The Sun.
London, England, 1850-11-29 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 29, 185 q.

on his trying to remove him he (prisoner) struck him
several times, and knocked- him down. The prisoner
.was then secured and taken to th station.
The prisoner, who denied 01l knowledge of the
offence, was committed for twenty-one days to the
House -o? Correction.

SUSPECTED ROBBER.Y.—Peter Murphy was charged
be!ore Vir. Hardwick on suspicion of stealing a glass
ca.m containing a large number of gold and silver pencil-
clses from . the shop of Mr. Kitz, watchmaker and
jeweller, No. 223, Regent-street.
Mrs. Kitz, the wife of the prosecutor, deposed that
on• tho evening of last Saturday week the prisoner
came into the shop and asked if a tailor by
the name of Baden resided there. She replied in the
negative, and referred him to a tailor's shop close by.
He then left the shop, and in a few minutes he returned
again, and said he hart made a mistake in the name.
He then lingered about the shop for a few minutes,
when be abruptly left., and in about an hour after she
missed from the counter a glass-case containing about a
hundred gold and silver pencil-cases, and as the prisoner
was the only person who had entered the shop she
suspected him to be the thief, and accordingly gave in-
form•aion, with a descinption of the prisoner, to the
police.

Mount, 73 C, said tha.t from information he received
he went last night to Princes-street, Drury-lane, where
be saw the prisoner, and having told him what he was
charged with, took bim into custody. At the door of
the prisoner's room he found the portion of a glass case
which had been identified by the prosecuter as his pro-
perty. None of the pencil-cases had been found, but if
the prisoner was remanded he thought he should be able
to trace the property.
The prisoner was remanded until Wednesday next.

COURT CIACCULAR.
WINDSOR, Nov. 28.
The Queen and Prince Albert walked this morning
in the Slopes.
The Royal Family took walking and pony exercise
in the Slopes and Windsor Park.
Lord John Russell, the Earl and Countess Grey,
and Lady Alice Latnbton, are expected to arrive at
the Castle to-day on a visit to the Queen and the
Prince.

The Royal dinner party at the Castle this evening
will include her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent,
Lord John Russell, the Earl and Countess Grey and
Lady Alice Lawbton, the Right Hon. Henry La-
bouchere, his Excellency Lieut.-General Radowitz,
Lady Fanny Howard, and Baroness de Speth.
The band of the Coldstream Guards attend during
dinner. Her Majesty's private band will afterwards
attend in the Castle.

The band of the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards
attended during dinner on Wednesday, and performed
the following selection :
Overture, " Espagnolio"
Waltz, on Airs from " Le Prophete"
Selection, " Robert le Diable" Meyerbeer.
Quadrille Hungarian ..... ,
Polka, " Rosa"
The Queen's private band afterwards attended in
the Castle, and played the following pieces :
Overture, " Lichstenstein"
Marche, Chceur, Duo, " Le Songe
d'un Wait d'Ete"
Adagio and Allegro Vivace, Sinfonia
No. 4.

Beethoven.

Mr. Richard Jones had an interview with Sir
George Grey yesterday at the Home-office, to present
an address to the Queen, from St. Barnabas, South
Kennington.
Lord John Russell left his residence in Richmond
Park yesterday, on a visit to her Majesty at Windsor
Castle.

The Rev. William Goode had an interview yester-
day with Sir George Grey. Mr. E. V. Sidtbottam
had also an interview with the Right Hon. Baronet at
the Home-office.

