The Sun. — 1838-12-28 (London, England)

OXFORD-STREET EXPERIMENTAL PAVEMENT.  The importance of ascertaining the best species of pavement for the carriage-roads of the metropolis is some excuse for the confusion, accompanied by the smoke and offensive odours from the cauldrons, which has prevailed at the east end of Oxford-street for the last two mouths. The inhabitants have, however, been great sufferers thereby ; but we may now congratulate them that, at last, all the ground is asvgned and set out for the different varieties, while many of them are completed, and the rest are in progress, excepting the portion to be laid with wood—yet this also will be commenced in a day or two. The first load of wood was  delivered in Oxford-street on Saturday. It is what, we believe, is called spruce fir. The blocks are about 15 inches deep, and of a hexagonal form, seven inches in diameter. Commencing at Charles-street are the asphaltum blocks of Stephenson, one half laid straight, the other diagonally. This is followed by granite pavement nine inches deep, jointed with Claridge's asphaltum ; then is to succeed a granite pavement of stones only 41 inches deep, also to be jointed with the same substance, Mr. Claridge being of opinion, and desirous of proving, that his cement is sufficiently strong to bind even these shallow stones into one solid mass. The Macadamised,bed for this latter portion is all that is at present completed, the parish having found much difficulty in procuring stones of the required size ; they are now, however, obtained, and the work will proceed forthwith. To this succeeds the Bastenne Company's portion ; the blocks in this part are in the form of bricks, but somewhat larger ; they have been laid both ways, straight and diagonally. Next follows the granite pavement, laid by the parish, which is undoubtedly one of the finest specimens of work of its kind to be found in London. It consists of three parts :-1. Stones laid in the ordinary way, on a well-formed bed of concrete. 2. Similar stones laid diagonally on a bed of the same material ; the joints of both these portions are filled with a grouting of lime, sand, &c. 3. Stones laid in the usual manner, but on the earth without any official bed, and the joints are filled in with fine gravel. The whole of this work has a good curved surface, and the regular thickness of the stones has evidently been carefully attended to. The next experiment, going towards Tottenham-court-road, is what is called the Scotch asphaltum granite (said to be a patented article). This composition has the appearance of stone, and the blocks are about six inches thick, nine inches broad, and 18 inches long on one face, while the other is only 13 inches long. In laying them (which is done with Parker's cement) every alternate block is reversed, so that every second block lies solid on its base, or longest face, while the others fit in between them as keystones, and, when jointed, each may be said to support the other. The next division will be occupied by the wood pavements. Then follows the asphaltum, called the Val de Travers, which will occupy the remaining portion of the street devoted to the experimental pavement. This last article consists of blocks, about 10 inches square and five inches thick, formed of a bitumen thickly studded by broken pieces of granite ; so that, when laid, it may be looked upon as a sort of Macadamised road, where, in lieu of earth for filling the interstices between the broken granite, and making the whole of a solid mass, a strong binding composition has been employed.  An inquest was held yesterday in Bury-street, St. James's, on the body of a young man named Theobald, in the service of Captain Vernon, who committed suicide by hanging himself. Deceased had for some time been in a dejected state of mind, arising, it was supposed, from the state of his health. Mr. Benjamin Davis, surgeon, stated that there was an eruption of small-pox on the surface of the skin, such as would tend to affect the mind of the deceased, as adults have a great dread of the complaint. Verdict—" Temporary mental derangement." On Saturday night, during the dense fog, the Danish brig Prina Christian, of Copenhagen, from Havennab, bound to Amsterdam, went on shore near Lydden Spout, and is likely to become a perfect wreck. Vast quantities of her cargo, consisting of tobacco and cigars, have been washed out of the vessel, and hundreds of wreckers from hence and Folkstone have taken whatever they could lay their hands upon. Five men have been convicted in different penalties, for having in their possession a quantity of tobacco and cigars, varying from a quarter of a pound to a pound and a half. Two men of Folkstone were also committed for further examination, charged with stealing a quantity of the copper sheathing of the abovenamed vessel.—Kentish Gazette. Yesterday morning a fire broke out in the premises of Mr Anthony, poulterer, Leadenhall Market, from the overheating of a chimney in an adjoining house. The fire was got under without doing much damage to the property, which is insured in the Sun office.