oo 1 OO *

THE VENTILATION OF THE ST. GOTHAED TUNNEL.

A good deal has been heard lately as to the ventilation of this tunnel, the longest in the world, and of the disappearance, in actual practice, of all the difficulties that were prophesied before the work was begun and experienced while it was in progress. Both from a scientific d practical point of view the question is one of considerable interest; and the following particulars, derived from a report to the directors by Dr. Stapff, the official geologist, will therefore be serviceable. The full report has been lately published by the Vaudois Society of Engineers.

The report presents a comparative table of the temperatures of the air, measured at different points within the tunnel during the year 1881, i.e., after the junction of the headings had taken place, and of the temperatures measured at the same points at earlier periods, when the rock had been freshly excavated during the progress of the work. This Table A is partly reproduced below, and brings out clearly the variations of temperature which are caused by the direction of the air-current in the tunnel, and by the changes in temperature at the two ends. The former is of course the more important question, being, in fact, the effective cause of ventilation of the tunnel. This current of air, which is found to be nearly always passing through the tunnel, in one direction or the other, is due to the fact that there is always a difference in the atmospheric pressure at the two ends; one of which of course is on the northern slope, and the other on the southern, of the main chain of the Alps. This difference in pressure varies with the height of the barometer, the temperature of the air, and its degree of moisture. The current of course passes from the end where the pressure is greater to the other, its velocity varying as the square root of the difference between the two pressures. As the tunnel rises from either end towards the middle, each half of its interior may be considered as occupied by a column of air of height equal to the total difference in level—viz., 36m., or 118ft. This column will act to diminish the velocity of the current, if it is heavier than the air outside at the end of greater pressure, while it will tend to increase it if it is lighter. The expansion of the air, due to its increase in heat as it penetrates into the tunnel, is an obstacle to the current; as is also friction of every kind, which, however, becomes much less when the tunnel is completed and lined than it was when the headings were merely united, as at the time when the observations were taken.

an

tn Si npr cent whereas in February, 1881, it was j of the current was 2'84m. per second, the observations lOOpercent. It still,however, reached 100 per cent, towards varying between 1‘61 and 3‘5 2; and that the coefhcient of the southern end, where, in passing through the tunnel, a efficiency was 8 per cent or four times what it had been in very decided mist is usually observable. When the current the autumn of 1880 and more than ten times what it had is from the south, the southern half of the tunnel never gets been when the headings were first joined, so dry as the northern half when the current is from the Whilst this result must be considered as extremely nor tin and a general rise of moisture throughout the satisfactory it must be remembered that another cu-t 1 ■ pmiqpmience    cumstance has to be taken into consideration, viz., the

On examining Table A, it is found that a current from number of changes or oscillations in the direction of the the south cools the southern half of the tunnel, and warms current which occur m a given time, and which the northern, while a current from the north has the oppo- caused by even slight changes in the atmospheric coiidi-site effect. The cooling is greater as the temperature at tions at the two ends of the tunnel. By means of obse -the nearer portal is lower. Towards the middle of the vations made within and without the tunnel, the came tunnel the variations are slight, but a southern current is and number of these changes can be ascertained. The displace the point of maximum temperature four months chosen for this purpose are 1 ebruary, April, towards the north, and a northern current towards the August, and October. Of these, February gives e mim-south. After the junction of the headings the decrease in mum, and August the maximuin frequency of the northern temperature in the middle of the tunnel rose for some time current, while April and October gives its mean of fre-almost imperceptibly. About themonthof August,however, quency for spring and autumn respectively. Tables are it became considerable ; on 8th July it was 30*4 deg. C\; given for every day m each o! these    ™

24th August, 28-9 deg. C.; 3rd September, 27‘4 deg. C. stating for each end of the tunnel the observations ot After tlie^timber work about the middle of the tunnel was barometer and thermometer, the density of the air as removed the temperature fell still more rapidly, and on calculated therefrom, the difference, + or —, between 11th November was 20 5 deg. C. We must, of course, these calculated densities for the two ends, and the direc-remember, however, that at the same time there was a tion of the current observed in the tunnel. In all cases,

seen to

Mo. of observa tion.

Date.

Table B.

Density of Atmosphere at Portals, and corresponding Circulation through Tunnel.

Density of atmosphere at centre of portal during the hours in Column 3.

Goeschenen 1112 m.

Hours

Barometer

reduced to I

•ruoi- (,0

Thermo-

meter.

■o

cubic metre

of air—kg.

t;

Barometer

reduced

1880.

29th February 17th March ..

18th September ..

12 — h\ 10 —51 10 —6

10 —5

12 —6

604 5

667 0

672 3

661-1

670 8

30

3-6

3-4

3-1

9-7

are

Mean velocity of current in section of 4 square metres.

Airolo 1148 m.

to O'.

jj>

fc-1

meter.

cubic metre

of air

Calculated

friction.)

Ob^ erved.

Direction of current.

Coefficient of

rapujO

1-1240    661-2

1-1256

1-1356

603 0

668-3

cr %

4-9

7-3

8-0

10

11

13

13

1-1100

1-1041

32-90

41-45

1-1103 I 45-12

0-125

0-305

0 400

O'OOt

0-007

0-009

TABJ.E A.

Temperature of St. Gothard Tunnel, 1881.

2nd October ..

14th October..

10th November ..

10    -7i 10£-7£

11    -8£ 8J—6

G70-9

669 8

673-2

670 3

9-9

130

4-2

1-8

1-6932

1-1338

1-1385

067-1

663-8

665 9

5-5

4'9

1-1079

1-1413

12-1    | • 1-0939

12-9

8-7

4-9

34 34

53 58

32 43

1-0.92 !    18 49

1-1035

1-1187

0 219

0 426

0 653

0 322

0-006

0-008

0-020

0-017

45-12

39 76

0 960

0 790

0-021

0-020

Piacs of

Tempera-    Temperature observed,

ture of N.B. N = North current; 8 = South current;

O = no current.

observation. |

exposed. Jan. 28. April 1. June 21.

Aog. 2t.

10

1882.

18th—19th Feb. ..

5 -5

674-0

-0-8    ; 1-1560

669 5

1-1

1-1403 I 35 68

2 8401

0 030

Distance from N. portal.

metres.

N. portal I

0— 100 j 100— 200 : 2400—2500 I 2600-2700 | 3000—3100    ¹

4700—4800 5000-5100 5700-5800 5800—5900 6600—6700 6700—6800 7300—7400

deg. C.

8-8

11-6

21-8

21-6

19-5

24-1

25-1

28-6

27-9

29-4

29- 7

30- 4

+4-2

2S-45 S

29-15 S

+9-9    +18-1    .

13-55 S —

22-10 S

26-20 S'

28- 00 O

29- 00 O

29-90 S

+ 11-3

20-00 N 20-45 O

22-55 O

1 Free transverse section of 43"19 square metres.

Distance from S. portal.

7400—7460 7460—7400 7400-7300 7300—7200 7200—7100 7100-7000 6800—6700 6700-6600 6600—6500 6500—6400 6400 - 6300 5900—5800 5600-5500 5300—5200 5200—5100 4200-4100 4000-3900 3500-3400 3000—2900 2100—2000 200- 100 100— 0 S portal

30-4

30-2

29-5

29- 9

30- 5 30-3

30‘5

30-9

30‘7

30-5

30-4

29-3

29-6

28-3

28-5

26-5

27-4

26-2

25-7

20-5

9-0

8-4

28-90 S

28-80 S

2S-25 S

27-05 S

26-75 S

29-50 S

27-95 N

29-50 S ! 30-20 S

23-93 N

28-10 S

26-30 S

30-10 S

29-80 S

29-65 O

25-70 S 28-60 S

24-00 S 23-00 S

0-0    -0-9

18-40 S 13-30 8

20-80 S

+ 3-4    +16-7

+12-1

(jreat fall in the mean temperature outside, which about 18 deg. C. in July, 7’8 deg. in September, and —1-2 deg. C. in November. The general cooling of the tunnel can hardly be determined accurately from the observations, which are too few and scattered, and are plicated also by the variations in temperature outside. It appears, however, that the mean temperature of the rock throughout the tunnel, when first exposed, 23’43 deg. C. ; while the mean temperature of the air was as follows, at different dates : 29th February, 1880, day of the junction of the headings, 21-69 deg. C.; llt.h February, 1881, 19’80 deg. C.; 24th February, 1882, 14T5 deg. C. These are strictly eom-

was

the direction is found to be from the end -where the density is highest to the other; as it should be. The frequency of the changes may be judged from the following summary of the table :—

: February.

com

was

J° °M

days.

Per ct.

moT'th.

No. of

These are strictly comparable, inasmuch as they relate to the same period of the year, but they must not, of course, be taken as the mean annual temperatures. When the current of air is trong, the influence of the external temperature is quickly ‘    •    ■’    ’ Thus, on

Current from North ..    ..

,, nil or alternating .. ,, from South ..    .

6    21-4

8 28-6

14    50-0

April. | August.

October.

days.

Per ct.

*o

month.

No. of

days.

Per ct.

"S

mouth.

No of

days.

Per ct.

month.

12 ' 40-0

9    30-0

9    30-0

IS

60-0

30-0

r—*

r—I    r—I

48-4

35-5

10-0 j 5    16-1

From these facts the following formulae are deduced, in which the values given to the constants must be considered as applying to the St. Gothard Tunnel only, being partly derived from local conditions :—

v— 281-8 pV d - dl + 0 00032 (current from north), v = 281'8 p Vd' — cl — 0’00032 (current from south). Here v— the velocity of the current in metres per second; el — weight of 1 metre cube of air at the north portal; d¹ = weight of 1 metre cube of air at the south portal ; p — coefficient of efficiency, after making allowance for resistances of all kinds ; 0’00032 is a figure derived from the difference between the weight of a cubic metre of air at the middle of the tunnel and at the two ends. In a number of observations this difference was found to vary between 0-0734 and 0-1592 kilogs. per cubic metre; but the mean of the observations—0-1246—has been taken as a constant difference for simplicity in calculating. The difference is found to be greatest in spring, least in autumn. The densities d and d' are calculated from b, the height of the barometer reduced to 0 deg. C. and to the level of the centre of the portal, and from t, the temperature of the air. The formula is as follows :—

₇    0-00171 b

d~ 1 + 0 00367 t

This assumes that the weight of a cubic metre of air at 6 deg. C. and at 760 mm. height of barometer, is 1 '2995 kilogs. It further assumes that the moisture in the air may be neglected. This moisture, which was very injurious to the health of the workmen during construction, has become much less since the completion of the tunnel. At the centre of the tunnel it had fallen, in February, 1882, to 89 per cent., and even on one occasion

felt to a great depth within the tunnel.

February 10th and 19th, 1882, with a current from the north of 2’84m. per second, the temperature at 8 kilos, within the portal fell steadily from 20'4 deg. C. to 20'0 deg. C. A southern current raises the temperature still more rapidly.

Table B gives the results of a number of observations on the density of the air and the velocity of the current in the tunnel, taken at various dates after the junction of the headings. The densities—or weights of a cube metre are calculated from the barometer and thermometer readings, as described above; and in column 10 the velocities ° calculated from these dates, assuming the efficiency to be 100 per cent. In col. 11 are given the observed velocities, being a mean of number of observations made during the hours indicated in each case. Dividing the numbers in col. 11 by those in col. 10, we obtain a series of values for p—given in col. 12—which show how the efficiency was lowered by the various resistances existing It will be seen that immediately after the junction of the headings the value of p 0-4 per cent.; and that from 19th February to 19th April it only reached an average of 0'7 per cent.; in other words, only 0'7 per cent, of the air was actually passing through the tunnel which would have passed had the resistance to its progress been nil. By the autumn of the same year, however, the value of p had risen to about 2 per cent. In February, 1881,it appeared to be only D2 percent.; but this was due to a change in the direction of the current occurring while the observations were in progress, a circumstance which on several other occasions operated to render them unreliable. Similar observations, made after the opening of the tunnel for traffic, are complicated by the fact that the passage of a train was found to cause local currents and other disturbances, which prevented any single observation from possessing any real value. The only course, therefore, was to take observations at frequent intervals for twenty-four hours, and thus obtain a mean velocity which would embrace all the effects due to the motion of the trains. This was done on 18th and 19th February, 1882, and the result is given in the last line of Table B. It will be seen that the mean velocity

are

within the tunnel.

was

only

EOADS IN SWITZERLAND.

No. II.

In our first article on Roads in Switzerland, we indicated the nature of the influence exerted by the Romans in the construction of highways. We have now to deal with recent operations. The improvement in the roads themselves naturally led to a departure from the original tactics of the Romans, and necessitated larger and commodious works of art. publish this week require no further explanation, but give excellent ideas of the different systems of construction of the several periods. The Schaffhausen Bridge was erected on the same spot as its predecessors. The first was built of timber between a.d. 1300 and 1315, condemned in 1585, and replaced by one in stone, which was not completed until 1611. On the 3rd May, 1754, the two centre piers fell in, and in the following year the similar structure was erected, but was eventually burnt by the French in 1799. The bridge over the Martinstobel, between St. Gallen and Heiden, as shown in Fig. 16, was erected in 1468, and not destroyed until 1877, when it was pulled down to be replaced by one of iron construction. Another of almost equal age is the one at Rapperschwyl, over the lake, built in 1358-1360, under Archduke Rudolph IV. of Austria, 1300 metres long and 3 metres wide, which is standing at the present day. The bridge over the Melchaa, near Sarnen, built in 1689, is also standing at the present time; the design is shown in Fig. 15. Figs. 17 to 25 show a curious bridge in Canton Graubiin-den, built in 1828. Figs. 26 and 27 show roads in the Canton. Figs. 28 and 29 explain themselves. Two other remarkable bridges still in existence are the Spreuer Bridge, 90 metres long, built in 1408, and decorated with the pictures of the “Dance of Death,” by Meglinger ; and the Kapell Bridge, 220 metres long, erected in 1338. These isolated attempts at improvements in the means of communication were, however, confined to particular cantons ; the universal impetus which has placed Switzerland in possession of a network of roads superior in proportion to her area and population to that of any other country in Europe, did not awaken until the commencement of the present century, and it is, therefore, more

more

same

more

The illustrations which we

astonishing that the energies of so short a period should have been able to redeem the omission of 1500 years of carelessness and neglect. The first of all the Swiss mountain passes to be converted into a proper road was that over the Simplon, whose construction at the joint expense of

money by France and Italy, and of free labour by the SlB,_Iu considering the necessities of motors for this purpose, Canton Valais, was agreed on and signed on the ith Sep- which may well be done at the present time, when so many elec-tember, 1800. The first document relating to this work is ; trical projects are unfolded, three leading conditions present tliem-a notice from Napoleon from his head-quarters at Milan, I selves, which are (1) regularity of motion; (2) economical produc-14th May, 1797 (25 Floreal), to the Directory, saying he    ”f inotfio!\’ and (3) complete lubrication of working parts,

has sent an eminent engineer to inspect and estimate the insLed'upon, noTh^TrLSvJd^U theTuentionl? mig^TS route. On the 7th September, 1800—20Fructidor—the order engineers. In the electric light connection, indeed, its need has

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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

ELECTRIC LIGHT ENGINES.

our

T.ssd t .Class In Canton Waodt

fr - 0 75 i 15b-. -    0 75----1------------- 2.10

Tig J O.

-— • ft 10

-t

--    0-75 -

------0 75.....

iff

Orchard 10 Centimeters

■’C

i.

M3<>4^3^1-0-30 -fc- O+S-l------

■......... 0 Metres ........

Hoad // Ciass da Ccinton Bern

F*g31

mfM

sss

§§111|

$ss

V'

■SSS

mm

TlojdJJf Class jn Canton T3em

K- 0 45- 4-

K 80

S ’ - S, ,r

-;^f!||v #!««

4.cM

Wagon Jloadm Canton Scfiwyz

----------- 6 00 —*--------------

t7J~J

wp.m.

The suocess of this principle, and its application to all engines of high-speed and class in the United States, has been extensive; indeed, it may certainly be said that high-speed engines are only possible with heavy working parts, and the fact of important recent introductions of American engines into Europe for electric lighting shows the appreciation they are receiving, although they are by no means as economical in working as many of English design. It is my recognition of the importance of this point of even motion which leads me to place it first in the list of requirements of a perfect electric engine. There is reported to be at present in the United States a governing apparatus, through which the whole of the power of the engine passes, and which will absolutely register and adjust the power to any and the smallest variation. More has yet to be heard of this invention, no doubt.

My second point—economy in work—embraces a wide field, but has received much attention, being so intimately concerned in the competition to which all electric light and power projects are subjected. It should be borne in mind, however, that economy in fuel should be combined with economy in attendance, which in small installations is as important an item.

Of freedom from breakdown, which is also a point of economy, little need be said, as engineering work turned out by nearly all the leading makers is now of such a class as to give the best against this eventuality ; but there will come a time, after electric plant has seen twenty or more years’ service, when the ordinary and tear of rapid motion will demand outlay in this particu-lar, and those undertakers who have been wise enough in their day to actually lay by the item often mentioned, but seldom subtracted from profits, “for depreciation of machinery,” will find themselves in the best position, and with periodically new plant, possess the latest improvements, and enjoy immunity from disastrous, stoppages.

I do not think I am looking too far ahead, nor can I be adjudged a croaker. Where evil is not seen it may yet exist, and the experience of all regularly-used machinery proves that it possesses tain life, at the end of which time comes the necessity for constant repair, rendering work uncertain and economy doubtful.

Of my third point—efficient lubrication—many may remark that it is a mere detail, as I have heard it described, yet it has, properly provided for, proved to be the means of success of many engineers; and I know of several whose machinery owes its high results and reputation largely to this item.

It has but recently been recognised that the proportions of rotating and working parts should be determined by their need of lubrication, and that wide bearings, distributing the weight carried large surface, do not squeeze out the lubricant, and that vertical sliding surfaces should be avoided. The details of oil cups and boxes are usually, I fear, left to be settled haphazard between the storekeeper and the foreman in many shops, and it is a puzzle to think how makers expect to produce satisfactory running ' machine where such inaccessible parts as the connecting rod joints, are left to be attended to by a small oil pot with a screw cover, which cannot, after once starting, be attended to, unless by stopping the engine, and in the case of electric lighting, putting out the lights.

I consider that all properly designed engines should possess complete special details for lubrication, not mere Manchester oil pots, made and put on for appearance only, but readily accessible boxes, with proper channels and distributing grooves, and with “ wiper ” arrangements for the moving parts, whereby fresh oil can be at any time introduced into the reservoir.

These are not impracticable demands; I have seen them fulfilled, and that on a commercial engine of the day, and the uninterruptable running of electric work makes them a necessity which can have existed in few cases before, but which will have to be met now by most makers of engines. It is likely that this and succeeding years will see a very large outlay made on electric driving plant, and it is important that those who have the selection of this machinery in their hands should bear such points in mind as we have detailed, or much unnecessary difficulty and loss will be incurred. There is the largest difference between electric motive power and the necessities of ordinary machinery, and it is no criterion of an engine’s merits for the former purpose that it has done well for agricultural, saw-mill, or mortar mixing work.

Hoddesdon, Herts,

assurance

wear

a cer-

over a

in a

was issued for the execution of the works, which were completed in September, 1805. The whole distance is 182 kil., the original estimate was over 12,000,000f., and the effective cost9,750,000f. ; the width of road varies between 7 2 metres and 8 4 metres, and, according to the official report, there are 611 bridges large and small, and tunnels, in a total length of 525 metres. The labour required was 5000 workmen during the summer months of the five years during which it was in construction.

The system of covering all exposed parts of bridges on which snow can lodge tends to prolong the fife of these structures out of all proportion with th^ /v

extra cost. It is a gen-    ' forced itself uPon the notice, and it has become a criterion with

eral custom even in small ike,    7-^1 j motors for that purpose, but one not always attained, for there is

bridges in Austria, the    I still a large amount of uncertain movement in engines employed in

Tyrol, Hungary,&c., to pro-    ^york> all kinds of governors and cut-off gears notwithstanding,

tect the upper baulks with a    and the use °f high speeds in combination with modern gearing has

sens rite eoverincr tb„q •    --- -LATTT^l --- ! alone proved a panacea for the evil. These, by a more direct con-

separate covering, thus    __BEf nection of the motor with the electricity-producing dynamo

and the idea is even carried    machine, have got over the shocks of belt joints, and the variations

out in the sleeper depdts    ——^| in tension of the same; but the largest experiment of this kind,

during the winter and early spring. As a specimen of the namely> Mr- Edison’s installation in New York City, where the

grandeur of some of the works our supplement vh es a vie w 1 crank shattS °f ^ enSinf are coupled on the ends of the dynamo of n livid rr-A Avor the a ii,,.]    ’ a r i -i, g , ,w „ V ew i spindles, has not proved the anticipated success, owing to the

of a brid₀e over the Albula, near bolls, built in 1868, con- ; inherent difficulty in absolutely regulating the speed of the engine structed entirely of granite, with a span 78ft. 9in., and itself.    s

251ft. above the level of the water.    This subject is one of such importance that some explanation of

It would be impossible, without a complete reprint to I tlie-c?,uses, of fluctuation in speed of even the best engine will be convey the whole of the information contained in the nart • mt?re.st> and, WIP gjve. the clue to many an unaccountable of M Bavier’sbook relating tn theIt!? ft pat ^regularity in badly designed engines. When steam is first or lvi. pavier s DOOfc relating to the works of art, because, as admitted by the valve gear to the back of the piston, the crank

mignt be expected, in so comprehensive a description, the Pin is.then in a horizontal position, the connecting rod being in a information in various details is too imperfect to be repro- J dne "Ath the piston-rod. In this position the whole thrust or push duced in a tabular form. A list is given of some 320 I    s^eam Is thrown on to the crank pin, but the instant that

bridges, varying in the number of spans and in length mjtl0^ ®nsues> from the shaft being turned round, the connecting between 1 and 21 and between I wnliT    g rod, piston-rod, and piston have to move forward. This motion

nT noL uV d between 13 and 220 metres.    ; involves power, and the steam provides it, relieving the crank pin,

On page 336 we give Tables I. and II., in the first- therefore, of a portion of the thrust upon it. As the crank pin moves of which will be found the area of the different depart round, the working parts enumerated increase their motion, and the ments, the length of roads in each, the cost of construction increased momentum is supplied by the steam pressure, the surplus and the proportion of these items to area and population • P°Weir p.ressmS *he crank pin, up to the point where the steam

few    the dthe V* °ff “A’*⁶’’™*' fe-> with »    to ML° Thlo the Sk pin itrdl”7of “eertaAhms"

*e iemarjs-3 011 the disposition of the expenses.    but by the same time the working parts have attained their maxi-

JN 0 country m Europe can    boast    of    a    better system of raum speed, and by the momentum acquired are now pressing on

road communication than Switzerland; its geographical ^Iie crank pin, losing more and more of their momentum, while the position, geological formation, and local requirements need*- S*ea“ pressT’e -s faP\nS>tin *he end of>he stroke, when the crank

sruutde„vfelopmrt-of the3e₍ran317ri‘-aud the

d uv it j³ °f compilation in the work M. Bavier has pm m its path or circle a varying pressure; but it will now be seen published on the subject reflect no small credit on the that by using a certain proportion of weight in the working parts patience and care with which he has collected his material ™eptioned, in connection with their speed and the steam pressure, aud the concise form into which he has moulded if    ’    lfc \s. Possible so to adjust this pressure that it shall have at the

momueu it.    . particular angle at which the crank pin is, the same value in

—____    rotating power.

milk,e hdd-^ss.’ss? * t    c<,m-¹

read from Mr So, Twl    ²¹*fcf lllTfc‘> a    Y,as I the importance of the result I have indicated cannot be over-

on the Bolton Estate ai>P°lntment from the Dukc of Devonshire , power required by the dynamo provided. As I have shown, the

engine itself possesses a perfectly regular motion.

Warwick.

Reginald Bolton, C.E.

m,

THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS.

Sir,—Having read with much interest the letters of your gifted correspondent, Mr. J. Lancaster, on the “Problem of Flight,” I have felt somewhat disappointed at the absence of any letter on the subject from your scientific readers. As my own observation enables me to testify to the accuracy of Mr. Lancaster’s assertion, that birds can and do move in direct opposition to the wind without any agitation of their wings whatever, you will perhaps permit me to state the result of my experience.

It may not be known to your readers that there is no necessity to go as far as Sarasota Bay, or to watch the movements of the buzzard or the man-of-war hawk, to test Mr. Lancaster’s statement of the fundamental fact. The phenomenon can be seen around our own coasts in the flight of the common sea gull. In August last, while spending a short holiday at Ramsgate, I standing on the West Cliff watching the flight of a considerable number of gulls. They sailed along with steady progress, about twenty yards or so from the edge of the e-liff and parallel to it,

I bad ample means of being certain as to their line of flight. Their wings were out-stretched, but without the slightest ment, and their rate of travel was, as nearly as I could guess, about six miles an hour. I watched them for a very considerable distance, but did not observe either movement of their wings, change of direction, or rate of travel. What struck me as very remarkable was the fact that the wind, which was blowing with considerable force, was almost directly opposed to them. The current was just such as is described by Mr. Lancaster as being especially favourable to that system of flight; there was no shifting of direction, or eddying, or variation in force, while it was, as nearly as I could make out, only about 10 deg. removed from direct opposition to the birds. I was so astonished at what I had observed that I consulted the vane on the cliff, thinking some local circumstances might have deflected the wind, but I found such was not the case. I had hitherto imagined myself knowing something of mechanics; but here was an observed fact, admitting of no denial, which completely upset all my long-cherished theories and filled me with surprise.

Your scientific readers can have no difficulty in making similar observations themselves. The sole conditions are a suitable spot Avhere gulls are plentiful, and in such close proximity that their line of flight may not be mistaken ; a strong current of wind, unvarying in strength and direction.

At the risk of a little presumption I may be permitted to throw some doubt upon Mr. Lancaster’s explanation of the effect of the wind on the birds’ wings. I can scarcely conceive the elastic pressure of the atmosphere on the rear part of the wing being sufficient to overcome the direct pressure on the front of the bird.

_ Whatever the true explanation may be, Mr. Lancaster has done signal service in making public the result of his extensive observations, and opening up a subject the importance of which cannot be overrated.

45, Stockwell Park-road, London, April 16th.

was

so

move-

W. Davey Bennett.

Sir,—I see by an extract in the Scientific American that you have lately been investigating the problem of flight, and that in your summing up of the same there seems to be a total omission of the facts connected with soaring. Flying really is of two kinds, i.e., flapping and soaring; in one the wings more or less rapidly flap or beat the air, in the other kind, or soaring, they do not flap at all, and are held out at full stretch rigidly. The physical tion in one case is great, and in the other almost nil.

1 am quite aware that it is heterodox to even assert that birds

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cannot possibly rise in the air without flapping the wings ; nevertheless, for the last twelve or fourteen years I have almost weekly watched birds slowly and steadily soaring in huge spirals, not except near the ground and for the first 200ft. or so, flapping their wings. On the contrary, once above the level of the forest their wings are extended and held rigidly while the birds rise higher and higher in huge spirals till fully 5000ft up, where they seem to remain all day, and can be closely watched and followed with a large telescope, and all detail closely seen. They go up to sleep, or doze, rather. I do not here say how they rise, nor do I imply that work is not done in their rising. All I assert, and have seen hundreds of times, is that in rising, say, 3000ft , they do not flap the wings. There is beautiful provision in the wings of all the larger birds that soar, whereby they are enabled to hold the wings out rigidly without muscular effort. On their being stretched out effort is needed till they are nearly at full stretch, when a sudden click may be heard and an elastic tendon comes into play that holds the wing out steadily, and muscular effort is needed to again flex them. While soaring, the only resistance met is to progress onward, and the bird skids, as it were, on rails or planes of air, which at the speed of, say, fifty miles, is practically incompressible and inert. The birds that soar here are the cyrus, larger vultures and storks, adjutant, pelican, &c. They can be watched for hours soaring and not once flapping. These birds cannot, and do not, soar if there is no breeze—they all flap the wings vigorously in rising and until some 500ft. up, in the breeze. Then they begin soaring and do not flap the wings, and rise steadily higher and higher till nearly out of sight as mere specks, where they remain all day, slowly, apparently, circling round and round, never flapping the wings once that I ever could see, and I use a large telescope O.G. 34in., and power of 100. For us the art of flying is that of soaring, as it is obviously done with so little muscular effort.

Sibsajar Asasu, March 25th.

once

S. E. Peal.

THE CONTINUOUS BRAKES RETURNS.

Sir,—In order to show at a glance the progress made in the fitting of continuous brakes during the past half-year, I have drawn up the following table. Vehicles provided with “ connecting pipes only ” cannot be considered as fitted with brakes, therefore they are given in a separate column. It is satisfactory to find that a large proportion of the vehicles fitted during the latter half of the year 1882 were provided with brakes which are automatic, and fulfil the conditions laid down by the Board of Trade.

Statement showing the total number of engines and vehicles which were fitted with each system during the half-year ending December

31st, 1882.

Name of Brake.

Engines, j Vehicles.

out in your leading article—but would allow the elastic yielding of the hull to be independent of the varying strains of the shaft; and it was conceded in the discussion on the paper that these conflicting strains of the hull and the shaft were more prejudicial in producing fractures of the shaft than the strains due to the action of the engines.

The necessity for the use of hollow shafting has only arisen with the exigencies of the very large modern steamships. For smaller vessels I presume all would agree with Mr. Reynolds, that it is not only pedantic to use hollow shafting, but that the extra amount of metal in the solid shaft is useful for absorbing sudden shocks. Where such shocks are to be provided against, a great excess of metal over that required by theory is essential—that is to say, we must employ a high factor of safety. This will be found exemplified in the construction of ordnance, where the factor of safety is taken from 5 to 10.

As to the question, however, of the reduction of the number of bearings in a screw shaft, one beneficial effect would be the diminution of the jarring vibrations which, more than the beating of the screw itself, is so trying to the nerves of passengers at sea.

Woolwich, May 2nd.    A. G. Greenhill.

fitted with my windlass they would socn find out its utility for

J. Evelyn Liardlt.

mooring and towing also.

8, Breakspear’s-road, Wickham-park, Brockley, S.E.

WRECK OF THE DUNSTAFFNAGE AND ACCIDENT TO H.M.S;

DEFENCE.

Sir—In December, 1881, you were pleased to take special notice of my spring and double-acting windlass, shortly after I had obtained my patent. It is at all times difficult to write about one’s inventions, lest a wrong construction may be placed on so doing. I shall make no further apology for appealing to your scientific knowledge to give me space in The Engineer—the father of scientific engineering in this country—than the great importance of the two accidents which have befallen two ships, viz., the minor one reported in the Daily Telegraph of the 15th of March :—“ Yesterday morning a serious accident happened on board her Majesty’s ship Defence, which is lying in the Mersey, where she came from a short cruise on Tuesday. While the anchor was being heaved in order that the vessel might go to her regulation moorings off Rockferry, something gave way, and twenty men were injured by the capstan

PATENT LAW AND PATENT AGENTS.

Sir,—“ Honesty ” asks, in a letter which you publish in your last number, what the Council of the Institute of Patent Agents intend to do in the case of a patent agent who, he says, was recently detected making a surreptitious erasure in a filed specification. Had he not better inquire what the Government authorities intend to do, as it is undoubtedly their place to prosecute the offender ? If the individual in question is a Fellow of the Institute, the Council will no doubt know how to deal with him ; but if he is not a Fellow, the Council can only bring the matter to the notice of the authorities, to whom it has probably been reported already by the official who detected the fraud.

As “ Honesty ” seems to speak rather sneeringly of the Institute, perhaps you will allow me to say that all the London patent agents of good repute have, with one or two exceptions, joined it, and so have many provincial agents. Unfortunately, as you, Sir, are aware, there is at present no law to prevent any man—or even any woman—without either qualifications or character, setting up as a “ patent agent,” and catching unwary inventors by means of touting circulars and the like. Such men would not be elected to the Institute. From the tone of “Honesty’s” letter, I rather infer that he is one of those who have not been invited to join.

I hope the time is not far distant when all persons wishing to practice as patent agents will have to pass a qualifying examination—corresponding with that required of barristers and solicitors —and when any gross misconduct will render the offender liable to suspension, either altogether, or for one or more years, as the circumstances may warrant.

London, May 1st.

[“ Honesty” is not a patent agent.—Ed. E.]

Fel. Inst. P.A.

Westinghouse automatic........

Sanders and Bolitho automatic vacuum*

Smith’s automatic vacuum ......

Clark and Webb’s chain ........

Smith’s

Fay’s................

Vacuum (L. and N. W. By.) ..    ..

All other systems........ ..

Total ..........

vacuum

i g i s£§

363

H CO tO CO H JI-HCOtOCiOiCOO

2193

273

Several brakes have been removed and become extinct in this country. Barker’s automatic; Eames’ vacuum; Fay, Newall, and Eames’ combined; Fay, Newall and Sanders’ combined; also Barker’s hydraulic No. 2 system, have all been taken off the rolling stock to which they were fitted.

Leicester, May 1st.    _

Clement E. Stretton.

THE IRISH MAIL CONTRACT.

Sir,—In your issue of the 20th ult. there is a letter on above subject signed “ J. G. B.,” the many fallacies in which have been so thoroughly exposed by “Fair Play” in your issue of the 27th ult. that it is unnecessary to refer to more than one point. “ J. G. B.” states that “the Dublin Chamber of Commerce issued a pamphlet professing to give reliable information about the boats, but which in reality was erroneous throughout, and therefore would only mislead those who trusted in its accuracy.” He further states that “the pamphlet attempts to prove unfounded statements by giving wrong dimensions;” and still further, “one would have thought that a public body like the Chamber of Commerce would be above taking this line.” The Dublin Chamber of Commerce called their pamphlet a “ statement of facts,” and as one of the committee who compiled it, I can state that we spared no pains to make it so. The dimensions and horse-powers were all taken from Lloyd’s Register, but, in addition, we procured certified copies of the original registers of both the express and mail boats, and found them to correspond exactly with Lloyd’s Register.

In place of all this, your correspondent, shielding himself behind the initials “ J. G. B. ”, does not scruple to make such statements as I have quoted above, nor to give other dimensions and horsepowers which he states to be accurate.

As a high class paper such as yours is only interested in eliciting the facts in such a case, and as the Dublin Chamber of Commerce have no other motive, I now challenge your correspondent to give his authority for his figures, as the Chamber of Commerce have given theirs, and if he fails to do this, I think your readers will have no difficulty in estimating his other statements at their proper value.

5, Eden Quay, Dublin, May 1st.

J. Malcolm Inglis.

HOLLOW SHAFTS.

Sir,—I must again ask for space in order to correct an inference which you appear to have adopted from the remark very properly made at the meeting by Mr. Shield. In a leading article in your current number you represent me as having stated that “the history of hollow screw shafts was a tale of disaster.” I understood the object of Mr. Shield to be a protest against that inference being drawn from my necessarily curtailed remarks. I have before me the proof sheet of what I was understood to say—which certainly agrees with what I intended—viz., “ from that time to the present all that he had himself heard about hollow shafts was a tale of disaster.” The reason of this is obvious—viz., that unless some important ship, such as the City of Rome, is in question, failures alone come under my notice, and the special illustrations I mentioned were from information given to me by the owners, as I have been in no case present when the failures occurred. Perhaps I ought to have specially mentioned this, but Bpeaking only on the spur of the moment, and being always in fear of evoking the signs of impatience which I sometimes witness when speakers are long-winded, I have apparently erred in the opposite direction.    Edward Reynolds.

