MACHINERY AND MECHANICAL APPLIANCES AT THE INTERNATIONAL HEALTH EXHIBITION.

No. TI.

Messrs. Hughes and Lancaster, Chester, the licensees of the Shone patents, have provided in full working order an interesting exhibit of the Shone system of sewei’age, showing the action of the automatic pneumatic ejector and the automatic flush tank, the air for working the apparatus being compressed by a Westinghouse compressor, such as is used on locomotives. The exhibit also contains a water-pressure engine — the invention of Mr. W. Donaldson, Victoria-street, S.W.—so that within the small space of 12ft. by 10ft. there is a complete exhibit of the whole system, worked either by steam or water power, unavailing to prevent the generation of foul gas, the greatest difficulty arising when the sewers are empty, owing to the surfaces being coated with slime, which decomposes when exposed to the action of the air. The network of sewers is also extremely costly, as they usually have to be constructed at great depths in excavations sometimes charged with subsoil water. By Mr. Shone’s plan it is claimed that these difficulties are entirely avoided. The district to be sewered is divided into small areas, within which gravitating sewers of the minimum size can be laid at good gradients without deep excavations, converging to a point suitable for the establishment of an ejector station, the ejectors being placed below the surface of ground—if necessary under the busiest thoroughfares—without occasioning any inconvenience. The various ejectors are connected together by only costs on a large scale some 20s. per 1,000,000 gallons for fuel, &c.; while the outlay, as regards first cost of machinery, will not be affected by the small quantity required for air-compressing purposes. In this way the actual cost of pumping only comes to about £d. per hour for a horse-power consumed in a water-pressure engine. To provide uniformity of working, receivers are required, the air being compressed to a slightly greater pressure than is necessary to raise the sewage, but in some instances the mains themselves afford quite enough storage capacity. When the full pressure is attained, a self-acting arrangement stops the air pumps, so preventing useless expenditure of power. As soon as the ejector is filled, an automatic valve admits the compressed air, which forces the fresh sewage either into a rising main under pressure or into a gravitating sewer, and so on to the place where

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it is to be treated or utilised, the conveyance being so rapid that there is no possibility of the generation of foul gases by decomposition. In using compressed air in this manner it is obvious that the whole of the work done by the compressing engines is sacrificed, and for isothermal compression this is represented by the expression A V log., R, where A is the atmospheric pressure on a unit of area, Y the number of units of volume of free air compressed and discharged into the receiver by one stroke, and R the ratio of compression. The total work done both by the engine and external air during one complete stroke is A Y (1 + log.,, R), the work done by the air being in all cases equal to that required to discharge the compressed air out of the cylinder. It is evident, therefore, that there must be a limiting value of the height to which liquids can be raised on the Shone system, as economically as by direct pumping, and the following table, showing the work done in compressing the air to different absolute pressures in six cases, has

every machine being self-acting, and only coming into ] mains conveying compressed air from the compressing operation when there is sewage to be dealt with. Before engines, and no personal attendance is required entering into a description of the machines, it will facili- beyond an occasional inspection. The j osition of the tate the comprehension of the principles of working if we air compressors is not material. If the local authori-first give a few particulars of the Shone system of ties own a water pumping station or gasworks, sewerage. Two of the chief points to be aimed at in any the air may be compressed at either without in-scientific method of dealing with sewage are, the avoidance    crease to the existing    staff; and    failing this, the pump-

of large sewers at low gradients, in    which the height of the    ing plant may be erected near to    a coal siding or on some

liquid is subject to great variation, and the rapid delivery of other convenient site. If water power is available, it can the sewage to its destination before decomposition has set in be used in place of steam, and in any case the cost of the to any very great extent. In the ordinary system, when the whole installation is not much affected by the distance sewage cannot be directly conveyed by gravitation, the over which the compressed air has to be transmitted, as common practice is to construct a network of sewers con- the size of the pipes is so small. When only a portion verging to one point, at which is    provided a reservoir of    of the sewage has to    be raised,    or when the lift is so

sufficient capacity to maintain a    fairly uniform rate of    little that the total    engine power required is small,

pumping; and, as a rule, this plan necessitates the use of it is more economical to use a hydraulic engine supplied the sewers themselves for storage purposes, the gradients with water from the town mains, because of the ineffi-being generally very flat. Under these circumstances, the ciency of steam engines of low power. Water, even if it greatest vigilance, combined with frequent flushing, are has to be pumped at a pressure of 50 lb. per square inch,

been calculated with a view to ascertain this limit:—

Lift

in

feet.

