might be transmitted toLondon in 27 hours,
their tran,it sill usually occupies n4arly two days,
reckoning from the period of the arrival of the mail
packets in the hirbour of Marseilles.
The following is a copy of the letter above re-
ferred to, which is addressed to the Secretary of
the East India and China Association :
Dawlty Court, Uxbridge, Oct. 18, 1856.
Sir—At the suggestion of several gentlemen connected
with India and Australia, I resolved to avail myself of a
short tour I was making in the south of France, in order ,
to inquire into the causes of theextraordinary delays that
have recently occurred in the transit of the India and
China mails at the port of Marseilles; I accordingly pro-
ceeded to that locality, and now beg, upon the invitation
of a member of your association, to report, for the infor-
mation of your committee, the results of my inquiries
at the same time I desire to submit for their considera-
tion a plan fir the future transit of the mails, which,
while it must c,insideraldy shorten the time now occu-
pied in their transmission, will effectually prevent a re-
currence of those delays which have been so justly com-
plained of.
I would premier my observations by stating that my in-
formation has been derived from persons in business at
Lyons, Avignon, and Marseilles, and I am at the same
time bound to add that I received much valuable intelli-
gence regarding the practice of the poi,t-office authorities
at Marseilles from Capt. Roberts, the commander of her
Majesty's post-office packet Vsl-tta, now stationed on
the Marseille and Malta line. Your committee will thus
observe that I neglected no means of obtaining informa-
tion from the best and most reliable sources, and I there-
fore venture to hope that my suggestions, having been
derived from practical men, will be found free from all
prao ical objections, and capable of being brought into
easy operation, it adopted by the French and English
g ,vernments.

The Conveyance of the Outward Mails.
Viewing the difficulty and danger attendant on de-
spatching the mail packets from Marseilles during the
night, and viewing also the ohjeetions which exist to
altering the present hour of departure of the mail from
Londoe, I do not advocate the despatch Of the outward
mails by special train. I desire, howev, r, to draw at-
tention to the importance of accelerating this despatch,
so as to ensure the mails being put on boatel the mail
packets, and started from Mar-eilles not later than 7
a m. on the second morning after their despatch from
London. This is more important than would at first ap-
p,ar ; because, if the packet be despatched as above, she
is sure to reach MaLa in good time on the third day, so
as to allow of her transferring the mails and passengers
to the steamer then waiting to receive them ; whereas,
if she is detained at Marseilles, she reaches Malta during
the night of the third day, and as the steamer to which
she transfers the mails is in consequence unable to start
for Alexandria until next morning, the obvious result of
the delay at Mareeillee i 4 a detention of the wails at
Malta amounting to 12 hours.
To admit of the mails being placed on board at Mar-
seilles by 7 a.m., the Lyons and Marseilles line ought to
be induced to accelerate their present night express which
now leaves Lyons at 10.30 p.m., and arrives at Mar.
seilles at 6 35 a.m,—a train which, it nut delayed three-
quarters of an hour at Lyons, as is at present the case,
and run at 25 miles per hour, would arrive at Marseilles
at 4.15 a.m., thus allowing ample time for the mails
being on board before 7 a.n.r. If, however, the railway
company cannot be induced to accelerate their usual
night express, then the India and China mail ought as
suredly to be forwarded by special train from Lyons to
Marseilles.
Having now gone through the leading points con-
nected with the transit through France of the India and
China mails, permit me, in conclusion, to observe that
I have also reported the result of my ob-ervations to the
Australian General Association, and I am gratified to
he able to inform you that this body, feeling the subject
to which this letter refers to be of the highest interest to
the Australian colonies, are solicitotie to co-operate with
your committee. and have resolved respectfully to press
upon the a:tention of the Government the imoortance of
improving the transit of our mails through Franca.
I sincerely trust tbat their efforts, conjoined to your
Own, supported as they w.ll by the great mercantile
interest of the country, will have due weight with ber
Majesty's government ; and in this hope, I have the
honour to subscribe myself, sir, your most obedient ser•
vant, W. FANS DE SALIS.
To the Secretary of the East India and
China Association, &c
Suggestions for the Improvement of the Transit of the
E.stern Mali through France.
