The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-21 00:00:00

INSTITUTION of CIVIL EN GI.

isTEER,S,

JUNE 18.—Sir John Rennie, President, in the chair. A
paper was read by G. Edwards, member of the Institution
of Civil Engineers. It described the method employed
for breaking up the shoals in the river Severn, between
Stourport and Gloucester. These shoals consist of marl
rock, so compact and tough as to resist all attempts
to break it up with the steam dredger, or by prize bars, or
with a powerful species of subsoil plough. Recourse was,
therefore, had to blasting with gunpowder; and the process
of these operations formed the subject of the paper. It
appeared that, during the summer months, there was in some
places only two feet depth of water over some of the shoals, and
the navigation was, therefore, greatly impeded.
In 184 an Act was obtained for the improvement of the
Severn, and under the directions of Mr. W. Cubitt, vice-
president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the various
works were commenced. The object was to obtain a
channel with a depth of, at least, six feet of water
at all times, throughout the river. Messrs. Grissell and
Peto were the contractors for the work, and for them
Mr. Edwards designed and executed the blasting operations.
A series of rafts were moored in a line over the shoal parallel
with the bank of the river. Along the centre of each raft there
was an opening through which wrought iron tubes 3 inches
diameter were driven down at intervals of six feet apart.
through the gravel down to the marl ; withinside these
tubes the workmen used the chissel-pointed jumperbals
to make the short holes to a depth of six feet below
the surface. The loose stuff was extracted by an augur
tool ; a cartridge of canvass, well pitched and tallowed,
containing 3lbs. of powder, was lowered through the tube
into the hole, which was well rammed with loose marl. The
charge was then, fired by means of Bickford's fusee. There
was generally but little apparent external effect from
the spot, except lifting the pipe a few inches, but sometimes
a column of water would be driven up to the height
of forty or fifty feet. It was found that each shot
loosened a mass of marl of conical or parabolic forin, of
which the borehole was the centre, and its bottom the apex, so
that four adjoining shots of two parallel lines would leave
between them a pyramidal piece of marl, which was removed by
the dredging machine with the loose stuff. This operation of
blasting was repeated in parallel lines along all the shoals, and
the stuff was dredged up at the rate of 200 to 300 tons per day.
The cost of the blasting was about 9s. 6d. per cubic yard.
It was stated that the six principal shoals had all been success-
fully operated upon, and great credit was given, not only to
the design, but also to Mr. Edwards, for the systematic and
complete manner in which he bad arranged and conducted the
operations.

An excellent working model was exhibited by Mr. Hyde
of Otti's:steam excavator. Several improvements appeared to
have been made in its form, and the mechanical part of its con-
struction, adapting it for dredging under water. It was much
improved, and seems now likely to become a useful and efficient
instrument in engineering operations.
The following papers were announced to be read on Tues-
day, June 24, the last meeting of the session, when the ballot
for members would take plaee :
" No. 79. On Siesmen's Chronometric Governor, by J.
Woods, Grad. Inst. C. E.

" No. 730. On the advantages of working engines with high
pressure steam expansively, &c., by J. G. Bodmer, M. Inst.
C. E.

DISCOVERY OF A CONSIDERABLE DEPOSIT OF
GUANO AT LAWRENCE ISLAND, NEW SOUTH
WALES.

The following letter, received at Lloyd's on Saturday, is of
importance, and will be read with great interest by those en-
gaged in the guano trade :

" Downing-street, Tune 19, 1845.
" Sir,—l am directed by Lord Stanley to transmit to you
the accompanying copy of a dispatch which his Lordship has
received from the Governor of South Australia, reporting the
discovery of a considerable deposit of guano at Lawrence
Island, within the government of New South 'Wales, and ex-
pressing his opinion that it will oe found in large quantities
upon many islands on all the coasts of New Holland.
" Lord Stanley further directs me to request that you would
move the Committee of Lloyd's to apopt such measures as
may ippear to them best adapted for giving general publicity
to Captain Greig's dispatch. His Lordship would, however,
wish that it should be clearly understood that it is not in his
power to guarantee to any ship-owners who may engage in the
removal and conveyance of the guano in question, an exemp-
tion from such charges as the local Governments of the British
settlements in New Holland may see fit to impose on the re-
moval of that article

" I am, Sir, your obedient humble Servant,
(Signed) " G. W. HOPE.
" W. Dobson, Esq., Secretary, Lloyd's."
The dispatch alluded to above is in substance as follows :
" A considerable deposit of guano had been discovered upon
Lawrence Island, lying in 38 deg. 23 S. latitude and 141 deg.
35 East long., immediately off Cape Nelson, and within the ter-
ritory of New South Wales. This deposit is represented as
being less rich than that in South America, but accounted for
from the sample having been taken from the surface.