River Don Works, Sheffield,

April 28th.    ____

Sir,—The question about the relative advantages of solid and hollow shafting, although a very interesting practical question, was only incidental to the chief subject discussed in my paper. Supposing the design and the dimensions of a shaft to have been previously settled from the considerations of the work it has to carry, my object was to investigate the most advantageous positions to place the bearings ; and I ventured to suggest that the bearings in a screw shaft should be concentrated into two—one at the thrust block and the other at the sternpost—and if intermediate supports were found absolutely necessary, to make such supports capable of a great amount of elastic yielding. In this way the shaft would not act, as at present, like a stiff backbone to the vessel—as pointed

* The 111 engines fitted with Sanders’ brake have non-automatic steam brakes.

Sir,—The suggestion made by “ Patent Agent and Engineer” in your last week’s issue, that patents should be chargeable with duties varying according to the value at which the inventions for which they are granted may be assessed in the third and seventh years respectively, in lieu of the present stamp duties, undoubtedly possesses the merit of novelty, while it is so ingenious as to cause surprise that the author has not thought fit to append his own name to the communication in order that he might claim the paternity of a proposition which might otherwise be fathered on some less ingenious member of the profession. Can we picture to ourselves a “conscientious” board of assessors endeavouring to arrive at a just conclusion as to the value of, say, Smith’s ammonia-soda process as compared with Brown’s stocking suspender, or the United Telephone Company’s patents with Robinson’s cinder sifter? If “Patent Agent and Engineer” really wants something practical, simple, and sure to meet with universal approval, he might perhaps be inclined to modify his views and adopt the following suggestion, viz.: That at the third and seventh years respectively, all patents should be put up to public auction, the highest bidder to be declared the purchaser, and in case of dispute the lot to be put up again.

Seriously speaking, I cannot see what good end is served by the putting forth of such wild schemes as that of “Patent Agent and Engineer,” in the consideration of which the attention of those responsible for the making of a good law must be diverted from questions of pressing necessity. The inevitable result will be that those in authority will jump to the conclusion that the opinion of experts is divided, and consequently not to be relied on, whereas such can hardly be considered to be the case. The £50 and £100 taxes are undoubtedly grossly unjust to an inventor of moderate means, but the only practical modification that has yet been suggested is the substitution of annual taxes. This was advocated in a leader you published some little time ago, and I have not yet heard why the alteration should not be endorsed. It works well abroad,

reversing at great speed. Two of the sufferers were taken to the and if we have taxes increasing annually by say about £2, as Birkenhead Hospital, having broken limbs and scalp wounds. The | in Germany, there ca,nnot be the slightest doubt but that the others were treated on board the vessel.” The more serious acci- weeding-out process will be quite as effective as is now the case dent is reported in the same paper on the 19tli March, headed, “ Loss with the third and seventh years’stamp duties. In fact, I am of of a Liverpool ship and twenty-three lives.” I briefly quote from opinion that annually increasing taxes will be more effective, as the the report to answer my purpose. It commences, viz.:—“Our recurrence each year of a demand for the tax would be a constant Dundee correspondent telegraphed last night: ‘ Yestei day morning reminder to the patentee. Moreover, this system would in a terrible disaster occurred on the Kincardineshire coast, about many instances have the effect of snuffing out the useless or block-eight miles south of Aberdeen, the Liverpool ship, Dunstaffnage, ing patents before they have attained their third year of existence, being totally lost with twenty-three lives.’” The Dunstaffnage    Another Patent Agent and Engineer.

was a fine sailing ship of 2000 tons. She was light, with 600 tons of ballast on board, and consequently high out of the water.

“ * The tug Recovery had the ship in tow from Dundee for Liverpool. After passing the Tay it came on to blow from the N.E.

The vessels were to the S.E. of Girdleness Lighthouse, at Aberdeen, the sea having become more tempestuous, and the wind reaching hurricane force. Shortly after two o’clock the hook attached to the mast of the tug, which secured the towing hawser, was carried clean away, together with the tow-rail and other gear. The tug and ship having parted company, there was no possibility of their again getting together,’ ” and this fine ship, her captain, his wife and child, and all hands lost, in consequence of the towing gear having given way. I enclose you the accounts, cut from the Daily Telegraph, and the leading article of the 21st thereon.

I venture to approach the subject, and to assert that if H.M.S.

Defence, the ill-fated Dunstaffnage, and the tug Recovery had    _    _

each severally been fitted with my windlass, the dreadful accidents    Sir,—We see in your issue of the 27th inst. an article which it

would not have happened. In the case of H.M.S. Defence, had concerns us to comment upon with your permission briefly as anything gone wrong with the hauling gear of my windlass, no follows :—(1) Mr. Livet’s invention is not correctly described. The accident could have happened to the men. The man in charge very short reference to what is described as the leading principl would simply have stopped, or put the brake on. The gipsey of it is capable of strengthening a misapprehension which appears would have stopped revolving at once. In the case of theDunstaff- already to exist, to the effect that Livet’s system of boiler setting nage she would have been towed from effective, powerful springs, occupies more space than others. In a recent instance of the in all probability with the port and starboard cables bridled to a application of this system we found that in the setting of three large shackle, the tow-line made fast to the shackle and passed boilers, side by side, we actually gained about 2ft. in space over through it, with twenty-five fathoms of each cable paid out through the ordinary setting originally proposed. We may say, therefore, the hawse pipes, with ample slack of the tow-line to allow for the once for all, that the essence of Mr. Livet’s invention lies, not in spring of the cables so paid out, and also of the springs of the setting the boiler “ with very wide and deep flues,” but with flues windlass, with the slack end of the tow-line made fast to the ship’s of a particular shape and increasing in sectional area at each bend forward bollard-heads. The tug Recovery would merely have they make around the boiler, which is a very different thing from required an ordinary bevelled drum fitted to the fore part of her what you describe. We observe that you leave Livet’s patent windlass, her tow-line passed round under and over the drum, furnace entirely out of the question, but we shall merely refer to then through a guide aft to the tow-rail. In any case she would this to say that a very large proportion of the magnificent results have held on to the Dunstaffnage long enough at least to have obtained were due to the efficiency of the furnace and the careful allowed her to have made sail, and for a port. Both ships would and scientific adaptation of tin flues and furnaces as a combination have done the work assigned to them, and the Dunstaffnage would to each other. (2) With regard to the small amount of coal have been afloat now and her crew alive. If ships and tugs were sumed per square foot of grate, you oblige us to contradict your

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May 2nd.    -

Sir,—Your correspondent “ Honesty ” appears to look upon the surreptitious alteration of a public document only in the light of an opportunity for asking a question about the Institute of Patent Agents. This, after all, is but a trifling matter, for it is of far importance to know what steps the Commissioners of Patents intend to take against the offender. These documents are of the highest value, and their custodians, the Commissioners, are bound to take the greatest possible care of them. I trust, therefore, that the superintendent or chief clerk will at once give some assurance that he has taken such precautions as to render it at all events very difficult for such a case to occur again.    Inventor.

Queen Victoria-street, May 3rd.

more

livet’s BOILER SETTING.

con-

PARTICULARS OF ROADS IN SWITZERLAND.

(For description see page 333.)

Table I.

Length and Cost of Construction of the Principal Roads in Switzerland.

Departments.

Area.

Inhabitants | according to I census of 1st Dec., 1870. i

Length of main roads.

First-class. Otherclasses.

Total.

Cost of construction of main roads.

First-class. Other classes.

total.

Length of all the main roads.

Length of main roads—first-class.

Per Per 1000 Per Per 1000 sq. kilo, inhabi- sq. kilo, inhabitants.

area.

area.

tants.

Mean

Cost of the main cost of roads—first-class.    construc

tion of first-class : roads per kilo, of length.

Per sq. kilo. area.

Per 1000 inhabitants.

sq. kilom.

Zurich .........

Bern .........

Luzern .........

Uri.............

Schwyz .............

Unterwalden ob dem Wald . Unterwalden nid dem Wald.

Glarus .............

Zug................

Freiburg............

Solothurn .........

Basel-Stadt .........

Basel-Landschaft ......

Schaffhausen ..........

Appenzell ausser Rhoden Appenzell inner Rhoden

St. Gallen .........

Graubiinden.......

Aargau .........

Thurgau.........

Tessin .........

Waadt .........

Wallis .........

Neuenburg ......

Genf .........

1724-7

6889-0

1500-8

1076-0

908-5

474-8

290-5

691-2

239-2

1669-0

783-6

35-8

421-6

294-2

260-6

159-0

2019-0

7184-8

1404-0

988'0

2818-4

3222-8

5247-1

807-8

279-4

UUtlH    rH    r-lr-li—<<N

kilom.

616-6

*1,100-0

267-2

kilom.

732-1

827-2

505-0

54-5

147-2

33-6

87-1

38-0

24-5

80-8

45-0

349-0

196-9

20-1

63-5

75-4

35-8

14-8

368-1

576-2

506-3

312-7

283-8

861-7

285-1

107-5

117-0

28-9

39-9

20-3

58-7

28-0

351-1

66-4

100-6

96-0

128-6

75-0

531-0

230-5

776-0

316-3

413-5

765-5

173-1

265-4

156-0

kilom.

francs.

francs.

francs.

1,348-7    13,276,800

1,927-2    *32,800,000

772 2    4,533,000

1,998,000 234-3    2,999,500

604,700 588,800 1,192,900 341,400 8,851,000 3,684,000 86-5    1,357,000

1,455,000 1,367,300 739,300 373,500 5,722,000 10,888,200 8,665,100 6,607,000 10,025,700 38,710,000

8.415.500

2.554.500 5,748,200

88-1

669

64-4

101-1

103-7

377-0

548-0

+ 164-1 171-4 164-4

89-8

899-1 806-7 1,282-3 629-0 697-3 1,627-2 458-2 372-9 ± 273-0

5,709,200    18,986,000

18,308,000    51,108,000

2,757,000 4,026,200 1,024,200 922,400 1,475,900 646,000

no data

759,000

1,026,700

419,500

333.600 283,000

304.600 no data no data no data

1,163,000 no data no data no data no data 2,765,100 no data no data no data 21,500,000 1,665,000 no data no data

2,618,000

13,753,300

60,210,000

10,080,500

¹ o-

»■

! o-

o-

K1 O Ol KJ M O Ol GO M M GO g

OO tO CO to •

kilom.

0-141 0-222 0-146 0-434 0-226 0-699 | 2-415 ! 0-389 0-583 0-631 0-565 0-445 0-112 0-913 0-637 0-247 0-505 0-087 0-462 0-977

4- 736

3- 803

5- 837 5-470

4- 911

4- 643

5- 507

2- 877 4-938

3- 403

7- 336

1- 809

3- 034

4- 546

3- 164 7'545

4- 707

8- 789

6- 449

6- 741

5- 829

7- 023 4-729 3-833

2- 928

francs.

1-

7.700 4,620 3,020 1,860

3.300 1,270 2,030 1,730 1,430

5.300

4.700 37,900

3,450

4,610

2,840

2,350

2,830

1,520

6,170

6,690

3,560

1,201

1,600

3,160

20,570

i francs. ¹

46,620

64,750

34.250 124,100

62,880 :

41.820

50.320    : 33,940 I 16,260

79.880

49.320 28,390

26.880

36.250 15,170 31,380 30,000

118,640

43,070

70.820 83,810

167,070

86,860

26,260

61,650

francs.

21,530

29,800

16,970

36,650

23,770

15,940

24,060

14,760

7,590

25,360

18,710

67,500

22,930

18,140

20,670

25,220

15,550

18,900

17,120

21.130 35,320 44,920 29,520 24,700

49.130

Schweiz ...    .

41,389-8    2,669,147    6,547-7

6,805-8    13,353-5    173,498,400

0-323    5-003    0-158    2-453    4,190    65,000    26,480

1 Basel-Landschaft

* In addition there are about 100 kilom. of roads between 3 and 6 m. wide.    t Besides the 377 kilom., there are about 1517 kilom of parish and farm roads, from 4-2m. to 4-8 m. wide,

in aaun n    haS) in action to 164-1 kilom., about 188 kilom, public roads, about 4-5 m. wide, which cost 2,537,000 francs.

Table. II.

Yearly Cost of Maintenance of the Main Roads.

Departments.

Zurich

Bern ... Luzern ...

Uri.....

Schwyz .....

Unterwalden ob dem Wald ... Unterwalden nid dem Wald...

Glarus ...............

Zug..................

Freiburg...............

Solothurn .........

Basel- Stadt .........

Basel-Landschaft ......

Schaffhausen.........

Appenzell A.-Rh.......

Appenzell I.-Rh.......

St. Gallen .........

Graubiinden.....

Aargau .,. Thurgau ...

Tessin ...

Waadt

Wallis ... Neuenburg Genf

Total ...

Main roads whose maintenance could bo ascertained.

Class.

Alone.

kilom.

Length.

Total.

Mean

maintenance per kilo, and per year.

Average amount of yearly maintenance.

Singly.

Total.

Class 1 Class 2

616-6

732-1

kilom.

francs.

342

francs.

Classes 1 to 4 Kanton road

Class 1 Class 2

Class 1

Classes 1 and 2

Classes 1 and 2 Classes 1,2, and 3

Kanton road Classes 1 and 2 Classes 1 and 2 Classes 1 and 2 Class 1

Class 2

Class 1 Class 1 Class 2

Commercial road Pass

Valley road

Class 1 Class 1

Class 1 Class 2

Class 1

Kanton road

54-5

33-6

35-8

56-1

368-1

531-0

257-0

120-0

429-7

283-8

413-5

1348-7

1927-2

267-2

88-1

135-3

61-5

103-7

377-0

548-0

86-5

164-2

171-4

91*9

14-8

899-1

806-7

506-3

312-7

697-3

861-7

173-4

9642-7

155

250

330

908

372

214

195

no data no data 276

301

222

809

731

ca. 160—270

1020

695

946

613

220

732

606

248

352

249

701

204

275

no data 600—1100 250—5000

340

210,000

113,000

49.500

12.500

no data no data

36,500

39,000

225,000

115,000

201,900

87,000

97,000

199,000

84,000

no data no data

francs.

323,000

480,000

86,500

62,000

29,000

12,000

27,600

113,300

121,600

70,000

120,000

37,000

75,500

14,000

340,000

385,900

179,600

78,000

283,000

307,000

no data 135,000

3,280,000

Of the yearly maintenance is paid by

Government.

Parishes.

Remarks.

francs.

126,000

55,000

480,000

59,500

49.500

12.500

29,000

12,000

19,600

79,800

81,200

70,000

75,000

37,000

75,500

14,000

260,000

118,200

73,000

157,600

78,000

199,000

63,000

307,000

135,000

francs.

84,000

58,000

27,000

8,000

34,500

40,400

45,000

115,000

13,700

14,000

97,000

22,000

21,000

The cost of maintenance of bridges is not included. The cost of maintaining 505 kilom. of parish roads is not known.

The cost of maintaining the other main roads is not known.

These amounts are the result of valuation, as the data failed.

The cost of maintaining 72"6 kilom. of roads— Class 3— unknown; belongs, however, to the parishes.

Unknown.

Unknown.

The parishes must work with labour and transport three days per annum.

The maintenance of Class2roads, 765"5 kilom., is undertaken by Government, and costs on an average 93 francs, per kilo. The parishes have to Bupply material.

Unknown.

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FOREIGN AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF THE ENGINEER.

The Hoop L mark is likely to be fought out in the

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set upon our system—and that there was no possibility of blowing obtained by boilers on our setting with those on the ordinary combustion. (5) We wish it to be known to the world, and it off the superfluous steam had it been desired to test the full power setting at their refinery at Liverpool. Those on the ordinary would_ have been only fair to say that Mr. Clark himself expressly

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experience, not so thoroughly developed as it has been since, and not more than 600deg., and in the other case about 1000 deg. broken into handy lumps, and the utmost care was taken in was at the time of Mr. D. K. Clark’s test, nor were the proportions These tests were made by Messrs. Tate’s chemist, in conjunction storing and in manipulating the damper to keep the steam steady either of furnace or bridge spaces so suitable to the combustion with Messrs. Gossage, of Widnes. If you will refer to Messrs, —page 137 of the report. Our system of dampers at any rate of Welsh coal. You are aware, from personal observation, that the Tate you will, we think, find them ready to vouch also for the renders this possible. Mr. Livet was present on this occasion only, steam generated by this boiler as set on our system was always ex- following fact, i.e., that at their works, in spite of the increase of We should not for one moment pretend that such a result could tremely dry, a circumstance commented on by Mr. Clark, though heat shown by the foregoing analysis, the temperature in the be obtained without special care and attention, and had you given not noticed by you. In our view this is the most important point departing flue of the boilers set upon our system is 700 deg. lower Mr. Clark s report mextenso it would have been tolerably eviden connected with the tests, as but for it we should have expected to ! than the temperature beyond the economiser in the case of the that he did not consider it a matter of every-day practice ; still find the high results obtained attributed to excessive priming.    boilers set on the ordinary system. (4) The difference in the rate has been fairly done, and may be done again any day with equally

were

point or deficiency in the deposited plans; but a superior tribunal, the Committee on Standing Orders, decided that this defect was not a sufficient ground for preventing the Bill from proceeding. Thus reinstated in the list of Private Bills to be dealt with this

session, the scheme was referred to a Select Committee, consisting of Sir Joseph Bailey—who was chosen chairman—Mr. Keginald Yorke, Mr. A. Vivian, and Mr. Stafford Howard, who met for the first time on Tuesday morning. Long before the hour of meeting the doors of the Committee Boom were besieged by a crowd of persons more or less interested, from the districts affected by the Bill, and others, and on the room being opened at twelve o’clock there was something approaching a stampede for places from which to watch and hear the proceedings. The array of counsel, all well known at the parliamentary bar, was almost alarming; but the wealth and determination of such bodies as the Corporations of Liverpool and Manchester, and of Lancashire commercial men generally, sufficiently accounts for the preparations made for a vigorous and stout contest. Besides the promoters and the numerous direct opponents of the Bill, there are very many persons who have presented petitions on mere clauses of the Bill, and several of these were independently represented by gentlemen learned in the law. Some of the more prominent counsel, without whom it would seem no private measure can pass through Parliament, hold briefs for two, three, four, and even six petitioners, and the whole aspect of the matter, so far as it has gone, is suggestive of unlimited means and unflinching resolution—on th hand to carry the scheme through, and on the other to defeat it. Stated in general terms, the purpose of this scheme is to enable Bteamers and sailing vessels of large size, bringing cotton and other cargoes from foreign countries for Lancashire in particular, and indirectly for England in general, to pass by Liverpool, and continue their voyage up the Mersey, and thence by the canal on to Manchester and other great centres of industry and manufacture in the North. The main incentives to this project are the heavy dock dues at Liverpool; the high rates of carriage between that port and inland towns by railway, and the cost of labour and loss of time by what is called “breaking bulk” at the port; in other words, unloading at Liverpool, transmitting by wagons and train, and again discharging at the several destinations, such as Manchester, Koclidale, Oldham, Salford, Wigan, and so on. To justify the authorisation of so large and bold an undertaking, of course it would be necessary to show primarily that the construction of a canal of the proposed capacity was practicable; and secondly, that it was profitable, relatively to the present system of importation. These are the main issues which the Select Committee are called upon to decide ; and judging from appearances so far, the inquiry is likely to be more protracted than is usual in the case of private ventures submitted to Parliament.

Mr. Pember, Q.C., is the leading counsel for the Bill, and he occupied over three hours on Tuesday in stating the case of the promoters. He explained that the first object of the Bill was to constitute Manchester a port, and that was carried out by Section 3 of the Bill. The second object was to construct a ship canal from Kuncorn on the Mersey to Manchester, with docks and other appliances which he need not particularise at that moment. The next bbject was to dredge the Mersey from Kuncorn to the entrance of the canal, and the Irwell, so far as need be, up to Manchester, The next object of the Bill was to deviate certain railways, across the lines of which the canal would pass. The estimated cost of carrying out the scheme was £5,633,951; the capital of the company was £6,000,000 in shares and £1,500,000 borrowing power. By Section 22 of the Bill they proposed to take power to buy the Mersey and Irwell Navigation, with the rights and privileges thereto appertaining. This purchase they proposed to make from the company itself, which had still a corporate existence; and they were also obliged to include the Bridgewater Navigation Company in the terms of the purchase, because the Bridgewater trustees had purchased the whole or nearly the whole of the shares in the Mersey and Irwell Navigation. Under the 26th clause of the original Bill they proposed to take powers to dredge, scour, open, deepen, widen, straighten, cleanse, and improve the beds, shores, and channels of so much of the river Mersey as lies between Buncorn and Manchester, but the part which the Examiner of Standing Orders struck out was that part of the clause which dealt with the route between Warrington and Buncorn, or the deep part of the channel. Notwithstanding this he would show by the figures of the engineers that they would be enabled to make an excellent high-water canal for large ships of 3000 and 4000 tons, and this would be accomplished by the amount of water which they got under the Bill. But they contemplated doing a great deal more. They contemplated making a canal accessible at low water to every large ship. Clause 26, it should be mentioned, was struck out of the Bill when the Standing Orders Committee advised that certain orders should be dispensed with in order that the Bill might proceed ; but Mr. Pember pointed out the way in which the promoters now proposed to deal with the matter, and get all the powers they originally asked for was this : In the first place, that that part of the 26th clause left out was needless, because the consent of the Mersey Commissioners was necessary, under an Act of 1842, to carry out the powers there inserted; in fact, that clause made it equivalent to the position which they now occupied, for the promoters must have had the consent of the Commissioners before they could do anything; and if the promoters had proposed anything under the

now

cross

come to

answer. —a

good coal. Mr. Clark will, of course, reply to your observations, and for the present we refrain from further comments.

Livet and Co., Limited,

(Per J. A. Macmeikan, Secretary and Geneial Manager.)

2, Short-street, Finsbury-pavement,

London, May 2nd. _

Sir —The results obtained by Mr. D. K. Clark with the boiler at Messrs. Clay’s works are not unprecedented. A similar evaporative efficiency was obtained by Lord Dundonald with the marine boiler of H.M.S. Jason with vertical water tubes. The conditions were nearly the same, namely, clean surface, and very slow combustion. Messrs. Clay’s boiler only evaporated 26 cubic feet of water per hour. This corresponds to about 50-I.H.P. for a good non-condensing engine, and represents 25-H.P. per furnace. Now, on board steamers it is not unusual to get 200-H.P. per furnace, the grates being each 3ft. by 6ft. The Clay boiler lias smaller grates ; but, making allowance for this, the boiler, if pushed or worked as a marine boiler is, would develope 150-H.P. with a condensing engine, or, say, 100-H.P. with a non-condensing engine, that is to say, it was worked at about half its proper rate.

Now I submit that this supplies no evidence of the superiority of the Livet system ; I have seen very remarkable results got out of ordinary Cornish boilers by underworking them, and using good coal. If Mr. Livet wishes to prove the advantage, of his setting, let him apply it to one boiler, while another is set in the ordinary way, and let both be worked at a legitimate pace; let 181b. of coal be burned per square foot of grate per hour, and let us hear what the results are then. Mr. Livet ought to have no difficulty in arranging for such a test, but steam users care little for results obtained with dampers more nearly shut than open. We want steam, as well as economy of fuel, and it remains to be seen whether Mr. Livet can give us this or not.    D. J.

Salford, May 2nd.

THE MANCHESTER SHIP CANAL.

After many vicissitudes, which at one time threatened to wreck it altogether, the gigantic scheme for constructing a canal between Liverpool and Manchester, capable of floating the largest oceangoing vessels, has at last come before a Select Committee of the House of Commons. At the outset the promoters of this project checked by the Examiner of Private Bills upon a technical

e one

original Bill which, in the opinion of the Commissioners, was prejudicial to the navigation of the Mersey, they w'ould not have sanctioned it, and that was absolutely necessary before any scheme could be carried out by the promoters. Therefore, with the part of Clause 26 retained in the Bill the promoters were just as well off, for by the 24th clause of the Commissioners’ Act they could carry out everything proposed to be done under the part of the 26th section struck out. Some criticism had been made on the slight difference in the wording by the introduction of the words “ training walls,” but these did not mean walls raised up in the river, but merely a passage scooped out of the sandy soil, and some means—not raised walls—were inserted to prevent the danger of filling up again. In order to prevent that a certain amount of what was called stone fencing and rubble, and stuff of that kind, was to be thrown down, but was never to rise above the level of the ground. The ancient level would remain where it was, and what they proposed was merely a method of checking the mischief which nature was constantly carrying on. The training walls, in fact, were merely an item in the constant work of keeping clear the engineering improvements carried out. Speaking of the feasibility of the scheme, Mr. Pember said he did not think anyone would come forward and assert that it could not be carried out after what had been done in the case of the Tees, the Tyne, and the Clyde. If it could be done it ought to be done, and it would, if authorised, be carried out under the supervision of the Mersey Commissioners. The Mersey was one of the noblest waterways of England, with its important and valuable contributory the Irwell. The condition of the Mersey was a disgrace owing to the neglect of carrying out the suggested work, and it was therefore that Manchester and the other associated towns of Lancashire had come forward with the present Bill. He would deal with the question of the deviation of the railways on the line of the proposed canal. In one of the proposed lines it was proposed to cross the Mersey at'Walton Viaduct, near Warrington. They proposed to cross the railway at that point by a high-level bridge, and it could not be said that the suggested deviations would be at all an injury. Kail way No. 2 was known as the Birkenhead and Lancashire and Cheshire Junction Bail way, and it was proposed to carry this also across the canal by a high-level bridge, it being carried over the viaduct on the level. Kailway No. 3 was the London and North-Western line from Garston to Liverpool, vid Lymm and Warrington. It was proposed to take this railway under the canal at Warrington by a double-barrel tunnel. Bailway No. 4 was the Glazebrook and Stockport line, and it was in connection with it to cross the canal by a high-level bridge.. It was also intended in connection with the Cheshire lines main line to the canal also by a high-level bridge. It oould not be stated that the deviations proposed could seriously affect the railways. The promoters had done their best to interfere as little as possible with the gradients. There was a clause inserted in the original Act, obtained by the Grand Junction Bailway Company, by which that company was bound not to oppose any Bill for rendering the Mersey navigable from Warrington to Manchester for sea-going vessels, in case the projected line of transit should cross the Mersey at Warrington orelsewhere, but was to consent to theopening of a swivel bridge. With regard to the other railways, the Acts affecting them did not contain the words, “ or elsewhere,” but there was a provision in one of the Acts forcing them to consent to swing bridges over the Irwell at particular points. It so happened that the canal would not cross the railways at those particular points, but he should contend that it was clearly the intention of Parliament to affirm the principle upon which he relied, and to allow of bridges being opened wherever it was necessary. What, in short, the canal company said was that it should be allowed in 1883 to make the railway subservient to the needs of Manchester, just as if it had at the time taken advantage of the powers, adequate as they were then thought, which were inserted in the Act of 1842, and other Acts passed about that time. They did not, however, now ask for swing bridges, nor did they propose to stop the traffic of the railways for an hour, but they desired to make the deviations already sanctioned in principle by Parliament, and, when the arrangements were made, to hand them over to the companies. Having referred to the commercial condition and needs of Lancashire, and the arbitrary way in which railway fares were fixed by the companies in union, and having cited the opening of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce and of a large meeting of merchants and others at Liverpool in favour of the creation of greater facilities for inland transit, Mr. Pember said that it would be the business of the Ship Canal Company to show, first, that such a state of things at present existed as to call for a remedy; secondly, that its canal would supply the remedy, and also that, financially and physically, the canal was feasible. Speaking of the growth of the district in population and importance, he said that Salford in 1861 had a population of 102,000 ; it was now 176,000, or a growth of 74,000 souls in twenty years. Manchester in 1861 had a population of 357,000 ; in 1881, 390,000 ; and the population outside had been increasing at a greater rate. For a radius of ten miles the population was 1,560,000, which was double that inside the four-mile radius. Lancashire had now a population of 3,500,000, in round figures, or an increase of 500 per cent. In 1861 the population of Lancashire by the square mile was 365 persons ; in 1881 it was 1890 persons to the square mile ; and England and Wales only being 410 ; therefore Lancashire was four and a-half times denser. In 1881 the population had increased to 3,500,000, and the bales of cotton had increased to 3,400,000, very nearly keeping up the proportion of a bale per man. At any rate, it showed the intimate relation between traffic and population. Then, again, the imports into Liverpool were £108,000,000 odd, and the exports were £87,000,000, or a grand total of £195,000,000. The whole imports and exports of Great Britain were only £680,000,000, which left Lancashire in possession of something like one-third of the whole amount. But out of these £87,000,000 exports with which Liverpool was credited £45,000,000 belonged to Lancashire. Theexportsofcottonin yards in Lancashirein 1871 were 1,500,000,000 yards. Th e capital invested in Lan cashire in the cotton business alone was £100,000,000. These were the main facts which made Manchester the central site of all this traffic. Nineteen-twentieths of the Lancashire cloth came to Manchester, and was sold in Manchester, and was then sent from Manchester to Liverpool when forwarded for exportation. A vast deal of the raw cotton went to Manchester. Seeing, therefore, that Manchester was the central point around which this trade revolved, and upon which it was constantly impinging, then it was a plain proposition: Why not save the journey, first, of the raw cotton, and, secondly, of the woven eloth, and thus save the expensive rates and the removing of the cargo twice over—that was, in coming and going away ? That was an outline of the cotton traffic of the district around, including for that purpose a large number of busy towns whose trade was going in and out of Manchester, and for which Manchester was the ultimate and sole emporium. But cotton was not the only source of traffic; there were iron, and coal, and timber, and food stuffs, and all kinds of other industries, which would go to swell the revenue of the Manchester Ship Canal, and enhance its value. They estimated that the canal would save 50 per cent, of the cost. With regard to trade in the aggregate, the learned counsel pointed out that the trade exports to Liverpool in 1881 amounted to 45 millions of money. The rate for raw cotton charged at Liverpool for Dukinfield—a distance of forty-two miles—was 7s. 7fd., and the railway rate to that place for a ton of cotton was 11s. 9d., making a total of 19s. 4fd. Since 1883 the railway rate had been reduced by Is. per ton. They could have Surat cotton carried from Bombay to Liverpool for 7s. per ton. What the canal company proposed to do was this. It proposed to charge for carriage from Liverpool to the mill, 4s. 6d.; for wharfage, Is. 9d.; and for cartage, 3s.; total, 9s. 3d. It would therefore be seen that, in comparison with the present rate to Dukinfield, they practically saved 50 per cent. Quoting a number of statistics relating to the growth of passenger traffic on the railways, Mr. Pember continued: We urge our plan in no spirit of hostility to the railways; we look upon the matter as a parallel to

the case of electric light v. gas, or the railways against the coaches. The view we take has been strongly and largely urged on the Board of Trade by the various Chambers of Commerce, and in 1880 a memorial was presented to that department showing a consensus of opinion among the commercial world in favour of a scheme like this. That memorial urged that every encouragement should be given by Parliament to independent canal companies, canals being especially adapted to the conveyance of raw material, in regard to which the time occupied was of little importance, and which was a kind of traffic which the railway companies said it was not possible for them to work even if the tolls were fixed at a reasonable rate.

Sir Edward Watkin had also given his favourable opinion upon this scheme. In 1881-2 Liverpool received ships of a capacity of 8,104,136 tons,and an actual carrying capacity of about 10,000,000 tons. There has been an increase of 25 per cent, decade by decade. Our canal will take five years to complete, and if the increase in Liverpool and this part of Lancashire is only normal during those five years, the surplus shipping will provide us with an income without robbing Liverpool of sixpence. In fact it comes to this. Supposing anything like the expenditure incurred in 1873 has become necessary again, shall it be spent in Liverpool or Manchester? Shall we spend it, or shall they ? Shall it be spent in making docks still further to the north of Liverpool, or in bringing goods by sea to Manchester at a saving of 50 per cent.? But that is not all, for Manchester will create its own business in its own canal quite apart from using up any increment that might naturally Liverpool. There are enormous quantities of Manchester goods from the district round about Manchester, and it ships from other ports besides Liverpool. The land carriage to those other ports will be saved by shipping at our own port, and the traffic diverted to our canal, and our revenues swelled thereby. Why should we not ship South Wales coal from Manchester? Again, only thirty-five miles from us is Barnsley, the centre of the South Yorkshire coalfield. From there the best hard coal goes now vid Hull and Grimsby, and has to travel a distance of between 44 and 65 miles, so that Manchester is nearer by 12 miles. Why should not South Yorkshire coal, therefore, come to Manchesterfor shipment ? Wigan coal is being heavily worked, and is approaching exhaustion, so that people are looking to Leigh, only six miles from Manchester. In 188113 per cent, of the vessels from Liverpool left in ballast. Why not let us tempt South Yorkshire coal to our new port? Persons who have studied the philosophy of the iron trade will tell you that factories will spring up along the banks of our canal, and iron ore will come by sea and be landed without transshipment. Then, imagine the price of a staple article of food being reduced by 5 per cent, for the 770,000 persons within our five-mile radius, or the 1,500,000 within the ten-mile radius. As to timber, the West Biding towns have to depend almost entirely on the supply from the Baltic. Of 1,800,000 tons sent to these consuming centres, only 600,000 come from the west ports of Liverpool, Furness, and Barrow. They ought to bring 900,000. W hy not let us redress the balance ?” Mr. Pember cited figures relating to the tonnage of vessels entering Liverpool, and in conclusion said in further support of the Bill: “ Go where you will in Lancashire, and ask vrhat questions you choose, you will never receive a doubtful The men who spent a million of money upon a Town Hall kind of costly toy—will not hesitate to put down ten times that amount in order to provide an artery to carry the heart’s blood of their commerce, and to provide for the development of their trade.”

On the conclusion of the learned counsel’s address the committee intimated that the first evidence they would take would he that of the engineers, being of opinion that it was useless to take testimony as to the desirability of the canal until its mechanical and . scientific practicability had been established. Mr. Pember was taken by surprise by this notification, and frankly admitted that he was hardly prepared with engineering evidence, but he promised to inform the committee subsequently whether he could at once comply with the wish of the committee. When the inquiry was resumed on Wednesday morning Mr. Pember announced his readiness to produce the evidence called for on Thursday morning, and with that understanding he was allowed to occupy the second day’s sitting with a criticism of the most important petitions on or against the Bill.

Naval Engineer Appointments.—The following appointments have been made at the AdmiraltyJames G. Barrow, chief engineer, to the Ttimdraire, vice Wootton; Henry Benbow, chief engineer, to the Helicon, vice Barrow; Ferdinand J. Fairclough, engineer, to the Indus, for the Swinger; John F. Byder, engineer, to the Cambridge, for the Sabrina, vice Fairclough; and Thomas New, engineer, to the Fire Queen; Kob*rt Pattison, engineer, to the Pembroke, additional, for service in the Frolic; W. E. Beal, engineer, to the Bepulse; and J. T. H. Denny, engineer, to the Pembroke, additional, for service in the Seahawk.

Launch.—On Saturday last the new steamship Italia, built at the Deptford Shipbuilding Yard to the order of the Portuguese Steam Navigation Company, was launched. Her dimensions are— length, 175ft.; beam, 25ft.; depth, 14ft. 9in.; with engines by Messrs. Gourlay Bros., having cylinders 21 in. and 42in. diameter by 30in. stroke. The ship will be completed in a short time and ready for the Mediterranean, in which trade she is destined to run. She is to class 100 A 1 at Lloyd’s, is fitted with steam steering gear and all modern improvements, and is being inspected during construction by Mr. J. F. Flannery, consulting engineer, of London.

Colour for Stamps.—Ad. Vomacka suggests the following novel idea:—Saturate with any selected aniline dye thirty parts to forty parts of crude anhydrous glycerine by the aid of heat. Take ten parts fine glue and steep it for twenty-four hours in water. Pour off the water and dry the glue quickly with a cloth. Dissolve it by the aid of a water-bath in the coloured glycerine, avoiding much stirring, which causes bubbles to form. Pour it into any suitable tin box ; if the surface is frothy skim it with a stiff card. This mass serves as a very convenient permanent pad for india-rubber or metal stamps. It gives up the colour uniformly and moderately by simply pressing the stamp upon it. If the surface gets damaged it can be repaired by simply melting. If it gets hard from want of use it may be renewed by wiping with a sponge dipped in hot water or vinegar. The pad answers best with india-rubber stamps, but metal stamps may be used if the surface is roughened with glass or emery paper.