Ist. The English government c airier accompanying
each overland mail to be permitted to take the English
mail boxes direct from the ship to the railway station at
Marseilles, and also to have leave to make all minor ar-
rangements requisite to carry out the above operation
without delay. He is further to be allowed, weather
permitting, t > Fend boats out,ide the harbour for the
mail, should the steamer arrive off the port at night, but
be unable to enter till daylight.
2.1. The French government to be invited to foraard
direct to the railway station, as promptly as may be,
those b(erres of the continent.a overland mail which, being
destined to Lyons, the North of France, Belgium, &c.,
do not require immediate sorting. If asmall room at the
ral way station were appropriated for the use of the post
office as a bureau, the bores could be there looked over
and separated, thus saving the delay of their transmis-
sion to the post-office in the centre of the town.
3d. A special express train to be invariably started as
soon as the English and French mails can be placed in
the railway carriages. As passengers always create
delays, none to be permitted to accompany the special ex•
press under any pretence.

For convenience sake, I have classified my obeerva
inatiueso ofetrt
hoati
shi
generally
hosD:o
heiploolaiewoyr,
supposed
envcdeeo
ramt(noalotta
tittni complained Cone under distinct heads, and I commence with the
haaust attributableoe Cre
eoFol delays lnatehybes
pchaaosv,,ete:
aobffiselrtentevariety of causes have been in operation to impede
the due despatch of our mails.
Owing to the recent large extension of the silk manu-
factures of France, her postal relations with India have
assumed proportions which would hardly be credited.
That such is the case, yourcornmittee willperceive, when
I nsferdraelitvheerd them that
ursein
atthaeconets onine thental 29th
of dept.tionofthe Inia
mail, last,
amounted to 118 boxes. It must also be borne in mind
that these very heavy mails, owing to the difficulty expe-
rienced by the packets in entering a very crowded pert at
night time, usually arrive Finitely after daybreak, that. is,
just at the very period of the day when the whole staff of
the Marseilles Post office are enga!ed in preparing for
their extensive diereal deliveries. Under such circum-
stances, the Marseilles officials have elected to perform
their usual office business first, before they attend to the
India mails, and hence one cause of the detention of our
letter bags.
Another cause is, however, also in operation. The
French authorities, especially in the present fevered
state of the silk market, exeibit a marked reluctance to
permit any one part of the India mail to precede the
rest ; hence it has frequently occurred that whilst the
continental portion of the India mail was being sorted
and arranged, our own mail has been detained pending
the completion of that operation, and bas in consequence
missed the 10 o'clock morning train, by which it might
otherwise easily have been despatched.
A third and last cause of delay exists in this, that the
French Post-office at Marseilles have no authority to en-
gage a aprcial train for the despatch of the mails, and
thus find themselves hound to employ one or other of the
two existing mail trains, viz., the train starting at 10
a.m., or the evening train, starting twelve hours and a
half after it, at 10.30 p.m.
Best mode of obviating toe Delays complained of.
Having pointed out the causes of these delays, I pro-
ceed to show how they may be heat remedied. In the first
place, as the French government never either open or
desired to open our mail bags, it will be quite clear that
no ground whatever exists for taking them to the Mar-
sell es Post office ; on the contrary, the Thiglish Go-
vernment courier, who waits the arrival of each mail
packet, ought to be permitted to take the mails direct
from the skip to the railway station ; and I am assured,
on good authority, that their transfer from the ship to
the railway carriages ought always to be effected within
the hour ; thus, the possibility of the long detentions
which have recently occurred, within the precincts of
the Marseilles Post-office, will be wholly done away
with. The cogent grounds which exist for despatching
the mail at all times by special train will be dwelt upon
by me at length under a separate head ; in the meantime,
I would observe that one of the grounds put forward by
the French Post office for detaining the English mail
while they are sorting the continental mail—viz., their
reluctance to allow airy one portion of the India mail to
precede the other, has no just application to the English
despatches, which must, under any circumstances, whe-
ther sent on or detained, reach their destination long
alter the greater portion of the continental letters have
been delivered ; and I would further respectfully sub-
mit for the consideration of the French authorities,
that as regards those boxes destined for Lyons,
the north of France, Belgium, &c , no necea ity
"ss,t-tooffigcoe. directT heytoo
tubgeh tr,aiinl
wcaoyn jsutan
tcitoi onn, wb
ei tht
hoe ur
er
whatever emists why they should be taken to the Mar-
seillesownm Paiol
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
looked over in a bureau appropriated to the postal see- The British have always been celebrated as a most
vice, and then be instantly despatched with our own to amphibious race. From the period when our uncivilised
their respective destinations—the sorting process going and half-naked ancestors paddled about the 'Names in
on as usual on the road,
their wicker coricles to the present day when our fleets
Ineroveinent on the present mode of Transmitting the are distributed all over the globe, a nautical taste has
Homeward Mail. been strongly developed in the English character. It is
Under this head I have drawn out a scheme suggest- true that antiquarian research has failed to discover the
ing several improvements in the present mode of transit, remains of aboriginal ship-yards under the marshes of
This document is appended hereto; in the meantime, it Poplar and Blackwell, nor have the Roman authors
will be sufficient for nee to refer to its leading features, communicated to poeteriry their admiration for the won-
which are as follows :-I.et. No delays at Marseilles. dera of any ouch places as Sheerness and .Portsmouth.