UNITED ANCIENT ORDER OF DRUIDS.—The bien-
nial delegated meeting of this society assembled at the Durham Ox
Inn, in this town, on the 17th instant, for the transaction of general
business connected with the various districts and bilges of which
the Order is composed. Representatives were present'from Leeds,
Derby, Dewsbury, Birmingham, Bradford, London, Leices-
ter, Surrey, Kent, Essex, Nottingham, and many other
towns and villages to which branches of the Order are
extended. The auditors appointed to examine the accounts of the
Board of Direction, presented the following report to the dele-
gates:—" Gentlemen—We have carefully examined the ac-
counts of the Board of Direction for the last two years, and
it is with a high degree of satisfaction that we are enabled to
report to you their perfect correctness, at the same time it is but
an act of justice to the secretary and the other officers of the
Board, to declare that they have been kept in a remarkably clear
and systematic manner, and that the thanks of the Order are due
to them for their very efficient services. Signed, Samuel Mills, Bir-
mingham ; John Day, Leicester ; James Wormald, Leeds."
Various subjects requiring their adjudication, were brought be-
fore the notice of the delegates, and occupied their attention
until the close of the day's proceedings. Business was
resumed the next morning, and in the course of the day the pro-
posals for alterations in the constitutional laws, by which the
order is governed, were discussed, the details of which would, of
course, be out of place in our columns. The society, in respects..
bility, is second to none in existence; and it is only to be re-
gretted that the principles on which it is governed were not
generally adopted many years since. It now receives the patronage
of many individuals in the highest stations of life, including Mem-
bers of Parliament and clergymen of various denominations, who
are aware of the benefit accruing to the working-classes
by the establishment of societies of a similar nature.
Theological and political discussions are entirely prohibited at
the meetings, as also everything of a profane or obscene
nature, which are only calculated to debase the mind of man.
The executive Government is vested in a board of directors
in London, of whom the president is Mr. S. Burke; the vice presi-
dent, Mr. H. Flowers; the treasurer, Mr. Scoton ; and the secre
Lary, Mr. G. Elliott. Yesterday (Thursday) the delegates resumed
sitting, and had not closed their labours when we went to press.—
Nottingham Review.

SALE OF RAILWAY AND OTHER SHARES BY Auc-
TION.--On Tuesday the first sale of railway shares by auction in
Liverpool took place at the Commercial Sale-room, Temple-
court. Mr. William Gardner, broker, of South John-street,
acted as auctioneer on the occasion. There was a very
numerous attendance, and the business appeared to be con-
dncted with spirit and satisfaction to the company. Several
sales were made. We subjoin a list of the day's transac-
tions :-10 old shares in the Liverpool Fire and Life In-
surance Company fetched 71.; 10 new ditto, 41. 10s.; 20 shares
in the Union Bank of Liverpool, 137.; 100 shares in ditto, 121.
17s. 6d. ; 10 shares in the Birkenhead and Cheshire Junction
Railway, 11/. 10s. ; 20 shares in ditto, 11/. 7s. 6d. ; for 20 shares
in ditto, 11/. ss. was bid, and they were taken in at 111. 12s. 6d ;
120 shares in the Belfast and County Down Railway fetched
1/. 6s. 3d. ; 35 shares in the Great Paris and Lyons Rail-
way, 21. Is.; 160 shares in the London and York, 31. 17s.
6d. ; 10 shares in the Londonderry and Enniskillen, 41. 15s. ;
for 225 shares in the Newry and Enniskillen, 4/. 17s.
6d. was bid, and they were taken in at 3/. ss. ; 50
Paris and Lyons (Laffitte's, English) fetched 21. I Ss. 9d.; for
100 shares in the Rugby, Worcester, and Tring, 2/. 12s. 6d. was
bid, and they were taken in at 3/. ; for ten shares in the Liver-
pool and Bury 151. ss. was bid, and they were taken in at 161. ss.
At the close of the transactions Mr. Gardner announced that there
would be another sale of shares by auction that day fortnight, and
we understand that it is his intention to have a sale every fortnight,
or oftener if necessary.

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OP RESUSCITATION.-011
Thursday an accident of a very painful character happened at
the entrance of the East India Docks, whilst some large
Indiamen were leaving on their passage outwards. One of
them was the Walater Castle, and as she was being hauled
along the lock of the entrance, the crew, who generally
stop with their friends on the pier.head, wishing them good
bye, until the last moment, commenced clambering up the
sides in a very hazardous and daring manner. During the con-
fusion two sailors, one a boatswain's mate, named Rogers, were no-
ticed to miss their footing or hold, and instantly fell into the water.
A noble fellow belonging to the same ship, in a moment precipi-
tated himself into the dock, for the purpose of saving his ship-
mates, and succeeded in preserving one of them. Rogers, how-
ever, could not be seen, and the heroic fellow before alluded to,
once or twiee dived down, in the hope of catching hold of the mate.
Not succeeding, the drags were promptly thrown in, and in about
five minutes the unfortunate man was brought up, apparently life-
less. The body was considerably swollen by the water it con-
tained, and by many his restoration was considered perfectly hope.
less. The instructions, however, of the Royal Humane Society
were strictly acted upon, and the poor fellow was carried to the
guard-house of the dock. He was promptly operated upon by
Messrs. Blomfield, Broadwater, and Baine, surgeons, of Poplar, and
in the course of half an hour ho showed symptoms of animation.
In the subsequent quarter of an hour he was able to talk rather
humorously; but in the following hour rather dangerous symp-
toms came on—viz., congestion of the lungs, which frequently
terminates in death, after resuscitation. The surgeons remained
strict in attendance upon him, and at four o'clock he was in a
shocking state. Great interest is excited as to his fate.
SHOCKING ACCIDENT IN FLEET- STREET.—On
Thursday evening, shortly before eight o'clock, an accident of a
frightful nature took place at the corner of Bouverie- street,
Fleet-street. It appears that an elderly gentleman,
named Le Hunt, residing in Gough-square, was, with many
other persons, standing in front of a shop, viewing some
pictures, when a coal waggon, turning sharp round from
Fleet-street, caught Mr. Le Hunt by the arm, and crushed him be-
tween it and the post which stands at the corner of the street. He
was immediately picked up in a state of insensibility and carried
to his residence, when it was discovered that the right arm was I
completely flattened, and the whole of the right side lacerated in a
frightful maim; leaving no hope of his recovery,