Isothermal

compression.

Adiabatic

compression.

Mean value

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2.

3.

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859

700

1-22

900

802 ! 1-12

1-17

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1407

1940

2328

2050

2938

1058

1270

1411

1512

1587

1-39

1-53

1-05

1-75

1-84

1500    1300    1-15

2150

1057

1-30

1-27

1-42

1 ’59

1-77

2700    1970

3200 | 2108

3020 j 2375

1-37

1-44

1-52

1’51

1-59

1-68

1-89

1-99

2-08

Columns 1 give the values of the work done by the engine in compressing the air isothermally and adia-batically respectively; Columns 2 the net work done in raising the liquid ; and Columns 3 the ratio between the two values. As the actual compression is probably somewhere midway between isothermal and adiabatic, the mean ratio is given in Column 4; while these values increased by 25 per cent, to allow for friction and leakage are given in Column 5. No allowance has been made for slip past the ejector valves, as it is stated to be extremely small in proportion to the volume of each discharge. Besides this, Sir Frederick Bramwell, in the case of the Mekarski air compressors at Chautenay, found the value of this factor to be 18 per cent., so that there would appear to be more than sufficient margin to cover the loss from slip. In the case of engines used for sewage pumping, the indicated horse-power of the steam cylinder is not unfrequently equal to double the power estimated in net weight of water raised, and only under exceptional circumstances is the former less than one and a-half times the latter. Up to lifts, therefore, of about 60ft. it would seem that forcing by compressed air is more economical than direct pumping; while if the pumping machinery is of small capacity, the economy is likely to extend even beyond this height. In town sewerage, pumping by compressed air admits of a still greater economy, a.s in cases where the sewage has to be raised a great height and the levels of the drainage area vary considerably, the area may be divided into zones. With a single pumping station in the ordinary system, the whole of the sewage has to be pumped in one stage from the lowest to the highest level, but in Mr. Shone’s plan the sewage from the lowest zone has only to be raised this height. In order to carry out this division of districts it is not necessary to have air mains under different pressures. If it is thought desirable to raise the sewage from the lowest to the highest level at one lift, it will be necessary to compress the air in the first instance to the maximum density required for the highest lift, and to allow it to expand again to the volume corresponding to the pressure due to the next lift, and so on. The best way, however, is to divide the maximum lift into a number of as nearly as possible equal stages, and to compress the air to the density required for one lift, the sewage being ejected successively through the several stages. At first sight this might appear to involve a loss of economy, but it is not so, m point of fact there is considerable gain in dividing up the lifts in the manner indicated. For the sake of illustration, we will suppose that a given volume Y of liquid has to be raised 132ft. If this is accomplished in one stage, the volume of free air required would be 5 Y, and the work done with isothermal compression is represented by 5 A V log.* 5 = 8 A Y.

On the other hand, if the liquid is raised in four lifts, each of 33ft., the free air compressed would be 2 Y, and the work done

8 A V log.* 2 = 5.5 A V.

If we add 25 per cent, as in the table for friction of machinery, &c., the indicated work of the steam cylinder would be represented by 7 A V for the four lifts, which is about 76 per cent, in excess of the net work done in lifting the water, showing that by this method sewage may be raised 132ft. with economy about equal to that in direct pumping. In this way a lift of 200ft., if divided into six stages, would require about double the indicated horse-power estimated from the net work done. From the preceding description of the Shone system it will be seen that sewers with good gradients can be obtained even in flat districts, and it is therefore specially suited for seaside towns with long level frontages facing the sea. By providing a proper number of ejectors, the sewage is rapidly discharged before decomposition can take place, and any sudden rush of sewage is provided for by the accumulation of compressed air in the receivers. It is this latter feature which enables the ejectors to deal with the varying quantities of sewage as quickly as it comes, without suddenly affecting the rate of working of the compressing engine. Figure 1 shows one form of ejector station in section and plan. The gravitating sewers delivering to the ejector converge to a manhole, say, at a crossstreet, and with this manhole the inlet pipe of the ejector communicates. Both inlet and outlet are provided with ball valves, this being the type best adapted for passing sewage matters. The automatic air valve, which in this design is fixed in a cast iron box under the street, is actuated by two buckets, which are fixed to an iron rod passing out of the ejector through a stufling-box, and which is attached to the main lever of the automatic air valve. The lower bucket is suspended near the bottom with the open end upwards, and the upper one is inverted at the top of the ejector. When the liquid rises and reaches the inverted bucket, the contained air causes it to rise, and so actuate the air valve .and admit compressed air to the interior of the ejector. The iidet sewage valve at once closes, and the air pressure forces the sewage through the outlet valve into the rising main. When the surface of the liquid within the ejector sinks below the level of the lowest bucket, which remains full of sewage, its weight, suspended in the air, pulls down the rod, and so reverses the action of the air valve and allows the compressed air to escape into the atmosphere. The sewage delivery valveat once

