The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-10 00:00:00

, MONDAY

MODEL DWELLINGS FOR THE

LABOURING CLASSES.
It will be remembered that during the prevalence
of the cholera in the metropolis it was suggested by
his Lordship the Bishop of London that public cha-
rity should be directed to the improvement of the
dwellings of the poor, as a measure best calcuted
to aid in the removal of the disease. In his pas-
toral letter, recommending a day of thanks-
giving for the removal of the scourge, particular at-
tention was directed to this point, and the col-
lections made were for the most part for this object.
The liberal contributions received in answer to this
appeal have enabled the committee to purchase a
freehold site in Portpool-lane, Gray's Inn-road (one
of the most miserable districts in the metropolis), on
which is to be erected a model dwelling for 20 fami-
lies and 128 single women, while an existing building
is to be converted into a washhouse for the use of the
neighbourhood, as well as the tenants of the build
ing. In the cellar under the washhouse will be pro-
vided a range of inclosed repositories for perishable
goods—such as fruit and vegetables sold in the streets
by eostermongers ; and in addition to the security
from decay or theft thus afforded, the cellars will be
closed from Saturday evening to Monday morning,
thus causing an abstinence from Sunday traffic.
The accommodation for the 20 families will consist
of two distinct buildings four stories in height, one
building having three tenements with three rooms on
each floor, and the other having two tenements with
two rooms on each floor, a scullery and other requi-
site conveniences being provided for each family,
whilst to both houses there will be an open staircase,
and to the larger one a gallery of communication,
thus scuring complete ventilation. The 128 single
women, of whom th e greater part are expected to be poor
needlewomen, will occupy 64 rooms on a building of
four stories divided by a central staircase, with a
corridor on each side forming a lobby to eight bed-
rooms, each 12 feet 6 inches long by 9 feet 6 inches
wide, and large enough for two persons. The charge
is to be Is. each pe:son, or two shillings per room
weekly. The washhouse is to be 60 feet long by 20
feet broad, and will contain a washing trough for
twenty-four persons, ironing tables for twelve per-
sons, a wringing apparatus, and twele drying horses
heated with hot water. Each of these processes will
be kept distinct. With the exception of the wash-
house roof the buildings will be wholly of fireproof
construction, and the cost of construction including
the purchase of the site will be from 9,0001. to 10,0001.
while the actual sum received does not exceed 5,300/,
and the committee are naturally anxious for the assist-
ance of the public in order to avoid borrowing on mort-
gage as they have been forced to do in all their other
model houses. These houses, besides being in this
instance peculiarly appropriate as an application of
the funds collected on the day of Thanksgiving, are
by no means an unprofitable investment, and even
were no dividend returned on the outlay, the safety
which they afford against the spread of epidemics and
contagious diseases—leaving out of the question the
high moral influence which comfort, habits of order,
cleanliness, and regularity exercise over the lower
classes of the population—would render it the duty
of all who Cita assist in their construction to do so in
earnest.

BERTIION'S PATENT PERPETUAL LOG,
OR SPEED AND LEE-WAY INDICATOR.
In this instrument perfect indications of speed are
obtained by a volume of fluid raised by the force of
resistance, and, therefore, varying in height as the
squares of the velocity ; and the lee-way, or true line
of motion, is shown by an index-needle, which moves
over a graduated segment of a circle.
The well-known principle of a column raised by
resistance has often been practised before, being that
of Piteit's tube, by which, with certain corrections
for draught of water, list, &c., approximate indications
of speed were obtained by Captain Sir Edward
Belcher, Mr. 'Scott Russell, and others. But that
which is new, and especially important, in the
present instrument, is a most interesting
compensation, or self acting correctiod for every
disturbing force or tendency, which allows the indi-
cator to register nothing but the true speed of the
ship through the water in a horivontal direction ; and
at the same time the exact line in which it moves is
also pointed out. This beautiful compensation sug-
gested itself to the inventor upon his discovery of
other forces (besides the positive or uplifting one),
which, inasmuch as they act so as to depress the
column, may be called negative. These were disco-
vered by turning a small tube, projected from the
bottom of the ship, at different angles to the line
of motion. A point was also found at which there
was no force exerted by resistance either positive or
negative. Some very interesting experiments, re-
vealing phenomena as yet unexplained, will shortly
be published by the inventor. These experiments
were made in the South-Western's Company's
steamer Courier by the assistance of her exceedingly.
intelligent commander, Mr. James Goodridge, jun.,
to whose uncommon skill and perseverance the in-
ventor is greatly indebted for their success.
In this instrument two forces are used, and made to
act upon the two surfaces of mercury in a bent glass,
furnished with a ball like a barometer. These two
forces are equal as to every vertical movement or
pressure, and therefore neutralize each other as re-
gards any effect of change of draught, list, trim, or
the action of the sea, Sce.; but they are unequal, or
rather dissimilar as regards the effect of horizontal
resistance.
Without describing the apparatus in detail, it may
suffice to mention that the tube called the way-tube
passes through a stuffing box into the water below the
bottom of the ship, provided
The tube i with a rod s
for drawing it
all inboard when desired. divided into
two chambers, which have no connection with each
other, and have their ports or apertures turned
at different angles to the line of motion—the
two forces thus obtained act upon air enclosed in two
air-vessels, and the pressure of the air thus unequally
compressed is conveyed alone in the very small gutta
percha tubes to any part of the ship, high or low,
whose it is desired to hang the indicator, of which
any number may be supplied from one way-tube.
Tile lower end of the way-tube is furnished with a
vane of peculiar construction, which not only keeps the
ports in the right direction., but also, by moving the
rod above and the index finger upon it, indicates the
true course or leeway, if any. His Royal Highness
Prince Allert was pleased to honour the inventor
with an audience in November last, when he ex-
hibited and explained to his Royal Highness the in-
strument in a state not quite so perfect as it has
become since.

,
1 - 7-- - ----•
DARTMOOR PansoNs.--The Government 'prisons at
and it is highly probable they
Dartmoor have been recently surveyed, more than once, by
Lieutenant-Colonci ,]ebb. the Inspector-General of Prisons,
and by Captain Groves, ILE
will be converted, at no distant day, into a depot for convicts
under sentence of transportation. No place could be better
fitted for carrying out a reformatory system of prison disci.
pline, and the cultivation of the moor would afford both
suitable and useful occupation to the prisoners.
JOSEPH ADT.--On Friday night Joseph Ady was
captured by the police, and lodged in Giltspur-street Prison,
on a charge of deft auding the Post-office by sending 1,400
unpaid letters, which were returned.
CLYDE.--Acrd. Sussex, Cumming, Trinidad. Sid.
Leguan, Grenada; Charlotte Harrison, New York.