new

one

as a

screw

cases

are towns and streets in

Cable Haulage. Working Expenses.

..    37-75 .. 19⁻0 per cent.

Dividend.

Dividend.

North Metropolitan

Co.........

London Tramways

Co.........

London Street Tramways Co.......

74-0

THE ADOPTION OF STEEL IN ORDNANCE, PROJECTILES, AND ARMOUR.

At the close of 1882 the authorities arrived at the important decision that all guns manufactured in future are to consist wholly of steel. This decision is to be highly commended. It was in the long run inevitable. When once steel had clearly shown that it was superior to wrought iron, even in the very qualities to which wrought iron owed its popularity, the results of the competition between steel and wrought iron was a foregone conclusion. This we pointed out in the last of a series of articles on the application of steel to the construction of ordnance— vide Engineer, July 30th, 1880—two years and a-half ago. The Royal Carriage Department authorities, who had long before adopted steel to a large extent in the construction of carriages, gave as the results of tests—Ultimate tenacity, best wrought iron, 22 tons ; Landore steel, in the soft state, 30 tons. Elongation—Best wrought iron, 30 per cent. ; soft steel, 33 3 per cent. Kirkaldy gave for soft steel rings from Vavasseur’s guns, ultimate tenacity, 3545 tons; elongation, 24'25 per cent. On this we remarked that we believe that “ the introduction of steel built-up guns was a mere question of time,” and that “ those who have preferred wrought iron, not from prejudice, but for the sake of its qualities, may with complete consistency adopt steel as soon as it is proved to possess in a still higher degree those very qualities which they valued in wrought iron.” The articles to which we refer were written, after taking great pains to communicate with and collect facts from all the best known manufacturers of ordnance, viz., Armstrong, Vavasseur, Whitworth, Palliser and Krupp. On the abstract question of ordnance we have really nothing to add to what we then wrote. The introduction of steel, however, has been perhaps more rapid than we looked for. Colonel Maitland, who became superintendent of the gun factories in the Royal Arsenal in the spring of 1880, has from the beginning recognised the value of steel, and has pushed its adoption forward. Probably the committee on ordnance have been in its favour, and so the great change has come about; a change, be it observed, which, while it brings in the system advocated by Whitworth and Vavasseur, may be adopted without at all doing violence to our preference for the original built-up guns of Armstrong to the cast steel guns of that day. The material steel has proved its powers to be so great that it has displaced wrought iron; but the principle of building up guns has held its own throughout, and has superseded the massive castings formerly used abroad. We can hardly say that the coil principle has gone out, for steel bars have been heated and made into coils, and in this form steel has been introduced in some of the more recent guns. This we do not expect to be a permanent feature in construction, such treatment not being suited to steel as pointed out by Sir W. Armstrong’s paper, published in The Engineer, Sept. 8th, 1882. Doubtless we may shortly see patterns of our various service guns consisting entirely of steel tubes, jackets, and exterior hoops. Steel riband, which being applied cold differs entirely from cylinders made of coiled steel bars, must be an after consideration.

The application of steel, however, will not be confined to guns and carriages. Colonel Inglis’s Committee on Plates and Projectiles reported early in this year that chilled iron shot were almost useless against steel-faced armour, and we may add to their statement the fact that abroad chilled shot have, in a measure, failed against chilled iron armour. Steel is necessary to destroy hard armour of any kind whose surface opposes much resistance, because a chilled shot shivers under a shock received before its head enters and finds support. There is great difficulty in making trustworthy cast steel armour-piercing projectiles, and those of forged steel are very costly. Nevertheless, the difficulties which beset the question can hardly fail to be overcome, and even at the present moment a proportion of steel projectiles is approved for service which proportion will be greatly increased, wre think, as time goes on. Then,again, common shell are being made of steel by Krupp, and to a certain extent in this country. A steel common shell may be made to contain a much larger bursting charge than of iron; and owing to its tenacity it has the power of resisting the force of explosion longer and enabling the bursting charge to be more thoroughly ignited, and its force more completely developed, before it yields. The superiority of steel also suits it to the thin cases employed in shrapnel shells.

Finally, to come to armour; in November last Schneider’s steel shield showed of what great things steel was capable under certain conditions. We have subsequently heard that Cammell’s compound armour of wrought iron with a steel face had done better than a plate of Schneider’s at St. Petersburg. This was on a smaller scale, the plates being 12in. thick, while those at Spezia were 19in. in thickness. We hope that Cammell’s and Brown’s compound plates will soon be as completely and thoroughly worked on the larger scale as on the smaller one. We must not be understood to say for a moment that the compound system will not hold its own. It seems a sound principle to have harder metal in front and that which is tougher behind, but just as our principle of building up guns has carried the day, but is no longer embodied in wrought iron but in steel, so we think it may be with the principle of steel-faced armour. Do not the same arguments apply to this case that we brought to bear on the question of the guns in 1880? If steel has greater tenacity and greater elongation than wrought iron, will it not in the long run make a better foundation plate for armour ? Will it not as certainly replace wrought iron on this scale as in boiler plate, where it had the disadvantage of difficulty in welding ? In this case, then, we might expect to see a hard roiled steel face united by cast steel to a soft steel foundation plate. This, indeed, is included in the Sheffield patents. Hitherto, it has not yielded such good results, but in the end we think it ought to succeed. We could hardly term this a compound or steel-faced

plate, perhaps, but it would possess all the recommendations of the original design, and embody the same principles in it. Armour is entirely made by private manufacturers, but most of our guns and projectiles are made in the Royal Arsenal. In the course of the next two or three years, then, we may expect to see great changes in Woolwich, steel works springing up in the Laboratory and Gun Factories where at present none exist.

NEW SYSTEMS OF BURNING GAS.

Notwithstanding the alarm created some time back by the announcement that electricity was about to compete with gas, the older style of illumination continues to form the basis of successful commercial enterprise. At the present time the consumption of gas in London may be reckoned at about 5000 cubic feet per head per annum, representing approximately half a ton of coal. If all this gas were used for lighting purposes, and consumed in Sugg’s standard burners, the light afforded per head of the population would be equal to 16,000 candles, or the light of ten candles for fully four hours per day throughout the year. The consumption of gas in London advanced 58 per cent, per head between 1869 and 1881. One of the most hopeful features of the gas supply is the extent to which the electric light has stimulated the exercise of inventive skill in the production of improved modes of combustion. A recent instance of this kind is afforded by the incandescent gas lamp of M. Cla-mond, founded on the principle that there is a possibility of obtaining more light from gas by employing it heating agent than by burning it directly. This lamp may be compared to the device employed in the Drummond light, hot air being substituted for oxygen and mixing intimately with the ordinary illuminating gas. This mixture is ignited in the meshes of a finely spun asbestos wick, and the combustion which takes place raises the material to a state of incandescence. The wick lasts about forty hours, and thus requires to be changed about once in eight days. The lamp burns with the wick downwards, so as to prevent shadow. The result has been the production of rather more than six candles up nearly to ten candles per cubic foot of gas, on a consumption ranging from 6'35 to 17'6 cubic feet per hour. It is a drawback to the system that a special distributing plant is necessary to bring the air to the lamps, and the air has to be supplied under pressure. The project is warmly espoused by M. Servier, who contends that the cheapness of air as compared with oxygen gives the Clamond burner the prospect of complete commercial success. The system seems to be particularly applicable to factories and large establishments where a supply of compressed air can be readily produced on the spot.

A supply of compressed air is also required in the incandescent gas lamp devised by Mr. James Lewis. Air and gas are mixed in an apparatus resembling a Bunsen burner, and the flame is used to produce luminosity in a cap of platinum wire gauze. Pipes have been laid and lamps put up on this principle in Clerkenwell. Here, again, there is an advance in the illuminating duty of the gas compared with direct consumption. If our readers will turn to The Engineer for January 17th, 1879, they will find that what is now being done in this direction was there suggested in a leading article on “ The Possibilities of Gas Lighting.” Taking as a basis the Woodbury lamp, in which gas and air heated are used under pressure, we explained how the Leeds Town Hall, for example, might be lighted, the engines used to supply wind to the organ being utilised to supply compressed air to the burner, and we have yet to learn that the systems of Clamond and Lewis are superior, even in details, to the methods of obtaining light which we then sketched out.

The Siemens regenerative gas burner has acquired a high reputation, both in respect to the intensity of its light and the economy of its consumption. The invention is being applied not only to the production of large and powerful flames, but also to the smaller class of burners, such 'as the ordinary bat’s-wing or fish-tail. Its application to" street lighting is illustrated in the metropolis by the brilliant lamps which now illuminate Holborn from the Viaduct to Gray’s-inn-road. The principle employed is well known as that of heating to a high degree both the gas and the air which feed the burner, and utilising for this purpose the heat still remaining in the waste products of combustion. Some of the best authorities have tested the Siemens burner, and obtained remarkable results, based on the standard of 16'4-candle gas. Early in the year the late Mr. Keates recorded in this way 5’8 candles per cubic foot, with a consumption of 6'6 cubic feet of gas per hour. About three months later Mr. Heisch observed as much as 7'13 candles per cubic foot, on a consumption slightly less than the foregoing. Mr. F. W. Hartley obtained the light of 357 candles by the consumption of 60 cubic feet per hour. The unsightly form in which the lamp was originally presented to the public is now in a great measure remedied, and its use is being extended in various directions both at home and abroad. It is employed in some of the large railway stations, in factories, and elsewhere. The light is remarkably steady, and its purity is such that delicate shades of colour are accurately distinguished by it. The apparatus itself has been cheapened, so as to encourage its more general adoption. There are, however, serious objections to its use. It is easily set smoking, as may be seen any evening in Holborn, and to be worked to advantage it requires to be moderately turned up at first, and when well heated, turned up full, which means two visits from the lamplighter.

The Grimston gas burner has been the subject of high encomium from Mr. George Livesey—an excellent authority on such a subject. Mr. Grimston has been actuated by a desire to improve on the Siemens regenerative gas burner, so as to produce something equally effective and less cumbrous. He has so far succeeded as to obtain a very brilliant light by somewhat simple means. The arrangement is like that of an inverted torch, and consequently there is no shadow. The whole of the flame is exposed to view, and hence there is no invisible waste. In the first working model made by Mr. Grimston, ten cubic feet of Chartered—common—gas per hour produced the light of sixty candles. This is practically converting 16-candle gas into 30-candle gas, and happily the system answers nearly as well with small burners as with large. The principle is that of the Siemens burner, so far as concerns the use of hot air and hot gas, but the mode of effecting this is such as to admit of great compactness in the mechanical arrangements.

The name of Mr. William Sugg has long been identified with improved gas lighting. One of the latest achievements by this inventor is the production of a light equal to 700 candles, at a cost for gas of only sevenpence per hour. Mr. George Bray, of Leeds, has developed his flat-flame system with great success. These two inventors have rendered signal service by improving the character of the more moderate class of gas-lights. We might mention other inventors in the same department, all tending to give the public the benefit of a brighter and cheaper light from gas than was known a few years ago. There is gain in this respect both to the producer and the consumer, and the improvement effected in the use of gas as an illuminating agent enables this commodity to hold its ground more surely in the presence of the electric light. In the Exhibition of Electric and Gas Apparatus now going forward at the Crystal Palace gas appears in a very satisfactory guise, and the leading inventors are well represented..

WIRE ROPE HAULAGE ON TRAMWAYS.

The formation of the Steep Grade Tramway Company, for the construction of the Highgate Hill tramway, proved so successful, and the system has been received with so much favour in several towns in England and the Continent, that the formation of a large company is announced, styled the Hallidie Patent Cable Tramways Corporation, with a capital of £1,000,000, of which one half is now offered for subscription, the company being formed to grant licences on royalties, and to construct, work, and lease tramways on this system. We have in previous impressions referred to the system as carried out in San Francisco and Chicago, and shall give some details of the Highgate tramway in another impression. Meanwhile, we give on page 30 a perspective view of the system of working with closed cars, hauled by a vehicle, which, instead of being a dummy, is constructed so as to form an open car, in the centre of which are the two hand wheels, by means of which the attendant operates the coulter, which passes through the centre of the floor of the car, and through a slot in the tube in the centre of the roadway, where it grips the cable which is constantly running therein. Beside the ordinary brake applied to the car wheels, slipper brake, as shown between the wheels, is attached for application on very steep grades. This is necessary, as grades can be worked on this system which would be out of the question with horses or ordinary locomotives.

The slowness with which horses are being superseded by mechanical power to do the heavy work of tram-car haulage is not the result of objection to mechanical power of itself, but to the want of efficiency in the steam or other engines which have been at different times employed for the purpose. In many this want of efficiency can hardly be said to have resided in the engine itself, but rather in the tramway, which has often been utterly unfit for haulage by locomotives, and while being ruined itself has ruined the engine. In the north and centre of England and in Scotland steam locomotives are being used on good roads with promising results ; but there towns in which it would be inadmissible under any circumstances to allow the passage of steam engines. The cost of haulage should be lower by tramway locomotives on good tramways than by horses, and this, as well as the power of locomotives, to ascend the steeper gradients and to put up with the frequent stopping and starting, all of which ruin horses, has been the incentive to the adoption of mechanical power. In respect of freedom from objections, such as escaping steam, smoke, cost of repairs, and also on the score of cheap haulage, the wire rope system of Hallidie has the advantage. Although new for tramway purposes in this country, thousands of tons of coal are hauled per day in our mines by means of wire ropes used in a manner very similar, but under inferior conditions, to those under which they will be used on the street tramways. From years of experience the cost of haulage by the rough apparatus below ground has been ascertained, while by the actual experience in the United States the system has been found to work tramway traffic so cheaply that in San Francisco it earns from 14 to 30 per cent, on the capital expended. In England, or at any rate in London, the cost of installation wdll, no doubt, be higher than in San Francisco or Chicago, but it is estimated that the working expenses and profits on the tramways in London would be reduced as follows:—

Horse Haulage.

Working Expenses.

These are actual    working figures,    from    the    books of    the London

companies, compared with estimates only. The estimates have, however, good foundation, and there is little doubt that the system will rapidly grow in favour, for the cost of haulage is the chief item in the enormous proportion which the working expenses of tramways bear to the whole receipts. In spite, however, of this heavy proportion, the extension of tramways promises to be as rapid in the near future as it has been during the past six years. According to a return procured last session by Lord Sudeley, the length of tramways open for traffic in England in 1876 was only 94 miles ; in June, 1882, it was 444, or nearly five times as much. The total number of passengers carried, which was 89,442,108 in 1878, was 187,875,// 9. in 1882—that is, it had more than doubled ; and the capital expended had risen between 1876 and 1882 from a million and a-quarter to six millions and a-half. The figures for the United Kingdom are striking. In the year ending June 30th, 1882, no fewer than 257,760,060 passengers were conveyed, and the receipts amounted to £1,970,350. Nor is there the slightest ground for thinking that the development of tramways has come nearly to an end. The schemes of which notice has actually been given are numerous and important. In many cities, such as Birmingham, Wakefield, Halifax, Macclesfield, and Portsmouth, new tramways are projected; several are on the Hallidie system, and a considerable number of the schemes to be dealt with next session relate to London.

SHIPBUILDING IN GREAT BRITAIN IN 188 2.

Tiie accompanying tabl© gives particulars of the ships built in Great Britain and Ireland in 1882. It has been compiled from Lloyds Register Look, which can be consulted by any one interested. In it will be found the year and month when any ship is built, together with the builders name, net, gross, and under-deck tonnage,

besides full particulars of the vessel,    .    ,    .

It will be seen from this table that no less than 905,941 tons of shipping were turned out of the shipyards of this country in one year—a work, we believe, unprecedented

The following table shows the steam tonnage of the seven principal maritime nations:—

in the history of shipbuilding.

The following figures, compiled from the last volume of the “ Bureau Veritas,” show the sailing tonnage of the seven principal maritime nations:—

Tons.

Great Britain United States Norway ... Germany Italy

Russia ... France ...

Vessels.

...    18,035    ...    5,319,872

...    6,057    ...    2,054,685

...    4,112    ...    1,381,203

Great Britain United States

France ......

Germany

Italy ......

Russia ... Norway......

Vessels.

. 4317 ... 5,352,549 .    574 ...    748,012

561,318 411,525 121 ...    142,249

138,291 90,933

Gross.

Net.

414

354

933,387 924,957 477,072 406,370

These fio-ures show how immeasurably in advance of all other nations Great Britain now is in respect to tonnage, more especially steam tonnage, the table will be found interesting to a great many of our —J----¹'~ ^-----------+l^    ⁻-----fn" *

......    187 ...

......    185 ...

... 3,462,807 445,479 371,853 292,272 95,848 90,857 66,387

readers, who have neither the time nor the leisure to compile a similar set of statistics for themselves.

We believe that

W. Doxford A Sons, Sunderland.

Tons.

3488

Richardson, Duck, and Co., of Stockton.

A. Leslie and Co., of Newcastle.

B. Steele and Co,, of Greenock.

ss. Tannadice......

2179

1597

1055

980

3603

1367

1728

2183

Total tonnage ..    .. 22,792

Dobie and Co., of Glasgow.

ss. Albingia ........

ss. Allemannia ......

ss. Condor ........

br. Henry James......

ship Illawarra........

ss. Ludgate Hill ......

steel ss. Notting Hill .. steel ss. Tower Hill ..    ..

Total tonnage ..    .. 19,952

G. Connell and Co., of Glasgow.

Tons.

2434

ss. Atlantique......

ss. Bretton Hall ..    ..

ss. City of Calcutta ..    ..    3836

ss. Kansas ss. Missouri

2421

5276

5146

Total tonnage ..    ..19,113

W. Denny A Bros., Dumbarton.

ss. Antonio Lopez .

ss. Clyde.....

ss. Goorkha

ss. India......

ss. Manapouri .. steel s. Mahinapua. ss. Quetta.....

3302

Total tonnage ..    .. 21,261

J. Laing, of Sunderland.

Tons.

2178

ss. Congo .. ss. Charrington ss. City of Hamburg ..    ..    1219

ss. Friary .. ss. Laju .. ss. Moscow ss. Oliveto br. Paposa ss. Bhodora ss. Bosina..

1823

2307

1910

1603

2175

1160

2690

2706

Total tonnage ..    ..19,771

Russell and Co., Port Glasgow.

Tons.

1658

ship Rotomahana br. Port Glasg br. Bandeeth ship Clan Macfarlane ..    .. 1588

br. Closeburn .. br. Clynder ship Drumburton br. Duncrag .. ship Falls of Afton ..    ..    1974

ship Falls of Dee br. Henry Swayne br. Java ship Kilmodan ship Nerbudda

923

724

924

1145

1S91

924

l'.T4

725

913

..    1624

1632

Total tonnage ..    .. 18,619

E. Withy and Co., Hartlepool.

ss. Ashton

ss. Brenda

ss. Billow

ss. Catanian ..

ss. City of Bristol

ss. Elgirshire ..

ss. Hesper

ss. Jeanie..

ss. Lemuria

ss. Lindus

ss. Marina

ss. Boss Shire ..

Tons.

1663

1679

1659

2015

1293

2069

1655

1816

1680

1679

1672

2080

Total tonnage ..    .. 20,960

R. Thompson and Sons, of Sunderland.

ss. Ada .......

ss. Barnsley.....

ss. Cuban o

ss. Embleton.....

ss. Grafton ss. Howards .. ss. Queensferry ss. Sultana ss. Straits of Dover ss. Thetford .. ss. Westwood ..    ..

ss. Zakyntho3 ..    ..

Tons.

876

2002

2753

1233

1802

1133

1111

2089

2352

1345

1336

1502

Total tonnage ..    .. 19,534

Harland and Wolff, of Belfast.

Tons. .. 4368 .. 8974 .. 2347 ..    2322

ss. Arabic........

ss. British Prince ..

ship Garfield......

ship Lord Downshire ..

ss. Shannon ......

steel ss. Winnebah

Total tonnage ..    ..18,590

4189

1390

ship Andora......

ship Combermere ..    ..

ss. Gloucester City.. .. ss. Jersey City

ship Kelat ......

ship Magician......

ss. Shevington ..    *.

ss. Snnrise

ss. Turquoise......

Total tonnage ..    ..18,291

3172

2113

2077

M. Pearse and Co., of Stockton.

ss. Amalfi......

ss. Athabasca ..

ss. Abana......

ss. Bertie......

ss. Thor.....

Tons.

2345

2517

2927

1716

1619

841

1657

Total tonnage ..    ..19,141

A. McMillan, of Dumbarton.

.. 2202

Total tonnage ..    ..17,188

ss. Braila........

ss. Bucarest......

ss. Clan Buchanan..

ss. Edam........

ss. Galatz........

ss. Lydia Monarch..    ..

ss. Btamboul......

Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Company, of Newcastle.

Tons.

ss. Clytha........

ss. Clan Murray ..

ss. Clintonia......

ss. George Heaton..

ss. Ixia ........

ss. Muriel........

ss. Napier........

ss. Nuphar ...    ..

ss. Nymphoea......

Total tonnage ..    .. 17,049

819

.. 2108 .. 1927

1963

1969

Swan and Hunter, of Newcastle.

Tons.

2208

ss. Antvergua

ss. Broomhaugh ....... 2095

ss. Brunette......

ss. Cilurnum......

ss. City of Newcastle ..

ss. Darlington......

ss. Dordogne......

ss. Schaldio ......

ss. Scaramanga ..    ..

866

2190

..    1985

.. 1990

729

2021

1591

Total tonnage ..    .. 15,676

Sehlesinger, Davis, and Co., of Newcastle.

Tons.

1689

2300

ss. Talabot .....

ss. Tuetonia.....

ss. Taghaferrs.....

Total tonnage ..    ..14,960

1752

1598

J. Readhead and Co., of South Shields.

ss. Agnes Otto ss. Grantully .. ss. Gwentland.. ss. John Readhead ss. Lady Mostyn .. ss. Lynton ..    ..

Tons. ..    1319

..    1694

1553

..    1691

730

..    1284

..    1372

670

.. 1506

1353

..    1513

1961

Total tonnage ..    ,. 16,646

London and Glasgow Shipbuilding Company, of Glasgow.

ss. Carnarvonshire

ss. Glenogle.....

.. 1531

548

558

Total tonnage ..    .. 15,639

W. H. Potter and Son, Liverpool.

Tons.

ship Thalatta .. ship Walden Abbey    .. 1799

1793

Total tonnage ..    ..14,769

ss. Abissinia ..    ..

ss. Giava........

ss. Huntingdon ..    ..

ss. James Turpie .. ..

ss. Largo Bay......

ss. Poushkin......

ss. Robert Dickinson .. ss. Thomas Melville

Tons.

2723

2713

2224

1767

1706

1485

..    1978

..    1781

ss. Cape Clear .. ship Inversnaid ss. Modena ship Routenburn ss. Savona..    ..

ss. Wicklow ..

Tons.

2350

1614

1211

2097

1211

987

Total tonnage ..    .. 9470

Total tonnage .. .. 16,371 W. Richardson A Co.,Neivcastle.

A. and J. Inglis, of Glasgow.

Tons.

1692

ss. Bohemia ss. Dacca ..

Tons.

3410

3909

ss. Amazonense ss. Bushire ss. Dryburgh Abbey ..    .. 2264

ss. Ehrenfels .. ss. Hunting Tower ss. Oceanique ..    ,

ss. Peking ..    ,

ss. Ville du Cap

1566

2328

.. 2408

2273

1476

1566

Total tonnage ..    .. 15,573

Short Bros., of Sunderland.

ss. Acacia.....

ss. Raisby.....

ss. Silverdale .. ss. Westergate.. . ss. Perseverance .

Tons. ..    1753

1536

2300

2378

.. 2288 ..    2249

1794

1113

Total tonnage ..    ..15,411

Barclay, Curie, A Co., Glasgow.

Tons.

2255

ss. Pelican ss. Scalay ship Siren

3544

922

929

2081

783

1555

Total tonnage ..    .. 15,736

Sunderland Shipbuilding Co.

Tons.

2863

ss. Abergeldie......

ss. Bussorah......

ss. Chateau Leoville ..    .. 3354

ss. Drachenfels ss. Hermann . ss. Harbinger .

1986

2251

2879

1860

Total tonnage ..    .. 15,193

Caird and Co., of Greenock.

ss. Carthage ss. Orion .. ss. Rome .. ss. Saigon..

Tons.

5043

2809

5013

1224

Total tonnage ..    .. 14,089

T. Turnbull and Son, of Whitby.

Tons.

ss. Baron Androssan ..    .. 1451

ss. Everilda ss. Florence ss. Highgate ss. Matthew Bedlington ..    2216

ss. Sharon, ss. Saxon . ss. Zenobia

1455

2213

1451

14 ■;

1673

2069

Total tonnage ..    ..13,981

Earle’s Shipbuilding Company, of Hull.

ss. Angola..    ..

ss. Eastward .. ss. Galileo.. ss. Portugal .. ss. Saint Ronans ss. Zodiac..

Tons.

1966

235

. 2990

1966

.    4484

114

Total tonnage ..    ..11,755

J. Reid and Co., Port Glasgow.

Tons.

904

135S

.. 1361

958

2147

905

Total tonnage ..    .. 7633

Norddeutsch Werft, of Berlin.

ss. Cassino ss. Etna .. ss. Svea .. ss. Victoria ss. Wergeland

Tons. .. 2286 .. 2262

568

550

330

Total tonnage ..    .. 5996

J. and G. Thompson, Glasgoiv.

ss. Catalonia . ss. Moor .. ss. Spartan ss. Servia ..    .

ss. Thames

Tons.

4841

3688

3491

..    7392

4101

Total tonnage .,    .. 23,513

T >(al tonnage ..    .. 7319

Napier and Son, of Glasgow.

ss. Aberdeen ss. Serena..

Tons.

3616

2394

Total tonnage ..    .. 6010

Blumer and Co., of Sunderland.

Tons. 1942

ss. Anerley ......

ss. City of Antwerp ..

ss. Finchley ......

ss. Fei Lung......

ss. Godaiming......

ss. Maulkins Tower ss. Vercingetorix ..

Total tonnage ..    .. 11,865

731

1951

1180

1292

.. 2750

2019

Osbourne and Graham, of Sunderland.

ss. Ashdene br. Araroa br. Balaklava .. ss. Ethel I-Ioratia ss. Elk bk. Ganges ss. Salerno

Tons.

1138

1334

1347

1151

1476

1529

1354

Total tonnage ..    .. 9329

Hodgson and Solsby, of Blyth.

Tons. 2062

ss. Blagdon ......

ss. Baines Hawkins

ss. Ealing........

ss. Florence ......

ss. Ivirkheaton

ss. Muriel........

ss. Montserrat......

ss. Pelham ......

746

2063

349

495

105

1088

350

Total tonnage ..    .. 8158

Austin and Son, of Sunderland.

ss. Dewdrop .. ss. Harvest ss. Laura ss. Bocklands .. ss. Talley Abbey

Tons.

1144

1380

1133

953

638

Total tonnage ..    ..    5248

Batram and Haswell, oj Sunderland.

Tons.

895

ss. Aleona.....

ss. Clan Monroe . ss. Clan Mackay . ss. Elizabeth Allen ss. Handel ..    .

ss. Palm Branch .

Total tonnage ..    .. 10,706

Scott and Co., of Greenock.

2197

2171

.. 1614

2123

1706

ss. Cavour.........

Clan Macdonald ..    .

pal. s. Marco Aurelio ..    .

ss. Omniopolis .....

ss. Professor.......

ss. Vesta.........

ss.

Total tonnage ..    .. 10,924

Whitehaven Shipbuilding Co.

ss, Artmatliwaite br. Devock Water ss. Hercules .. ss. Marion Lee ship Wasdale ..

Tons.

1487

1056

1155

688

1879

Total tonnage ..    .. 6265

II. Murray and Co., of Port Glasgoiv.

ss. Alora ..    ..

ship Ben Douran

ss.

ss.

Ingeria    .. ..

River Clyde

ss. Seville

Tons.

729

1950

588

962

688

Total tonnage ..    .. 4917

R. Duncan and Co., of Glasgow.

ship Amphitrite ..    ..

ss. Arracan ......

ship Hermes......

ss. Katherina Clark ss. Lamington ..    ..

ship Poseid

Tons. .. 1777

1464

803

1958

on

1778

Total tonnage ,.    .. 10,660

D. and W. Henderson and Go., of Glasgow.

J. Elder and Co., of Glasgow.

ss. Armenia ss. Birksgate ss. Galatia

Tons.

3896

1458

3096

Total tonnage ..    .. 8450

ss. Alaska........

ss. Austral ......

ss. Insulinde......

ss. Prins Alexander ss. Prins Frederik.. .. ss. Stirling Castle ..    ..

Tons.

6932

5588

..    2997

..    2978

2997

4423

Murdoch and Murray, of Port Glasgow.

Total tonnage ..    .. 25,915

ss. Corsican ss. Ivanhoe ss. Iolani .. ss. Lido .. ss. Patria .. ss. Rydal Fell ss. Westport

Tons.

926

942

1543

977

S37

601

421

Total tonnage ..    .. 6247

Barrow Shipbuilding Company, of Barrow.

ss. Bearn .. ss. City of Borne ss. Fenella ss. Ganges ss. Navarre ss. Strabo ss. Sutlez ..    ..

Tons.

4134

8415

518

4196

4137

1965

4194

Total tonnage ..    .. 27,559

Aitken and Mansell, of Glasgow.

ss. Athenian .. ss. Ella

ss. Engineer .. ss. Governor .. steel s. Victoria

Tons.

3S77

820

2067

..    2623

366

Total tonnage ..    ..10,353

H. McIntyre and Co.,of Paisley.

Tons.

ss. Amitie.. ss. Alpin .. ss. Crete .. ss. Gedeon ss. Lolland ss. Mindanao ss. Ossian.. ss. Palna .. ss. Persevero ss. Bisveglio ss. Bemus..

695

1059

492

507

488

1033

652

879

468

468

1039

Total tonnage ..    .. 7780

W. Pickersgill and Sons, of Sunderland.

Tons.

931

ss. Corrwg ss. Foscolino ss. Godolphin ss. Gwalia.. ss. Longueil

Total tonnage ..    .. 6260

1124

1140

1354

1711

Irvine and Co., West Hartlepool.

Tons.

1144

ss. Dewdrop .. ss. Harvest ss. Laura .. ss. Bocklands .. ss. Talley Abbey

Total tonnage ..    ..    5567

13S0

1133

953

957

Palmers and Co., of Newcastle.

ss. Blaenavon......

ss. Bracadaile......

ss. Bretwalda......

ss. Darien........

ss. De Bay ......

ss. Ebbwvale......

ss. Glenmavis.....

ss. General Boberts

ss. Goldcliffe.....

ss. Guildford.....

ss. Hindoustan .. . ss. Hildegarde .. .

ss. Lancaster.....

ss. Mareca .....

ss. North Cambria..    .

ss. Palomares.....

ss. Principia.....

ss. Boss.......

ss. Roxburgh.....

ss. Sportsman.....

ss. Suez.......

ss. Tredegar.....

Tons.

1296

2198

2007

..    2743

..    1664

1350

2114

..    1450

1310

2281

..    2895

1940

1746

2211

..    1969

1381

2749

1356

2148

.. 1953 ..    2125

1343

Total tonnage ..    ..43,129

A. Stephens and Son, Glasgow.

ss. Archimode......

ss. Benlarig ..    ..    ..

ss. Cantania......

ss. Cameo........

ss. Clan Cameron.. ss. Fidra ..

br. Glenfarg......

br. Glenshee ..    ..    ..

ss. Iniziativa......

ss. Mudela ......

ss. Marsala ......

ss. North Sea......

ss. Pallas........

ss. Pieter de Coninck ..

ss. Sorrento ......

ss. White Sea......

Total tonnage

W. Gray and Co., of West Hartlepool.

Tons.

ss. Boyne..........

ss. Boston City ......

ss. Beechville........

ss. Carisbrooke ......

ss. Coningsby........

ss. Deer Hill........

ss. Durham City......

ss. Everest ........

ss. Gulf of Carpentaria ss. Gulf of St. Vincent

ss. Hasland.......

ss. Hughenden ......

ss. Hawarden........

ss. Merannio........

ss. Macedonia........

ss. Manna..........

ss. Pamana ........

ss. Surrey..........

ss. Shelley ........

ss. York City........

Total tonnage ..    .. 38,050

It,. Dixon and Co., of Middlesbrough.

ss. AnjerHead ..    ..

ss. Afrikaan......

ss. Bothwell Castle

ss. Chancellor......

ss. Chitagong......

ss. Iron Acton......

ss. Juliet........

ss. Jacob Christensen .. ss. Joseph Arbit .. ss. Minard Castle .. es. Middlesborough

ss. S. J. Oteri......

ss. Uppingham

ss. Zuid Holland ..    ..

Tons.

2015

1180

..    2542

2116

1912

1900

2460

..    1278

989

2203

2275

Total tonnage ..    .. 25,881

Osioald, Mordaunt, and Co., oj Southampton.

Tons.

1999

ship Androsa .. ss. Chateau Lafite ship Darjiling .. ship Frankistan ship The Hahnemann ..    ..    1997

ship Victoria Begina ..    ..    2000

Total tonnage ..    .. 13,462

3462

2002

2002

Hoyden and Son, of Liverpool.'

ss. Aristides ..    .

br. Bankville .. ss. Britannia ..

ss. Cerigo..........

Knight of 8t. Patrick .. ss. Knight of the Bath ship Orealla .. ss. Pawnee ss. Peconic ..    .

ss. Picqua.....

ship Windsor Park

Tons

1536

1042

..    2456

1547

2311

..    2311

1843

1798

1795

..    1796

..    1840

Total tonnage ..    .. 20,475

Hall, Bussell, and Co., of Aberde

(n.