The “Gas Engineers’ Text-book and Gas Engineers’ Directory for 1883 ” contains a review of the year 1882 as affecting gas interests, articles on “ The Gas Manager,” on “Flameless Combustion,” on “Economy in the Distribution of Gas,” on the “ Utilisation of Besidual Products,” on “ Gas Purification,” on “Gas and Electric Lighting in 1882,” on “Gas Apparatus and Appliances,” and on the “Manufacture of Sulphate of Ammonia.” A chronology of gas lighting historical events is followed by a list of the names, places of meeting, and secretaries of Gas Managers’ Associations, and a directory of gas companies in the United Kingdom, America, and elsewhere. That relating to the United Kingdom gives the town, population, places supplied, secretary, engineer or manager, illuminating power, price per 1000 cubic feet, price paid for public lamps, tons of coal carbonised, approximate annual make of gas and number of customers. The articles show that the increase in the quantity of gas used during the past two or three years has been enormous, and perhaps it is owing to this fact that the articles which touch on electric lighting are written in very fair spirit, and the relative positions of the two systems recognised, though facts of no real significance are used to show that electric lighting is not yet perfect. The book is hardly a textbook, but it is much more than a directory, as the articles referred to contain a great deal of information of much interest to gas engineers and others

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ELECTRIC LIGHTING OF NOTTINGHAM.

The following is a copy of the specifications and tenders recently furnished by the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, Limited, to the Corporation of Nottingham. This company is, as is generally known, making the dynamo invented by Mr. J. E. H. Gordon, as recently illustrated in our pages, and these specifications and tenders have attracted very considerable interest as making a definite offer to supply and operate the necessary plant to give a certain quantity of light for a fixed sum :—

Specification and Tender No. 1.—60,000 Lamps.

General nature of the installation.—The installation to consist of the necessary mains, machinery, reserve machinery and buildings, as specified below, for the continuous supply of a current of electricity to all the houses, warehouses, shops, factories, street lamps, &c., in the district marked on the map sent herewith, sufficient for the maintenance of 60,000—sixty thousand—Swan lamps of 20 candle power¹ each during 16 hours out of the 24, and of one-third of that number during the remaining 8 hours.

Electro-motive force.—The current to be supplied at an E.M.F. of not more than 70 volts, and so that the Swan lamps can all be arranged “in quantity.”

The dynamos.—Five Gordon dynamos to be provided, four to work, one spare, each being capable of continuously maintaining 15,000 Swan lamps of 20 candle power each for 16 hours out of the 24, wlmn running at a speed not exceeding 150 revolutions per minute.² The magnets to revolve, and the current to be taken off directly from the fixed armature coils without rubbing contacts. The dynamos to be connected direct to the engines without belts.³

The exciters.—Six sets of direct current machines to be provided to excite the magnets of the large dynamos, one set to be used for each dynamo and one to be in reserve, so that it can be instantly connected to any one of the dynamos in case of its own exciter getting out of order.

Engines (for the large dynamos).—Each dynamo will require when working all its lamps about 1530 I.H.P. Two engines to be provided for each dynamo, to be coupled one to each end of the shaft. Each engine to be capable of developing 850 I.H.P. Thus ten engines in all are to be provided for driving the large dynamos. The engines to be compound, condensing, tandem, of the vertical inverted cylinder type. They are each to have one high-pressure cylinder on the top of one low-pressure cylinder, one piston-rod carrying both pistons. They are specially designed for electric light work, with extra large crank shafts and bearing surfaces, and special methods for lubrioating all parts without stopping. They are to be fitted with the best governors that can be obtained, and to be in all respects capable of running 150 revolutions per minute for 16 consecutive hours in each day without ever stopping. They are to work at a pressure of 1001b. per square inch.⁴

Small engines (for the exciters).—Six small engines to be provided for driving the exciters, each to indicate up to 60-H.P.® These engines to be also compound, but will not have separate condensers; they are to be connected to the condensers of the larger engines.⁶

Borers.—Thirty-eight flue-boilers, fitted with Galloway tubes, to be provided, capable each of developing about 220-1. H.P., so that thirty of them may be at work and eight idle. Patent automatic steam-stoking apparatus to be provided, as also all the usual gauges, &c.

Steani pipes and connections.—All necessary steam pipes and connections to be provided. Provision to be made for shutting off any boiler or any engine as required, and for removing any pipe without stopping the supply of electricity.

Engine house, boiler house, coal store and chimney J—The general arrangements to be as shown in the tracing sent herewith. Adjoining the boiler house is to be a store for 1000 tons of coal— about three weeks’ winter supply. The floor of the store is to be above the level of the boilers, so that the coal, after being placed in it, will not have to be lifted again. A four ton power hoist and raised tramway is to be provided for filling the store. Arrangements to be made so that the coal is discharged from the store into trucks running on tramways above the level of the boilers and discharging into the hoppers of the mechanical stokers. Another tramway, a lower level, is to be provided for the removal of the ashes, and is to carry them to the bottom of the hoist above mentioned, which will lift them to a convenient height for discharging into wagons. In the engine house is to be a gallery containing the regulating rooms. The design for the exterior of the building to be subject to the approval of the Corporation. The Corporation to provide the site and to bring to it a suitable water supply, and to provide for the removal of the waste water.

Traveller.—A 20-ton power traveller to be supplied and fixed In the engine room, so that it can lift any portion of the engines or dynamos that may at any time require lifting.

Regxdating apparatus and other fittings.—The following fittings and regulating apparatus to be furnished : Eight photometers, 6 ammeters, 10 volt-meters, 8 registering volt-meters, 5 stroplio-meters, 5 steam gauges, switches and slow motion levers to exciting engines.⁸ Suitable plug boards for varying connections of dynamos and removing defective coils. All suitable apparatus for rapidly substituting one large dynamo for another in a circuit, and for substituting one exciter for another.

Foundations and fixing.—All necessary foundations to be built, and all the boilers, machinery, &c., to be properly fixed.

The mains.—The mains to consist of copper rods of not less than 96 per cent, conductivity, efficiently insulated and enclosed in iron tubes, separate tubes being provided for the line wire and for the return. The section of the copper is to be such that when any portion is carrying the full current for the number of 20-candle Swan lamps that it is specified to carry, such current shall not exceed 1750 amperes per square inch section of copper. All necessary junction and testing boxes to be provided.

Laying the mains.—The mains to be laid underground, as shown on the map sent herewith. The figures on the map are the number of lamps proposed for each house and block, but are subjeet to any reasonable modification, the total being kept the same. Each machine has two circuits, so the four working machines supply eight circuits in all. There are four sets of lines (A, B, C, D) on the map, radiating from the engine-house; each line represents two circuits (or four conductors). The two circuits shown by the same line are to be connected to different machines, so that every house has half its lamps supplied from one machine, and half from another, and so that in case of any machine being temporarily stopped from any cause, no single house will be placed in darkness. All these mains and branches to be laid and fixed, and two pairs of

are

are

oil

¹    Mr. Swan is now making lamps of 40 and 100 candle power for street lighting, &c., which can be used with the 20 candle power lamps. They take the current of two and five 20 candle lamps respectively.

²    It will be seen that this allows ample provision for maintaining 60,000 lamps all night, and a smaller number in the. day ; the supply being continuous.

⁸ These dynamos are excessively strong, tho revolving parts being built up of wrought iron plate. The total weight of each dynamo is about 45 tons.

* These engines are extremely economical of coal and are practically silent.

⁵    The use of separate engines for the exciters enables the current to be regulated by varying the speed of the small engines, and without the waste which would be involved if the regulation were done by the introduction of resistance.

⁶    Thus, when all the 60,000 lamps are at work four dynamos and four exciters will be in use, requiring in all 6360-1. H P.

⁷    The Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company would prefer to do the whole of this work, and not to have it done by the Corporation as^at first proposed. It is included in the price given below.

° The ten-volt meters (two to each dynamo) enable the workman in charge of each dynamo to keep the electric pressure constant. The eight istering volt-meters (one to each circuit) inform the manager in the morning of any variation of pressure which may have taken place during tno night. The strophometers show the speed of the large engines * the p.jnt!)eters show the strengths of the exciting currents, 8    1

reg

poles brought into each house, as shown on the plan, and all streets to be made good again.

Working thirty days.—As soon as all the above work is complete, and also the fixing of the lamps in the houses (or a reasonable proportion of them to be approved by the Corporation), the machines to be started and a supply of electricity provided for 30 consecutive days and nights, such supply being sufficient for 60,000 lamps (or such less number as may be approved by the Corporation) from sunset to suurise, and for 20,000 from sunrise io sunset, an intermission of 15 minutes being allowed in each circuit twice between sunrise and sunset, but the intermissions in the two currents supplying any one house are never to coincide. In case of any weakness, defect, or imperfection showing itself during these 30 days, the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company are to repair it. At the end of 30 days’ satisfactory trial, they shall be held to have completed their undertaking. The Telegraph Construc-tionandMaintenanceCompanytosupply coal, oil, and labour for the trial; but the Corporation to supply water—all rates and taxes .chargeable on the works while in progress to be paid by the Corporation. If, at the completion of all the work except the 30 days’ trial there shall not be in the opinion of the Corporation a sufficient number of lamps erected to render a satisfactory trial possible, the Corporation may direct the commencement of the trial to be postponed for a period of not more than two months ; but in the event of their directing such a postponement, then—in addition to the price agreed upon—interest is to be paid by them at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum on the amount of the payment which falls due at the end of the 30 days’ trial, such interest to count from the date of the completion of the work to the date of the Corporation giving permission to commence the trial.¹ No such interest, however, shall be claimed if the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company have been employed to erect the lamps and internal fittings, and if the delay is caused by any fault of theirs. The whole of the work is to be finished in the most complete and careful manner.

Price.—The price to be paid by the Corporation to the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company for the whole of the above work to be £‘220,000. Payments to be made as follows :—

£5,000 on signing    the    contract.

£20,000 on completion of    £30,000 worth of‘work.

all the work except the 30 days’ trial, of the 30 days’ trial.

£20,000

£20,000

£20,000

£75,000

£60,000

the Engineer

of the

Corporation.

Specification and Tender No. 11.-30,000 Lamps.

If it is preferred by the Corporation to do half the work first, the above specification and tender will be modified as follows great measure this specification is the same as the preceding, 30,000 being substituted for 60,000. We only give the parts referring to actual differences other than this number.

Dynamos and engines.—Three dynamos with their engines, as specified in tender No. 1, to be supplied, two to work, one spare.

Exciters and small engines.—Four sets instead of six. Otherwise same as No. 1.

Boilei's.—Twenty-one to be provided of the same kind as specified in No. 1, 16 to work, 5 spare.

Engine-house and boiler-house.—Same as in No. 1, but proportionately smaller; one end wall to be built so that it can be taken down without disturbing the roof in case the building has to be enlarged.

Price.—The price to be paid by the Corporation to the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company for the whole of the above work to be £126,000. Payments to be made as follows £3,000 on signing the contract.

£10,000 on completion of £18,000 worth of work.

£10,000 £10,000 £10,000 £50,000 £33,000

In

'j a

fPf

all the work except the 30 days’ trial, the 30 days’ trial.

(Signed) J. E. H. GORDON,

Manager of the Electric Light Department.

<3

Appendix.

Estimated working cost for 60,000 lamps.—The following figures are given for the information and convenience of the Corporation. It is believed that they are correct, but they are not in any way guaranteed —

Per Per annum, annum.

£

All the lamps working 2500 hours per annum. Depreciation and repairs (noting that one-fifth of the

machinery is idle) ..............

Coal—

For 6360-H P. for 2500 hours, at 2J lb. of coal per I.H.P. per hour. 19,370 tons, which at 10s.2 per

ton makes ..................

Oil, waste, and petty stores ............

Labour—

³ Electrician’s department—

One chief electrician..............

Two assistant electricians at £150    ......

Four workmen at 26s.............

Engineers’ department—

One chief engineer..............

One assistant engineer............

Each shift - To each dynamo, one engine-driver at 35s.; one labourer at 25s.; one darkroom man at 30s.; four dynamos at work make £18 per week, or £936 per annum. Three shifts of eight hours each⁴ (men of day shift to do all cleaning and assist in

minor repairs)................

⁵ Firemen—

To attend to the boilers which are fired mechanically—

Two chief firemen at 45s    ..........

Assistant firemen at 28s.—

First night shift to attend to 30 boilers, 6 men ) Second night shift    ,,    20    ,,    4    >

or? ?ayshiffc    »    6    „    2    „ j

⁰ .Repairing shop—

Two fitters at 40s. and 35s.; one labourer at 25s. Total lab

10,000

9,685

S30

si 111

2808

236

875

260

our

Water rate ........

Other rents, rates, and taxes

Office expenses ......

Renewal of Swan lamps, at 2s. per 1000 lamp-hours on 60,000 lamps for 2500 hours ...........

Total annual expenditure

.. - 5,393

•'•'"I

500

500

15,000

Cost of gas—

60,000 gas-jets (of 12 to 14-candle power each), each burning 5 cubic feet per hour for 2500 hours, burn 750,000,000 cubic feet, and with gas at 2s. 6d. per

1000 cubic feet, cost ................

If the consumers are charged the same for each Swan lamp as for each gas-burner, this gives us

Revenue ................

Expenditure ..............

42,608

93,750

93,750

42,603

Profit.................. 51,142

to pay a dividend on a capital expenditure of £220,000, which is equal to 23jSff per cent, per annum.

¹    A good trial can be obtained as soon as 16,000 lamps in all are erected, as the eight circuits can all be temporarily connected into two and attached to each one of the dynamos in turn.

²    Good steam coal is here supposed to be used, but the boilers specified will burn slack coal, which is cheaper.

¹ The labour required for repairs in the houses is not counted here, as the house-owner requiring it will be charged with it.

¹ Here each man will work 56 hours per week of 7 days.

⁴ Note that with the coaling arrangements shown in the drawing of th boiler-house the coal is delivered mechanically, direct from tho store into the hoppers of the steam stokers.

³    For minor repairs only. Large repairs are included in the item

“ Depreciation and repairs, £10,000.”

If the Corporation wished to make only 6 per cent, per annum, they could supply the electricity (lamp for lamp) at the same price as gas, at less than 2s. 6d. per 1000 cubic feet, as follows:— 6 per cent, on £220,000 — £13,200 Working expenses ..

Required annual revenue..    £55,808

Thus would be obtained from 60,000 gas-jets burning 750,000,000 cubic feet per annum with gas at Is. 6d. per 1000 cubic feet.

Summarising these results, we have :—

Gas at 2s. 6d.

42,608

Lamp of

14 candles

20 candles

Electricity to pay 6 per cent., 20 candles

Cost per hour to the consumer.

T49 penny.

•212

•090

If, instead of each lamp (gas or electric) burning 2500 hours per annum, two or three burning alternately make up the 2500 hours, the above result will not be altered, the electricity and gas being alike supplied by meter.

EXPRESS ENGINE, GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY.

In.our impression for 20th April, we gave sectional and detail drawings of the new engine just constructed for the Great Eastern Railway by Mr. Worsdell. We give now, on page 342, an external view of the engine taken from a photograph, which will supply a good idea of its appearance. We have so fully described the engine that we have nothing to add more.

THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

At the meeting on the 24th of April, Mr. Brunlees, president, in the chair, the paper read was “ Resistance on Railway Curves as Element of Danger,” by Mr. John Mackenzie, Assoc. M.I.C.E.

It was stated by the author that when a six-wheeled engine with parallel axles was running round a curve, the tendency which the outer leading wheel-flange had to mount the rail was evidently caused by its adhesion to the side or rounded corner of the rail, and that this adhesion was the result of a side pressure which, at low speeds, was principally caused by the resistance the treads of the wheels offered to the sliding motion that took place in going round a curve. He contended that this side pressure increased with increased adhesion of the treads of the wheels to the rails, and that the adhesion of the flange itself to the rail also increased with the increased ratio of adhesion, so that the tendency of the flange to rise increased in something like the duplicate ratio of the fraction representing the coefficient of adhesion. As the point of contact between the flange and the rail was in advance of the centre of the axle, the motion of the flange at that point downwards, imparting a downward pressure to the rail, and an upward pressure to the wheel, so that when the flange adhered to the rail the wheel rose. Thus the pressure which would cause the flange to mount the rail was not that which, with the wheel at rest, would force it over the rail in opposition to friction as well as to gravitation; but the very much smaller pressure which, when the wheel was at rest and the tread raised slightly above the rail, would cause friction sufficient to prevent its falling into its place again. It had been found by actual experiment that the adhesion between wheels and wet rails with sand sometimes rose above 40 per cent, of the weight; and it might be found, by calculation, that with this proportion of adhesion, the side pressure on the flange of the outer leading wheel of many six-wheeled engines of not unusual proportions might, under certain circumstances, be so great as to cause the flange to adhere and mount the rail; and that, as regarded running off the rails, six-wheeled engines generally had a very narrow margin of safety.

an

was

An Explosives Exhibition.—A good deal of excitement has been caused locally by a proposed Explosives Exhibition at Bramall-lane Cricket Ground. Mr. Morgan, of Manchester, the promoter, secured the assistance of Mr. A. H. Allen, the borough analyst, superintendent of the experiments. The Sheffield authorities were much concerned over it, and the Mayor formally asked Mr. Allen to withdraw from the affair. The Home Secretary was also communicated with, and Colonel Majendie, the Chief Inspector of Explosives, was consulted. More important than either was an intimation from a large brewery company adjoining Bramall-lane, in which they informed the proprietors of the ground that they had a very large stock of beer, and the effect of a sudden shock was to agitate the contents of their vats, to the great detriment of the beer, acting as thunder does. The upshot of it all was that the dynamite demonstration knocked on the head, so far as Bramall-lane was concerned. Mr. Morgan means to try for some other site; but if he is a wise man he will select some place where jerry buildings are not so abundant.

. Throstle Nest Weir.—The members of the Manchester Association of Employers, Foremen, and Draughtsmen had an interesting excursion on Saturday to the new tilting weir on the Irwell at Throstle Nest, and the new sewage works erected by the Borough of Salford at Modewheel, lower down the river. The members, who mustered in strong force, were conveyed along the river in a barge, placed at their disposal by the Bridgewater Navigation Company, and were afforded every facility for a thorough inspection of the respective works by Mr. Wiswell, the engineer to the Navigation Company, by whom the tilting weir was designed, and by Mr. A. Jacob, C.E., the Salford Borough engineer, from whose designs the sewage works have been erected. As, however, both of these works have already been described in The Engineer I need not here enter into details of their construction. At the weir the members saw the operation of the series of sluice gates, which, with a flood of about 16in., representing a pressure of about twelve tous on each gate, three tons above and nine tons below the centre, were lowered and raised by means of the multiple crabs, and their effectiveness in dealing with the water in the river was demonstrated by the level of the stream being reduced about 18in. in the course of a quarter of an hour. The Modewheel works, which are designed to deal with the sewage of Salford, and have been erected at a cost of about £80,000, although practically complete, were not in actual operation, but the pumps were set to work to afford some idea of the process, and the members were conducted over the whole of the plant by Mr. Jacob. In replying to a vote of thanks proposed by Mr. Thos. Ashbury, C.E., and seconded by Alderman Bailey, Mr. Jacob remarked that in dealing with their sewage, corporations and local authorities were in the position that all they could do was to adopt such methods as would the most minimise their loss, whether it was by irrigation or lime precipitation. The works which had been erected at Modewheel were, in a certain measure, test works, and should be perfect of their kind, as they were the only works of this description in the kingdom that had been carried out from beginning to end upon one design. After returning from the inspection of the works a meeting was held at the Mechanics’ Institute, Mr. Thos. Ashbury, the president, in the chair, and a paper was read by Mr. Wiswell descriptive of the weir, in the course of which he pointed out that the Mersey and Irwell navigation, owing to the large amount of silt which was allowed to be deposited into it, and the impounding of the water by the old and primitive solid weirs, could not be kept open for traffic with any reasonable amount of success by almost constant dredging, and he was convinced that it was only by the most strenuous efforts being made in preventing its pollution, and the adoption of movable weirs and sluices, that that navigation could^be'lrestored. Already an improvement had been made, and they could only hope for its continuance in tbq utilisation of nature’s^ gifts for tho benefit of mankind

as

was

RAILWAY MATTERS.

During the year 1882, 34 horses, 63 beasts and cows, 162 sheep, 1 donkey, and 15 hounds, were run over and killed on our railways.

It has been announced that the South Australian Government have determined to take the new railway to Melbourne by the Murray Bridge and not vid Wellington.

In consequence of the resolution of the House of Commons on the ventilators recently constructed by the District Eailway Company, the Metropolitan Board of Works have lodged a petition in the Private Bill Office praying to be heard by their “counsel, agents, and witnesses ” before the committee on the Metropolitan District Eailway Bill.

In America prices of locomotives and cars have fallen somewhat since last autumn, perhaps 6 per cent. The Railroad Gazette says “a contract was made about November last for several locomotives at 10,400 dols. each, and the balance of the lot, of the same pattern, were let to the same works this week at 9800 dols. The fall is perhaps less than in most other articles, and there are not any signs of a wild rush for orders, which many seemed to anticipate a few months ago.”

Shortly before midnight on Saturday a serious collision occurred at the Taplow station on the Great Western Eailway between the 5.40 p.m. up Bristol fast goods train and a down train, which was shunting some trucks at the time of the accident. The locomotive of the up fast goods train was thrown off the line and totally disabled, its wheels being embedded in thebalast of the permanent way, while about twenty trucks, several of which were forced above others, were more or less damaged, some being completely shattered.

A remarkable fatal accident happened in the Mersey Kailway tunnel excavation works on Friday morning. Four labourers were descending No. 1 shaft, which is on the Liverpool side and about 180ft. in depth, in an iron cage, and had got down about 50ft. when the naphtha lamp which one of the men were carrying seems to have been upset or flared up, and two men either fell or leaped from the cage to the bottom of the shaft and were killed on the spot. The other two were burnt severely by the naphtha. They were brought to the surface and taken to the Northern Hospital.

At tbe sitting on Tuesday of the Select Commitee of the House of Commons to which is referred the Metropolitan District Kailway (City Lines and Extensions) Bill, an application was made, on behalf of the Metropolitan Board of Works, for an adjournment of the consideration of this Bill until the 31st of May, on the ground that it was impossible before that time to prepare sufficient engineering evidence with regard to the ventilation of this railway, to enable the Committee to form a judgment on this question. On the part of the railway company no opposition was offered to the adjournment, which, after some discussion, was agreed to by the Committee.

In concluding a report on the collision that occurred on the 19th March at Moorgate-street station, on the Metropolitan Kailway, Colonel Kich says:—The collision was caused by the neglect of the engine driver, who appears to have approached Moorgate-street at such speed that he could not control his train by means of the screw brakes and the steam brake on his engine. The vacuum brake, with which the coaches were fitted, does not appear to have been available, owing to the driver not having kept up the vacuum, which he might have done with his ejector if he could not do it with the vacuum pump. This brake should not be used in running into terminal stations, but it ought to be kept available for emergencies.

Major-General Hutchinson, in a report on the collision which occurred on the 17th March, at Victoria station, on the London, Chatham, and Dover Eailway, says. “ This collision, which occurred almost immediately after the signalmen had changed duties in the Hole-in-tlie-Wall cabin, was directly caused by the signalman Emery, who was going off duty after a spell of seven hours, having forgotten the fact of the empty train standing on the outgoing line. The collision would probably have been prevented had the passenger train been fitted with a quickly-acting continuous brake in the hands of the driver, who, with the inferior brake power at his command, thinks he would have stopped in another eight or ten yards.”

A general classification of the accidents on American railways during February may be made as follows

Collisions. Derailment. Others 35 .

14    .

7 .

21 .

Defects of road ..    ..

Defects of equipment .. Negligence in operating Unforeseen obstructions Maliciously caused Unexplained......

Total.

44

16

35

32

52

29

36 .

36

Total

52    ..    ..113    ..    ..    19    ..    ..184

Negligence in operating caused 28'3 per cent, of all the accidents. Probably a large number of the unexplained derailments was due to snow.

In recording the February accidents on American railways, the Railroad Gazette says:—“The month of February has attained a bad eminence this year, showing no less than 184 accidents, in which 61 persons were killed and 186 wounded—a list of casualties sufficient for a very respectable battle. Included in these accidents are 52 collisions, in which 22 persons were killed and 54 injured ; 113 derailments, in which 38 persons were killed and 130 injured ; and 19 other accidents, in which one person was killed and two injured. In 36 of these accidents the death of one or more persons was caused; in 32 others there was injury but not death, leaving 116, or 63 per cent, of the whole number, in which no serious injury to persons is recorded. As compared with February of last year, there was an increase of 96 accidents, of 38 killed and of 117 injured.”

During the year 1882 there were reported 30 collisions on the railways of the United Kingdom, between passenger trains or parts of passenger trains, by which 5 passengers were killed and 277 passengers and 15 servants injured ; 61 collisions between passenger trains and goods or mineral trains, engines, &c., by which 1 passenger and 2 servants were killed and 200 passengers and 43 servants were injured ; 26 collisions between goods trains or parts of goods ti-ains, by which 1 servant was killed and 31 were injured;

5    cases of trains coming in contact with projections from other trains travelling on parallel lines, by which 2 servants were killed and 1 passenger and 1 servant were injured ; 57 cases of passenger trains or parts of passenger trains leaving the rails, by which 1 passenger and 1 servant were killed and 72 passengers and 14 servants were injured; 11 cases of goods trains or parts of goods trains leaving the rails, by which 2 servants were injured ; 21 cases of trains travelling in the wrong direction through points, by which 1 servant was killed and 29 passengers and 22 servants were injured ; 18 cases of trains running into stations or sidings at too nigh a speed, by which 130 passengers and 2 servants were injured; 154 cases of trains running over cattle or other obstructions on the line, by which 2 passengers and 4 servants were injured ; 49 cases of trains running through gates across the line at level crossings, by which 1 servant was injured ; 4 cases of the bursting of boilers or tubes, &c., of engines, by which 1 man and S servants were killed and 5 servants were injured; 2 cases of the failure of machinery, springs, &c., of engines, by which 15 passengers, 1 servant, and 1 woman were injured ; 1 failure of a wheel, by which 3 passengers were injured; 451 failures of axles, by wbioh 2 servants were injured; 3 failures of brake apparatus, by which 7 passengers and 1 servant were injured ; 10 failures of couplings, by which 5 passengers and 1 servant were killed and 50 passengers and

6    servants were injured ; 6 failures of bridges, by which 5 passengers and 8 servants were killed and 14 passengers and 3 servants injured; 8 fires in trains, 1 passenger being burnt to death; the

„ burning of a railway pier, causing the death of 2 persons; and 4 Other accidents, involving injury to 3 passengers,

MISCELLANEA.

According to official statistics, the total number of German The Belgian Government lias appointed a commission to inquire emigrants during the twelve years from 1871 to 1882 was into the project of connecting Brussels with the Sc    y P

999,385. Of these 951,704 went to the United States.    canal.

The treatment of the slags which are produced in the    It is now proposed to make nails from Bessemer steel.    It    is

dephosphorisation of certain smeltings at Creuzot, has furnished    claimed that    when made at half the weight of iron, the nail.    is

Messrs. Osmont and Witz considerable quantities of vanadic acid, stiff enough to be driven into the hardest wood, and tough enoug This acid is produced by the reaction of oxygen upon vanadium; to clinch.

on treating it with chlorhydric acid a beautiful green colour is qn the 27th ult., at the ironfoundry of Messrs. Davie and Sons, obtained, which may be employed in dyeing.    Stirling, a Cornish boiler burst with great violence, wrecked the

The following proportions for rubber stamp ink are said to give building in which it was fixed, and killed five persons and injure an excellent ink, which, while not drying up on the pad, will yet    many others.    Several hundreds of persons had only recen    y e

not readily smear when impressed upon the paper :—Anilin red    the place.    .

(violet), 90 grains; boiling distilled water, 1 oz. ; glycerine, ^ From the various parts of the new Glasgow Central Station Hotel, teaspoonful; treacle, half as much as glycerine. The crystals of just opened, 1200 electric bells communicate with 600 indicators ; the violet dye to be powdered and rubbed up with the boiling the speaking-tubes extend to fully 5000ft., weighing 4£ tons, and

the wires in connection with the bells measure twenty-nine miles, and weigh 2^ tons.

The last bi-monthly “ Journal of the British Society of Mining Students” contains the address of the president, Mr. A. H. Leech;

account of the Shipley Collieries, by Mr. E. H. Eobinson; a paper on “ The Lime Process of Getting Coal,” by Mr. J. H. W. i^everick; and the report of the secretary of the Society, Mr. W. Howard, whose address is Nunnery Colliery Offices, Sheffield.

At a meeting last week specially convened of the Commissioners of the Bridlington Piers and Harbour Board, a deputation waited on the Commissioners, and presented a numerously-signed memorial praying them to deepen and improve the harbour, in order to afford better accommodation for all kinds of shipping. The Commissioners intimated their intention of obtaining the opinion of engineers as to the practicability of carrying out the improvement.

On Monday last, the 30th ult., the new steel steamer Machin, built by Messrs. Eaylton Dixon and Co., of Middlesbrough, for Spanish owners, made her official trial trip from the Tees to Sunderland, giving an average speed of lOf knots. The Machin is a steamer of 2500 tons burthen, with engines by Messrs. Blair and Co., Limited, of .Stockton, of 200-horse power nominal, and is entirely constructed of steel, made on the Siemens-Martins process, by the Steel Company of Scotland.

The Sunderland Chamber of Commerce is considering the question of establishing a school for giving technical instruction in marine architecture and engineering. Several shipbuilding and engineering employers are said to be greatly in favour of the scheme. One firm has already promised to give £100 a year for five years towards the necessary expenses. A report upon the working of technical schools in various parts of the country is being circulated, and assistance generally is being sought to enable the promoters to carry out the scheme. It is hoped that a definite decision will be come to at the next meeting of the Chamber.

The Sphinx, a composite paddle vessel of 1130 tons, recently launched from Messrs. Green’s yard, at Blackwall, and intended for service in the Persian Gulf, was taken for her six hours’ full power trial between Sheerness and the Gull Light Ships on the 25th ult. The engines, which are of the compound oscillating type, were constructed by Messrs. John Penn and Son. The contract indicated horse-power is 1000, but a mean power of 1138 was obtained with the greatest ease, the pressure of steam was 74'8 vacuum, 26'5 mean, revolutions thirty-five, and speed of vessel 12'633. The consumption of fuel was l'851b. per indicated horse-power per hour.

Some very important improvements are being effected in the service by the Newliaven and Dieppe route to Paris. The day tidal service which commenced for the season on Monday will be worked by two new paddle steamers named Normandy and Brittany. These steamers, which unite speed with comfort for passengers, have recently been constructed for the tinental service by Messrs. Elder and Co., Glasgow, and in connection with the advantages obtained from the construction of the new breakwater and harbour works at Newhaven, will enable the journey throughout between London and Paris to be accomplished more quickly than hitherto.

The National Smoke Abatement Institution is making arrangements for opening a permanent free exhibition in a central part of London, for the display of apparatus, fuels, and systems of heating, combining economy with, the prevention of smoke, and the best methods of ventilating and lighting. The exhibition will be free to the public, and will include examples of all the most recent inventions and improved apparatus. A lecture hall for the reading of papers, and testing rooms for the continuing the tests commenced in connection with the South Kensington Exhibition, will be provided. Particulars may be obtained at. 44, Berners-street, Oxford-street, London, W. This exhibition will apparently be a kind of maker’s show-room.

A correspondent, writing to the Times from Suez about lights in the Bed Sea, says “ It is marvellous to my mind that in spite of the well-known dangerous character of this sea and the constant stream of vessels up and down, almost nothing has been done to insure a safe voyage for our merchant and Government ships. I do not think I am wrong in saying that owners of vessels trading to the East would gladly contribute towards the maintenance of an efficient Eed Sea lighthouse service; and this being so, what is to hinder the matter being taken in hand at once ? There are at least five places where a light is desirable, namely, one on Oyster Eeef, opposite the Perim Light, one at Jebel Zugar, on Abu Ail, one at Jebel Tier, one at Mocha, one at Shadwan. At all these points in hazy weather and at night time our vessels are in extreme peril, let the commanders and officers be ever so careful. If proof is required, one has only to travel from Perim to Suez, when as many fine steamers may be seen ashore as in any part of the world.”

The employers’ liability case, in which Messrs. B. Samuelsonand Co., of Middlesbrough, were sued by the widow of John Heske, a cokewheeler, for £233 as compensation for the loss of her husband, who was killed at defendants’ works, was gone into again at Stock-ton County Court on Wednesday, the 25th ult. It will be remembered that the deceased was struck by a piece of coke falling from ascending lift on to his head. The plaintiff’s solicitor contended that the accident occurred owing, firstly, to the cage on which the barrows ascend not being properly protected at the sides; and secondly, in consequence of the barrows being overloaded, by order of some person in authority in defendants’ employ. In delivering judgment Mr. Turner said that, firstly, the Act did not require the defendants to protect their hoists in the way indicated by plaintiff’s solicitor; and secondly, that there was no impropriety or defect in the rule regulating the quantity of material put into the barrows,

’ and that the men in defendants’ employ who did it were not persons delegated with authority. He found a verdict for defendants with oosts.

The proprietors of the Phoenix Bessemer Works, the Ickles, Eotherham, have issued a notice to their men, some 700 in number, with a view to a reduction in wages and a re-arrangement of work in various departments. The official notice gives the clearly“ That in consequence of the severe competition and the low prices now ruling in the steel rail trade, less than half the men at present employed at their works will be re-engaged, as it is our intention to work one Bessemer shop day and night, and the cogging and rail mills day shift only. The men to b8 taken on again -will be selected, and will work at reduced rates.” This step will have a depressing effect in Eotherham, and is all the more disappointing as the hope had been entertained that trade had taken a turn for the better. At the Phomix there are two Bessemer shops, each with two converters capable of blowing ten tons of steel at a-time.^ Within the last four years the company has spent above £50,000 upon new machinery. At present rails are not making more than £4 17s. 6d. to £5 at the works. This quotation applies to the general rai^ trade of the district,

NOTES AND MEMORANDA.

water, and the other ingredients stirred in.

A useful paper giving analyses of asphalte pavings, and of the asphaltes used for pavements, was recently read before the Society of Public Analysts by Mr. C. T. Kingzett. The author comes to the conclusion that a good paving can be made from a proper proportion of asphalte rock and a good quality of pitch well mixed, and a good wearing pavement may be made at low prices by the skilful admixture of earthy rocks, such as chalk, with the proper proportion of suitable bituminous principles.

A German journal gives the following leather polish :—Mix 200 parts of shellac with 1000 of spirit—95 per cent.—in a well-stoppered bottle. Keep in a warm place for two or three days, shaking frequently. Separately dissolve 25 parts of Marseilles soap in 375 of warmed spirit—25 per cent.—and to the solution add 40 of glycerine. Shake well and mix with the shellac solution. To the mixture add 5 parts of nigrossin dissolved in 125 of spirit. Well close the vessel and shake energetically, and then leave the mixture in a warm place for a fortnight.

The annual rate of mortality during the week ending the 28th of April, in 28 great towns of England and Wales, averaged 22⁻7 per 1000 of their aggregate population, which is estimated at 8,620,975 persons in the middle of this year. The six healthiest places were Leicester, Bolton, Bristol, Nottingham, Brighton, and Norwich.

In London 2514 births and 1635 deaths were registered The annual rate of mortality from all causes, which had declined from 28‘3 to 23'2 in the four preceding weeks, fell to 21‘6 last week. During the first four weeks of the current quarter the death rate averaged 23'6 per 1000, against 21’5 in the corresponding periods both of 1881 and 1882.