2d. Deepaich of the mails by a special train. 3d, No But though mechanical skill may havegiven us the means
delays at Paris. 4th, Sorting of the mails during their of applying the national aquatic propensity to the hest
transit through France. 50. The time table annexed possible ad vaetage, yet that prepensity has no less been
to my scheme, Showing that the mails may now easily an essential part of the English character in all ages.
be delivered in London within 28 hours of their despatch There is a natural tendency to progress in the minds of
from Marseilles. men. A small invention when first known may excite
Necessity for Despatching the Homeward Mail by a astonishment and admiration, but we soon tire of it in
Special Train. its original limit, and seek for it in some more extended
The delays at Marseilles baying been already discussed, form. The marvel of yesterday may be the common-
I proceed at once to refer to the necessity of despatching pace of to-day, and the laughing-stock of to-morrow,
the homeward mails immediately on their arrival by a
Even the wonders of telegraphic communication have
special train.now become stale, and we begin to consider that the in-
I feel assured that when our Government reflect on vention riot such a grant boon after all, as it cannot
the present extent of our Eastern trade, and when they be applied to the transmission of merchandise. It is but
consider the importance it is to our merchants not only a few years since we escaped from the tedious and uncer-
tain navigation of sailing shire and hailed with delight
to have early advices but also full time to reflect upon
the orders they must transmit b the out sin mail they the application of steam power, which rendered us at once
will be of opinion that an unnecessary delay y g ,
of many independent of the caprices of wind and weather. Yet,
n
hours in the transit of valuable intelligence may prove now we look upon the abort sea passage tothe Continent,
a very dear economy to the public. It anything were even when performed in the greatest steamers, as slow
wanting to confirm them in the necessity which exists and behind the age, and ere mof submarine tunnels and
for putting the Marseilles service on the best footing, it flying machines to render the "through j ourneyto Para"
is to be found in the fact that the overland route has re-
something more than a figure of speech. Even the wicker
cently been selected as the means of communication with
dere at the time of their invention, and we do not know
stitute the channel through which advices relating to a con- coriclee of the Brutii were, no doubt, considered won-
our Australian col nies, and will therefore shortly Cuwhat odes may have been recited in their favour by the
trade even more important than our Eastern commerce Druids. The galleys and small sailing ships of the Saxons
a must reach England. Whether the whole or a portion and Normans were the next succeeding improvements.
only of the expense of the special train should fall on But the astonishment which was excited through-
this country, it is not for an individual to discuss ; out the world in the sixteenth century by the build-
I may, however, be permitted to observe, whether
ing of a vessel of less than a thousand tons is familiar
the French Government pay any portion or not to all who are acquainted with hislory. Yet vessels
of the proposed special train, that no measure of a thousand tons have become commonplace, and ships
it could take would be more popular with the great mer-
of nearly four limes the size constantly to be seen at our
cantile cities of France than the acceleration of their seaiporte. But now we have arrived at a period when a
moderate increase in the magnitude of our undertakings
authority that the Chambers of Commerce of Ly o
much-looked for silk advices. I was assured upon goodns,
will not keep pace with the spirit of the day. By don-
Havre, and Bordeaux felt warmly on the delays which
tiling the size of our ships we should fail to excite the sa-
bad taken place, and were quite ready to support to tasted wonder : a more rapid progression is necessary.
