The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-09 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY EVENING,

PHILLIPS'S FIRE ANNIHILATOR.
Another demonstration of the powers of this inven-
tion, on a somewhat larger scale than hitherto prac-
tised, took place yesterday in Battersea-fields. To
show the value of the vapour, both on sea and land,
a house and s n old ship were the objects experimented
upon. The house was a tolerably substantial building,
containing six rooms, each of which were fitted up
with rough furniture, so that it might present all the
appearances of an inhabited dwelling. In the bold of
the ship a quantity of hogsheads, casks, sacks, and
other things were stowed, to represent a general
cargo. Visitors were admitted into the house and on
board the vessel, and every facility was afforded to
show them the inflammable nature of the contents.
Fire was applied to the house a short time after eleven
o'clock, when the flames soon issued from the windows
and other apertures ; after the fire had been allowed
to rage for the space of five minutes, it seemed cer-
tain, under ordinary circumstances, that the house and
its contents were doomed. Orders were then given to
apply the vapour, which was done from two machines,
one at the rear and the other at the front of the
house. Almost immediately after the machines were
brought to bear upon the burning mass, a sensible
diminution of the fire took place, and room after
room was acted upon with a like result. Twelve
minutes after, the inventor, Mr. Phillips, appeared
upon the roof, and made a signal that the house was
saved ; the vapour, however, still continued to be
applied fur some time longer, and it was not till
twenty minutes from the time of the first injection
that the fire in the body of the house was totally ex-
tinguished. A few pails of water were then applied
to quench the smouldering embers, and, after the
smoke cleared away, ingress was again had to the
interior. A great part of the contents, with portions
of the flooring and ceilings were found to be destroyed,
and it was evident that the whole of the building must
have been consumed had not a remedy been applied.
At the close of this portion of the demonstration Mr.
Phillips addressed the assemblage, expatiating on the
benefits of the invention and congratulating them on
the success of the experiment ; he also announced that
further opportunities wculd be afforded the public to
witness the effects of the vapour. Fire was then
communicated to the contents of the hold of the ves•
sel, and when the flames began to appear through the
hatchway the vapour was applied, and after the lapse
of three minutes the flames were entirely checked. A
vast deal of smoke continued, however, to ooze
through the crevices of the deck and sides; but, to
show that little fire remained, a man walked through
the hold and emerged from the hatchway. The de-
monstration was certainly successful to a certain ex-
tent, but it is more than doubtful whether, under
ordinary circumstances, the vapour could be brought
to bear in the short time that elapsed before its appli-
cation yesterday.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Stu—having seen in a column of your widely
circulated paper, of the 3d instant, a very incorrect
report of a robbery which took place in Ivy-lane on
the 2d instant, I trust you will be kind enough to
contradict the same. I was not knocked down by
three men, as described. The following are the
facts :—A female with whom I was standing, in a
dark part of Ivy-lane, stole from my coat pocket a
purse containing seven sovereigns and some silver;
whilst in pursuit of her I was tripped up by a man
whom I have reason to believe, was connected with
her. I beg to add the whole affair did not occupy
more than a minute. By inserting the above you
will greatly oblige
Your obedient servant,
G. 11. BALLEY.
30, De Beauvoir-terrace, Kingsland-road,

October 7, 1850.

BREVET RANK.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Slld,—As some of the subalterns of the army are
putting forward their claims to be made majors over
the heads of captains who have not served so long as
themselves, may I beg of you to say a few words in
favour of the promotion of old majors and lieutenant-
colonels at once to the rank of major-general ?
Some of them have been longer in the service than
the senior colonels; if, therefore, such a' principle is
recognised, surely they ought to be made major-
generals in preference to those young colonels who are
three 'or four years their juniors.
I remain, Sir, your humble servant,
A VERY OLD SOLDIER.