There is a strong prejudice in this country against the use of any metal but copper in the construction of brewing coppers ; but on the Continent they are often made of iron. It is thought by some that the use of iron is liable to impart a dark colour to the worts, but such is not the case; for the tannic acid of the hops at once forms a coating of insoluble tannate of iron, which protects the metal from oxidation, and analyses made of worts boiled in iron prove that they do not contain more iron than worts boiled in copper vessels contain of copper; in fact, says the Brewers' Guardian, unless copper is kept absolutely clean it soon corrodes and dissolves to an appreciable extent in a slightly acid fluid like beer wort.

L. Pilleux has lately called attention to the heating of iron during its magnetisation. The fact had been previously observed by D. Tommasi in some researches which are not yet published upon the comparative study of the chemical properties of ordinary iron and of magnetised iron. In order to obtain a constant magnetic intensity he employed an electro-magnet of a single branch in place of an ordinary magnet. When the current, even if it was produced by a w eak battery, had traversed the coil for some hours, the magnetised bar became perceptibly warm. He at first attributed the heating of the iron to the heating of the coil; but he was greatly astonished, one day when he had removed the bar in order to clean it and had forgotten to interrupt the current, to find that the coil was not heated at all. We have found .the same result with solenoidal coils and cores.

At a recent meeting of the Chemical Society, a paper was read,

“ Chemico-Microscopical Eesearches on the Cell Contents of Certain Plants,” by A. B. Griffiths. The author has contrasted the growth of some savoy cabbages grown in a soil to which no iron -was added with that of plants grown with the addition of ferrous sulphate. The weight of the latter plants was about twice that of the former ; the ash contained notable quantities of iron ; in one case the stalk contained 3'521 per cent. Fe^O^, and the leaves 12'29 per cent. Fe₂0₃. Microscopical sections of the leaves exhibited minute crystals in some of the cells. On running potassium ferricyanide under the cover glass these crystals became blue, and after the addition of barium chloride a cloudiness was observed; the crystals also were monoclinic, so the author concludes that they were crystals of Fe S0.₄ -f 7 H₂0.

That more attention is not paid to sanitarians when dealing with ventilation questions is probably largely due to the excessive demands for space per head which they always demand, though people know very well that their forefathers lived, or at least s lept, in rooms which had but a tithe of the space now said to be necessary to health. In winter, when doors and windows are shut close, and perhaps chimneys, too, in bedrooms, the space per head in the rooms of millions of people in the country in good health does not exceed 500 cubic feet, yet sanitarians would say that from 1100 to 1500 cubic feet are necessary, while the pamphlet distributed at the Crystal Palace Exhibition by the Gas Institute says that each individual vitiates 1166 cubic feet of air per hour, or about a cubic foot of air at a breath. To this must be added about the same for pollution by gas, and then to get a room full of people supplied with this quantity of air a powerful blower would be required.

At the meeting of the Chemical Society, on the 19th ult., Dr. Percy Frankland read a paper “ On the Gases Evolved during the Conversion of Grass into Hay,” by P. F. Frankland and F. Jordan. About 5 grammes of finely cut grass were imprisoned in a small retort adapter, which was then filled with mercury, the small end of the adapter corked up, the cork protected by a mercury cup, and the whole allowed to remain over mercury during the observation. In atmospheric air at 15 deg. C., 3.cc. of gas were evolved in three days, and 4.cc. more in thirty days. The gas in the first case was composed of C 0₂ 46'35per cent., O '07percent., N 53'58 per cent.; in the second case C 0₂ 85'33, O 0 00 per cent., N 14'67 per cent. Other experiments were made in which the grass was surrounded by atmospheres of carbonic anhydride of hydrogen and oxygen with almost similar results. The authors conclude that the atmosphere with which the grass is surrounded has but little influence either upon the volume or the composition of the gas evolved; the grass in every case undergoes a rapid process of oxidation, in which it speedily removes all the oxygen from the atmosphere with which it is surrounded, and in the absence of any oxygen in the free state with which to combine, much carbonic acid is produced at the expense of the combined oxygen present in the grass. When, however, free oxygen is present in the atmosphere surrounding the grass, the gas evolved contains a considerable proportion of nitrogen. At a temperature of 36 deg. 0. more gas is evolved than at 15 deg, In all cases carbonic anhydride is the chief product of decomposition, whilst hydrogen and hydrocarbons appear in only very small quantities. The authors have made similar experiments ns to the gases evolved by grass when kept under water; largo volumes of gas are evolved—about five times as much as in the previous experiments—which are characterised by the presence of a notable proportion of hydrogen, which is doubtless due to the lactic fermentation induced by bacteria; acetic, lactic, and probably propionic acids, with bacteria, being formed in the water. If the water contain phenol or mercuric chloride, or if the grass be steamed, no gas is evolved,

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EXPRESS LOCOMOTIVE, GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY.

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FOREIGN AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF THE ENGINEER.

PARIS.—Madame Boyveau, Rue de la Banque.

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

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

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

PUBLISHERS NOTICE.

*** With this week's number is issued as a supplement, an Engraving of a Bridge over the Albula, near Solis. Every copy as issued by the Publisher contains this Supplement, and subscribers are requested to notify the fact should they not receive it.

T0 CORRESPONDENTS.

*** In order to avoid trouble and confusion, we find it necessary to inform correspondents that letters of inquiry addressed to the public, and intended for insertion hi this column, must, in all cases, be accompanied by a large envelope legibly directed by the writer to himself, and bearing a Id. postage stamp, in order that answers received by us may be forwarded to their destination. No notice will be taken of communications which do not comply with these instructions.

*** We cannot undertake to return drawings or manuscripts; we must therefore request correspondents to keep copies.

*** All letters intended for insertion in The Engineer, turning questions, must be accompanied by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publication, but as a proof of good faith. No notice whatever will be taken of anonymous communications.

J. C. W. (Manchester).— H e cannot give you the information you desire.

Aintree.—The use of the earth as a conductor to save a return wire is very old and extremely unsatisfactory, for reasons well understood by electricians, but which we could not spare space to explain here. The earth in your pipe did not conduct the electricity, which all passed through the metal.

CONDENSER TUBE FERRULES.

(To the Editor of The Engineer.)

Sir,—Will any of your readers kindly inform me where wooden ferrules for surface condenser tubes are procured?    Leicester.

Leicester, April 26th.

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MEETINGS NEXT WEEK.

The Institution of Civil Engineers.—Tuesday, May 8th, at 8 p.m.: Ordinary meeting. Paper to be read with a view to discussion, “ On the Diamond Fields and Mines of Kimberley. South Africa,” by Mr. James N. Paxman, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E. The President’s annual conversazione will be given in the South Kensington Museum on Wednesday May 30th, from 9 to 12 p.m.

Society of Engineers.—Monday, May 7th, at 7.30 p.m., a paper will be read “ On the Bower-Barff Process of Preserving and Ornamenting Iron and Steel Surfaces," by Mr. George Bower, the leading features of which are as follows:—(1) The direct production of a him of magnetic oxide on iron and steel by subjecting the articles at a red heat to the action of superheated steam in an iron muffle externally heated. (2) The indirect production of the same oxide, by subjecting articles inside a brick chamber to the action of the products arising from the combustion of producer gases, together with an excess of air which articles, when at a suitable heat, become coated with sesqui-oxide, when by shutting off the products and the air, and turning into the chamber carbonic oxide or carburetted hydrogen, the red is reduced to the black oxide. On the coating of magnetic oxide there can be deposited enamels and metals, specimens of which will be shown, as well as of various articles coated with magnetic oxide.

Society of Telegraph Engineers and Electricians.—Thursday, May 10th, at 8 p.m., the following papers will be read:—“ The Electric Ilolophote Course Indicator for the Prevention of Collision at Sea,” by Mr. J. H. A. MacDonald, Q.C., Assoc. “Electro-motors and their Government,” by Professors W. E. Ayrton, F.R S., and John Perry, Members.

Chemical Society.—Monday, May 7th, at 8 p.m.: Paper to be read, “ On Secondary Batteries,” by Mr. C. T. Kingzett.

Society of Arts.—Monday, May 7th, at 8 p.m.: Cantor Lectures, “The Transmission of Energy,” by Professor Osborne Reynolds, M.A., F-R.S. Lecture III.—The transmission of energy through pipes and conductors ; summary of economic considerations relating to the transmission of energy. Wednesday, May 9th, at 8 p.m.: Twenty-first ordinary meeting, “English and Foreign Silver Work; with some Remarks on Hall-Markings,” by Mr. Wilfred Cripps, F.S.A. Sir Philip Cunliffe-Owen. K.C.M.G., C.B., C.I E., will preside.

MARRIAGE.

On the 25th April, at St. Stephen’s Church, Wandsworth, William John, eldest son of William Adams, C.E., of Salisbury House, Putney, to Alice Emily, elder surviving daughter of the late Benjamin Slater, and stepdaughter of Samuel Slater, of Pomtinscale House, Putney, and late of Sevenoaks.

THE ENGINEER.

MAY 4, 1883.j

THE CHANNEL TUNNEL.

The joint committee on the Channel tunnel continues its labours. Since we last wrote concerning the scheme several important witnesses have been examined, but they

have had little to say that was reassuring. There is an air of unreality about the whole undertaking which cannot be disguised and possibly influences the witnesses. They all speak about the Channel tunnel, not as though it a thing the formation of which might be commenced at any moment; but rather as if it were something that succeeding generations,yetunborn,mightpossiblysee fittocon-struct. Nothing nearly so wild as Sir Edward Watkin’s utterances of last week have been heard. Mr. Allport, late manager of the Midland Railway, was a witness in the highest degree competent to pronounce an opinion on the merits of the scheme, and on the whole he is opposed to its construction. Its carrying powers will not be as great as is supposed. The English railway panies would gain nothing by it. There would be great difficulty in arranging with the continental railway companies for through traffic over their lines, and the result of such an accident as the breaking of an axle in the tunnel would be fearful to contemplate. Sir John Hawkshaw, who is the engineer to a rival scheme, takes a very different view of the whole matter from Sir Edward Watkin ; his ideas of traffic are much more modest. It will be remembered that Sir Edward Watkin estimated the⁻traffic at 250 trains per day ; Sir John Hawkshaw thinks the tunnel might manage to accommodate 48 trains. His estimate of the cost is .£8,000,000, or at least twice as much as Sir Ed ward Watkin’s estimate, and he thinks it would take eight years to make. He had no doubt as to the financial success of the undertaking. It was reasonable to reckon upon 2,000,000 passengers being carried through the tunnel annually at 6s. per head, and 1,200,000 tons of goods at 5s. per ton. That would produce a revenue of £.'900,000. Allowing 40 per cent, for working expenses, 6f per cent, could then be paid upon the capital of .£8,000,000. As to working it, he holds that that must be done with steam locomotives. Mr. J. Clarke Hawkshaw read a paper last year before the British Association, which reproduced in our pages at the time. We quote here the following passage, which will be found in The Engineer for September 29th, 1882, page 232    “ One of the require

ments to be fulfilled by the tunnel was that it should be designed as to be capable of being worked by ordinary locomotives. A machine may be invented which will be capable of carrying on the traffic economically and expeditiously through a tunnel 3uch as the Channel tunnel, but no machine is known or has been tried up to the present time that is capable of doing the work so economically or so conveniently as the ordinary locomotive. Until such has been tried and proved equal to the work it would not be prudent to spend some millions of money in making a tunnel which could not be worked by the ordinary means.” With every sentence of this passage we agree. In short it is almost word for word what we have urged over and over again.

Sir John Hawkshaw has evidently in his mind all that was stated by his son. Unlike Sir Edward Watkin, he has a tangible scheme for working the tunnel. It is to be artificially ventilated, with the expenditure of about 500 indicated horse-power ; and it is to be worked by steam locomotives, at the rate of two trains each way in every hour, or forty-eight trains in all; but inasmuch as interval would be required for the repair of the permanent way, and so on, it is probable that during the daytime the trains would run more frequently, and during the night less often, than at the rate of four per hour. Now, it has been shown, and the statement has never been refuted, that 15,140 indicated horse-power would be required to ventilate the continuous tunnel with four trains per hour both ways. This, it will be seen, is enormously in excess of Mr. Clarke Hawkshaw’s estimate. He

so enor-whatever of loss caused by various influences certain to operate under the necessary conditions. But even if allow that 1000-horse power was needed, this would not be fatal to the scheme; and we feel confident that if Sir John Hawkshaw had to deal with the ventilation question in a practical way to-morrow he would certainly not confine his provisions to 500-horse power.

But so far we have only dealt with the products of combustion poured out by the furnaces of the locomotives; we have yet to take account of the steam. It would not be safe to reckon on a less evaporation than 1000 gallons for the run, and to condense this at least six times as much water must be carried in the engine tanks. In all, therefore, provision would have to be made for 7000 gallons, weighing 70,0001b., or, in round numbers, 31 tons. Taking the tare of the vehicle to carry the water at 30 tons, which is not too much, we have a total of 61 tons to be hauled by each engine. The space occupied by the water would be 1116 cubic feet, and allowing that the tank was 7ft. wide, and 4ft. deep, it would be, in round numbers, 40ft. long. Such a tank might be carried on three four-wheeled bogies, the load on each wheel being about 5 tons. Wethus find thatthedead weight to be moved would be equivalent to that of about five ordinary coaches full. Sir John Hawkshaw contemplates trains of twelve coaches, but the water tank virtually brings his load up to seventeen coaches. This is, we think, a very serious consideration. We do not say that the tunnel cannot be ventilated as proposed by Mr. Clarke Hawkshaw, nor do we assert that it could not be worked by locomotives, but we do say that the difficulties in the way of adopting this system are very considerable, even on paper, and that in practice they would be found to assume very serious proportions. Nor ought we to omit to point out that towards the close of each there would be some 30 tons of nearly boiling water in the tank, and in case of an accident the discharge of this scalding water, or even of a part of it, within the tunnel would produce results too fearful to contemplate.

Sir John Hawkshaw, when before the committee, allowed 40 per cent, for working expenses. We cannot cite a single instance where any considerable amount of traffic is worked for anything like 40 per cent, of the receipts. We believe that the little narrow gauge Festiniog line was worked at one time for about 36 per cent, of the total receipts, but this is, of course, too exceptional a case to be worth more than naming here. The average working expenditure of the best railways in Great Britain is 50 per cent, of the revenue. We are entirely at a loss to understand on what grounds Sir John takes the lower figures. We see no reason to doubt that the working expenses must be much greater than those of an ordinary line; much higher wages than usual will have to be paid to get men to work in the tunnel; the first cost of the locomotives will be high, and many conditions must come into operation, all tending in the same direction. Taking all this into consideration, however, the fact remains that Sir John Hawkshaw has put before the world a tangible scheme, the details of which can be grasped and criticised, and this is much more than can be said of any other scheme for a Channel tunnel which has come under our ken.

HARD ARMOUR.

For many years the only kinds of armour that found favour in any country consisted, of wrought iron in some form, whether laminated, plate upon plate, or solid. Now a change is taking place, the magnitude and importance of which we venture to think is not realised as yet by the authorities of any country. It is taking place gradually, and for this reason, perhaps, its full significance has escaped notice. We believe it will, in a measure, re-shape what has latterly been laid down as to guns and projectiles, and perhaps ships also. If we are right, we are speaking of a question of unusual interest and importance. We will endeavour to be clear and concise. The matter may be briefly put as follows : — Until comparatively recently wrought iron armour—which for the sake of distinction we call “ soft” armour—-was the only kind employed. The method almost universally adopted of attacking it was to perforate it—that is, to diive projectiles through it. Now armour of a harder nature has largely come in—that is, chilled iron shields for coast batteries, and steel and steelfaced armour for ships. This can be made to resist perforation ; it must be destroyed by breaking into fragments. Such armour then, for the sake of distinction, may be called “hard” armour. It will not perhaps come in universally, but we think, as time goes on, it will become almost universal, for reasons to be given hereafter. And now comes the important point. The operation of breaking up plates and that of perforating them are of a sufficiently distinct and separate character to be best performed by different natures of guns and different kinds of projectiles ; and to such an extent is this the case, that we believe it may affect the class of ships employed. This is not yet clearly recognised, as we think we can show by the fact that experiments in breaking up plates are still brought to the standards, or based on the data, which apply to perforation—which, as we have said above, are we believe liable to give very wrong results when so used.

The long courses of experiments against soft have furnished data which have been employed in various ways by different authorities in drawing up formulae by which to calculate perforation. In no case has a perfect system been drawn up. All require a certain amount of empirical correction, but with this very good results be obtained on several systems. In each of them the result depends on the amount of energy, or stored-up work, in the shot being divided by either the area or the diameter of the hole made in the plate ; the empirical rection varying according to which system is employed. It naturally must follow, both in theory and practice, that a shot of small diameter has a great advantage in only having to make a small hole ; hence the remarkable results which have been obtained by new type guns firing projectiles of small diameter at high velocities. In the work of perforation so great is the advantage that may be obtained by this class of guns, that they naturally have found their way into our most important armaments. If a long

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19*33in., the energies being 20,600 and 20,710 foot-tons. The Cammell plate had a large piece separated by a through crack or fracture, and the Brown plate had long cracks, through which the plate gave way on the next round. It is difficult to compare these cases fairly, but it may be assumed that Cammell’s plate in 1882 was at least as good as that in 1880, if not better; yet the difference in the fracture in the thicker plate is much greater than that shown by the relative figures 18'57 and 19'26. We have suggested in the report on Spezia that the Italian shot held together better. This it might do, from the metal being softer and more tenacious, as well as from the striking velocity being lower; but, on the other hand, it may well lead us to notice that the shot which produced so little effect had under 13,000 foot-tons, while the others had over 20,000—a fact that we are tempted to forget from the pernicious habit of matching the shot against the plate by giving its perforation through wrought iron as a standard. The energy per ton of metal in the plate might appear to furnish a sort of standard of comparison. This amounts to about 541 foot-tons per ton of metal for the Shoebury 1880 plate, and 654 foot-tons for the first blow at the Cammell plate at Spezia, the latter plate weighing 31 5 tons, and the former about 24 tons probably.

To get the full difference between probable smashing power and penetration, we have to compare a new-type gun with some piece fired at a comparatively low velocity. Take, for example, the 43-ton gun at the muzzle and the 100-ton muzzle-loading gun at 2200 yards range. Their perforations will be seen to be about the same, namely, 24in. The 100-ton gun shot, however, has 31,200 foot-tons energy, while that of the 43-ton gun is only 19,800— that is, in larger proportion than 3 to 2—and this is with a velocity of 1500ft. against 2000ft.; from which it probably follows that the larger shot will break up less, and therefore impress more of its energy on the plate than the smaller one. Possibly, then, the smashing effect of the big shot will be nearly double that of the less one. Yet, if the official diagrams or rules be taken, the perforation is seen to be the same, and no other method for estimating the probable effect of shot is generally suggested. And this brings us on to the question of the best gun for perforation through soft armour and for racking.

Against wrought iron—that is, soft armour—as we have said, the new-type guns perform wonderfully well. There, for example, is the 43-ton gun which at the muzzle compares with the 100-ton gun at 2200 yards in power to perforate. On the other hand, it may probably effect only something between one-half and two-thirds of what the latter can do in smashing. In the ease of chilled iron Colonel Inglis has suggested that ruin might be effected by a very heavy shot, whose energy, when transmitted through the mass of shield, would be sufficient to destroy it wholesale, while smaller blows might be absorbed without much injury. When we know that every foreign iron fort that our ships might engage is made of chilled armour, and that hard armour is rapidly coming in on foreign ships, we see that very heavy guns have a great deal to recommend them; and very heavy guns carry us in the direction of very large ships, if they are to be sea-going. This is the direction in which we think things are again moving.

Without, however, jumping at such conclusions yet, we may surely plead a case for a thorough trial of hard armour in this country. With the exception of two miserable blocks of metal cast before chilled iron had ever been successfully applied to armour, we have never fired once at this class of shield in this country. If our guns ever engage with foreign forts they will fire at this class of armour only, for nothing else exists—at all events to any extent. A good programme, consisting of trials against chilled iron and steel, or hard steel-faced armour, ought to go far in enabling us to succeed in the following objects: —First, to establish a basis on which to calculate the effect of fire against hard armour; secondly, to learn the relative value of guns, and make up our armaments accordingly; thirdly, to learn the effect of our present service of projectiles against hard armour; fourthly, to develope the best description of projectiles for this work. Sooner or later something of this kind must be done, and surely the sooner the better.

element, on the speed at which the curve is traversed; and a maximum velocity has been assumed in calculating the greatest derailing force to be counteracted by flanges. In considering the best form of flanges the same idea has been followed as in the article by Herr Wohler, referred to in our impression for the 2nd March, 1883; but the author of the paper above referred to, Mr. J. Mackenzie, showed that derailment is as likely at slow speeds as at higher velocities, and that the danger of derailment does not necessarily bear any relation to the curve radius. He has thus to appeal to some other cause than centrifugal tendency to account for the pressure against the flanges of the wheels on the outer part of the curve, and for the reason of the subsequent derailment. The active cause he finds in the adhesion of the wheels

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18-ton 9'45in. gun is able to perforate as much armour as one of 38 tons and 12iin. calibre, it is natural that the former would be preferred, or, at all events, some approach to the type which gave such results will be preferred. This has greatly strengthened the desire for moderately large guns instead of those of extreme size. If a 43-ton gun could be made having a power of perforating 24in. of armour, it might naturally be preferred to the Inflexible 80-ton guns, which perforate but little more than 25in. Of course, the latter would fire a larger and more formidable shell; still, this advantage would be dearly bought by so enormous an increase of weight. The ships, to a great extent, took their shape on the same general lines. The Italians were, as it were, bid welcome to their monster ships and 100-ton guns, which, after all, could only perforate about 28in. of armour. The 43-ton guns of the Colossus or Edinburgh ought to pierce their sides at close quarters, and the additional power seemed dearly bought in the heavier guns. Even in the future, perforation was expected to effect great things. Steel shells could be driven clean through thick armour, not only without fracturing, but without setting up materially ; so that there was a good prospect of their carrying bursting charges into the interior of armoured structures, and thus, in a great measure, destroying the value of armour—for it is naturally held that so long as dead metal only is driven through the side of an armour-clad she maintains her chief advantage over wooden ships.

Before this had taken place, however, success had been achieved in another direction, of such a character as to make it impossible, in our opinion, for these steel shells containing gun-cotton to have any great future importance, and also such as to upset previous calculations as to guns and armour generally. This, perhaps, is not yet recognised ; indeed, quite recently we heard one of the very highest authorities complaining that experiments on what appeared to him so important a subject, namely, the carriage of gun-cotton bursting charges through armour by steel shell, were not pushed on. Now we believe that while the action of steel shell containing gun-cotton bursting charges may be very powerful, and well worth investigation, its application to armour will be very limited indeed, owing to the introduction of the hard armour of which we have now to speak. In 1873 Griisen’s chilled iron armour had so far showed its powers of resistance that its adoption became only a matter of time. It has now taken its place as the only kind of coast armour employed by almost every nation except England. Russia, Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Holland and Belgium, and Denmark, have all in some shape adopted it. This is the hardest kind of armour extant. It is impossible to perforate it. It must be gradually broken up, which can be done with steel projectiles. Then again, in 1876 the first Spezia trials with the 100-ton gun established the power of steel to stop the passage of a projectile whose power of perforation would have been far in excess of the plate had the latter behaved like wrought iron. The steel, it is true, effected this result, by transmitting the shock through its mass, and so suffering wholesale destruction. This, however, is preferable to perforation if there is any possibility of the latter taking the form of a steel shell passing intact into the vessel, and then bursting under the force of explosion of an enormously powerful guncotton charge. Steel was, at that time, adopted by Italy, and soon after steel-faced armour was so far successfully made and perfected in this country that this material is now adopted for most of the powerful ships built in England or abroad.

Now the conditions of attack are changed. Chilled projectiles have, in this country, been declared almost useless against steel-faced armour, for reasons dwelt on in the report on the Spezia trials of The Engineer of December 1st, 1882. More than that, it appears probable that basis of calculation is no longer right. One shot hardly claim an advantage over another in the circumstance that it requires a smaller hole to enable it to pass through a plate, if, as a matter of fact, neither of them is able to make any hole at all. Hence it appears probable that the effect of a shot against hard armour is not proportional to its power of perforation, but simply in proportion to its total energy or stored-up work, coupled with its power of holding together, so as to deliver the maximum amount of such work possible before breaking up. It is true that the shot’s point penetrates a certain distance into steel, but in most cases of steel-faced armour, and in all of hard steel, the plate keeps out the shot, and only yields by breaking up and becoming dislodged. In such cases we believe that the effect is proportional chiefly to the stored-up work ; and we believe that certain artillerists, Captain Andrew Noble for one, have long recognised this, yet in every experiment, British or foreign, the authorities to match the shot against the armour, whether hard or soft, according to its power of perforation.

The total amount of energy contained in the blows delivered on any shield have been noticed especially by Colonel Inglis in his reports, but no systematic use of such statements has been made as far as we know. This is easily accounted for; for in the case of wrought iron plates, when the iron was not actually perforated, it would bear so large a number of blows that destruction by such was not generally practicable; now it is otherwise. We have returned to the days of “racking.” Hard armour must be destroyed in this manner, and it reasonable to think that measuring the effect of a blow hard armour by its power of perforation into soft is grossly wrong. We will a give few examples. On July 21st, 1880—vide Engineer, July 30th, 1880—a 12^-in. chilled shot weighing 8281b. struck an 18in. steel-faced plate with 1504ft. velocity. Its striking energy was 12,980 foot-tons; its calculated power of perforation equal to 18'57in. of iron. The shot broke up against the plate, producing some insignificant face cracks and other injuries. At Spezia in November last—vide Engineer, November 24th, 1882—chilled shot from the I7'72in. muzzle-loading 100-ton gun struck steel-faced plates of Cammell and Brown 18'9in. thick, with velocities of 1219ft. and 1222ft. respectively. The shot weighed about 2000 lb. each, hence the calculated perforations should be 19'26^. and

RESISTANCE ON RAILWAY CURVES.

In following exactly the dictates of experience one treads a tolerably safe path; but it is hardly from engineers that we should expect so servile a course, though the expression “ experience is a better teacher than theory ” finds much favour with some engineers who ought to be able to lay claim to a more independent and progressive policy. It was used on Tuesday evening at the Institution of Civil Engineers as a sort of Promethean warning that one inclined to make a theoretical investigation should beware of any conclusions which would not be in perfect harmony with the received views of the practical man. Engineers, as much as those of any profession, have had to acknowledge their ignorance on subjects which their practical experience had led them to prophecy upon against the projects of some little-known man of advanced ideas or theoretical knowledge. They should learn now that even many years of experience will not always guide them in pronouncing a hasty opinion on carefully thought out investigations by younger men of more advanced times. They should remember that it is not those who have steadily observed the beaten track that have commanded things to progress, though they have themselves been on the whole more substantially successful than the innovator. Even railway men of long experience cannot always safely predict that departure from the dictates of that experience must be disadvantageous.

A paper was read last week before the Institution on “ Resistance on Railway Curves as an Element of Danger,” and was discussed last Tuesday evening. The subject is an old one, but the author had something new to say upon it; he approached it from a new point of view and in a most temperate manner. Usually it has been considered that the intensity of the pressure brought to bear against the flanges of railway wheels, and especially of leading wheels, in passing round eurves, has depended, as one chief

on the rails, which has to be overcome by the flanges, in correcting the tendency of pairs of wheels of the same diameter rigidly fixed to the same axle, to pursue a path tangential to the curve instead of following it. He says, “ In the case of the wheel most likely to mount the rail, namely the outer leading wheel, this side pressure, at slow speeds, is principally caused by the resistance which the treads of the wheels oppose to the sliding motion which takes place in running round a curve.” Neglecting the effect of the conical form given to the treads of wheels, it will be seen, as is well known, that of a pair of wheels running round a curve, either the inner one must slip backwards or the outer one forwards, and this slipping is done against the adhesive resistance of the wheels on the rails. Mr. Mackenzie puts it thus : “ In order to cause these sliding motions, the outer leading wheel flange exerts against the rail a pressure sufficient to overcome the adhesion or friction of the treads of the wheels ; this pressure being exerted directly on the leading wheels, and transmitted to the other wheels through the medium of the engine framing acting as a lever.” This, it will be seen, is independentof thespeed at which the engine is traversingthe curve, except that the friction may be less at high speeds ; and from it it follows that when the adhesion between the flange and the rail is greater than the weight upon the wheel the flange will rise and mount the rail. This would take place if the surfaces of contact were vertical, and probably takes place much more easily with the inclined flanges which are always used. Generally, it may be said that a wheel, with flanges approximately vertical, would be caused to mount the rail by a side pressure bearing the same proportion to the load on the wheel which the load bears to the adhesion, while the pressure required diminishes rapidly with the increase of the angle of the flange inclination. Any one who has travelled on a footplate, or watched an engine coming round a curve, will have observed the effect of this side pressure on the outer leading wheel flange, and the periodic forced slipping of the wheels resulting in the engine passing round the curve by a series of jerks transverse to the rail, indicating that the pressure against the flangeof theouter leadingwheel periodically increases until it is enough to cause that wheel to push the whole engine transversely. As pointed out by the author, “ the point of contact between the flange and the rail being in advance of the centre of the axle, the motion of the flange at that point is downwards, imparting a downward pressure to the rail, and an upward pressure to the wheel, so that when the flange adheres to the rail the wheel rises. Thus the pressure which would cause the flange to mount the rail is not that which, with the wheel at rest, would force it over the rail in opposition to friction as well as to gravitation, but the very much smaller pressure which, when the wheel is at rest and the tread raised slightly above the rail, would cause friction sufficient to prevent its falling into its place again.” From what has been said it will be seen that the action described takes place curve of large radius just as it does on a small curve ; but with equal slackness of gauge, a greater distance will be traversed in the large curve before an equal pressure is brought to bear on the outer leading wheel flange.

On the whole, it seems difficult to upset the author’s argument, though in applying his reasoning in a calculation relating to any given six-wheeled engine on a curve of given radius, and taking a normal coefficient of adhesion, it would be found that engines ought more frequently to leave the rails; but in applying the theory the whole of the modifying conditions must be taken into account, including the tractive force exerted, superelevation of outer rail, centrifugal tendency, effect of coning, weight on each wheel, wheel base, and gauge of rails, whether tight or slack; and it is noticeable that as applied to recently reported upon by the officers of the Board of Trade, the theory seems to apply very satisfactorily. It is useless to say that derailment is very uncommon, for in the annual Board of Trade report just issued one line alone records fourteen cases of derailment of passenger engines or vehicles, and another ten, both being lines on which flanges with considerable inclination are used. Altogether, a large number of cases of engines and vehicles leaving the rails is reported, and the comparative frequency with which engines do get off the road inevitably suggests that narrow escapes from derailment with some kinds of engines must be uncomfortably numerous. Experience leads us to feel that fixed wheels on parallel axles answer, on the whole, very well, but it must be admitted that were it not for the effect of custom, and were the subject approached anew with unfettered ideas, any engineer would be inclined to say that either loose wheels must be employed as they are on traction engines, or radiating axles must be used. The latter affords the best solution of the difficulty, for there is no doubt great advantage in fixing wheels to the axles. The paper referred to shows the value of this system, and points to the great advantage derivable from the system of lubricating the flanges of leading wheels, as now largely done on the Continent.

STEAMERS AND NATIONAL TRADE, interesting table has been issued in a parliamentary paper intended to show the progress of British shipping. This table shows the entrances and clearances of steam shipping into the ports of the United Kingdom, and the proportion of the national steamers therein, and there are similar particulars given

of other nations and their steamers. It may be summarised thus: In 1850 the steam tonnage entering and clearing from the ports of the United Kingdom was 1,802,955 tons, and last year it had risen to the large amount of 35,404,015 tons. In the first of the two years named that tonnage was 81‘5 per cent, of the total, whilst last year, of the larger total the British steamers carried 81⁻9 per cent., so that we retain and slightly increase our proportion of the carrying trade to and from the country. The tables for other countries are not so complete, but Norway is shown to have increased the proportion of the trade in and out of its ports, carried in its own steam vessels from 25 to 40 per cent, between the years 1870 and 1880. Sweden, on the other hand, shows a decrease in the proportion thus carried; Germany has an increase from 15 to 34 per cent; Holland an increase from 18 to 28 per cent; Italy’s steam service is practically stationary in its proportion; whilst the United States, which carried in its steamers in 1870 slightly over 33 per cent, of the trade to and from its ports, carried only 15'8 per cent, last year; finally, France carried in the year 1850 about 30 per cent., and, after considerable fluctuations, the proportion last year was 36'3 per cent. These figures are instructive as showing the manner in which the chief maritime nations have managed to retain, increase, or lose part of their carrying trade; and it is singular that the fall is the greatest in the United States, which has hitherto been the best follower of protection. It will be as instructive to watch the future course of the trade in nations that seem inclined to adopt a similar policy; but it is not shown in the table that some of the nations that retain or increase their hold on their carrying trade have done so by the aid of British-built steamers, whilst with us it is the exception to find vessels built abroad.

our

RELATIVE DANGER FROM FIRE FROM ELECTRIC LIGHTING AS COMPARED WITH OTHER SOURCES OF LIGHT.

Much excitement and surprise has, it is telegraphed to a morning contemporary, been caused in Berlin by the New York telegram published in that paper and attributing the fire in the Parliament House of Quebec to the electric light. The official telegraph department of Berlin attaches so much importance to the news that it has communicated the intelligence to all parts of the country. Privy Councillor Dr. Werner Siemens, brother of Sir Charles William Siemens, of London, and equally celebrated as an electrician, has sent to the National Zeitung a letter containing the following remarks on the question of electricity as a source of danger from fire :—“ It is,” he writes, “not at all impossible that the fire in the Parliament House at Quebec caused by the electric light. The steam engines and their boilers, or the gas engine necessary for the production of the electric current, may very likely have produced the fire. But, besides this possible source, the special apparatus requisite for electric lighting are quite capable of producing fire unless they are constructed with the greatest care and knowledge. If the strength of the wires has been wrongly calculated, they may, under certain contingencies, grow red hot. The lamps themselves, too, if improperly fixed, are likewise capable of being a source of danger. There are numerous companies now engaged in the extension of electric lighting which are without the necessary knowledge or experience. They are only aiming to make electric lighting as cheap as possible, and are overstepping the limits which are necessary to safety. Still, when the necessary precautions are observed, electricity is certainly much less dangerous than any other mode of illumination.” An extensive discussion on this subject will, it is anticipated, take place in the German press.

was

CONCILIATION IN THE COAL TRADE. Throughout the first half of the week 5000 out of the 15,000 miners affected in the South Staffordshire district

...    .    .    were upon

strike against a reduction in their wages of, upon the average, from 3d. to 6d. per day. The reduction had followed upon a drop in Earl Dudley’s coal of Is. per ton. By what is locally known as “ the Birmingham agreement,” masters and men had alike agreed that wages should be determined by his lordship’s action. Now, however, the men contend that the agreement implied that before a drop in coal takes place it should be shown to their satisfaction that the step is called for. That the present drop is not called for they plead in justification of the strike. On Wednesday, in Wolverhampton, representative coalmasters and colliers debated the point, and came at length to the resolve that the men on strike should resume work upon the old terms, pending the arbitration of the- rate to prevail throughout the ensuing three months, and that during the three months a Wages Conciliation Board should be formed. The decision has the general approval of masters and men alike, for the Birmingham agreement has placed both in the hands of one firm—a firm which it will probably be found would rather be without the responsibility.. There is now a reasonable likelihood that as in the case of finished iron in the same district, wages in the coal trade there will soon be determined from time to time by the average of prices for different descriptions mined by a selected number of firms. This is decidedly a step in advance.

