The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-16

average OF the number OF Ter ~ -
theseIthcse looking on the streets~soa..' INV
ing more than twelve, most of them eight, ann
the residue at least Eve, We arrive at this re-
cult; that taking the whole city into the esti-
.rnatel There are nine windows to each house to
be illuminated, and three hundred and eighty
three thousand four hundred windows in all. If
We reckon twelve panes OF glass to each win
dow, which is the ordinary number In the poor
est dwellings, aud hght to each psne-for
without az much as this the effect would be
mesgre and paltry-it will be necessary to use
four millions six hundred thousand eight hun
-S1red lamps or candles AS these last must be
,spermacett;, if economy or cleanliness is con-
sidered, ard the smallest outlay for fixtures
is taken into account, we may fairly estimate
their cost at thirty one cents per pound (two
pounds Of skies to each window to be two hum
dred and thirty seven thousand seven hundred
and eight dollars! Now this enormous expen-
diture would be uladvisaolc, and could not be
Justified cvrn under the circumstances which
have created such an intense excitement and
have grati6ed go deeply the friends Of peace
and Commerce. IL the people of this city
besides contributing for the public treasury
ueus,ly large sums OF money to swell the pub
lie burtheas in 1859, could individually spare
two hundred and thirty seven thousand dollars
more, in candles, to drip away and be consumed
in single night then we should propose
much better use of their surplus funds. They
might be employed il laying another cable
either across the Atlantic, or to connect along
shore our city with the terminus of the cable ia
Newfoundland Or, if this bad better be left to
capitalists and companies, the money might DO
applied 10 some benevolent or educational pur-
pose. Us have another winter approaching;
aud such have been the effects of the late revul-
sion that large Numbers OF workmen bave been
thrown cut OF employ ment, railroads stopped or
unrepsired, manufactures broken up or working
on an economical scale, shipyards with but
limited IrGers, and our foreign and internal
comroerce cat down to the standard OF our
actual EoctssjSies, are evi0tnce enough that the
usual amount of labor has not been called for.
In ell probability, then-indeed it is almost
certain-tha. the coming winter will be one of
much distress, and all the care Of our public
authorities, aud all the efforts Of private bene-
violence will be necessary to prevent extreme
suffering among the poorer classes of our
citizens.
Ii is with these economical and humanitarian
convictions pressing upon us that We have
opposed the illumination of private buildings,
and we ore satisfied that it would not take
place even if it had been officially recon-
moulded. A large number of stores and facto-
ries contain combustible materials some Of
them explosive and very dangerous, and there
ia great risk In introducing into them lights of
any description. There are many such places
where even the smoking of a segar is not per-
United. Tie enormous number Of lamps and
candles necessary to light up our private
dwellings might easily lead to general con-
migration.
There il another view Of lthis subject: For
whose benefit would the illumination of the
public buildings be, the professions, the
music and the pyrotechny, If One-half the
population had to remain at home or in their
shops and storebouses, to watch the Pickering
lights put up in their own windows? Those
who would incur the expense Of this private
illumination and actually risk their property in
doing 60, would hear of the rejoicings, catch
an echo Of the guns, and here and there q
strain Of distant music, and that is all
they would get in return for their self
deuia and patriotism, while the whole
effect Of the celebration would be al
most exclusively enjoyed by those who have
everything to gain in this world, and but very
little TO lose The idea is preposterous, and
every owaer and occupant of a building in the
city will perceive that while he would be
adding TO the show at much Inconvenience and
some expense to himself he would be among
the last persons likely to enjoy 1t.
In the whole country there will probably be
nothing more grand than the celebration in
New York. and when we remember that 1t IL
but part Of q great whole, we can conceive
how intensely the event of the day is moving
the whole nation. II is quite probable that thu
Intelligence of our intention to celebrate Thu
receipt Of the Queens message by the inter
oceanic chain viii he communicated by telegraph
from England TO France, and thence through
the entire continent of Europe, and even h
Africa. in which event we should witness tn
sublime spectacle Of three continents simulta
neorsly jubilsting over an event perfected q
the very moment when the first gun of rejoicing
1. fred at each Of the threc-quarters of tn
globe.
Who could have dreamed Of il twenty year
agor
TIE News FROM MExco.-Our sdvices fror
Mexico by way Of Havana, though bringin