LITERATURE.
A FEW OBSERVATIONS ON NERVOUS
AFFECTIONS; the Result of an Extensive
Experience in the Treatment of Nervous Disorders.
With some Remarks on the Use and Abuse of
Hydropathy. By Richard Dawson, 6-0. 6-c.
SECOND NOTICE.]
We are much pleased with the sensible observations
of Dr. Dawson on the use and abuse of Hydropathy.
There can be no doubt but that in many cases the
hydropathic treatment is invaluable ; but there is no
universal remedy, and hydropathy has certainly suf-
fered much from its injudicious and over-zealous
friends, who, with the enthusiasm which is natural to
ignorance, represent it as capable of performing that
which no single remedy ever can perform. The ap-
preciation of hydropathy by Dr. Dawson is the
soundest we have yet seen. After minutely describ-
ing the hydropathic treatment, he thus proceeds—
"l have nu hesitation in saying that if there be or-
ganic derangement of the structure of the vital organs,
that hydropathic treatment, carried to its full extent,
will prove eeeidedly injurious.
" Every physiologist is ago are that on the application
of cold water to the ,kin, the blood immediately for-
sakes the surface and is accumulated in the internal or-
gans, leaving the skin pale, blanched and cold. The
accumulated blood acts as an irritant to the internal
viscera, and is by them repelled and sent back again to
the surface, giving rise to what is termed reaction, which
is attended with that well-known pleasurable sensation,
a glow. If any of the internal organs should be seri-
ously diseased, the sudden internal rush of blood never
fails to do mischief'. I was personally acquainted with
a gentleman suffering from tubercles who was
admitted into an hydropathic establishment. The
system was immediately put in operation, bat the
first cold plunge brought on a severe attack of bleeding
from the lungs, from which he never perfectly re-
covered.
"I have seen numerous instances of patients, in whom
there was a decided tendency to consumption, greatly
injured by the hydropathic plan, and I have at this
moment a gentleman under my care, suffering from
organic disease of the kidneys, which was greatly
aggravated by sitting in the cold hip bath for half an
hour night and morning, on the recommendation of an
hydropathist."
But while thus drawing attention to the circum-
stances under which the adoption of the hydropathic
plan must aggravate instead of curing disease, Dr.
Dawson, unlike too many of his professional brethren,
who censure every species of novelty indiscriminately,
merely because it is a novelty, pays honour where
honour is due, and awards to hydropathy its merits
as a most valuable remedy in certain cases. He
says :
"Hydropathy, I am satisfied, will prove a valuable
auxiliary in the treatment of disease, provided the cases
for its adoption be selected with due care and discrimi-
nation. I have personally witnessed many instances of
cure under the treatment; instances too of disease,
which had for a long time resisted the most persevering
application of all other means. I refer more especially
to rheumatic affections. In alluding to the case in
which it proved injurious, and to the one in which it
promised too much, I by no means wish it to be inferred
that hydropathy is the only system in which we are
doomed to experience disappointment and failure. It
being my endeavour to select only that which is good
and useful, regardless of its source, and condemn that
which experience has teught to be either dangerous or
inefficient."
In the treatment of nervous diseases, as indeed in
the treatment of every other disease, success depends
upon searching out, and, if possible, removing the
cause, and to this discovery of the causes of the diffe-
rent species of anomalous diseases which are all
classed together under the general term nervous, Dr.
Dawson has devoted much time and attention, and
with the most successful results. Dr. Dawson says :
" Very few patients labouring even under the same
disease suffer exactly alike; and many of the leading
symptoms are often modified, and frequently absent.
" As a means of facilitating diagnosis or discrimina-
tion of disease, I wish most strongly to ioculcate the
necessity of analysing the urine; and I feel satisfied
from very extensive experience, that if this were more
generally attended to, that diversity of opinion, which
now so unhappily prevails, would no longer exist; nor
should we be so frequently taunted by our patients
with the reproach----' when doctors differ who is to
decide?' "
The Doctor relates several cases, in which, by atten-