LITERATURE.

L’Annie Maritime. Par Henri Durassier, Secretaire du Ministre de la Marine, 1880—1881. Paris : Challamel Aine, Editeur, charge de la vente, des cartes, plans et instructions du d<5pot de la Marine. Hue Jacob 5.    1883.

The position of the author of this work would in itself make it deserve our attention. Apart from this, the shape and scope of it is striking. A review- is taken of the proceedings. of all important naval Powers during the years dealt with in detail, and some more recent matters of special importance are discussed in the commencement of /'ue-TW01H' -rV^16 exPedition to Tunis, the war between Chili and Peru, the Dulcigno demonstration, and the Colonial policy of I ranee, England, and Germany, under the title of General Politics, are dealt with in the first chapter up to page 138. The second chapter, from page 139 to 214, is devoted to organisation, chiefly that of France, but in the latter part of it the decisions of our own Admiialty are noticed ; then follow notes on the organisation of Germany, Italy, Russia, Austria, Holland, Turkey, Denmark, and the United States. This chapter, though comparatively short, gives a great quantity of statistics— especially as to expenses. The third chapter, page 215 to 382, is on materiel, dealing with the armaments of all the Lists of the fleets, with their tonnage, speed, &c., are given, also the experimental and new designs of each nation. Chapter the fourth is on Navigation, page 383 to 398 ; and the fifth and last, page 399 to 415, on Trade.    r °

The grasp of the book is considerable. It is very well executed and valuable for reference. It is none the less

interesting, but rather the more so, from the view taken of the large questions being an essentially French one. The preface is the most popular part of the work. In this international politics are discussed, questions up to the present time being dealt with. An English reader cannot but be struck by the continual reference to the power and designs of Prince Bismarck. To prevent the power of Russiafrom developing itself according to the provisions of the treaty of San Stefano, Bismarck succeeds in pushing Austria, Germany’s ally, into Bosnia and Herzegovina, occupying Novi-Bazar and the port of Salonica—Russia, and the most formidable obstacles between Germany and the Mediterranean, being thus pushed away to the East. By the treaty of Berlin, Bismarck had drawn all the threads for working the Eastern question for the future into his hand, and he worked them wonderfully, according to M. Durassier. The disturbances in Egypt are to be attributed to him, and played his game for him in the following way—they made the Eastern question more essentially one for Europe to settle. Apart from this, however, the policy of Germany and France is shaped by a spectre which is ever before each of these Powers. The French spectre is a second irruption of German invaders. The spectre which haunts the brain of Bismarck is the revenge of France. Both countries appear to dread rather than court war. What each may lose is apparently at present more before them than what each may win. We wish this sensible view may long continue. Bismarck, then, does not seek to attack France, but to isolate her. The Egyptian complication was admirably adapted to effect this end. If France evenallied herself with England, she would engage her army in distant operations, distract her attention, and also enable the great chancellor to judge of her military condition. Then Russia would be brought into antagonism with the policy of France, for the latter would be united in her Eastern policy with England— Russia’s rival in the East—and thus the two great Powers would be separated, whose union Bismarck most dreads. France, who has Sedan to revenge; and Russia, the reversal of San Stefano. Further, Italy, sore already at France’s success in Tunis, would be further offended, and so drawn closer to Germany ; while, under any circumstances, fanaticism and trouble would give France some work on her hands in her North African provinces. The success of the English in Egypt was so rapid and complete as to disappoint Bismarck in a great measure—a disappointment which is considered to be apparent in spite of the statements to the contrary of the English press, and of Bismarck’s celebrated observation of Germany’s interest in Egypt not being worth the life of a single Prussian grenadier. M. Durassier approves of the French expedition to Tunis, and advocates principles which we think uncomfortably warlike ; so that we fear that he does not, after all, bear his spectre in mind as much as we could wish. However, the book must be read to be appreciated, and we do not propose to spoil its reading by offering any further remarks on it.

Treatise Relative to the Testing of Water-wheels and Machinery, 'with various other Matters Pertaining to Hydrodynamics. By James Emerson. Springfield, Massachusetts : Messrs. Weaver, Shipman, and Co. Small 8vo., 364 pp. 1881.

Water-wheels, and turbines in particular, have for many years been in such 1 irge demand in the States that inventors with “dodges” for improving the efficiency of turbines have been almost as numerous, and their inventions as wonderful in their promises, as those of nostrum doctors. Much money was thus wrasted by purchasers useless wheels with extraordinary claims, until it learned that buyers must either have a new wheel tested independently or must purchase well-tested forms. This seems to have led to the business of the author of this curious book—which is that of testing turbine wheels with the aid of a specially constructed testing water chamber and tail race and a dynamometer, which he calls “ instrument for weighing the power.”

The book is a curious mixture of valuable experimental data,, sound and unsound theory, and contempt for mathematical demonstration or investigation. The book is as unsystematic as possible, and has the appearance of having been compiled by the printer from scraps sent in by the author at odd times. It consists chiefly of the results of tests of a large number of turbine wheels by different makers. Most of these wheels are illustrated, but the engravings are not good, and are too small to show the wheels clearly. The author’s special experience leads him to hold a sort of contempt for an engineer who calls himself an hydraulic engineer who has not spent years testing turbines ; but while he places a very low estimate higher theoretical knowledge, he does not reject the writings of some theorists, including Wiesbach. Besides his description of his method of testing turbines and the results of tests—a vast number of which, it may be remarked, are far too high to please Mr. Donaldson—he gives some results of tests of power required by various kinds of machinery tried by him. The book, however, is so ill-arranged, and printed in such small type, that, in spite of the useful matter which it undoubtedly contains, it is anything but a pleasure to look to it for information, especially as its index is very imperfect.

TRIAL OF COMPOUND PUMPING ENGINES.

We have received from Messrs. Simpson and Co., Grosvenor-road, Pimlico, the following particulars of an official trial of two independent rotative compound beam engines, each working a double-acting four-valve piston pump, constructed by Messrs. Simpson and Co. for the West Middlesex Waterworks, Hammersmith. These are compound Woolf beam engines, the high and low-pressure cylinders being on the same side of the beam and opposite to the crank. The pump, which is double-acting with four valves, is placed at the end of the beam opposite to the cylinders. The cylinders are completely steam jacketted with boiler steam, the low-pressure cylinders have separate steam and exhaust valves. The coal used was Nixon’s Navigation Welsh, obtained from Messrs. William Cory and Sons, and was of very good quality. Three boilers were used on the trial, each 6ft. diameter by 28ft. long, the flues being 3ft. 6in. diameter, and each fitted with six Galloway tubes. The feed-water was taken from the hot well and pumped direct into the boilers. The leading dimensions are as follows :—Diameter of small piston, 2 ft. 5in.; stroke of small piston, 5 ft. 5in.; diameter of large piston, 3ft. 11 Tin.; stroke of large piston, 8ft.; diameter of main pump, 1ft. 5};; in.; stroke of main pump, 8ft. The engines were each to pump 3,456,000 gallons in twenty-four hours, and the duty to be done under the contract was not to be less than 96'4 million foot-pounds per 112 lb. of coal, after 5 per cent, had been deducted from the pump displacement.

Observations Taken.

Date of trial.

1883.

February 7th .

9th .

>)

No. of engine.

Duration of trial

No. of engine.

hrs. .    24

. 24

Actual horse-power in water lifted.

164-35

8 j 166-46

No. of engine.

Actual horsepower in water lifted.

Revolutions from counters.

Average lift of water.

Boiler

pressure.

Barometer.

Vacuum.

Temperature of

Injection.

Air Pump discharge.

Coal used.

powers.

guns,

on

was

an

on

BOOKS RECEIVED.

Modern Steam Practice and Engineering: A Guide to Approved Methods of Construction, and the Principles relating Thereto: with Examples, Practical Rules, and FormulaBy J. G. Winton and W. J. Millar, C.E. London: Blackie and Son. 1883.

The Smithy and Forge: A Rudimentary Treatise, including Instructions on the Farrier’s Art; with a chapter on Coach Smithing. By W. J. E. Crane. Weale’s Series. London: Lockwood and Co. 1883.

Mechanical Drawing Self-taught: Elementary Instruction in Pi actical Mechanical Drawing. By Joshua Bose. Philadelphia : H. C. Band and Co. London: Sampson, Low, Marston, Searle.' and Rmngton. 1883.    ’

Saw Mills: their Arrangement and Management, and the Economical Conversion of Timber. By M. Powis Bale, M. Inst. M.E. Loudon : Crosby Lockwood and Co. 1883.

The Conservation of Solar Energy: A Collection of Papers and Discussions By C W. Siemens, F.R.S., D.C.L. London : Macmillan and Co. 1883.

Proceedings of the Institute oj Mechanical Engineers, 1883 No. 1. London : The Institute.    '

feet.    lb.    in.    in.    deg.

25,920    187-7    50    30    28'5    46

26,325    187-2    50    29-6    28-1    46

deg. Tons. 72    3-377

77    3-425

Results.

Coal consumed per actual

horse-power per hour.

Duty per 112 lb. of coal in million foot pounds.

Average

indicated

horse-power

Coal consumed per indicated horsepower per hour.

Gallons pumped in 24 hrs after deducting 5 per cent.

lb.

1-91

1-92

Coal consume per actual horsepower per hour.

116-1 j 206-47 115-5 | 206-2

1-53    4,160,913

1-55    4,225,926

Duty per 112 lb. of coal.

Gallons of water I pumped in 24 hrs.

Feed water per indicated horse-power per hour.

Feed-water evaporated from temperature of hot well per lb. of coal, excluding jackets which circulated back to boilers.

lb.    Foot-pounds I

7    173-00    1-821 121,779,242 | 4,379,903    14‘56

8    | 175-19 , 1-825 121,512,329 4,448,343    14‘78

lb.

lb.

9-54

9-53

Mr. Thos. Hack, engineer to the chairman and board of directors, in his report says :—“ I beg to report upon the trials made for duty of Nos. 7 and 8 engines. These engines were constructed by Messrs. Simpson and Co., under contract, and according to specification ; they were guaranteed to perform a certain duty, viz., not to consume more than 2'3 lb. of best Welsh coal per horse-power per hour, Messrs. Simpson and Co. being under a heavy penalty for every tenth of a pound of coal per horse-power per hour consumed in excess of the guaranteed quantity. The engines were to discharge at least 2400 gallons per minute, the quantity of water to be measured by the displacement of the pump pistons, minus 5 per cent. The first trial with No. 7 engine took place on the 7th inst., commencing at eleven o’clock a.m, and continued for twenty-four hours, ending at eleven o’clock a.m. on the 8 th inst. The engine made 25,920 strokes, or an average of eighteen strokes per minute, and pumped 4,160,913 gallons of water, an average of 187"7ft. high, and consumed 3 tons 7 cwt. 2 qrs. 4 lb. of coal, which gives a result of T91 lb. of coal consumed per pump, or usefully exerted, horse-power per hour, being 17 per cent, less than the guaranteed quantity. The result is equivalent to a duty performed of 116,100,000 lb. of water lifted 1ft. high w-ith 1 cwt. of coal; the pump horse-power was 164 "35, and the indicated horse-power 206 47.

“ The next trial, with No. 8 engine, took place on the 9th inst., commencing at 12 o’clock noon, and continued for twenty-four hours, ending at 12 o’clock noon on the 10tli inst. The engine made 26,325 strokes, or an average of 18"28 strokes per minute, and pumped 4,225,926 gallons of water an average of 187'2ft. high, and consumed 3 tons 8 cwt. 2 qrs. 01b. of coal, which gives a result of T92 lb. of coal consumed per pump horse-power, being 164 per cent, less than the guaranteed quantity. This result is equivalent to a duty performed of 115,500,000 lb. of water lifted 1ft. high with 1 cwt. of coal; the pump horse-power was 166"46, and the indicated horse-power 206"2. I consider the duty performed by both engines to be most satisfactory.

“ The trials were conducted under my immediate superintendence, with four assistants, the stokehole and engine house remaining in the custody of the company during the whole of the trials. The coals were very carefully weighed into the stokehole, and after a sufficient quantity had been weighed in, the doors were locked and the keys taken charge of ; the remaining coals not used after the trial were also properly weighed back, and the scales were carefully tested before and after the trials. The fires at the commencement and close of the observations equally charged with coal, and every precaution was taken to render the trials in every way reliable. The pressure gauge on the main and well gauge had to be registered every five minutes, to arrive at the average head of water. The working of the engines during the trial was very satisfactory ; and it is also of importance to know that the engines were pumping on the average upwards of 20 per cent, more water, and during part of the time even as much as 35 per cent, over the contract quantity, a result utterly impossible to obtain with a Cornish engine.”

Messrs. Simpson add :—“ The contract for these engines was very stringent, for not only had the pump piston and valves to be proved quite tight to the engineer’s satisfaction before the trials, but 5 per cent, was to be deducted from the pump placement. As this is not usually done, we have given in the following table the results without deducting the 5 per cent., in order that a comparison may be made between the trials of these and other engines. The pump pistons and valves were tested and found quite tight under the full head before the trials, and there can be no doubt but that the of water equal to their displacement.

were

dis-

pumps delivered a quantity

and the sleeper. The result of the latter arrangement was to do away with the hammering noise previously heard, which may be ascribed to the beating of the rails against their supports ;

The construction of a railway, where it passes through the heart but the thundering sound, so familiar when a train crosses an or the outskirts of a town, always presents many points of^ iron bridge, was the same in both cases. With the lattice bridge interest, from the very special character of the works. The great there was also a sort of rattling noise, apparently due to the cost of the land, the necessity of sparing existiug property as vibration of the comparatively light members of the structure, much as possible, the requirements both of the travelling and On the other band, the notion that the thunderous sound is due the non-travelling public, produce a set of conditions entirely to vibration of the plate web was disproved by its being audible different from those which obtain in ordinary country work, with the lattice bracing. It was therefore decided to experi-Among these conditions, one of the most important is the con- ment on the flooring, for which purpose the planking was tinual occurrence of bridges to carry the railway—if an over- entirely removed in one bridge, while in the other it was covered head one—across the streets, &c., which cross its path ; and the by a layer of gravel about 3in. thick. It was found that the design and erection of such bridges, so as to afford a safe former change practically suppressed the noise altogether, while passage for the traffic, with the least temporary or permanent the latter deadened it considerably. It appears, therefore, that inconvenience to the neighbourhood, is a problem of much the chief cause of this noise is the vibration of the flooring, and delicacy. The various modes in which it has been solved in the that a thick layer of gravel, by deadening the vibration, deadens the case of the Stadtbahn, or City Railway, of Berlin, have been lately noise at the same time. The same conclusion has been arrived described by Herr Rumschottel; before the German Society of at on the New York Elevated Railway, where, however, they Mechanical Engineers ; and of these we propose to give some have solved the problem by taking away the flooring altogether, account.    As a result of these experiments, two special designs for city

IRON BRIDGES ON THE CITY RAILWAY OF BERLIN.

Section of the Kupfergraben Bridge.

ing as well as from the buckled plates. In the second, the trough girders increase the weight largely, and make the packing of the iron sleepers very difficult. Further, any alteration in the position of switches and crossings, after they have once been laid down, becomes impossible. In spite of these difficulties, however, the system has been applied to seven or eight of the bridges constructed along the line. It may be observed that the use of Mallet’s buckled plates, for the flooring of bridges, though common in England, has not been much taken up in Germany—the reason being a fear of the excessive weight which was supposed to be necessary, according to the rules given by ltankine and others. On the present occasion a number of tests were made of these plates by means of a lever apparatus capable of putting on a load of 45 tons. These experiments, which have been published in the Zeitschrift fur Bauwesen, 1880, gave such extremely favourable results that the system was adopted for all the remaining bridges on the line, some fifty in number.

The arrangement of the flooring in such bridges is shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and is very simple. All that is needed is to arrange the main girders, cross girders, and longitudinal bearers, in such a way as to leave oblong openings of suitable size, into

Section of Krautstrafsen Bridge.

rs

Fig. 1. Scale 1:109.

Fig. 3. Scale 1:100.

Section of Holzmarktstrafsfn Bridge.

Section of Magazinstrafsen Bridge.

Fig. 4. Scale 1:100.

Fig. 5. Scale 1:100.

Section of the Viadukts auf der Museumsinsel.

Bridge over the Spree at Schiffbauerdamm.

.L

iXj

ill

Mit e

Mitte

Fro. 2. Scale 1:100.

•<

........... 49,864 m.....

Fic. 6. Sca!e 1:800.

KurFERGRABEN BRIDGE.

Bridge over Spree at Schlofspark Bellevue.

J-

Mitte

m go‘8

Mitte.

................... 26,55 m

Fig. 10. Scale 1 :200.

Fig. 7. Scale 1:100.

STALLSrRAFIEN BRIDGE.

Of all the conditions which have to be observed in what we may call a street railway bridge, the following are the most important":—(1) The road must be absolutely water-tight, so that no moisture may descend through it and fall into the street; (2) there must be as little noise as possible when a train is passing ; (3) the outside appearance must, if possible, be pleasing.

Of these conditions the first can be secured without the need of any great amount of extra material ; but the second, i.e., the diminution of noise, always means a considerable addition to the weight < f the structure. In order that this might bridges were worked out, as shown in cross section Figs. 1 and 2 In Fig. 1 the rails rest on longitudinal iron sleepers, and there are iron cross girders, blocks of wood being interposed between the two. The water-tight casing is provided by means of thin iron sheets dished in the middle; any moisture settling in the centre of these runs through holes about 1ft. apart into a drain below, which conveys it into a main drain, and thence through the abutment to a well. A layer of gravel is spread on these sheets to deaden the noise. In Fig. 2, which represents the viaduct over the Museum Island, the permanent way rests on a mass of which the plates can be dropped and secured by rivets. The plates were for the most part 1£ m. square—say 5ft.—and 5 to 6 mm. thick—say 0'2in. The depth of the layer of gravel laid on them was about 8in. The three designs, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, differ chiefly in the number of main girders ; in all of them room is given, as it is over the whole railway, for four lines of rail, with a footpath between. The sleepers, whose cross section is not shown in these designs, are throughout of the Haarmann type. To protect the buckled plates from rust they are coated with zinc, and on the top are—most of them—painted with three coats of oil paint. In all cases they are covered immediately with a layer of asphalte, into which sharp gravel is trodden before it is dry, to prevent any sideways shifting of the ballast on the top. It will be seen that in all the designs the rails can be laid at almost any level as compared with the main girders; a fact which greatly facilitated the keeping of the general level of the line while passing over so large a number of bridges.

IT"MTOLT THAVEV Br’IT E.

*\

ITT

Mitte-

Mitte

...........31,0 m....................

Fic. 9, Scale 1 :300.

Fia. 8. Scale 1 : 100.

be as small as possible, special experiments were instituted by gravel—not shaded in the section—which is carried in trough-the engineers of the Berlin Railway, to determine, first, where shaped longitudinal bearers, 16in. wide. In this gravel the lon-and how the noise is occasioned; and secondly, by what means gitudinal sleepers are so embedded as to have their feet it may best be suppressed. Two neighbouring iron bridges on the Berlin Verbindungsbahn were chosen for these experiments.

The one was a lattice bridge, with vertical and diagonal braces, the other a girder bridge with plate webs. The first object was to determine whether the mode of laying the rails had any effect as to noise. For this purpose the rails in one bridge were bolted direct to longitudinal sleepers of wood, whilst in the other they were attached by clip bolts to cross sleepers; layers of felt, wood, and paper being placed in succession between the foot of the rail

equidistant from the two sides of the trough, while the top of the sleeper is level with their upper edges. Between the bearers are buckled plates, covered with a thin layer of gravel to deaden sound. In the lowest parts of these, and of the trough girders, are holes, by which the water passes into drains conducting it to the abutments as above.

Both constructions have proved satisfactory ; but the first has the disadvantage that the wooden blocks are difficult and costly to maintain ; also that the water does not get away from the hang-

The third condition mentioned above, namely, the outside appearance of the bridge, depends mainly on the arrangement of the main girders, and the construction of the footway brackets and other parts visible from without. The arrangement of the main girders was settled according to the conditions imposed in each case by the span, the headway, and the appearance ; also in some cases by the necessity for doing away with noise. Where these conditions permitted arched ribs were adopted ; in other cases parallel girders, sometimes with lattice bracing, sometimes with plate webs. The variations in the spans, headways, and angles of crossing in the different bridges compelled a separate study to be made of each ; and this enabled a great variety in outward appearance to be attained without extra cost.

Arched bridges are divided into three classes, according to the form chosen for the girders. The first is that of elastic ribs with vertical spandril-members. It was chosen for three bridges, of which two are shown ; Fig. 6 representing half

Koenigstrafsen Bridge.

-4

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crown of the arch, so that they could be brought to the place in the girders, so as to make one pillar serve for two, gives them    ,

halves and there nut together without difficulty. The Spree the appearance of being continuous, which, however, is not the

bridge, 'Fig. 6, came, Mtaatatarmrnn liny of radway a ^    “nS    j T„n mminfactore'lTd Z. SEEtig U- There are

s&s£ss&£ ^™“rth?re LtaiS £ U to keep tbe -f lrk s x&ssittSs**and bo,h buyer' “J !eIle,“

eight. The second class consists oi bridges with inelastic rib, -    low, and therefore the girders as shallow, as .» consistent with    “yrat now “'‘^with    ^ ^ ^ ^    howover, that

i e., not hinged at the springing—and with the spandnls filled in    safety. For this purpose the arrangement of shallop contu    iron prices will be affected to    much extent by the    drop in coal,

with bracing. It is divided into two sub-classes, according as    girders supported by pillars at the edges of the footpaths was    A11.mine pig makers urged on ’Change this—Thursday—afternoon,

the bracing is inclined, like a Warren truss, or consists of adopted for about forty of the bridges. In these, however, there in Birmingham, that present prices ar« not so high as before Earl verticals and diagonals The former class is represented in was still considerable variety. The pillars were all constructed I)udley advanced his coal last October, and which advance has Fig 8 showing the bridge over the Stallstrasse. To provide with sockets at the bottom of the shafts, which rested on spherical only this week been officially taken off by from 2s 6d to 5s. per fm-the convenient attachment of the braces both the rib itself pivots forming the tops of the pedestals, as in Fig. 13. They were ton. Marked bar makers point out that when at the beginning of and the horizontal girder are made of T form, while the braces also so arranged that if there were any yielding in the foundations last    down pnCeS 10s’ per t0n’ therC had

both for the sake of appearance and to avoid    the level of the top of the pillar could be maintained by inserting    been no preceding fall in coal.

OTHER DISTRICTS.

are all of H section,

Columns for Steel Br does at Old Moauit.

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Railway Panels of Charloitesburger Road.

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Fig 12. Scale 1 :50.

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Scale 1 :25.

Fig. 16.

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Sect.on of Footv ay over Nevv Pao .if.' all..

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Fig. 15. Scale 1:100.

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Perspective View cf Friedrichstrafsen Bridge.

Side View of Panell'NG of Footway over Prihelade.

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rattling. These girders, like the forme.-, are divided into two a packing-piece between the theft and the pivot Figs-11 12 Steel ^.8™    ny    ‘rat“jSTffl

halves at the crown for facility of erection; and the modes and 14 show three types of these columns, the Jlast being a Qne galvinising firm to-day boasted of sales last week amounting of junction, both there and at the abutments, are peculiar. At highly ornamental character. The type oi Fig. 11    d200 tons. Black sheet makers quoted singles £7 10s. upwards,

the crown a dead butt joint was made in the flange plates, to    widely employed. The ornamentation of the elevation o e    an(j doubles £8 and on.

transmit the horizontal thrust, a light fishing plate being    rivetted    main girders was chiefly attempted by means ol the lootway    <( Marked bar ” makers are unable to report much improvement

underneath. The vertical stresses are transmitted    through    ¹    brackets and parapets, but in some cases a pattern was painted    in tbe demand for either bars, sheets, or plates,

soring plates of steel, so formed as to allow a rising or    sinking    I    in the space between the brackets, or an ornamental frame of    sheets and plates rolled by the second leading    house m the trade

tonbSrtog plate, and is at the same time stiffened by plate. Hardenburgstrasse, and Kdnigstrasse-th. bottom flange. .«    B B H tt exoiedingl W.'kng!

rivetted at each side. This arrangement also allows movements made with a camber, so as to give the appearance of arches ^ ^ wide ^or 4 cwt each ’ £9. best boiler ditto, £9; double due to temperature to occur, without greatly increasing the resting on the pnlars and abutments. The effect is shown    £ii; treble best ditto, £12; extra treble best ditto,

strains. All the bridges of this class have eight main ribs.    Fig. 15. These girders were so made that whey could be brought £ig and feegt charcoal ditto, £19 5s. Best angle, T, and rivet

“Lion ”

There are seven lattice-girder bridges for the longer to the place of erection m two or three lengths,_ and rivetteu up jron 0f the same firm was £9 10s., and double best angle and rivet spans, and six plate-girder bridges crossing streets, &c., of when in place. It may be added that the covering of the whole ironj £10 10s>

moderate width. The former include the viaduct over the area of the bridge with buckled plates made, any provision 01 The quotations of the New British Iron Co. were Museum Island with seven spans; the bridge over the Hum- wind-ties unnecessary, which is the more desirable as they are bars, £7 10s.; ditto hoops, £8; and ditto sheets and plates, £9. boldt Dock, with five spans; the Bellevue Bridge over the Spree, always found after a time to become noisy.. The number of Medium and common bar makers are fairly engaged, in mucn with three spans, &c. In designing the main girders for these mam girders, and the space between them, varied greatly. They part for the colonies and foreign markets. B    £g

creat care was taken to choose the simplest system, and avoid were most numerous in the bridges adjoining the terminal quality are £7 to £6 15s. , and of the la ’ .l_prin<rp sti-in parts which would be likely to rattle. All the girders have stations of the line, where the points, crossings, &c., were very    In°d £7*58.?according to'quality-

parallel flanges, but otherwise differ considerably. Two of them thick on the ground, and required special supports. e Para" b jr'₀’nD £g gs .’tack sheets of 18 w.g., £7 10s.; and tank plates, liave vertical struts and diagonals in tension, one of them pets were    chiefly of cast iron, though occasionally of wrought    noifthhuierthan 13 w.g., £710s. Some makers of gas and    locohaving also diagonals in compression in the end spans. The i iron. A richly ornamented and pierced cast iron parape as    moyve strip refused to quote, except against specifications.

on

Bellevue Bridge—Fig. 18—has equiangular inclined bracing, the advantage that it is not too stifl to accommodate itself to tne The demand for foreign pigs has now become as tame as the Neville’s system. The viaduct over the Humboldt deflections, &c., of the bridge. To assist this the bolt holes in demand for natives. Prices are consequently easier. Northamp-Dock has a modified triangular system of bracing ; 1 the filling plates of the parapet were made oval. Figs. 16 and 17 ton pigs are 45s. as a minimum delivered to stations in this district, here the triangles which have their vertices downwards represent such a parapet, as used in the Charlottenstrasse bridge, and Derbyshires 47s. 6d. as a minimum. Native cinder pigs arc ieVaightened by vertical strut, and the other, by ties. The , and Fig,.    18 and 19 a parapet and footway njed in the bridge    .    38,. 9ct to40, 1 p.rt-mine, 4o,. to fe“d albmme., K&jM.    to

Bellevue bridge has very strong members both in the bracing ' over the    new Promenade. Lastly, Fig. 20 give, a perspective    \    65s. Hematites of west coast and Welsh makes are nomi    a

was not suffi-

ance.

some

some

more

ease.

success.

have already in a number of cases been made, is held back pending the course which may be taken with regard to a reduction in wages which is under consideration this week. The whole tendency of the market is, however, in a downward direction, and at the pit mouth the average prices are about 9s. to 9s. 6d. for best coals, 7s. to 7s. 6d. for seconds, 6s. to 6s. 6d. for common house coal, and 5s. 6d. to 5s. 9d. for steam and forge coal. Engine fuel keeps in fairly good demand, and maintains its price at 4s. 9d. to 5s. for burgy, 4s. to 4s. 3d. for best slack, and 3s. 6d. to 3s. 9d. for good ordinary qualities at the pit.

Shipping keeps only moderate, with ordinary steam coal delivered at the high level Liverpool, and the Garston docks at prices ranging from 7s. to 7s. 6d. per ton.

Barrow.—No change can be noted in any department of the hematite pig iron trade, except, perhaps, in the direction of an even quieter state of trade. There is a limited demand for iron, and prices are showing a still further tendency in a downward direction. It is proposed to reduce the output by blowing out furnaces and raising wages, in order to prevent cheaper prices being established, and at the same time. Mixed Bessemer is quoted at 51s. 6d. Steel in less active request- Heavy sales have been made in the past, and these are employing makers at the present. Stocks, however, are large. Iron ore quiet, at from 9s. per ton. Goal and coke steady.

A petition for the winding up of the Barton Hematite Iron Company was heard in the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice, on Saturday, before Vice-Chancellor Sir James Bacon. Counsel appeared and said that, since the first application to wind up the affairs of the company had been made, the order had been granted by the Palatine Court of Lancaster; and that being so, the present petition would have to drop.

ait.’

many

years. Messrs. Brades state that in 1823 they produced 16 tons of steel marked Hoop L. Messrs. Thomas Firth and Sons, of the Norfolk Works, have at present the concession of the Hoop L Leufsta iron.

In the file trade the employers have refused arbitration, and the men are determined not to submit to a reduction. A strike on a great scale seems imminent.

not

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are more

62s. 6d. to 65s. Seme descriptions are reported to be selling at 60s.

Mr. E. Fisher-Smith, agent for the Earl of Dudley, issued, on Tuesday, circulars announcing a drop of Is. per ton in all classes of coal, but leaving slack unaltered. His lordship’s prices now become : East of Dudley, furnace sorts, 10s. per ton; forge, 9s. ; steam, 9s. ; Heathen coal, forge, 10s. ; new mine coal, 9s. 6d. "West of Dudley, best household, 13s. ; furnace, 9s. 6d. ; and steam, 8s.

This drop, under the Birmingham agreement, carries a fall in colliers’ wages of 4d. per shift in the thick coal seams, and 2d. per shift in the thin coal seams, leaving wages at 3s. 4d. and 2s. 5d. per shift respectively. Against this reduction the colliers in the Dudley and some of the surrounding districts came out on strike yesterday (Wednesday) morning. On the afternoon of that day an important conference of representative coalmasters’ and miners’ delegates was held in Wolverhampton, as determined upon last week, to consider the wages question. Mr. Smith was unavoidably absent. That he should have reduced prices in advance of the meeting was greatly complained of.

After three hours’ debate it was resolved that the men be allowed to resume work at the old rate of wages, that the present dispute be referred to arbitration, and that Mr. Smith be asked to suspend the operation of his circular for a fortnight, by which time it is hoped the arbitrator will have given his decision. It was further resolved to give three months’ notice for the abandonment of the Birmingham agreement, under which Earl Dudley’s action from from time to time now regulates wages; and that steps should be taken for the formation of a Conciliation Board in the South Staffordshire coal trade for the future regulation of prices and wages.

As ’Change closed it was generally understood that Earl Dudley’s agent, Mr. E. Fisher Smith, had declined to make any promise to suspend the circular. This information, however, ciently definite to lessen the uncertainty as to coal rates, and had no effect upon iron prices.

So great is the activity amongst the cable and anchor firms on home and export account, that Lloyd’s Government Proving House at Dudley have of late been oppressed with work, and are now more than doubling their capacity.

Agricultural implement and machinery makers find their position sensibly better now that the weather has taken up. Some firms are unable to fill orders with the needed haste. Cultivators are the implements chiefly selling. The harrow season, which is now almost over, has been a fair average. Horse-rakes and haymakers will soon be occupying the attention of the chief firms. Iron fencing and hurdle-makers report themselves steadily engaged.

While many of the nut and bolt firms are complaining of a want of orders, others are busily employed, having some large foreign contracts under execution for various kinds of railway fastenings.

In the Brierley Hill and Kingswinford colliery districts nearly two square miles of mine have been for a long time flooded by underground water. On the 30th ult. a pumping plant was set to work to drain the Bromley pound, which is part of this area. The plant has been laid down at a cost of about £20,000, by Mr. John Kaybould, colliery proprietor, and is capable of raising 1000 gallons to surface per minute, or 6500 tons every twenty-four hours. The engine is the work of Messrs. Hathorn, Davy, and Co., the Leeds engineers ; but its six boilers, each 40ft. by 6ft. 12in., were made in this district. The engine is one of Messrs. Hawthorn’s patent horizontal compound pumping types, of from 150 to 200 nominal horse-power. The low-pressure cylinder is 60in. diameter, and the high-pressure 33in. The stroke is 10ft., and the working speed six strokes to the minute ; connection with the pumps is direct. The bucket lifts are 16gin. diameter, and the plunger 16in., both having a 10ft. stroke.

In North Staffordshire the finished iron trade continues quiet. Prices, however, are fairly firm, crown bars remaining at £6 10s. to £7 15s. per ton. The pig iron and ironstone trades are also tame. A strike is feared amongst the colliers if the masters persist in their notice for a drop in wages.

NOTES FROM LANCASHIRE.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Manchester.—There is still a complete absence of any animation in the iron trade of this district; the actual business doing continues extremely small, and there is no indication from the few inquiries which come into the market of any disposition on the part of buyers to place out orders. Nominally there is little or no giving way on the part of makers so far as their quoted rates are concerned, but the tendency of the market is downward, and to effect any sales of weight, concessions upon current prices would be necessary.

At the Manchester market, on Tuesday, I could hear of no sales of any importance being made either in pig or manufactured iron. For local brands of pig iron, makers were holding for their late rates of 46s. for forge, and 47s. for foundry, less 2| per cent, delivered equal to Manchester, but they were unable to book any orders at these figures, and deliveries on account of contracts, although still tolerably heavy, are not sufficient to take away the whole of their output. In district and outside brands there is also scarcely anything doing, Derbyshire and Middlesbrough being practically out of the market, in face of the low price of Lincolnshire, and the demand for Scotch iron is affected in the same manner. For delivery equal to Manchester, Lincolnshire forge iron can be bought at about 44s., and foundry qualities at about 46s. to 46s. 4d., less 2£ per cent., but even these figures do not bring forward orders of any import

In the finished iron trade transactions continue on a very limited scale. Home requirements show no development, and the demand for shipment keeps only very moderate. I hear that a large American buyer who is at present over here has given out considerable orders for rails; but generally, orders for the United States are for the present being held in abeyance pending the coming into operation of the new American tariff. On

classes of iron it is thought the revised tariff will be found_____

favourable than the present duties; but opinions are so conflicting that it is scarcely possible as yet to arrive at any definite conclusion. So far as prices are concerned, both the North Staffordshire and the principal local makers still hold for £6 5s. as their minimum price for bars delivered into the Manchester district, and it is only in one or two of the lower class brands that sellers actually offer at a figure under this.

Judging from the reports I hear from some of the engineers and tool makers in this district, there is, if anything, somewhat of a falling off in activity in these branches. This, however, is not being felt in actual scarcity of work at present, but new orders do not appear to be coming in so freely as of late.

I may refer to an opinion expressed with regard to the Ship Canal by not a few persons in the district with special facilities for forming a tolerably sound and correct judgment. By these persons a much less ambitious, and in their opinion more practicable scheme, would have been to have developed the present comparatively neglected river navigation to such an extent as to allow of vessels of about 500 tons getting up to Manchester with Such vessels as these would be fitted with special appliances for loading or unloading in the river or the docks at Liverpool, and would be the means of effecting a cheap carriage of goods, which would secure the benefits sought for at a reasonable outlay. It is further urged that if such a scheme had been taken up by the present Mersey and Irwell Navigation Company, it would have come before the public with an assured prospect of

The coal trade of this district is gradually but steadily assuming a quiet tone so far as the demand for all classes of round coal is concerned, and with the pits barely kept working an average of five days a week, stocks are accumulating. The Manchester colliery firms have made no further material alteration in their prices since the reductions last month, and any general reduction in the West Lancashire district, where concessions of 3d. to 6d.