We are not now looking forayed to the completion of a
their utmost the representations they.heard had been
vessel twice the size of the Himalaya, or exceeding the
made on the subject from England.
Delay of the Mail at Paris. dimensions of the Niagara, but absolutely five !times the
size of the largest vessel hitherto built. There was an
I beg your committee's particular attention to the mug- observation made some time ago by an eminent naval
geetion made by me on this head, No. 5. Much time, pro-
bably three hours and a half, would be economised if the
authority that the limits of naval architecture as regards
[ego had been reached ; that it was impossible to work
mails, in lieu of being driren into the Paris station of the
vessels of greater magnitude .than a first rate line-of-
Lyons Railway, were taken direct to the Northern sta.
battle ship, utiles also men of Cyclopean
more tion by tbe circular railway, which connects together all
could be found as a crew. The difficulty is proportionse
the French metropolitan termini. This means of cone•wonder a
p
p
s
-
rent than real, though no one can at the obar-
rnunicatien is extensively used Jre the transit of enerchan- vation being made who pays a viiit to the Great East.
dise—ewhole trains proceeding now direct from Marseil- ern. It is, indeed, impossible to conceive how that
ley to Havre and Antwerp without stopping at all at gigantic mass can be placed uuder the control of men of
Paris. What takes place with a luggage train may, with-
the ordinary Feruetate, and we almost ex e ect, as w
out dispute, easily also be don© with a train consisting wander about tbe yard, to stumble suddenlyp upon some
simply of a post-office carriage and tender. I therefore of the Brobdignagiane for whom she must be intended,
submit, with all respect, that the present stoppage at
Upon examining the vessel, however, we see how every
diately done away with.
Park, equal to four hours, may and ought to be mime-
appliance- is made- use of that can possibly save manual
labour. She may be almost considered, indeed, as a
Sorting of our mails during their Transit through
France. vast automaton. Auxiliary engines are placed every-
where round the deck to perform the duty of the sailors
Viewing the proposed immediate transfer of our Aus-
trallan mails to this line there a under their superintendence. By these her anchors will
, ppears no reason why a
be cast nod weighed, her -sails spread and furled, her
proper staff should not be permanently organised for this cargo teemed and discharg d, and the coal for her fires
service. It will not b© di-gated that, with proper ar-
brought into the stoke-hole • in fact, she realises the
rangemente, the mails might and ought to reach London
all ready sorted fur the home transit and delivery,
true idea of a steam ship. ft is very 'difficult to really©
the magnitude of the hull by a close inspection. Wo
The Time Table annexed to the Scheme for the Im- see a certain amount of rod painted iron side, which is
proved Transit of the Mails, opposed to us, and which conveys no idea of vastness to
The rate of speed assumed in this document is that our minds. Even if we walk along the side every sue-
adopted by the Lyons and Paris line fir their usual ex- cessive portion which we pass is but a repetition of the
press trains—viz, 35 miles per hour, stoppages included; previous one, and to obtain an adequate idea of the
a speed which ought to be easily maintained by a ape- Great Eastern in this way would be like walking two
oral express, viewing that such train would carry no pas- r three times round Kensington-oval to see a mile of
sengers, and would stop only for water and fuel. paliegs. If we go upon the deck we certainly can ob-
It is here, perhaps, proper to state that the express ain a better notion of her, but it is only done by cm-
rate of speed on the Lyons and Marseilles line is onl) 25 parison. We stand upon an extensive plain of iron so
miles per hour. As, however, this rail way may be said studded with rivets that you fancy you are walking on
to be a better running road than the Parisand Lyons line, the pathway of some old French town. In this expanse
and presents, on the whole, fewer curves, I think the of iron there are some dozen extensive gaps left open for
Government might fairly ask them to adopt the accele. the purpose of fitting in the engines and boilers. By
rated express rate of the Lyons and Paris line. Their looking down these apertures we see a space like a small
capability to run at high spee4et for their own purposes, square in the Temple. This we know is one 9f the

. . -
4tb. The English boxes to be placed in a posts ambu-
lante, separate from the French boxes, and a proper
sorting staff to be permanently organised, so that toe
mail might reach England ready sorted and fit for imme-
diate transmission into the interior.
sth. The special mail train not to be permitted to enter
the Paris station of the Lyons Railway, but to he driven
direct to the station of the Northern Railway by the
Paris circular line.

