The Sun.
London, England, 1829-11-25 00:00:00

THE SIA.MESE UNITED TWINS.

These ext•aordinery youths were yesterday ex-
hibited privately to a conviderrble number of lite-
rary and scientific gentlemen, among whom we ob-
served Sir Francis Burdett, Sir Astley Cooper, Mr.
Brookes, the well-known anatomist, Sir Anthony
Carlisle, Dr. Thomas, and • several others. " The
attention of the medical men," says a Morning Co
temporary, of whose account of the exhibition, as
it is strictly and impartially correct, we shall not
scruple to avail ourselves, " was directed to ascer-
tain the truth of the statements previously published
and to examine the nature of the band by which
these twins are united. After such an examination,
a certificate was written by Mr. Brookes, the ana-
tomist, and signed by several eminent men of the
faculty, declaring the twins a great natural curiosity,
and assuring the spectators that there was no de-
ception. Sir Astley Cooper, on examining the
band, the dimensions anti appearance of which
have been already described, pronounced it to be car-
tilaginous, and not cutaneous only. To this assertion
every one must have assented who took the troubleof
feeling it. The next, and the most singular fact which
was ascertained is, that the twins have only one navel,
which is observed about the centre of the connecting
band. When we have stated these two facts—as
being placed beyond the reach of doubt, we have
little to add to the general account of the habits and
to the description of the personal appearance of these
boys, transmitted us from America, and already in-
serted in the English papers. Though their union
is a monstrosity, they have nothing offensive or dis-
gusting in their figure, countenance, manners, or
movements. Their appearance is healthy, theirdie-
positions cheerful, and their attitudes and motions
graceful. None of their actions or proceedings be-
tray any symptom of suffering or feeling of inconve-
nience occasioned by their forced proximity. They
swim across the room with all the ease and grace of
a couple skilfully waltzing, and seem never to have
any difference of intention or purpose which can
give pain to their band of union by making them
draw opposite ways. They are said to fall asleep
and to awaken at the same moment. One of them
cannot be roused in the night without immediately
exciting the vigilance of his companion. They both
generally direct their eyes towards the same object ;
end it was remarked that, on being conveyed through
the town in a coach, they could not be induced to
look out of its opposite windows. Their health be-
comes robust, or declines at the same time; and
whatever affects the one, seems nearly in the same
way to affect the other.
From these and other circumstances we were
aroused yesterday in hearing physicians and meta-
physicians gravely inferring doubts about the separate
organization and distinct personality of these twins,
without reflecting that every one of these appear-
ances is easily explicable, on the supposition of their
external accidental connexion, without any union of
mental or bodily structure. Though they have
their separate purposes, sentiments, and volitions,
their memory and other mental faculties, as distinct

as if they were " far as the Poles asunder"—though
their nervous system, their circulation, and bodily
organs, with all their :unctions, are likewise as in- ,
dependent as if the band which connects them were
a metallic hinge, it would necessarily follow, that
(n ith the same degree of original resemblances as
many other twins) being bound to each other for
18 years,—being obliged to take the same exer-
cise—to go to bed at the same time—being nou-
rished with the same food—breathing the same at-
mosphere—and being treated in every respect in
the same manner—their frames might be expected
to harmonize as much as they are represented
to do. None of the facts authentically stated
show that there is any- further interchange of
sensation or feeling than their perpetual ploxi-
Tony would occasion. Their keepers, who as-
sure us that they fall asleep and waken at the
same time, do not pretend to say that they
are E isited by the same dreams. Suppose the one
railed Ching should he indulged in a taste for turtle,
and should in consequence, catch gout in this land
of luxury, his brother Eng., if he continued his rice-
diet, might reckon his great toe secure against any.
attack ; and if; on the other hand, Eng, forswearing
his usual simple fare, should, like his Majesty of the
Sandwich Islands, choose to take a surfeit of pork-
sausages, and in consequence be oppressed with the
night-snare, it is extremely probable that Ching, if he
went to bed suppetless, would enjoy an undisturbed
slumber. It i 3 stated by Mr. Hunter, who ha•
known the to ins six years, that the band is becom-
ing more cartilaginous, and that there has been a
grea ehatrze in this respect within the last four years.
If this process of induration continues, all danger of
separd mg the youths will be removed; but a d's-
so:ution of partnership is not likely to be attempted
so long as union is so profitable to the firm. We
,übjoin a letter from Sir Anthony Carlisle, which
has ...eyed us the necessity of stating some particu-
lars which we had notel for insertion."