tion to the correction of the state of the urinary se-
cretion, the disordered state of which he bad ascer-
tained from analysis, he has succeeded in curing, or
in greatly alleviating, the sufferings of many nervous
patients in whom the symptoms had simulated all the
symptoms of disease of the heart, and who had been
treated as suffering from heart complaint, it need
scarcely be added unsuccessfully, until they came
under Dr. Dawson's care; who, having by analysis of
the urinal secretion ascertained the real cause of the
disease, proceeded to treat the patient therefor ; and
as the disease in the kidneys gradually disappeared
under the treatment, so also did the palpitations of the
heart and the difficulty of breathing, which were
merely symptomatic of it. Nervous irritation fre-
quently simulates every variety of disease ; in one
case related by Dr. Dawson it assumed the form of
paralysis of the right side, which, however, was im-
mediately relieved by the administration of an emetic
and a brisk purgative, the apparent paralysis being
the result of a disordered stomach acting upon a
highly nervous and excitable system. The following
case, the history of which was detailed to Dr. Daw-
son by the father of the patient, will show how abso-
lutely necessary it is in all cases to consider the tem-
perament of the patient, and not to ignore the exist-
ence of the nerves, and what mischief must ensue if
proper attention be not paid to the state of the nervous
system by the practitioner.
"My daughter, when a child, was perfectly healthy;
her early education was superintended at Brighton,
where she had the advantage of sea air; it was finished
at Kensington, where the soil is gravelly and the at-
mosphere pure. At the age of seventeen she left for
the Continent, where she enjoyed good health for some
time. Being partial to horse exercise, she rode out a
good deal. On one of these occasions Lady M—'s
horse took fright, and my daughter's became un-
manageable. It plunged into the sea, and she got wet,
and had to ride some distance in her wet clothes. It
was afterwards ascertained, that her maid had not
taken the necessary precautions to prevent her mistress
taking cold.
"During the evening she complained of severe pain
in her side, from which she continued to suffer. A
physician considered it to arise from inflammation of the
liver, and mercury was rubbed on the skin, and blue
pill taken internally, until severe salivation was pro-
duced, but without any relief to the pain in the side.
Blisters, leeches, and Croton oil were resorted to
ertthis consulted,yo u allng olfadwyhom was ap-
pear severe purging was then ordered; but still the pain
continued."
bplroeauarrriiotnougsh itavned ecrsomedo physiciansnsiavederteh
organic disease. She continued
under medical treatment for nearly three years, and
at the end of that period seemed to all appearance
decidedly worse. We give the conclusion of the case
in the words of Dr. Dawson :
" After careful inquiry into all the circumstances, and
a most strict examination, I felt satisfied that there was
no evidence of the presence of organic disease. That
most of the misery and suffering complained of was oc-
casioned by a morbid excitement kept up in the system
the lady being of the nervous temperament, the accident
on horseback was well calculated to bring
on consider-
able nervous derangement ; which the severe
salivation, blistering, leeching, confinement to her room,
together with the severe purging, were not likely to
allay. I question if a person of the strongest constitu-
tion could endure, with impunity, such a severe disci-
pline; and continue to take medicine daily, for three
years, without occasioning considerable nervous disorder.
" The mucous lining of the alimentary canal was, in
this case, in a state of great irritation, and poured out
large qualities of mucous. This lat once endeavoured to
correct by a light, unirritating. nutritious diet; warm
baths, friction of the skin, &c. The patient having
been
con-
much accustomed to the use of opiates, I
sid, rit advisable to leave them off all at once. They
were, however, speedily discontinued; and a gentle
•ad an
gal-
vanic current ordered in their stead, which n
extraordinary effect in soothing the system and promot-
ing sleep.
" It would be tedious• to go through the whole detailentdihdav not in
of the treatment; it may, therefore, be sufficient to say
that the principles inculcated in this treatise were fully
carried out, and the patient perfectly recovered; and
.
ued to enjoy has, during the last two years, continued
ex-
cellent health."

