The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-29 00:00:00

THE NEW NAVAL TELEGRAPHI

LIGHTS.
This system of night signals, now under trial and
the consideration of a committee of naval officers at
Portsmouth, is proposed with a view to remedy the
very inadequate and defective state of our present
night accommodation. The importance of such a
system as this is acknowledged by every officer in her
Majesty's service who has investigated the subject,
when it is remembered that in these times we have
every pcasible facility afforded us on shore
for communicating by night as well as by
day with electric rapidity, the sailor has no means
beyond nineteen signals of conveying intelligence,
without the use of rockets or guns, which, in the
presence of an enemy, would not be an efficient mode
of conversing ; and, in fact, the Admiral has no signal
even for the officer of the guard. Any ship now ar-
riving at Spithead during the night must wait till
daylight before she can communicate with the Ad-
miral of the port, whereas by this system she comes
to anchor with her number up the same as by day,
and can, with the lamps, signalise with per-
fect ease at the distance of three miles.
These lamps are light, strong, and neat,
only five inches in diameter, beautifully and
scientifically constructed with very powerful lens, by
Millar and Co., lamp-makers to the Admiralty,
Piccadilly. The system is divided into two parts,
one vertical and the other horizontal ; the colours
which are used are red, green, and white, the placing
of them forms the numerals of both parts. All the
lamps are of the same size, and two lights invariably
form one figure ; they may be worked numerically or
alphabetically as required, so as to give 996 verti-
cally, or 9,999 horizontally. The vertical lamps
emit light all around, are eleven pounds in weight,
and five inches in diameter, the outer circular glass is
an inch thick, and is a lens of great magnifying force,
in which rests the strength and intensity of the light ;
only one candle is required, in consequence of the
great magnifying force. It is on the principle of the
telescope. The candle is placed where the eye of the
person should be, and the eye takes place of the ob-
ject. To give the idea more fully of this lamp, take
three tumblers without bottoms, and fix a light in the
centre, the outer one being a white lens, an inch
thick, and the others red and green glass of common
thickness ; when the red and green are lifted
above the lens, the light is white, when the
green is down the colouring matter is con-
veyed to the lens, and the light is green,
when it is up and the red down, the red of course
tinctures the rays in like manner. These lamps have
been worked at Spithead for the last two months with
every satisfaction, at three miles distant, under almost
every condition of the weather; the lens having the
extraordinary power of transmitting the colouring
matter through very dense media. The horizontal
lamps which are now to be seen at work on board her
Majesty's ship Victory emit light on one side only,
have nearly double the power of the former, are a
foot in diameter and weigh 191b5., have a strong lens
with a small but powerful reflector of Millar's behind ;
within is a horizontal revolver, on which is placed
red and green glass, which, being brought alternately
between the light and the lens, give the colours as re-
quired. This lamp is calculated to work from four to
eight miles distant, and it is intended for flag-ships,
dockyards, &c., the vertical being for sea-going ships
only. It must be obvious to every one that without
such system as this, in time of war, with powerful
steamers, it is impossible to say what evil may not
arise from the advance of an enemy on our coast,
fleets, or arsenals.—Portsmouth Guardian --[lhis ad-
mirable invention has been effected by our worthy
townsman,,Alttchell Thompson, Esq., late surgeon of
her Majesty's steam-frigate Odin.—En. Plymouth
and Devonport Journal.]

IMPROVEMENT OF THE CITY "SHOW."
The following letter has been addressed to the Right
Hon. the Lord Mayor elect, Mr. Alderman Musgrove:—
" My Lord,—Atone of the Old Bailey dinners last year
Mr. Hill afforded me the opportunity of mentioning to
you an often-repeated regret on my part, that no en-
deavour was made to improve the character of the annual
City Show' on the 9th of November. I ventured to
remark, with reference to the antiquity of the proceed-
ing, and its interesting character, that some little inven-
tion and taste might, at all events, be exercised upon it,
in lieu of repeating year after year the same dull and
effete routine; and I suggested that, as it would probably
soon be your privilege to act as chief magistrate of
London, you should strive to vary the character of the
procession, revive its associations, and introduce into it
some work of modern skill and ingenuity. You were
good enough to say that you felt the force of the obser •
vution, and concurred (so far as a first hearing would
justify) in my views: and you invited me, when the
proper time came, to place the subject again before you.
I gladly comply with the request. . .I do think
with Thomas Middleton (1613) that some art and
knowledge, (qua' to the liberality of the City, should be
displayed in the invention of their pageant.' I would
raise it out of the monotonous and prosaic routine into
which it has fallen, by the introduction, among other
changes, of emblems and works of art, accordant with
its ancient enaracter, and worthy of the present time.
In lieu of the men in mock armour, who have had a long
run, or in addition if you please (making their costume
real), you might introduce, say three compositions typical
of manufactures, agriculture, and the arts; and do honour,
if it were but by a series of banners, to the great minds
that have taught and raised the world, and to. the past
worthies w;io have specially served, adorned, or other-
wi, e improved the City. Peace has its victories as well
as war.' Your Lordship, I know, thinks it is time the
world gave honour to those who gain such. I do not
venture, however, here to set forth what shape the show
should actually be made La take: appropriate designs if
sought wouid ne obtained without difficulty: my present
object will be attained if I succeed in making evident to
your Lordship the desirability of rendering the Mayor's
show more worthy of this great city and time than is now
the case. 46
We are glad to hear that the above has been referred to
the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs' Committee for conducting
the entertainment, and trust that improvement will, at
all events, be conimenced in the Show on the approach-
ing 9th of November.—Builder.