The inconvenience that frequently arises from the defective construction of the spring-valve generally used in gasestablishments, has led to several contrivances to obviate the difficulties that are continually presenting themselves. A perfect hydraulic gas-valve is, in my opinion, the only remedy for the evils that are complained of. Numerous attempts have been made by engineers to introduce an effective apparatus, and some very clever machines of this description have been published at different times in your Magazine.

It appears to me that the invention, of which I now beg to hand to you the accompanying drawing, is possessed of the necessary mechanical arrangement to render it a perfect air-tight valve. The inventor is Mr. Joseph Hutchison, father of Stephen Hutchison; many of whose improvements in gas-machinery your pages have made known to the world.

A valve precisely upon the same principle as that shown by the drawing was constructed by that gentleman in the year 1812, for a West India merchant, for whom Mr. Hutchison was at that time building a gas-apparatus on extensive premises opposite Meux's brewhouse, in Tottenham-court-road. This was previous to the period when the streets of the metropolis were first lighted by gas, and before the original Company (the Westminster) commenced operations, or obtained its charter.

For many years, after the above premises were vacated, the apparatus alluded to was forgotten and neglected, and it was only during an accidental conversation which I had with Mr. Joseph Hutchison about twelve months ago, that he happened to refer to this invention.

As it is likely, from the simplicity of its construction, to be remarkably well adapted to suit the purpose of a station-valve (it being now used as such on the Continent), I avail myself of the excellent opportunity your periodical affords of making the invention known for the benefit of gas-manufacturers.

Description.

d is a cast-iron tank; Bb are two cups attached to the screws ff; hh are iron stays bolted to the top of the tank

which in conjunction with the rods, ee guide the direction of the screws; aa are hydraulic joints for the purpose of preventing an escape of gas when raising or depressing the cups. Cc are outlet and inlet mains. The inlet main C is represented as being sealed against the entrance of the gas by means of the water which the cup B has taken up from the reservoir i; while the outlet c, in consequence of the seal cup b being lowered, permits the free escape of the gas to the street or district mains.

CLOVIS.

MEDALLIC ENGRAVING STATEMENT OF FACTS IN REPLY TO MR. JOHN HENNING'S CHARGE OF PIRACY AGAINST LACHEVARDIERE AND CO.

Sir,-A letter from Mr. Henning, respecting the conduct of Lachevardiere and Co., having appeared in the Mechanics' Magazine of the 4th inst., I request leave to reply to it by a statement of facts. The contemptuous manner in which Mr. Henning is pleased to speak of the engravings by M. Collas, published by that firm, does not, I think, require further comment than will be found in his own correspondence, herewith forwarded -except only to direct attention to his admission, that he has just entered into an engagement with Mr. Bate for the publication of a rival work. This, I admit, ought not to influence his judgment; whether it has done so, I shall leave your readers to determine, strictly confining myself to the specific charges affecting moral character which this person has dared to bring against Lachevardiere and Co., and which you have somewhat incautiously ventured to publish. The wrongs of which Mr. Henning complains of foul robbery and shameless appropriation of his laborious works from the Parthenon and Phygaleian marbles;" of "the unjustifiable omission of his name in the letterpress of the Trésor de Numismatique;" of "the wholesale appropriation of his works to the ruin of their legitimate sale, and the blasting of his reputation;" of "the atrocious piracy of the Company by the seizure of the Canterbury Pilgrimage' of his late son;" lastly, "that having [in 1836, observe] spoken before the Committee of the House of Commons of the unjustifiable omission of his name in the Trésor, he was by a trick,' an unworthy manœuvre,' induced to write a letter to the Chairman of the Committee, acknow. ledging that he had since seen a copy of that work with his name in it, which letter is now shown about with the intention of impugning his veracity.'

are,

Now, if I desired to impugn Mr. Henning's

veracity, I should not refer to that letter.* I beg leave, however, here to state, that the unworthy manoeuvre by which it was obtained, was simply the production of the Trésor itself with his name in it—when, and under what circumstances placed there, will appear hereafter-and that the letter was sealed by Mr. Henning, and, of course, so delivered to the Chairman on the same day, and has never since even been seen by me, or any other person connected with Lachevardiere and Co. I now proceed to the more serious charges. This correspondence, be it observed, was opened by a letter addressed to Mr. Lenormant, the Editor of the Trésor, who communicated with Messrs. Lachevardiere on the subject, and they immediately returned the following answer:

"Translation of a Letter from Messrs. Lachevardiere and Co. to John Henning, dated Paris, 11th November, 1834.