Tons. ..    1663

..    1566

ss. Austerlitz ss. Douglas ss. Fooksang

Total tonnage ..    ..    4776

1557

C. Mitchell and; Co., Newcastle.

ss. Australia......

ss. America ..    .. • ..

ss. Enero........

ss. Inchrhona......

ss. India........

ss. Inchborva......

ss. Khalif .    ..

ss. Lady Dalhousie ss. M. Meanatchy .. Maha Vajirunhis ..

ss. Polynesia......

ss. Polaria ......

ss. Stolzenfels......

ss. Swift........

Tons.

2119

2118

..    1423

2292

1551

2301

2282

..    1982

2111

.. 1176

2196

2724

2328

190

Total tonnage ..    .. 26,793

J. L. Thompson and Sons, of Sunderland.

898

895

..    2033

1712

.. 2367

1117

595

... 3310

2371

1119

.. 29,570

ss. Maritana . ss. Nutford ss. Rosella ss. Becta ..    .

Total tonnage ..

Tons. ..    1964

... 1372 .. 2608 .. 2601

2638

..    1533

..    2374

1862

1214

1415

2921

.. 22,502

tS3

as

num

Belgium produced, during the first half of 1882, 359,725 tons of pig iron, 324,622 tons of finished iron, and 108,472 tons of steel.

During the recent storms the wind-pressure plates erected on the Forth under the orders of the engineers of the Forth Bridge have indicated a maximum pressure of 20 lb. per square foot of the smaller plate of 2 square feet, while the large heavy plate of 300 square feet has indicated but 12‘5 lb. per square foot.

Herr R. Bassel, a Berlin engineer, who last year published an article in the Centralblatt der Bauverwaltung on the aqueduct of Betilienus at Altari, has recently made further excavations, and has succeeded in recovering some of the lead pipes which conveyed the water. Many fragments of terra-cotta have also been found, probably indicating a factory.

During the excavation of the tramway tunnel through Posilippo an antique water conduit of singular interest was discovered, and examined by competent archaeologists. The walls, of thick cement, contain inscriptions indicating the villas supplied with water. The dimensions of the conduit are such that people can walk erect inside. One of the inscriptions was made apparently after a partial restoration. It bears the name of Consul Nerva.

Commenting on the communications of the Duke of Argyll, Emeritus Professor Blackie, and others, which have appeared in the Times in connection with the depopulation in the Highlands, a statement appears in the Celtic Magazine to the effect that since the census of 1831 the population of Argyllshire has actually declined from 100,973 to 76,468; and as to the latter number, no fewer than 30,387 are classified as urban. The conclusion arrived at is that the rural population has been reduced in the course of the last fifty years from 85,973 to 46,081, or nearly one half.

From

A course of lectures will be delivered during this session at

“ Voltaic and

corn-

new

RAILWAY MATTERS.

The London and South-Western Company’s curve line between Hounslow and Twickenham has been opened.

In the United States, 9171 miles of railway were made in 1882,

compared with 6649 miles in 1881 and 534 miles in 1880.

Of several reports just received by officers of the Board of Trade, two relate to accident and damage done by timber and steel bars improperly loaded with goods wagons.

M. M. Debarnot et Jacquot proposes to construct locomotives with the axles above the boiler, thus giving a larger diameter of wheel, and consequently greater speed without increasing the usual ber of piston strokes per minute. This is not new.

In concluding a report on the collision which occurred on the 31st October at Fenchurch-street station, on the Great Eastern Railway, when a Tilbury train came into collision with a Great Eastern Company’s unattached tank engine, Major-General C. S. Hutchinson says: “ Had the Tilbury train been fitted throughout with a quickly acting continuous brake in the driver’s hands the collision would most probably have been prevented.”

A very ingenious electric clock for use in railway stations has been recently exhibited in Boston. It gives automatically the signals for starting trains at the proper times, and it is automatically regulated at noon each day by electric impulse from some astronomical station. Though the details of the apparatus are rather complicated, the Times says the principle is simple. The mechanism for giving the signals shows two discs, each pierced with 1440 holes, arranged in spirals of twenty-four turns, with 60 holes in each turn. Small metallic pegs are inserted in the holes corresponding to any given minute and hour, and the contact of these with an electric conductor allows passage of the current for the signal. When any change is made in the time of starting trains, the pegs are shifted. One, two, three, or more successive and different signals can be given for each train. It is proposed to connect all the stations of a railway with the main office, so that signals for starting trains will be given from a single apparatus.

As an instance of Austrian railroad regulation, the Railroad Gazette gives the following:—“A company proposed to accommodate a number of wealthy people living along its line by changing a second-class compartment in one of its cars into a first-class, and placing it at the disposal of these people without change from the second-class rate, making it a sort of private compartment for the use of a special company. The Ministry of Trade held this to be a case of undue discrimination, and refused to approve the arrangement unless the road should permit every purchaser of a given number of second-class tickets to ride first-class. If the requirement were that every company of an equal number should have the same privilege as the one for which the arrangement was made, there could be no objection to it. But the case is an illustration of the disposition of European States to avoid any appearance even of violating the principle of equality—further evidence that the French revolution has revolutionised Austria even.”

In an article on the effect of free canals on railway traffic, the Railway Gazette says :—“ The canal shipments cannot be said to have been reduced by the competition of the railroads except in the years of long and desperate railroad wars, namely, in 1876 and 1881; they were larger on the average in the five years ending with 1881, including that year of the worse railroad war, than in the five years ending with 1875, when there was no such season of very low rail rates—56,600,000 in the last and 52,000,000 in the first five years; and the largest grain shipments ever made by canal were in 1880, when they reached 77,271,127 bushels. The canal has remained important, but comparatively it is less important than it used to be. There is an important lumber traffic on the canal, sometimes greater than the grain traffic, and the shipments of coal, ore, salt, &c., are considerable; but for none of these shipments do the railroads compete as they do for grain. Tolls were taken off from some articles of merchandise some time ago, with scarcely any effect on shipments. Grain shipments will, if anything, be increased by abolition of tolls.”

A correspondent writing to the Times on a recent break-down of a goods train on the Great Eastern Railway, says “the signalman, whose promptitude and judgment averted a bad accident, has met with the recognition and reward to which he was so justly entitled; and that the engine-driver of the express train who received his warning, and behaved with equal promptitude, has also been similarly rewarded. The case was this—The down express train approached the Angel-road station of the Great Eastern Railway with the distant and home signals taken off to allow it to pass through at speed, when the signalman heard a noise as of something wrong in a goods train approaching in the opposite direction. The express train had already passed the distant signal, and was within a comparatively short distance of the home signal, when the signalman threw up the red light of the home signal in his face on finding reason to apprehend danger. The engine-driver at once applied the Westinghouse continuous brake, with which the train was provided, and brought the train to a stand in 200 yards, within ten yards of the home signal; and thus averted what would otherwise have been a very serious accident.”

The strong feeling in support of the water-ways in the United States showed itself in the recent elections. In New York it was voted by a large majority to render the Erie Canal free of all tolls, and to raise such sums as may be necessary to keep it in repair or enlarge it by means of taxation. In Illinois the amendment ceding the Illinois and Michigan Canal to the general Government was also carried. The latter transfer is upon the understanding that the canal will be enlarged for the whole or a portion of its length, and shall form a through water-way from the lakes to the Mississippi river. This will give a free water-way from the Mississippi river to tidewater. Such a route cannot be opened without material effect upon existing channels of traffic, but, according to the Railway Review, opinions differ widely as to the ultimate result upon the welfare of railroads running nearly parallel to such water-ways. We have seen that in the past the usefulness of canals in several of the States has steadily declined before the competition of railways. The experience of the past in the gradual lowering of cost of railroad transportation will be repeated to some extent in the future, though not in as great a degree. This fact, taken in connection with the stoppage of canal traffic during the winter months, will largely offset the effect of the reduced tolls.

The earthslip near Fort de l’Ecluse nearly caused one of the most calamitous inundations on record. On Tuesday night, the 2nd inst., an old railway watchman who lives in a cabin between the station of Collonges and the long Credo tunnel, which runs under the pass to Bellegarde, felt his house shake and heard a noise like thunder. Feeling sure that something was wrong, and knowing that the train which leaves Geneva at midnight was due, he ran along the line, placing detonators on the rails as he went. By this device he succeeded in stopping the train, and not a minute too soon, for the noise he had heard came from an earthslip, which carried 200 metres of the permanent way bodily into the Rhone, whither, the Geneva correspondent of the Times says, but for the old man’s presence of mind, the train must inevitably have followed it. The line from Geneva before entering the great Credo tunnel passes through a short one immediately below the fort. On Wednesday a great mass of earth fell from the mountain directly above the smaller tunnel, and completely blocked the course of the Rhone. At noon the tunnel itself fell in with a report that was heard for miles. The water accumulated behind the barrier with frightful rapidity, and if it had gone on gathering, even for a day or two, the consequences would have been frightful—the valley of the Rhone as far as Lyons would have been swept as by an avalanche. As it was, the dam burst a few hours after the second earthslip.

NOTES AND MEMORANDA.

The population of France is now 37,405,290, of whom 18,656,518 are males and 18,748,772 females, the latter being stronger in numbers by 92,254. Of the males 10,110,601 are unmarried, 7,520,186 married, and 1,025,731 widowers; while of the females 9,280,862 are unmarried, 7,503,353 married, and 1,964,557 widows. Agriculture employs no fewer than 18,204,799 persons, or very nearly one-half of the entire population. Next come the manufactures, which find employment for 9,324,107 pairs of hands, and then commerce, which employs 3,843,447. Persons of independent income number 2,148,473, and the liberal professions support 1,629,768 representatives.

The total eclipse of the sun on the 6th of May next will last six minutes, and no eclipse of longer duration will probably occur within the next 100 years. It will be partially visible in many places, but few will see it in its entirety, as its path lies almost entirely through the ocean, touching land nowhere but at a little island in the South Pacific called Caroline Island, which is out of the track of any established commerce or travel. The Panama Star and Herald says the French Government have determined to send an expedition to that island, it is almost certain an American party will go thither, and it is more than probable a grand international gathering of astronomers will take place at the Caroline Island to take part in this scientific quest.

M. Treves, Paris Academy of Sciences, in writing on the use of zinc in boilers, says a couple is formed by the iron and zinc, which occasions a continuous decomposition of water. The oxygen combines with the zinc, and the zinc oxide combines with the fatty acids present in the feed water, forming a zinc soap, which prevents the adhesion of saline matter to the sides and plates of the boiler. The hydrogen lessens the danger of explosion from the absence of gaseous matter, and consequent superheating. When a boiler has been kept for a considerable time with its fire banked up, the hot water is totally deprived of air, and on then raising the temperature an explosion is possible. In such cases he recommends that a part of the water should be run off and fresh water containing air introduced in its stead.

Taking the whole of the Welsh ports, we find that the foreign shipments of coal during the past year were as follows Cardiff, 5,799,919 tons, or an excess over 1880 of 1,000,000 tons; from Newport, 1,365,105, or an increase of 116,688 tons; from Swansea, 937,275 tons, or an increase of 165,793 tons. In coastwise shipments we find Cardiff sent 951,197 tons, as compared with 933,505 tons in 1881; Newport, 809,307, as compared with 900,557 tons in 1881; and Swansea, 758,642, as compared with 683,955. Turning to other exports we find that Cardiff sent away in 1882, 137,827 tons iron, 28,820 tons of coke, and 169 tons patent fuel. The vessels employed maintained a fair average of 450 per month, and totalled in the year 5493. Newport sent away in 1882, 174,828 tons of iron, 5527 tons of coke, and cleared an average of 150 vessels, totalling 1803 vessels in the year. Swansea despatched 6067 tons of iron, 10,733 coke, 279,376 tons patent fuel, and cleared 2204 vessels in 1882. Llanelly, the fourth Welsh port, is beginning to make a figure. In the year it sent away 66,316 tons of coal foreign, 110,497 coastwise, and cleared in the year 273 vessels.

The manufacture of carbons free from ash can be accomplished—according to Jacquelain in the Gomptes Rendus, xciv. 837—by passing dry chlorine gas over, pulverised coal or coke heated to bright redness. All of the silica, alumina, and magnesia, as well as alkalies and metallic oxides, would be converted into volatile chlorides and expelled; even the hydrogen is driven off as hydrochloric acid. The easiest method of carrying out the process on a large scale is to allow the dry chlorine gas to act upon gas carbon—from the retorts—cut into thin prisms, for thirty hours, and then raise the temperature to a bright white heat. This makes the carbon porous, and in order to convert into a dense, heavy carbon, which is a good conductor and not easily combustible, the vapours of heavy tar oils—dead oil (?)— are passed slowly over the pieces of glowing carbon, when a deposition of carbon will take place within the pores of the coke. If the carbon rods are treated with fused sodic hydrate—caustic soda —the silica and alumina will be dissolved as sodic silicate and aluminate, and can be removed by washing with hot water. Oxide of iron and other constituents of the ash are removed with hydrochloric acid followed by pure water. The simplest process recommended by Jacquelain, the Scientific American says, is to leave them for two or four days in dilute hydrofluoric acid, at ordinary temperature, then wash well and expose for a few hours to a slow current of tar vapours at a high temperature.

Some time since Professor A. Wagner, Munich, made a series of experiments on the action of different solutions on copper, zinc, lead, tin, Britannia metal, brass, and German silver, first in air free from carbonic acid, then in the presence of carbonic acid and air. These metals and alloys were in the form of foil, of equal surface—namely, two square inches—and of as nearly equal thickness as possible. The copper foil was practically pure; the zinc was common sheet, with 0'68 per cent, of lead; the lead was commercial sheet; the tin was the pure cast metal. The Britannia metal consisted of 90 per cent, tin, and 10 per cent, antimony. The brass was composed of 64| per cent, copper, and 35£ per cent. zinc. The German silver was 70’2 per cent, copper, and 29'8 zinc and nickel. These pieces of sheet metal were placed vertically in glass vessels, each holding 6T cubic inches of the solution to be tested, the metal being completely covered with the solution. In the experiments they were left in the solution for a week. In freshly boiled distilled water, zinc suffered the most change; tin and Britannia metal suffered no change. With access of air and carbonic acid, the action upon lead, copper, zinc, brass and German silver was much more energetic than in the presence of air free from carbonic acid. In the latter case only traces of copper, zinc, and lead were dissolved; tin, Britannia metal, brass, and German silver were not attacked at all. In the presence of carbonic acid and air, tin and Britannia metal were the only metals not attacked; all the other metals were perceptibly dissolved.

MISCELLANEA.

A Fkanco-Italian Exhibition at Nice is being organised for next winter.

Aboot 2000 volumes relating to the history of Canada have been purchased in New York for addition to the Canadian parliamentary library.

The Citizen states that the Corporation have spent upwards of £10,000 in aiding the Royal Commission on the Pollution of the Thames.

King’s College, by Professor W. G. Adams, on Dynamic Electricity.”

An international Exhibition of industrial, and principally electrical objects, is being organised by the Bohemian Architekten und Ingenieur-Verein, at Prague, to open on 17th March.

At a meeting of the lighting committee of the Dublin Corporation held last week it was resolved to engage the services of Mr. Angelo Pahie, C.E., of Dublin, as consulting electrician to advise the committee on the electric lighting.

The waterworks department of the Stafford Corporation are contemplating an engineering scheme, which will cost some £9000, in order to obtain a water supply from the neighbourhood of the Iston and Croten Valley. The borough surveyor is preparing plans and estimates for carrying out the work.

Mr. A. Fischer, of St. Bride-street, is now publishing a new series of the “ Art Workman.” The price is now Is. 6d., and the first part of the new edition consists of seven sheets of beautifully executed engravings relating to ornamental lock work, cabinet with marquetery in relief, surface decoration, glass and silversmiths’ work, chairs, jewellery, and woven fabrics.

A scheme has just been started to make a ship canal from the Tyne to the Solway Firth. An engineer is engaged on the necessary survey, and plans and estimates will shortly be made public. Meantime a notice of motion in favour of the project has been given at a meeting of the Newcastle Town Council. The distance from sea to sea is about eighty miles, of which about twelve are navigable.

During the recent fearful continental floods a kilometre of the Simplon line, near Sierre, was destroyed by an earthslip, and traffic has not yet been resumed. A steamer has been wrecked, with the loss of one life, on Lake Constance. The Thur has overflowed its banks, and all the country between Kappel and Lichten-steig is under water. The Val de Travers has been converted into a vast lake.

Electricity is being used at the Trafalgar Collieries, Forest of Dean, to work a pump in the underground workings employed for pumping the drainage water from some of the deep workings to the bottom of the shaft, whence the ordinary steam pumps raise it to the surface The total vertical lift of the pump worked by electricity is 115ft., whilst the length of pipes through which the water is forced is some 500 yards.

The Sheffield Town Council, by a majority of ten votes—thirty to twenty—have decided to abandon their application to the Board of Trade for a provisional order to supply electricity within the borough. They have also resolved to oppose the application of the Union Electric Light and Power Company, Limited, which has lodged a bill to undertake the electric lighting of Sheffield and seven other large towns.

The Koyal Commission appointed to inquire into the discharge of sewage into the Thames met on Tuesday in No. 9 Committee Room, House of Commons, for the purpose of taking further evidence on behalf of the Corporation of London, but an adjournment of the proceedings was applied for on the ground that the City authorities had been unable to complete their experiments and the examination of the river in time for their meeting that day. The meeting was adjourned until the 23rd inst.

Mr. T. Hampton, whose retirement from the firm of Messrs. Steel, Tozer, and Hampton, Plicenix Bessemer Works, The Ickles, Rotherham, was noticed a fortnight ago, has accepted an appointment as manager of the Bessemer department in the Barrow Hematite Steel and Iron Ore Company. The salary is variously stated at from £1500 to £2000 a year. Mr. W. S. Davy, of Davy Brothers, Park Ironworks, was recently appointed manager of these works at a salary of £3000, rising to £3500 the second year, and £4000 the third.

The first number of vol. i. of a monthly journal entitled “ Amateur Mechanics,” conducted by Mr. P. N. Hasluck, has been published by Messrs. Triibner and Co. It contains thirty-two pages with many original articles and a collection of information which must make the journal a favourite with those who find in the use of tools an agreeable leisure occupation, if the promising character of the first part is maintained by those which succeed it. The illustrations are, however, badly done and not sufficiently plete, for which in these days there is no excuse.

A recent Gazette announced the appointment of Mr. Henry Christopher Mance, of the Government Indo-European Telegraph Department, to be a companion of the Order of the Empire of India. Mr. Mance holds the responsible appointment of engineer and electrician in his department, and has done good service, not only to it in the maintenance for some years of the cable between Kurrachee and the head of the Persian Gulf, but to electrical science in the invention of new methods and formula;. He is also known as the inventor of the heliograph, or sun telegraph.

Engineering work of considerable magnitude has just been completed at the Wolverhampton Corporation’s Waterworks. A well, 12ft. in diameter, has been sunk through sandstone rock to the depth of about 120ft. At the bottom there are fixed into the solid rock heavy iron girders about 2 tons in weight, forming a bed for the pumping gear. Underneath the girders are iron plates 9ft. by 3ft. 6in. broad and 3in. thick, firmly bedded in cement. A new pumping engine has been built specially by the Lillieshall Iron Co., and is of the Cornish type. The steam cylinder is 56in. diameter with an 8ft. stroke, and with a steam pressure of 55 lb. j)er square inch; it is equal to a lift of 4,000,000 gallons per twenty-four hours. The steam is generated by two new double-flued boilers, built by Messrs. Tinker, Shenton, and Co., of Hyde, near Manchester. Each is 27ft. by 7ft., constructed with welded tubes of the best obtainable material, and with the most modern arrangements for economical consumption of fuel. The water required for the purposes of condensation of steam at the works amounts to 400,000 gallons per day. The object of the well and engine is to increase the outcome from two artesian borings, at a depth respectively of 300ft. and 1000ft., from 800,000 gallons per day to 3,500,000 gallons.

The Select Committee of Commissioners of Sewers on Electric Lighting reported on Tuesday that a licence would in all probability be granted making it compulsory to supply electric lighting in a small area and permissive to supply outside that compulsory area, such permissive powers to be reasonably and fairly exercised at the discretion of the Commission. The committee suggested that the Court should apply for a licence for permissive power to supply or contract for the supply to the whole City, and specify certain areas in which the supply should be compulsory, and they recommended that they be empowered to prepare a draft licence framed on the principle of becoming undertakers and of contracting with reliable electric lighting companies for the supply of electric lighting, and they asked authority to negotiate with the companies in respect of the areas in which the supply was proposed to be made compulsory, leaving the other portions of the City to be dealt with more at leisure as circumstances and the experience gained in respect of the compulsory areas might dictate, by which means they hoped within a reasonable time to accomplish the lighting of the whole City by electricity at a minimum of cost to the ratepayers. The report was adopted.

SPECIAL AMERICAN MACHINE TOOLS FOR RAILWAY REPAIR SHOPS.

MESSRS. PEDRECK AND AYER, PHILADELPHIA, ENGINEERS.

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American toolmakers have always been celebrated for the G ; when the latter is elevated at the end toward the right a J always be so placed as to give a mathematically correct circle, production of ingenious devices for accomplishing special classes concave surface is planed, and when depressed a convex sur- j The jaw of the chuck has a graduated arc y w ic e me ma of work, and we believe that the examples of this, which we face is cut. To change the degree of convexity or concavity the , tion for any wedge or key is easily given. Also tne guide bar illustrate above, will be found interesting. They are all the inclination of the guide bar is to be changed, it being horizontal for has a graduated arc for setting it to any given circular arc. A production of the L. B. Flanders Machine Works—Messrs, planing straight. The guide bar is fixed at one point by a pivot table is prepared for use m setting the bar at once and correctly. Pedrick and Ayer—Philadelphia.    P, about which it swings in being raised or lowered at one end. A segmental rack and pinion are applied to the jaw ot the chuck

The first tool is Greenwood’s universal planer chuck. The I This pivot is supported by a bracket fastened firmly to the frame in such a way that the weight of the jaw is easily lilted by leading feature of this chuck is its capacity for planing circular of the planer below the table. The movement by which the applying a wrench. Thus we iaA e m .ls umversa p aner curves of large radius. The various functions of the chuck will circular arc is secured in dressing work is indicated thus : Suppose chuck, the ordinary chuck, a chuc or p anmg pers an cys, be more clearly understood after describing its parts. The first a piece of work clamped in the vice, and the guide bar set at an and the novelty of the circular planer oi ong la u, so a e view shows it complete with the guide bar, its bracket, and inclination. Then as the table of the planer is moved forward possession of this chuck enables the workman to do all the pivot, and the arc or quadrant by which the guide bar is set to and back, as in planing, the base of the chuck is borne upon it, i various kinds of work desen e , wi e cross ee o e plane any particular circle; without these the chuck as shown in as also the vice and crosshead. But the latter, in sliding upon common planer found m every IJlac₎ .e s °P> ,an }V1,ou 0 -er the second view. The vice C is pivotted to two supports 0 0, the stationary inclined guide bar, must slide on an incline. This or additional appliances. ie c uc is comprise in ree prm one on each side. These supports project up from the chuck makes one end of the vice of the chuck rise and fall, the other end cipal parts—the bottom plate L by which it is fastened to the body, within which the vice is placed. Boom is allowed at the being held at a constant height above the table by the vice planer table, the vice, y wuic e wor is e , an a gu bottom of the second piece to allow the vice to rise and fall at pivots. This gives a revolving or swinging motion above bar G held by a bracket on the planer bed. With these parts the right-hand end. It is made to rise and fall in dressing a horizontal axis. The cutting tool now being brought to bear it is possible to produce a great range and variety of work, circular surfaces by the crosshead D sliding upon the guide bar j upon the piece of work cuts it to the circular arc. The tool can The next engraving shows I landers radius planer, for p    g

ROOF OYER RUNNING SHED, GREAT SOUTHERN AND WESTERN RAILWAY, NEW SOUTH WALES.

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work on an ordinary planer. This attachment is used in planing curves of any radius, and perfectly parallel, as applied to the ordinary planing machines. A pin projecting from a plate bolted to the table of the planer holds an upper table A upon which the work is fastened. Thus the work may be moved forward and backward, and to a greater or less distance from the centre pin, the amount of circular movement determining the radius of the circle to which the work is finished. From the corner of the table A a wrist projects upwards and takes hold of a slide, which is fastened at the required angle to the beam of the planer. When this slide stands parallel to the bed of the planer, the table A will in a straight line. In proportion to the angle of the slide with the bed of the planer, the table A will be deflected from a straight line into a true curve of greater or less radius.

The third engraving shows the Flanders’ portable drill. The cut nearly explains itself. The tool can be placed as easily as a ratchet-brace, and will drill at any angle, in any position, at any distance, and in any direction from the power. It is specially adapted to drilling all pieces which are inconvenient to move or which cannot be readily adjusted under stationary drilling machines. The operation of the machine is as follows :—The counter-hanger is bolted to the ceiling or other convenient place, and receives power from the line shaft by a flat belt on the fast and loose pulleys. The frame carrying the “ idlers ” rotates on a hollow stud, through which the round belt passes to the grooved driving pulley. The rotation of this frame permits the belt to be led to the drilling machine in any direction, radially from the hanger, while the rise and fall of the weighted “ idler ” permit it to be led to any point within the scope of this rise and fall, say, 10ft. to 15ft., or more. By inserting sections of belt, by means of the hook couplings, any distance reached. The base of the drilling machine is intended to be bolted or clamped to the piece to be drilled. The height of the post can be adjusted to suit the different lengths of drills and chucks used in the spindle. The radial slotted arm is fastened L kl*e post by the stud and nut; the position of the drill being adjusted by the screw which travels the arm, and the worm and tangent wheel which rotate it on the post. When it is required

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to drill parallel with the base, the post is held by the clamp used. After the seat is planed, the machine can be lifted off and bearing on the side of the base. There is a shoulder turned on placed on a table, which is supplied with stationary adjusting the bottom of the ball on the gear frame, and a half collar fitted columns and a chuck for holding the valve; then the valve is to it and bolted on the arm; this keeps the spindle square with planed. It is estimated that an ordinary locomotive valve seat the base. When this half collar is removed, the spindle can be can be thoroughly trued up in two hours.

set to an angle in any direction.    The last tool is for boring cylinders in their places. On

The fourth tool is a rotating valve seat planing machine, removing the piston and leaving the front cylinder cover and There are two horizontal discs, the upper secured by radial arms, stuffing-box, a small cone takes its place in the stuffing-box at once, adjusted to suit the position of the studs in the valve seat; the and with proper adjustment at the front end, the tool is ready for lower, carrying the cutter and its slide, revolves freely against work. This machine is fed with a constant feed of cut-gears, the upper, and is held in place by a king-bolt passing through its The clamps or crossheads are so arranged that they may be used centre. This lower plate is also secured by a circular gib upon conveniently on locomotive cylinders of all sizes, which is a great its circumference, which admits of taking up the wear. It is an improvement over the old machine, annular gear, having teeth cut on its inner periphery, from which it receives its rotary motion by means of its connections with the bevel gear and crank. The crank may be replaced by a pulley if power be convenient. The double bevel shaft acts like a back gear and admits of a change of speed. Either bevel is

thrown into gear at pleasure by the movement of a pin in a slot This roof, as shown on the drawing, is of the type which has operated by the hand wheel. If the outer bevel is in action, it now been adopted for several railway stations of the dimensions gears directly into the lower plate; if the inner bevel it is slow given below; but we believe it is the first time that a design geared to the outer, and that to the plate. The revolving lower which is of necessity more expensive than an ordinary trussed plate is fitted with the V slide and the tool post, and is fed by a roof has been erected for such a purpose as a locomotive running screw and star wheel, arranged to glv® a large variation in the shed. This is, however, a matter which concerns the proprietors j⁶ j j *rom. rouf?hing to finishing, &c, The cutter is conveniently ₀f the railway—in this instance the taxpayers of the colony—as fed down by the operation of a nut on the cutter spindle acting the railways are State lines, constructed and maintained by the against the tool post. The radial arms which secure this machine Government. Besides the advantage of an open space, unim-to the studs are so finished with slots as to give a wide range of adjust- peded by intermediate columns, this roof has the ridge-and-ment. The nuts and their bearings in the washers which jamb the furrow system of lighting, which is convenient not only in con-radial arms are curved to admit of their being firmly secured with- struction, but for easy repair afterwards. In its general method out springing the machine, even though the studs should be a little of construction the Sydney roof seems to follow those that have out of line. In case the stud holes in a small valve seat should preceded it; but the skilful simplicity of details which was so inside the plates, four other radial arms are furnished with characteristic of the earlier structures, and one of the best signs the machine, fitted with a T-slot, and with a hole at the other of a skilful designer, is in the present case wanting in some parts, end corresponding to the hole for the old. stud, thus affording There appears to be unnecessary smithing and welding, which facilities for extreme cases. The points claimed for this tool are add to the cost and involve risk to the structure. The ironwork the. great. saving in time and labour over old methods. The is now being made in this country for Messrs. D. and W. Robert-saving claimed by the makers over the old methods is from | son, of Sydney and London. The first roof of this kind was 75 to 80 per cent., and 100 per cent, in files, as none need be that for St. Pancras Station, London, designed by Mr. R. M.

ROOF OYER RUNNING SHED AT EVELEIGH, SYDNEY, GREAT SOUTHERN AND WESTERN RAILWAYS, NEW SOUTH WALES.

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Ordisli for Mr. W. H. Barlow, engineer-in-chief of

That the Admiralty begin to see matters in their t

(From, our own Correspondent.)

The inventor divides each cell of his battery into

with the remaining buildings erected for the Universal Exhibition of 1873, were devoted for this purpose. This Exhibition shall be opened on the 1st of August, and shall be closed on the 31st of October, 1883. To organise and carry through the Electric Exhibition, a general commission has been formed, which has secured the necessary means by a guaranteed fund. This general commission has formed from among its members several committees—a central committee, a finance committee, a technical committee, a committee of arrangements—and shall form further committees as needed. A managing committee has been appointed to carry out the resolutions passed by the general commission and by the several committees, and to manage all matters relative to the Exhibition.

All communications with the representatives of foreign countries, and with the exhibitors or their representatives, shall be carried on through the managing committee.

The exhibits to be admitted are divided, according to the principles which they embody, into the following classes:—Class 1, magneto-electric and dynamo-electric machines. Class 2, galvanic cells, batteries, accumulators, thermo-electric piles. Class 3, scientific apparatus, instruments for electrical measurements, electrostatic apparatus. Class 4, telegraphs. Class 5, telephones, microphones, photophones. Class 6, electric lighting. Class 7, transmission of power. Class 8, cables, wires, conductors. Class 9, application of electricity to chemistry and metallurgy. Class 10, application of electricity to war. Class 11, railroad electrical appliances. Class 12, application of electricity to mining, navigation, and agriculture. Class 13, electro-medical apparatus. Class 14, application of electricity to automatic registration, to horology, meteorology, astronomy, and geodesy. Class 15, miscellaneous. Class 16, application of electricity to domestic use, to art, industry, and decoration. Class 17, application of machinery to electrical industry, boilers, steam, gas, and hydraulic engines. Class 18, historical collections, methods of instruction, bibliography.

Applications for space, so far as possible, should be made out according to the annexed forms, and must be in the hands of the managing committee of the International Electrical Exhibition, Wallfischgasse 9, Vienna, at the latest by the 1st March, 1883. Printed forms are to be obtained at home from the managing committee, the Boards of Trade and Commerce, from the scientific and commercial societies, and abroad from the Austrian-Hun-garian Consuls. When necessary, special local committees shall be formed to co-operate with the managing committee. The acceptance of exhibits rests with the general commission. Applicants shall be informed of the decision of the commission within two weeks after receipt of application, informed of the final allotments of space by the 1st of May, 1883. Exhibitors shall pay no rent for the space allotted to them. The general commission undertakes at its own expense the arrangement and general decoration of the building. Exhibitors must bear the expense of the installation and decoration of their own exhibits. The plans of these must be submitted to and approved of by the managing committee.

Motive power shall be supplied to exhibitors who require it at 20 kreuzers per horse-power per hour—5d, or 10 cents. The motive power required for the purposes of scientific commission should be supplied free. The Exhibition shall be open to the public twice daily, during the day and in the evening. The hours of admission shall be fixed and published in due course. Exhibitors shall be entitled to free passes for themselves, their representatives, and for the requisite number of assistants and workmen. The general commission shall provide that rigorous watch be kept over the exhibits, and that proper order be maintained. The commission, however, does not hold itself responsible for any loss incurred through injury to exhibits through theft or fire. The exhibitors are at liberty to insure their exhibits at their own expense. Exhibitors must provide that in the installation and working of their exhibits every danger to the public and to the buildings be avoided, and must conform themselves in this respect to special arrangement of the general commission. The exhibits must be accessible to the free inspection of the public every day during the regular hours of admission during the entire time of the Exhibition. No exhibit shall be withdrawn before the close of the Exhibition without the special permission of the general commission. Exhibitors must bear the expense of maintaining in order their own exhibits. Exhibits must be in the name of the manufacturer, and with his consent they may also bear the name of the firm which is authorised to sell them. Every exhibit must be clearly marked with the name of the firm exhibiting. All copies of exhibits, whether drawings, photographs, or otherwise, are only allowed with the consent of the exhibitors and of the general commission. The sale and removal of exhibits may occur with the consent of the general commission ; every object, however, withdrawn must be at once replaced by a duplicate. The receipt of goods at the Rotunda shall begin on the 1st June, 1883, and by the 15th July, 1883, all exhibits must be entirely unpacked and set up- The general commission the right to dispose of the space not occupied by the specified date. The general commission shall have the right to complete such installations as are not finished in time at the expense of the exhibitor, or to exclude him entirely. One month after the close of the Exhibition the exhibitors must have completely removed their exhibits. After the lapse of this time all exhibits not removed from the Exhibition grounds shall be removed and deposited in some suitable place at the expense and risk of the exhibitor. In case of such goods not being removed within six months after the close of the Exhibition, they shall be sold and the proceeds made use of as stated in the last paragraph.