We cordially recommend this most valuable work
to the attentive study of the profession and the public,
satisfied (to we the concluding words of Dr. Daw-
son) " that the study of the temperaments, a more
strict inquiry into the nature of nervous affections,
and a more rigid investigation into the causes of dis-
ease would tend much to relieve many of those dis-
tressing cases of nervous disorder which so constantly
come under the care of the physician. '

Temptations are a file which rubs off much of the
rust of self-confidence.—Eliza Cook's Journal.

KING'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL.--A general meeting
of the board of directors of this instution was held yesterday
afternoon, at the board-room of the hospital, Portugal-
street, Lincoln's-inn-fields. The Rev. Mr. Fisk in the chair.
The secretary read the half-yearly report, from which it ap-
peared that at the date of the last report there were 100
patients in the hospital, and that since then 668 patients had
been admitted—making a total of 768. Of these, 527 had
been discharged cured or relieved, 7 as incurable, 9 for dis-
orderly conduct, 75 had died, and there remained 105 patients
in the hospital. Relief bad been administered to 12,781 out-
door patients, and 287 poor married women bad been attended
during confinement. The outstanding claims against the
hospital amounted to 7041., to meet which, and to carry on
the current expenses, they had 7401. Having
concluded the report, the secretary said that he had very
great pleasure in announcing to the board that the rev.
chairman had generously volunteered to contribute a further
sum of 1001. towards the current expenses.—(Great ap-
plause.) At the request of the meeting Mr. Cunningham
stated, in reference to-the state of the building fund, that the
amount of the subscriptions received was upwards of 33,0001.,
but from the very high price of land in the neighbourhood,
and the difficulty they experienca in treating with some of
:the ptopripters, he old not etippose that the propoed build-
ing cOld be erected under x0,0001.' Some of. their difficulties,
he hoed, *mild be Veznoved' by an Act' of Parliament, for
meantwa tos
accorded apply in t o
tthhee
chairman,nex tsession. d At h e cordial
voteU"o f thanksl e s
meet-
ing separated.

CE2VSUS OF TILE POPULATION, 1851

The following is the form of the schedule (issued
by the authority of the Registrar-General, and ap-
proved of by Sir George Grey) that will be left with
each householder, in which he is to insert the particu-
lars specified, respe,zting all the persons who may
sleep or abide in his house on the night of the 30th
March next. The paper will be called for on Monday,
March 31, by the appointed officer, and persons who
refuse to give correct information incur a penalty of
five pounds ; besides the inconvenience and annoyance
of appearing before two justices of the peace, and
being convicted of having made a wilful misstatement
of age, or of any of the other particulars.
The return is required to enable the Secretary of
State to complete the census; which is to show the
number of the population—their arrangement by ages
and families in different ranks, professions, employ-
ments, and trades—their distribution over the country
in villages, towns, and cities—their increase and pro-
gress in the last ten years.

GENERA INSTRUCTIONS.
The schedule is to be filled up by the occupier or per-
son in charge of the house; if the house is let or sub-let
to different persons or families, in separate stories or
apartments, the occupier or person in charge of each
such story or apartment must make a separate return for
his portion of the house upon a separate householder's
schedule.

LIST OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS FAMILY, OF VISITORS, AND
OF SERVANTS, WHO SLEPT OR ABODE IN THIS HOUSE ON
THE NIGHT OF SUNDAY, MARCH 30TH.

No Person absent on the night
of March 30th to be entered.
Write after the Name of the cl
Head of the Family, the g
Names of his Wife, Children,
and others of the same Sur-
name; then Visitors, Ser-
vants, &c.

P..!
State whether Wife, Son, I
Daughter, or other Relative, r.*
Visitor, or Servant.
!,1

Write "Married," " Widower,"
" Widow," or "Unmarried," g,
against the Names of all Per- 14
sons except Young Children.

•
Write "M" against Males, and ga
I
" F" against Females.

For Infants under One Year, V
state the Age in Months,
writing " Under 1 Month:, n
"1 Month," "2Months,"&e. k 45

(Before filling in this Column, I 0
2
you are requested to read the
Instructions on the other I ›.
side.)

Opposite the Names of those
born in England, write the
County, or Town, or Parish.
If born iu Scotland, Ireland, the
British Colonies, the East
Indies, or in Foreign Parts,
state the Country : in the last
case, if a British subject, add
"British subject."

Write "Deaf and Dumb," or
" Blind,"opposite the Name
of the Person. t7l

The foregoing is a true Return concerning all the Members
of this Family. Witness my hand,
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILLING UP THE COLUMN HEADED
" RANK, PROFESSION, OR OCCUPATION."
The superior titles of peers and other persons of rank
to be inserted, as well es any high office which they may
hold. Magistrates, aldermen, and other important
public officers to state their profession after their official
title.