Sir,-Mr. Lenormant has communicated to us the letter which you have addressed to him, and in which you complain of the sale of our engravings from your reduced intaglios of the bas-reliefs of the Parthenon. The work is not sold in London on our account. The booksellers in Paris, who have a regular connexion with some of the London booksellers, have bought it from us without telling us any thing about the ultimate destination of the copies, and they are sold there on their account. We quite agree with you, Sir, that this property belongs to you, and that you are the only master and possessor of it, and we are therefore quite dis posed to do any thing that may be agreeable to you, to compensate in some manner a real disappointment to you, in which, however, we are not directly concerned. The publication of this work being now terminated, it would be extremely difficult to alter the text and to introduce your name, as the author of the reduced bas-reliefs, which we have employed. If, however, you attach great importance to it, we will do so, regardless of any expense which it may cost us. We can only offer you, to make up for the little injury, copies of this work, which you may distribute among your friends. If there be any other mode which you would prefer, only have the kindness to inform us of it, we hope

11, Seymour-place North, Euston-square, "July 7th, 1836.

"Sir,-Having been led to believe that a certain part of my evidence, given by me on the 21st of June, before the Committee on the British Museum, may be misconstrued, so as to imply a censure on the publishers, at Paris, of a set of engravings from my sculptures, after Parthenon and Phygaleian friezes, I consider it just to state to the Committee, that I am now in possession of a volume of that work, in which my name is introduced as the author of the reductions from which the engravings have been done, not only in the preface, but also in the index; this I find was done immediately on my complaining of the neglect, which 1 am now satisfied was unintentional. As I do not wish a false impression to go before the public, I beg that you will have the goodness to allow this to be inserted on the Minutes of the Committee.

"With the greatest respect,

"I have the honour to be, your humble servant, (Signed) "JOHN HENNING, Sen. "To the Chairman of the Committee."

The reader will notice, that only one edition of the Parthenon has ever been published. But a second edition, with engravings from casts bought from Mr. Henning himself, will appear shortly, with the text in English.

we shall be able to satisfy you. We hold at your disposal, 1. Twelve copies of the collection of your bas-reliefs; 2. One copy on India paper; which we shall send you, free of expense, the moment we are acquainted with your address. Be so kind as to answer without delay, that we may enjoy the satisfaction of making amends, as far as it may be in our power, for the injury which this publication may do you, although we cannot but repeat, we are not directly the cause of it. "We are, &c.

"LACHEVARDIERE AND Co."

Now, Sir, whether this was the reply of an honourable man, I leave to the decision of your readers. Mr. Henning thus described it:" Mr. Lachevardiere gravely replied, that the matter concerning which I had written was an affair with the publishers in London; but he very politely proposed to send me thirteen copies (one on China paper), and that they should be delivered free of expense. Liberal compensation, certainly !" forgetting altogether that the offer was conditional-it being left to him to suggest

66

any other mode of compensation which he might prefer." However, what Mr. Henning thought of it at the time, and before he had entered into the engagement with Mr. Bate, will best appear from his own letters:"Extracts from a Letter from John Henning to Lachevardiere and Co.

"Sir,-I received with much pleasure your letter of the 11th inst.; I am disposed to accept your offer of, 1. Twelve copies of the collection of basreliefs; 2. One copy on papier de chine-on which I will give up all thought of hindering the sale of your work here. My first letter must have convinced you, that I was more hurt at not being mentioned in your letter-press as the restorer of this very unique series of sculptures, than from any supposed injury to the sale of my own work. In fact, a gentleman having presented me with a copy, I surveyed it in a kind of delirium of pleasure, exclaiming at intervals, I wish that Mr. Collas had operated from more perfect casts !

"I was so struck with the general beauty of the work, that I accounted for some deficiencies (not distortions,) which I could not detect, as arising from defective casts which might have been used in doing the work, and this was a subject of regret to me... I have just learned that you have also published engravings from my Phygal ian sculptures. I would only now think of proposing to publish my hypothesis concerning the Centaurs, Amazons, and Lapithæ, and connecting it with your work, have it published at Paris first, but have it announced that an English edition would be published at the same time in London by Longman's house. This would secure the copyright with you, it would secure it here. I do not mean to propose that the work should be published with your work, because that would lead to an infamous claim of eleven or twelve copies to be given to institutions which have abundant means to purchase.

(Signed) "JOHN HENNING, sen, "Lun ion, 18th November, 1834."