The general commission has taken the necessary steps to enable exhibitors to enjoy the advantage of the patent laws from the time of the entry of their goods to the Exhibition grounds until exit therefrom, and to enable foreign exhibitors to enjoy exemption from duty in case of the re-export of their goods before the end of the year 1883. The special conditions relative hereto shall be given in due course. No prizes will be awarded by a jury. During the Exhibition a technical and scientific commission shall be organised in co-operation with the exhibitors, in order to carry out electrical measurements and other scientific investigations with a view to testify results. The general commission shall make arrangements for scientific and technical lectures. A complete catalogue shall be drawn up by the general commission and published at the opening of the Exhibition. Further special regulations and arrangements relative to service, to the use of motive power, to the scientific experiments, to transportation of goods, to advertisements, and to similar matters, shall be duly sent to exhibitors, who shall also be kept informed of all important measures and occurrences. The ultimate decision where cases of dispute or complaint may arise shall be reserved to the general commission. The net proceeds of the'Exhibition shall be devoted, with the agreement of the Imperial Ministry of Commerce, either to such scientific institutions as may carry out further the aims of the Exhibition, or to the pursuit of important inventions in the field of electrical science.    .

The honorary president is Graf Hans Wilczek; the president is Victor Freiherr von Erlanger; the managing committee are Carl Pfaff and Rudolf Ritter von Grimburg.

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Ordisli for Mr. W. H. Barlow, engineer-in-chief of the extension the main principals and spandrels. Where possible they of the Midland Railway from Bedford to London, and was made join over the main purlins ; if the joints occur between the pur-by the Butterley Company. The St. Pancras roof has a span lins they are to be fished with two plates 4|in. x jin x Urn of 240ft. The thrust of the roof, minimised by the shape of and four bolts fin. diameter. The rafters to be secured to each the curve, was resisted by the girders of the iron floor which mam purlin by two fin. bolts, and their feet to the arched and formed the tie. In 1870 a small roof on the same principle of rolled girders as shown: The centre and outside standards for starting from the floor level was made by Messrs. Handyside, of lantern roofs to be constructed of T and A .1; strongly connected Derby for the Drill Hall in that town. This roof is 150ft. and secured to the mam principals, purlins and rafters, as shown, long/with a span of 75ft., and in this case there was no need for with T.I. rafters projecting at each side. To be braced over the a tie rod, the shape of the roof and its connection to the cast main principals (every 25ft.) by diagonal braces gin . diameter iron stanchions giving it the requisite stability. A few years with forged eye at each end and fin. pms the braces to later this roof was reproduced, with but trifling difference, for be tied together at their intersections with two small orna-tlie gymnasium of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. In mental castings as shown Angle iron be fitted and 1876 the roof over St. Enoch’s terminal station, Glasgow, was secured between outer standards, as shown, lor securing the designed by Mr. Ordish for the late Mr. Blair, then engineer of ends of ridge-and-furrow roofs. Louvre blades, of the form the Glasgow and South-Western Railway, and was made and and dimensions shown, to be fitted and secured between erected by Messrs. Handyside and Co., of Derby. This roof is frames of lantern roof The bottom line of purlins,

518ft. long, and has a span 198ft., and it differs in shape from to the gutters to be channel iron 6m. x 2Jin: x that of St. Pancras, the form of the arch and the anchorage to the next line Z I 2Jin. x 4in. x Ain,, and the remainder Z I the large base plates which project inwards rendering a tie 2Jin. x 3in. x f₆in. All the purlins are to be in as long unnecessary. In 1878 the joint station at Manchester of the lengths as possible ; they must be joined over a principal or Great Northern, the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire and intermediate rafter, and the joints in one line of purlins must Midland Railways was constructed by Messrs. Handyside and break properly with those in the next line. All the purlins are Co This roof has a span of 210ft., and is 550ft. long. It was to be secured to each principal and rafter by one Jin. bolt. I he illustrated in The Engineer of the 13th and 27th of February, | ends of lantern roof purlins will be formed with turned-over web 2ggQ    I on purpose to secure wooden frame and mouldings at end or ian-

From these illustrations it will be seen that' the diagonal tern. The skylights are to be on the ridge-and-furrow principle, bracing is supplemented by vertical struts, which are not used The frames to be substantially constructed as shown on the dra,w-at St. Pancras, while the roof of the Enoch-square Station, ings. The rafters to be of A.I. in one piece accurately bent, with Glasgow, has similar triangulation or Warren girder bracing, with their feet secured to A.I. on top of principals and intermediate vertical struts at every alternate bay, but lighter. The differ- rafters by gin. bolts. The verticals to be of T.I., nvetted to top of ences in the bracing do not seem to be accompanied by corre- rafters, and secured at their feet between flanges of main purlins sponding differences in scantling, and the Manchester roof is by fin. bolts, as shown. The A.I. s on top of principals and

certainly heavy, unless others are too light, which is certainly not intermediate rafters to be secured to the same by jin. bolts,

the case. The roof we now illustrate is rather heavy in details, 12in. C. to C., and to have A.I. brackets between skylight ratters, and, as well as double triangulation, vertical or normal struts secured by fin. bolts, also cast iron distance blocks at the points are ’used at every fifth apex. It is a pity that the maximum where the rafters and brackets are secured. Ridge purlin ot strains on roofs of this kind are not ascertained with sufficient T.I., fitted with wood as shown, and secured to A.I. between accuracy to enable the designer to place confidence in his figures, lantern frames and top of skylight rafters by gin. bolts. Bottom instead, as is often the case, assigning larger sectional areas to purlins of A. I., fitted with wood, and secured by gin. bolts to make sure of sufficiency. While this is the practice we shall rafters and intermediate brackets. The wood to be secured to never arrive at the elegant lightness of roofs such as that over the purlins at every 12in. by |m. wood screws. Windbracing ot the new station in Berlin, illustrated in our pages in 1881.    round iron, fin. diameter, with forged eye ends and brass sleeve

From the specification of the work we take the following:—    nuts, cut right and left for adjustment, to. be fixed between

main principals and secured to the same by lin. pins, as shown Principal Dimensions.    | jn detail. The braces to be connected at their intersection to

the main purlins by clips as shown. The main gutters to be constructed of galvanised plate fin. thick, with A.I. rivetted along the edges. They are to discharge into the columns at every 25ft., and to be in separate lengths of 24ft. 8in., with the ends turned over to fit the head of columns, one allowance being made for expansion. The plates from which the gutters are made must be of sufficient width to form the gutters without longitudinal seams, and rivetted together transversely perfectly water-25 0 I tight. The bottom of each length of gutter to have a fall of 1 Jin.

Depth over    flanges .......... 2    1J    from centre of bay to each column. Each length to be stiffened by

Total    nmnber*324........... 11    0    A.I. across the top, one at each end and one in the middle. The

Arched girders'under intermediate gutters :—    A.I. along edges to have oblong holes in the top flange every

Span..    ..'.................... 24    0    12in., and secured to the channel iron purlins by Jin. screw bolts.

Versed line.................... J    J    The gables to be substantially constructed of iron and glass,

Septhftcmwn¹¹¹.⁸ " 'A V. "    'A.    ”    "    3 0    shown on drawings. The vertical supports to be of T. I., rivetted

Rolled girders along walls,’lOin. x'siii.’ X 30 lb.    to principals and bottom A.I. rail by    strong A.I. knees and fin.

Intermediate rafters :—5gin. x Jin. x 13-5 lb.    rivets. Bottom rail to be secured to    cast iron wall plate by .pin.

T .    ,    Number in each bay, 3    bolts, placed 12in. C. to C. Curved and horizontal purlins to be

L“tem    ::    ?« S of AX 2m. b, 2in. by -Aim, fitted with wood, end secured to

Height at centre............ 5    0    vertical T. I. by cleats and Jin. bolts. The wood to be secured

Height at sides............ 4 0 U₀ pUrlins at every 12in. by fin. wood screws. Cast iron wall

Ridge-and-furroJroois’!—Span ." ”    ”    "    I.'    "    «»    plate., for supporting the gables, of:    the form and di-»-

Height from main purlins to    I shown, and cast in. segments oi I Git. l^m* length, to be nttea

underside of ridge ....    2 2| and laid in cement on top of coping as shown. Cornice mould-

Height from rail level to underside of main gutter ..    20 0    ings of cast iron, of the forms and dimensions shown, to be fitted

The following particulars are also from the specification :—The along inner and outer flanges of end principals, and base mould-main principals are to be elliptic in the shape, struck with two ings on top of wall plates, as shown on drawings. To be cast in radii of 32ft. each, and one of 58ft. lin., measured to the inside segments of suitable length, joined by wrought iron joint plates of rib, and to be constructed substantially, as shown on the draw- at the back, and secured by fin. bolts, placed 12in. C. to ings, with flanges formed of plate and channel irons, solid web C. to principals and wall plates. Base mouldings to be from the springing to within a height of about 15ft. 9in. above also secured to the vertical purlin supports. A wrought rail level, and double triangular braced web for the remaining ir0n plate, Jin. by 2ft. llin. wide, is to be fitted at portion, the braces being formed of channel bars, connected at back of cornice mouldings, to screen the lattice bars in principals their intersection and to the flanges of rib by fin. rivets, as and to be secured by fin. screw bolts at every Gin.; the segments shown. The ends of braces to be upset, so as to make the web composing it are to be joined by covering plates at the back and of the same fin. thick for a length of about 9in. from each end, -gin. rivets. The abutting surfaces of mouldings to be dressed they are to be cut and planed accurately at the ends, so as to fair and true to ensure close joints. Base moulding and wall them cutting truly against the main flanges, and to be plate to be dressed perfectly square and true, with a layer of exactly alike in every respect, so that they may be perfectly canvas and red lead between them, to ensure a tight joint and interchangeable. These plates and channel irons in the flanges effectually exclude all water. All bolt and rivet heads on out-are to be in lengths of about 22ft. and joined, as shown on the side of cornice must be countersunk, and all joints must be drawings. Principals to be bolted to the cast iron columns by stopped and puttied after erection and before the final coat of lin. screw bolts, tapped into columns and spaced 14in. C. to C. paint is applied. Tlie columns between main principals are each The ends of principals are to be planed so as to ensure even to be cast in one piece, with gutter head and rain-water outlets bearing on the bed-plates, and each end is to be secured by six as shown, and to be in every respect in conformity with the anchor bolts lfin. diameter, passing through bed-plates into the drawings. The thickness of metal in shaft of columns not to be foundations to such depth as shall be directed. The anchor bolts less than lfin. The heads to be dressed fair, so as to fit the to have jagged dovetail and secured by lead, run in and caulled gutters accurately, and the base and socket turned to fit the bed-after the bolts are fixed in position. The spandrels to be con- plates. The outlets to be made to fit sockets of Gin. drain pipes. Btructed as shown, with A.I. flanges and lattice web. Each side All bolts tapped into columns are to be packed with hemp and of the flanges must be in one piece all round, welded and forged red lead, so as to ensure the column being perfectly watertight, where required, of the shape shown, and fit accurately to the outlets not connected to drain pipes are to be closed. with, a principals and columns. The spandrels will be secured to the plug of hard wood, packed with canvas and lead, and driven in principals by fin. bolts placed 14in. C. to C., and to the columns tight. The bed-plates to be substantially of the forms and by lin. screw bolts placed 14in. C. to 0. The lattice bars to be dimensions shown, planed accurately on top to receive the prin-rivetted between flange A.I. and at their intersections, as shown, cipals and columns. They are to be let into the bed stones to Main purlinsjto he of trellis type with A.I. flanges, Q I. verticals, within half the thickness of the plates, and the stones must be and A.I. diagonals, constructed substantially of the forms and dressed accurately on top to fit. After the plates have been fixed dimensions shown. To be connected at the ends to each other in their true position the cavities between the same and the and to the principals by Jin. bolts, the bolt holes in the top and stones are to be run in with sulphur to ensure a perfectly fair and bottom flanges of purlins being made oblong to allow free effective bearing. All the wrought iron used in the construction expansion. Each purlin to be braced at centre to intermediate of the roof must be of the best description—tough, ductile, of rafters by two braces lin. diameter, secured by fin. bolts to uniform quality, and free from flaws and cracks along the edges, vertical L iron. The arched girders, carrying centre gutters and capable of sustaining 50,0001b. per square inch of area in tension, intermediate rafters, to be constructed substantially as shown, without fracture, and 24,0001b. per square inch of area without with A.I. flanges, lattice web, and E I. vertical struts. Each side taking a permanent set. The reduction of area at breaking of the flanges must be in one piece all round, welded and forged point shall average 15 per cent.—10 per cent, in plates, 15 per where required, and the two sides rivetted together with the cent, in T, L, and E-iron, and 20 per cent, in bar iron—and the lattice bars between. The girders to be bolted to the columns elongation from 9 to 12J per cent. When cold it must bend by fin. screw bolts spaced 12in. C. to C. Lattice bars to be without signs of fracture from 60 deg. to 120 deg. The com-rivetted at their intersections. Channel irons to be placed back pressive breaking strain is not to be less than 37,0001b. per to back and rivetted to the flanges and lattice bars with proper square inch of area, and 24,000 lb. per square inch of area with-packing strips on each side of the lattice bars. Each channel out taking a permanent set. iron to have a strong knee rivetted on for supporting intermediate rafter. Rolled I girders, lOin. x 5in. x 36 lb. for carrying outside gutters, and intermediate rafters are to be secured to columns by A.I. knees rivetted to each end and fin. screw bolts tapped into columns. Also to have strong knees rivetted on for supporting intermediate rafters. The intermediate rafters are to be of rolled T.I. 5§in. X 4in. x y^m. X 13'5 lb., in lengths of not less than lift., and curved exactly to the curvature of

Exhibitors shall be

ft. in.

Clear height from rail level to underside of rib at crown........

Height from springing........

Depth at crown............

Distance apart, from C. to C.....

No. in each span, 13—total 39 Main purlins:—Length

37 0 39 6

25 0

as

ensure

INTERNATIONAL ELECTRIC EXHIBITION, VIENNA, 1883.

By a decree of the Imperial Ministry of Commerce of the 8th of June, 1882, No. 17,202, permission was given to hold an International Electric Exhibition in Vienna, and the Rotunda, together

reserves

Institution op Civil Engineers. — Mr. James Brunlees, F.R.S.E., delivered the inaugural address of this Institution, as President, on Tuesday evening. He said that when he joined it in 1852 there were 745 members of all classes; the number was now 4210. Mr. Brunlees referred to most of the leading engineering works or projects of the present time, and gave a great deal of statistical and engineering information of interest. Among them the bridge to be erected across the Forth, the new Tay Bridge, the bridge over the Ganges at Benares, the Kinzua Viaduct, the Suspension Bridge between New York and Brooklyn, and the St. Gothard, Severn, and Hudson tunnels, the Panama Canal, and the Alexandra Dock at Hull. In conclusion, he referred to engineering matters and prospects generally*

LETTEES TO THE EDITOR.

we

as we

John S. Stevens. C. G. Major.

only

H. S. Hele Shaw.

as a ma

are

J. F. Hall, Manager,

Wm. Jessop and Sons (Limited), Sheffield.

T>

-tr I

in.

sr+i

T*

-Ir

Sr

Rv

Sr = —

Mr — Mr + 1

Ir

lis

+ Pr K

S'r =

and this I cannot understand. I make it

S'r = Mr + 1 ~ Mr - Pr K.

Ir

Ir

W. H. B.

Mr — Mr + 1

+ Pr (1 - K)

Ir

Sr =

Mr + 1 - Mr

Ir

and

S'r =

-I- Pr (1 - K).

Sr =

Ir

S'r = -—

Ir

which is the record of the equations given.—Ed. E.]

+ Pr

of failure. January 4th.

[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our correspondents.]

HYDRAULIC BALANCE LIFTS.

Sir,—With your permission we write a few lines by way of final reply upon the above subject, Our statements, which have been questioned, are three in number :—(1) Our lift is cheaper than the dead-weight balance lift with wheels and chains. (2) The amount saved by removal of weights, chains, wheels, balance guides, and top framing, more than pays for the balance cylinders of our system. (3) The metal of the old weights will make cylinders and rams. It is only the second statement which can make the first possible, and the second is the explanation of the first. We make these three assertions as faots, based upon our manufacturers’ and our own practical experience of the two systems, and if your correspondents prefer to hold opinions in opposition to the facts, they are, of course, at full liberty to do so, but their opinions cannot influence the facts. We can only repeat that our first two statements are based upon our manufacturers’ books, they being makers of both types of lifts; and that the weights given for the balance cylinders and rams were obtained by actually weighing the castings. We take this opportunity of pointing out that the discussion upon the merits or demerits of our lifts has been conducted almost entirely upon side issues. The chief purpose of the hydraulic balance is to ensure safety, and such economy as is gained is only obtained fortuitously; we take it that the safety is unquestioned.

Mr. Turner’s two references to lift guides show simply that in this direction he has something to learn. The guides we use are for their purpose unsurpassed. They cost per foot of travel per set Is. 6d. We can venture to challenge Mr. Turner to produce for this price a set of guides which will guide both cage and balance weights, and at the same time support the overhead frame and wheels. Mr. Turner somewhat perverts our statement respecting cost. We did not say that the cost of the old balance weights would pay for the cylinders. We did say that the cost of the parts of the old system which we remove, and of which the balance weight is one only, will more than pay for the cylinders; and that the metal of the weights would make the cylinders. Excuse the reiteration, but it appears to be necessary. If Mr. Turner has experimented upon lifts, he knows that the friction of the upward journey is often more, but never less, than that of the downward. Taking 20 per cent, friction for the upward journey and the same as the maximum downward friction, we have 60 per cent, efficiency after paying for both journeys; and have not yet heard of a dead weight balance lift giving better results than this.

Mr. Barr suggests that though for some occult reason 700 lb. is generally the best pressure, in the case of the lift illustrated, it might be made less costly if worked at 4001b. This is decidedly inconsequential. But it happens that 4001b., or very nearly that, is the proper pressure for the lift illustrated. For many types of lifts and hydraulic machinery we should prefer to use pressures of from 6001b. to 7001b. per square inch ; but our hydraulic balance lifts introduce new conditions, and for reasons too involved to explain here, a pressure of lower value is found more suitable for them. If necessary they can, however, be made to use the higher pressure water economically, and at very little extra cost. We have now inflicted upon your readers as much dry reading as we think desirable, and devoted as much time to the correspondence can afford. Should either of your correspondents desire further information, our manufacturers, Messrs. Smith and Stevens, will be happy to supply it privately. Thank you for spaoe.

Queen’s-road, Battersea,

January 6th.

FLYING MACHINES.

Sir,—The problem of artificial flight is from time to time discussed in scientific journals, and when much the same conclusions have usually been arrived at, the subject drops. These conclusions are:—(1) That man can never hope to fly by his own unaided muscular power. (2) That it is possible man may hereafter construct flying machinery by means of which he may be carried through tlie air, but that neither the suitable motor nor machinery have yet been contrived or even suggested.

The first of these conclusions is, for a certain reason mentioned in the first paragraph of your article last week, a tolerably safe one, and the second is safer still. With even a remote possibility of its being practicable, the subject is so important that I trust you will permit me to make a few remarks upon the statements and arguments employed in the article in question. The ground there taken is that the practicable limit to a natural flying machine has been reached by Nature, and the arguments in support of this are of two kinds :—(1) That Nature does not make many mistakes, or, in other words, the conditions under which species are developed are such that evei-ything goes as far as it can go in size and speed, so that if larger natural flying machines had been possible there would have been larger birds than there are. (2) That for certain mechanical reasons, which are given, larger natural flying machines are not possible. With regard to the first, it necessary to point out that it was well the early shipbuilders did. not use this argument in connection with the nautilus, or perhaps the swan, or we might now be dependent upon our natatory powers for oceanic communication. The mode of arguing the second point appears to need more serious consideration. Is it well known that the strength of every machine rapidly decreases as it increases in dimensions? To commence with, the example quoted, viz., the crank shaft of a model engine, and one of twelve times the size. Unless all books and practice of machine construction are wrong, their torsional strength will vary as the cubes of their diameters, and this whether solid or hollow, that is, the larger one will be 1728 times as strong as the model. Their relative weights will vary as the square of their diameters and as their lengths, that is, the weight of the larger is also 1728 times that of the smaller. Thus they are of exactly the same proportional strength. If it be intended to state that in practice the model would be stronger, then this can only be due to abnormal conditions of material, &c., which cannot fairly be taken into consideration. But this is not the only part of the engine. Take, for instance, the approximate weight of cast iron pedestals (Unwin’s “ Machine Design”), W=l’ld® +18 lb.; so that as the strength varies as the cube of the diameter, the weight for the larger one may be a great deal less in proportion than for the model. Many other instances might be quoted to show that at any rate the statement is not true for “ every machine.” With a beam or girder a proportional increase in every dimension does result in weakness, but no engineer would think of distributing his material in the same way in a very large girder as he is obliged to do in a small one, for the increase of size enables a more economical section to be employed. Coming now to the example taken—viz., that of the albatross. It may be admitted at once that the weight must vary as the cube of the linear dimensions— that is, the weight of a similar bird with twice the length of wing would be eight times as great, or would be 2 cwt. instead of 2S lbs. It thus seems a pity that the matter is complicated by introducing the question of strength before the required power is dealt with, as upon this depends the strength of the wing required. It is stated that the strength must be at least doubled when the length only of the wing is doubled. Remembering that the resistance of the air varies as the square of the velocity, it might easily be shown that the strength should be at least eight times, instead of twice, as great. Passing to the question of power. The soaring of birds is a most important fact, of which no one who has taken the trouble to make observations has any doubt. Though it was lately the subject of a protracted discussion in the columns of a contemporary, no satisfactory explanation appears to have been given of it. Certainly it cannot be dismissed by a mere assertion, much less by a more than questionable analogy. Thus it cannot be admitted that the action of a swimmer even carrying a weight is “ strictly analogous ” to the work done by a bird. The density of water is 800 times that of air, so that the proportional efforts to sustain weight, and to overcome the resistance to motion, are greatly different in the two cases. Moreover the fluid friction is very different in air and water, and to admit the analogy as a strict one would be to cut away the only grounds on which soaring can be explained. Perhaps the following explanation may partly account for the soaring power of birds, which has been stated by competent witnesses to be exhibited only when a wind is blowing. Let A B be the plane of a bird’s body, making an angle, and with the

FI G.l.

cc;

horizon; let O be the centre of pressure, and O R be the effective horizontal action of the wind on A B. By resolution, effective normal force = OP = OR sin. a. Tangential force (ineffective) = O Q = O R cos. o. Resolving O P gives force tending to drive the bird back = O S = O R sin.² a; force tending to support the bird = PS = ORcos. a sin. a. Thus the bird would only have to exert a force O R sin.² a in order to remain stationary. As long as a <45 deg. this force is less than its weight, and is smaller the smaller the angle a. Until this reasoning is shown to be erroneous it cannot be asserted that, “ Nothing is got from the air in the way of help save when upward currents strike the flying bird,” fox-in the assumed case the current of air is horizontal.

The next analogy seems scarcely open to argument. Is it really meant that the weight of a bird may be regarded in exactly the same light as the weight on a brake driven by a portable engine, and that the power exerted by the bird may be measured in the same way by taking the distance passed through by the wings? If so, it would have been well to have made a few calculations with, at any rate, approximate values in the case of the albatross. Doing this, it may be readily seen that the power thus given is from v,-horse power to 1-horse power. The values given in the article for the maximum power exerted by a strong man are equivalent to a little less than J-horse power. Thus the assumption which immediately follows, viz., that the power of an albatross may be taken as nearly that of a man, has not the slightest connection with the previous line of argument, being in fact quite at variance with it; neither does the allusion to the small spec, gravity of the air justify the assumption, which must therefore be taken for what it is worth. As to the correct mode of estimating the power of an albatross, this is certainly a difficult matter, and I fear I have already trespassed too much on your space to venture any further suggestions.

It is to be hoped that the brief concluding remarks of the article will not be taken as giving the results of the labours and investigations of the many able scientific men who have worked at the subject, or as being even the very briefest summary of all that modern improvements in small motors or machinery can suggest for the solution of one of the oldest and most interesting of problems.

University College, Bristol, January 2nd.

[Our correspondent will, we think, see on reflection that his strictures on what we have written are not justified by facts. In what we said concerning the strength of models, it is clear from the context that we referred really to weight for weight; and this, we think, Professor Hele Shaw sees quite plainly. We agree with him, tter of course, that the shaft lin. in diameter would be strong as the shaft 12in. in diameter, weight for weight; but he has overlooked the fact that the strains on the 12in. shaft would be immensely greater than the strains on the lin. shaft; because the areas of the pistons would vary as the squares of their diameters—not as their diameters; and our statement is specially applicable, as our correspondent indirectly admits, to the framework of any structure—bird or machine-—intended to fly through the air. Our argument must also be taken as applying to the whole model, not to individual members of it. We are a little surprised that Professor Hele Shaw should cite the nautilus—which has no bearing whatever on cur argument. As well say that the tiny humming bird marked the limit of nature’s progress in flying. Has Professor Hele Shaw forgotten the existence of the whale? That whales are not bigger than they are is not the result of a limitation of capacity for floatation in water, but of other and totally different conditions—such as facility for obtaining food, power of blood distribution on the part of the heart, and the possibility of obtaining muscular power enough to give the animal the necessary velocity of motion through the water. We come now to our correspondent’s diagram, and the argument he has based on it, which involve a very curious error, no doubt due to a complete oversight. Professor Hele Shaw would be quite accurate if he could show that there was any current in the air relative to the inclined plane; but as a matter of fact, the inclined plane must, by the condition of things, be moving at precisely the same rate as the air, and for the plane no current exists. Thus, when a boat is floating down a stream, it has no steerage way, because there is no current as to the boat, though there may be a very sharp cxxrrent as to the banks of the river. A kite will fall when the string is broken, just as though no wind existed, only it will not fall vertically down, but will describe a curved path of greater or less irregularity, in its descent. The wind acts on the inclined planes of ships’ sails, and the sails of ice boats, just as Professor Hele Shaw has shown in his sketch, but only because the boat is held up to the wind either by the water or the ice. The occupants of the car of a balloon are in perfect calm, although the balloon may be flying before the wind at sixty miles an hour, nor would they be sensible of any current of air were it not that the force of the wind being variable, the inertia of the balloon will have, to be overcome when a gust blows, or its momentum expended when the velocity of the breeze falls off. Therefore, what we have said is perfectly correct, and birds can only sail by virtue of momentum, or as Professor Shaw implies, by the direct forward propelling action of their wings, but in this case they gain no assistance whatever from the air, save in a sense that a locomotive may be said to be assisted by an inclined plane in climbing up a given vertical height. Whether an inclined plane is or is not used, the foot-pounds of work expended by the bird or .the locomotive must remain unaltered. We have failed to catch our correspondent’s meaning in the passage concerning the analogy between the weight on a friction dynamometer and the action of a hovering bird, and we can therefore only maintain that the analogy does exist. The resistance of the air to a wing is apparently a function of the weight of air displaced at each stroke, and its velocity. We shall be glad to hear an expression of opinion on this point from Professor Hele Shaw.—Ed. E.] _

STEEL CASTINGS.

Sir,—In reference to your very able remarks on cast steel marine crank shafts and the tests recently made thereon by Messrs. Parker and Milton, of Lloyd’s Register, in your general review of improvements during the year of 1882 on Saturday last, I think a few words of explanation are due from me. In the first place I am afraid that it might be understood from the wording that my firm do not anneal their large castings, whereas they anneal them very carefully indeed ; but they do so in a particular way by the aid of their own initial heat. That is to say, they do not re-heat them and then reanneal them, which process they have found, after careful investigation, to be both detrimental and dangerous for most large castings, although it will do well enough for small ones. When I first openly declared some few years ago, on behalf of my firm, in favour of the larger crank shafts being made in plain castings, I was met with such an amount of prejudice and ill favour that I hardly expected to have got so far as I have done in so short a time, particularly as my most strenuous opponents were some of those very steel makers who, having since learned what they can, or think they can do, are now the most anxious to enter into competition for the very article they previously cried down—viz., large crank shafts in plain steel castings. To these and other steel manufacturers who may attempt the same, I would say, if they will not be offended with me, “ Beware ! ” The thing can be done, as has now been amply proved, by the number manufactured by my own firm, some of which have been constantly at work for the last three or four years, and have run from 80,000 to 100,000 miles without a failure of any kind; but this has only been accomplished by using the very best material and great care. The danger is that one or more of those wonderful steel manufacturers, who are now rushing into the trade and learning in less than twelve months what has taken others over twelve years’ practical study to acquire, may not only damage themselves, as that would be of little moment, but may bring the very name of steel castings into such ill repute that they will be discarded entirely. There many other matters on this most important subject that I could dilate on, but I am afraid I have already trespassed too much on your valuable space.

January 10th.

CONTINUOUS GIRDERS.

Sir,—I am studying the theory of continuous girders, and in a little work by Mr. Mansfield Merriman, C.E., published in New York, the following equation appears

Pr

K Ir— ---->

.1 I

Sr-1

r r+i

+ Pr (1 - K) in which Ir represents the loaded span of a continuous girder, Mr and Rr the moment and reaction at the support r. Sr representing the shear immediately to the right of that support, and S'r — 1 the shear immediately to the left. Pr being a concentrated weight at distance K Ir from support r.

This I thoroughly understand, but he goes on tu —that is, the shear immediately to left of support r Mr + 1 - Mr

Eccles, January 4th. [The two equations

+ Pr K

are exactly similar and complementary; one being obtained by expressing the moment at one end of span Ir, and the other in the same way by expressing the moment at the other end. Thus Mr + 1 = Mr + Pr (Ir - Kir) - Sr Ir, or Mr - Mr + 1

This is the first equation given. Similarly, taking the moment at the other end, Mr = Mr + 1 + Pr Ir - S'r Ir, or Mr + 1 — Mr

CHILLED CALENDER ROLLS.

Sir,—Will “ Paper-maker ” kindly tell me what are the points in which the English calenders fail when compared with those of American manufacturers? Are the English rolls too soft, or the grinding not sufficiently accurate, or both? “Cheap and nasty,” as your correspondent observes, spells ruination, not only in the paper trade, but in most others; and if a fair price is paid for English calenders, I see no reason why they cannot be made equal to the American. But if the same system is resorted to in the purchase of these as in the purchase of most other things—that of inviting tenders and selecting the lowest—I believe we arrive at the cause

A Constant Reader.

RAILWAY SPEEDS.

Sir,—The through express trains between Glasgow, St. Enoch, and London, St. Pancras, run between Glasgow and Kilmarnock via the Glasgow, Barrhead, and Kilmarnock Joint Railway. The distance from Glasgow to Kilmarnock by this route is 24 miles 28 chains, and as the trains are allowed 35 minutes to perform this part of the journey, it will be seen that the speed is under 42 miles per hour, not 58, as stated by Mr. Henry Barcroft in his letter which appeared last week. With reference to the table given by “ J. F.,” p. 480 of your last volume, I may mention that the Midland Company’s “longest run without stopping” is between London and Leicester, a distance of 99 miles 9 chains, and the trains of this company attain the highest average speed between Liverpool (central) and Manchester (central). The distance by the Cheshire lines’ route is 34 miles 4 chains, and the Midland express trains perform the journey in 40 minutes, or at an average speed of over 51 miles per hour.    Clement E. Stretton.

Saxe Coburg-street, Leicester,

January 6th. -

Sir,—Your correspondent, Mr. Barcroft, in your last issue made a great mistake when he says that the Midland express, leaving Glasgow at 9.15 p.m., travels the distance to Kilmarnock at 58 miles per hour. He says the train is timed to arrive at Kilmarnock at 9.50, but if he looks again he will find that it is 9.53. I have no means of checking the distance, which he says is 33£ miles ; but assuming it to be correct, the speed is a little over 53 miles per hour, not 58.    John H. Wall.

Hampden House, Milton Avenue, New Southgate, N.,

January 8 th.

Sir,—I think your correspondent, Mr. Henry Barcroft, is in error respecting the speed of the 9.15 p.m. Midland express from Glasgow. This train runs—vid Barrhead to Kilmarnock—a distance of about 28 miles in 35 minutes, the speed therefore being about 48 miles per hour ; but your correspondent has reckoned the distance from Glasgow to Kilmarnock, vid Paisley, Lochwinnock, and Crosshouse, which is, as he states, 33j[ miles.    J. F.

January 8th.

South Kensington Museum.—Visitors during the week ending Jan. 6th, 1883 :—On Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday,, free, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Museum, 16,630; mercantile marine, Indian section, and other collections, 6161. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, admission 6d., from 10a.m. to 4 p.m., Museum, 2031; mercantile marine, Indian section, and other collections, 448. Total, 25,270. Average of corresponding week in former years., 17,464. Total from the opening of the Museum, 21,607,372,

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EOOF OYER RUNNING SHED AT EYELEIGH, SYDNEY, GREAT SOUTHERN AND WESTERN RAILWAY, NEW SOUTH WALES.