6th. An engine to be ordered by telegraph to meet
the special mail train at the junction of the Northern
Ralway with the Circular Railway connecting the vari-
ous French metropolitan lines, and such engine to take
the mails on direct to Calais without change of carriages.
7th. At Calais a special steamer is to be in readiness
to convoy the mails to Dover, whence they are to come
on to Loudon by special express.
Bth. The following is an estimate of the time within
which the mails might be delivered in London under the
proposed improved means of transit :

H. M.
Marseilles to Paris, at 35 miles per hour,
including all stoppages, 534 miles l5 0
Stoppage at Pans 0 30
Paris to London, via Calais l2 0

27 30
9th. So soon as the construction of the branch line
intended to connect the port of Marßeines with the rail-
way is finished, the mails to be started from the goods
terminus at the port, in lieu of from the present termi-
nus on the hill above the town.

THE GREAT EASTERN.

TUESD'AY EVENING, MAY 5, 1857.

is unquestioned, and in proof of it I may state that the
train I returned in, being considerably behind time, wa3
run over the least favourable portion of their line at the
rate of 44 railt:s per hour.
The time from Paris to London is that of the usual
night train. If the South• Eastern Railway Company
were permitted to use its discretion in conveying the
mail by Calais or Boulogne, according to the state of the
tide, the transit, when effected by the latter route, would
be shortened by two hours.
I beg hero to express my opinion, that if a small
steamer, drawing a very light draft of water, say 2 feet
5 in., were employed to assist in taking the mails to and
from the mail steamer off the port of Calais, on nights
when the tide does not permit her to ente-r the harbour,
much time would be economised. My impression is, that
the maintenance of such small steamer would not cost as
much as the large sum paid to the numerous boatmen
employed, and the service would be much more efficiently
performed.

water-tight compartments, and if by a mental process of
arithmetic we can multiply the apparent magnitude by
12, we may get a tolerat le idea of the interim, but f ven
by o,mi:ire-teens an adequate notion of her is hard to form.
Figures are the only means of explaining magnitude, and'
'to these we must have recourse She is very nearly 700
feet in extreme length, with a width of 83 feet ; the r x
treme breadth across the paddle-boxes is upwards of 120
feet, and the depth of the hell 60 feet. The aggregate
tonnage is very nearly 23,000. She is built entirely of
wrought iron, and is so-rivetted and bolted together that
she is like one entire piece ; but in order to give lie
creased strength and stability, a second iron skin, as it
is called, is placed inside the first, at the distance of 2
feet 10 inches, as complete and perfect as the outside
one. This double case Extendg to three feet above the
water line, and is divided transversely into small air-
tight compartments ; double. security is thus given in
case, by any accident, the outer hull might get perfo-
rated. In the interior, as a precaution against fire and
leakage, she is divided into 12 water-tight compartments
by iron bulk-heads, half an Inch thick, all entirely eepa•
rated front each other. Se carefully have the sides been
constructed toat previous to their being coveted with
the waterpro f cement nearly all the seams where the
plates are j feed were found to be water-tight. About
8,000 tons of wrought iron has been used in the 60,000
superficial feet of plates used in her hull. These are
fastened together by 3,000,000 wrought-iron rivets. The
manner in which she was constructed is very peculiar,
the whole of the heavy lifting work being done by a
powerful steam cradle, fitted up on purpose. The plates
properly punched are heated to redness in the furnaces,
and while in that condition are hoisted to their proper
places. The white hot rivets are then immediately driven
home, and the iron as it cools contracts so considerably
as to render e seams quite water-tight: The deck
which, as before stated, is entirely of iron plate, sup-
ported on wrought- ron girders, will, when the vessel is
launched, be covered to the thickness of an inch with a
preservative cement, and afterwards Wanked. She will
be fitted with both paddle and screw engines ; the for-
mer of 1,500 horse power,/ and the latter 1,800 horse-
power, giving a total of 3,300 horse-power, at a prefi-
gure of 2516. to the square inch. Of course she csn if
necessary, work up to 5,000 horse-power. The paddle
engines will dmsist of four oscillating cylinders, 6 feet 2
inches in diameter, and 14 feet stroke, each of which
weighs more than 26 tons. The steam to set these in mo-
tion will be generated by 4 boilers, having 40 furnaces.