THE SHEFFIELD DISTRICT.

(From our own Correspondent.)

On the 1st of May the principal coalowners in the Sheffield and South Yorkshire district reduced their prices by lOd. to Is. a ton. The Sheffield Coal Company’s prices at the Birley collieries now—hand-picked Siikstone branch coal, 12s. Id.; best screened Silkstone house coal, 9s. 2d.; screened Siikstone “seconds,” 5s. 10d.; screened Siikstone nuts, 4s. 7d. Birley is three and a-half miles from Sheffield parish church, and the carriage brings the price up considerably.

There is a fair amount of work in the armour plate mills. At the Atlas Works—Messrs. John Brown and Company, Limited— Sin. “Ellis” compound plates are being made for the Warspite and Imperieuse, both vessels of the barbette type. Four hundred tons of plates—curved—are on order for these ships. The lOin. plates for the Collingwood are being completed, and a heavy consignment of 6in. plates for the Dmitri Dowskoy, the new Russian cruiser, are expected to be sent off this week. The Dmitri Dowskoy is to be plated from stem to stern, and will offer no vulnerable point above the water-line. It is a sister ship to one for which the plates were last year supplied by Messrs. Charles Cammell and Company, Limited, the Cyclops Works. Messrs. John Brown and Company are also furnishing the plates for the look-out towers of the Colossus and Majestic—56 tons for each ship. Italy has not yet decided as to the armour plating for the Lepanto, but deck armour for that vessel, varying in thickness from 3in. to 5in. is being made at the Atlas Works, where heavy armour—16in. to 19in.—is also being manufactured for the Italia. The main barbette, where the Italia’s guns will be fixed, is to have armour 18|in. thick. Messrs. Charles Cammell and Company have also important orders in hand. They have secured the order for the bulkhead plates, well as the side armour, for the Rodney, and have started on the work.

The Hoop L mark is likely to be fought out in the law courts this month. Messrs. Brades, steel manufacturers, Birmingham, have applied for permission to register “Brades Hoop L warranted ” as their trade-mark, and the application is opposed by Baron de Giers, of the Leufsta (Swedish) mines, who claims the Hoop L Leufsta, and the Hoop L by itself. Several Sheffield steel manufacturers have struck Hoop L, and claim to have done so for

THE NORTH OF ENGLAND.

(From our own Correspondent.)

The Cleveland iron trade is still in a dull and stagnant condition, and very little business has been done, either by makers or merchants during the past week. Prices have, however, sensibly fallen. At the market held at Middlesbrough on Tuesday last makers’ quotations varied from 40s. to 40s. 6d. for No. 3 g.m.b., but the former figure is the most that could be obtained from buyers.

There is no animation in the warrants market; sellers are still offering them at 40s. per ton f.o.b.

Messrs. Connal and Co. had on Monday night 79,441 tons of Cleveland iron in their Middlesbrough store, being a decrease of 280 tons for the week. In their Glasgow store on the same date they had 581,241 tons.

In the finished iron trade only a moderate amount of business is being done, and ^prices are rather easier. Ship plates may be had at £6 5s. per ton, common bars at about £6, and shipbuilding angles at £5 15s., all delivered free on trucks at makers’works, cash 10th less 2£ per cent. Puddled bars are £315s. net.

_ It is possible that the restrictive arrangement made a short time since in connection with the finished iron trade may come to an untimely end. Messrs. Dorman, Long, and Co., of the Britannia and West Marsh Ironworks, Middlesbrough, who do not belong to the Board, endeavoured from the first to induce their men to continue to work on Mondays. On Saturday last the men had a meeting, and decided that they would work if their masters would give them an advance of 2^ per cent. This Messrs. Dorman, Long, and Co. at once agreed to do, and accordingly the men worked usual on Monday last. The subject is to be fully discussed at meeting of the Standing Committee, and at another of the Board of Arbitration to be held at Middlesbrough on the 4th inst.

The accountants’ certificate under the sliding scale which regulates the Durham miners’ wages was issued on the 30th ult. It shows that the net average selling price of coal for the three months ending March 31st was 4s. 10‘20d. per ton. The present rate of wages will remain unaltered.

The North-Eastern Steel Company is expected to be ready to start its works early in June. The machinery has mostly been tried under steam, and any weak points are being remedied.

The members of the Iron and Steel Institute will have opportunity of visiting these works during their approaching visit to Middlesbrough. It is to be hoped they will by that time be in full operation.

The new Siemens’ steel plant just put down by the Consett Iron Company will also be ready to start early in June. By all appearances the supply of steel in the market will soon be so great as to prevent any near prospect of an improvement in selling price.

NOTES FROM SCOTLAND.

(From our own Correspondent.)

. There is a very good trade being done at present in the sale of pig iron for home consumption, but the warrant market has been very dull during the week, and prices show little variation. The demand for pig iron from the United States does not show any improvement, and, chiefly in consequence of the reduced purchases on American account, the shipments to date are 11,000 tons less than they were last year. It is feared that our trade with the United

States must be considerably smaller than for the past year dr two. There are, however, indications of an improved business with some continental nations, which may help to supply the deficiency. Stocks of pigs are now being reduced very little in Connal’s stores, and the production has been somewhat increased by the blowing in of two additional furnaces.

Business was done in the warrant market on Friday morning, at from 47s. to 46s. lid. cash, and 47s. 2|d. to 47s. 2d., one month ; the quotations in the afternoon being 47s. to 47s. Id., and 47s. 0L1. cash, and 47s. 2id. one month. Transactions took pi on Monday forenoon at 47s. to 47s. Id. cash, and 47s. 3Jd. one month ; and in the afternoon at 47s. Id. to 47s. l^d. cash, and 47s. 3-Jd to 47s. 4d. one month. The market was firmer on Wednesday, at 47s. 3d. to 47s. 4d. cash, and 47s. 5g-d. to 47s. 6|d. month. To-day—Thursday—business was done at 47s. 4d. to 47s. 5£d. cash, and up to 47s. 8d. one month.

There is not much change this week in the prices of makers’ iron, which are as follow :—Gartsherrie, f.o.b. at Glasgow, per ton, No. 1, 60s.; No. 3, 54s. 6d.; Coltness, 62s. 6d. and 54s. 6'd.; Lang-loan, 63s. and 54s. 6d.; Summerlee, 60s. 6d. and 51s. 6d.; Chapel-hall, 59s. and 53s. 6d.; Calder, 60s. 6d. and 51s. 6d,; Carnbroe, 55s. and 49s. 6d.; Clyde, 51s. and 49s.; Monkland, 48s. 6d. and 46s. 6d.; Quarter, 48s. 3d. and 46s. 3d.; Govan, at Broomielaw, 48s. 6d. and 46s. 6d.; Shotts, at Leith, 63s. and 56s.; Carron, at Grangemouth, 50s. and 48s.; Kinneil, at Bo’ness, 48s. and 47s.; Glengarnock, at Ardrossan, 54s. 6d. and 48s. 6d.; Eglinton, 49s. and 46s. 6d.; Dalmellington, 49s. 6d. and 48s. 6d.

There is a continuance of good trade in the malleable department. The Coats Ironworks, which have been idle since the lease of them was surrendered by Messrs William Dixon, Limited, at the close of the past year, were purchased a few days ago by the Messrs. Goodwin, and will again be put in operation without delay. The past week’s shipments of iron manufacturers from the Clyde embraced £15,000 worth of machinery, £3207 sewing machines, and £18,000 worth of other iron and steel goods.

The coal trade in the West of Scotland is on the whole in a satisfactory position. It is true that at a few of the sale collieries in the inland districts there is scarcely so much activity as before, and a reduction of prices is notified. The smaller domestic consumption is affecting them ; but all coalmasters who do a regular shipping trade have still their hands pretty free, and the prices in their case have varied less than usual In Fife and Clackmannan trade has been quite brisk during the week, heavy cargoes of coals having been shipped to the Continent. The Baltic trade has now fairly opened out, and at the chief ports the exports promise to be the largest for a number of years. The shipping demand has also materially improved at Grangemouth, where close on 5000 tons were despatched since last report. Several vessels have been prevented from going to sea at Bo’ness by strong easterly gales, so that the shipments from that port are considerably smaller than they otherwise would have been.

At a meeting of the executive board of the Fife and Clackmannan Miners’ Association, which took place at Dunfermline on Saturday, reports were submitted by delegates from the various collieries stating that trade had greatly improved during the past month, and that all the pits were now working full time. Mr. Weir, the secretary, advised that the men should at once make a demand for an advance of wages, and it was resolved to solicit an increase of 6d. per day, to come in force on the 14th May.

The house-building trades are improving, and the men are endeavouring to procure advances of wages.

During April the Clyde shipbuilding trade was very busy, there having been twenty-four vessels launched, with an aggregate of 31,583 tons, as compared with nineteen vessels and 25,500 tons in the same month last year. The work of the four months amounts to seventy-seven vessels of 113,718 tons, against sixty-four vessels and a total tonnage of 93,408 in the corresponding period of 1882. It is noticeable that sailing vessels figure very prominently among the launches, constituting over one-fourth of the entire tonnage put into the water.

WALES AND ADJOINING COUNTIES (From our own Correspondent.)

Cardiff at the present moment presents an aspect of unprecedented activity. In addition to the usual exports of iron and steel, and the large imports of ore coming in from Bilbao, the coal trade was never so briskly carried on, and the Rhondda collieries are pouring down their thousands and tens of thousands tons of coal to the Bute Docks, where the shipping business is at high pressure. Nor is this all; the great task of constructing the new docks is being carried on with unintermittent ability. Seven steam navvies are in use, and these keep a large number of seven and 10-ton gons briskly occupied, the 4-ton wagons being filled with two “ scoops ” of the useful adjunct to the navvy. Next to this undertaking in importance is the quarrying of stones for the docks in the Caerphilly district, which employs 500 men, and Morel’s graving dock and the extension of Bachelors, together with the Penarth, and the extension and changes in the Taff, fill up a most promising picture of activity.

Some promising movements are taking place in the iron trade, and amongst them I may note that Cwmavon is about to be restarted, Mr. Daniel taking a leading part therein. The iron trade is not buoyant, prices are unsteady and orders rather slow.

The collieries lately sunk successfully at Cwmavon—Tewgoed— are the property of the Margam Tin-plate Works.

I have no promising news in respect of tin-plate works. Prices continue low, and the last quotation—16s.—for coke plate is obtained with difficulty. There seems no vitality in the trade. Pontardulais works are at a standstill again for orders.

Patent fuel, on the contrary, is in a good healthy condition, and the exports are increasing steadily. Last week Swansea exported over 7000 tons, and I hear that books are so full that prices are likely to advance.

The shipping business of Swansea is satisfactory on the whole, though the new dock is not patronised so fully as it should be. Statistics show that last year 2808 vessels left Swansea with a tonnage of 818,478. This shows an increase over the preceding year of 101 vessels and 14,970 tonnage, as compared with 1881.

I hear that the depression in the tin-plate trade has extended to Dowlais, and that the employes are under notice. The meaning of this is that a reduction is in contemplation.

At the collieries in the Bedlinog Valley, belonging to Dowlais, the men are at present out on strike. The men want an extra allowance for working, as safety lamps and not candles are required, and up to the present the difficulty has not been adjusted. Prospects of a settlement amongst the Mountain Ash colliers favourable than they have been, principally from the conciliatory attitude of the proprietors. The question at issue is the employment of a certain doctor, and a small number of men have continued to thwart the others and cause a good deal of unpleasantness. There is now, however, hopes of a settlement.

Great interest continues to be felt in the Barry Dock question, and the evidence of Sir George Elliott against it is regarded as important. In the construction of the new lines, the Pontypridd, Caerphilly, and Newport, which is to be ready about July, he had the practical aid of a leading promoter of the Barry scheme, Mr. Davies Maesyfynnar, but since this scheme has been floated he has been left by himself. Sir George’s protest against the scheme after the sanction of the railway of his which will materially help to allay the “congestion ” of the Rhondda, is second only to the argument of the Bute Docks interest, that last year an expenditure of half a million was sanctioned, which the granting of the Barry Scheme would materially affect.

Two important companies are being floated—the Bristol Channel Express Company, with a capital of £20,000, in £10 shares, and the Penarth Steamship Company. Both are formed principally by Cardiff men ; and of the latter, the well-known Morel Brothers are managers. Six thousand tons of iron and steel left the Welsh ports last week, principally for Canada and America,

■CO

05

26th April, 1883.

2105.    Making Paper, J. R. Fletcher and J. Fielding, Stoneclough.

2106.    Moving Fluids, W. Smedley, Liverpool.

2107.    Fleece Dividers, C. Pieper.— (G. Erben, Austria.)

2108.    Electro-motor Apparatus, M. Kotyra, Cardiff.

2109.    Combing Cotton, Ac., J. Thompson and T. Barker, Manchester.

2110.    Endless Band Knife Machines, R. B. Sanson, London.

2111.    Cartridges. R. Morris, Blackheath.

2112.    Purifying Water, E M. Dixon, Glasgow.

2113.    Cleaning Sponge, R. F. Elms, J. H. Payne, and F. R. Nurthen, London.

2114.    Drawing Geometrical Figures, F. H. Wood, Chiswick.

2115.    Insulators, J. S. Lewis, Birkenhead.

2116.    Block Calenders, G. F. Redfem.—(/. Patrick, Germany.)

2117.    Switch Apparatus, J. Imray.—(T. Connolly, U.S.)

2118.    Electrical Accumulators, P. Higgs.—(C. Forbes, Boston, U.S.)

2119.    Salicylic Acid, W. L. Wise.—(Dr. IK. Hentschel, Germany.)

2120.    Retention, &c., of Steam, R. M. Marchent, London.

2121.    Lanterns, A. M. Clark.—(0. F. Fisher, Canada.)

2122.    Extracting Gold from Ores, T. Bowen and J. Napier, Swansea.

2123.    Lubricating Oil, N. C. de Kroeber, London.

2124.    Mowing Machines, W. McI. Cranston.—(IK. A. Wood Reaping and Mowing Machine Company, U.S.)

2125.    Tricycles, Ac., O. Pihlfeldt, Redcar.

2126.    Filtering Water, F. H. Atkins, London.

2127.    Steam Boiler Furnaces, E. G. Colton.—(£. Hussey and G. IK. Donaldson, New York, U.S.)

27th April, 1883.

2128.    Weighing Apparatus, J. Darling, Glasgow.

2129.    Decorating Material for Walls, T. J. Palmer, London.

2130.    Coverings for Bottles, O. Wolff.—(Bros. Giese and Co., Germany.)

2131.    Capsules for Bottles, E. P. Alexander.—(C. Cheswright, Paris.)

2132.    Washing Machines, E. K. Heaps, Ferrybridge.

2133.    Peeling Potatoes, J. C. Mewburn.—(/. M. Burnichon, Paris.)

2134.    Centrifugal Dressing Machines, R. Lund and T. F. Hind, Preston.

2135.    Substitute for Lace, H. Pataky.—(M. Heimann, Germany.)

2136.    Mechanical Musical Instruments, H. Haddan. —(IK. Spaethe, Germany.)

2137.    Gas Lighting, T. Thorp, Whitefield.

2138.    Cutting, Ac,, Teeth of Wheels, H. H. Grierson and T. O’Maher, Manchester.

2139.    Explosive Compounds, E. Turpin, Paris.

2140.    Velocipedes, G. J. Stevens and J. S. Smith, London.

2141.    Printing Music, J. W. Coates, London.

2142.    Cutting Animal, Ac., Substances, H. Davidson, Tottenham.

2143.    Clinometer Compass, W. R. Lake.—(E. F. MacGeorge, Australia.)

2144.    Shearing Textile Fabrics, W. P. Thompson.— (D. C. Sumner, Worcester, U.S.)

2145.    Sewing Machines, A. J. Boult.—(J. H. Whitney, Brooklyn, U.S.)

2146.    Weighing Machines, C. H. Bartlett, Bristol

2147.    Generation, Ac., of Electricity, J. S. Williams, Riverton, U.S.

2148.    Generation, Ac., of Electricity, J. S. Williams, Riverton, U.S.

6132. Destructive Distillation of Animal, Ac., Matter, J. Lyle, Highgate.— 22nd, December, 1882. 6136. Motive Power Engines, J. A. B. Bennett, Walker, Birmingham.—23rd

Worcester, and B. P.

December, 1882.

6172. Kilns for Burning Bricks, Ac., H. Knowles, Leicester.—27 th December, 1882.

6182. Horseshoe Machines, F. Wolff, Copenhagen.— A communication from S. Moller and A. Andersen. —27th December, 1882.

6205. Washing Machines, J. Proudley, Manchester.— 20th December, 1882.

6211. Turning Leaves of Music, J. C. Mewburn, London.—A communication from O. Erganian and O. E Torossian —20th December, 1882.

6222. Cocks or Valves for Steam, Ac., Fluids, A. Accrington.—29th December, 1882.

Fibre, W. E. Gedge, London.

Bradshaw

53. Treating Vegetable -Com. from L. Aubert —4th January, 1883.

72. Generating Steam, H. J. Haddan, London. A communication from A. Daussin. — 5th January, 1883. 85. Folding Boxes, A. A. Barratt and G. Greenshie'ds, Ditton — 6th January, 1883.

106. Petroleum Lamp, II. II. Lake, London — Com.

from A. A. Lemarre.—8th January, 1883 109. Ploughs, T. Sheldrake, Ipswich.— 8th January, 1883.

116. Two-wheeled Vehicles, H. E. Newton, London.

—Com. from E. Storm. - 9th January, 1883.

132. Gas Engines, W. R. Lake, London.—A communication from H. S. Maxim. — 9 th Jo.nuary, 1883.

145. Breech-loading Small-arms, J. F. Swinburn, Birmingham.—19th January, 1883.

156. Controlling, Ac. , the Flow of Electric Current, W. M. Mordey, Putney.—10th January, 1883.

173. Hygienic Pillows and Bedding, H. T. Baeschhn, France.—lltA Jo.nuary, 1883.

195. Tobacco, W. E. Gedge, London.—A communication from F. C. Glaser.— 12th January, 1883.

287.    Accumulators for Storing Electrical Energy, II. H. Lake, London.—A communication from N. de Kabath —17th January, 1883.

288.    Regulating, Ac., Electric Currents, H. H. Lake, London.—A communication from N. de Kabath. — 17th January, 1883.

370 Rolling Siock for Railways, &c., J. Cleminson, London.—23id January, 1883.

379. Treating Sugar Cane, W. L. Wise, London. A communication from La Socidtc Anonyme des anciens Etablissements Gail.—23rd January, 1883.

400.    Electric Generators and Motors, W. M. Mordey, Putney.—24t/i January, 1883.

401.    Expressing Juice from Sugar Cane, W. L. Wise, London—A communication from La Societe des anciens Etablissements (Jail.—24th January, 1883.

404. Discharging Materials Raised by Dredging, Ac., Machinery, A. M. Clark, London.—A communication from La Compagnie Nationale de Travaux Publics.—2bth January, 1883.

965. Transmitting Audible Signals by means of Electricity, A. F. St. George, London.—21st February, 1883.

1122 Secondary Batteries, D. G. Fitz-Gerald, I ondon. —1st March, 1883.

1202. Electric Arc Lamps, E. and A. E. Jones, Battersea.—8th March, 1883.

1219. Lawn-tennis Bats, R. C. Powell and F. Thompson, London.—7th March, 1883.

1254. Steam Generators, H. Gerner, New York, U.S. —8th March, 1883.

1264. Automatic Gas Regulator, J. and E. Tuckett, Exeter.—9th March, 1883.

1388. Preparatory Treatment of Flax, J. R. Dry, London.—Ibth March, 1883.

1414. Bolling and Scutching Flax, Ac., J. R. Dry, London.—16th March, 1883.

1426. Domestic Stoves, Ac., G. Gore, Worcester.—17t/t March, 1883.

1464. Utilising Currents of Water, C. D. Abel, London.—A communication from N. Yagn.—29th March, 1883.

1542. Pans or Boilers used in Melting Pitch, Ac., J.

B. Stewart, Liverpool.—27th March, 1883.

1563. Ventilating Railway Tunnels, E. Walter, Yangley.—27th March, 1883.

1570. Ventilators, Ac., R. A. Hunter, Dublin.—28th March, 1883.

1574. Lavatories, Ac., A. F. Morrison, Manchester 28th March, 1883.

1622. Manufacturing Carbonate of Strontium, W. L. Wise, London.—A communication from Dr. H. Grouven.—31st March, 1883.

1639. Dynamo-electric Machinery, S. P. Thompson, Bristol.—31st March, 1883.

1659.    Lead and Crayon-holders, J. H. Johnson, London.—A communication from J. Reckendorfer.

—    3rd April, 1883.

1660.    Manufacture of Steel, J. Riley and G. S. Packer, Glasgow.—3rd April, 1883.

1666. Manufacture of Spirits, A. Manbr6, London.

—    3rd April, 1883.

1680.    Utilising Exhaust Steam of Steam Engines, A, J. Boult, London. —A communication from D. Ren-shaw.— 3rd April, 1883.

1681.    Exhaust Steam of Steam Engines, A. J. Boult, London.—Com. fromD. Renshaw.—3rd April, 1883.

2050. Glass Lamp Chimney, P. A. Bayle, Paris.—23rd April, 1883.

2070. Roller Mills, A. J. Boult, London.—A communication from H. J. Gilbert.—2 if A April, 1883.

Patents on which the Stamp has been paid.

6224.

(Last day for filing opposition, 22nd May, 1883.)

6140. Traction Engines, E. Foden, Sandbach.—23rd December, 1882. •

6160. Sewing Machines, A. Guillaume and A. Lambert, Belgium.— 23rd December, 1882.

6166.    Litter for use in Stables, Ac., H. Symons, Totnes.—26f7i December, 1882.

6167.    Fire-arms, A. W. L. Reddie, London.—A communication from E. T. Starr.—26th December, 1882.

6171. Vacuum Brake Apparatus, J. Gresham, Salford. —27th December, 1882.

6184. Obtaining Motive Power, E. S. Eyland, Bristol. — 27th December, 1882.

6186. Steam, Ac., Engines, T. Hancock, Wolverhampton.—28ih December, 1882.

6194.    Drop-down Guns, J. H. Hannay, London.—28lh December, 1882.

6195.    Illuminating Lighthouses, J. R. Wigham, Monkstown—28th December, 1882.

6197. Shoots, S. W. Snowden, West Hartlepool,—28th December, 1882.

6200. Drying Starch, Ac., W. R. Lake, London.—A communication from L. Maiche.—28th December, 1882.

6203. Felted Fabrics, A. J. Boult, London.—A communication from T. Jegler and J. Offermann.—28th December, 1882.

6216. Tubular Boilers, J. Armer, Dartford.—29(h December, 1882.

6218. Controlling the Current in Electric Circuits, J. Jamieson, Oldham.—29th December, 1882.

6223. Spinning Machinery, N. Macbeth and R. N. Cottrill, Bolton-le- Moors. — 39th December, 1882.

Spinning and Twisting Frames, A. Freir, Dundee.—30th December, 1882.

6226. Galvanic Batteries, T. J. Howell, London.— 30 th December, 1882.

S. Securing Rapid Combustion of Fuel in Furnaces, J. Howden, Glasgow. —ls< January, 1883.

19. Gas Motor Engines, P. F. Forest, Paris.—1st January, 1883.

36. Generating, Ac., Electric Currents, S. Z. de Ferranti, Loudon.—2nd January, 1883.

50. Seizing, Ac., Light Object’s, A. M. Clark, London. —Com from A. Dubois.—3rd January, 1883.

54. Sewing Machines, W. E. Gedge, London.—A communication from C. Guy.—1th January, 1883.

60.    Counting and Registering Apparatus, G. D. Kittoe, London —ith January, 1883.

61.    Regenerative Gas Heating Arrangements for Heating Air, Ac., E. A. Brydges, Upton.—A communication from D. Grove.—ith January, 1883.

66. Shades for Lamps, J. H Johnson, London.—A communication from E. Lefebvre.—1th January, 1888.

THE PATENT J0UENAL.

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 Po.tent 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 fownd, 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.

21th April, 1883.

2059.    Ring Spinning, Ac., Frames, J. Young and E. Furniss, Mellor.

2060.    Oil Lamps, Ac., A. C. Wells and R. Wallwork, Manchester.

2061.    Canvas Belting, J. K. Tullis, Glasgow.

2062.    Thermo-electric Generators, H. Woodward, London.

2063.    Furnaces, D. Jones, London.

2064. Preventing Heat in Dynamo-electric Machines, H. Roberts, Pittsburgh, U.S.

2065.    Couplings, G. F. Redfern.—(IF. C. Wilson, U.S)

2066.    Printing Machines. H. M. Nichols, London.

2067.    Gas Cooking Stoves, J. F. and G. E. Wright, Birmingham.

2068.    Swinging Berths, P. M. Justice.—(A. P. Bick-more and E. B. Pendleton, Hyde Park, U.S.)

2069.    Locking Doors of Safes, W. P. Thompson.—(B. F. Flint, Cincinnati, U.S.)

2070.    Roller Mills, A. J. Boult — (H. J. Gilbert, U.S.)

2071.    Railway Ties, A. Boult.—(B. Hungerford, U.S.)

2072.    Ash Buckets, R. D. Jones, Liverpool.

2073.    Pipes for Smoking, W. B. Haas, London.

2074.    Boiler Cleaners, J. F. Hotchkiss, U.S.

2075.    Stays, W. W. Brown, Portsmouth.

2076.    Assisting Persons Learning to Sing, G. N. Carozzi, London.

2077.    Vehicles for Road Traction, E. Newman, Burnham.

2078.    Water-closets, D. S. Keith, Edinburgh.

2079.    Disinfecting Water-closets, H. H. Lake.— (C. F. Pike and E. Z. Collings, U.S.)

2080.    Cleaning Filters, J. E. Hodgkin and E. Perrctt, London.

2081.    Umbrellas, O. Imray.—(IK. S. Hoke and C. S. Westcott, Philadelphia, U.S.)

2082.    Galvanic Batteries, W. E. T. Dawson, London.

2083.    Surgical Belt and Bed Stay, C. B. Harness, London.

2084.    Wire Rope, H. H. Lake.—(C. C. Colby, Canada.)

2085.    Cordage, Ac., H. H. Lake. —(/. P. Tolman, U.S.)

2086.    Steam Boiler Furnaces, D. Whitehead, Birmingham, and F. B. Chadwick, Cardiff.

2087.    Membranes for Eliminating Micro-organisms, C. D. Abel.—(F. Breyer, Vienna.)

2088.    Carpets, H. Fawcett, Kidderminster.

2089.    Self-acting Feed-water Regulator, A. M. Clark.—(J. Clarke, J. Dunneback, and C. Moran, U.S.)

25th April, 1883.

2090.    Injectors, S. Borland, Manchester.

2091.    Treating Waste Materials, J. Walker, Leeds.

2092.    Wire Fencing with Spurs, E. A. Brydges.—(C. Klauke, Germany.)

2093.    Making Boats of Sheet Metal, W. and J. Beesley, Barrow-in-Furness.

2094.    Combined Muff, Pocket, and Foot Warmer, H. J. Haddan.—(P. Norden, Leipzig.)

2095.    Pipe Keys, J. S. Beeman, London.

2096.    Temples in Looms for Weaving, R. Bond, Bury.

2097.    Self-acting Couplings for Railway Carriages, T. Wood, Manchester.

2098.    Tieing-in Warps, J. P. Binns, Halifax.

2099.    Flushing Water-closets, J. and I. Haigh, West Bromwich.

2100.    Heaters, C. D. Yates, Brixton.

2101.    Break-down Snap Guns, S. A. Grant and W. Adams, London.

2102.    Extracting Oils by Diffusion, J. Imray.—(/. A. Bang and C. A. Sanguinetti, Paris.)

2103.    Bottles, A. J. T. Wild, London.

2104.    Colouring Matters, F. Wirth.—(Messrs. Ditler and Co., Germany.)

28th April, 1883.

2149.    Distilling Shale, W. Crossley, Glasgow.

2150.    Brussels Carpets, J. Walker, Kidderminster.

2151.    Looms for Weaving, J. Langton, Leyland, and

J. Gregson, Preston.

2152.    Incandescence Electric Lamps, L. Arrighi, London.

2153.    Electric “Cut-outs,” F. E. Anderson, London.

2154.    Fire Escape, A. Messerli, Switzerland.

2155.    Baling Presses, J. Watson, London.

2156.    Electrical Measuring Instruments, W. E. Ayrton and J. Perry, London.

2157.    Longitudinal Joint, E. Quadling, Forest Hill

2158.    Steam Cooking Apparatus, E. A. Brydges. (D. Grove, Germany.)

2159.    Automatic, Ac., Indicators, C. Stout and C. H. Hilleoat, Liverpool.

2160.    Surgical Injections, O. Imray.—{A. R. Larger, Paris.)

2162. Small Bore Rifle Tubes, R. Morris, Blackheath.

2162.    Lifting, Ac., T. Thomas, Cardiff.

2163.    Tackle for Hauling, II. Johnson, West Bromwich.

2164.    Checking Cash in Public Vehicles, H. Lyon, London.

2165.    Applying Gas for Cooking, W. Flint, Sheffield.

2166.    Lubricators, C. H. Andrew, Stockport.

2167.    Sugar, W. R. Lake.—(/. II Ross, Buffalo, U.S )

2168.    Machine Rollers for Spinning Textile Materials, W. R. Lake.—(A. Mehl, Germany.)

2169.    Jet Nozzles of Garden Engines, E. Haines, Horsmonden.

39th April, 1883.

2170.    Fastenings for Carriage Doors, J. Edwards, London.

2171.    Stoppers for Bottles, J. Jackson, London.

2172.    Navigable Vessels, J. Taylor, Birkenhead.

2173.    Fulling Machine, P. Legrand, Paris.

2174.    Rolling Cylinders of Iron, Ac., B. Walker, Leeds.

2175 Steam Boilers, S. Pitt.—(£. Schulte, U S )

2176.    Stoppering Bottles, R. J. Sankey, South Hill.

2177.    Boot, Ac., Sole Protecting Plates, J. Borrett, London.

2178.    Making Buttons, W. Willeringhaus.—(<?. Umbeck, Germany.)

2179.    Valve Discs, J. G. C. H. Bischoff, Germany.

2180.    Fastening Neckties, V. Vyse.—(F. Smiley, U.S.)

2181.    Treating Textile Fabrics, H. J. Haddan.—(0. Obermaeir, Bavaria.)

2182.    Drills for Grain, G. W. von Nawnrocki.—(C. Gindler, Germany.)

2183.    Treadles for Bicycles, Ac., H. H. Lake.—(F. S. Wilson, Austria.)

2184.    Colouring Matter, H. O. Miller, Moscow.

2185.    Incandescent Lamps, W. Crookes, London.

2186.    Protecting Contents of Bottles, E. P. Alexander.—(C. Cheswright, Paris )

2187.    Automatic Checking, E. C. M. B. Berghe, Upper Norwood.

Inventions Protected for Six Months on Deposit of Complete Specifications.

2050. Glass Lamp Chimney, P. M. Bayle, Paris.—23rd April, 1883.

2070. Roller Mills, A. J. Boult, London.—A communication from H. J. Gilbert, Dayton, U.S.—21th April, 1883.

£074. Boiler Cleaners, J. F. Hotchkiss, Plainfield, U.S.—21th April, 1883.

2081. Umbrellas, Ac., O. Imray, Southampton-build-ings, London.—A communication [from W. S. Hoke and C. S. Westcott, Philadelphia, U.S.—21th April, 1883.

2084.    Wire Rope, H. H. Lake, Southampton-buildings, London.—A communication from C. C. Colby, Canada.—24f7t April, 1883.

2085.    Making Cordage, Ac , H. H. Lake, Southampton-buildings, London.—A communication from J. P. Solman, West Newton, U S.—21th April, 1883.

2110. Endless Band Knife Machines, R. B. Sanson, London.—26th April, 1883.

2143. Clinometer Compass, W. R. Lake, Southampton-buildings, London.—A communication from E. F. MacGeorge, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia—27t/i April, 1883.

Duty of £50

1697. Stands for Spirits, Ac., J. C. Grinsell, London. —26th April, 1880.

1706. Cranks for Transmitting Motion, N. D. Spar-tali, Liverpool.—26th April, 1880.

1854. Gas Regulators, W. T. Sugg, London.—6th May, 1880.

2052. Looms for Weaving, H. J. Haddan, London.— 20th May, 1880.

2171. Brick-cutting Tables, F. Howlett and W. H. Venables, London.—27th May, 1880.

1686. Dredgers, Ac., W. F. Batho, London.—21th April, 1880.

1690. Substitute for Nuts, N. Thompson, Brooklyn.— 24th April, 1880.

2047. Spinning Cotton, Ac., J. C. Fell, Ashton-under-Lyne.— 29th May, 1880.

2174. Injectors, C. M. Sombart, Germany.— 28th May, 1880.

1721. Osseous Compounds, W. Morgan-Brown, London. —27th April, I860.

180L Compound Pumps, C. Pieper, Prussia.—3rd May, 1880.

1827. Horseshoe Nail-finishing Machines, S. Pitt, Sutton — ith May, 1880.

1988. Water-closets, S. B. Goslin and J. J. Brown, London.—14th May, 1880.

2010. Making of Ice, Ac., C. Pieper, Germany.—17tli May, 1880.

2110. Producing Intense White Light, J. Imray, London.—24<7i May, 1880.

1997. Steam Boilers, J. G. Cameron, Kingston-upon-Hull. — Uth May, 1880.

2414. Steam Pumping Machinery, G. H. Corliss, Providence, U.S.—15th June, 1880.

1650. Making Buckets, R. R. Gray, Liverpool.—22nd April, 1880.

1735. Separating Waste Substances, J. C. W. Stanley, London.—28th April, 1880.

1751. Electric Signals, W. Morgan-Brown, London. —29th April, 1880.

1746. Purifying Apparatus for Steam Boilers, A. Dervaux, Brussels.— 28th April, 1880.

Patents on which the Stamp Duty of £100 has been paid.

1757. Electric Telegraphs, G. Allan and J. WT. Brown, London.—26th April, 1876.

1768. Steam Boilers, T. Russell, Aberdeen.—27th April, 1876.

1776. Treating Leather, W. J. Jackson, Leeds.— 27th April, 1876.

1844. Self-acting Mules, J. Chisholm and J. Clegg, Oldham.—2nd May, 1876.

Notices of Intention to Proceed with Applications.

(Last day for filing opposition, 18th May, 1883.)

6094. Double-driving Tricycles, Ac. , S. Lee and M.

Stodart, London.—21sf December, 1882.

6120. Teaching Geography, Ac., A. J. Boult, London. —A communication from P. E. Lamberet and A. M. Billoud.—22nd December, 1882.

216. Rotary Pumps, Ac., E. B. Donkin, Bermondsey —13th January, 1883

226. Producing Homogeneous Metal Castings, G. W. vQn Nawrocki, Berlin.—A communication from W. G. Otto.—Ibth January, 1883.

250. Cooling Beer, Ac , H. J. Haddan, London.— Com. from W. Nussbeck.—16th January, 1883.

300. Engines for Motive Power, Ac., H. G. Williams, East Greenwich —18th January, 1883.

324. Securing Corks in Bottles, R. L. Howard, Luton.—19t7i January, 1883.

326. Gas Engines, C. T. Linford and W. E. Cooke, Birmingham.— 19th January, 1883.

351. Coupling Apparatus, S. A. Croft and R. Lomax, Manchester.—22nd January, 1883.

469. Drying or Arefying Apparatus, E. A. Brydges, Berlin.—Com. from D. Grove.—29th January, 1883. 490. Securing Wads in Cartridges. H. J. Haddan, London.—A communication from P. Seibold.—39th January, 1883.