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this as it may, it is clear that if the bulkhead had been more efficient, the City of Brussels might now be lying in dock in Liverpool. But assuming that the bulkhead was what it was—inefficient beyond a certain point—it is easy to see that, had very moderate pumping power been brought into play, the ship could have been kept afloat. The utmost quantity to be dealt with was, say, 2000 tons, to be lifted, say, 20ft., in twenty minutes. This represents but 40,000 foot-tons, or 4,480,000 foot-pounds per minute, or 135-horse power; or, making large allowances for waste, an engine of 250 indicated horse-power, properly used, would°have kept the water pumped out of her as fast as it came in. She had an ample supply of steam available, and one large centrifugal pump would, in all probability, have sufficed to save her. Assistance was close at hand, and even with one compartment full, she might have been towed to a place of safety, her own pumps dealing with what we may term the overflow over or past the bulkhead. The ship and her cargo have been valued at £300,000. We speak close to the truth if we say that a pump and engine of the required power could have been had for £1000. We are happy to know that in most of the great passenger steamers recently built immense pumping power has been provided; but the City of Brussels was thirteen years old, and sufficient importance was not then attached to pumps; and here we may hint that the various Liverpool companies running passenger steamers across the Atlantic would find it immensely to their advantage, if they could state in their advertisements that their ships were fitted with appliances which would deal with huge leaks. The passenger public at both sides of the Atlantic is very discriminating, and it would not be slow to understand which was the safest ship. .

Two other questions remain for consideration.

City of Brussels provided with any special sound-signalling apparatus which would denote which way her head lay, and whether she was or was not in motion! We believe she was not; that, in short, she had nothing but the Is it not time that a uni-

Was the

Electricians.—Thursday, inaugural

FOREIGN AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF THE ENGINEER.

PARIS.—Madame Boyveau, Rue de la Ranque.

BERLIN.—Asher and Co., 5, Unter den Linden.

VIENNA.—Messrs. Gerold and Co., Booksellers.

LEIPSIC.—A. Twietmeyer, Bookseller.

NEW YORK.—The Willmer and Rogers News Company, 31, Beekman-street.

PUBLISHER'S NOTICE.

THE ENGINEER.

JANUARY 12, 1883.

THE LOSS OF THE CITY OF BRUSSELS.

Inman steamer at the mouth of the

BRATTON’S PETROLEUM ENGINES.    I afterwards the City of B™saelp W^i b H jj

(To the Editor of The Engineer.)    board nearly amidship _ by the Kuby    H.Ui a new

Sir,—Can any of your readers inform me where Brayton’s petroleum    steamer    on her trial trip from (jdasgOW.    ine IkirDy

engine is to be seen or heard of ?    Engineer. Hall, a ship of about 1500 tons, cut well into the City

London, N., January 9th. - I ₀f Brussels, making a hole, it is said, 8ft. wide, and

GLASSSTOPPERPRESSES.    1 below the water line. The Kirby Hall had her own bows

(To the Editor of The Engineer.)    twisted,    but it does not appear that she suffered any serious

Sir,—Would any reader be kind enough to tell us the name of    any good    in-jury.    She has a large rent in her plates    from the 18ft.

firm that can supply a press with the newest improvements^for making watermark to the 24ft. She was flying light, and to this

g DublinPPjeInuary 4th.    _ '    ‘    | fact she probably owes her safety,, as she made, we under-

T^tteLpdi^N₀/ ne^SnZT    |    Land and his officers did all that men could

Sir,—Would any correspondent tell me what power in pounds I shall I do, and succeeded in saving the lives of nearly all onboard require on both driving wheels to propel a self-moving tricycle, the The discipline of the ship was perfect, tne DoatS an ready weight of which is 600 lb., on good, dry macadamised roads, levels, and f launching and the result was, on the whole, satisfactory.

ordinary inclines, at six miles per hour? What is the best lubricant to | *°______,    .......... .......i™* „;„L+ „f fha avow nrirl twn

stand 550 deg. Fah. in a superheated steam engine cylinder V,

Birmingham, January 8th.

Several lives, however, were lost, eight of the crew and two passengers, Italians, being drowned. So much for of the facts concerning the catastrophe. Let us see what is the lesson it conveys ; for there is no such thing as

accident. Nothing happens without a cause, and if we

some

ordinary steam whistle, versal code should be adopted which would be in-telligible to all ships, and which would tell an advancing steamer that, “I am here, lying with my head to the west, drifting astern,” or “ I am going dead slow with my head to the south.” There is no want of such sound signals in the market. Another question is, When will shipowners, or the Board of Trade, or “ Lloyd’s,” or the Liverpool underwriters, take the bulkhead problem in hand ? It is a noteworthy fact that this is a subject on which the Institution of Naval Architects never touches. Those who read papers and those who discuss them alike seem to regard the matter as tabooed. If it is referred to at all, it is so only in connection with ships-of-war. We know that among shipbuilders there is a rooted contempt for bulkheads, and this is not to be wondered at, seeing that they themselves have done their utmost to make them contemptible. As they are usually fitted, they cost some money—not much it is true; they are a nuisance to the owners, coming as they do more or less in the way of cargo, and they are absolutely worthless. We shall feel indebted to any one of our numerous readers who can give us particulars of a single case in which bulkheads prevented a ship from foundering. We do not now refer to collision bulkheads, which are almost invariably well made, well designed, and therefore quite efficient. We refer to the other bulkheads, which, if as good, would be as useful. By only too many persons it is assumed that the modern passenger steamer is as safe as she can be made. The ‘ foundering of the City of Brussels is proof that she is not safe, and there is a universal consensus of opinion among engineers, at all events, that passenger steamers can be made much safer than they are. If the time of foundering in case of collision could always be delayed by some few hours, an immense advantage would be gained ; and it really appears that if those most concerned would do what can be done to secure this end, a great deal might be effected. It requires, we hold, but a moderate effort on the part of Lloyd’s and the Board of Trade, and the thing could be done. Unless they act, bulkheads will probably continue to be delusions and snares to the end of time.

Sir,—In looking

ing formula for calculating the horizontal thrust at the crown ol an | ngntiy unuersianu. wnac »u»cu a,

arch:—t = Wr when r = the radius of the arch in feet; W = the load possible that we may be able to avoid its recurrence.

“tsrsI    "<>«*»«“«>»°fthi

ENGINEERS IN THE NAVY'.

It will be remembered that during last February Mr. Trevelyan made a promise that something should be done for engineers in the navy; and an Order in Council bearing date the 30th of November has just been promulgated. The most prominent feature in this Order, or rather the changes introduced by Mr. Trevelyan, is that the number of engineer officers shall be reduced to 650 it so happens that this is about the number now on the Admiralty books—while the number of what are now known as chief engine-room artificers is to be augmented. I urtbermore, the number of engineers may be still further reduced, and that of the artificers increased, provided the aggregate number shall not exceed 800, of whom chief inspectors shall be limited to five, inspectors to seven, and chief engineers to 220. The full pay for chief inspectors of machinery is now to be £1 15s. a day, an increase of 3s.; inspectors, £1 10s., an increase of 2s.; and engineers of nine years’ seniority, 12s., an increase of Is. per day. Hitherto the daily full pay of an engineer rose to 10s. after be had served three years, and to 11s. after six years service, at wbich point it remained until he was promoted. Promotion came slowly, and many engineers had not passed for promotion. For the majority, therefore, the 11s. represented the maximum. It was for the purpose of bettering the position of these officers that Mr. Trevelyan agreed to give another increment of pay after a third term of three years’ service. The Order also gives an extra allowance of 4s. a day to the chief engineer in charge of the machinery of such an exceptional ship as the Hecla or the Polyphemus, though under 3000 indicated horse-powei. Another alteration abolishes the allowance which has been paid, to engineer officers required to mess in the ward-with the exception of those who may be considered to belong to the gun-room.

It will be seen that the engine-room artificers are daily important class of men; and that the

was

room.

in

Society of Telegraph Engineers and Jan. 18th, at 8 p.m.: Mr. Willoughby Smith will deliver his

J«», 17th, at 7 p.m.: Th, report of the Council will be read, the election of ofhcers and Council for the ensuing year will take place, and the President will deliver his

^Chemical Society.—Thursday, Jan. 18th, at 8 p.m.: “ On a New Method of Estimating the Halogens in Volatile Organic Compounds, by Mr. R. P. Plimpton, Ph.D., and Mr. E. E. Graves.

Society of Arts.—Wednesday, Jan. 17th, at 8 p.m.: Seventh ordinary meeting, “The Sanitary Inspection of Houses, by Mr. W. k. Burton. Lord Alfred Churchill will preside.

%* With this week's number is issued as a Supplement, an illustration of the Compound Engines of_ the Steam Launches Venus and Southern Cross. Every copy as issued by the Publisher contains this Supplement, and subscribers are requested to notify the fact should they not receive it.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

V In order to avoid trouble and confusion, we find it necessary to’    . , .    ,

inform correspondents that letters of inquiry addressed to the 1TIE simuna or an    ,    nlTnft_t incredible

public, and intended for insertion in this column, must, m all Mersey appears, at first sight, to be an almost mciediDIe cases, be accompanied by a large envelope legibly directed by the event. Liverpool passenger steamers have come to be writer to himselfand bearing a \d. postage stamp,. in order that regarded as at least as safe means of transport as railway answers received by us may be forwarded to their destination. ,    •    . and it ig not too luuc], to say that a railway journey

No notice will be taken of communications which do not comply ^ ₃₀₍₎’() mileg performeq in any country would be attended

*fltWc cannot undertake to return drawings or manuscripts; we by as much risk as a voyage across the Atlantic in one of must therefore request correspondents to keep conies.    the ships of this celebrated fleet. I he precautions taken

*#» All letters intended for insertion in . The Engineer, or to ensure the safety of passengers by the Cunard and other containing questions, must be accompanied by the name and commnjeg leave absolutely nothing to be desired. The address of the^writer, not ne^rily/°[ ^ STe’ taken of Cunard steamers, for example, are now, and have for some

¹    time back, ceased to be either the largest{Orftfbest cross-

J H. (Hull)._The names of the contractors hare not been made known.    ing the Atlantic; but as legards Satet} , they enjoy

a. x.—Box’s    “ Treatise on Heat” is    the    only work we know likely to    suit \ an unrivalled reputation. The announcement that the

j ?p'—The invention may be patented    in    the United states if the English    City of Brussels had been sunk, and that several lives

Lent is not too Old.    had been lost, close to Liverpool, were at first received

W. T. H.— We fancy you mean the Clammond gaslight, concerning which    i p. jt remaina of course, to be proved that the

““ "    ””    Officers of'the ship are in no way to blame for the

If. G._There is no recent work on the turbine which will answer your purpose I catastrophe. With the details of the collision, Wmcn

better than those you name. The statements made by your friend are quite \    „    steamer to the    bottom,    our    readers are, no

correct If you will say what it is you want to know we will try and    sent a nne    Steamer to me    uuauiu,    u

answer your question. '    .    I doubt, familiar; but it may be worth while to place the

Stratford.—The larger the wheels of the truck, other things being equal, the n a record in OUr pages for future reference. On Sun-

less resistance will it offer to traction. If you can obtain a copy oj Wood s    .    , ,    - | fr rf    n.p Mersev which

“ Treatise on Railways," published about 1830, you will find particulars day morning there was a thick IOg in tne iviersey, of experiments made to decide this and other questions which will interest | extended some way out to sea. The Inman steamer C ity OI

Student.—The work done by a Cornish engine is reduced to foot-pounds. I Brussels had made a very satisfactory passage from New Thus a duty of 80,000,000 means that 80,000,000 of pounds of water have York to Queenstown, and a good run trom qjueenstown to been lifted ift. high by 112 lb. of coal. Let w ™pp°™ that the height tke mouth of the Mersey. Then the fog settled down, and through which the water is lifted is 300ft. Then —’ ^— * 266,666, that n0 further progress without extreme risk became possible ; is to say, the engine will have lifted 266,666 fb. of water, or 26,666 gallons I    so    Captain    Land, who was in command of the ship,

of water 300ft. high by the combustion of l cwt. of coal.    ag    goon ag    pe heard the    sound of    the    fog-bells of the

G. L. (Barnet).—The usual effect of surface condensed feed-water on a boiler    wegt Lio-htship, turned the ship’s head to sea,

is injurious. When it is used it is absolutely necessary to take measures to TNOrtn YY est jjici ts ) ,    , ,    \    , .f,    ,

get a thin scale of incrustation deposited all over the heating surface of the I stopped her engines, and allowed her to drill up Stern boiler, otherwise rapid corrosion will take place, and the permanence of this I    to Weird th.6 B&r. It is stcltcd tllcit 116 kept ills

scale, which may not be thicker than a visiting card, must be carefully , .    ₊ Rolf -miriritp intervals Fortv-OUe

guarded. In steamships the scale is obtained and maintained by filling up I whistles going at nail-minute lllte •    J

'the boilers to begin with with sea water, and making up for waste at the minutes after the engines had been Stopped tne sound OI safety valves, Ac., from the sea.    j another steamer’s whistle was beard, and immediately

struck on the star-

Vortex.

STRAINS IN ARCHES.

(To the Editor of The Engineer.)

—TtsssffUSi    I    -S'nUit'i

I shall be glad if any of your readers conversant witn tne calculation oi i The first point worth notice is that the case of the^ sj“P> strains in arches will say whether the above formula is a reliable one or after she began to leak, was hopeless. .Nothing COUld De not. Is there an easier or better method of finding the thrust at the d tO keep ker afl₀at. But, nevertheless, unaided as she

™ by »»y distance from her crew, she did not founder it by the vertical distance from springing to crown ?    Arches. for aj)(nlt twenty minutes. Now even the Sinking ot

January 8th.    - ships is effected according to rule and law by Nature.

SUBSCRIPTIONS.    Not one pound of water less than a certain quantity would

The Engineer can be had, by order, from any newsagent in town or country kave sunk the City of Brussels, and the rate at which this at the various railway stations; or it can, if preferred, be supplied direct .    ,    • t j    g £xed by immutable rule. The

from the office on the following terms (paid m advance).—    I,.,    ?₇₎    ,    odnk l    JLa /,off q.V    Tlpr

Half-yearly (including double numbers)......£0    14s.    6d.    City    of Brussels was 390ft. long, and 40tt. 3m. beam.    H er

Yearly (including two double numbers) ..    . .    •• £1    9«-    od.    p-ross tonnage was 3774; her net tonnage, 2434.    Her

Cloth cases for binding The Engineer Volume, price 2s. 6d. each.    a space capable of holding, say, 800 tons OI water, tohe

A complete set of The Engineer can be had on application.    kad    a valuable cargo on board, but not, we fancy, a    heavy

Foreign Subscriptions for Thin Paper Copies will, until further    notice, be ona    Jf we say that her margin of floatation was equiva-

receivedat'.the rates given below—Foreign    lent to 1800 tons or SO, we shall not, we think, be far short

Subscriptions 'sent by '‘posJoffi.ee order must be accompanied by letter o/ ₀f the mark. To sink her she must therefore have taken advice to the Publisher. Thick Paper Copies may be had, if vref erred, at ₁₈qq tong Qf water on board. It is quite certain that some

jjZZncerbT'Post-office Order. - Australia, Belgium Brazil^ British obstacle intervened to prevent the water from finding its Columbia, British Guiana, Canada, Cape of Good Hope, Denmark, way through the whole ship at once, because it a hole gg?‘iS5.k*Sit. wide bad been knocked in her aide assuming it to Portugal, Roumania, Switzerland, Tasmania, Turkey, United States, be only 4ft. deep below the surface, she would have West Coast of Africa, West Indies, Cyprus, £1 16s. China, Japan, taken jQ en0Ugh water to sink her in less than five

RMU%.wby⁶mi in London.—Austria, Buenos Ayres and Algeria, minutes the head rapidly augmenting as her bows Greece. Ionian Islands, Norway, Panama, Peru, Russia, Spam, Sweden, sank. The ship was, however, divided by watertight Chili, £116s. Borneo, Ceylon, Java, and Singapore, £2 0s. 6d. ManilIa> compartments, and probably a single compartment Mauritius, Sandwich isles, £2rapidly filled, and this having been done, her head

* * The charge for Advertisements of four lines and under is three shillings; was SO far pulled down that water found its way Over the * for every two lines afterwards one shilling and sixpence; odd lines are ueck wbich the bulkhead extended, and thence ran aft.

charged one shilling. The line averages seven words When an advertise-\    y    t down bv the head- and it is

ment measures an inch or more the charge is ten shillings per inch. All Ihe Ship, however, went down Dy tne neau , aiiu it single Advertisements from the country must be accompanied by a post-office I ppteworthy that she remained afloat until the water order in payment. Alternate advertisements will be inserted with all cked y.pe bridge. The City of Brussels had nine bulk-

heads and seven watertight compartments; and it is said Advertisements cannot be inserted unless Delivered before Six that the reason why she foundered was that the Kirby o’clock on Thursday Evening in each Week.    struck her just at the end of a bulkhead, and so

“rStuf, SSXlf Sa knocked two compartments into one This is, however, other letters to be addressed to the Editor of The Engineer, 163, Strand. to a large extent, pure conjecture ; and even ll It IS true,

"    then the circumstance supplies another argument in favour

MEETINGS NEXT WEEK.    of so constructing bulkheads that two compartments cannot

The Institution of Civil Engineers.—Tuesday, Jan. 16th, at 8 p.m.: be knocked into one. How this is to be done we explained Paper tobe pe^jrHhanew todiscussion, “The Antwerp Waterworks, | fuJly ^ The Engineer for June 14th, 1878, page 416. Be ¹ becoming

a more

are

engineers are gradually diminishing in number. The change has our approval, because we see in it the first operation of a policy which we have long advocated. The facts are very plain and simple. Successive Governments have been impressed with the idea that men in charge of machinery in her Majesty’s ships should receive a technical education of a very high type. But the truth is that this theory is completely erroneous. The men who design machinery and superintend its construction do need such an education, but the men who have charge of it do not. They require a totally different, aud not less important training. A knowledge of German, and more or less profound acquaintance with higher mathematics, will not in any way help a man to cool a hot bearing, pack a gland, or mend a burst feed pipe. Those in charge of machinery at sea should be versed in the broad principles of mechanics; they should be able to read a diagram; to make a fair drawing, and competent to do, or superintend the doing, of repairs. Hitherto it has been found quite impossible to produce in a regular way a good engine-driver, and an educated scientific engineer, in one. There are such men, it is true, but they are quite exceptional. As a rule, the scientific young man has a soul above engine-driving, with its dirt and its drudgery, and we are not surprised. He is too intellectual for his work. The Admiralty found this out some time since; and so, while they give engineers the education of gentlemen, they employ engine-room artificers to do the work. In other words, engineers in the Navy are professional men, and engine-room artificers learn and practise a trade. It requires no extreme perspicacity to see that the engine-room artificers have quietly stepped into the places filled at one time by engineers, and that the new type of engineer—the product of the Training Colleges at Greenwich and Portsmouth—is an addition, not a substitution. It was complained that the old type of engineer was not a gentleman, and this was quite true, with, be it understood, certain exceptions. Then it was expected that gentlemen would do the necessary work, but it was found that they would not, and so the old type engineer still finds his place in our Navy, and the new type is, as we have said, something thrown in. The truth is, that the engine-room artificer is the right man in the right place, and the highly-trained engineer is not. Plain speaking is best in this matter for all parties; and we assert that there is not sufficient scope to be found on board a man-of-war for the display of talent, or even of ability, of a high order. The work to be done is simply engine driving when a ship is running, or engine watching when she is out of commission. There is in all this nothing which can make any demand on the higher intellectual powers; and if there were a compliance with the demand would bring no return. Engineers bave no chance of distinguishing themselves in action. They have no chance of doing anything, in fact, in the way of making use of a somewhat expensive education. The artificers do the work and the engineers look on; and very wearisome and irksome work this same looking on must be to young men of brains and abilities.

That the Admiralty begin to see matters in their true light is, we think, evident. The pay of artificers is to be improved. A chief artificer will get 7s. 6d. a day, and there are besides pensions and ether advantages which will really make him better off than were his predecessors, the engineers, of whom but few are now to be found in the Navy. The number of artificers employed has been steadily increasing, while that of engineers has been diminishing, and in this way we are, it would seem, gradually getting nearer the complete adoption of the system we have long advocated—namely, the employment of one superintending engineer in each ship, having under him a staff of engine-room artificers, with their foreman, or leading hand. If we take a large vessel, say a ship of 8000-horse power, with twin screws, the engine-room staff might be composed of one chief engineer, one assistant-engineer, and about twenty engine-room artificers, which would allow four men on watch at a time in each engine-room, and four men over. The artificers would have different ranks, according to pay and seniority; but they would be of an entirely different grade from the engineer and assistant-engineer. Both these gentlemen would really be professional men of high training; and the pay of a chief should not be less than £1 10s. per day, with certain extras while on foreign service, &c. In smaller ships but one engineer would be carried, save in time of war, when extra force would be required in the engine-room. In yet smaller ships an assistant-engineer only might be carried. These assistant-engineers would be young men passed into the ships after a good training both at college and in the workshop. Not that they would be subsequently called to work with their hands, but that, knowing how to do a thing themselves, they could see that it was properly done by others. In short, the training for engineers in the Navy would be just of that kind which is now given in the works of mechanical engineers to what are known as articled pupils, with this difference, that the naval engineer would also receive what the articled pupil does not—namely, a sound technical education.

The number of engineers needed if this scheme were carried out would not be large. The pay might, accordingly, be high, and the services of really first-rate men would be secured ; the work would be done in all respects as well as it could be done; promotion would be at least as rapid as it is now, and there would be far less grumbling and dissatisfaction than now exists. The engine-room artificers are, on the whole, an admirable body of men, and the engineer students now being turned out are in a very full sense of the word officers and gentlemen. They are highly educated, well-mannered young men, an ornament to the service; but they are out of place in an engine-room, whether the ship is under steam or lying in dock. In plain English, they are a great deal too good for their work in one sense, too bad for it in another. After a time it will be understood that a steam engine does not know whether it is in a Government ship or in that of a private firm; steam is above Admiralty regulations, and the class of men and the system of management which does best in the mercantile marine is just that which ought to do best in the Navy. There are, of course, differences, and as the repairs to be done are not effected in the same way in the two services, there must be a difference. JBut after all is said, the chief engineer of a great Transatlantic passenger ship holds very much the position which we would assign to the chief engineer of one of her Majesty’s ships of war. It is to be hoped that the A dmiralty, having begun to reduce the number of engineers, will continue the work. It is, we may add, to be regretted that the addition they have made to the pay of engineers in the Navy is so small. Twelve shillings a day, or £219 a year, is a poor reward for long service and an expensive education. As much can be earned by men with far less knowledge and possibly shorter service. Engineers in large steamers get as much as £30 a month, and a first-class table is kept for them, and while at sea they have literally no expenses, save what they think proper to incur. Even in comparatively small ships a chief engineer’s pay and his mess together represent much more than he could hope to earn in the Navy; and it must not be forgotten that Mr. Trevelyan’s changes do not apply at all to chief engineers in the Navy. Engineers may take what they have got as an instalment, and be thankful; but the whole system of providing engineers for men-of-war is manifestly in a transition state, and some time must elapse before it can be regarded as quite satisfactory.

CONTINUOUS BRAKES IN FRANCE.

The French Minister of Public Works, M. Ch. Herisson, has taken a very singular step. He has issued a circular to the French Railway Companies, dated the 7th of last December, in which he actually recommends the adoption of a special form of continuous brake. For a long time past the French Government has, like our own, urged on the railway companies the adoption of continuous brakes, but we need hardly say that the companies have been hitherto left entirely to themselves to choose whatever brakes they like. Now, it so happens that in France the railway companies will, as a rule, do nothing to make themselves specially agreeable to other companies. In fact, the adoption of any mechanical device by one company is enough to prevent any other from using it; and it has been pointed out, half in jest, half in earnest, that this jealousy is carried to such an extreme that the Paris, Lyons, and Mediterranean, Eastern, and other railways, each uses even nails of a particular pattern. In the search for a continuous brake, the first-mentioned line adopted the Smith-Hardy vacuum brake, the Chemin de Fer l’Ouest took the Westinghouse brake, and so did the Midi and the Ceinture lines. The Eastern Company to gain time kept on experimenting with the Achard electrical brake, without achieving anything. The Lyons Company put the Westinghouse brake on the Montargis line, and the Smith brake on the Montereau line. Meanwhile the locomotive superintendent of the line, M. Wenger, began experimenting with what was known as the Marte brake. This, now known as the Wenger brake, is worked by compressed air, and appears to be a very defective modification of the Westinghouse brake, the sole merit which it appears to possess being that coaches fitted with it can be run in trains fitted with the Westinghouse brake. Why the companies should hunt about for other brakes when they had one ready to their hands, the merits of which have been fully demonstrated by successful working, cannot be explained; unless, indeed, it arises from the dislike, to which we have already referred, manifested by every company to use anything used by another company. Under all the circumstances it is clear that the only proper course for M. Herisson to adopt was simply to insist on the adoption of a continuous brake, which should be efficient, without recommending any particular brake, but in his circular of the 7th ult., he actually recommends the adoption of the Wenger brake. This may appear so incredible that we prefer to give M. Herisson’s own words. After referring to the delay in fitting continuous brakes, his circular goes on : “ J’ai recherche la cause de ces retards. Elle ne rbside pas, avant tout, dans la multiplicity des types soumis a des essais. La veritd est aussi que plusieurs compagnies ont donne la prdfer-enceau frein americain Westinghouse, mais que ce constructeur, apres s’otre charge de livraisons considerables, parait impuissant a les effectuer en temps utile. C’est sans doute une des raisons qui ont determine l’administration des chemins de fer de l’Etat et la compagnie d’Orleans a s’adresser, dans une certaine mesure, au systeme Wenger. Sur l’invitation de cette compagnie, j’ai assists, le 22 Novembre dernier, a des expyriences comparative du frein americain et du frein frangais bases l’un et l’autre sur l’emploi de l’air comprime. Ce dernier, sur lequel le comity de l’exploitation technique s’est dejh prononce favorablement, est continu et automatique. D’apres M. l’ingynieur en chef du materiel et de la traction de la compagnie d’Orloans, dont la competence est indiscutable, il aurait l’avantage d’etre simple, robuste et d’un entretien facile. II peut enfin s’accoupler avec le frein Westinghouse et fonctionner de concert, de telle sorte que les compagnies ddjk pourvues d’un certain nombre de freins amcrieains pourraient a l’ooccasion, sans renoncer & ces derniers, completer leur outillage avec le systeme francais.” We may add that this circular has excited a good deal of feeling in France, and popular opinion has not been strengthened in M. Hyrisson’s favour by the circumstance that, by a decree of the 28th December, M. Wenger has, upon the recommendation of M. Hdrisson, been made a chevalier of the Legion of Honour “ for remarkable services rendered in connection with the rolling stock of railways.”

st. james’s park. .

There is nothing of which Londoners are more justly proud than of the parks which constitute the so-called “ lungs ” of this great city, and we are far from wishing for any alterations affecting these which should in the least militate against their use as elegant adornments and healthful resorts for the metropolis. But, while so desirous, it i3 undoubted that their great extent, and the necessity for excluding from them traffic of a miscellaneous character, greatly interfere with ready access between certain districts. Where such interference can be avoided it appears desirable that the department charged with the care of our parks should take every possible step to increase public convenience. The closing of the park gates after a certain hour is a measure the necessity for which no one will dispute ; but there is one thoroughfare at least, the inclusion of which in this rule gives rise to great inconvenience. We allude to that largely used footway through St. James’s Park crossing the suspension bridge over the ornamental water. Since the establishment of the St. James’s Park station of the District Railway this footpath has become the highway followed by thousands of residents along the line of the railway to reach the neighbourhood of St. James’-street; and it is a complaint made by the numerous class who use our London clubs, which are chiefly situated in that vicinity, that the thoroughfare above alluded to is closed to them

at a comparatively early hour. Not alone to them, but to many others, dwellers in the neighbourhood of Victoria-street, Queen Anne’s Mansions, &c., is this stoppage a most inconvenient obstacle. Much has been done of late years to improve the footpaths along and about the Mall; but the road we have stated to be so largely used is still only laid with gravel of so clayey a composition that the least rain turns it into a sea of mud. A comparatively small outlay would suffice for laying down an asphalte pavement of about 12ft. in width. Approximately, the total distance to be so laid would be about 300 yards, and, at current rates, we should say the work we desire could be done for about £350, inclusive of the required curbing, an expenditure which certainly the large use made of this thoroughfare would fully justify. Then as to the question of including it in the “ early closing movement,” it seems to us that the safety of the park and the insurance of its proper use at all hours could be attained by the substitution of ornamental non-climbable railings for the present low ordinary iron fence. These need in no degree interfere with the proper view of the adjacent lawns and gardens by passers-by. Ingress to the off-paths could be stopped at night by gates of corresponding design, and thus season ticket-holders to the St. James’s Park Station and others whom business or pleasure call to its neighbourhood would no longer, as at present, be forced to a long detour to reach either the Charing-cross or Victoria Stations of the District Railway. The granting of such a boon would be largely and widely appreciated, and, in comparison with the benefits it would secure, the outlay necessary would be but small. It is manifestly the duty of the authorities to minimise the inconveniences inseparable from the maintenance of large reserves of land for pleasure and health purposes in the midst of a population, and we trust the suggestion we have thrown out will be considered in the proper quarter.

STEAM SHIPPING PROSPECTS.

The importance of the shipbuilding industries to the engineering trades gives interest to the question of what effect the comparatively low rate of freights that prevails will have upon shipbuilding, which for above eighteen months has been exceedingly brisk. It may be taken for granted that freights are on a lower range than they were a few years ago, and that the tendency is to decrease as the tonnage of the merchant navy increases. But those who take a pessimist view of matters forget that, concurrently with the decrease in the rate of freights, there is a decrease in the cost of the production of vessels. Ten years ago, or even before high prices ruled, the cost of ship plates—iron plates—■ was about £11 per ton, now, in the same producing centre they are obtainable at £6 10s.; and ship angles have fallen in a similar proportion. When the largeness of the tonnage of iron used in vessels is borne in mind, it will be seen that the cost of production is very materially reduced, and thus that, other things being equal, lower freights will pay the same dividend; and there is also to be remembered that these lower freights tend to materially increase the trade across the seas, and that whilst on the one hand lower freights do not diminish the earning power of a vessel owing to its lesser cost, yet they do increase the work of the steamship; and there is a further benefit from the low prices of the vessels—this country is better enabled to compete with foreigners in the cargo carrying trades, for the effect of the bounties that some of them impose is to increase the first cost of the vessels. On the other hand, it cannot be said that the cost of working our vessels is being reduced so rapidly as it ought to be when the large additions to the labour-saving appliances on board is borne in mind, and it may be that the low freights that prevail will stimulate owners in this direction to revise the rate of costs. Eras of low prices and low rates are usually favourable to economical working, and there is room in the working of our steamers for more of this. But looking at the question broadly, although the tonnage built is now so large, yet with losses of iron vessels which increase in number yearly with the increase in the total of our steam merchant marine, and looking at the fact that we have yearly to do a share of the trade of the world that is increasing and that must for some time increase, because other nations are building fewer steamers —there seems ground for the belief that the era of great activity in our shipbuilding yards is not likely to pass away soon; and this conclusion is apart from the question whether the Americ may take steps to increase their merchant navy. If they do, it will, in the first instance, benefit us; if they do not, as their trade grows so will the demand that they make on our carrying vessels. Our shipyards may not, perhaps, keep at the present high pressure in regard to steamship building; but there grounds for the belief that for some time to come there will be continued activity in them, and that activity is necessarily reflected upon the marine engine works of the country, and that in an increasing degree, because of the fact that not only do new vessels need engines, but that the old ships need renewals of engines from time to time.

STEAM HEATING IN NEW YORK.

In our last impression we mentioned that the advantages of a public system of heating towns by steam were not altogether unalloyed. Beside the continual breaking up of the streets to make good leaky joints, the obstruction of traffic, and the heating of the water in town supply mains, the supply is not altogether unattended with dangers, and judging from a report in an edition of the New York Evening Telegram which has reached us this week, some of the streets of New York promise to afford recreation for those of a sporting turn of mind who like amusement spiced with a certain amount of danger. The heading of the report referred to runs thus:    “ Exploding Steam

Pipes ; the Paving Stones and Dirt thrown a Hundred Feet; Passers-by Covered with Mud,” and so on. A policeman on duty thus describes what took place on the 18th ult. at the corner of John and Nassau-streets:—“I noticed that steam was oozing from the pavement, and I about to make a closer examination of the place when the pavement was lifted 3ft. or 4ft. and thrown to all sides. I jumped away as quickly as I could, but I did not escape a good drenching with hot water and filth. A truckman had just driven past the place. He and his team and wagon had a narrow escape from serious injury. As it was he got a full dose of charcoal and lampblack. The steam and hot water soaked the black stuff into a tarry sort of paste. I think at least fifty people who were in the vicinity had their clothing completely besmeared. Many of them received bruises from flying pieces of mortar and stone, but I think no person was seriously injured.” The pipes which have become thus distinguished belong to the American Steam Heating and Power Company, and had just been attended to, the paviors having only a short time left the spot. Shop fronts were damaged and covered with mud and other materials above-mentioned. The fact that these escapes and explosions have been frequent does not necessarily prove that a general steam supply is bad in principle, but they certainly show that the pipe fitting needs to be well done, and that American pipe-

and thus made to contain

area,

as many vessels as the Kantara siding. The curve at the north of El Guise is to be widened from 42 metres to 71J metres, and other curves are to be similarly treated to facilitate navigation. At Port Tewfik the siding accommodation is to be greatly enlarged, and the floating dock at the same place to be deepened. By these improvements, the execution of which is to extend over several years, the estimated traffic capacity will, it is expected, be doubled or increased to 10 million tons. When the traffic reaches this the committee propose to take into consideration the idea, not the proposal they say, of constructing a second canal parallel with that existing, so as to make up and down lines of traffic. If the English scheme for the Alexandria Canal is carried, there will soon be a lot of work going on in this part of Egypt.

nearer

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v² r²

^    2 g R² —v² r

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This

Oliver J. Lodge.

with

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fitting designers and pipe fitters might in this matter at least learn a little from the old-fashioned people on this side of the ferry.