Army, Navy. and Civil Service.—Add after the rank,
" army," " artillery," " royal navy," " marines," " East
India Company's service," as the case may be—distin-
guishing those on half-pay. Persons in the civil service
to state the department to which they are attached, att-•r
their title or rank; those on the superannuated list to be
so distinguished. Chelsea; Greenwich, and other pen-
sioners, to be clearly designated.
Clergymen of the Church of England to return them-
selves as " Rector of —," " Vicar of —," " Curate
of —," &a., or as not having cure of souls. They are
requested not to employ the indefinite term " clerk."
Presbyterian ministers and Roman Catholic priests to
return themselves as such, and to state the name of the
church or chapel in which they officiate. Dissenting
ministers to return themselves as "Independent minister
of Chapel," " Baptist minister of Chapel," &c.
Local or occasional preachers must return their ordinary
occupations.
Legal Profession.—Barristers, to state whether or not
in actual practice; officers of any court, &c., to state
the description of office and name of court. The desig-
nation " attorney" or " solicitor" to be confined to those
whose names are actually upon the roll. Persons in
solicitors' offices should distinguish whether " solicitor's
managing, articled, writing, or general clerk."
Members of the medical profession to state the uni-
versity, college, or hall, of which they are graduates,
fellows, or licentiates, also whether they practise as
physician, surgeon, or general practitioner, or are "not
practising."
Professors, teachers, public writers, authors, and
scientific men, to state the particular branch of science
which they teach or pursue; artists, the art which they
cultivate. Graduates should enter their degrees in this
column.

Persons engaged in commerce as merchants, brokers,
agents, clerks, commercial travellers, to state the parti-
cular kind of business in which they are engaged, or the
staple in which they deal.
The term farmer to be applied only to the occupier of
land, who is to be returned—" farmer of (317) acres,
employing (12) labourers;" the number of acres, and of
in and out-door labourers, on March 31st, being in all
cases inserted. Sons or daughters, employed at home
or on the farm, may be returned " farmer's son,"
" farmer's daughter."
In trades the master is to be distinguised from the
journeyman and apprentice, thus—" carpenter, master
employing (6) men;" inserting always the number of
persons of the trade in his employ on March 31st.
In the case of workers in mines or manufactures, and
generally in the constructive arts, the particular branch
of work, and the material, are always to be distinctly
expressed if they are not implied in the names, as is
coal-miner, brass-founder, wool-carder, silk-throwster.
Where the trade is much sub-divided, both trade and
branch are to be returned thus—Watchmaker—
finisher;"" Printer—compositor."followingmorethtin
one 0 distinct trade may
A person
insert his occupations in the order of their importance.
Messengers,' porters, labourers, and servants, to bo de-
seribed according to the place and nature of their em-
ployment.

- Persons following no profession, trade, or calling, and
holding no public office, but deriving their incomes
chiefly from land, houses, mines, or other real property,
from dividends, interest of money, annuities, &c., may
designate themselves " landed proprietors," " proprietor
of iron mines," "proprietor of houses," " fund-holder,"
" annuitants," &c., as the case may be. Persons of ad-
vanced age who have retired from business, to be en-
tered thus—" retired silk merchant," "retired watch-
maker," &c.

Almspeople, and persons in the receipt of parish re-
lief should, after being described as such, have their pre-
vious occupations inserted.
Women and Children.---The titles or occupations of
ladies who are householders to be entered according to
the above instructions. The occupation of women who
are regularly employed from home, or at home, in any
but domestic duties, to be distinctly recorded. So also
of children and young persons. Against the names of
children above five years of age, if daily attending school,
or receiving regulur tuition under a master or governess
at home, write " scholar," and in the latter ease add " at
home."