PROFESSOR MUSPRATT ON THE
USE OF LEAD IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF SUGAR.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—As my opinion has often been asked with
regard to " the use of lead in the manufacture of
sugar," and having devoted more time to the investi-
gation of the sulphites than any other chemist, I
deem myself justified in declaring an opinion upon
Dr. Scoffern's process.
I feel convinced that all the lead can be removed
by sulphurous acid by Dr. Scoffern's patent. If a trace
of sulphite of lead remains, it must have dissolved in
the excess of sulphurous acid. The following is the
account I gave of sulphite of lead, in " Liebig's
Annalen," for 1844, page 284 :—" Sulphite of lead
is insoluble in water, and very sparingly soluble in
aqueous sulphurous acid ; it is anhydrous and taste-
less." The persistent nature of sulphite of lead, and
its insolubility render it innocuous. Li my mind,
the great feature in Scoffern's plan is, that the excess
of lead used in the manufacture of the sugar can be
entirely removed, and in the most insoluble state
possible, i. e., as sulphite of lead.—l am, Sir, &c,
SHERIDAN MUSRATT, F.R.S.E.
College of Chemistry Livvrpoo l Oct. 7, 1850
•

COURT CIRCULAR.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent has left
Abergeldie for Haddo House, Aberdeenshire, at-
tended by her suite, on her return to town.
The Chancellor or the Exchequer arrived last evec-
ing at his official residence in Downing-street, from
his seat, Hickleton Hall, Yorkshire.

CAPTAIN COLLEVSON'S EXPEDITIO..V.
By private letters received from Captain Collinson,
C.C., dated the 26th of June, at Oahu, Sandwich
Islands, it appears that Captain Kellett, C.B , (who
had sailed in the Herald fur Behring's Straits), had
appointed Cape Lisburne as his rendezvous.
Captain Collinson was to sail in a few days ; and
though he had got 3,800 miles before him, hoped
to reach the edge of the ice about the middle of
August.
inspirited by the knowledge of the efficient expedi-
tion under Captain Austin in Lancaster Sound, it was
his intention to endeavour to meet him at Melville
Island.

The letter alluded to has come via California and
Panama.

THE FATAL ACCIDENT IN THE BRISTOL CHAN-
NEL.—An inquest was held at Bristol on Monday, on the
body of Mr. Evan Jefferies, who was drowned in consequence
of the upsetting of a pleasure boat in the Bristol Channel, on
the afternoon of Sunday last. The jury returned a verdict
that the deceased was accidentally drowned.
THE SPONGE TRADE OF THE BAgAMAS•—The
rapid strides made in aPcnging within the Bahamas since
the year 1847 appears almost incredible. Although the
trade has been carried on for years, a Mr. Ha., man was the
first, we believe, who gave it an impetus. Since then others
have embarked in it, and sponge has now become one of our
staple products. From Bay-street to Thompson's Folly vast
quantities of sponge may he seen covering fences, yards,
and house-tops, where it is left to dry, after having been
previously buried (in order to kill the zooPhite which in-
habits it) and washed. It is afterwards divested of the
fragments of rock which adhere to it, pressed, and packed
in bales, averaging 300Ibs. weight each for the London
trade, we have gathered
market, where it is manufactured into cloth hats, &c., and
converted to many useful purposes. We are informed that
Janus
in ship-
the following
it has recently become the medium for applying poultices to
iwdoeaunodfs,thiensitmeapderotafnceleotolif.thlenepoerndgeer to give our readers an
statistics from a Ist of
ping large quantities :—From thel7 to 30th
June of the present year there we, exported nearly I,too
bales of sponge, of the value at least of 25 dollars each
25,C00 dollars; on the Ist of Januar). avery small stock of
sponge was on hand, while on the 30th Juno every dealer in
this article had a large stock; therefore, as it is a cash
article, there must have been paid to the crews employed in
gentleman
this trade at least 40,000 dollarS9—Nassau SNP.) Guar-
dian, August 17.
The lessons of blunder, disappointment, and humi-
liation impress more than those of a thousand masters.—
.Eliza Cook's Journal.
DISTRESS IN THE COUNTY OF KENT.-Whatever
may be said as to some other counties, we can vouch for
this, on indisputable authority, that
e there is a far greater
amount of distress now prevalent ire than what has been
witnessed for a long time p!evious y. _ We would adduce a
variety of facts in contirmation—wbether it be in the many
sales of agricul ural property, or the general depreciation of
trade in the towns and villages—but the Parliamentary
returns are sufficient, showing from the unions themselves
the number of persons receiving relief in the past year.
From these we find that there were nearly 500 more persons
receiving relief on the Ist July last, compared with the cor-
responding period last year. Our reaiers all know the
much greater number receiving re l. ief last year to what
there was in previous Pears. W e cannot refrain from also
referring to the frightful increae in daring offences,
as
another indication of the extension of pauperisin. It is a
favourite notion with the free-traders themselves that want,
more than ignorance, tends to crime. Within the past
two or three years crimes of a esperate nature have fricrht-
fully increased, especially in agricultural counties.— canter.
bury Journal.
SINGING SHELLS.—Mr. Tqlor, When at Bethea-
lon, in Ceylon, on going at night on a lake near the fort, was
struck by a loud musical noise proceeding from the bottom
of the water. It was caused by multitudes
.of some animal
inhabiting shells, at least the natives call them ~, .
shells." The sounds are like those of an a singing
&c vibrating notes, and or
Eolian harp, guitar, .9. ea, and pitched in
different keys. A snail, abundant in Corfu, if irritated
emit
touch of a piece of straw, will
this a distinctly by a
and it audible
sound in a querulous tone, frequently repeats if
freshly touched.
REPRESENTATION 0F LONGFORD.—It is stated
that Major Illackhall is to retire from this county, and that
Mr. Hughes, the new Solicitor-General, is to seek the re-
presentation.