679. Safety Lamp3, L. T. Wright, Beckton.—7th February, 1883.

798. Latches, W. B. Shorland, Manchester.—11th February, 1883.

1012. Making Cigars, Ac., A. M. Clark, London.—Com.

from O Hammerstein.—27th February, 1883.

1424. Handles of Knives, Ac., H. Watker, Sheffield. —17th March, 1883.

1442. Bogies for Transporting Furnace Slag, J.

Paterson, Workington.—19IA March, 1883.

1548. Mordanting, Ac., Fabrics, C. F. Cross and E. J.

Bevan, London.— 27th March, 1883.

1637. Taps, W. A. Todd, Folkingham.—31sf March, 1883.

1675. Compound Plates, F. A. Krupp, Germany.—3rd April, 1883.

1677. Gas Motor Engines, C. D. Abel, London.—A communication from N. A. Otto.—3rd April, 1883. 1689. Wire Rope, T. Seale, San Francisco, U.S.—ith

April, 1883.

1734. Egg Beaters, A. H. Frost and F. Earl, St. Ives. —6Ih April, 1883.

1751. Drying Paper, Ac., A. Annandale, Dunbar.— 7th April, 18S3.

1945. Manufacture of Pile Fabrics, W. R. Lake, London, —Com. from C. Coupland.—17th April, 1883. 2081. Umbrellas or Parasols, O. Imray, London.—A communication from W. S. Hoke and C. S. Westcott. —2Mh April, 1883.

Patents Sealed.

(List of Letters Patent which passed the Great Seal on the 27th April, 1883.)

4162. Electric Lighting, T. T. Smith, London.—31st August, 1882.

5070. Refrigerating Machines, J. K. Kilbourn, London.—21th October, 1882.

5109. Magnetic Brushes, E. Parr and J. Gibson, London.—27th October, 1882.

5138. Self-acting, Ac., Lubricators, G. Delettrez, France.—28fit October, 1882.

5147. Elastic Fabrics, A. C. Henderson, London.— 39th October, 1882.

5154. Noiseless Motion with Improved Action to Common Flat Strainers for Paper Pulp, W. Muir-head, Linwood —39th October, 1882.

5181. Accommodating Electrical Conductors in Streets, H. F. Joel, London.—31st October, 1882.

5200. Controlling Valves by Electricity, Ac., J.

Formby, Liverpool.—31st October. 1882.

5202 Making Tubes, G. Little, Oldham.— 1st November, 1882.

5203. Furnaces, B. D. Healey, Brighouse.—1st November, 1882.

5207. Apparatus for Raisino Liquids, Ac., F. A. Bonnefin, London.—1st November, 1882.

5211.    Trawl Nets, G. Read, Deal.—1st November, 1882.

5212.    Screw Propellers, W. Tate, Sunderland.—1st November, 1882.

5228.    Valves, Ac., G. Furness and J. Robertshaw, Manchester.—2nd November, 1882.

5229.    Treating Leather, Ac., T. Gare, Stockport.— 2nd November, 1882.

5247. Heating Water by Gas Jets, J. H. Topham, Deansgate.—3rd November, 1882.

5260. Stopper for Bottles, C. A. Stahlin, Stockholm. —1th November, 1882,

5282 Compound Marine Steam Engines, J. McFarlane, Dundee.—6tii November, 1882.

5289.    Tightening and Locking Bolt, H. Scott, Liverpool.—6th November, 1882.

5290.    Consuming Smoke in Furnaces of Steam Boilers, F. J. Cheesbrough, Liverpool.—6fh November, 1882.

5327. Valves for Steam Engines, F. Gill, South Shields.—8th November, 1882.

5339. Distributing Seed, Ac., J. H. Wood, London.— 8th November, 1882.

5369. Velocipedes, J. Noad, H. Blackwell, jun., and H. B. Bunkell, London.—lOffi November, 1882 5375. Folding Pocket Scissors, A. J. Boult, London. —11th November, 1882.

5381. Machinery for Making Paper Pulp, C. Aitchi-son, Loanhead.—11th November, 1882.

5402. Steam Winches, Ac., W. Allan, Sunderland.— 13th November, 1S82.

5404. Winding Paper into Rolls, G. W. Osborn and Dr. W. Yates, Chelsea.—13fA November, 1882.

5406. Punching, Ac., Machines, J. D. Morrison, Gateshead.—13th November, 1882.

5454. Pulverising Sand, Ac , J. Nicholas, Illogan.— lQih November, 1882.

5511. Appliance for Saving Life at Sea, F. Wolff, Copenhagen.—29th November, 1832.

5530. Tents for Military Purposes, H. E.' Newton, London —21st November, 1882.

5539. Measuring Liquids, H. H. Lake, London.—21st November, 1882.

5615. Making Paper Bags, J. H. Johnson, London.— 25th November, 1882.

5664. Sugar-cane Shredders, J. H. Johnson, London. —28th November, 1882.

5734 Metallic Alloys or Compounds, G. A. Dick, London — 1st December, 1882.

5744. Regulating Electric Currents, J. T. King, Liverpool.—2nd December, 1882.

5760 Bricks for Building Purposes, J. H. Johnson.

- London.—2nd December, 1882.

5768. Steam Engines, C. Ridealgh, Sunderland.—1th December, 1882.

5770. Shrapnel Shells, M. Delmand, Plumstead Common.—Ith December, 1882.

5806. Tightening Felloes of Wheels, A. M. Clark, London.—bth December, 1882.

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

5901. Belt Fasteners, W. H. Sleep, Cornwall.—9th December, 1882.

6113. Armour-plates, J. H. Johnson, London.—21st December, 1882.

6123. Folding Cot Carriages, T. Trotman, Camden Town.—22nd December, 1882.

6145. Flour-sifting Machines, H. E L. Bauermeister, Hamburg.—23rd December, 1882.

292. Making Salts of Strontia, Ac., W. A. Rowell, Newcastle-on-Tyne.—18f A January, 1883.

425. Valve Gear for Engines, J. H. Johnson, London. —2bth January, 1883.

510. Cutting ur Plastic Substances, J. H. Johnson, London.—39th January, 1883.

549. Electric Brushes, M. McMullin, London.—1st February, 1883.

556. Variable Expansion Gear for Engines Worked by Steam, Ac. , T. English, Hawley.—1st February, 1883.

607. Beaters for Thrashing Machines, R. and F. Garrett, Suffolk, and J. D. Ellis, Sheffield.—bth February, 1883.

701. File-cutting Machines, P. Ewens, Cheltenham. —8th February, 1883.

752. Coloured Marking Inks, Ac., J. Hickisson and Hi W. Langbeck.—lOt/i. February, 1888.

4335, 6d.; 4337, 6d.; 4338, 6d.; 4341, 6d.; 4342, 2d.: 4354, 2d ; 4345, 6d.; 4346, 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 Holbom, to Mr. H. Reader Lack, her Majesty’s Patent-office, Southampton-buildings, Chancery-lane, London.

4420, 6d.; 4427, 6d.; 4436, 4d.; 4456, 10d.; 4496, is. 4d.; 4587, 6d.; 4589, 4d.; 4605, 4d ; 5151, 6d.; 6181, 4d.; 127, 6d.; 267, 6d.; 307, 6d.

as

enclosed

over

This

4182.    Apparatus for Shipping Coal and other Cargoes in Bulk, P. J. Messent, Tynemouth.—1st September, 1882. 8d.

This consists mainly of an endless chain of buckets running on timbers supported by a suitable frame or jib, from which a bight of the chain is pendent loosely through the hatchway into the hold of the vessel.

4183.    Railway Vehicles, W. L. Wise, Westminster.— -2nd September, 1882.—(A communication from B. R0)er, Dresden. lOd.

This relates to means for facilitating the passage of railway vehicles round a curve.

4184.    Metal Fencing, W. Bailey, Wolverhampton.— 2nd September, 1882. 6d.

The standard and “droppers” employed are of an angle or U section, and at each point where a wire is to be connected an L-shaped piece is punched out, so that the wire when strained tight is drawn into the vertical branch and is then secured by wedges.

4185.    Stoppers for Bottles, Jars, Ac., N. Thompson, Brooklyn, O. S.—2nd September, 1882. 6d.

bile or handle is formed preferably of wire bent to the required shape to enable it to lie partially around the head piece or cap of the stopper, or in some cases around the neck of the bottle, and with turned in ends to serve as pivots for the same, such pivot ends

The

being of such a length as to permit of their coming underneath a flange or into a groove on the bottle neck when in a locked position, and of being released from such flange or groove when it is required to remove the stopper from the bottle.

4180. Voltaic Batteries, L. Hartmann, Myddleton-square.—2nd September, 1882.— (Not proceeded with.)

This relates to the construction of a battery for lighting purposes. Zinc is immersed in a solution of potassium or sodium hydroxide. Acidulated water is the positive element, and carbon or similar substance the negative.

are added thereto, e acid washed away. The magma is then dissolved in a sufficient quantity of liquid ammonia, aadtog 75 parts of hyposulphite of soda with two parts of glycerine and one of tincture of cantharides.

4193. Machine for Cutting, Pleating, and Sewing the Linings of Hats, W. H. Beck, London. - 2nd September, 1882.—(A communication from L. Chosson, Paris.) Od.

The linings, which are manufactured complete by this machine, comprise a circular or elliptic crown and a band of greater or less depth, pleated up into pleats of any desired width and connected to the crown by sewing.

4190. Apparatus for Recording Votes, J. Lazenby, Damall.—2nd September, 1882. 6d.

This consists principally of an outer lock-up case, with outside knobs or handles, to be actuated by the voter, and giving motion inside the case to an index wheel and figured tape, by which the number of votes recorded may be read off instantly.

4197- Sewing Machines, J. Warwick, Manchester.— 2nd September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) id.

This relates to improvements in the general struction of the machine.

4199. Hopper and other Dredgers, W. R. Kinipple, Greenock.—ith September, 1882. 6d.

This relates more especially to the construction of the hull of the vessel or dredger, and to the arrangement of the ladder, and of the chain of buckets carried thereon.

This

ANI)

1 Tanks are provided, from which the atmospheric air [ is exhausted by means of suitable air pumps driven by ! any fixed power, such as a steam engine, or a water or wind mill, and pipes connect these pumping engines with the said tanks, which pipes may be of any desired length.

4252. Paper-cutting Machines, W. H. and F. C. IF.

Latham, Bolton —7th September, 1882. 6d.

This relates to improvements in automatic selfclamping or means of holding paper, cloth, millboard, or other material in paper-cutting machines, immediately before and during the time the knife is cutting through such paper or material; and also an improved method of actuating the clutch and brake to insure certainty of action in giving motion to and stopping these machines.

process ;

Secondly, to a method of decorating or ornamenting glass and metals according to such process; Thirdly, to apparatus to be used in combination with the process.

832. Hydraulic Power for Raising Weights, Ac., W.

R Lake, London.—15th February, 1883.

847. Treating Steel Ingots, J. Gjers, Middlesbrough-on-Tees. —15th February, 1883.

892. Preventing Fluctuation of Gas in Mains, Ac.

C. G. Beechey, Liverpool.—170. February, 1883.

964 Producing Designs on Wood, A. Guattari, London.— 21st February, 1883.

1066. Metallic Strip Blanks for Barbed Fencing, &c., T. V. Allis, New York, U.S.—27th February, 1883. 1120. Telephonic Apparatus, W. R. Lake, London.— —1st March, 1883.

1135 Electrical Accumulators, W, R. Lake, London. - 2nd March, 1883.

1149 Obtaining Multiple Copies of Writings, Ac , A. Paget, Leicester.—3rd March, 1883.

1192.    Underground Conduits for Electric Wires, A. J. Boult, London.—6th March, 1883.

1193.    Wood-polishing Machines, A. J. Boult, London. —6 th March, 1883.

1201. Tongs, W. R. Lake London.—6th March, 1883.

(List of Letters Patent which passed the Great Seal on the 1st May, 1883.)

4693. Machinery for Excavating Earth, J. F. Sang, London. —3rd October, 1882.

5192. Measuring Water, Ac., J. A. Muller, London.— 31sf October, 1882.

5199. Water and Air Pressure Motors, A. J. Boult, London.—31st October, 1882.

5230. Purifying Coal Gas, C. Estcourt, Manchester. —2nd November, 1882.

5239. Furnaces, <fcc, A. J. Boult, London.—2nd November, 1882.

5244. Elevators for Grain, Ac., Substances, H. Garland, West Kirby, and R. Bennett, Liverpool.—3rd November, 1882.

5250. Supplying Baths, Ac., with Water, W. D. Scott-Moncrieff and W. Dodds, London.—3rd November, 1882.

5255. Decanting Liquids, D. G. Joy, Hull.—3rd November, 1882.

6253. Making Art ficial Ice in Blocks, T. D. Kyle, London.—3rd November, 1882.

5252. Window-fasteners, A. E. Crisp, London.—4th November, 1882.

5266. Closing Doors and Windows, R. Chapman, Patricroft, and J. Hibbert, Mahchester.—4tA November, 1882.

5270. Rowing Boats, A. J. Boult, London.—ith November, 1882.

5272. Coupling for Leather Hose, E. Nunan, London. —ith November, 1882.

5283. Translucent Plates or Sheets, W. Kennedy, Glasgow.—6th November, 1882.

5292. Centrifugal Separating Machines, F. H. F.

Engel, Hamburg.—6th November, 1882.

5307. Velocipedes, R. E. Phillips, Anerley.—7th November, 1882.

5342. Preparing Wire for Securing Corks in Bottles, H. H. Lake, London.—8th November, 1882.

5346. Incandescent Electric Lamps, J. Jameson, Newcastle upon-Tyne.—9tA November, 1882.

5355. Stays and Corsets, M. G. Totterdell, Landport.

—    9th November, 1882.

5361. Washing, Ac., Machines, G. P. Rotliwell, Lytham—lOtA November, 1882.

536). Treating Vegetable Fibrous Substances, J. A.

Graham, London.—10th November, 1882.

5373. Electric Lamps, J. M. Boullon, I. Propert, and A. W. Soward London.—10th November, 1882.

5432. Musical Instruments, W. Booth, Rochdale.— Uth November, 1882.

5138. Conduction and Distribution of Electric Currents, R. E. B. Crompton, London.—15th November, 1882.

5497. Saggers, J. H. Johnson, London.—18th November,

5503. Obtaining Motive Power, L. L’Hollier and G.

Asher, Birmingham. —20t/i November, 1882.

5508. Rotary Gas Engine, J. C. Mewburn, London.— 20tA November, 1882.

5538. Wheels for Vehicles, W. R. Lake, London.— 21st November, 1882.

5584. Electric Bell, W. R. Lake, London.—23rd November, 1882.

5635.^ Shears, H. H. Lake, London.— 21 th November,

5661. Automatically Winding up Clockwork, W. R.

Lake, London.—28th November, 1882.

5686. Glass Furnaces, J. H. Johnson, London.—29tA November, 1882.

5763. Protecting Chimneys, Ac., of Ships of War against Shot, P. Jensen, London.—2nd December,

5789. Pneumatic Railways, A. W. L. Reddie, London. —5th December, 1882.

5826. Heating Water, Ac., A. G. V. Harcourt, Oxford.

—    6th December, 1882.

5997. Ironing and Pressing Machine, H. A. Oldershaw, Leicester.—15tA December, 1882.

Fires, Wt. T. Sugg, London.—22nd December,

0204. Velocipedes, W. P. Thompson, Liverpool.— 28t7i December, 1882.

44. Knitting Machines, H. J. Allison, London.—3rd January, 1883.

95. Attaching Various Utensils to their Handles,

J. Lee, London.—8th January, 1883.

203. Iron Hand-rail Stanchions, W. Rockliffe, Sunderland.—130. January, 1883 65. Separating Solids, T. B. Sharp, Smethwick.— \6th January, 1883.

293. Salts of Strontia, W. A. Rowell, Newcastle-on-Tyne.—180 January, 1883.

4.3'. Ventilating Apartments of Railway Carriages,

A. R. Holland, London.—260 January, 1883.

524. Harvesting Machines, B. Samuelson and W. G.

Man waring, Banbury.—31st January, 1883.

581. Slotting Machines, H. J. Haddan, London.—2nd February, 1883.

657. Lamps, R. Ogden, Manchester, and R. J. Anderson, Liverpool.—60 February, 1883.

671. Lubricators, H. J. Haddan, London.—7th February, 1883.

677. Boiler Furnaces, A. Pinkerton, Glasgow.—7th February, 1883.

722. Springs for Stoppers for Bottles, Ac., J. S. Davison, Sunderland.—0th February, 1883.

736.    Transparent Block Ice, M. Mutter, Stockport.— 90 February, 1883.

737.    Producing Metallic Solutions, C. R. A. Wright, London.—9th February, 1883.

751. Coloured Marking Inks, J. Hiekisson and H. W.

Langbeck, London.—100 February, 1883.

795 Fastening for Purses, &c., F., H., and F.

Dowler, Aston.—130 February, 1883.

858. Collecting Rain Water, C. G. Roberts, Hasle-mere.—160 February, 1833.

890. Maintaining Proper Level of Water in Steam Boilers, H. H. Lake, London.—170 February, 1883. 924. Electric Meter, A S. Butler, Fife.— 200 February, 1883.

910. Electric Cables, &c., A. M. Clark, London.—99th February, 1883.

962 Machines for Mortising Wood, J. H. Johnson, London.—21st February, 1883.

List of Specifications published during the wee* ending April 28th, 1883.

3545, 6d.; 3853, Is. 2d.; 4167, 6d.; 4172, 6d.; 4220, 4d.; 4234, 2d.; 4247, 6d.; 4248, 6d.; 4255, 2d.; 4257, 6d.; 4257, 2d.; 4259, 2d.; 4260, 10d.; 4261, 2d.; 4262, 8d.; 4263, 6d.;    4268,    2d.;    4269,    2d.;    4270,    Is.;    4274,    6d

ABSTRACTS OF SPECIFICATIONS.

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

3545. Treating Steel Ingots, Ac., J. Gjers, Middles-brough-on-Tees.—26th July, 1882. 6d.

This relates to improvements on patent No. 1089, a.d. 1882. According to one arrangement the inventor employs portable soaking pits constructed in a mass of brickwork mounted on a carriage or wheels, the arrangement being such that the material in which the pit is formed will absorb a large amount of heat whilst in use, so that if an ingot placed therein should be short of heat its temperature will be raised by heat stored in the brickwork of the pit, which thus acts as an accumulator of heat, giving and taking heat required.

4087- Lighting of Railway Trains by Electricity, H. E Newton, Chancery-lane.—26th August, 1882.— (A communication from the Society Universelle d’Elec-tricite Tommasi, Paris ) Is.

This relates to improvements on the inventor’s previous patent No. 4057, 20th September, 1881, according to which generators weie driven from the axles of the carriages which charged secondary batteries, which in turn supplied electric lamps with current. The present improvements relate to a contact breaker for cutting the generator out of the circuit when it ceases to act efficiently and also to regulate the intensity of the current; to an arrangement for automatically reversing the poles of the generator on the backing of the train; and to means for transmitting motion from one of the axles of the guard's van to the generators in that van.

4107. Instantaneous Boat Disengaging Apparatus, C. Mace and J. Brewster, Sunderland.—1st September, 1882. 6d.

This relates to the application of sliding carriages operated by gearing from within the boat, to set free hinged cross bars and instantaneously disengage the boat from the tackle hooks.

4172. Frames of Bags, V. Huppe, Offenbach-on-the-Maine.—1st September, 1882.    6d.

This relates to the method of connecting the pull or tirette to the frame of bags and like articles.

4174.    Meters for Water, &c., J. Rettie, London.— 1st September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This consists essentially of two diaphragms by their edges in bellied cases, so that their central parts can move to and fro under the action or force of the inflowing water, and as they move they press against studs or levers which are connected to rods working in stuffing boxes, so that the inflow taps can be operated therefrom, the reverse movements of the levers from the back action of the studs causing the taps to be shifted to open the outflow passages through the same taps.

4175.    Securing Heads of Brooms to their Handles, IF J. Sage, London.—1st September, 1882. id.

This relates to appliances shaped to fit the heads of brooms and of their handles, that the two may be securely connected one to the other thereby.

4170 Printing Machines, W. S. Hope, Southwark.— 1st September, 1882. 6d.

This relates to perfecting printing machines, the objects being, First, the equal travel of the type under the cylinder whilst taking the impression ; Secondly, delivery of the printed sheet on a table or board the outer form outside cylinders, and not as heretofore on a board or table between the two cylinders ; Thirdly, a more steady ascent and descent of the cylinders; Fourthly, an improved adjustment of the inking and distributing roller carriages, by which means varied sized rollers may be worked as required.

4177- Fish Bolts for Railway Fastenings, A. M. Tippett, Barrow-in-Furness. —1st September, 1882.— (Not proceeded with.) 41.

The bolt is split through the threads up the centre and the nut screwed on, and the two halves of the split portion are forced open.

4178 Secondary or Storage Batteries, D. G. FitzGerald, Brixton, and T. J. Jones, Hanover-square.— 1st September, 1882. id.

relates to the employment of carbon in conjunction with finely-divided lead or an oxide or inso-..uble salt of this metal, as the electrode which is to constitute the cathode in charging (or, in other words, the support for the reduced metal which becomes the cathode), and the anode in discharging the secondary battery. The other electrode may be metallic lead in conjunction with finely-divided lead (not compressed), or with an oxide or insoluble salt of this metal, or any other suitable plate.

4180.    Carbons for Incandescent Electric Lamps,

J. Jameson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.—1st September. 1882. id.

This relates to a means of forming carbons for incandescent lamps from carbon deposited from gas or vapour in U-shaped troughs.

4181.    Apparatus for Producing High Vacuum, J. Jameson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.—1st September, 1882.

6 d.

This relates to the construction of an apparatus in which mercury or oil of vitriol, or both, are employed as the lute whereby the part ®f the apparatus in which the highest vacuum is separated from a part wherein a less vacuum is maintained.

4187.    Breech-loading Small-arms, E. James, Birmingham.—2nd September, 1882. 6d.

This relates to so constructing drop-down guns that the lifting of the hammers to full cock is effected by the lifting of the breech ends of the barrels from the break off for charging. When the gun is opened a slide is forced back and made to operate the cocking slide by an incline on the front lump of the barrels the slide being returned to its place on closing the barrels by the back lump on the barrels striking against the raised cocking lever.

4188.    Machinery for Preparing Wool and other Fibrous Substances, 1. Bailey, Keighley.—2nd September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with ) 2d.

According to one arrangement the “ gill combs ” are dispensed with, and a series of combs are mounted between two circular plates, the number of combs being greatly increased.

4189.    Steam Engines, A. W. Pattie and G. W. Robertson, Glasgow.—2nd September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to improvements in three-cylinder steam steering engines.

4190.    Accumulating and Utilising the Illuminating Power of Combustion from Gas or Oils, H. Defty, London.—2nd September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.)

This relates to an arrangement of metal or terracotta substances in a hollow tube form varying in design as may be required to square, round, hexagon, octagon, or angular form. These chambers are named the disc stock holder, into which the gas or oils supplied is fed from the main by one or more braches to keep a continuous and uniform supply in the stock or holder immediately around this stock or holder.

4191. Hair Restorer, E. Edmonds, London.—2nd September, 1882.—(A communication from J. Braith-waite, Paris.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

One hundred parts of metallic bismuth are dissolved in about 300 parts of azotic acid, and 75 parts of tartaric acid (dissolved in water)

The mixture is then filtered and th

4192. Electro-hydraulic Meter, R. Hammond and L. Goldenberg, Cannon-street.—2nd September, 1882. (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to a meter which records the consumption of electricity on dial plates, by which the current is cut off when the meter ceases to act, the action of which is dependent upon a flow of water.

4194.    Covering and Protecting the Contents of Railway Trucks, H. S. King, London.—2nd September, 1882.—(A communication from H. Davies, India.)-(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The cover or sheet is spread over a frame.

4195.    Machinery for the Manufacture of Paper Bags, T. Coates, Carlisle, and N. Chandler, Hednes-ford.—2nd September, 1882. 8d.

This consists partly in the use of sets or pairs of rollers, in order that the part of the paper which afterwards forms or closes the bottom of the bag, shall be pasted and folded after the sheet of paper is folded in half, or nearly so, by the first pair of rollers, and so that the projecting part of the paper which forms or closes the side of the bag shall be pasted and folded after it has travelled in a direction at right angles to its width, and after the bottom part of the bag has been pasted and folded.

con-

4200.    Handles for Bicycles, Ac , G. S. Kelsey, Birmingham.—ith September, 1882. 2d.

The handles are made of woven wire or other material having perforations, or put together so as to leave spaces to admit of a free current of air through the handles, thereby keeping the handles cool.

4201.    Apparatus for Carbonising Air or Gas, H. Defty, London—ith September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to construct a generator of gas within the power of every householder.

4204. Metal Wagons, A. H. Wallis, Basingstoke.— ith September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

. The doors and sides are strengthened against internal pressure or external blows, by stamping the metal between dies, so as to assume a concave or dished form on the outer side, leaving a certain portion flat all round the dished part.

4205. Copying Presses, &c., H. J. Haddan, Kensington.—ith September, 1882.— (A communication from A. Schapiro, Germany.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d. relates to presses for producing copies from paper, lithographic stones, Ac. The pressure is produced by a roller passed over the printing surface, and pressed against the lattet by the variable tension of a pair of strings or tapes attached with one end or with both ends to the holder of the roller, and excentrically to the latter.

4200. Warming, Purifying, Disinfecting,

Medicating Air for Inhaling, S. At. Darier-Gide, Geneva.—ith September, 18S2.—(Provisional protection not allowed.) 2d.

This relates to the employment of air tubes to be worn next the body,

4207- Magic Lantern Lamps, F. Newton, London — —ith September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

1 our flat wicks are employed, the two centre wicks are placed parallel to one another, and those on either side are placed at a slight angle to the central wicks.

4209. Manufacture of Starch and Food for Animals, H. H. Lake, London.—ith September, 1882.—(A communication from W. T. Jebb. New York.) 6d.

This relates partly to the method of recovering the valuable particles contained in the waste water of factories in which starch is manufactured from grain and other substances, which method consists in filtering such waste water through suitable filter cloths.

4208. Apparatus for Actuating Railway Signals, &c., R. Evans and H. Bennett, London.—ith September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the construction and arrangement of mechanism for actuating the distant and other signals of railways.

4234. Implements for Raising or Digging Potatoes and Forking and Cleaning Land, S. Corbett, Wellington.—6th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to effect the rapid and economical removal of the potatoes from the soil without injury to them.

4247- Utilising Pneumatic Pressure as Motive Power, W. R Lake, London —6th September, 1882. —(A communication from G. V. Sheffield, New York.)

4253. Steel Frames and Pin Plates for Pianofortes, Ac., E. Parr and J. R. Gibson, London.— 7th September, 1882. 2d.

This consists in the magnetisation of steel frames and pin plates.

4255. Plating Iron and Steel with Silver without an Electric Battery, H. S. Elworthy, Stratford.— 7th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The inventor takes one ounce of nitrate of silver and dissolves it in a small quantity of water, and precipitates the silver by the addition of hydrochloric acid or any other soluble chloride to the above solution, and thereby obtains a white precipitate of chloride of silver. He further dissolves four ounces of hyposulpliide of sodium in one quart of water, and to this solution is added the chloride of silver with agitation, and thereby obtains a clear solution or fluid, which, without further preparation, deposits a coating of pure silver on the clean surfaces of iron or steel articles when applied to them either by rubbing or with a spoDge, Ac.

4250. Ornamenting or Decorating Glass, Metals, 1882 W'd ^ Toye, Philadelphia.—7th September,

This relates, First, to improvements in the preparation of the materials to be used in the

4257. Manufacture of Glass Coverings for Keys of Musical [Instruments, L. A Qroth, London.— 7th September, 1882.—(A communication from B. Kohl and K. Voigthilber, Dresden.)—(Not proceeded with ) 2c?.

This relates to a process for manufacturing the keys of glass, and to the mode of fixing them.

4259. Umbrellas and Sunshades, W. E. Knight, Stoke Newington. —7th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the construction of the springs.

4201.    Saddles, J. P. Rees, Dalston.—7th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the construction of the saddle so as to prevent a child falling off the horse.

4202.    Apparatus for Purification of Gas, W. W. Box, Cranford.—7th September, 1882. 8d.

This relates to the construction of gas scrubbing and washing apparatus with radial arms and perforated metal plates.

4203.    Mule Throstle Spinning and Doubling Machinery, W. Lancaster, Accrington, and E. Slater, Burnley.—7th September, 1882. 6d.

This relates, First, to the employment of plates, cups, or boxes, instead of the ordinary rings; Secondly, to the use of wheels or pulleys made either wholly or partially of flexible material, for the purpose of giving motion to the first moving parts of these machines.

4204.    Boxes or Trunks, C. H. Stanbury, London.— 7th September, 1882. 6d.

This relates to improvements in boxes or trunks, which are made telescopic, i.e., the upper part carrying the lid is separate from the lower part, and these two parts slide the one within the other.

4205.    Washing Apparatus for Treatment of Paper Making Materials, Ac., W. B. Nation, Harlesden Green.—7th September, 1882. 6d.

This relates to washing apparatus consisting of vats with movable troughs let into a surface, upon which the heavier matters settle, and with scrapers or instruments passing over such surfaces and sweeping the deposit into the troughs.

4207. Handles for Table Cutlery, Ac , J. Fee. Sheffield.—7th September, 1882.—(Notproceeded with.)

This consists of a combined metallic and non metallic handle, the metallic portion being made from a strip lor strips) of sheet metal, which forms a complete handle, but which is indented or recessed to receive the non-metallic portion.

4208.    Transmitting Rotary Motion by Friction, Ac., T. Foster, Manchester.—7th September, 1882.— (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the employment of coned pulleys and to their arrangement.

4209.    Distillation of Coal, If. Croicther, near Huddersjield.—7th September, 1882.— (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This consists in the use of superheated steam for the distillation of coal.

4271- Automatic Pressure and Vacuum Brakes, J. C. Peache, Crewe.—8th September, 1832. 6d.

This consists in applying a valve or cock to allow air to exhaust from the pressure reservoir or enter into the vacuum chamber, connected with the cylinder, diaphragm, sack, or other equivalent apparatus, for actuating the brakes of the vehicle, this cock or valve being combined with, and actuated by, a small cylinder, diaphragm, or other equivalent arrangement, which communicates directly with the train pipe. 4272. Coating Iron Surfaces with Nickel, E. Edwards, London.—8th September, 1882. —(A communication from F. Blanday and A. Dumas, Bordeaux.)—(Got proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is the coating of iron plates or articles manufactured of iron with nickel, without the necessity of first coating such iron with copper.

4274.    Portable Case for Disinfectants, Perfumes, Ae., N. Mac I. Rapp and H. W. Herbst, London.— 8th September, 1882. 6d.

The case or receptacle consists of two portions or halves, each of which forms a shallow tray or dish, and these portions when combined constitute the case or receptacle.

4275.    Manufacture of White Lead, Ac., W. V. Wilson, London.—8th September, 1882. 2d.

The inventor treats the white lead by preference in the wet state with caustic potash, soda, or ammonia. 4270. Treatment of Retene for Obtainment of Anthracene, Ac., R. Irvine, Edinburgh.—8th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The process has for its object the decomposition of

*‘retene” into certain products, but chiefly with the view of the production of anthracene therefrom. 4277- Treatment of Starchy Substances, &c., W. Lawrence, London.—8th September, 1882.    8d.

The apparatus consists of one or more injectors made singly or in bunches for throwing the starchy matter from one injector or bunch into the next one, and so on.

4278. Lamps, F. Siemens, Dresden.- 8th September, 1882.— (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to means for deflecting the flame of the burner.

or more

4285. Machines for Cutting, Grinding, and Polishing Sheets or Plates of Glass, IF. R. Lake, London.—8th September, 1882.—(A communication from H. Thivollet, Lybns.) 6d.

This relates to improvements in the general struction of the machine.

4287- Open Fire-gratfs, C. Jervoise, Torquay.— 8th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to provide a means for controlling the combustion of fuel in an open fire-grate, and to allow of the grate being used either for slow or quick combustion.

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which is cast with a tube B dipping down into mercury contained in chamber A. Within the tube is a float D resting on the mercury and connected by a stem and rope to the throttle valve, so as to open it when the float rises and close it as the float falls.

4290.    Means for Working Valves for Sanitary Purposes, &c., IF. G. Stuart, London.—9th September, 1882. 6d.

The inventor claims the combination and use with a valve or valves used for sanitary and other purposes, and constructed with a diaphragm—or piston—of a double or single-acting air or liquid pump-preferably of a double-acting combined hollow plunger and bucket pump—and of a regulating pipe or passage.

4291.    Gas Burners, J. J. Shedlock, Barnet.—9th September, 1882. fid.

This consists in forming on the sides of the burner body a number of projections which are enclosed by an outer case, so that the gas in its passage through the body is forced to take a tortuous route, and being divided into thin streams in contact with the heated sides of the burner, it becomes considerably raised in temperature, and expanded before issuing at the orifices or point of ignition of the gas.

4292.    Lawn Tennis Bats, A. A. Trimmings, London. —9th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to a new method of stringing the gut.

4293.    Multiple or Cylinder Engines, F. Wynne, 9th September, 1882. 6d.

The invention consists chiefly in the mode of connecting the piston-rods and controlling their motion to a revolving shaft or drum.

4294.    Apparatus for Raising, Lowering, and Con-Substances, F. J. Harrison, Rock Ferry

Chester.—9th September, 1882. 6d.

This relates to the raising and lowering of the elevating mechanism by screws and bevel gear.

4295 Manufacture of Iron and Steel, IF. IF. Chip-men, New York.—9th September, 1882. 4d.

The inventor claims the manufacture of steel

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modification the apparatus corn-

over

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2d.

■Id.

j___1 lever V is keyed to the wheel I, and can he

retained in any position by a notched quadrant and detent. Upon lever T is fixed a stud V, on which two wheels 2 and 3, made in one piece, turn, the former gearing with wheel 1, and the latter with wheel 4 on shaft S. The outer end of lever T is connected to the crosshead or other reciprocating part of the engine. X is a hand pump connected to the water cylinder G. 4331. Producing Stamped or Embossed Fabrics, J.

4319.    Rollers for Grinding, Pointing, and    Coates, London.—12th September,    1882.—(Aof    pro-

Sharpening Cards, J. S<,kes, near Huddersfield.—    ceeded with.) 2d.    .    , .

llt/i September, 1882 -(Not pi acceded with.) 2d.    A heated smooth iron roller is employed in super-

, The rollers consist of a number of discs or rings position to the wooden roller, upon which the requisite composed of emery or metal, or other material covered designs has been previously cut or produced, or coated with emery.    4332. Machinery for Preparing or Manufac-

4320.    Rollers Employed for Pointing, Grinding,    Turing Linoleum, &c,, D. Hendry and J. Melville,

and Sharpening Cards, J. Sykes, near Hudders-    Kirkcaldy.—-12th September, 1882.    fid.

neld.-llth September, 1882. fid.    The object is to effect in a continuous manner the

The inventor claims a roller comprising angular various operations in manufacturing linoleum, whic

emery discs, working or rotating obliquely to their axes.

4321.    Shells or Projectiles for Small-arms, A. J.

Boult, London.—llth September, 1832 —(A communication from J. Christophe, S:urre.)-(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    ,,    , ,,

The projectile consists of three portions-the shell or chamber which contains the explosive or inflammable material, the cup or vessel containing the fuse and percussion powder or fulminate to ignite the fuse, and the sleeve which fits on to the end of the barrel.

4322.    Coupling and Uncoupling Railway Car riages, &c., G. F. Hopkins, Kensworth.—llth September, 1832.— (Not proceeded wUh.) 2d.