MAILS.
Amved. Due. Arrived. Due.
O America (1 2 Hamburg 0
0 Brazil ... ........... ... 0 0 Holland
O Buenos Ayres 0 0 Jamaica 0
O Card-Int:11a 0 0 La Guayra 0
I Dublin 0 0 Lisbon 0
O Flanders 0 0 Mexico
O France 0 ' 0 Sweden . 1
O Guernsey&Jersey.. 0 1 Waterford 0

s. d.

perty for sale in the neighbourhood of all the
principal approaches to the French capital. The
people in general are perfectly aware of the great
improvement which has taken 'place in their
general condition ; they know also their own
political strength, and they will no doubt take
' care that those exclusive privileges by which pro-
perty in France was formerly fixed in great and
unwieldy masses, to the profit of a particular
class, and to the injury of industry and com-
merce, shall never reappear.
" In taking a general view of the trade of a
country, it is scarcely necessary to say, that a
great proportion of the labour of the mechanic
and the artisan is applied to the manufacture of
articles of general necessity, for the use of the
middle and the lower classes of society. But
although the change to which I have alluded in
the structure of society in France has immensely
increased the demand for articles of the first ne-

cessity, yet the industry of luxury, if I may_ so
express myself, has not diminished, but, on the
contrary, although not in the same proportion,
has also considerably increased.
" It is obvious, however, that facility of trans
port, by the extension and improvement of the
internal communications of a country, are much
more important with reference to articles of ge-
neral necessity than to mere objects of luxury,
which can afford to pay for the acceleration of
their conveyance by lighter carriages on the com-
mon road. The extensive levels in France, and
the abundant supply of water, have long pointed
out the advantages of internal navigation, while
in England a variety of causes have latterly con-
curred to give a preference to the railroad over
the canal. As I mentioned in a former letter,
the mercantile interest in Paris are at present
warmly engaged in the project of constructing a
canal for vessels of 200 tons, from Rouen to
Paris, and it would certainly be of incalculable
benefit to the increase of industry and the gene-
ral comfort of the great body of the people
especially, if it were possible, as some have ima-
gined, so far to reduce the expence of transit, as
to make English coal cheaper at Paris than the
wood which is now used as an article of fuel.
" In some manufactures, and particularly in

the working of metals, coal is found to be abso
lutely necessary ; and, from the circuitous am
expensive mode in which it is brought to Paris,
some idea may be formed of the advantages to
be expected from the proposed canal. The ca-
pital is at present supplied with coals from the
mines of St. Etienne and live de Gier, from
whence it descends the Loire, and by the canal
of Briare is brought to the Seine, and thus to
Paris. From St. Etienne to Andresicux the
coal is transported on a railroad, by which these
towns are connected ; but, as may be supposed,
it is only in the neighbourhood of a coal mine
that a railroad can be advantageously constructed
in France, from the great expellee of iron in
other districts, arising in a great measure from
the excessive price of coal. At Andresieux the
coal is stored up to await the floods of the Loire,
when it is loaded and brought to Roanne, but
at this stage several months are sometimes lost.
At Roanne a third part of the coal vessels are
unloaded, and their cargoes are transferred to the
other two-thirds, because from this point the
Loire is deeper, and admits the passage of boats
of a greater draught of water. These two-
thirds continue their route, but the other third
are taken to pieces at Joanne, because the rapi-
dity of the stream does not admit of their re-
ascending it. The same operation takes
place at Briare, another third of the boats are
there found useless, and are also taken to pieces.
The remaining third arrive at Paris, to be there
also cut up, because the imperfection of the na-
vigation of the Upper Seine and the Loire does
not admit of their returning. In fact, I had
often been surprised, as every stranger is in
Paris, with the extraordinary appearance of these
immense flat-bottomed boats, with their still
more extraordinary rudders and other appoint-
ments ; nor was I less surprised on learning the
history I have now given you of their progress
from the coal mines to Paris, for which I can
only find a parallel in the trade of the Missis-
sippi, between the Western States of North
America and New Orleans, where, after a river
passage of fifteen or sixteen hundred miles, the
vessels are for a similar reason taken to pieces,
and the traders return home by an overland

journey.
It will, indeed, be difficult to believe that suc
a state of things was still suffered to exist in
France, if it were not veri6ed by public and au-
thentic documents. In a report made to the
Chamber of Commerce of Paris in 1826, on the
supply of coal to the capital, I find the follow.
ing passage :
" A great loss is sustained in the boats
which are constructed on the spot of fir,
" which is brought at a great expence from the
" mountains of Pila, the Upper Loire, and
" Puy de Dome. They never re-ascend the
" Loire, and are used only once. Thus each
" flood brings as much wood as it brings coal.'
" Who would believe,' it is said in another
passage, if the fact were not notorious, that
" a boat from the North coining from Valen-
" ciennes to Paris, rarely makes more than one
" voyage in the course of the year, and that
" some even, surprised by the closing of the
" canals, are fourteen months in arriving at
" their place of destination, and returning
" thence to the port from which they set out.
" When it is known that the navigation of
" the canal of St. Quentin, one of the most
" important in France, and that which con-
" nects Paris with the departments in French
" Flanders, is left in a state of absolute decay ;
" when it is known that a boat takes often
" more time to compass the distance of fifty
," leagues from Valenciennes to Paris than a
" ship takes to go to the West Indies and re-
" turn again, it calm at be denied that a Davi-
" gation of this kind is truly ridiculous, and
" that it might as well cease to exist if it does
" not soon attract the attention of the Go-

" c vernment.'

" From it,ts natural situation, arid the exten.