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HA YMARKET THEATRE,
A new farce, entitled A Radical Cure, was pro-
duced here last evening, which when a little con-
densed will prove most attractive. The following is
the plot :--Mr. Alcibiades Bumptious, a London
commercial traveller in Paris un the busimas of his
house, in the revolutionary year 1848, is smittwn with
the mania of the day, and as an " English sympa-
thiser," frequE nts the clubs and makes Red Republi-
can and Communist speeches. He has a liaison with
Rose, his laundress, whom he has promised to marry,
and take with bim to England ; but he seconded a
motion for the abolition of matrimony, and can no
longer keep a promise against his principles. Rose
determines to cure him of his folly by giving a prac-
tical taste of the blessings of his new doctrines ; and,
by herself assuming various disguises and the aid of
some friends, she thoroughly sickens him of them,
and makes him too happy to get off with her to Eng-
land. .Buckstone was the cockney agitator, and his
dismay when i ntrnder after intruder came into his
room and made free with his goods, his fright at find-
ing himself chu sen leader of the attack of a barricade,
and his horror at finding himself about to be sum-
marily shot as an insurgent, were excessively laugh-
able. Mrs. Ritzwilliam, too, was very clever in the
part of Rose.

SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY,
EXETER-HALL.
The ill ad, p tation of Exeter-hall for the purpose of
a music room, or for oratorical meetings, has been
long known. ft would be superfluous to adduce in-
stances of complaint; they have been so general; and
the inquiry, why should London be without a good
music hall has been reiterated for years. Far more
s- forcibly has the is cry been repeated since the establish-
ment of the Sn cred Harmonic Society. The magni-
lude of the ore' aestra assembled under the auspices of
this institution has additionally served to illustrate the
;4' need for a better arena in which to display its vast
resources.
•
.6 Beyond met e suggestion and complaint, however,
nothing has wn til now been attempted, except a few
o abortive prop a', sals to erect music halls. The various
schemes for t ese buildings, but too often put for-
Pe ward by inter( .sted and speculative parties, as fast as
1,.:4 projected fell to the ground.
The great e'.clat produced by the last Birmingham
Festival, und,n • the able guidance of Mr. Costa, was
the means of .arousing the attention of some of the
leading meml ie rs of the Sacred Harmonic Society to
a full sense o f the necessity for a well, adapted music
c.,>. hall in the m etropolis. The opening of St. Martin's-
hall, shortly After, gave additional stimulus to this
feeling.
After atten ti ye consideration, and the collection of
▪ such information as in the event of its having been
pI decided upon to erect a new hall would have greatly
facilitated the undertaking, it was ultimately agreed
o that the mos.:1; advisable course to pursue would
be, in the first place, fairly to place the deficiencies of
Exeter-hall be bre the proprietors of that building ;
and while impx easing upon them the necessity fee.
immediate atte: ation being given to it, also to point
out that in so :far as the Sacred Harmonic Society
was concerned, the members of it were anxious to
continue their .old tenancy in preference to building a
new hall, provi led the defects so constantly corn-
- plained of cont.( Ibe remedied.
With this vii lw a lengthened statement was pre-
t pared by Mr. :Bowley (one of the committee of the
t 4 society, and nix auditor of Exeter-hall), which, after
pointing out the :position and prospects of the build-
ing, and the probability of a new hall being erected,
unless material improvements were made in Exeter-
hall, ended by 'urging the adoption of three important
alterations.
These comps ised, first, the removal of the centre.
projecting wall at the east end of the building, and
throwing back the organ nearly eighteen feet, caus-
ing the recesses , with their low ceilings, to appear as
part of the mail a body of the hall.
(The extent to which this has acted hitherto unfa-
vourably on th( performances may be inferred, when
it is borne in m hid that this wall, with the organ, di-
vided the bass from the tenor chorus by a projection
of nearly thirty feet square • the recesses in which
the bulk of th a chorus was placed having a ceiling
three feet lo v.'er than the body of the ball, with a
projecting beam and cornice in front three feet six
inches still lo'eer.)
The second important point urged upon the notice
of the direct( its was the removal from the front of
the west gall,.q.y, of the four square pillars, with the
heavy cornice and entablature above, and raising the
ceiling to the general height of the centre of the hall.
(Some idea of the inconvenience heretofore experi-
enced may be .imagined when it is mentioned that
each pair of ti iese pillars occupied a space exceeding
eight feet in v iidth, and that the only place on the
last row of the gallery, from which the full extent of
the orchestra, could be seen at one view, was about
seven feet in the centre. Being also carried up to
the ceiling, i;hey, in appearance, supported a cornice
and entablature six feet six inches in depth, which
most effectintily prevented the full effect of the or-
chestra from. beingl heard by the occupants of the
gallery.)
The third and principal alteration suggested was,
either to raise the walls of the building, and gain ge-
neral increased height, or else to remove the lantern,
and curve the ceiling upwards, constructing it of
wood, free from all projections and angles.
This statement was transmitted to the board of di-
rectors, who at first declined carrying out any of the
alterations.
Re-consideration of the question, however, ult