THE SUEZ CANAL.

The Works Committee of the Suez Canal Company has now decided upon the expenditure of about £920,000 on improving the canal and its dock accommodation. The first improvement consists in the construction of a siding or resting and passing place 500 metres in length and 25 metres in width along the sheltered slope northward from the QuaiEugdnie, and the second is the construction of a new dock at Port Said, on the African bank of the canal and south of the Ismail dock. It is to be 750 metres long and 200 metres in width. The widening of the canal where it crosses the Bitter Lake, between Suez and the 152nd kilometre station, already commenced, is to be pushed on to completion, so that the width will be 40 instead of 22 metres. The siding at Kantara is to be increased from 1000 to 4000 metres in length, while that at the 153rd kilometre is to be increased from 700 to 2000 metres in length, and increased from 26 metres on both sides, measuring from the centre of the canal, to 40 metres on each side The station at Lake Tamsah is to be doubled in

LITERATURE.

Gold: its Occurrence and Extraction. By Alfred G. Lock.

8vo., pp. 1229. London : E. and F. N. Spon. 1882.

In this portly volume the author has gathered together an enormous mass of information concerning the occurrence and distribution of gold-bearing deposits, and the methods employed in extracting the precious metal in different parts of the world. The matter is classified into seven chapters, the first four dealing with geographical distribution and mode of occurrence, the latter under the divisions of geological occurrence and mineralogical association, shallow places and live rivers, and deep leads or dead rivers; while the three remaining chapters are devoted to hydraulic mining, the working of auriferous vein stuff, and the treatment of auriferous ores. In the first chapter, that on geographical distribution, a strictly alphabetical arrangement is adopted, which has the effect of putting one of the least important areas, namely, Africa, into the foremost place; and in the section on Australasia, New Zealand is sandwiched in between New South Wales and Queensland, and Tasmania and Timor between South Australia and Victoria, thus doing away with any proper geographical treatment of the subject as a whole. In the same way, New York and New Mexico, Ohio and Oregon, Pennsylvania and Utah, alternate in the most bewildering manner. The section on Asia contains a long and well-digested account of the progress of alluvial gold working in Asiatic Russia, apparently derived from some official source, which, however, is not stated. There is also much valuable information on the alluvial deposits of New Zealand; but being mainly made up of extracts from reports, the story is not so well connected as in the Siberian section. Some of the author’s geographical notions are, to say the least, decidedly peculiarly, especially in regard to mountain chains; thus “ what may be called the Pacific coast range includes the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, and the Black Hills of Dakotah,” and, home, the Hohen Tauern is placed in Bohemia.

The technological chapters contain descriptions and examples of the various methods of working alluvial deposits by sluicing and hydraulic jets, among which the New Zealand beach box, a portable surface amalgamator and blanket frame, used in washing auriferous sands upon the sea beach, the richer gold-bearing stuff being thrown up by the sea during heavy storms in the same way as tin ore is got upon the beaches of the north of Cornwall after a north-westerly gale. Another New Zealand speciality is the so-called fly-catching table, which is a large blanket table placed across the stream, bringing down the waste from alluvial washings higher up the valley.

The chapter on auriferous vein stuff is mainly devoted to the considerations of stamps and machinery for the treatment of tailings, such as amalgamators, blanket strakes, &c., the illustrations being mainly familiar friends taken from Hague, Eggleston, and other writers, and in almost all cases without acknowledgment. There are also notices of certain new forms, such as the elephant and recoil stamps, and Howland’s and Jordan’s pulverisers. As most of these are only experimental machines, it seems strange that the author has made no mention of the Broyeur Yapart, which has achieved a certain practical success. The Dingey Mill and its modifications are at least equally worthy of notice with the Howland.

Under the head of auriferous ores the various processes of calcination and chlorination are noticed, the latter being described in detail as practised at Sandhurst, Victoria, an account which is exceedingly interesting, but is very inadequately illustrated, the two sketches given being so small as to be unintelligible, and no scale is given, the latter defect being in common with nearly all the illustrations of plant and machinery in the book. In this section of the book the chlorine process is spoken of as Pliittner’s, while in the chapter on gold in Germany it is attributed to Guttler, of Reichenstein, the real fact being that Pliittner invented the process for the use of Guttler’s arsenic works some thirty or forty years since.

There is no notice of the methods of treating auriferous lead ores by fusion, unless a statement that “ the ore of the Richmond mine is put into a blast furnace and the lead out carrying the silver and gold,” may be considered as such; and the whole subject of parting is dismissed in

about twenty lines, while two pages are devoted to an account of some experiments made in Hungary upon the treatment of ores containing tellurium, which are not known to have produced any practical result. There is no notice of the methods of parting auriferous copper, which is now of some importance.

Taken as a whole, the work bears witness to great industry and extensive reading on the part of the author, and the collection of such a large quantity of material, even although very little attempt has been made in the direction of editing, will render it of value to those who may be to some extent familiar with the subject; but it cannot be considered as a substitute for already existing systematic treatises, such as that of Phillips. The value for reference would have been greatly enhanced if the indications of the original sources of information had been given at the foot of the page in the usual way, an omission that is but imperfectly supplied by the bibliography at the end.

THE LAWS OF PROJECTILE MOTION IN YACUO.

Bv Professor Oliver J. Lodge.

It would be a pity if Mr. Dare’s question of the 29th December concerning the elementary theory of projectiles in vacuo should remain incompletely answered, especially as the matter is so generally and loosely referred to in popular books that many persons experience a similar difficulty about it. The question relates to the possibility of firing a ball round the earth in an orbit for ever; the retardation of the air being, of course, supposed absent.

And first of all everything suggesting a straight path to begin with, and then a circular path—see Fig. on p. 480, last vol.—is wrong and misleading, as also is everything suggesting a limit to the action of gravity. There is no discontinuity in the path, and the path is a simple and accurate ellipse, passing through the point of projection, with the earth’s centre as one focus. The position of the other focus depends on the magnitude and direction of the initial velocity, and on g. The ellipse may be circular, as a special case.

This is true whether the initial velocity be great or small, whether the direction of projection be vertical or horizontal or inclined, and whether the range of the projectile before it strikes the earth be measured in feet or in miles, or in thousands of miles. But it is pretty obvious that to get the projectile to clear the whole bulk of the earth, and to sail completely round it, is a ticklish matter requiring nice adjustment, no matter how high the possible projection velocity; and if the point of projection be on the earth’s surface it is simply impossible to miss the earth except by exactly horizontal projection, and even then the shot on its return journey will come tearing and grazing along the surface to get to the point of projection again. The annual motion of the earth need not be taken into account, but its diurnal rotation must, in estimating the initial velocity.

Observe that the centre of the earth is the centre of force round which the shot is revolving—not in a circle, but in an ellipse, as the planets revolve round the sun— and that the bulk of the earth is to be regarded as a gratuitous obstruction or target placed in the natural orbit of the projectile; a target also which differs from ordinary targets in being hard to miss.

It is easy to find the second focus of the elliptical path if the initial velocity is given, and then the path can be drawn, and the conditions determined as to whether the shot shall miss the earth or where it shall hit it. The position of the second focus is given by the following rules:—

(1)    The distance of the second focus from the point of projection is equal to the greatest height the shot would have attained if it had been fired vertically upwards, which is

for ordinarily possible velocities of projection.

(2)    The angle which a line joining the second focus to the point of projection makes with an upward vertical is double the angle which the direction of projection makes with the same vertical.

These two conditions fix the position of the second focus, and then with two pins and a bit of string in the ordinary way the ellipse can be drawn, passing through the point of projection, and having the above point and the centre of the earth E as its two foci. Having drawn this, the largest circle that can be drawn inside the ellipse with E as centre is the biggest bulk of earth that will not be struck by the given projectile.

PF = /i EP = r EA = R

Note this, however, that if a shot is fired from the earth at any point it must graze the earth at this point in all its subsequent revolutions, no matter what its initial velocity was; and hence the origin of the planets cannot have been a projectile one. The nebular hypothesis may be valid, but the old projectile notion is a certainly false one. The moon may have slowly separated itself from the earth by reason of tidal deformation and viscosity, as Mr. G. H. Darwin and Dr. Ball suppose; but it cannot have been shot out volcanically into its present orbit.

Consider a shot lired horizontally from a point P at a distance r from the centre of the earth E with an initial velocity v. The greatest height it could attain if fired vertically upwards is— where R is the radius of the earth and g the intensity of gravity at its surface. The second focus of the orbit in this case must—by rules 1 and 2—lie at this distance directly below P; let it be F. E and F are the foci, and the orbit can now be drawn, viz., P Q. Now, in order that the earth may not be struck by the shot, it is necessary that h shall be greater than the radius of the earth, as is obvious from the figure, where h = P F = E Q, and where E Q must exceed the radius of the earth if the shot is to clear it.

It is pretty obvious that the supposed case of horizontal projection is more likely to clear the earth than any other, since it gives a symmetrical orbit; so, therefore, the least sufficient initial velocity in the most general case is given by putting h — It in the above equation, and is—

2,? R

r (R + r)

Putting r — R = 60 miles or so, we find the least speed a meteor can have at that height above the surface of the earth, in order that it may avoid striking the earth. It is about 26,000ft., or five miles a second. If it is going slower than this, it cannot escape being drawn in; if much faster, it may revolve round the earth for a long time. In order that it may go in a circle, F must coincide with E, or

h must equal r, whence V must equal    (g —-

is nearly the case of the moon.

At the distance of the moon r = 60 R, so the minimum sufficient velocity there is T'-f of that necessary near the surface of the earth, being 620ft. a second. If the moon were to slacken to this pace it would begin just to graze the earth at one point of its orbit; but its actual velocity is about 5lr times as great as this, so it gets round the earth with a good margin—240,000 miles or so—to spare.

If P is a point close to the surface of the earth—so that r = R—it is plain that the earth will be struck unless F is below E ; a case represented by turning the figure upside down, and regarding Q as the point of projection instead of P. If F coincides with E, we have the limiting case when the projectile would just graze the surface of the earth all the way round. The velocity necessary thus to carry the shot just round the earth, if fired from a point anywhere near its surface, is \J (g R), or a trifle over five miles a second; no smaller velocity than this is sufficient. It would get completely round in less than an hour and a-half.

"University College,

Liverpool, Jan. 6th, 1883.

COPLEY’S COMPOUND LAUNCH ENGINES.

We publish this week a supplement illustrating the compound engines of the Venus and the Southern Cross, constructed by Messrs. I. Copley and Co., Middlesbrough. These engines are compound surface condensing, working at a pressure of 85 lb. The high-pressure cylinder is lOin. diameter, low-pressure 18in., and the stroke 12in. The air pump is a solid brass casting, single-acting, 9in. diameter and 8|in. stroke; the circulating pump is double-acting, 5gin. diameter and 8Jin. stroke, and both are worked by lexers from the crosshead of the high-pressure engine. The crank shaft is forged out of a bloom of Bolckow, Vaughan, and Co.’s Cleveland steel, and the cranks, which are at right angles, are balanced. The steam chests are placed outside to make them more accessible, and the exhaust from the high-pressure engine to the low-pressure steam chest is carried through a copper pipe 5in. diameter. The low-pressure engine exhausts direct through the standard supporting it into the condenser. The tube plates are of brass, and the tubes are secured by Horn’s patent wood ferules. The diameter of tubes is fin., number 200, and length 5ft. The feed and bilge pumps are worked off pins in the air pump levers, and are solid brass castings, with ball valves, and are fixed against the front of the condenser. Starting valves of simple construction are fitted to both engines. The boiler is the multitubular marine type, constructed entirely of steel of the Landore make, and the ends are flanged both to the shell and furnaces. The furnaces are two in number, 25in. diameter; number of tubes 64, diameter 3in., and inclination H to the foot. The test pressure of boiler was 180 lb. The first pair of these engines were fitted to the Venus yacht, the property of Mr. John Bell, of Rushpool, and have worked for the last three seasons with extremely satisfactory results. Steam at 85 lb. pressure is maintained with the utmost ease and with the barometer at 30, a vacuum of 28|in.; revolutions, 152, propeller 6‘0 diameter, and 6'6 pitch ; speed, 9 nautical mile hour; consumption, 24J tons for 2000 miles, or at the rate of 82 miles per ton consumed. The Venus is 90ft. long, and 16ft. beam; draught aft, 9ft.; area of immersed midship section, 78 square feet. The Venus, from her great draught, being intended for sailing as well as steaming, is a much heavier boat to drive than the ordinary class of lightly rigged steam yachts. Another pair of these engines has recently been sent out to Durban, in South Africa, for the yacht Southern Cross, which has been built out there. The weight of these engines and boilers, including connections, pipes, shafting, steam tubes, propeller, stokehole plates, and, in fact, everything but water, is 12 tons 4 cwt.

Steel Casting.—We stated last week that “ the only firms producing steel castings in the strict sense of the word are Messrs. Jessop,- Spencer, and the Steel Company of Scotland. All the others manipulate the steel in some way after it has been cast.” We should have added the name of Hadfield’s Steel Foundry Company, Sheffield, a firm the reputation of which stands extremely high in the production of steel castings in the strictest sense of the word.

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purpose, consists in the machine being adapted for drilling holes at any point within a circle of 20ft. diameter, and at any height from the floor, limited only by the capacity of the erecting shop. The driving is so arranged as to leave the floor space, with the exception of the footstep, quite clear for the erection of

machinery, this result being obtained by driving from the top of the pillar by means of radial spur-wheel gearing. The radial arm, which is of great rigidity, has a maximum radius of spindle of 10ft., and is carried upon a strong central column, upon which it can be readily raised or lowered by power to any required position. This column, which carries also the vertical driving shafts and elevating screws for the radial arm, turns upon a footstep having a circular slot and bolts for fixing the arm in any position. The driving cones, gearing, &c., are carried within

the framing of the radial arm, forming a compact self-contained venient motion for traversing the saddle along the arm by means driving apparatus. The saddle on the radial arm is fitted with of a hand-wheel placed on the saddle within easy access of the the usual hand-feed and self-acting motions, and also with a con- workmen.

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greater improvements bee* made than in drilling machines which now perform work undreamed of by the last generation of engineers. A good example of the modern drilling machine is supplied by the accompanying illustration, which represents an improved radial drilling machine recently constructed by Messrs. Kendal and Gent, of Manchester, for Messrs. W. and J. Galloway’s Knott Mill Engineering Works, Manchester, which is constructed with an elevating arm having a 10ft. radius, has been specially designed for drilling and boring in connection with work upon heavy machinery, which in course of erection would be difficult to move about for this The chief feature

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The steamer Moreton, belonging to Messrs. W. Howard Smith and Sons, of London and Melbourne, built by Messrs. Walker, of Deptford, for Australian trade, with engine and boiler, by Messrs.

James Watt and Co., has her boiler fitted with Mr. Livet’s patent furnaces and Wery’s atmospheric funnel, as illustrated by the accompanying engravings.

The Moreton is 180ft. in length,

27ft. in moulded beam, and 8ft. 9in. draught. Her engines are of the ordinary compound type, with surface condensers and cylinders, high-pressure 23in., and low-pressure 40in. respectively, with a stroke of 2ft. 6in.

These give an indicated horsepower of 400, working on the average at about 370. The boiler is very small, its main dimensions being 10ft. 5in. by 9ft.

10-1 in. The steam chest is 7ft. by 2ft.; the diameter of the two furnace tubes is 3ft. 2in.; the area of grates, 42 square feet; and total heating surface, 1330 square feet. The fire-bars have a heating surface of 600 square feet.

3ft. 6in. diameter, and the spiral 6ft. high. In our engraving A A are the inlets for admitting cold air into the jacket through apertures in the coaming. B B is the air space between the jacket and the funnel. C C are the spiral grooves of Wery’s patent funnel, as described in our impression of the 29th September last. Owing to the haste with which the ship was taken out of dock, the trials Messrs.

Livet and Co. expected did not take place. On the trial trip to Cardiff the consumption of fuel was to 6 tons per day, the coal — which consisted almost entirely of slack and was very dirty—being weighed for periods of twelve hours. The average number of revolutions was 84, average steam pressure 75 lb., and the vacuum about 28in. We have no diagrams taken during the trial, but these figures indicate that the consumption of fuel was much lower per indicated horse power per hour than is usual. Although the coal, N orth-country, was of a dirty, smoky kind, no smoke came from the funnel, even at the time of stoking, except when the fires this country for marine purposes, and it is considered that the results are extremely successful considering the small size of the boiler. Messrs. Livet and Co. are fitting a boiler with their appliances for the London Steamboat Company, and are in treaty with several other large steamship owners. Since the Moreton left London, a set of common fire-bars, instead of Livet’s, tried in the furnaces, with the result in favour of Livet’s arrangement of saving about 1 ton of coal out of every 7 tons used.

NABHOLZ’S IMPROVED FRICTIONAL RIVETTER.

In The Engineer dated 9th September, 1881, this rivetter was described; but as at that period no practical results had been known of its behaviour, we now bring the machine again before our readers in its recent and slightly modified form. The old machine has been at work daily under the inventor’s superintendence, and it has given every satisfaction; so much so that one of these machines was supplied to Woolwich Arsenal for the closing and rivetting up of torpedo shells. The first described machine has put in, in an hour, as many as 480 fin. dia. rivets into plain girders, the work being all ready drifted and prepared, so as to have no other impediments but to take bolts out and turn the work. This is equal to a daily output during nine hours of, say, 4320 rivets, being attended to by one skilled rivetter, two strong lads of seventeen years, and two small boys of thirteen years. The old machine, although working well and giving no trouble with regard to repairs or wearing out of the friction gear, had three great disadvantages—one is that tile gearing is below the ground, and that all dirt and slag from rivets will get amongst the friction gear; the second consists in the fact that the fly-wheel is greatly in the road when rivet-ting up boilers, &c.; the third drawback consists in the worm and worm segment not working well when the machine is new. It has been found that the three teeth of the worm do not bear truly on the teeth of the segment, one tooth having more work to do than the others; hence, it occurred that a few teeth of segment were snapped. To obviate defects 1 and 2, the makers have moved the fly-wheel and fly-wheel shaft with friction gear to the opposite end of the holder up, and replaced the worm segment by a powerful internal screw brass nut. The holder-up is made of cast iron, or if required specially small, of steel. A very simple improved flange rivetting apparatus is supplied along with machine, which can be fitted up in less than five minutes, by means of which flanges of girders or channels down to 5in. in depth may be rivetted as easily as webs, and the same number, say, 4000 in nine hours may be inserted. This improved machine is made in sizes from 3ft. 2in. to 6ft. deep gap, by Messrs. Teasdale Brothers, Banktop, Darlington. The machine takes about four effective horsepower to drive it, or about a 4in. diameter cylinder engine with 40 lb. steam per square inch.

THE IRON, COAL, AND GENERAL TRADES OF BIRMINGHAM, WOLVERHAMPTON, AND OTHER DISTRICTS.

(.From our own Correspondent.)

This week the quarterly meetings have been held. The new business which has resulted is not yet very conspicuous, but the negotiations which have been begun will, in the next week or two, result in business of considerable extent.

I11 Wolverhampton yesterday—Wednesday—afternoon the allmine pig makers led off by declaring that quotations were nominally unchanged upon the quarter. Thus cold blast sorts were again £4 10s., and hot blast sorts £3 10s. per ton. But actual selling prices were a good 2s. 6d. per ton below these figures, and in some cases even 5s. Only on this basis would consumers consent to give out orders. Native part-mine pigs were 52s. 6d., and common pigs 42s. 6d. to 40s. The brands produced at the Spring Yale Furnaces, Bilston, were quoted : Hydrates, £3 2s. 6d.; mine iron, £2 12s. 6d.; and common, £2 2s. 6d.

More business was done in foreign than in native pigs. For these latter there were some big inquiries on the market. It cannot be said, however, that hematites shared this activity. The Barrow Company’s hematites were quoted nominally 70s., and the Tredegar Company’s 67s. 6d.; but the full prices could not be got. More success attended those vendors of Lancashire and Welsh brands who were content to ask 65s. Derbyshire and Northampton pigs fluctuated between 47s. 6d. and 50s., delivered into this district. About 48s. 6d. delivered may be regarded as as good a price as was generally obtained. The Wellingborough brand was nominal at 52s. 6d.

Marked bars at Wednesday’s meeting were re-declared £8 12s. 6d. for the Earl of Dudley’s make; £8 for the bars of some of the other list houses, and £7 10s. for the bars of the New British Iron Company and Messrs. Phillip Williams and Sons. The opinion was general, however, that the £7 10s. figure was in reality the sale price of other firms than those just particularised — indeed, that not above two or three houses were strong in adhering to their £8 quotation. Common Staffordshire bars were £6 10s. to £6 as the minimum.

Plate makers did not report much activity either in tank or boiler sorts. For tank plates they asked £8 10s., and for boiler plates £9, with here and there £9 10s. Thin sheet makers are very well off for orders. They made no quotable alteration in their terms. Messrs. E. P. and W. Baldwin’s prices to consumers stood at: — Severn singles, at works, £12; Baldwin-Wilden B, £13; double B, £14; and treble B, £15; charcoal, £17 10s.; best charcoal, £20 10s.; and extra best charcoal, £22 10s.

Tin-plate makers, with works in East Worcestershire, spoke of prospects as better than for some weeks past. Charcoals were quoted at 24s. per box to buyers of small quantities, but to consumers of good quantities the price was about 22s. per box. Coke plates of first quality were quoted on the open market at 22s. nominal, and second quality 21s. per box.

Sheets of the descriptions needed by the galvanisers were quiet, and prices were :—Singles, £8 5s. to £8 10s.; doubles, £9; and lattens, £10.

company.

pany is also going to insist rigidly upon penalties for the non-fulfilment of contracts according to specified time.

Arrangements are now being made for holding in Manchester an exhibition devoted to appliances directly connected with lighting or heating by electricity or gas, or general exhibits of a bona-fide engineering character, and it is expected the exhibition will be opened in the St. James’s Hall before the close of the month.

Mr. Hy. Hall, inspector of mines, brought before the members of the Manchester Geological Society, at a meeting held in Wigan Friday, one of the multiplying anemometers invented by M. Bourdon, with the view of illustrating their adaptability for measuring air currents in mines. The general opinion was that the simplicity of the apparatus, which has no working parts to get out of order, would recommend it for adoption in mines. At present, however, the new anemometer has only been, used experimentally, and in the opinion of the French Commissioners on Fire-damp it would bo liable to get choked with coal-dust if used with two internal tubes to measure velocities of less than 13ft. per second. The apparatus can of course be used with only internal tube, but its multiplying power of registering is very considerably reduced.

I understand that the Mining Association of Great Britain have under consideration the recent case of Plant v. the Cheadle Valley Coal and Iron Company, in which the Court of Queen’s Bench held that a certificated mine manager, irrespective of holidays when the men are not down the pit, is bound to be day by day in the mine, and not to abandon his post without providing another certificated manager to do his work. This decision has caused not a little commotion amongst mining engineers.

New buildings for the Wigan Mining School have just been pleted, and are to be furnished with all the necessary accessories for the pursuit of mining studies. This school has made very great progress during the last few years, and now numbers about {From our own Correspondent.)    ₁₀0 students. The cost of the erection of the new schools has

Manchester.—There has been very little doing in the iron market been liberally contributed to by the colliery proprietors in the during the past week pending the result of the quarterly meetings, district.

and, so far, the business of the year has been characterised by a The coal trade generally is very quiet for the. time of the year, nt of animation, with a downward tendency in prices. The the demand both for house fire and manufacturing classes of fuel struggle between buyers and sellers with regard to their relative being only moderate, and although quoted prices are unaltered, ideas as to values continues, and although makers do not come there is a good deal of under-selling to secure orders. At the pit down to the buyers’ level in prices, there is a want of firmness mouth the average prices are about 10s. to 10s. 6d. for best coals, which leads to a gradual giving way.    8s. to 8s. 6d. for seconds, 6s. to 7s. for common, 4s. 9d. to 5s. for

At the Manchester market on Tuesday, scarcity of orders both burgy, and 3s. 6d. to 4s. for good ordinary slack, for pig and manufactured iron was generally reported, and the There has been a fair demand for shipment, but low prices — few offers by buyers were, as a rule, at lower figures than makers taken, steam coal delivered at the high level, Liverpool, in Garston cared to take. In pig iron the market was easier, and Lincolnshire Docks being obtainable at 7s. 9d. to 8s. 3d., whilst at Crown-street makers announced a further reduction of 6d. per ton on their list Station, Liverpool, some classes of coal have been reduced Is. per rates, which are now 46s. lOd. for forge, and 47s. lOd. for foundry, ton during the week.

less 2h, delivered equal to Manchester. At the reduction a little At the conference of representatives of the men held in Wigan business was done, but as a rule buyers were offering 6d., and, in this week it was decided to restrict the output with the view of some cases, Is. per ton less. For Lancashire pig iron makers were keeping up wages. If, however, trade continues in its present still quoting 47s. 6d. less 2\ for forge and foundry, delivered, but, depressed condition it will not be necessary for the men to with no orders coming forward at this figure, they are open to inaugurate a system of short time, as the colliery proprietors them-offers. Some of the Derbyshire makers still quote 52s., less 2\, but selves will be compelled to adopt this step.

I do not hear of any business, and this only to a limited extent The topmen at some of the collieries are agitating for an advance being done on a higher basis than 50s., less 2\ delivered. A fairly of wages.

large sale of Middlesbrough forge iron has been made during the Barrow.—No change for the better can be reported in the hema-week at 51s. lOd. net cash delivered here.    tite iron trade of this district. Makers are fairly off for orders,

Finished iron makers’ contracts are rapidly working off, but they but new work is coming in slowly. Confidence is felt in the imme-mostly still kept going, and are holding on to £6 10s. for bars, diate future, however, and some good spring orders are looked for. and £7 for hoops delivered into the Manchester district. There Prices are easier, 53s. being the value of mixed samples of Bessemer are fair inquiries in the market which only the question of price iron at works net at a month. The stocks of iron in hand are rather is keeping back from resulting in orders, and when buyers are able large, representing about 180,000 tons; but shipping orders to judge better as to the course of the market after the quarterly pected to reduce this in the early part of the year. Steel makers may meetings there is every probability of a fair amount of work being also be expected to increase their orders, as they are making given out. In the meantime any little business doing is chiefly arrangements on all hands to increase the output of their works by through merchants at under current rates.    the laying down of new mills in the rail department and new

The Lancashire manufactured iron makers have, in conformity machinery in the merchant department. A very steady tone is with the Staffordshire award, which also governs wages in this noticeable in the shipbuilding trade, and builders are expecting district, given their men an advance of 2£ per cent. This makes shortly to increase the number of orders on their books, a total advance of 10 per cent, since this time last year.    The Dalton Local Board have approved plans for a new market-

Messrs. Monks, Hall, and Co., of Warrington, have taken the house, prepared by Mr. J. G. McIntosh, architect of Barrow, and finished ironworks at Aspul, near Wigan, formerly occupied by after the necessary powers have been obtained from the Local Mr. E. Hales, but which have been standing idle for the last Government Board to borrow the necessary money, £15,000, the twelve months. The works, which are specially laid out for rolling work will be proceeded with.

hoops and strips, and are capable of turning out upwards of No intelligence is to hand with reference to the chance of carry-250 tons per week, contain twenty-two puddling furnaces, with ing out successfully the bold scheme of bridging Morecambe Bay three rolling mills, and are at present being put in repair prior to with a view to shortening the route from Lancaster to Barrow, and being re-started.    to the reclamation of a large quantity of land. It is generally

The new inquiries coming forward in the engineering trades are thought the scheme would not only be a very costly and difficult reported to be only moderate in extent, and in some cases I find one to carry out, but would also be found impracticable, as the local firms to be getting shorter of work than has been the case for rush of the sea is so great at times as to preclude the possibility of some time back, whilst in a few odd instances I hear that cus- trains passing along a series of viaducts constructed on very tomers who have given out orders, finding that their requirements treacherous sands.

are not what they expected they would be, are anxious to postpone There is some talk of the railway rolling stock works and steel deliveries. Generally, however, it can scarcely be said that there works at Barrow, owned by Mr. S. J. Claye, passing into the hands is any real slackness in the engineering trade. Tool makers and of a wealthy syndicate of local gentlemen, locomotive builders are very busy, and in most cases have work in hand which will carry them forward for some time to come.

With regard to locomotive building there does not appear to be any falling off in activity, and the principal local firms have

numerous orders in hand for the Continent, the Colonies, India,    (From Our Own Correspondent.)

South America, and also for home railways.

Messrs. Sharp, Stewart and Co. have in hand one of Mr. F. W. The North Lincolnshire iron and ironstone trade is of muen Webb’s new compound locomotives, which has been ordered for the interest to this district. During 1882 the output of pig iron has Austrian State Railways, and I understand that Mr. Webb has in been about an average, there having been 15 out of 18 furnaces progress a number of drawings for similar locomotives for other blowing the whole year, as compared with only 13 in 1881. places.    ‘    Fully one-half of the make has been produced by the North

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Amongst recent patents taken out in this district is an improvement which has been applied by Messrs. Kendall and Gent, of Manchester, to the now well-known Brown’s patent screwing chine. This consists of an arrangement for opening and closing the dies by power without stopping the machine, a simple movement of a hand lever, without effort, being all that is necessary. The feature of Brown’s screwing machines has been that the work could be changed without stopping the machine, and the new arrangement is an extension of this feature by opening and closing the dies by power. I may add that the new arrangement lias recently been applied to a powerful machine for screwing up to 4in. diameter.

In heavy engine work there is also a good deal doing, including large orders for English ironworks. Messrs. W. and J. Galloway and Sons, Manchester, have just completed for the St. Nazaire Ironworks, France, a pair of compound high-pressure blowing engines, with high-pressure steam cylinders 32in. diameter, low-pressure 51in., blowing cylinders 79in., and having a stroke of 5ft. 3in. These engines have to a large extent been constructed from special French designs. The same firm have at present in hand for the North-Eastern Steel Company, Middlesbrough, a pair of horizontal high-pressure non-condensing rolling mill engines, with 50in. cylinders and 4ft. 6in. stroke. These engines, which, when complete, will weigh 180 tons, are fitted with separate exhaust valves, link gear, &c., and have a wrought iron crank 18in. diameter. Messrs. Galloway are also constructing for the Solway Hematite Company, Maryport, a vertical condensing blowing engine with two fly-wheels, and having 50in. steam cylinders with 5ft. stroke, and two 108in. blowing cylinders. Work of a similar character is also ready for being laid down for the Dowlais Iron Company and the Bairnavon Iron Company.

Orders for girder work have not been coming out very freely of late, but the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, is giving out some tolerably large contracts. We may mention as a matter which will materially affect engineers that, this company has just introduced an important alteration in the ditions of its contracts for bridge work. Hitherto it has been the practice to give out the ironwork and the masonry separately, but in future both will have to be taken by one contractor, and the result will be that engineers will either have to take the masonry as well as the ironwork, or carry out the work under a building contractor instead of dealing directly with the railway We understand that the Lancashire and Yorkshire Corn-

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hand. Messrs. Thos. Firth and Sons have the right ___j Leufsta” designation, and they claim, further, the exclusive right to use a capital L enclosed in a hoop. This is the claim which is contested by several local and other firms. The new trade mark dispute is about striking the word “diamond” and the drawing of a diamond, which Messrs. Spencer and Co., of MncVinmnrvli mninfain ic t.Vipir snip nrrvnprtv. In this case a svndi-

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THE SHEFFIELD DISTRICT.

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com* announce-

Strip and hoop makers reported a steady trade largely on colonial account. Gas strip was £6 12s. 6d. upwards, and hoops £6 15s. to £7.    ,

At the quarterly meeting this afternoon—Thursday crucial prices were declared unchanged upon those quoted in IVol verb amp-ton yesterday. All-mine pigs were nominally 67s. 6d. to 70s., but in reality 65s. was nearer the actual price. Marked bars remained at £8 12s. 6d. for Earl Dudley’s, and £8 to £7 10s. for other best makers’ bars. The amount of business done in any department was disappointing. The Welsh tin-plate makers held their quarterly meeting here, and it was announced that good Welsh cokes were quoted 17s. to 17s. 6d. per box, but merchants refused to give the figure. Charcoals were quoted 21s. to 22s. The Cannock Chase colliers’ delegates waited upon the masters to-day, and asked for a rise of ljd. per stint. The request was refused..

Alike yesterday and this afternoon there was again considerable discussion on ’Change touching the proposed revision of the United States tariff duties, and traders in the midlands and from London and Liverpool were anxious to compare notes. . As was to have been expected, the tin-plate makers looked for immediate good, though it was deemed scarcely possible that so greatly an augmented tariff as 85 per cent., recommended by the lariff Commission, would be adopted by Congress. An increase of some considerable extent was, however, thought probable, and to prepare for it merchants in the United States must, it was argued, soon be buying heavily. The strip firms are selling more largely than at this time last year to the cotton tie makers, who are actively occupied on this side for the United States, though January is usually a month when only little of this class of work is done.

Certain sheet makers to-day announced that they had received cablegrams from America inquiring for ^ quotations. The inquiries makers interpreted as having a bona fide ring, and they were fain to hope that they would result in business— impossible, however, but for the present tariff uncertainty.