OCTOBER 9, 1850.

Castle, from Thurso for Perth, was driven ashore in the
bay this morning; crew saved.

ELSINORE, OCT. .—The Sarah, of Arbroqb, from
London for Rig; was released from quarantine, and put
into this harbour on Sept. 29, has been a urreyed, hove
down for repairs, and it is supposed will be ready for sea
again this week.
GRAVESEND, OCT. 7.—Wind S.W.—Arrd. 6.h, The
Prince Rupert, from Hudson's Bay. 7th, Lord George,
from Punta Arenas; Venezuela (a), (rem Havre; Leonne,
from Gravelines; City of Boulogne (a), from Boulogne;
Soho (s), from Antwerp; Hoop, from Woreum. Sid.
7th, The Cairo, for Jamaica; Lyman, for New Orleans;
Apnea, for Cadiz.

VESSELI i POKEN WITH.—The Idas, Adelaide, South
Australia, 19th Aug., 115., 33 W.; Boston, Boston to
Calcutta, 4th Sept., 18 N., 30 W; Brooksby, Clyde to
New York, 18th Sept., lat. 44, long. 50; Lady Milton,
Belfast to New York, 3d Oct., lat. 50, long. 10 ; Mary
Emma, of St. John's, New Brunswick, 3d Oct., 52 N.,
17 W.; Quebec, of Glasgow, Hull to Quebec, 14th Sept.,in the Gulf of St. Lawrence; Belle, of Padstow, boun
to Quebec, 15th, lat. 47, long. 59; No. 6,748, lat distin-
gui,hing pendant, 18th Sept., beating to the westward;
Lady Rebow, Malaga to London, 19th, in the Gulf of
Gibraltar; No. 8,437 Ist distinguishing pendant,4tb Oct.,
lat. 49, long. 6; Remae, bound to Lima, 15th Aug., 19 S.,
34 W.; Admiral Tromp, Batavia to Humburgh, sth
Sept., 19 N., 27 W.; Peruvian, Rotterdam to New York,
4th Sept., lat 41, long. 50.