mately induced the board to appoint a committee,
charged to consider the possibility of improving the
hall for sound.
As it had been offered in the statement submitted
by Mr. Bowley, that the opinions of the most emi-
nent musical authorities should be given in, as to the
propriety of the proposed alterations, immediate steps
were taken to procure them. Sir George Smart, Mr.
Costa, Mr. Benedict, Mr. Tunle, Mr. Goss, Dr.
Eivey, Professor Taylor, Mr. Bartley, the leading
vocalists engaged by the Sacred Harmonic Society,
with several of the able critics attached to the metro-
politan journals, and many other high musical
authorities,•kindly furnished their views in favour of
the alterations proposed. The directors of the Hall
also applied to several architectural and accoustical
authorities, and the result was the accumulation of a
large mass of evidence.
Two points proposed, viz., the removal of the east
wall, and of the west gallery pillars, were quickly
conceded by the board ; but the question of the best
form of ceiling became a subject of great anxiety,
and caused much discussion.
As the directors, in the outset of the inquiry, ox-
pressly stipulated that the external roof should not be
removed, it became a matter for consideration whether
a slightly elevated flat ceiling, with ornamental Tidas-
ter work, should be adopted, or whether a bnarded
ceiling, curved upwards, should be preferred. The
advocates of the former had all but succeeded in car-
rying their point, when Mr. Daukes, of Whitehall-
place, the architect of the Colney Hatch Lunatic
Asylum, and of many large and important buildings,
on consideration of the requirements and stipulations
annexed to the suggested alterations, proposed to
erect without tie-beams or iron cross-rods, wrought
iron supports to the external roof in such a manner
that they would allow of the ceiling being curved up ;
thus gaining upwards of 12 feet central height, with
a considerable additional elevation at each end of the
hall, forming the surface of the ceiling throughout
free from all projection, and boarding it as originally
suggested.

This plan, which from its novelty and boldness at
first startled some of the directors, was, after two
months' careful consideration and examination, and
with the approval of the most eminent practical au-
thorities, ultimately adopted, and possession of the
ball was taken on the Ist of September by Mr. Mare,
the contractor for the iron work (who was also the
contractor for the Britannia Bridge), and by Mr.
Myers (the contractor for the Colney Hatch Asylum)
for the other portions of the work, Mr. Daukes super-
intending the whole.
The following is a technical description of the plan
as carried into effect :
To the principals of the roof, wrought iron girders
(of a circular form on the under side) have been at-
tached, composed of plates of the best boiler iron, va-
rying in thickness from one-half to one-quarter of an
inch, with angle-iron at the top and bottom, and
stiffeners of strong T iron, and strips to cover the va-
various joints.
These girders were raised into the roof in pieces,
and supported in their places from the tie-beams, till
they were rivetted together with red hot rivets ; a
furnace for that purpose having been erected in the
roof. There are in the whole work upwards of 25,000
rivets.

Each girder when it had been placed on the walls,
and completely put together, was weighted with seven
tons of pig-iron distributed over its entire length, and
while thus loaded was bolted to the timber principal.
The deflection from this process was l of an inch
only.