Considerable activity is traceable at the works of the leading producers of sheets in particular in efforts to adapt their machinery to the manipulation of ingots of steel, and in the rolling of sizes and gauges which become the first larger and the last thinner in proportion as steel gets more into vogue. When this cannot be accomplished by the engineers with the existing machinery, there is not great hesitation to distribute orders for wholly new plant.

New plant has just been laid down by the Hope Iron Company, Tipton. This is one of the foremost of the high class sheet firms of the kingdom. The new plant comprises an additional forge and sheet mill. By its acquisition the Hope Company will be enabled to roll iron and steel sheets up to 48in. wide and 13ft. long of practicable gauges, and up to 45 gauge of the usual tagger sizes, and of a finish withal equal to anything hitherto anywhere turned out.

The Casson-Bicheroux direct gas system appears to be growing in favour with manufacturers. It involves some outlay in the first instance, but yields a larger quantity and superior quality of iron than the ordinary processes with less labour and much less fuel, slack being burnt instead of large coal. At the Earl of Dudley’s Ironworks it is adopted almost entirely, both for puddling and ball furnaces, and such are the masses of iron treated that some of the furnaces are 13ft. by ll^ft. across. It is entirely adopted at Messrs. Morewood’s galvanising sheet manufactory at Soho, and both at ironworks and brickworks in the neighbourhood of Wakefield. More recently still the system has been applied in the neighbourhood of Walsall, where a firm who had previously used the Siemens and other producers have decided upon the conversion of the whole of their plant to this system.

The Government are acceding to the request of the Trades’ Union Congress by putting the inspection of factories into the hands of members of the artisan class. The earliest reply was the appointment of Mr. J. D. Prior as a factory inspector in Birmingham. Another has just been given by the nomination to a similar post of Mr. W. J. Davis, the secretary of the National Brassfounders’ Association.

NOTES FROM LANCASHIRE.

wa

.■in

Lincolnshire Iron Company and the Frodingham Iron Company, which have had four furnaces each in blast. The Trent Iron Company, which was the first to smelt iron in the district, has had three going, and the Redbourne Hill and Appleby Iron Companies two each at work. The Lincolnshire Iron Smelting Company have been idle during the whole twelve months. The yield of pig iron in 1881 was 187,937 tons, the average number of furnaces kept going being 14 ; the tonnage for 1882 has not yet been ascertained, but it is believed to be in excess of 1881. The ironstone raised in 1881 was 1,021,506 tons, of which 327,261 tons were taken out of the district by rail, and the remainder used at the furnaces. During 1882 a marked increase has been observable, particularly in the quantities sent to other parts, and the tonnage exported during last year is therefore expected to be much heavier, a large number of Yorkshire,_ Derbyshire, and other furnaces having drawn most of their supplies from the district mines. The coal and coke required for the smelting of so large a supply has caused an average of 430,000 tons to be conveyed from the Yorkshire and North of England coal-fields during the last few years, and the increased traffic has suggested the formation of a new line of railway from Hull to Derbyshire, to tap the Frodingham district more effectively.

The proposed coal mine at Carlton will probably be abandoned, owing to the advisers of Lord Beaumont having decided, on geological grounds, that Burn, near Selby, would be a more suitable spot. It is expected that borings will soon be made at Burn.

The hoop L trade mark is not yet settled, and another dispute is already in 1’    "    m,‘ “ T7I‘“'L1~ ~~    ⁰

to the “T-now

Masborough, maintain is their sole property. In this case a sy cate has been formed to fight the Peacroft firm on the score of the word “diamond.”

THE NORTH OF ENGLAND.

{From our own Correspondent.)

Thebe was a good attendance at the quarterly iron market held at Middlesbrough Exchange on Tuesday last. There were not, however, many visitors present from a distance. Many objects.of interest were exhibited, amongst which was a sample of the 20in. gauge portable railway and wagons now under construction by Mr. Charles Wood for the Fiji Islands. Duckham’s hydrostatic weighing machine and Stott’s gas valve were also shown. But little business was done in buying and selling, and the tone of the market somewhat less firm than a week ago. Merchants were offering No. 3 g.m.b. at 42s. 9d. per ton f.o.b., and would not do business under that figure. Makers, who for the most part have ordeis enough to last the next few weeks, have not reduced their quotations, and continue to ask 43s. 6d. for No. 3 for prompt delivery.

Connal’s No. 3 warrants were more freely offered than they have been for some weeks. The price asked for them was 42s. 6d. per ton f.o.b., but few, if any buyers, were willing to give the price.

The stock of Cleveland iron in Messsrs. Connal and Co. a Middlesbrough store on Monday night was 96,527 tons, which is a a decrease of 2080 tons for the week.

The shipments from the Tees have so far this month been very good. Up to Monday night 19,785 tons of pig iron and 5336 tons of manufactured iron and steel had been shipped.

The finished iron trade shows no signs of improvement at present. Consumers are still holding back their orders, though prices are very low. Ship plates are quoted at £6 10s. to £6 12s. 6d. per ton, but favourable specifications could no doubt be placed at £6 7s. 6d. per ton. Angles and bars for shipbuilding purposes may be had at £5 10s. per ton, all f.o.t. at makers’ works, less 2\ per cent, discount. Most of the mills started again on Monday night after the' holidays, and will continue to work five days a week for the rest of this month as arranged. It is rumoured that a well-known firm of manufacturers have just made a contract for several thousands.of tons of angle iron with a Scotch merchant firm at a price which will only realise five guineas per ton at makers’ works.

The Cleveland Ironmasters’ returns for December and for the year 1882 were issued on January 4th. They show that 120 fur-at work in December, 84 of which were on Cleveland, and the remainder on hematite iron. The make of Cleveland iron for the whole district in December was 156,990 tons, and of hematite and basic iron 72,490 tons; total, 229,480 tons. This gives an increase of 4954 tons over November. Stocks have increased 28,733 tons since November 30th, the total quantity of iron in stocks and stores being on December 31st 266,179 tons. On December 31st, 1881, the entire stocks amounted to 378,170 tons; they have, therefore, been reduced 111,991 tons during the year 1882. The output of iron in the Cleveland district for the year 1882 reached the enormous total of 2,688,650 tons. Of this 1,772,239 tons were Cleveland iron, and 916,411 tons hematite and

Messrs. Monkhouse, Goddard, and Co. have just issued their certificate under the Northumberland miners’ sliding scale, which shows that the net average selling price of coal for the three months of September, October, November, 1882, was 5’3s. per ton, being a decrease of 0‘98d. per ton upon the average for November, 1878. The wages will therefore remain unaltered..

The accountant’s certificate as to the selling price of Cleveland pig iron for October, November, and December, was issued on The ascertainment shows that the net average realised price of No. 3 Cleveland iron was 43s. 6'35d. per ton. This gives an increase of 4'31d. per ton on the previous quarter. On this decision the miners will receive an advance of the twentieth part of a penny per ton. Blast furnacemen’s wages remain the same as before.

The Springfield Ironworks at Darlington, which are worked by the Darlington Iron and Steel Company, were set to work on Monday last, after having been idle for about two months. It is said that large orders have been booked for tramway rails and fish-plates.

It is rumoured that the Witton Park Ironworks are to be removed to Eston shortly. The conditions under which they were established have changed considerably, and the business there carried on could without doubt be much more advantageously done

at Eston.

The salt industry is likely to be largely developed at Middlesbrough. Messrs. Bell Bros, are making rapid progress with their works at Port Clarence, and Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan, and Co. have again taken the matter up at their works at Middlesbrough, and hope to be able to produce salt before the close of the year. Boring operations are also about to be commenced by Mr. Edward Williams, of the Linthorpe Ironworks, at a point not far from the river. Other firms in the district are also said to be contemplating operations.    „    ,

The liquidators of the West Hartlepool Iron Company have published a final statement of accounts. The total receipts amount to £146,818 9s. Id., including the sale of works. The first and second dividends were 4s. and Is. 6d. in the pound respectively, and a final dividend of 5|d. in the pound has now been paid.

Mr. Waterhouse’s quarterly ascertainment of the realised price obtained in the manufactured iron trade during the last quarter of 1882 is expected shortly, and it is thought it will show a fall pared with the previous quarter. It is expected that the ment will be immediately followed by a claim on the part of the employers for a reduction of wages to come into operation from the 1st of March. Ironworkers’ wages are still Is. 9d. above shillings for pounds, and it is contended that in the absence of a sliding”scale, and in the present condition of the labour market, they should not be more than Is. above.

It is a matter of general regret that Mr. E. Trow, operative secretary to the Board of Arbitration, is seriously ill and quite unable to attend to his duties. He is at present at Harrogate undergoing medical treatment.

Tredegar and Dowlais. Cyfarthfa will soon have three furnaces ready on the newest principles.

Mr. Hirst, who has been mill manager at Dowlais, has resigned on account of ill health. He has been in active and able service for forty years.

THE PATENT JOURNAL.

3rd! January, 1883.

40.    Stitching, &c., Machines, II. Clarke, Leicester.

41.    Window-sash, &c., Fastenings, J. Butler, Birkenhead.

42.    Ventilating Railway Carriages, J. Livesey, London.

43.    Friction Device for Securing Looms, &c., against Breakage, T. Hardcastle, Kidderminster.

44.    Knitting Machines, H. J. Allison.—(C. H. Carter, Colborne, Ontario, Canada.)

45.    Machines for Cutting Wood, T. Andrew, London.

46.    Incandescent Electric Lamps, J. R. H. Williamson and E. Bohm, London.

47.    Mariners’ Compasses, S. Heimann, London.

48.    Safety Gear for Starting or Turning Engines, J. Musgrave and R. Gregory, jun., Bolton.

49.    Dynamo-electric Machines, &c., T. Rowan, London, and S. Williams, Newport.

50.    Apparatus for Seizing, &c., Light Objects, A. M. Clark.—(A. Dubois, Paris.)

Condensed from the Journal of the Commissioners of Patents.

*»* It has come to our notice that some applicants of the Patent-office Sales Department, for Patent Specifications, have caused much unnecessary trouble and annoyance, both to themselves and to the Patent-office officials, by giving the number of the page of The Engineer at which the Specification they require is referred to, instead of giving the proper number of the Specification. The mistake has been made by looking at The Engineer Index, and giving the numbers there found, which only refer to the pages, in place of turning to those pages and finding the numbers of the Specification.

Applications for Letters Patent.

*»* When patents have been “communicated.” the name and address of the communicating party are printed in italics.

‘2nd January, 1883.

26.    Spinning, &c., Machinery, F. Jenkin.—(/. A. Ewing, Tokio, Japan.)

27.    Combs, Ac., for Ladies’ Wear, L. Birnstingl.—(M. Birnstingl, Paris.)

28.    Safe Transit of Cargoes, T. Rowan, London.

29.    Utilising Waste Heat Escaping from Flues of Steam Boilers, W. Hall, Cardiff.

30.    Refractory or Fire-bricks, &c., J. Williams, Liverpool.

31.    Thill-couplings, Horse Detachers, &c,, D. Green, Cincinnati, U.S.

32.    Lamps for Dental, <fcc., Purposes, G. W. von Nawrocki.—(R. Telschow, Berlin.)

33.    Making Imitation Ivory, S. Hahn, Berlin.

34.    Electric Lamps, W. R. Lake.—(C. A. Bussey and A. Dodd, Neio York, U.S.)

35.    Coiling Wire Ropes on Board Ship, W. H. Har-field, London.

36.    Generating, &c., Electric Currents, S. 2. de Ferranti. Shepherd’s Bush.

37.    Chronograph, A. G. Golay, Brassus, Switzerland.

38.    Vessels for Holding Mineral, &c., Oils, G. A. J. Schott, Bradford.

39.    Carbons for Incandescent Electric Lamps, J. Wavish, Forest Gate, Essex, and J. Warner, Whitechapel.

noon

Gart-

4th January, 1883.

51.    Feeding Horses, &c., J. Milbourne, Manchester.

52.    Churning Apparatus, E. Buckland, London.

53.    Treating Vegetable Fibres, W. E. Gedge.—(L. Aubert, Lyons, France.)

54.    Sewing Machines, W. E. Gedge.— (C. Guy, Paris.)

55.    Cutting and Dressing Stone, M. Kellow, Penrhyn-deudraeth, Merionethshire.

56.    Measuring Electric Currents, St. G. L. Pox, Westminster.

57.    Lubricators, T. Duff, Upton.

58.    Oil Cans, I. Webster, Kirkstall, near Leeds.

59.    Road Traction, &c., Engines, M. Shillitn, Leeds.

60.    Counting, &c., the Revolutions of Rotating Shafts, &c., G. D. Kittoe, London.

61.    Gas Heating Arrangements for Heating "Water or Air, E. A. Brydges.—(D. Grove, Berlin.)

62.    Crossings for Tramways, A. Hill, Rowan, London.

63.    Adjustable Spanners, J. Malin, Sheffield.

64.    Starting and Stopping Tramcars, B. F. Cocker, Sheffield.

65.    Motive Power Engines, C. Ingrey, Fulham, and W. Adlam, Clifton.

66.    Shades for Lamps, J. H. Johnson.—(E. Lefebvre, Paris.)

67.    Governors for Steam Engines, R. E. B. Crompton, London, and J. W. Kempster, Chelmsford.

68.    Mowing, &c., Machines, J. E. Phillips, London.

5th January, 1883.

69.    Welding Boiler, &c., Shells of Cylindrical and other Forms, S. Alley, Glasgow.

70.    Crank Shafts for Transmitting Power, G. Allihon and T. Turton, Liverpool.

71.    Seams for Uniting the Covers of Lawn Tennis, &c., Balls, J. Neville, London.

72.    Apparatus for Generating Steam, H. J. Haddan. —(A. A. Daussin, Lille, France.)

73.    Lamps Applicable to Velocipedes, J. B. Young and W. T. J. Burgess, Birmingham.

74.    Fire-screens, J. Betjeman, London.

75.    Oiling Crank-pins, W. P. Thompson.—(C. H. Parshall, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.)

76.    Envelopes, W. H. Hook, London.

77.    Looms for Weaving, W. Priestley and W. Deigh-ton, Laisterdyke, Bradford.

78.    Electric Fire-alarm Apparatus, W. C. Gordon, London.

79.    Producing Colouring Matters, C. D. Abel.— (Farbwerke, vormals: Meister, Lucius, and Brilning, Hoechst-am-Main, Germany.)

80.    Curling Tongs, &c., C. Carter, Clapham Junction.

6th January, 1883.

81.    Buckle Locks, W. A. Shaw, Nottingham.

82.    Solvent or Emulsive for use with Paints, &c., W. Johnstone, King’s Lynn.

Riddles, E. de Pass.—(H. Schmid, Budapest.)

84.    Making Flat Wire Ropes, J. Lang, Wakefield, and J. Lang, Hyde, Chester.

85.    Folding-boxes, A. A. Barratt and G. Greenshields, Ditton, Surrey.

86.    Sewing Machines, J. Imray.—(R. Leavitt, Boston, and E. Flather, Bridgeport, U.S)

87.    Indicating the Presence of Explosive Gases in Coal Mines, &c., J. Catz.—(F. Libin, Gand, Belgium.)

88.    Mf.tal Rollers for Printing and Embossing, &c., D. Appleton, Manchester.

89.    Instruments for Measuring Angles by Reflection, J. H. Johnson.—(E. A. Amagat, Paris.)

90.    Inkstands, F. Wirth.—(H. Meidinger, Germany.)

91.    Machinery for Cooling Atmospheric Air, A. B. Wilson, Ireland, and J. Sturgeon, London.

92.    Carpet Looms, G. W. Grosvenor, and J. Bedford, Kidderminster.

93.    Indicating Names of Stations to Passengers in Railway Trains, A. P. Hodgson, London.

8th January, 1883.

94.    Drilling Machines, W. Cooke, Dundee.

95.    Attaching Various Utensils, &c., to their Handles, J. Lee, Hampstead.

96.    Making Sulphuric Acid, W. Weldoh.—(G. Lunge, Switzerland.)

97.    Aluminium and Alloys of Aluminium, Wi Weldon, Burstow.

increase of 39,742 over those

an

5968. Vertical Steam Boilers, A. H. B. Sharpe and F. Palmer, Lincoln.— 14th December, 1882.

5989. Bichromate of Soda, C. D. Abel, London.—A communication from F. Glaser.—151/i. December, 1882. 17. Electric Lighting and Power - distributing Systems, S. Pitt, Sutton.—A communication from E. T. Starr and W. J. Peyton.—1st January, 1883.

(Last day for filing opposition, 36th January, 1883.)

3470. Two-ply and Three-ply Carpets, J. H. Braith waite, Airethwaite.—21s< July, 1882.

4209. Starch and Food for Animals, H. H. Lake, London.—Com. from W. Jebb.—4th September, 1882. 4211. Constructing Signals, P. Lofthouse, Radciiffe. —5th September, 1882.

4214. Apparatus for the Manufacture of Chemical Salts, J. Forbes, Old Ford.—5th September, 1882. 4216. Rolling Wire Rods, W. Morris, Oakengates.— 5th September, 1882.

4218. Separating Dust from Air, W. B. Dell, London. —A communication from G. T. Smith Middlings , , „    ,    Purifier Company.—5th September, 1882.

Invention Protected for Six Months on 4219. Decorating Bricks, Tiles, &c., I. B. Shaw, Deposit of Complete Specifications.

12.    Toilet Apparatus for Sea-going Vessels, H. J. I 4223. Elevating Grain, &c., G. J. Hone, Poplar.—5th Haddan, Kensington, London.—A communication September, 1S82.

from D. Wellington, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.—    4224. Manufacture of Starch, W. R. Lake, London.

1st January, 1883.    —A com. from J. H. Ross.—5th September, 1882.

13.    Cleaning and Separating the Fibres of Tow, 4228. Shuttle-box Shifting Mechanism for Looms, <fcc., F. C. Glaser, Berlin.—A communication from D. Anderson, Glasgow.—6th September, 1882.

Th. Calow and Co., Bielefeld, Prussia.—1st January, 4239. Holders for Wire Rope, T. Archer, jun., Gates-1883.    head.—6th September, 1882.

17. Electric Lighting and Power Distributing | 4243. Sprit Sails, W. Rowden, Whitstable, and C. E.

Doughty, Margate.—6th September, 1882.

Patents on which the Stamp Duty of £50 has been paid.

September, 1882.

4578. Dredging Buckets, W. Clark, London.—A communication from W. H. Wood.—26th September, 1882. 4674. Steam Engines, T. J. Handford, London.—A com. from T. A. Edison.—2nd October, 1882.

4884. Distributing Electricity, T. J. Handford, London.—Com. from T. Edison.—14th October, 1882. 4977. Shives and Vent-pegs for Barrels, W. Rose, Halesowen.—10th October, 1882.

5267. Couplings, W. Wright and J. Pethick, Plymouth. —4th November, 1882.

5384. Composition of Bearings, A. M. Clark, London.

—A com. from F. E. Canda.—11th November, 1882. 5720. Machinery for Making Railway Sleepers, J.

Bunten and A. Russell, Glasgow.—1st December, 1882. 5849. Connecting Animals to Vehicles, J. Rexford, Edmonton.—7th December, 1882.

5866. Electric Commutators, J. Gordon, jun., Dundee.—8th December, 1882.

5957. Tables, A. Thomson, Glasgow.—13th December, | 1882.

6008. Obtaining Ammonia, F. Lorenz, Rendshurg, l    Prussia.—16f/i December, 1882.

Patents Sealed.

NOTES FROM SCOTLAND.

(From, our own Correspondent.)

Business in the iron trade has not yet thoroughly recovered itself after the holidays. There has been little animation in the iron market in the course of the week; the prices of warrants, which recovered at the close of last week, have since been declining. This is due to a variety of courses. As stated above, the trade is really not yet fully employed, and the failures that have taken place here in the iron trade and in other industries have exercised an unsettling effect. By these means holders of warrants have been induced to sell, and so prices have been depressed. But the legitimate iron trade is in a fairly satisfactory condition, and that the year should begin with low prices docs not occasion much discouragement, seeing that at the opening of last year the quotations of iron were comparatively high and afterwards greatly declined. It would be better, it is felt, to begin with a low range of values, so that the improvement might come with the actual demand, than that a growing inquiry should be arrested by too high prices. The stocks in Messrs. Connal and Co.’s Glasgow stores continue to decrease, having fallen about 1200 tons during the past week. There are now 109 furnaces in blast as against 105 at the same date last year.

Business was done in the warrant market on Friday forenoon at from 48s. 8d. to 49s. cash, and 48s. lOd. to 49s. 2Jd. one month, the afterquotations being 49s. to 49s. ^d. cash, and back to 48s. llid. On Monday morning the market was flat with transactions at 48s. 9d. to 48s. lQd. and 48s. 8^d. cash, and 48s. Ujd. one month. In the afternoon the prices were 48s. 7d. to 48s. (ikl. and 48s. 7id. cash, and 48s. 9^d. month. Business was done on Tuesday forenoon at 48s. 6d. to 48s. 7d. and back to 48s. 4Jd. cash, and 48s. lOd. to 48s. 7Ad. one month, transactions being effected in the afternoon at 48s. 4d. to 48s. 5d. cash, and 48s. 6|d. to 48s. 7Ad. one month. The market was *fiat on Wednesday, with business between 48s. 4d. and 48s. Id. cash. To-day — Thursday — business took place at 48s. 44d. to 48s. 2d. cash, and 48s. 4d. one month.

There is a fair demand for makers’ iron, the quotations of which are firm, as follow sherrie, f.o.b. at Glasgow, per ton No. 1, 64s. No. 3,54s. 6d.; Coltness, No. 1,67s. 6d.;No. 3,56s.; Langloan, 67s. 6d. and 56s.; Summerlee, 63s. and 52s. 9d.; Chapelhall, 63s. and 54s.; Calder, 63s. and 52s. 3d.; Carnbroe, 56s. and 51s. 6d.; Clyde, 53s. 9d. and 51s.; Monkland, 50s. 6d. and 49s.; Quarter, 50s. and 48s. 6d.; Govan, at Broomielaw, 50s. and 48s. 6d.; Shotts, at Leith, 65s. 6d. and 56s.; Carron, at Grangemouth, 53s. (specially selected, 57s. 6d.) and 52s.; Kinneil at Bo’ness, 49s, 6d. and 48s. 6d.; Glengarnock, at Ardrossan, 56s. and 50s. 3d.; Eglinton, 51s. 6d. and 49s. 6d.; Dalmellington, 51s. 6d. and 50s.

The shipments of pigs compare favourably with those of the corresponding week of last year, and the arrivals from Cleveland are still comparatively small.

The malleable ironworks are only beginning operations after the holidays, but they have in most instances every prospect of doing a fair business. The same may be said with reference to the majority of the branches of the manufactured iron trade.

As was to be expected, the past week’s business in the coal trade has been on a limited scale, but both the inland consumption and the exports will now assume their proper proportions. There is no change in price. In Lanarkshire work was pretty generally begun by the miners on Thursday of last week, although in not a few cases the holiday was prolonged to the beginning of the present week. At Burntisland the coal shipments for the twelve months have been ascertained to be 665,214 tons, of the preceding year. The week’s exports from the Fife and Firth of Forth ports have been small.

Another effort is to be made to induce the Scotch miners generally to adopt short time as a means for curtailing the output of coals, but there is small chance of such a movement being successful.

WALES & ADJOINING COUNTIES.

(From our own Correspondent.)

I HAVE now before me the business returns of 1882, anrl they not only compare favourably with the past, but yield reasonable prospects for the future. Trade seems to have attained a regular settled condition, both as regards quantities and prices, and if the spring should bring any change it will be in the nature of a substantial advance; this more especially as regards coal, which is decidedly looking up.

The pumping engines are being placed in the Prince of Wales Colliery, Abercarne, and operations are expected to begin at once.

During last week the coal and iron trades have been very good, and large shipments have been made. Newport sent one large cargo of iron, 3000 tons, to Baltimore, and 14,000 tons of foreign ore were received at the Welsh port.

The West of England and South Wales Railway Bill has been abandoned, but not, I am informed, permanently. Considerable expense has been incurred by the promoters, but the scheme required more time to have it brought properly before the commercial interests of Wales.

The Barry Dock scheme is to be vigorously opposed. Seven memorials have been lodged against the Bill, and a lively time may be expected in committee. The opposition includes the Taff Vale, Marquis of Bute, Mr. Wingfield— Dynevor estate—Lewis’s Merthyr Colliery, Mr. David Joseph, Mr. Billups, and others.

The important Bill brought forward by Mr. W. T. Lewis for the Marquis of Bute, to provide extra storage and sidings, has also several petitions put in against it.

A new exchange is in contemplation for Cardiff, and the site suggested is the present Bute Dock offices.

The total iron furnaces now in blast in Glamorgan amount to thirty, more than two-thirds of the number erected—97—being out of blast. Monmouthshire has fifty-one furnaces, of which thirty-three are in blast.

Good steady work is being carried on at

98.    Chlorates, W. Weldon, Burstow.

99.    Kecovery of Sulphur from Alkali Waste, W. W eldon, Burstow.

100.    Recovery of Sulphur from Alkali Waste, W. Weldon, Burstow.

101.    Application of Eosine in Photographic Processes, C. D. Abel.—(P. A. Attout, Paris.)

102.    Facilitating the Action of Spring Rollers for Window-blinds, G. D. Peters, London.

103.    Producing Designs on Glass, D Reich, Berlin.

104.    Boots and Shoes, H. J. Haddan.—(M. R. Ethridge, Massachusetts, U.S.)

105.    Regulating Supply of Gas and Air to Gas Burners, J. Lewis, Brockley.

100. Petroleum Lamps, H. H. Lake.—(A. A. Lemarre, Prance.)

107. Portable Alarm Signalling Apparatus, W. J. Brewer, London.

10S. Primary Voltaic Batteries, G. Andre, Dorking. 109. Ploughs, T. Sheldrake, Ipswich.

Tunstall.—5ih September, 1882.

Systems, S. Pitt, Sutton.—A communication from

E. T. Starr, Philadelphia, and W. J. Peyton, I 4244. Apparatus for Drying and Conditioning Grain Washington, Columbia, U.S.—lsf January, 1883.    in Bulk, &c., G. M. Capel, Passenham.—6th Septem

ber, 1882.

4248. Galvanic Batteries, G. C. V. Holmes and S. H.

Emmens, London.—6th September, 1882.

4264 Voltaic Batteries, F. W. Durham, New Barnet.

21. Magnesian Fire-brick, T. Morgan, London.—2nd \ 7th September, 1882.

January, 1880.    4264. Boxes or Trunks, C. H. Stanbury, London.—

27. Paying Setts, J. Lindsay, Edinburgh.—3rd Janu- 7th September, 1882.

ary 1880.    4275. Manufacture of White Lead, W. V. Wilson,

55. Horse:-hoe Nails, J. H. Johnson, London.— 6th    8f/i September, 1882.

• January 1880.    4276. Treating Retene for the Obtainment of

315. Generating, &c., Electricity, W. R. Lake, Anthracene, &c., B. Irvine, Edinburgh. 8th Sep-London.—23rd January, 1880.    1S82‘ a    ,,    T,

554. Attaching and Working Guns, &c., A. Longsdon, 4277. Treating Starchy Substances Relating to London. -6th February, 1880.    Brewing and Distilling, W. Lawrence, London.—

47.    Treating Caoutchouc, &c., H. Gerner, New    September, 1882.

York, U. S.— 6th January, 1880.    43U- Steering Engines, T. Davison, Glasgow.—11th

184. Welded Iron and Steel Tubes, C. E. Smith,    ■¹⁸⁸²'    , _    ,,    ,,

Wednesbury.—15th January, 1880.    4333. Measuring and Recording the Measurement

251. Colouring Fibrous Materials, &e., J. H. John- Fabrics or Piece Goods, R. Murdoch, Glasgow.

son, London.—20th January, 1880.    12th September, 1882.

38. Filter-presses, S. H. Johnson, Stratford.—5th 4345. Lanterns, A. J. Boult, London. A communi-January 1880.    cation from H. Lages.—12th September, 1882.

40. Miners’ Safety Lamps, W. Tate, Blackwell.—5th 4350. Apparatus for Visually Indicating Electrical January 1880.    Signals, B J. B. Mills, London.—A communication

42. Treads or Steps for Stairs, H. Hedges, Bow.—6th ^om J. U. Mackenzie.—12th September, 1882.

January 1880.    4380. Suspending Horizontal Bars, G. Welling,

66. Bleaching Cotton, &c., C. E. Bennett, Stockport. Camberwell.—14th September, 1882.

7th January 1880.    4396. Manufacture of Certain Alloys of Gold, A.

131. Treating Cotton Yarns for Preventing Mildew,    London. A communication from P. A. Guye.

D. S. Bles, Manchester.— 12th January, 1880.    \    —15th. September, 1882.

44. Screw-cutting Machines, W. Morgan-Brown, ⁴⁴⁴⁶- Electrical Meters, T. J. Handford, London.

London.—6th January, 1880.    , ^ com. from T. A Edisom-lOf*. September, 1882.

57. Dyeing Mixed Textile Fabrics, &c., E. Posselt ⁴⁴?⁸- SELF-ACTmG Tackle Hooks, *>• T. Roe, Wands* and R. Peters, Bradford.-7f/i January, 1880.    ^orLh,— a September 1882.

¹ 4494. Grape Sugar and Glucose, &c., W. R. Lake, London.—Com. from W. Jebb.—20th September, 1882. Patent on which, the Stamp Duty of <£100 I 4497. Gas Lamps, I. Spielmann, London. -21 st Septem-has been paid. ‘    ber, 1882.

7. Motor Engines Worked by Compressed Am, Ac, ⁴⁵}°’ ^MPSA Si™?!

F. E. B. Beaumont, London -1st January, 1876.    London.-A communication from R. Ditmar.-21 st

48.    Making Paper, G. Holloway Chartham.—5th January, 1876.

158. Steam Boilers, C. J. Galloway, Manchester.—

14th January, 1876.

33. Soap or Saponaceous Compounds, A. Robottom,

Birmingham.—4th January, 1876.

119. Rock-boring Machines, J. R. Schram, London.

—IDA January, 1876.

39. Purifying Coal Gas, W. Marriott, Huddersfield.

—4th January, 1876.

64. Permanent Way, &c., of Tramways, J. Kincaid,

London.—6tli January, 1876.

93. Clipping Lappets, j. and A. Blair, Glasgow.—8th January, 1876.

176. Close, Blind, or Muffle Saltcake, &c., Furnaces, H. Deacon, Widnes. — 17th January, 1876.

81. Pigments, H. Knight, Kingston-upon-Hull.—7th January, 1876.

83. Looms for Weaving, R. L. Hattersley, Keighley, andT. Pickles, Denholme.—7th January, 1876.

123. Combing Wool, &c., I. Bailey and D. Smith,

Keighley, and L. Smith, Bradford.—11th January,

1876.    -

Notices of Intention to Proceed with Applications.

(Last day for filing opposition, 26th January, 1883.) I (List of Letters Patent which passed the Great Seal on the 4056. Spinning, Twisting, or Doubling Fibres, H.    bth January, 1883.)

Illingworth, Bradford.-24t/t August, 1882.    320S. Separating Hair from the Skins of Animals

4136. Indicator for Vehicles, J. Finney, Manchester. <ftc., J. T. Tussaud, London.—6fh July, 1882.

—30th August, 1882.    3212. Manufacturing Gas, T. Thomas, Bodmin, and

4138. Deodorising and Disinfecting Apparatus, G. C. J. Ennor, Oporto.—7th July, 1882.

Nobes, Paddington.—30th August, 1882.    3213. Valves, J. Thomas, Bodmin, and C. J. Ennor,

4146. Extracting Juice from Sugar Cane, H. H. Oporto.—7th July, 1882.

Grierson, Manchester.—A communication from C. 3214. Sulphate of Ammonia, J. Coates, London.—7th Hughes.—30th August, 1882.    July, 1882.

4150. Steering Gear, J. Granroth, Greenock.—31sf 3225. Constructing Cabs, &c., J. Abbott, Bideford.— August, 1882.    7th July, 1882.

4160. Telephonic Instruments, J. D. Husbands, 3237. Tipping Carts, Wagons, and Vans, W. Vincent, London.—31st August, 1882.    Arborfield.—7th July, 1882.

4165. Steam and Hot-water Apparatus, W. R. Lake, 3239. Tentering, Stretching, &c., Fabrics, J. Ash* London.—Com. fromE. Osborne.—31st August, 1882. worth, Rochdale. —8th July, 1882.

4172.    Frames of Bags, V. Huppe, Offenbaeh-on-the- 3242. Production of Tape Ladders, J. Carr, Hulme.

Main.—1st September, 1882.    — 8tli July, 1882.

4173.    Constructing Ships or Vessels, C. D. Abel, 3249. Looms for Weaving, C. Thompson, Halifax.—8th London.—A communication from E. Lavarenne.— July, 1882.

1st September, 1882.    3257. Internal Bottle Stoppers, A. T. King, Hot*

4178. Secondary Batteries, D. Fitz-Gerald, Brixton,    tingham.—10th July, 1882.

and T. Jones, London.—1st September, 1882.    3259. Pickers and Picking Bands, E. Booth, Man-

4193. Cutting, Pleating, and Sewing the Linings of    Chester.— 10th July, 1882.

Hats, W. H. Beck, London.—A communication 3267. Heels for Boots and Shoes, J. J. Gascoine, from L. Chosson.— 2nd September, 1882.    Leicester.—10th July, 1882.

4195. Paper Bags, T. Coates, Carlisle, and N. Chandler, 3275. Compound and Surface Condensing Engines, Hednesford.—2nd September,1882.    A. W. Robertson, West Ham.—11th July, 1882.