"From Lachevardiere to John Henning. "We are in hopes that you have received the copies of the bas-reliefs of the Parthenon, which we have forwarded to you the 25th ult. We now ask for your permission to engrave by our machines, 1. Your reduced intaglios of the Cartoons of Ra

The first engravings were executed from casts bought in Paris from the Italian dealers in such commodities, at the current price of forty francs. Mr. Henning was paid 10%. for the original casts, purchased after the publication had taken place.

phael; 2. The sundry bas-reliefs, of which you have likewise executed reduced intaglios, on the same terms as those that have been agreed upon for the bas-reliefs of the Parthenon. We shall then desire you to make your own choice of the best plaster casts... you will be so obliging as to send us all these things packed up with care, and let us know the amount, so that we may remit it to you immediately.

(Signed) "LACHEVARDIERE AND Co. Paris, 5th January, 1835,"

Here the reader cannot fail to observe there is an actual treaty with Mr. Henninghis permission is asked to engrave his "in-, taglios of the Cartoons of Raphael, and the sundry bas-reliefs of which you have likewise executed reduced intaglios, on the same terms as those that had been agreed upon for the basreliefs of the Parthenon;" and if he consents, he is requested to select and forward the best plaster cast, &c.-and it will appear from the following letters, that Mr. Henning did se. lect and forward copies of such of his works as he thought would serve the "purpose" of. his correspondent, and in due course sent in his bill for them, which bill was paid:

"From John Henning, Sen., to Lachevardiere.` "Sir,-Yours of the 5th inst. arrived of course, and custs have been made of my different reduced bas-reliefs, which shall be packed properly, that they may reach you in safety, of which I will inform you on their dispatch The Trans figuration by Raphael is too large for your purpose I am afraid, but if it may do by separating it into two, you might do it as the others, in which case, however, I would empo ter you to secure the copy right of the bas-reliefs according to the law of France.

"London, 27th January, 1835."

From Lachevardiere and Co. to John Henning, Sen.

"We accept with much pleasure your offer respecting your reduction of the Transfiguration. It is our intention to publish some numbers of an extra size, and this plate will form a part of the collection........

"It is well understood that whatever you may think fit to send us will be accepted on the terms already agreed upon for the bas-reliefs, "Paris, 12th June, 1835."

"From John Henning, Seu., to Lacherardiere and Co.

"My dear Sir,-I must acknowledge that I was very remiss in not informing you of the safe arrival of the impressions of your engravings after the reductions of the Parthenon and the Phygaleian sculptures........ Your work is much praised, and after distributing in presents a number of those which you had the goodness to send, I have at present six or seve. ordered. Particularly desirous to serve one of my friends, I waited upon Mr. Bailliere and got a copy of the four numbers. I paid twenty shillings for it, and caused one of my sons to hand it to the Duke of Norfolk at the same money. I have not a doubt that had you men tioned my name in your letter-press in the first instance, it would have had a great influence in promoting the sale. Your beautiful work has found its way into the first libraries in the land,

It is fairly to be inferred from this passage, that Mr. Henning knew at this time that his name had been inserted in the Trésor, and yet it was nearly twelve months after this letter was written

he gave evidence before the Committee of the of Commons,

and I have not met with one of my friends who enabled me to accomplish that work, which took me from seven to eight years, but who expressed a wish to have the engravings which you have done. I hope when you have done the Cartoons, that you will not forget the name of the old Scotchman, and I will do every thing in my power to promote the sale of your work among my friends here, at Edin burgh, at Glasgow, Liverpool, and to the chief promoters of art in this country to hom I am personally known. I am just going to see Mr. Fellman at his lodgings, of whom I will inquire at what rate I might be served from your house, that I may have the opportunity of serving my friends who might want them; of course I would take care that they should be sold at the same rate that the printsellers, your agents, do here, I beg to present you with a glass impression of an intaglio done by one of my sons, who fell in the pestilence of 1832. I also send you a fac-simile of a letter from Canova, and with the kindest wishes for your success, 1am, with the greatest respect,

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(Signed) "JOHN HENNING. London, 30th June, 1835."

"From John Henning, Sen., to Lachevardiere and Co.

"Dear Sir,-Yours, containing a bill of exchange on Coutts' for 117. 68. 6d., arrived safe..... I immediately prepared a cast of the Transfiguration, and, as soon as it was dry, opened the case to see that all was right within. It was pleasant to find all well, and room for some little things besides the Transfiguration. I have inclosed impressions from two dies of my first work of intaglio engraving in steel. If they are of any use to you, I beg that you will keep to yourself the secret of whom you have got them, and you may have the other four sides. ...... While I am in a fever about the safety of your case, I am surprised by a case containing two prints of Louis Philippe. I hare to ex

press my most cordial thanks for this mark of your attention. The execution is to my eye admirable; so much um I pleased with it, that I beg leave to ask if you would like to do a British design after this manner of our father shepherd, William IV....... Let me know how I might be able to serve you here as regards the publication of the Cartoons and Transfiguration here. ...... I have had many applica tions for your engravings after my sculptures from the Parthenon and Phygaleian marbles. The applicants I have sent to Balliere. After I had given away all that you had the goodness to send me, I had occasion to apply for one copy, for a very par ticular friend. Now, if I could get them at what is called the dealer's price, I could often dispose of copies, as many have had my, who are wonderfully pleased with your work. Sen.

