The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-06 00:00:00

THE CALEDONIAN ASYLUM.

Yesterday afternoon a quarterly general court of the
subscribers to this institution was held at the Free-
masons' Tavern, Sir J. Heron Maxwell, Bart., presiding.
More than u►ual interest was excited in consequence
of a notice of motion which had been given at the
last quarterly court by Mr. W. S. Campbell, which it
was fully anticipated would revive the discussion
between the Free Church party and those who still
retain connexion with the Established Church of Scot-
land. The children, it appears, have been directed to
attend the chards of each division into which the church
is split, according to the decisions of accidental ma-
jorities at quarterly courts. Mr. Campbell's notice was
that he would propose that on and after a certain day
to be named the children should be directed to be taken
to the Free Church in Regent-square. Both parties
mustered in considerable force, but when Sir John
Maxwell called upon Mr. Campbell to bring on his
motion he was not presen►, and the whole matter
tell to the ground. The Rev. Dr. Cumming denour.ced
as most injurious to the charity the course which
had been adopted, and contended that the chapel at
Holloway was in all respects the best for the children to
attend. The secretary tread the minutes of the di-
rectors' meetings. They stated that since the last
quarterly court six bo3s and one girl had left the
asylum. There were tour candidates from the last list
whose votes would be carried forward to the next elec-
tion, and seven new applications for admission. Sir J.
U. Meat ell was appointed treasurer in the room of
Captain Lambert, and Sir George Clarke was elected a
director in the place e f Mr. Macgregor, who had re-
signed. Some routine business was disposed of, and the
Meeting separated.

MEETING OF MIDDLESEX MAGIS-
TRATES.

Yesterday was appoititcTru;:tfTe holding of a meeting
of the magistrates of the county of Middlesex, at the Ses-
sions House, Clerkenwell, to transact general county
bwineto, comprisiaig the reception and consideration of
reports from committees, the ordering of payments by
the treasurer, the consideration or motions arising out
of the report of the committee on the county expenditure,
&c. At the usual hour, twelve o'clock, Mr. Pownall,
the chairman of the bench, took his seat, when five other
magistrates only appeared on the bench. As the pre-
sence of twelve is indispensable to constitute a mutt on
a " county day," the court was not opened, and after
waiting half an hour, the limit prescribed by the
standing orders, but one other magistrate entered the
court, and the consequence was that at half-past twelve
the chairman announced that no business would
be proceeded with, and the consideration of the business
in the parer was postponed for a fortnight. The magis-
trates present wers—the Chairman, Mr. Butch, Mr.
Wilke, Mr. Antrobus, Mr. Russell, Mr. Arthur Smith,
and Mr. Bluek. The four firs-mentioned Etended in
official capacities; Mr. Retch, Mr. Wilke, and Mr. An-
trobus representing committees, and it was suggested,
jocularly, by a magistrate present, that the names of the
" non-official" magistrates in attendance, should be
"emblem ,ned" on the walls of the hall; the fact of their
atten'ance that day, when, owing to some unaccount-
able influence, there was such a scarcity of other " non-
official" magistrates, being deserving of more than ordi-
nary mention. On Friday last, the court had to be ad-
journed because neither witnesses nor defendants were in
attendance; yesterday a like course had to be adopted,
and the public business postponed on account of the non-
attendance of magi: traces.

NOVA hlonvE.—At the Royal Polytechnic Insti-
tutiou a naw mode of propulsion is now being demonstrated,
which, under this title, consists of a series of carriages, car-
rying under them their own motor, in the form of a tube,
which ii. flexible and air tight. This tube has a series of
slide valves, entirely under the care of a guard, who, by
levers, has perfect contr,l over his train. The application,
which is very ingenious, and is the invention of a mechanic
named Weston, who has patented it, is as follows :—Along
the whole line of railway is fixed a pipe of any given dia-
meter, in connexion with which a series of pistons arc fixed
between the rails, intended to receive the tube above men-
tioned in its passage, In these pistons are valves opening
into the fixed pile, which is alwisys kept exhausted, so that
when the train passes ov r the pistons the slide valves in the
tube are opened by means of inclined planes communicating
with levers. which levers are raised up in passing over them,
the atmosphere then rushes through the tube to supply the
vacuum, and the train is propelled. There are so many
points in this invention that our space will not admit of a
more detailed account of it, but as it is demonstrated daily
at the Polytechnic Institution, and exhibited on a large
working scale there, those interested in these matters can be
informed fully by the inventor himself, who attends the
model tor that purpose Tht invention, as we have before
said, is by Mr. Weston, who, with several other practical
mechanics (formed into a society called the " Inventors'
Protection Society") has executed the above illustration, by
which the inventor states an immense saving would be ac-
complished.

COUNT KIELNIANSEGGE.—We regret to learn that
continued illness has led to the departure from this country
of his Excellency the Hanoverian Minister, who left the
Hanoverian Legation a few days since, accompanied by
Count Charles and George Kielmansegge, his brothers.
ACCIDENT TO THE DIVING BELL AT BLACK-
FEIAEs-anwn E.—Yesterday (Thursday) morning, about 9
o'clock, au accident happened to the diving-bell-barge, by
which the lives of the divers were placed in danger. It ap-
pears that at the time mentioned the divers were down in
the bell fur the purpose of examining the foundation of the
bridge, when a barge, which was on her way up the river,
heavily laden with coal belonging to Mr. Eaton, of Brent-
ford, came in contact with the south-east pier of the fourth
arch with such violence, that, in swinging round, her stern
came in contact with the barge to which the diving-bell was
attached, and so ♦iolent was the collision that it shook all on
board, driving the barge away from its moorings through
the arch. The men superintending the working of the bell,
fearing that the lives of the divers were in danger, im-
mediately drew up the bell;with all possible speed ; the divers
fortunately were found to be perfectly safe. The coal-barge,
however, was taken in tow by the Locomotive steam-boat,
and the barge being brought to her moorings, the bell was
again sunk.

SALE OF LANDS IN AYRSIIIRE.—At a sale of
lands in Ayrshire, which took place in Messrs. Cay and
Black's sale-rooms, George street, Edinburgh, on Friday, out
of fourteen different lots, the following nine lots were sold
A small piece of laud, and cottage and garden, at Low Bridge
of Doon , was exposed at the upset price of 160/, and sold for
24N. The lands of Corrytinstock, in the palish of Alaybole
—upset price, 7021. I4i. 74,1.—501 d for 7621.
.14e. I. A
Burns'
sclatt
small piece of land and cottage at Alloway Bridge of Doon
—upset price 150/., sold for 415/. This lot was bought by
ps hreocvuesatonddieard. offn
Mo-
nument, ,Anut
has
sf D
duneo onsbor ae
muchwh too a
locality. This purchase will enable:hitn still further to or-
nament the grounds adjacent to the poet's monument. The
lands of Gursehill and Loanfoot, in the parish of Coylton,
upset price LC:a 2s. 2d., sold i0r:1,609/. 2a. 2d. The lands
of Pettoch, in the parish of Coylton, sold at the upset price
of 1,113/. Ls. 9d. The Linda of Drumwhill, in the same
parish, sold at the upset price of 1,411/.Bs. 11d. The lands
of Miljoau and Glengennet. in the parish of Barr, sold at the
upset price of 5,3121. 16s. 9id. The lands of Knockizerrait
and Lane-, in the parish of Dsilly, sold at the upset price of
6,846/. ls. Id. The lands of Cahoole, in the parish of Kirk.
michael, upset price 4451, lbs. 4d., evld for 47.51, lb. 4d.