4198.    Recording Votes, L. Lazenby, Darnall.—2nd 3279. Electric Lamps, J. S. Beeman, London.—11th

September, 1882.    _    _    July, 1882.

4199.    Dredgers, W. R. Kinipple, Westminster.—4th 3284. Devices for Securing Screw Nuts on Fish-

September, 1882.    plates, W. R. Lake, London.—11th July, 1882.

4226. Treating Soaps, W. Green, Thanet.—5th Septem- 3287. Regulating the Supply of Gas to a Gas FlamE) her, 1882.    w. Cheyne, Briton Ferry.—11th July, 1882.

4246. Electric Signalling Apparatus, W. R. Lake, 3297. Breech-loading Guns and Cartridges, A. N» London.—Com. from J. Cary.—6th September, 1882. Gavard and H. Millon, Paris.—12th July, 1882.

4252. Paper-cutting Machinery, W. H. and F. C. W. 3305. Ammonia, J. P. Rickman and J. B. Thompson, Latham, Bolton.—7th September, 1882.    New Cross.—12th July, 1882.

4315. Apparatus for Heating Water, Cooking, &c.,    3307. Rotary Engines and Pumps, P. Goldschmidt, G.

M. J. O’Riordan, Cork.— 11th September, 1882.    Hahlo, and A. Heussy, Manchester.—12th July, 1882.

4338. Facilitating the Dispensing of Gaseous 3322. Producing, Measuring, and Distributing Liquids, W. R. Lake, London.—A communication Electric Currents, J. M. M. Munro, Glasgow.— from L. Bergen.—12t/i September, 1882.    13 th July, 1882.

4395. Stocks and Dies, C. Neil, Sheffield.—15th Sep- 3349. Incandescent Electric Lamp Appliances, J. S, tember, 1882.    _    Beeman, London.—14th July, 1882.

4419. Electric Arc Lamps, J. Brockio, Brixton.—16th 3350. Electric Lamp Holders, J. S. Beeman, London.

September, 1882.    —14th July, 1882.

4492. Producing, &c., Electric Currents, A. R. 3351. Automaticaly Shunting Electric Currents, Sennott, Worthing.—20th September, 1882.    fee., J. S. Beeman, London.-—14th July, 1882.

4602. Vessels for Holding Oils, &c., G. A. J. Schott, 3363. Hood Joints of Perambulators, C. E. Gibson, Bradford.—2St/i September, 1882.    Birmingham.—15th July, 1882.

4972. Brakes, E. C. and T. Blackmore, Cardiff.—19tA 3420. Dynamo-electric Machines, W. P. Thompson, October, 1882.    London.—18th July,    1S82.

5467. Apparatus for Basting Meat, &c., J. Reynolds, 8430. Detecting Leakage of Pipes, &c., A. Q. Ross, Worcester.—17th November, 1882.    London.—lOtA July, 1882.

5559. Ordnance, J. VaVasseur, Southwark.—22nd 8433. Operating Microphones, P. M. Justice, Londoh.

November, 1882.    —10th July, 1882.

5757. Insulated Electric Conductors, &c., E. T. 3444. Artificial Stone or Concrete Pavement, &c., Truman, London.—2nd December^ 1882.    E. L. Ransorne, San Francisco.—20th July, 1882.

5927. Bichromate of Potash, F. C. Glaser, Berlin.— 3453. Improve!) Beverage, J. Lane, Liverpool.—20th —A coin, from P. Riimer.—12th September, 1882.    July, 1882.

1660, 2d 1986, 2d 2860, 2d' 2474, 6d-2523, 2d-2532, 2d-2539, 2d-2546, 2d-2553, 6d-2560, 4d-2569, 6d. 2576, 6d. 2582, Is. 2589, 6d. 2597, 6d. 2605, 6d. 2612, 6d. 2619, 2d. 2631, 6d. 2655, 2d. 2667, 6d. 2681, 2d. 2692, 2d. 2720, 2d. 3617, 4d.

ABSTEA0TS OF SPECIFICATIONS.

The object is to put out a cigar, so that it can be put into a cigar case without danger, and it consists in applying a cap over the burning end.

one

it creates a

4d.

1898. Stoppers for Bottles, J. Ballard, Notting-1882. 6d.

stoppers are described, one of

pril,

not

in-

ill

I slip.

-m

iii.p

u'

u.

in :i

si

2523. Dyeing, Bleaching, Ac., J. C. Mewburn, London.—27th May, 1882.—(A communication from L. M. Nouvelet and L. Fay, Reims.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The materials to be treated are placed on perforated tubes through which the liquid for dyeing or bleaching them is forced under pressure by a jet of steam which produces a suction of the liquid in the trough and drives it through the perforated tubes around which the materials are wrapped.

-■i.

2532. An Improved Method of Treating Certain Materials to Render them Dielectrical, E. W. Beckingsale, Bedford Park, Middlesex.—27th May, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the injection of hydrocarbons into bricks, stones, and other porous materials, so as to render them non-conducting.

if. Turnbull, South

6 d.

3463. Corsets, Ac., R. Hunting, London.—21st July, 1882.

3465. Accumulation and Distribution of Electricity, L. H. M. Somzee, Brussels.—21st July, 1882. 3467. Acoustic and Stentorophonic Instruments, F.

Wirth, Frankfort-on-the-Main.—21st July, 1882.

3534. Dynamo-electric Machines, Ac., 0. W. F. Hill, Gunnersbury.—27th July, 1882.

3574. Engine Governors, W. R. Lake, London.—27th July, 1882.

3590. Roller Mills, A. W. L. Reddie, London.—28t/i July, 1882.

3625. Central Fire Cartridges, C. S. Bailey, Waltham Abbey.—31st July, 1882.

3673. Wrought Iron and Steel Rods, E. Deeley, Walsall.—2nd August, 1882.

4263. Mule - throstle Spinning and Doubling Machinery, W. Lancaster, Accrington, and E. Slater, Burnley.—7th September, 1882.

4598. Utilising Heat, H. Gruson and R. Handrick, Buckau.—27th September, 1882.

4623. Preparations of Animal Vaccine, E. T. Darke, Charing Cross.—28th September, 1882.

4879. Pigment, J. B. Freeman, Tottenham.—13tA October, 1882.

4915. Switches for Electric Lamps, T. W. Cowan, Rotherham.—16th October, 1882.

4982. Gas-heated Furnaces, C. Madge, Swansea.— 192A October, 1882.

5015. Iron and Steel Tubular Telegraph Poles. J. C. Johnson, Wednesbury, and R. Martin, West Bromwich.—21st October, 1882.

5102. Studded Chains, T. H. Ward, Tipton.—26th October, 1882.

5119. Cable Traction Railways and Tramways, J.

Wright, London.—27th October, 1882.

5144. Cocks or Valves, W. H. Moseley, Derby.—30t/i October, 1882.

5201. Apparatus for the Manufacture of Paper, F.

Wrigley and J. Robertson, Bury.—1st November, 1882. 5230. Signalling by Elecricity through the Medium of Gas, W. R. Lake, London.—4th November, 1882. 5340. Reciprocating Cylinder Printing Presses, S.

Sydney, Sutton.—8th November, 1882.

(List of Letters Patent which passed the Great Seal on the 9th January, 1883.)

3258. Retaining Stockings, Ac., in Position, J. Parry, London.—lOtA July, 1882.

3266. Paring the Curls of Hat Brims, J. Cree, Denton.—10th July, 1882.

3290. Dressing the Stems and Leaves of Plants, J. G.

Jebb, London.—11th July, 1882.

3324. Gas Stoves, C. Portway, Halstead.—12th July, 1882.

3335. Telephones, S. M. Yeates, Dublin.—14t/i July, 1882.

3341. Tenon-cutting Machinery, J. G. Hirst, Leeds.

—    14th July, 1882.

3352. Iron and Steel, J. M. Bennett, Glasgow.—14th July, 1882.

3354. Crude or Pig Iron, J. M. Bennett, Glasgow.— 14t/i July, 1882.

3404. Holding and Grinding Tools, R. Rawlinson, Salford.—18th July, 1882.

3414. Electric Telegraph Signalling Apparatus, H. E. Newton, London.—18t/i July, 1882.

3440. Drying Coffee, F. H. F. Engel, Hamburg.—19th July, 1882.

3452. Screw Propellers, R. Duncan, Glasgow.—20th July, 1882.

3471. Knives and Forks, H. Fielding, Birmingham. —21st July, 1882.

3505. Centrifugal Machines, J. H. Johnson, London.

—    24th July, 1882.

3548. Extinguishing Fire, A. M. Clark, London.— 26th July, 1882.

3993. Door Mat, Boot, and Shoe Cleaner, J. Hope-well, Salford.—19th August, 1882.

5107. Indicating Excessive Variations of Temperature, W. T. Goolden and C. F. Casella, London.— 27tA October, 1882.

List of Specifications published during the weex ending January 6th, lbB3.

4666*, 4d.; 2178*, 4d.; 643*, 4d.; 1278, 2d.; 1334, 2d 1480, 2d.;    1585,    6d.;    1612,    2d.;    1642, 6d.;

1772, 4d.;    1898,    6d.;    1914,    2d.;    1980, 2d.;

2025, 2d.;    2192,    4d.;    2230,    6d.;    2295, 6d.;

2363, 4d.;    2426,    6d.;    2440,    Is.;    2460, 6d.;

2475, 6d.;    2503,    2d.;    2519,    6d.;    2522, 2d.;

2525, 6d.;    2527,    6d.;    2528,    2d.;    2529, 6d.;

2533, 8d.;    2535,    2d.;    2537,    0d.;    2538, 2d.;

2540, 6d.;    2542,    2d.;    2543,    6d.;    2545, 6d.;

2547, 6d.;    2548,    6d.;    2550,    4d.;    2551, 4d.;

2553, 6d.;    2554,    4d.;    2555,    2d.;    2557, 2d.;

2562, 4d.;    2564,    6d.;    2566,    4d.;    2568, 8d.;

2571, 4d.;    2573,    6d.;    2574,    6d.;    2575, 6d.;

2577, 6d.;    2579,    2d.;    2580,    6d.;    2581, 2d.;

2583, 2d.;    2586,    4d.;    2587,    4d.;    2588, 4d.;

2590, 6d.;    2591,    4d.;    2593,    6d.;    2595, 2d.;

2599, 4d.;    2601,    2d.;    2602,    4d.;    2603, 6d.;

2606, 2d.;    2607,    6d.;    2609,    2d.;    2611, 2d.;

2614, 2d.; 2616, 4d.; 2617, 10d.; 2618, 6d.;

2621, 4d.;    2622,    6d.;    2624,    6d.;    2629, 2d.;

2635, 4d.;    2640,    4d.;    2642,    4d.;    2648, 4d.;

2658, 4d.;    2662,    2d.;    2664,    2d :    2666, 2d.;

2669, 4d.;    2674,    4d.;    2677,    2d.;    2680, 2d.;

2683, 2d.;    2686,    2d.;    2688,    2d.;    2691, 6d.;

2704, 2d.;    2710,    2d.;    2712,    6d.;    2717, 2d.;

2726, 6d.;    2777,    2d.;    2847,    10d.;    3137, 6d.;

4014, 6d.; 4442, 6d.; 4728, 4d.; 4857, 6d.

*** Specifications will be forwarded by post from the Patent-office on receipt of the amount of price and postage. Sums exceeding Is. must be remitted by Post-office order, made payable at the Post-office, 5, High Holborn, to Mr. H. Reader Lack, her Majesty’s Patent-office, Southampton-buildings, Chancery-lane, London.

Prepared by ourselves expressly for The Engineer at the office of Her Majesty's Commissioners of Patents.

1278. Cigar Cap, H. J. Haddan, Kensington.—16th March, 1882.—(A communication from 0. Ehren-traut, Leipzig.)— (Provisional protection not allowed.)

1334. Appliances for the Artificial Rearing of Oysters, A. J. Boult, London.—18th March, 1882.— (A communication from A. Laurent, Bordeaux.)— (Provisional protection not allowed.) 2d.

This relates to the construction of boxes for rearing oysters, of plates or tiles of ceramic ware.

1480. Ventilating Mines, Tunnels, Buildings, Ac., W. Teague, Cornwall.—28th March, 1882.—(Provisional protection not allowed.) 2d.

An ordinary fan has fitted to the outer pipe or more concentric pipes or rings, to each of which an intake pipe is attached. The air is drawn in through the intake pipe, and discharged through the outlet pipe into the concentric rings, in which vacuum, and causes a rapid current of air in each intake pipe and ring.

1585. Neutralising, Separating, or Absorbing the Products of Combustion of Coal, Gas, Ac., J. F. Allan and W. B. Adamson, Glasgow.—1st April, 1882. 6d.

The products of combustion from a gas stove or burner are led through a chamber containing strips or plates of zinc or iron.

1612. Embroidered Cravats, IF. R. Lake, London.— 3rd April, 1882. — (A communication from E. Demonchaux, France.)—(Provisional protection not allowed.) 2d.

This consists in ornamenting cravats, Ac., with paintings and embroidery combined.

1642. Improvements in Incandescent Electric Lamps, W. H. Akester, Glasgow.—bth April, 1882 6 d.

This relates to a novel method of fixing the carbon filament and conducting wires into the glass globe, and of sealing the globe after they are in place.

1660. Article of Food made from Fish, Ac., W. McDonnell, Limerick.—bth April, 1882. — (Provisional protection not allowed.) 2d.

The fish is boiled, and then boned and minced, and after being suitably seasoned, is made into “brawn ” or sausage, and freely boiled and pressed into suitable forms.

1772. Balloons, Ac., T. Wilkins, Poland-street.—14th April, 1882.—(Provisional protection not allowed.)

The object is to enable gas or hot-air balloons to be steered and propelled by suitable mechanism.

ham.—21st A Several forms which consists of a stud stopper of china or glass with a groove to receive an india-rubber washer, and perforated throughout, the upper part being smaller than the lower, which is partly stopped by a wood ferule, between which, and the upper part, a spherical piece of india-rubber is free to move.

1914. Funeral Cars, J. Whitehead, Westminster.— 2lsf April, 1882.—(Provisional protection not allowed.) 2d.

This relates to cars which may be used either as an open or closed car, the sides being of glass fitted with blinds and capable of folding up.

1980. Thermometers, C. Townsend, Bristol.—26th April, 1882.—(Provisional protection not allowed.)

2d.

This relates to thermometers which have the scale marked on the tube, and consists in maiking the corrections also on the tube, when the instrument is corrected by a standard thermometer.

1986. Safety Matches, J. I.. Field, Dorset.—27th April, 1882.—(Provisional protection not allowed.) 2d.

This consists in constructing safety matches with a portion of the igniting composition attached to its sides, so that one match may be ignited by rubbing or striking it on another.

2025. Ornamenting Glass, C. J. Bishop, Lancaster.— 28 th April, 1882. — (Provisional protection allowed.) 2d.

This relates to the ornamentation of glass by a combined process of printing and frosting by a sand blast.

2192. Improvements in the Manufacture of Bridges or Loops for Incandescent Electric Lamps, C. J. Allport, London.—10th May, 1882. 4d.

This relates partly to patent No. 4850, 1881. It consists in the construction of filaments or bridges composed of asbestos in combination with carbon. The carbon is combined with the asbestos by mixing compounds containing carbon and hydrogen with the latter, and then combining the compounds. Other thods are also described and claimed.

2230. Winding Engines for Steam Ploughing, Ac., T. Perkins, Hitchin.—lU/t May, 1882. 6d.

The general arrangement is similar to ordinary traction and winding engines, the main axle is behind the fire-box and has two spur wheels, one on each side, with which pinions on a countershaft engage. The spur wheels drive the winding drums, gearing with toothed rings thereon. The drums are behind the main axle, and are mounted upon excentrics, by shifting which the drums are thrown in or out of gear. Spring brakes are kept applied to the drums when out of gear. The spur wheels on the main axle are also used to drive the road wheels when desired.

2295. Improvements in Compensating Dynamo-Electric Machines, B. B. Chameroy, Maisons Lajitte, France. — 16th May, 1882. 6d.

The inventor claims a dynamo-electric machine in which the strength of the current is controlled by causing the variations of said current to regulate the distance between the exciting coils and the electromagnets, either directly by the influence of the

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Jilil

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current in the machine, or oy the intervention of mechanical devices. The figure gives a sectional plan of one method. The electro-magnets are movable, and supported on axles C C ; they are capable of moving away from armature A. If any lamps connected with the dynamo are extinguished so as to increase its resistance, the lower part of electro-magnets K K will, by reason of their magnetisation, move towards the metallic masses F Fi, and the separation of K K from A diminishes the current in A.

2360. Apparatus for Making Coffee and Tea, W. H. Crispin, Hampstead.—19th May, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The vessel is of tin, and has a draw-off tap at bottom, and a ledge to receive an inner vessel with perforated bottom to receive the coffee or tea. A weighted cover rests on the coffee or tea and prevents it rising to the surface of the water, while a second cover closes the outer vessel.

2363- Tobacco Pipes, J. Stanley, Manchester.—19th May, 1882. 4d.

A hole is bored in the stem large enough to receive a separate piece, in which the smoke passage is provided in a helical form, and which can be removed when required for cleaning.

2440. Rotary Engines, H. J. Haddan, Kensington.— 23rd May, 1882.—(A communication from L. J. Wing, Washington, U.S.) Is.

This relates to the general construction of a rotary engine, in which a rotary piston disc is used in combination with a rotary abutment disc arranged at right angles, suitable mechanism to impart continuous rotary motion thereto, and the periphery of the abutment disc being arranged to snugly fit the periphery of the piston disc. Thera are fifty-five claims.

2426. Bottling Fermented Liquids, F. Foster, Hoxton.—22rd May, 1882. 6d.

This relates to a novel combination of aerating cylinder, gas pump, and bottling machine, by means of which fermented liquids can be taken direct fro cask and undergo a process first of exhausting the air from the liquid, then of charging the liquid with carbonic acid gas, and subsequently of filling the liquid into bottles capable of being closed with screw stoppers.

2460. Thrashing Machines, P. Gibbons and A. S. F. Robinson, Wantage —24th May, 1882.    6d.

This relates especially to the “smutter,” the final dresser, and parts connected therewith. The dressing riddles (of extra large size) are placed immediately below the smutter in the middle of the machine. The grain raised by the elevator is delivered by an incline into the wire gauze cylinder of the smutter, is carried on by the blades and rubbers on the revolving axis within the smutter, and delivered at the end of the cylinder. It falls into a hopper which leads it back to the riddle. An exhaust fan is provided on the axis of the smutter at its further end, and draws air through the smutter and delivers it with the dust through a grating at the periphery. An inclined cover plate is introduced between the smutter and the dressing riddles, the dirt and seeds falling thereon and being separated.

2474. Fluid Meters, C. I). Abel, London.—24thMay, 1882.—(A communication from C. Schreiber, Paris ) 6 d.

This consists in the construction of a fluid meter with two cylinders and pistons, each piston being

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arranged to work the slide of the other cylinder. The drawing shows the arrangement.

2475. Reaping Machines, T. Culpin, Worship-street. —24th May, 1882. 6d.

The objects are, First, to hinge the “off divider” behind the cutter bar so that it may rise and fall from that point and find its own touch upon the ground without reference to the angle at which the knives or the platform may be set; Secondly, to adjust the hinged “off divider” so that it may be set with its point at any desired elevation for dividing the straws at any height from the ground ; Thirdly, to make the “ off divider” in sections and hinging them near the point, so that it may be spread outward or upward as desired; and, Fourthly, to control the dummy and rake arms automatically by a segmental plate or its equivalent by the switch.

2503. Leads for Pencils, G. Daubenspeck, Middlesex. —26th May, 1882. 2d.

This relates to pencils capable of being used for making copies, the object being to enable a black copy to be made, and it consists in forming the leads of 100 parts of nigrosine, 7\ parts phosphine, 25 parts graphite, 35 parts castile soap, and 5 parts pure aniline.

2515.    Hay-making Machines, S. H. Dening, Chard.— —26th May, 1882. 6d.

The principal object is to enable the main shaft of the rake drum to be prolonged through and beyond the main travelling wheels (without removing it from its ordinary position excentric thereto), and thereby admit of rake heads working outside the main wheels as well as between them, thus increasing the working width of the machine without increasing the breadth of the framework.

2516.    Improvements in the Preparation of Materials for Electric Insulation, Ac., G. S. Page, Stanley, Jersey State, U.S.—26th May, 1882. —(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the use of a mixture composed of finely divided dry organic material with mineral substances, carbon, hydrocarbons, resinous materials, Ac.

2519. Improvements in and Connected with Air-Exhausting Apparatus to be Used in Preparing Incandescent Electric Lamps, W. H. Akester, Glasgow.—27th May, 1882. 6d.

This relates to improvements in a mercury air pump, by which the concussive action causing leakages through joints and stuffing-boxes is avoided. 2522. Washing and Wringing Machines, M. and C. Staveley, Yorkshire.—27th May, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to cover washing and wringing machines with a box or casing so as to conceal them from view.

2525. Apparatus used in the Manufacture of Felt Hats, Ac., J. C. Bramall, near Stockport, and W. G. Bywater and J. Teale, Holbeck.—27th May, 1882. 6d.

In manufacturing felt hats a revolving inner hollow perforated block receives the felt, over which another cone or hollow block acts on the felt by a reciprocating up-and-down motion. The present invention consists in employing an upper cap, cover, or cone, which is capable of a reciprocating rotary motion.

2527- Production of Inflammable Gas, and Applying its Combustion for the Production of Motive Power, H. Davey, Leeds.—27th May, 1882. 6d.

This relates to apparatus for generating inflammable gas under pressure, and applying it in conjunction with compressed air to produce motive power. A cylindrical vessel has introduced into it at top carbonaceous fuel, and at the base of the vessel is a hopper valve to discharge the ash. In the lower part of the vessel under the fuel is an inverted cup-shaped vessel, into the hollow of which compressed air and steam are introduced, and rising through perforations in the vessel and through the fuel, produce gas which is utilised in an engine of special construction.

2528. Exhaust Fans, R. A. Lioter and G. Richmond. Gloucester.—27th May, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.)

The usual casing is abolished, and one inlet only is employed, and opens into the fan itself, to which it is connected by a joint consisting of two faces with an interposed washer of leather. The air drawn in at inlet is discharged off the vanes of the fan.

2529. Digging or Cultivating Machines, W.

Doubleday, Chelmsford.—27th May, 1882. 6d.

A traction engine is employed, and at the back a shaft is mounted with a number of bosses, each having a number of slotted projections or bearings for the inner end of a suitably constructed spade or tine. The shaft is operated from the engine, and the depth of cut is regulated by a worm and wheel.

2530. Domestic Stoves or Fireplaces, H. Ransford, Brighton.—27th May, 1882. 6d.

This consists of a disc having a fire basket fixed upon it.

2533. Pontoon Docks, Ac.,

Shields.—27th May, 1882. 8d.

The pontoon is constructed in the bottom with the usual air and water chamber and valves, but with only one side and two ends, to allow of the vessel being docked broadside on or at an angle, the upper side of the pontoon having an incline with rails to correspond to the rails of the slipway. The end or ends of the open side are provided with wings to open outwards. The Second part relates to a lever for steadying pontoons at the quay or jetty. The invention further relates to slipways for receiving pontoons and shifting them from one position to another.

2534.    Papermakers’ Drying Felts, F. Aitken, Helmshore.—27th May, 1882. 2d.

This relates to raising the fibres on the working surface of the felt.

2535.    Looms, H. Lomax, Darwen.—27th May, 1882.— (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to means of weighting the warp beam so as to dispense with the springs usually employed, and it consists of a chain attached at one end to the weighted lever and passing around the neck of the “ruffle” of the beam any desired number of times, the other end of the chain being then attached to the pendant part of the chain above the weight.

2537.    Compressed Gunpowder, W. R. Lake, London. —27th May, 1882.—(A communication from H. Gruson, Germany.) 6d.

This consists, First, in the improved press for manufacturing compressed gunpowder, in which a cushion of elastic material is employed so as to enable the excentrics to perform a portion of their revolution without moving the plungers, and thereby maintain the maximum pressure on the powder temporarily constant; Secondly, in heating the moulds or matrices of the press by steam or water.

2538.    Carriages and Wagons for Use on Public Roads, Ac., T. Horrex, Gracechurch-street.—27th May, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This consists in constructing wagons or carriages with more than two pairs of wheels, and providing means to raise the front part of the body of the carriage and the intermediate wheels off the ground, so as to facilitate the turning of the vehicle.

2539.    Hanging Baskets for Flowers, Vases, Ac.,

E. W. Warsop, Bristol.—27th May, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to form hanging baskets so that they are simple, strong, and capable of being folded into a small space.

2540.    Furnaces or Fire-grates, G. F. Janes, Finsbury.—27th May, 1882.    6d.

Two boxes are used, and support the ends of the fire-bars, which are hollow, of a V shape, and faced with margin-pieces arranged so as to leave openings to conduct air to the fuel. Beneath the front box are two spindles fitted with hand levers, and connected with the fire-bars, so that by actuating either lever one-half of the fire-bars are caused to slide.

2542.    Drying Grain, Ac., Sir H. Scholjield, Nottingham.— 80th May, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Two forms of apparatus are described — one for drying grain and fruits, and the other for drying fibres or fabric, and in the former a travelling hopper is employed to supply an uniform depth of grain to the drying chamber, where it is subjected to the action of heated air.

2543.    Looms, W. R. Stitt and J. Lees, Belfast.—30th May, 1882. 6d.

This relates to the delivery of yarn to the loom, the object being to regulate the yarn beam according to the pace at which the yarn is required. A revolving shaft is attached to the loom by brackets, and connected to the beam by bevel wheels, and upon it is a hollow cone. A second cone is made to slide freely along the shaft, and pass into the former cone, so as to act as a brake. The second cone is attached to the loom by slotted arms, on which it is adjusted and maintained in position with the aid of a screw, and by a connection between it and the lower shell, the latter, when lifted by the yarn, acts on the lever and weight.

2545. Mixing and Working Coffee Berries, Ac., E. J. Rumphery, London Bridge.—30th May, 1882.

The substances to be mixed are caused to pass through openings communicating with one shaft, in the passage through which they become thoroughly mixed.

2546. Traction Wagons, J. and H. McLaren, Leeds.— 30th May, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to form wagons so that their load may be readily discharged or tipped, and it consists in mounting the body on rollers running on an inclined frame, so that the body runs back and overhangs the frame, and can be readily tipped.

2547- Thrashing Machines, J. H. Johnson, London. —29th May, 1882. — (A communication from M. Epple, Munich.) 6d.

The object is to provide means for working the vibrating parts of thrashing machines so that the first cleaning arrangements are operated by a single shaft in such a manner that the energies of the vibrations and oscillations compensate or balance each other, whereby motion may be directly transmitted by the one shaft to the several vibrating parts without the employment of connecting links.

2549.    Building Construction, Lighting, Fireproofing, Ac., T. Hyatt, London.—30th May, 1882. 8d.

This consists in the employment of distributing mirrors in combination with receiving or daylight reflectors.

2550.    Sifting Various Materials, M. Shearer, sen., and M. Shearer, jun., Old Kent-road.—29th May, 1882. 4d.

This consists of a rotating sifting cylinder, to which a compound oscillating and excentric action is imparted.

2551.    Dental Instrument, G. Poulson, Hamburg.— 20th May, 1882.—(A communication from J. W. Lencli, Hamburg.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to instruments to hold the cofferdam rubber in the mouth, the object being to keep it in its right position, to facilitate opening the mouth by preventing it tiring the patient, and to introduce into the mouth a reflector which is fixed to the instrument, thus leaving the dentist with both hands free for operation.

2552.    Steering Quadrants or Tillers, J. Cook, jun., Washington, Durham, and W. Prosser, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.—20th May, 1882. 6d.

The whole quadrant, consisting of a boss (to key or rudder head), the radial arms, and the sector (with guides for the steering chains) is made in one solid steel casting.

2553.    Manufacture of Hinges, A. J. Boult, London. 20th May, 1882.—(A communication from E. Solatium and E. Armant, Montreal, Canada.) 6d.

This consists in enclosing the blanks and pivot pins between gripping jaws, bending the said blanks

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2576. Compressing Air and other Gaseous Fluids, <fcc., W. Darling and R. Sellers, Keighleyt—31st May, 1882. C d.

Two compressing cylinders A are placed side by side, and between them is the steam engine cylinder B, for driving the air compressors. At the ends of cylinders A are enlarged chambers F, in which work delivery valves G, the chambers serving as guides for the valves, in which holes are made to allow the compressed air to pass to both sides of the valves. The

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2595. Improvements in Preparing Certain Materials for Use in Secondary Batteries, W. Boggett, Chelsea.—1st June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the production of finely divided lead by mechanical moans, viz., either by pressing a tool against a rotating disc of lead, or cutting thin sheets of lead and subsequently cross-cutting the same.

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partly around the pin by means of a former moving the gripping jaws and partly formed hinge forward, and finishing the hinge by the succeeding blow of the former against a concave anvil.

2554.    Vulcanising India-rubber, J. H. Johnson, London.—30th May, 1882.—(A communication from H. M. F. J. Compte de la Tour du Breuil and A. M. A. Vicomtede la Tour de Breuil, Paris.) id.

This consists in employing at atmospheric pressure ti bath composed of water and an inert soluble salt which possesses the property of retarding the ebullition of the water, and thus enables the temperature «>f the latter to be raised to from 140 to 150 deg C., or to a point at which the sulphur and india-rubber combine.

2555.    Blocking Tunnels, F. Barnett, London.—30th May, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This consists in forming the tunnel with one or more dips from each side of the tunnel, so as to have two inclines meeting, and the spaces between these inclines may be flooded when necessary.

2556.    Window Screens, G. L. Reynolds, California.— —35tli May, 1882. Gd.

This consists partly in journalling a screen or curtain rollers upon the top of the upper and the bottom of the lower sashes respectively, and in attaching one balance weight cord to the journal of the roller and the other to the sash, the rollers being protected by grooves in the sashes, and by enclosing plates which project beyond the sashes.

2557.    Illumination of Railway Carriages, M. A. lVier, London. - 30th May, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d

This relates to a method of distributing throughout a train of railway carriages the illuminating power derived from lamps at the extremity or extremities of the train, and consists in the employment of reflectors and prismatic refractors.

2559.    Treatment of Fatty Substances, R. H. Brandon, Paris.—3lst May, 1882.—(A communication from A. Marix, Paris.) 6d.

The object is to obtain stearins and glycerine oxide from tallow and other fatty or oily substances.

2560.    Improvements in Electric Lamps and Electrodes therefor, S. Hallett, London.—31st May, 1882. id.

This relates primarily to incandescent lamps, and consists of improvements on the inventor’s patent No. 4017, 17th September, 1881. He now claims the manufacture of electrodes (1) from cocoanut shell; (2) from pulverous carbonaceous matter prepared with gelatine or glue, and the admixture of tannic acid forming the carbon mass, which is then moulded and recarbonised; (3) from ligneous or vegetable pulp treated with dilute mineral acids, and mixed with gelatine or glue, &c ; and (4) the mounting of the electrodes for incandescent lamps with sockets and connections, also contact breaker switch device as described in this patent.

2562. Communicating a Rotary Motion to Brushes for Hair, &c., R. F. Heney, London.—31st May, 1882. id.

The brush is caused to revolve by means of a small electric motor placed in the internal part thereof, to which an electric current is conveyed by means of a wire from a battery or other generator of electricity. 2564. Barges, <&c., E. Moxon, Tunbridge Wells.—31st May, 1882. Gd.

This consists, First, in constructing iron and steel barges, <fec., with spaces or cells in the sides for containing cork or other buoyant materials; Secondly, in the application and use of an automatic electric signaling device for announcing the presence of water in the barge, &c.

2566. Weaving Cloth for Tapestry, D. A. Guille, London.—31st May, 1882. id.

The object is to produce a fabric which shall enable artists to imitate the Gobelin tapestries.

2568.    Barrels and Keys of Locks and Latches, &c., G. Bolton, Wolverhampton.— 31st May, 1882. 8 d.

The improvements which relate to the barrels and keys of locks and latches consist in forming the barrel with a groove down each side of it, in line with the key-hole, and with a solid part down the centre, instead of the usual pin-hole down the centre with a single groove therefrom to one side; and in forming the key with a flat bit without the usual cylindrical part or pin, and with a slot up the bit of the key corresponding to the solid part down the centre of the barrel. The solid part down the centre of the barrel is cut away for a short distance at the end, so as to allow for proper strength of metal at the inner end of the slot in the key. Other improvements refer to the latching mechanism.

2569.    Improvements in Electric Lamps, T. E. Gatehouse, Camberwell, and H. R. Kempe, Barnet.— 31s< May, 1882. Gd.

The accompanying figure shows the inventor’s lamp. The solenoid B is connected through any make or break arrangement, so thatit is intermittently excited, attracting its core in opposition to the spring shown in the figure, and thus giving a reciprocating to-and-fro motion to arm A. Lower solenoid is of high resistance and is placed in a shunt from the main circuit. Its core is drawn upward by an adjustable

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spring D. When the carbons are too near, this solenoid is weak, and spring D raises arm A, so that a tooth at its end engages as a pawl with the teeth of W. By the reciprocation of arm A this wheel is caused to turn upwards the same way as the arrow, thus raising the carbon and enlarging the arc. The reverse takes place when the arc is too long, and the solenoid strong. Wheel B simply presses carbon K against wheels W and W¹. The invention also relates to a novel method of including an incandescent lamp in shunt circuit as part of the resistance thereof.

2571. Improved Method of Making the Insulating Bodies of Electric Light Conducting Wires Non-inflammable, W. A. Phillips, Homerton, and S. E. Phillips, Charlton.—31st May, 1882. id.