(Signed) "JOHN HENNING, "London, 29th March, 1836."

This is the last letter received from Mr. Henning, and here I am content to take leave of the subject. I cannot, however, but express a hope respecting the atrocious piracy of his son's work, that the reader will observe how it came into the possession of Lachevardiere and Co. and as to the insult offered to his widow, it is proved, by the letters here given, that it was positively agreed on between the parties, that for leave to engrave from all intaglios sent by Mr. Henning, they should give him the same remuneration as for the bas-reliefs of the Parthenon, that is to

Mr. Henry Hering sent a second cast at his expense for the purpose of being engraved on his account, as the plate had been sold to him at a stipulated price.

say, copies of those beautiful works which he "surveyed in a kind of delirium of pleasure" which his friends were "so wonderfully pleased with," that he proposed to become an agent for the sale of them (see letter of 26th March) if he might have them at the trade price-but which copies he now describes as "bits of paper that might cost the Company a shiling a-piece." However, this was a question in which the widow rather than Mr. Henning was interested, and as she desired to have money instead of copies, her wish was complied with, as appears by the following receipt:

"London, 24th Dec. 1836. "Received the sum of four pounds sterling in full of all demands on the score of real or supposed injury by the sale of a medallion engraved by Collas, representing the Canterbury Pilgrimage,' published by him and engraved by making use of a bas-relief executed by my late husband, Mr. Samuel Henning, after Stodhart's picture.

(Signed) "ANN HENNING."

I regret, Sir, to have been obliged to trouble you at such length, but Mr. Henning's letters are the best answer to Mr. Henning, and essential to the justification of Lachevardiere and Co.

Sir, I have read with considerable interest the observations of your several correspondents, relative to the Electrical Theory of the Universe; and from the arguments adduced on both sides, I am more and more convinced, that the general principles of that theory, when examined fully, and compared with geological facts, will be found to rest upon a good foundation. The principal feature of the theory is, that at one period of the earth's existence, it was attended by sevenal satellites, like the superior planets, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus, which have been successively precipitated upon the earth's surface; and that which now accompanies the earth in its revolutions, will eventually follow the same course. Now the geological facts that have been already, collected, give strong corroborative evidence of this opinion; some of these which have fallen under my observation, appear to give a degree of proof more full and satisfactory, than even those already submitted by the supporters of this theory. The present geological theories, it is well known, do not furnish consistent explanations of various important facts which have recently been

brought to light; for instance, how granite. came to be deposited upon the inferior members of stratified rocks? how for a season, there appears to have existed a gradual increase in organic life-followed by nature, as it were, sinking into imbe cility, incapable of the production of animation and again, with renewed vigour, animals and plants being created? Further, how it was possible for the waters to deposit organic remains at such altitudes as those in which they have been discovered? to what cause we are to attri bute the imbedding of fish in the solid rock, some in the very act of swallowing their prey, and others with the undigested remains of their newly swallowed food; the conical heads flattened, even the teeth broken, and the remains of various fossil animals otherwise shattered? These questions, and others of a similar character, are wholly inexplicable by the theories of Werner, Hutton, and other modern geolo gists; but by the admission of the hypothesis of the deposition of a satellite, they become of easy solution. In the first place, with respect to the deposition of granite on the inferior members of stratified rocks, as found in the Western Alps, where, according to M. Elie de Beaumont, graniterests upon limestones equivalent to a part of the oolitic series; at the Montagnes de l'Oisans, and also at Predazza, granitic rocks rest on beds of the Alpine limestones, and dolomite plunges beneath them at an angle of 50 or 60°. The position of the granite in this instance cannot, I think, be accounted for by a volcanic eruption; forif there had been a flow of melted matter from the interior of the earth, it would have found, in the same manner as the lava of a volcano, its lowest possible level, instead of resting upon high and steep mountains. But if the deposition of a satellite be admitted, those parts thereof which formed the superior members of its strata, would rest upon all those strata of the earth at that time existing; consequently, the granite of the satellite would be superior to all the strata of the earth, and in many cases to the strata of the satellite. Such a convulsion would also tend to destroy life of every description within reach of its effects: hence, at this period, there would be fewer animals in existence; and as the increase in vegetation is more rapid than that of animals, so those strata formed immediately after the deposition, would contain more vegetable than animal remains. The elevation of