These engines are constructed on the disconnecting prin-
ciple, by which either of the paddle-wheels may be worked
independently of the other, if required. The diameter of
the paddle-wheels will be about 56 feet. The screw engines
will certainly be the principal ',deities of propelling the
vessel. They consist of 4 cylinder, of 7 feet in diame-
ter and 4 feet stroke. The weight of each of these
cylinders will b.- 30 tons. The number of boilers will be
6, provided wi' h 72 furnaces. The screw will have four
blades, each 12 feet long, and the length of the connect-
ing shaft will be 150 feet, and its weight 60 tons. The
consumption of coals by these gigantic engines will, of
course, be very great, but at the same time the stowage-
room wi;l be quite in proportion ; she will be able to
carry nearly 12,000 tons of coal, or about sufficient to
supply her for the out and return voyage between Eng-
land and Australia. The total weight of the vessel when
ready for launching will be about 12,000 tons, and the
displacerneet of water to compensate for this weight will
be about 15 feet 6 inches ; her ordinary light draught is
20 feet, and the maximum draught, when fully laden,
will probably not exceed'3o feet. The accommodation
is to be such as has never before been known on board
ship. She will have five uppr and five lower saloons ;
those on the upper deck being 70 feet long and 12 feet
in height, and 36 feet broad. The lower deck saloons
are only 60 1 et long, but are 13 feet 8 inches high, an
elevation, equal if not superior to that of most ordinary
drawing-rooms. Of course, With the vast bulk of the
ship it is anticipated that there will not be env motion
--at least not sufficient to disturb the stomach of even
the meet sensitive passengers. Under steam alone she
is expected to attain the speed of 20 rni!es an hour. She
is to carry six masts, three of which will he square
rigged. They are to be of hollow wrought iron, with
the exception of the mizenmast, which is to be of wood.
It has been urged as an objection that it would be 44:
possible to get the compasses to act correctly in the
neighbourheird of such a mass of iron. To guard against
such interference the corrected compasses will be kept ou
the mizenmast, at the height of 84 feet from the deck,
and consequently sufficiently removed from surrounding
objects to be always pretty reliable. When under fill
sail she will spread some 6,500 square yards of can-
vas. The standing rigging is to be of iron-wire rope,
some psrtions of which will be eight inches in cir-
cumference. The Great Eastern is chiefly in-
tended for passenger traffic, rind is to he fitted
to accommodate 800 of the first class, 2,000 second
class, and 1,200 third class—in all 4,000 passengers, and
if used as a troop-ship it is said she can take nearly
18,000 men, baggage and provisions included. Ample
boat-accommodation will of course, be provided for the
whole number of her passengers. In addition to 201trge
boats on the deck she will carry, suspended aft her pad-
dle-boxes, t ovosimall iron screw steamers, each about 100
feet long, and nearly 70 tons burden. They can be raised
from or lowered into the water by small auxiliary en-
gines provided for the purpose. These steamers are in-
dispensable adjuncts to a slip of this size, as it would be
impossible for her to crose even a moderate bar, and
there is no dock that would take her in. The shipping
and unshipping of passe. gars and cargo would be a mat-
ter of great difficulty without them. She will be one of
the first vessels that has been launched completely fitted,
and with engines, masts, and everything on board, nor,
could it be done in her case if the launch was to take
place in the ordinary way, but this is not the case. She
will belowered down an inclined plane into the river by
hydraulic presses, an operation which will occupy at
least a day or two. She is to be zeady for launching in
August, and will take her trial trip to America about
the middle of that month. The arrangements for the no-
vel mode of launching, the ultimate success of which ope-
ration we cannot but think problematical, we will reserve
for our next notice on this subject.
We (Bristol Advertiser) are informed that it is no
longer a matter of uncertainty from which pert the
Great Eastern will sail, Milford Haven has been se-
1-cted as the favoured spot—no other harbour in the
kingdom being able to 'afford her accommodation. Our
informant states that the moorings for this mighty levia.
than are now being laid at Neyland.

HONOURABLE' CONDUCT.

TESTIMONIAL TO DONALD MACDOUGALL,
ESQ., OF INVERNESS.
(Prom the Caledonian Mercury.)