The ends of the girders were supported upon slid-
ing plates of smooth and greased iron affixed to the
wall-plate, which allowed of the spread corresponding
to the deflection of the arched iron without affecting
the walls : the extent of the spread was one-half of an
inch at each end. By this means the effect of any
thrust upon the walls was obviated previous to the
iron-work being bolted to the timber.

Besides the ten girders which were thus secured to
the timber principals, there are two independent iron
girders of a much stronger constructian, weighing
about nine tons each, and nine smaller ones ; all of
these were tested with corresponding weights.
Nearly eighty tons of iron were introduced into the
roof, a weight which, although apparently large, is
considerably Iplaster ceiling.
ees:than the old massive timber and
It was estimated that the girders would have to
bear a weight of sizty•four pounds per equare foot,

V N

1,11%
1
and upon this calculation they were eenstra4o ;`-,..,Ziqft
whereas the actual weight they have to support
.k, --_-:;,_:,,.
1
found to be only forty-five pounds per squara• dot:
„.... .k
the brcaking weight being estimated at uip.re' Ftrc,
two hundred and twenty pounds;
When the whole of the iron-work had been fi;Eled'ttob ..-841:114
the wooden principals, the tie-beams, and •other
timbers originally supporting the principals, and
which had formed an excellent scaffolding for' the
furnace and rivetters were cut away to the edge of
1 the curved iron girders. The ceiling joists
_end
boarding were then attached to the iron flanges.
During this operation, and since the removal of the
tie-beams not .the slightest visible deflection of the
arched girder, or strain of the walls in any way, -can
be observed; thus demonstrating in the plainest
manner the perfect success which has attended kr.
Daukes's bold and original conception.
The following comparative clear width of various
public buildings additionally attest the merits of the
plan now carried out :

Ft. in.
Exeter-hall ... ... .. ... wide 76 9
West minx-ter-hall ... ... ... ... 68 0
Town-hall, Birmingham ... ... ... 65 'd
Philharmonic Concert Room, Liverpool ... 64 0
Whitehall Chapel ... ... ••• ... 55 0
St. liar tin's-hall .. ... ... ... 55 0
Victoria 11:,om, Clifton ...
... ... 54 0
Guildhall, Loudon ... ... ... 4B 0
New Houses of Lords and Commons ... 45 0
King's College Chapel, Cambridge... ... 44 o'-
Freemasons'-hall ... ... •.• .43 0
Hanover-square Concert Room ..• 35 6
It will thus be seen that Exeter-ball is capable of
displaying a more extended orchestra than any other
building in this, or probably any other, country.
As the completion of the works have necpssarily
somewhat delayed the usual time of commencing the
season, it has been left until the close of the ensuing
summer to carry out the decoration of the hall, the
present painting of ceiling, &c., being temporary.
As no opportunity offered for the rehearsal of a new
work, and as it was considered advisable the Hall
should be opened with the oratorio best fitted to ex-
hibit its improved form, it was decided to commence
the season with a performance of the Messiah, being
for the 56th time in the large hall, by the
,Society,
and their 227th in the same place.
Advantage has been taken of the re-erection of the
organ to effect considerable alterations and improve-
ments in it. The keys have been reversed, some
larger pedal pipes have been added, and the body of
the- instrument much improved in tone.
Considerable additions have been made to the band.
It now includes 16 double basses, and the same num-
ber of violincellos, with 82 violins and violas. Among
the additional professional performers in these
;,
de-
partments may be named Messrs. Campanile, Pratte
H. Chipp, Guest Dando; Doyle, Zerbini, Cusins,,
&c., while some increase and modification have taken'
place in the repieni wind.
The concert season, which terminated in June last,
was the most successful the society has yet had, and
the already great increase of subscribers over the
amount of any former year, justifies the expectation
that, with increased zeal on the part of the members
of the orchestra, and those who undertake the direc-
tion of the institution, aided by the energy and talent
brought to bear on it by the assistance of Mr. Costa,
an increase of usefulness and service to the art may
be anticipated from the continued prosperity of the
Sacred Harmonic Society.
The performance of the Messiah will be repeated
on Friday next, the 6th of December.
.. Nov. 29, 1850.