This invention consists in passing the wires, covered or uncovered, through a solution of tungstate of soda. According to another part of the invention a concentrated aqueous solution of tungstate of soda is prepared and poured into boiled linseed oil, which is heated and kept stirred until the water has evaporated. A portion of this fluid is then mixed with the insulating compound used to cover the wire.

2573. A New or Improved Dynamo-electric Machine, S. Hallett, London.—31st May, 1882. Gd.

This relates to improvements whereby currents of varied intensity can be obtained from the same chine, thus enabling the electrolytic deposition of metals to be carried on in two or more vats containing different solutions by the currents from the same machine.

2574.    Decorticating Grain, J. Wetter, New Wandsworth.—31sf May, 1882.—(A communication from W. Ager, Washington, U.S.) 6d.

The process consists, First, in subjecting the grain in a mass sufficient to make its own weight a factor for keeping it against the decorticating surfaces with a pressure sufficient to remove all of the impurities; Secondly, in maintaining an equal feed and discharge of the grain; Thirdly, in subjecting the grain to abrading surfaces receiving a relatively fast and slow motion; and Fourthly, in the withdrawal by air currents of the impurities through the screen cylinder.

2575.    Removing Vegetable Matter from Wool, J. Wetter, New Wandsworth.—31s« May, 1882.—-(^4 communication from A. Snoeck, Belgium.) 6d.

This consists in subjecting wool to chemical processes having for their object to clean the wool from vegetable matter adhering to it, not while the wool is in locks, yarns, or woven tissue, but when it has been worked into fleeces or slivers by the carding or combing machines, so that the chemical action takes place while the wool is in a state of division favourable for the destruction of the vegetable impurities.

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inlet valves I are eariied in a cylindrical guide formed at the central part of the delivery valves, the stems of which are tubular to admit the air. The two inlet valves are coupled by links O and lever P. Springs are attached to the tubular stems of the delivery valves, so as to insure the proper closing of such valves before the pressure of the air is sufficient to effect this object.

2577. Apparatus for Washing and Rinsing Bottles, E. Lofts, Cherryhinton.—31st May, 1882.

This relates to improvements in the general construction of the apparatus described in patent No. 1448, a.d. 1872.

2579.    Reversible Cloaks, T. H. Harrison, London. —31sf May, 1882.—(A communication from H. F. Bindseil and L. Weil, New York.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to furnish a lady’s silk cloak lined with fur, &c., which may be readily reversed, and a waterproof cover brought to the outside when necessary.

2580.    Fence Posts, S. Pitt, Sutton.—31st May, 1882. — (A communication from 0. Shepard, Boston, B. W. Peck, G. H. Morse, W. A. Crombie, E. R. Powell, aud T. S. Peck, Burlington, U.S.) 3d.

The invention has reference to fence posts made of metal, and adapted to be driven into the ground; and consists in improvements in the shares or wings, and in the way in which they are attached to the standards, in the form of the standards, and in the devices by which the wire longitudinals are set in place and held, these being equally effective where lengths of broad fencing are substituted for wire.

2581.    Disinfectant Litter for Horses, &c., C. W.

G. Ernst, Hanover.—31 stMay, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The inventor employs 2 to 5 per cent, of acid sulphate of sodium, sulphate of magnesia, and gypsum, each substance alone or conjointly with the other substances, or ferrous sulphate in the proportion of 2 to 50 per cent, of quicklime and carbolic acid may be employed, each either alone or mixed with the other substances before mentioned.

2582.    Measuring, Recording and Indicating the Speed of Railway Trains, F. C. Glaser, Berlin. —31sf May, 1882. — (A communication from the Werkzeug und Maschinevfabric-Oerlikon, Switzerland.) Is.

The speed measurer consists of a system of branch elements or apparatus, which is attached to a revolving axle, and is held by a spring in different positions at different degrees of tension of the same, which positions correspond to the various velocities of revolution. These different positions are made use of so as to allow of the speeds being read off and recorded, the latter in combination with a clock.

2583.    Starting, Stopping, and Reversing Steam Engines, &c., IF. H. Allen, R. Wright, and W. L. Williams, Lorldon.—1st June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to improvements in the general construction of the cylinder, piston, and gear.

2586.    Sugar Cane Mills, E. Hunt, Glasgow.—1st June, 1882.—(A communication from J. Thompson and J. Black, Campos, Brazil.) id.

This consists in the combination of a pair of deeply grooved preparatory rolls, with the three rolls of ordinary sugar cane mills.

2587.    Catches for Acting on Ratchet Wheels, J.

F. Davies, Blackburn.—1st June, 1882. id.

The inventor claims casting or otherwise forming the lever head and the catch each in one piece, and providing one or the other (or both of them) with a lug or projection (or with lugs or projections) or with hooks or slips, so that two may be jointed together when the catch is not in its working position, and that when the said catch is moved to its working position, it is prevented by the said lugs or projections, or hooks or clips, from being displaced in a lateral direction, and all pins, rivets, nuts, or bolts dispensed with.

2588. Combination Garment, F. IF. Brewster, Westminster.—1st June, 1882. id.

This consists in the combination with an entire outer and generally serviceable garment of suitable

means of floatation, principally disposed about the body portion, so that the wearer should have about her or him in, and as a part of such garment, a means of keeping afloat when in the water.

2589.    Screw Buttons, F. Wirth, Frankfort.—1st June, 1882.—(A communication from L. E. Hunrath, Darmstadt.) 6d.

This consists of a screwed socket connected to the foot-plate or disc by two pieces, in combination with the upper part or head, provided with a screwed stem adapted to fit into the said socket.

2590.    Glazing, T. H. P. Dennis, Chelmsford.—1st June, 1882. Gd.

This consists partly in the manufacture and use of sash-bars and caps and other appliances in the formation of skylights.

2591.    Water Gauges, W'. R. Lake, London.—1st June, 1882.—(A communication from L. M. Fleet, Boston, U.S.) id.

One half of the exterior surface of the glass tube is ground to form a background for enabling the column of water to be seen to better advantage. The tube is provided with a hollow ball or float.

2593- Wrenches, P. Lawrence, London.—1st June, 1882. 6d.

This relates to “ monkey wrenches,” in which the adjusting screw is stationary, and operates in a nut formed in the front of the sliding jaw ; and it consists partly ifl such a construction that the screw may bo readily disengaged from the nut without changing the normal position of the hand while operating, whereby the adjustable jaw may be quickly changed from one position to another by the disengaged hand of the operator, or the jaw be allowed to drop as desired by simply inclining the wrench, when the screw is again allowed to resume its position either to lock the jaw or for use in the ordinary manner.

2597- Stoppering Bottles or Flagons, G. Falcon-nier, Nyon, Switzerland.—1st June, 1882. 3d.

This relates to a bayonet-closing system for bottles. 2599. Moulds for Casting Steel, A. Patrick, Glasgow.—2nd June, 1882. id.

As shown in the drawing the body 5 of tho mould consists of a tubular piece of thick fire-clay, and rests upon a cast iron sole plate 6, a fire-clay slab 7 being fitted to the bottom of the mould to protect tho cast iron sole plate at that part, there being holes in the plate beneath tho fire-clay slab to allow gas to escape. The body 5 of tlie mould is strengthened by iron hoops

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8, which are. tightened by screw bolts, and can ho slackened as required for expansion. Vertical iron straps 9, bolted to the sole plate 6, also assist in strengthening the mould, and are formed with eyes at their upper ends for the attachment of chains for hoisting the mould by.

2601.    Appendage for Purses for Attaching the same to Gloves, S. Cooke, London.—2nd June, 1882. 2d.

This relates to the employment of a metal “lip” projecting from one side of the purse, and by a movement of the hand allowed to slide down the opening of the glove at the top of the palm of the hand ; also by a chain attached to the side of the purse, at tfie end of which chain is a small metal hook. This is placed between the second and third fingers and half encircles them at the bottom, and so pulls in the opposite direction to the “lip” before mentioned.

2602.    Improvements in Secondary Batteries, &c., Sir C. T. Bright, London —2nd June, 1882. id.

The inventor divides each cell of his battery into two parts by a porous diaphragm, each part being filled with a number of leaden granules and dilute sulphuric acid. Leaden plates are placed in each part of the cell Another part of the invention consists in covering the surface of plates with dioxide of lead by first exposing them to the warm vapours of acetic acid and carbonic acid gas, thus converting the outer surface into carbonate of lead, and afterwards treating it with chlorine gas. Another improvement consists in mixing dioxide of lead in the form of powder with the leaden granules above described.

2603.    Valves or Cocks, J. Hitch, Battersea.—2nd June, 1882. 6d.

In one form of valve two truncated cones are mounted on the same spindle, and close on suitable seatings, the pressure of water acting between them so as to hold the valve in equilibrium.

2605.    Implements for Cultivating Land, G. P. Blake, Exeter.—2nd June, 1882. (iff.

An endless apron is caused to travel behind a plough, and carries the slice of earth turned up by the plough into a revolving screen, which breaks it up, the fine earth passing through the meshes, while the large stones and weeds are carried up into a receiver.

2606.    Drying Hay, T. Perkins. Ilitchin.—2nd June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the withdrawal of moist and heated air from stacks of hay and other crops by means of a fan, the inlet of which is connected by a trunk to a cavity formed in the centre of the stack.

2607- Floorings for Bridges, W. H. Lindsay, Paddington.—2nd June, 1882. 3d.

This consists in forming the floorings of bridges of alternate V and inverted V troughs connected together, the apex of both being made of fiat horizontal plates.

2608.    Folding Slates, C. D. Abel, London.—2nd June, 1882.—(A communication from W. Shickle, Worms, Germany.) 6d.

This relates partly to a mode of jointing together folding slates or writing tablets, so that the two parts shall be (apab’c of being turned over and folded together in every direction.

2609.    Toy or Instruction Rifles, A. J. Boult, London.—2nd June, 1882.—(A communication from A. Griveau, France.) —(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to a model breech-loading rifle made of wood, so as to enable the manipulation of real arms to be understood by the user.

2611.    Distillation of Coal, W. J. Cooper, Westminster.—2nd June, 1882. 2d.

This relates to the distillation of coal in and for the manufacture and production of coal gas, and consists in the admixture and use of lime in the form of hydrate of lime or of slacked lime with coal.

2612.    Stoves for Heating the Blast of Blast Furnaces, C. Lister and T. Wardle, Middlesbrough. —2nd June, 1882. 6d.

This relates to the class of stoves described in patent No. 3866. a.d. 1880, and it consists in arranging the combustion and regenerative portions of such stoves so as to provide the passage of the gas or blast through the stove in long vertical currents; and further in preventing the accumulation of deposit on the heating surfaces of the stoves by utilising the scouring effect of the blast when suddenly exhausted through valves previous to admitting a fresh supply of gas.

2814. Domestic Stoves or Fireplaces, C. E. Green, London.—3rd June, 1882.—{Got proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to cause domestic stoves to consume the products of combustion, and it consists in causing the latter to pass to a flue behind the fire, and then by suitable flues causing a draught to carry them through the fire to the main flue.

2016. Churns, G. Hathaway, Chippenham.—3rd June, 1882. id.

This relates to the cover of revolving end-over-end churns, the object being to reduce the weight and size thereof, and it consists in fixing a ring in' the open end of the churn and providing suitable means for securing the lid or cover in place. A detachable metal box is provided to receive sand and balance the churn.

2617.    Sewing Machinery, A. Greenwood and J. W. Ramsden, Leeds.—3rd June, 1882. lOd.

This relates to machines for producing a lock stitch with waxed thread, the object being to simplify the action and increase the precision of the working parts, thereby allowing them to be driven at a higher speed, and it consists of a machine with a hooked needle and using a locking thread situated above the work; a cop case with a lip at front to facilitate its entrance into the loop of the needle thread, and carried by a fixed holder, the cop case being used in combination with a reciprocating pointed instrument for dividing and spreading the loop, the same being slotted to receive the hooked needle, and furnished with a shoulder for retaining the loop of the needle thread, and working in conjunction with a fixed projection for supporting the loop of the needle thread just prior to the release of the divider and spreader from the loop.

2618.    Improvements in Dynamo-electric Machines,

R. E. B. Crompton, London.—3rd June, 1882.    6d.

This relates to an improved method of winding disc armatures. The inventor divides the disc into as many segments as there are intended to be separato coils, and on each segment he winds as many equal and parallel turns of wire as its inner circumferential

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width will admit of; he then continues the winding through a series of holes pierced through the disc, or steps cut in the segments, in such manner that each successive turn is shorter than the one preceding it. In this manner he fills up the otherwise unoccupied triangles with winding in a series of turns arranged stepwise, as shown in the accompanying figure.

2619. Improvements in Apparatus Connected with Electric Lighting, R. E. B. Crompton, London.— 3rd June, 1882.—[Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to arc lamps, and to the regulation of both carbons by means of pulleys and cords, <fec.

2621.    Horseshoe Nails, &c., H. P. Fenby, Leeds.— 3rd June, 1882. id.

This relates to machinery for the manufacture of horseshoe nails and other like articles by forging from hot rods or pieces of metal, and it consists of a plate sliding vertically and carrying suitable dies, while corresponding dies are fixed to the frame of the machine. The articles are by means of toothed wheels and an endless chain caused to turn over and have each side acted upon successively.

2622.    Improvements in the Methods, &c., of

Arresting and Detaining a Person Attempting to Surreptitiously Open a Door, &c , E. L. Missonier, Coventry-street. — 3rd June, 1882.    6d.

This relates to the combination of batteries, wires, and contact pieces, in such a way that a thief trying to force a door with a key or jemmy, completes the circuit, and is held prisoner by the power of the current contracting his muscles so that he cannot

2624.    Water Gauges, H. Slater, Derby.—5th June, 1882. 6d.

In order to prevent the tubes connecting the water gauge with the water space of the boiler becoming choked, the gauge tubes are fitted in valve boxes or cocks with vertical passages, and the horizontal tubes dispensed with. The cocks or valves are secured in a vertical box let inside the front of the boiler.

2625.    Cleaning Knives, C. Spong, Lewisham.—5th June, 1882.—{Hot proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to a tray in which the knives are placed and cleaned by means of a traveller.

2626.    Combined Fluid Measurer and Lubricating Injector, J. N. Holliday, Sunderland.—5th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to a reservoir containing the lubricant; at the lower part is a charge aperture whence the lubricant is admitted to the measuring capacities or chambers formed by a number of sliding and revolving plugs or blocks having ground faces formed thereon ; these plugs are actuated either by hand or mechanically by aid of a shaft, and turn in a cylinder.

2627- Regenerative Stoves for Heating the Blast for Blast Furnaces, B. Ford, Middlesbrough-on-Tees.—5th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d. This relates to a means of removing the deposit from the heating surfaces.

2628.    Improvements in Apparatus for Collecting and Transmitting Electric Fluid, &c., H. Defty, Middlesbrough.—5tli June, 1882.- (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This invention relates to apparatus for collecting electricity from the natural chemical combinations of metals and ores, and transmitting the same for illuminating and other purposes.

2629.    Intensifying Fluorescent or Phosphorescent Electric Lighting, &c., R. Kennedy, Glasgow.—5th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to a means for intensifying the light produced by discharging high tension electricity in vacuo between two or more metal or carbon bodies, &c. 2031. Elastic Wedges for Wedging up Rails, A. E. Seni, Paris.—5th June, 1882. 6d.

This consists in forming the wedges of hardened or

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tempered plates of steel .of C-section, the chair being

formed to suit the shape of the rail and the elastic wedge, as will be seen in the drawing.

2635. Steam Boilers and Steam Boiler Furnaces, <fcc., F. Brown, Luton.—5th June, 1882. 4d.

The internal flue A is formed with a hollow projection

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A¹ extending across the upper part of the interior in front of the ordinary bridge B, near the roar end of the feed bars C.

2640. Corrugating or Shaping Metal Sheets, G. M. Edwards, London.—5th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) id.

This relates to machinery for forming, in metal sheets, corrugations in the shape of three sides of a square, or of a dovotailed form, so as to be capable of retaining materials inserted in a plastic or fluid condition, and which will afterwards set or harden.

2642.    Contrivances for Registering the Amount of Work Given Electrically to any Part of an Electric Circuit within a Given Time, IP. E. Ayrton and John Perry, Finsbury.—5th June, 1882. id.

The invention consists of a machine shaped liko a dynamo-olectric machine, the movable field magnet of which is wound with moderately thick wiro. The fixod armaturos aro wound with a wiro of 200 ohms resistance or moro. The cores may bo of vory soft The ends of tho high resistance bobbin connected with the extremities of tho. portion of a circuit whose supply of energy it is wished to measure, tho main curront or a fraction thereof being mado to pass through tho small resistance coils. By well-known laws, the horse-power oxpendod in tho main circuit, multiplied by the velocity with which tho movable part is mado to rotate, is proportional to tho inochanical power given out by tho motor. The measuring instrument is connected with pointers and dials for registering its speeds.

2643.    Improvements in the Construction, Ac., of Secondary Batteries, Ac., //. Woodward, Shepherd’ s-bush, Middlesex.—6th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relatos to tho construction of a secondary battery by means of corrugated load plates built up one on anothor inside a boehive-shapod box also corrugated. Iletweon the plates are plaeod strips of cotton wick which dip over at each end into a trough filled with liquid, thus kooping tho plates moist.

2645. Apparatus for Marking Lays, W. J. Dann, Leeds.—6th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Holes aro mado in tho pattern, which is thon usod ns a stencil plato upon tho cloth.

2648. Bathing Machines, II. Westman, Birmingham. —Olh June, 1882. id.

Tho machine is mado with a sliding door at ono or both ends, and outside tho door aro stops arranged in a spiral and loading down from a platform situated bolow tho levol of tho floor of tho machino, and in connection with which suitablo scroons aro arrangod. 2651. Cigarettes, B. Posner, P. Rosenberg, and W. Ludski, London.—Slh June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to tho application of a metal moutli-pioco.

2655. Elevating Machinery, J. V. Hope, Wedncs-bury.—tith June, 1882 —(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This consists in preventing tho backward slipping of materials being raised by archimedian screw olevators, by tho use of plates working in a slot for.med in the ' case of the screw, and occupying tho spaco botweon tho screw threads, such plates being connected together outside by links, so as to form an endless chain. 2658. Improvements in the Manufacture of Secondary Batteries, A. Muirhead, Westminster. —6th June, 1882. id.

The inventor claims tho preparation and formation of tho metallic electrodos of secondary batteries by placing tho plates in a vat, through which a stream of a solution containing load is caused to flow, and thon producing deposits upon tho plates from the said solution by tho electrolysis of the liquid.

2660. Improvements in Carbon Burners for Electric Lamps, J. Wetter, New Wandsworth, Surrey.—7th June, 1882.—(A communication from W. Stanley, jun., Bergen, New Jersey, U.S.) id.

The inventor takes hairs, preferably human, and immerses them in an alkaline bath to remove greasy matter. They are then laid straight on a plate of glass till dry, and subsequently carbonised in moulds. 2662. Kilns for Burning Bricks, J. Davies, near Manchester.—7th June, 1882. 2d.

This relates to square kilns, and consists in building them with fire-holes on one side only. Inside the ordinary fluos smaller flues are formed, and communicate with air-holes left beneath the fire-holes, and also with other holes left in the blank side of the kiln, so that the air entering is heated before passing to the main flue.

2664. Sulphide of Sodium, 0. W. von Nawrocki, Berlin.—7th June, 1882.— (A communication from the Vcrein\Chemischer Fabriken, Germany.) 2d.

Tho residue from the manufacture of soda—tank waste—is mixed with ground sulphate of soda in proportions equivalent to the sulphide of calcium contained in tho tank waste, and wator added sufficient to dissolve the sulphate of soda. The mixture is exposed in closed vessels to steam-pressure, so as to produce tho mutual decomposition of tho sulphido of calcium and the sulphato of soda.

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shaft, or of the oscillating valve spindle, will be Glided, while at the same time the bearings will be efficiently lubricated, heating prevented, and the friction reduced.

2680.    Wheels of Perambulators, Bicycles, &c., II. Wood and J. Whyte, Manchester.—7th June, 1882. —(Notproceeded with.) 2d.

The rim of the wheel is of metal, and receives an india-rubber tire, which is secured by the outer ends of some of the spokes projecting through the rim into the tire, and receive nuts. The other ends of the spokes are inserted in holes on one side of the nave in a fixed collar, and in a loose collar on the other side, capable of being pressed towards the former by a screw cap.

2681.    Testing the Capacity of the Lungs, E. Edwards, London.—7th June, 1882.— (A communication from M. Dupont, Paris.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to an apparatus by which the capacity of the lungs is ascertained, by causing wator to pass from one vessel to another by breathing into the first vessel.

2683. Tilling, Raising Potatoes, <fec., W. H. Sleep, Cornwall.—8th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.)

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This relates to the general construction of a machine for tilling, raising potatoes, Ac.

2686. Improvements

Wier, London.—8th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to arc lamps. The inventor causes one or both carbons to revolve on its own axis. The centrifugal force thereby generated causes the incandescent particles to be thrown outwards, whereby tho light is spread out and rendered better and steadier.

2688. Improvements in Voltaic Batteries, C. G. Gumpel, Leicester-square.—8th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the construction of batteries so as to render them portable, and consists in placing the plates in the shape of circular discs in their proper order within a caoutchouc tube, vulcanite discs being inserted between the plates.

2691. Stopping or Plugging the Ends of Boiler Tubes, D. McMillan, Qovan, N.B.—8th June, 1882. —(A communication from N. McMillan, Marseilles.

in Electric Lamps, M. A.

2720. Doors op Carriages, 0. H. Garrett, Wands-worth-road.—2th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    ,    ,

This relates to spring apparatus fitted to the doors of carriages to facilitate the raising and lowering of carriage windows, and to retain them at any desired height.

2736. Negro Pots, Dutch Stoves, Camp Ovens, &c., R. Clayton, Stafford.—10th June, 1882. fld. This consists, First, in forming such cooking utensils with loose iron legs attached to a plate connected to the bottom of the utensil; Secondly, in forming the cover so that it may serve as a frying-pan; and, Thirdly, in forming their ears by casting two wedge-formed bits or snugs one on the underside of the rim and the other on the belly of the utensil, the two running together at the point so as to form round ears.

3978. Furnaces for Reducing and Smelting Ores, j, Imray, London.— 10th August, 1882.—(A communication from J. C. Newbery, J. L. Morley, and B. Cleveland, Melbourne.)—(Complete.) 6d.

This relates to improvements in furnaces for reducing and smelting metallic ores, especially those which form oxides or compounds that may be reduced by heated charcoal, such as ores of antimony, bismuth,

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In order to stop leaky boiler tubos a short copper tubo is inserted at each end, and fitted to a washer, which closes its inner end. Through tho washors a bolt passos from ono tube to the other, and its ends each receivo a conical plug, which by means of a nut working on one end of tho bolt are caused to enter the end of the short tubes, and forco them firmly against the ends of the boiler tubes.

2692. Purifying Casks, Ac., J. and B. La Mcrt, Dor set-square.—8th June, 1882. 2d.

Tho insides of casks or other receptacles aro first coated with a mixture of shollac, alcohol, and powdered charcoal, and the coating thon sot alight and allowed to burn until the alcohol is consumed and tho surfaco of tho wood slightly charred. An antiseptic such as boracic acid may also bo usod in combination with tho compound described.

2700. Manufacture of Malleable Iron, P. J. Ogle, Swansea Valley.—8th June, 1882. id.

This consists in tho process for tho obtainmont of malloablo iron direct from forgo cinders or puddling and balling furnace slags, or other iron-boaring materials.

copper, tin, and zinc; and it consists, First, in forming tho hearth C, on which the ore is first treated, with holes, through which the ore can fall as it is fused; Secondly, in causing tho fusod oro to fall on a solid bod D, beneath the perforated hearth C; Thirdly, in treating the oxides in reducing chambers B arrangod so thqt there is a downward draught through tho material.

4010. Cannon, R. II. Brandon, Paris.—21s< August, 1882.—(A communication from W. E. Woodbridge, Washington, U.S.)—(Complete.) 6d.

This consists in tho combination in tho structure of a gun of a central tube, with an overlying cylinder of cold wrought bars or staves, tho same being overwound with successive layors of wiro in a greater or less part of its length, tho tube being also supported by the application of cold wrought bands, tho wholo being connected and attached to tho trunnions. 4348. Wheels and Axles for Railway Vehicles, W. R. Lake, London.—12th September, 1882.—(A communication from R. B. Orne, Philadelphia.)— (Complete.) 6d.

Tho object is to facilitate whools of railway vehicles turning round curves, and to overcome tho resistance occasioned by tho slipping of tho wheels on tho rails ; and it consists in forming tho hub K of wheel L largor

2704. Appliance to Facilitate tiie Exhibition of Advertisements, useful also as a Fan, II. R. Griffin, London.— 8th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

A circular or polygonal card is divided into segments, each containing an advertisement, and supported so as to bo capable of revolving in a forked support, whereby any advertisement may bo brought into the upright position.

2710. Cutting or Dressing Stone, G. Anderson, Arbroath, N.B.—Vth June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relatos to macliinos with a reciprocating tablo, and it consists in forming tho same of wood to which aro secured racks cast with two sets of teeth, the pitch of one being greater than that of tho other, and with them gear corresponding pinions of tho same diameter. By this arrangement there will bo no froo spaco or “ back lash ” botwoen tho tooth.

2712. Improvements in Electric Lamps, W. Jl. Lake, London —6th June, 1882.—(A communication from F. Krizik.and L. Piette, Pilsen, Austria.) 6d.

This relates to an improved moans of regulating tho The upper carbon is attached to an iron caso, thick at the bottom, but tapering to a point at its top, which works in and is the core of electromagnet A. This core is also connected by the pulleys and cords, shown in the figure, to tho frame carrying the lower carbon. When a current flows through the

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than usual to receive a split bearing E made in two halves, and forming together a round core within the hub. Recesses aro formed in the coro to fit collars C J and the body of the axle A, which is made hollow and contains oil. The ends I of tho axlo are connected by pins to cores E, so as to prevent them turning therein, and their outer extremities fit the axle-Iloles are provided to allow tho oil to pass from the axlo A to the bearings.

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SELECTED AMERICAN PATENTS.

From the United States' Patent Office Official Gazette.

268,308. Secondary Battery, Eli T. Starr and E.

Starr, Philadelphia, Pa.—Filed October

■Jl

lent 'with or fibre filaments, substantially as described. (5) The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in a secondary battery, of the battery vessel, the positive and negative electrodes thereof, each electrode consisting of a series of plates coated with porous material to be acted upon by the charging current, and each electrode being provided with a space extending through it for the free escape of the surplus gases, and the porous partition separating said electrodes. (6) The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in a secondary battery, of the closed battery vessel having a valve opening at its top for the escape of its surplus gases generated in charging the battery, the perforated partition forming a space at the bottom of the battery, the electrodes of said battery supported by said partition, and terminating below the top of the battery vessel to form a space thereat, and tubes or openings affording free communication between said spaces at the top and bottom of the battery. (7) The combination, substantially, as hereinbefore set forth, in a secondary battery, of the battery vessel, the electrodes of the battery terminating at top, so as to leave a space for the collection of the surplus gases generated in the battery, and vertical tubes or spaces extending through the electrodes to facilitate the collection of the gases in the space at the top of the battery.

268,832. Pump, William Sellers, Philadelphia, Pa.— Filed 27th February, 1882.

Claim.—(1) The combination of a fixed discharge chamber, a pump barrel detachably connected thereto and supported thereby, a valved piston, a piston-rod having half the cross sectional area of the piston, and a valved inlet pipe connected by a telescopic joint to

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tho working barrel, substantially as dcscribod. (2) Tho combination of a fixed discharge chamber, a pump barrel detachably connected thereto and sup-lortud thereby, a valved piston, a piston-rod having mlf tho cross sectional area of the piston, and a valvod and pivotted inlet pipo connected by a telo-scoplc joint to tho working barrel, substantially as described.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

2665,    Tables, Ac., E. E. Frost, London.—7th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This consists in constructing tables in such manner that their height can be adjusted to suit persons of different ages.

2666.    Wicks Used in Obtaining Illumination or Heat, J. T. Reeve, London.—7th June, 1882. 2d.

This relates to the formation of wicks of asbestos, preferably in combination with cotton or other fibre. 2667- Portable Soles and Heels for Boots and Shoes, G. II. Ellis, London.—7th June, 1882.    6d.

The object is to form wearing surfaces which may be fixed by the wearer to tho soles and heels as dosired, and it consists in providing pieces of waste leather with eyelet holes, into which screws may be inserted to secure them in position.

2669. Antiseptic, Preservative, Curative, and Cleansing Compounds, J. Jeyes, Plaistow.—7th June, 1882. 4cJ.

This relates to compounds in which the active agent is naphthaline.

2074. Improvements in Electric Arc Lamps, E. de Pass, London.—7th June, 1882.—(A communication from J. Gloker, Paris.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to an arc lamp in which the upper carbon is regulated by means of two solenoids and an armature.

2677- Rotary Engines, R. Dodson, Blackwodl.—7th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates more particularly to improvements in the rotary engines described in patents No. 4458, a.d. 1875; No. 3224, a.d. 1877; and No. 3920, a.d. 1881; tho object being to provide a packing whereby the leakage of steam through the bearings of the main

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Eugene 6th, 1882.

Claim.-(1) Tho combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a closed battery vessel containing electrodes or elements, a valve closing an opening in said vessel, an electro-magnet to control said valve, and an oloctric circuit, substantially as described, including said electrodes and said magnet, whereby during the time the battery is giving off gas the said valve will be automatically opened to permit of its escape and at other times will be closed. (2) The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of an air-tight secondary battery vessel, electrodes contained in said vessel, a valve-closing a valve opening in said vessel, an electro-magnet mounted on said vessel to control said valve, and a line in which said electromagnet is situated, by which the charging current is conducted to said battery, whereby while the charging current is passing to the battery the valve will be raised to permit the escape of surplus gases generated in the battery by said current, and when the charging current is cut off said valve will be closed. (3) An element or electrode for secondary batteries, consisting

The Engineer, Jan. 12tli, 1888.

Steel for Ordnance, Projectiles, and Armour 10

New Systems of Burning Gas ........

Wire Rope Haulage on Tramways. (Illustrated.) 10 Shipbuilding in Great Britain in 1882    ..    .

Railway Matters...............

Notes and Memoranda ...........

Miscellanea.................

American Special Tools. (Illustrated.) ..    .. 22

Roof over Runnino Shed, Sydney. (Illustrated.) 2!i

Vienna Electrical Exhibition ......

Letters to the Editor—

Hydraulic Balance Lifts ........

Flying Machines ............

Steel Castings..............

Chilled Calender Rolls ........

Railway Speeds..............

Leading Articles—

Loss of the City of Brussels......

Engineers in the Navy..........

Continuous Brakes in France......

St. James’s Park ............

Steam Shipping Prospects.......

Steam Heating of Towns .......

The Suez Canal..............

Literature—

Gold; its Occurrence and Extraction .    .

The Laws of Projectile Motion in Vacuo Compound Launch Engines. (Illustrated.).. . Radial Drilling Machine. (Illustrated.) ..

Livet’s Furnaces and Wery’s Funnel. (Illustrated.) ....................

Nabholz Rivetter. (Illustrated.)........

The Iron, Coal, and General Trades of Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and District ..    .. 81

Notes from Lancashire ......

Notes from the North of England

Notes from Sheffield ......

Notes from Scotland........

Notes from Wales and Adjoining Counties .. 83 The Patent Journal Abstracts of Patent Specifications. (Illus.).. 34 Abstracts of Patent American Specifications.

(Illustrated.)...........

Paragraphs—

The Institution of Civil Engineers Steel Castings .........

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coil the core is attracted upward and tho arc struck, and the balance between the attractive force of the coil and the weight of the frame carrying the lower cqualisoa. As tho arc increases the current weakens, and the weight of the iron core overcomes the attraction of the coil sufficiently to let the carbons approach so as to again equalise the balance.

carbon

2879. Printing Machines, J. H. Johnson, London.— 19th June, 1882.—(A communication from E. Anthony and J. E. Ilarvey, New York.)—(Complete.) 10 d.

This relates to printing machine and from two, thr

by means of the same ee, four, or more rolls of papers of various numbers of pages, and also to folding longitudinally, without stopping the motion thereof, a travelling web or sheets in tapes.

2717. Water-closet Apparatus, J. Casey, London.— 9th June, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Tho object is to provide means for applying a “douche ” to the person while seated on a water-closet

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of a support or plate with a layer of porous active material applied thereto, composed of oxide of lead or its equivalent, mixed with fibre or filaments—in contradistinction to pulverised coke or sawdust— whereby the porous mass is bound together and held more securely to its support or plate. (4) The improved porous active composition for secondary batteries, consisting of a mixture of oxide of lead or its equivq-

To find the number of bricks in a wall, first find the number of square feet of surface, and then multiply by seven for a 4in. wall, by fourteen for an 8in. wall, by twenty-one for a 12in. wall, and by twenty-eight for a 16in. wall.

Epps’s Cocoa.—Grateful and Comforting. —“By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected Cocoa, Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors’ bills. It is by the judicious use of such articles of diet that a constitution may bo gradually built up until strong enough to resist every tendency to disease. Hundreds of subtle maladies are floating around us ready to attack wherever there is a weak point. We may escape many a fatal shaft by keeping ourselves well fortified with pure blood and a properly nourished frame.” — Civil Service Gazette.—Made simply with boiling water or milk. Sold only in packets labelled—“ Jambs Epps and Co. Homoeopathic Chemists, London.”—[Advt.1