This relates to an arrangement for coupling and uncoupling carriages, &c., so as to obviate the necessity of the attendant going between the carriages.

4324.    Apparatus for Enlarging or Reducing Maps L. A. Groth, London —12th September, 1882.- (A communication from J. Eymannsberger and M. Menu, Paris.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to an apparatus in which is comprised a pointer, pencil, and elastic cord.

4325.    Screw Propellers, F. J. Croft, Birkenhead.— IWi September, 1882. — (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the construction and arrangement of the blades.

4326.    Cartridges, W. E. Heath, London—12th September, 1882 —(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the construction of a cartridge for firing a dart.

4327.    Combined Clothes Hook and Hat Peg, G. A.

Folker, London —12th September, 1882.—(d communication from A. F. Beckman, Vienna)-(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    '

This relates to a combined clothes hook and hat peg, which may be folded up and put in the pocket.

4328.    Cock or Tap, IV. Blight, Exeter.—12th September, 1832. 6d.    ...

This relates to the arrangement and construction of cocks or taps to utilise the pressure of the water supply in closing, or to assist in closing and to maintain closed the water-way of such cocks or tap3.

4329.    Starting, Stopping, and Reversing Steam Engines, ito , IF. H. Allen and R. Wright, Lambeth, and W. L. Williams, H estminster.-12th September, 1882. fid.

The invention is especially applicable to machinery in which the starting, stopping, and reversing gear is actuated by the pressure of steam on a piston, the movement of which is controlled by a second piston working in combination with it in a cylinder filled with water, the openings for the admission and dis-

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hive hitherto been generally effected by separate machines, and partly by hand, of conveying and mixing the ground cork and cementing materials forming the wearing surface, and of preparing, spreading, and pressing the mixed ingredients on to the binding woven fabric which forms the back of the linoleum.

means

6 d.

in com-

Opening, Closing, and

4279.    Loom Shuttles, J. Riley and A. Orrell, Bradford.—8th September, 1882.    6d.

This relates to the manufacture and employment of loom shuttles fitted with skewers or pikes having movable sections, so as to gradually take up or neutralise the actions of the percussive blows of the picker staffs on the shuttles, and of the sudden stoppage of the shuttles on the end of its stroke across the loom, thereby preventing waste of thread or yarn or of layers of thread or yarn.

4280.    Rotary Engines, A. Wagstoff, Hyde. — 8th September, 1882 —(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to an engine provided with three excentric pistons on the shaft.

4281.    Treatment of Peat, &c., S. Heinmann, Berlin. —8th September, 1882. 4d.

This relates to the process of preparing peat in order to render it capable for the manufacture of paving stones, railway sleepers, drain pipes, and other industrial purposes, which said process consists in pressing, drying, and grinding the peat, then mixing it in a heated condition with about 15 to 25 per cent, of the slag of aniline works or its equivalent, then casting it in moulds, so that the said products can be employed in a compressed or uncompressed state.

4282.    Machinery for Ring Spinning, &c , E. Clarke, Todmorden.—8th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the traveller used in ring spinning, the object being to maintain a uniform tension upon the yarn, to wind the same upon a spindle, tube, or bobbin sufficiently hard to enable a weft or twist to be spun on a bare spindle or tube or upon a bobbin.

4283.    Treatment of Coal for Coke and Bye-pro

ducts, R. de Soldenlioff, Louvain, Belgium.—8th September, 1882    6d.

The inventor claims the process and apparatus employed in the treatment of coal in order to obtain good metallurgic coke, together with the maximum of bye products.

4284.    Ornamentation of Wooden or other Surfaces, W. A. Hunter, near Penrith.—8th September, 1882 — (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The relates partly to the method of ornamenting wood or other materials by transferring or producing the forms of plants (either in the green or fresh state or after being dried or pressed), on the surfacing wood, or woven fabrics, or leather or paper, or other material, capable of being acted upon by dyeing or other materials.

4288. Govermng Apparatus for Steam Vessels, J. Dewrance and E. Wimshurst, London.—8th September, 1882. 4d.

The object is to control the throttle valve of marine engines when the'ship pitches, closing it as the stern lises and uncovers the propeller. A is a chamber with a sea connection at A¹, and closed at top by a cover,

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London.—

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oxide of iron ore or from slag or other suitable material containing oxide of iron, by the employment of a furnace or crucible whose inner surfaces are composed wholly or partly of graphite or plumbago; Secondly, the manufacture of steel or malleable iron in one operation, directly from pig or cast iron in an open hearth or reverberatory furnace by the introduction of a blast of heated air upon the surface of the metal in the furnace.

4296. Drying, &c., Organic and other Substances, B. H. Remmers, J. Wi'liamson, and W. Fairioeather, Glasgow. — 9th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with ) 2d.

According to one prises a series of endless carrying webs or bands fitted each other within a drying house or chamber. 4297- Joining Lead and other Pipes, C. Hinksman, London.—9th September, 18-2.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to the employment of a union joint, one half being fitted on the end of the two pipes to be joined.

4298.    Key-board Instruments, A. W. L. Reddie, London.—9th September, 1882.—(^f communication from C. T. Virot, Paris.) 6d.

This consists partly in the manner of pivotting the keys in pianofortes and other key-board instruments, whereby the raising or lowering of the centres of oscillation of the individual keys may be effected without removing the keys from their place.

4299.    Accumulators or Secondary Batteries, W. A. Barlow, London.—9th September, 1882.—(A communication from Messrs. L. Encausse and Canesie, Paris.) id.

This relates to secondary batteries in which no liquid is used, and which the inventor claims can be charged either by continuous or alternate currents. To carry out the invention, metal plates are embedded in common salt or sea salt that has been damped.

4300. Steam Engines, C. Jones, Liverpool.—9th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Passages or ways are provided for intercepting and conveying away any condensed steam at any point between the boilers and the condensers in condensing engines, and between the boilers and the final exit in high-pressure engines, and these passages or ways are connected to a feed pump, or the equivalent thereof, for delivering the hot water directly to the boiler. 4302. Apparatus for Indicating and Recording Amount of Salt in the Water of Steam Boilers, <fcc., the Hon. J. IF. Plunkett, Dunstall Priory, Kent.—9th September, 1882.    6d.

The inventor claims an instrument or apparatus for indicating or indicating and recording the density of liquids or solutions whilst boiling under pressure, the said apparatus consisting of means for indicating pressure, and means for indicating temperature, so combined, and in communication with the pressure and temperature in the boiler or other vessel, as by their conjoint action to give a constant indication or indication and record of the density of the liquid in the said boiler or vessel.

4306. Fire Escapes, P. K. Klein and E. E. Allen, London.—9th September, 1882.—(Not pi-oceeded with.)

This relates partly to the arrangement of the ladder.

4307.    Saving and Utilising the Waste Heat of Sugar Kefineries, IF. R. Lake, London.—9th September, 1882.—(A communication fiom S. M. Lillie, Philadelphia.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to processes and apparatus for saving and utilising the heat in the hot washings from the bone-black of sugar refineries.

4308.    Automatic Smoke Consumer and Fuel Economiser, /. Butler, Nottingham.—llth S ptember, 1882. fid.

This consists in forming a vertical circular-shaped perforation in each fire-bar employed in a furnace, through that end nearest the fire bridge; the upper end of the perforations is somewhat wider than the lower end, which forms a seat for a short tube to rest upon; these tubes are surrounded with fire-brick, but each tube can be withdrawn independently, so that a firebar may be taken out and be replaced by another bar.

4309.    Fowling-pieces, G. L. Jefferies, Birmingham. — llth September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This consists in fitting into the barrels of fowling-pieces a removable cylinder or bush, so that cartridge varying in their external diameter may be used in the same fowling-piece.

4310.    Match-boxes, E de Pass, London.—llth September, 1882. — (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The box is provided with a chamber, hood, guard, or shield for the insertion of a lighted match, so as to protect the flame from the wind.

4311.    Steering Engines, T. Davison, Glasgow.—llth September, 1882. 8d.

This relates to several improvements in the general construction.

4312.    Carbonisation of Coal and Coal Shale, <&c. , J. Hardman, near Stoke-upon-Trent.—llth September, 1882. 4d.

The inventor claims the mode and method of manufacturing benzole and its homologues from coal or coal shale, in such manner as that the coal or coal shale is car-bonised at such a temperature as that the gas tar and gas resulting therefrom shall be rich in benzole and its homologues, and in the case of the manufacture of benzole and its homologues from gas, the extraction thereof from crude or unpurified gas.

4313.    Ratchet Braces, H. J. Haddan, Kensington.— llfft. September, 1882.— (A communication from Breuer, Schumacher, and Co., Kalk, Germany.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to feed the drill automatically forward during the operation of drilling.

4314.    Manufacture of Shot, T. Spence, Gateshead.—

lltft September, 1882.    2d.

The inventor takes asbestos either in a pure state or combined with white lead or other suitable material in the form of sheets of various thicknesses, and a series of holes or perforations are made therein. The sheets are fitted into frames, to which a slight motion may be imparted. Through the holes or perforations in the sheets the particles of the molten lead or alloy of lead, with other metals which may be poured thereon, fall down a tower or pit into the water at the bottom.

4315.    Apparatus for Heating Water, Cooking, &c., M. J. O’Riordan, Cork.—lllh September, 1882.

The inventor claims a boiler or apparatus for heating water, &e., of an enamelled iron vessel or boiler surrounded by a jacket and heated by steam.

4317. Secondary or Storage Batteries, F. J. Chees-brough, Liverpool.—llth September, 1882.—(A munication from A. K. Eaton, Brooklyn, New York, US) 6 d.    .

The inventor uses amalgamated lead plates for one set of electrodes enclosed in asbestos board, and fills in the spaces between them with finely-divided carbon, either alone or mixed with finely-divided metal; a strip of copper is inserted in this mixture to form the pole. Sulphate of iron, copper, or other metallic salt is used as an electrolyte.

4318 Bottle Stands, H. Wigfull, Sheffield.—llth September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to construct a stand that can he instantly adjusted to suit the various sizes of bottles.

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charge of which are regulated simultaneously with the movement of the valve to admit and discharge the steam to and from the steam cylinder. A is the steam cylinder, and the rod C of its piston B is continued into the water cylinder G, and fitted with a second piston. The rod C actuates reversing or other gear at K by means of side links L. An ordinary slide valve M regulates the admission of steam to cylinder A, and a four-way cock N similarly regulates the admission and distribution of water in cylinder G. the valves being connected and operated by rods O jointed to a lever P upon shaft R turning in bearings. Upon this shaft R a lever T and a wheel I turn freely, whilst a

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4333.    Measuring Woven Fabrics, &c., R. Murdoch,

Glasgow. —12th September, 1882.    8d.

This relates to the arrangement of mechanism for the simultaneous and automatic measuring and marking or printing of the measurements in figures.

4334.    Boiler Furnaces, J. R Russell, Glasgow.—12th

September, 1882.    6d.

This relates to improvements in steam boiler furnaces designed for burning such fuel as husks of rice or paddy, sugar-cane, megass, wooden chips and sawdust, or coal dross or dust.

4335.    Machines for Hulling, Decorticating, and

Polishing Rice, &c., J. R. Russell, Glasgow.—12th September, 1882.    0d.

The hulling or decorticating of rice or other grain is effected by means of a long endless band, fitted with blocks of cement or other material, which is caused to travel rapidly over a second band of wire and cloth or other fabric, on which the rice or grain is slowly carried along in either direction while subjected to the frictional rubbing action of the more rapidly traversing band above. The polishing of the grain is effected by of similar bands, but the upper band is for this purpose covered or clothed with woolly sheepskin, manilla fibre, coir matting, or other similar rubbing surface.

4337.    Thread Winding Machines, /. IF. Shepherd

and IF. Ayrton, Longsight, and S. Hallam, Manchester.— 12th September, 1882.    6d.

One of the objects is to shorten the space required for each winding head in a frame of a given length or otherwise, to enable larger spools to be filled without increasing the length of the frame.

4338.    Apparatus for Facilitating the Dispensing or Drawing of Effervescent Liquids, IF. R. Lake, London.—12th September, 1882.- (A communication from L. Bergen, New York.) 6d.

This relates to an apparatus for dispensing effervescent liquids, in which is combined two compartments, a pipe leading to one compartment from the receptacle containing the liquid, a pipe or passage connecting this compartment and the other compartment directly together, and provided with a valve whereby the gas may be allowed to escape from the former compartment to the latter compartment, and an escape from the compartment last named to the atmosphere.

4341. Knitting Machinery, J. IF. Lamb and E. Attenborough, Nottingham.—12th September, 1882.

An elastic cushion is provided to receive the blow of the jack or sinker.

4342 Safety Valve Apparatus, A. IF. L. Reddie, London.—12th September, 1882.— (Not proceeded with ) 2d.

This relates to the employment of hydraulic pressure for closing safety valves.

4344.    Electric Lamp Carbons, R. Hammond and L. Goldenberg, Cannon-street.—12th September, 1882. —(Not proceeded with ) 2d.

This relates to the formation of carbon pencils by of finely-powdered plumb igo or other carbon intimately mixed with the powder of another substance, which is fusible by the heat of the arc. This mixture is packed in a tube.

4345.    Lanterns for Sporting Purposes, &c., A. J-Boult, London.—12th September, 1882.—(A communication from H. Lages, Germany ) 6d.

This relates to the combination in a lantern for sporting and other purposes of a magnesium wire, a candle, and means to light the same, so arranged that the candle will continue to burn after the magnesium light becomes extinct.

4346.    Mechanical Pianofortes, Organs, <fcc., IF. R. Lake, London.—12th September, 1882.—(A communication fiom J. Lacape and Co., Paris.) 6d.

The inventor employs a pedal in place of the crank handle usually employed. A fly-wheel is provided with an endless screw and a worm wheel for transmitting to the music cylinders the movement of the pedal. The cylinder, in addition to its rotary motion, is arranged in such a manner that a to-and-fro longitudinal movement may be imparted to it. Special mechanism is provided for changing the tunes, and a spring keyboard for transmitting to the hammers of the instrument the action of the cylinder.

4347.    Devices for Stoppering or Closing Bottles

containing Aerated Liquids, A. J. T. Wild, Peckham.—12£A September, 1882.    6d.

The inventor claims a stoppering device, consisting of a stopper provided with cork or other suitable material (other than india-rubber or its compounds), and formed with projections arranged to act ' bination with the projections and space in the neck of the bottle in opening and closing the same.

4349. Apparatus for Producing Chloride Gas and Metallic Sodium from Chloride of Sodium, A. L. Nolf, Brussels—12th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with ) fid.

This relates to means and apparatus for decomposing chloride of sodium by dynamic electricity into two constituent elements, viz., sodium and chlorine, the decomposition being effected by means of a special form of vat or trough, into which is placed the solution of chloride of sodium to be acted upon.

4353. Apparatus for

Securing Fanlights, &c., H. Pearce, London.—13th September, 1882. 6d.

This relates to the method of opening, closing, and securing fanlights, &c., by means of a rod with an Archimedean screw at one end, which can be made to revolve by means of bevel wheels or any other system, so as to turn the rod and screw round.

4354.    Endless Platforms of Grain Straw Gathering and Binding Machines, P Robinson, Saxby, Lincoln.—18th September, 1882.— (Void.) 2d.

This relates to a method of tightening up the travelling or endless platforms.

4355.    Galvanic Batteries, 0. C. D. Ross, Trafalgar-

road.—13 th September, 1882. (id.    _

This relates to improvements in batteries which render them more economical and powerful. The inventor uses carbon and zinc as his electrodes, and, to obtain a larger surface, makes his plates in the form of rods, which are united to one terminal. The inventor uses in the zinc cell a liquid, consisting of water acidulated with only one to two per cent, of sulphuric or hydrochloric acid, and, in the carbon cell,. water combined with hydrochloric or sulphuric acid and nitrous acid.

4356.    Globe Holders for Gas and other Burners or Lamps, G. H. Nash, Birmingham.—12th September', 1882. 6d.

This relates to an arrangement of globe holders, provided with arms or clips working on pivots.

4357.    Constructing Oil Stoves, Bird-cages, Lan

terns, &c., J. H. Stiles, South Norwood.—13th September, 1882. 6d.    ,

The object is to render the articles capable of beirg easily and rapidly taken to pieces.

4358.    Apparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling

Railway Trucks, &c , G. Fenwick, Gateshead-on-Tyne.— Yilh September, 1882.    6d.

The apparatus consists of a weigh bar supported in brackets on such end of the truck or wagon carrying two hanging arms (curved backward at their lower ends, in the eyes of which is suspended a weigh bar, having keyed upon it a boss carrying a pair of arms, the lower ends of which are united, and foim a lifting shoe to receive the end link of the coupling chain, which is prevented from slipping when raised to an angle by shoulders or pr jections at the upper end of

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4379. Manufacture of Iron and Steel, J. G.

Willans, Kilburn.—1 ith September, 1882. 4d.

Tho inventor claims, First, in the manufacture by a pneumatic process of steel or ingot iron from cast iron containing phosphorus, injecting along with the blast bauxite or like ore rich in alumina; Secondly, injecting into a Bessemer converter, together with the blast, a mixture of bauxite or like aluminous ore and lime.

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the shoe, where also a loop bridge may be formed to connect the forks.

4359.    Transmitting Motion to Sewing Machines, Ac , W and J. H. Beecroft, Leeds.—13th September, 1882.—(Rot proceeded with.)

This refers to an arrangement for transmitting motion to sewing machines; also for arresting or retarding the motion thereof.

4360.    Wool Combing Machines, T. H. Wharton and R. Smith, Bradford.—VAth September, 1882. (id.

This refers to the vertical slide to which the dabbing brush is attached for pressing the wool into the teeth of the circular comb

4361.    Self-acting Mules for Spinning Wool, Ac., J. Dransjield and J. Isselt, Dewsbury.—VAth September, 1882. 6d.

This relates to the employment of self-acting appa ratus for giving intermittent motion to the side wheels.

4362 Distributing Electricity, L. Gaulard, Bedford-square, and J. D. Gibbs, Bury-street.—VAth September, 1882. fid

This relates to a system by which induction coils are placed between the lamps in a house and the main circuit. The current in the main circuit may be produced by an alternate current machine and of high potential; in traversing the primary wire of the induction coil it will induce a current in the secondary wire which will feed the lamps. This secondary wire may be arranged in several separate coils, so as to be capable of connection in series or quantity, and to give a current of high or low tension accordingly.

4363- Gas Engines, A. M. Clark, London.—13th September, 1882.—(A communication from J. Schweizir, Paris.) Sd.

The essential feature of this invention is that tho working of the piston is due to the alternate action of the expansion—produced by the combustion of the explosive mixture—and of the resulting vacuum, the expansion and vacuum acting directly upon tho piston, and causing it to perform its outward and inward stroke. The engine consists mainly of the chambered drum A, piston B, and regulating apparatus to supply the gas to the drum. There are two burners, the flame of one being directed into the drum,

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and the other serving to relight tha former should it ba extinguished. An exhaust fan is used to extract the products of combustion from the drum. The drum A is mounted on a shaft, and rotated by gearing within a case, and botween two covers, in tho upper part of which are two apertures, at which the compartments of the drum are presented in succession. The compartments are successively filled with air and gas, and exploded as tho drum revolves, thus actuating tho piston B.

4364.    Manufacture of Caustic Alkalies, Ac , W.

L. Wise, Westminster.—lith September, 1882.—(A

nication from Dr. C. Lowig, Breslau ) id. Tho inventor claims the production of caustic soda and caustic potash by heating carbonate of soda or carbonate of potasli (according as .caustic soda or caustic potash is required) with oxido of iron.

4365.    Feed Motions for Turning Latiiei, T. Shanks,

jun., Johnstone.—Mile September, 1882.    8d.

Tho object is to arrange and combine foed motion details for turning lathes in an improved manner, and so that the rate of feed can at any time, and without interrupting the work, be altered to any’ extent with facility.

4366.    A Joint for Electrical Lamps, Ac., W. R

IVynne, High Uolborn.—lith September, 1832.—(Not proceeded with.) id.

This relates to a joint which can be utilised for putting in and removing lamps in shops or outside, as required, without interfering with other lamps in tho circuit.

4367.    Electric Lighting. W. Morgan - Broicn, London.—14th September, 1882.—(d communication from F. Schmidt, Prague, Bohemia.) 61.

This relates to the regulation of the arc by means of the differential action cf two or more solenoids, one wound with fine wire and the other with thick, the carbons being connected to the thick wire circuit, which operates to separate them, whilst the action of the other electro-magnet tends to cause them to approach.

4308. Venetian Window Blinds, G. S. Marshall, Birmingham.—lith September, 1882. id.

This relates to an arrangement for fixing the cords.

4369.    Window Sash Fastenings, W. A. MacLeod,

Birkenhead.—14 th September, 1SS2.    6d.

This relates to a sliding window fastener, consisting of a i elf-acting spring catch, bolt, and a guarded slide.

4370.    Apparatus fir Grinding, Trueino, Surfacing, Ac., II. Slack, Sheffield.—lith September, 1882. Gd.

This relates to improvements in apparatus for grinding, trueing, surfacing and polishing, specialty applicable to the trueing and factog of metallic bars by tho construction of a disc or annular side grinding or polishing appliance, made up of or built up of segmental blocks or blocks of other equivalent or suitable form secured in the said disc or chuck by wedges, adjusting screws or equivalent appliances, and with suitably arranged spaces between the said blocks.

4371.    Dyeing or S zing Hanks, Ac., J. Conlong, Blackburn.—14ffi September, 1882. Gd.

This relates to the construction of the reel or swift, having for its object the equal expansion of the arms wlisn rotated by centrifugal 4373. Steam Boilers, H. J. Haddan, London.—(A communication from, J. Bergmann, Hattingen.) — - 1 ItA September, 1882.—(A'ot proceeded with.) id. The object is to utilise the gases of combustion in a high degree, without unnecessarily increasing the weight of the iron parts, and so cause the deposition of mud at a place little exposed to iha heat.

4372.    Machine for Cleaning and Separating Grain, Ac., from their Impurities, J. and R. N. Davidson, Neiccastle-upon-Tyne, and A. Miller Gateshead.—lith September. 1882. Gi.

For separating and cleaning grain from its impurities the machine is constructed with riddles of different sizes of perforation, also of different sizes of meshes of round wire placed lengthways of the machine, all fixed like drawers in a frame or chest, set on springs at a proper angle, so as to give the grain a smooth action on the riddles.

4374.    Ships, Ac., T. Hyatt, Kensington.—lith September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) id.

This relates partly to means for applying the principle of force or mechanical floatation to vessels to prevent sinking.

4375.    Hydraulic Lifts, J. S. Stevens and C. <?• Major, London.—14th September, 1882. (id.

This relates to a hydraulic lift in which the cage is carried on a ram the full length of travel, the method of balancing such ram ar.d cage being by means of an independent balancing cylinder, connected by beam or levers to a driving ram and cylinder.

4376 Dynamo-electric Machines, M. Deprez, Paris. —14th September, 1882. 8d.

This relates to improvements in dynamo machines, the special objects of which are to adapt them for transmitting electricity to a distance, to be utilised as a motive power. The inventor has taken the Gramme machine as his model. One improvement consists in an improved hub for mounting the ring armature on its shaft; another in a method of winding the magnets so as to insure good insulation when high tension currents are used. The inventor arranges metal discs in couples at short distances from each other, and winds the wire in the space between these discs, keeping the whole immersed in an insulating material. A series of washers is thus obtained, which, when arranged in juxtaposition from the inducing magnet, the free ends of the washers being so arranged that they can be coupled up for tension or quantity, or a mixture of both. Another improvement relates to an arrangement of the armature coils in connection with this collector, which allows of these coils being coupled up in any way that may be required. Another improvement consists of a commutator for throwing “progressive” resistances into a high tension circuit when a break occurs, so as to avoid “ extra currents.”

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Another improvement consists in the combination of two armatures and two sets of electro-magnets, forming two machines on one foundation. Another improvement rolates to the winding of the armature and electro-magnets of these machines with two sets of wire as follow : -Tho eloctro-magnets are wound with thick wire forming two separate circuits; one of tho armatures is also wound with thin wire and the other with thick. Tho fine wire armature is connected to lino, and the fine wire magnet is connected in tension or in a shunt. The thick wire armature is connected with tho thick wire magnet. The line current enters the thin wire magnet and armature, and the machine is set in motion. Thereupon the thick wire armature induces a current in the thick wire magnet and completes the oxciting of the magnets. When the required speed has been attained a centrifugal interrupter placed in the fine wire magnet outs this circuit, and the machino continues to work by tho excitation from the thick wire armature. The illustration herewith shows the method of winding adopted and tho centrifugal governor. Other improvements are described and claimed.

4378 Gas Engines, J. Atkinson, London.—14t/i September, 1882.    10d.

This rolates to sevoral improvements in tho general construction of the engine.

4380.    Suspended Horizontal Bars used for

Dividing Staples into Stai.is, G. Welling, Camberwell.— Hth September, 1882.    6d.

The object is to avoid the risk of horses getting injured by boing held suspended upon the bars.

4381.    Manufacture of Match-boxes, Ac , W. R. Lake, London—142A September, 1882.—(A communication from A. Widestrchn, Stockholm.) 10d.

This relates to machines for the manufacture of the extorior cases of match-boxes, which cases consist of folded sealeboards. of wood, or other suitable material, held together by paper pasted thereon, which paper either entirely surrounds the case when no special label is required, or only partially covers it, in which case a special label is applied by the said machine.

4382    Steel Strips, Ac., Used in Crinolines and Dress Improvers, C Baker and. G. J. Badcock, London.—Hth ieptar.ber, 1882.— (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Tho edges of the steel strips are made serrated or wavy.

4383    Construction of Walls, Ac., F. Bander, Venezuela.—14fA September, 1882.—(A’ot proceeded with )

This relates to tho construction of walls. Ac., in which the blocks, bricks, or other component parts are made to bond or interlock with one another.

4384 Machinery for Preparing, Spinning, and Doubling Cotton, Stlk, Ac., T. Be ry, Rochdale. —141/i. September, 1882. id.

This relates to the construction of the spindle or flyer, and of a bearing.

4336. Lead and Crayon Holders, J. H. Johnson, London—14fA September, 1882.— (A communication from J. Reckendorfer, New York.) 8d.

This relates partly to means whereby the lead, when released from the control of the lead-clamping or grasping mechanism, is prevented from dropping from the sheath or case beyond a definite predetermined distance.

4388.    Gas Engines, J. Atkinson, London.—15tli September, 1882.    6d.

This relates to the construction of engines having three vertical or horizontal cylinders.

4389.    Stoppering Bottles, Jars, Ac., J. J. Rawley,

London.—15tA September, 1882.    6d.

This consists of a stem caused to travel through a rolling packing I’ing. which ring takes its permanent bearing or seat against a shoulder inside the neck of the bottle, thereby closing the neck, and at the same time gripping the stem so firmly as to prevent its displacement by internal pressure.

4392.    Frames of Umbrellas and Parasols, H. J. Haddan, Kensington.—15r7j. September, 1882 —(A communication from C. Ntwmcis’er, Leipzig.) 6d.

This relates more particulaily to automatically opening umbrellas having two sets of stretchers.

4393.    Apparatus for Production and Increase or Modification of Musical Sounds, J. Burnet, Ceylon.—15th September, 1882.—{Rot proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to tho employment of vibrators.

4395. Stocks and Dies for Bolt and Pipe Cutting, Ac., C. Neil, Sheffield-—15th September, 1882. 6d.

This consists partly in the dies of stocks for bolt and pipe cutting, the formation of same with cutting edges at the corners instead of tlie sides, whereby one pair cf dies will screw four sizes with the cutting edges at best angle for work and for sharpening and clearing.

4390. Electric Lamp Holders, J. W. Swan, Newcastle-on. Tyne, and C. Swan, Pimlico.—15th September, 1882. Gd.

The object of this invention is to ensure good electrical connection between the terminal loops of incandescent lamps and the conductors. The illustration shows a holder embodying this invention. A is a nonconducting holder in which are inserted wires B, upon which are formed hooks B³, under which the terminal loops C of the lamp are pissed, The hooks B³ are so

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formed as to admit of the ready passage of C thereunder, and wires B are continued in one or more coils which lie close to the curve of the hook, so that C engage between and are nipped closely by two or more contiguous laps of the hooks. The inward ends of these hooks are bent at right angles and inserted and soldered into the binding screws D. When the lamp is not pendent spring wire supports are used as shown.

4398. Manufacture of Certain Alloys of Gold, A. Guye, London.—15th September, 1882.-{A communication from P. A. Guye, Geneva.) id.

This relates to the manufacture of a series of alloys of gold with aluminium bronze, and with other alloys of aluminium and copper.

4398.    Pickers Employed in Weaving, I. Sowden, Bradford.—15th September, 1882. Gd.

This relates to the construction and employment of pickers made with pieces brought or fixed to the sides, and having picking straps secured to them, by which steady and straight actions are obtained.

4399.    Apparatus to be Applied to the Treadles of Bicycles, <fec., J. Buckland, Taunton.—15th September, 1882. 8d.

This refers to an apparatus whereby tho worker can operate the pedal in its ascending and descending motion.

4401. Compression Pumps for Ammonia Gas, C. D. Abel,London.—15<7i September, 1882.— )A communication from A. Os:nbrtlck, Germany.) Gd.

This relates to the use, in combination with the ordinary stuffing-box of the piston-rod, of a chamber through which the piston-rod passes, and which is charged with oil heated to such a temperature.that it will not absorb ammonia.

4402. Supply and Waste Valves for Baths and Lavatories, Ac., 5. 8. Hellyer, London.—15th September, 1882. Gd.

The opening and closing of the valve is effected by an arrangement of toggle joint lovers connected with a woighted arm.

4405. Manufacture of Whitelead, Ac., A. J. Smith, London.—15f/i September, 1882. Gd.

This relates partly to the manufacture of whitelead by the use of lead turnings or planings.

4400. Machines for Making Moulds for Metal Castings, J. V. Hope, Wednesbury.—15th September, 1882. 8d.

This consists partly of a mould for metallic castings formed with segmental chills caused to travel radially towards a common centre, and a core of compressed sand made round that centre, or round the contro of a machine with similar registration.

4408. Self-acting Temples, J. Wrigley, Bury.—16th September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This rolates to the construction of revolving selfacting temples.

4410.    Bottles, Jars, Ac , J. H. D -ayton, Brixton.— 16fft September, 1882.—(Not proceeded with.)

The bottle is provided with a series of projections or legs inside the neck, so that a vertical groove is left between each. The stopper is provided with studs or lugs to fit between the vertical grooves.

4411.    Regenerating Peroxide of Manganese from the Residue Obtained in the Manufacture of Chlorine, G. W. von Nawrocki, Berlin.—16fA September, 1882.—(A communication from the Verein Chemischer Fabriken, Mannheim, Germany.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This rolate3 to an improved method of treating the residues obtained in the manufacture of chlorine.

4414. Tricycles, Ac., E. Marshall, Birmingham.—16(fi September, 1882. Gd.

This consists in an arrangement of gearing whereby the rider can readily change the rate of motion communicated by the crank shaft to the travelling or driving wheels.

4420. Gasaliers, Chandeliers, and Electroliers,

&c., M. Merichenski, Poplar.—16th September, 1882.

Gif.

This relates to the combination of a toothed rack with toothed wheels—the latter acting on springs which are wound or released, according to the direction in which the wheels rotate—for raising and lowering and regulating the position of the pendants or down rods.

4427. Valves, W. Lloyd, Newport.—18t/i September, 1882. Gd.

This relates to the construction of an improved gun-metal valve.

4508. Treatment of Steel or Iron Ingots, P. M. Justice, London.—21st September, 1882.—(A communication from A. Cooper, Vienna.) Gd.

This consists in an improvement in the apparatus used in that method of working in which the ingot is allowed to cool slowly in closed chambers till it is in a fit state for mechanical treatment, without being placed in a reheating furnace.

4537. Folding Cases, II. J. Haddan, Kensington.— 23rd September, 1882.—(A communication from A. Collin, Rouen.) id.

This consists in forming the case of any convenient material, cut out in the shape of a cross, with parts divided into the desired size to form bottom, sides, and top, said pieces being then united at their proper edges with hinges or a flexible material, which will allow of the pieces being folded into position to form the case, and secured in box form by straps, cords, or chains passing through slits or eye-holes in the sides or bottom of the box.

5526. Metallic Fastenings and Setting Instruments for Attaching Buttons, Ac., A. J. Boult, London.—21.s£ November, 1882.—(A communication from F. A. Smith, jun., Rhode Island, U.S )—(Complete.) Gd.

This consists of a metallic fastening having a suitable retaining base, and provided with one or more prongs for engagement with the shank or head of a button for connecting the same to fabrics.

86. Sewing Machines, J. Imray, London.—6th January, 1883.—(A communication from R. Leavitt, Boston, and E. Flaiher, Bridgeport, U.S)—(Complete.) 8 d.

This relates to that class of sewing machines in

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SELECTED AMERICAN PATENT.:.

274,568. Steam Feed Works for Saw Mills, Albert Cunningham, Milwaukee, Wis. — Filed March 29th, 1882.

Brief.—The carriage running on tracks has a rack engaged by a gear wheel in a reciprocating head, said

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gear wheel engaging in turn with a fixed rack. The reciprocating head is driven by a steam pish >n attached thereto. A peculiar buffing device is applied to the carriage.

274,659. Tool for Cutting Slot3 in Rails, James

K. Polk, Renfroe, Ga.—Filed December 5th, 1882.

Claim.—The slot cutter, consisting of the anvil A, formed with the recess a, and provided with a punch D, fitted in a transverse slot of the anvil, substantially as shown and described (2) The combination, with the anvil A, formed with the recess a and transverse

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slots k l, of the clamping wedgo B and punch D, substantially as shown and described. (3) The combination, with slotted anvil A, of tho punch D, formed with cutters d, substantially as shown and described.

CONTENTS.

Thk Engineer, May 4th, 1883. Ventilation of the St. Gothard Tunnel ..    ..

Roads in Switzerland. No. II. (Illustrated by

Supplement.).............

Letters to the Editor—

Electric Light Engines........

Flight of Birds............

Continuous Brakes Returns    .. ..

Boiler Setting............

Hollow Shafts............

Wreck of the Dunstaffnaoe .. ..

Patent Agents ............

Livet’s Boiler Setting........

Roads ani? Bridges in Switzerland. (Illustrated.) ....................

The Manchester Ship Canal..........

Electric Lighting at Nottingham........

Institution of Civil Engineers ........

Railway Matters................

Notes and Memoranda ............

Miscellanea ..................

Four-coupled Express Locomotive, Great

Eastern. (Illustrated.) ............

Leading Articles—

The Channel Tunnel ............

Hard Armour ................

Resistance on Railway Curves........

Steamers and National Trade........

Fire Danger by Gas and Electric Lighting. 345

Conciliation in the Coal Trade ......

Literature—

L’Armee Maritime ..............

Treatise on Testing Water Wheels........

Books Received ................

Trial of Compound Engines..........

Iron Bridges on the City Railway of Berlin.

(Illustrated.)..................

The Iron, Coal, and General Trades of Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and District ..    .. 347

Notes from Lancashire ......

Notes from Sheffield ......

Notes from the North of England

Notes from Scotland........

Notes from Wales and Adjoining Counties .. 34 4 The Patent Journal Abstracts of Patent Specifications. (Illus.) .. 350 Abstracts of Patent American Specifications.

South Kensington Museum.—Visitors during the week ending April 28th, 1883 :—On Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, free from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Museum, 12,985; mercantile marine, Indian section, and other collections, 4231. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, admissicn 6d., from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Museum, 2519; mercantile marine, Indian section, and other collections, 421. Total, 20,156. Averag ponding week in former years, 16.530. Total rom the opening of the Museum, 21,932,727.