A large assemblage of the personal and business
'riends of Donahl Macifouga 1, Esq , of Inverness, met
within Carrick's Reyal Hotel, on Thursday last, for the
purpose of presenting to him a testimonial of resnect.
The more immediate object of the testimonial will be
learned frem the proceedings at the meeting.
Among the company present were—the Hon. the
Lord Provost ; Sir James Campbell of Stracathro ;
Bailie Wright ; John Gilmour, Elq. ; James Gourlay,
; Andrew Wmeate, jun., Esq. ; Williern Wineate.,
Esq. ; John M'Donald, Esq. ; John Anderson, ;
John Harvey, Esq.; John Wilson, Esq. ; James
Arthur, Esq ; Walter Seobie, Esq. ; John Robertson,
Eq. ; Witham Whitl,ead, Esq. of E linburgh ;
Valiance, E q , of alinburgh ; Robert Forirester,
E-q., &c ,
Sir J. CAMPIELL, addressing Mr. Macdougall, said—
It is my pleasing duty, sir, in compliance with the re-
quest of the gentlemen who have take❑ the more imme-
diate charge of the arrangements for the present occasion,
to beg your acceptance of the articles of silver plate now
before me, in testimony of the high respect of a number
of mercantile names and firms in England and Scotland,
who have benefited by your most creditalle. honourabl-,
and self-denying conduct in paying the balance of your
obligations of 1837, for which you were no longer legally
I:able. It is within the knowledge of the gentlemen
present, sir, that upwards of twenty years ago, when
you were but a young man, and little more than entered
upon your career in business on your own account, hav-
ing met with disappointments and losses, to which mer-
cantile pursuits are always liable, you found yourself in
such pecuniary difficulties as made it prudent and neces-
sary, while at the same time most honourable on your
part, to selernit your affairs to your creditors. The re-
sult was an arrangement made to the entire satisfaction
of your creditors, by which you were to pay a csnepol•
tion on your liabilities, which was acknowledged to be
the ample value of the assets of your estate. That
composition was punctually and honourably paid, and
although your means were thus but limited, the confi-
dence of your friends was not denied you—your credit
was completely restored. Since that period, sir, you
have applied yourself to the prosecution of your business
with great energy, industry, and shill, and wale most
praiseworthy economy. But you have had great mo-
tives to encourage you onward. With the ordinary am-
bition for success, without which there seldom is progress
it-. any work, you have had an interesting family to pro-
vide for, and you have had also, sir, the noble aepira
tions for independence—you would " owe no man any-
thing" by any interpretation, legal or moral. We are
met here to-day to acknowledge the practical result of
your exertions, and to testify our sense of your merito-
rious and honourable conduct by presenting to you these
articles of plate. We beg you will accept them, sir,
with our earnest prayer that you way long live to enjoy
them, with all the pleasing associations they will ratur
ally carry with them ; and that they may go down
through generations in your family, as a testimony to
your worth, and to the estimation in which you have
been held by all who knew you.
Mr. MACDOUGALL in reply said —Sir James Campbell,
your kind and flattering remarks have so overpowered
me, that I fear I shall scarcely find words adequate to
the expression of what my full Highland heart at pre-
sent feels, It is to me a source of no ordinary gratifica-
tion, I will tint say pride, to have the honour of meeting
so many honourable meo ; but instead of glorifying my-
selfeon this occasion, I ought to give humble and devout
thanks to the Source whence all blessings flow, that He
has so preserved my health and nerved my arm as to
enable me, though with a severe struggle, to do a simple
act of justice, and to pay each man his own. Sir James
and gentlemen, or I may be permitted to say kind
friends, a sense of justice ought to compel me to acknow-
ledge that 1 am utterly undeserving of this magnificent
testimony of your approval and good fee'ing. I ought
rather to have presented each of you with some tangiLle
expression of my gratitude and respect for the kind for-
bearance you exemplified when circumstances over which
I had no control necessitated me to deprive you of a con-
siderable portion of what you were justly entitled to re-
ceive, and which I have been so tardy in repaying. Had
it not been for your kind consideration upon that occa-
sion, I might possibly, at the present moment, have been
a poverty-stricken and heart broken outcast, instead of a
prosperous man. It is to you, then, I owe my present
position for since the first moment the idea of pay.