closes, and the ejector again commences to be filled through the inlet valve. The weight of the buckets, when empty, is balanced by the weight shown in the engraving above the valve box. It would seem that Shone’s pneumatic ejectors are well adapted for raising liquids in chemical works and breweries, as they can easily be made of materials not acted on by chemicals. They are also adapted for raising heated liquids; and in this case the compressed air would be expanded by the heat imparted from the liquid, and its volume be increased, thus reducing the quantity of air required, and effecting a saving in pumping power. For pumping in mines there would, no doubt, be a benefit from the use of compressed air, which would assist the ventilation; and for irrigation purposes it would often be a great convenience to have a number of automatic pumping stations, all worked with air compressed at one central point, and transmitted in various directions through small pipes. The system is in operation at Eastbourne, Warrington, Winchester, and other places, and we understand that the Corporation of Warrington have recently ascertained, by actual experiment, that the contents of the pails on the tub system can be transmitted to great distances by the ejectors, and the offensive and costly cartage through the main streets avoided.

Another apparatus exhibited by Messrs. Hughes and Lancaster is Shone’s hydraulic house sewage ejector, which appears to be an exceedingly efficient instrument, more especially when good gradients cannot ordinarily be attained. Ordinary house drains even of small bore, and laid with due regard to inclination, very often become receptacles for, rather than the means for getting rid of, sewage, their foul condition being caused by the intermittent and greasy nature of the discharges that are made into them. It is to overcome this difficulty that the house ejector has been designed. The apparatus is intended to be fixed in some convenient position in the house premises, to which all drains can be made to converge, these drains being of short length, and so inclined that the discharge from a water-closet, for instance, cannot fail to gravitate quickly from the bottom of the soil pipe into the ejector, the same remark applying to the waste from sinks, lavatories, &c. The sewage, therefore, reaches the ejector in a perfectly fresh condition, and if it has a capacity of fifty gallons, while the aggregate discharge is, say, 300 gallons per day, it will be lilled and emptied six times. Fig. 2 will enable our readers to understand this apparatus. It will be seen that when it is coupled up to the drains which supply the fresh sewage, and when the ventilating pipe is fixed, and when it is also connected to the main drain, the apparatus forms a perfect trap as between the house drains, which carry the sewage into it, and the main drain which carries the sewage out of it. The illustration shows the apparatus as it would appear instantly after it had ejected its charge. Fresh sewage enough always remains in the ejector to effectually seal the bottom of the short leg of the syphon, by means of which the apparatus is emptied, and, of course, every drop of liquid flowing into the ejector after it has discharged its contents will deepen the seal, and thereby render it more and more perfect as a trap to prevent sewage gas generated in the public sewer from getting through the apparatus to the subsidiary drains of the house. When the house sewage ejector is charged, its syphon action is effected by an automatic tumbling basin, which, when full, topples over, and throws its contents—about two gallons—suddenly into a funnel-like pipe, at the top of which the basin is fixed. The effect of this quick tilting over of the basin is to instantly raise the water head in the pipe. It has also the effect, at the same time, of lifting the water over the syphon bend, and filling the syphon at that point full bore, causing the sewage to fall down the long leg, so bringing into opei’ation the ejecting power of the apparatus. The difference in level between the descending column of the sewage in the long leg of the syphon and the sewage in the ejector is the measure of the power that is at work ejecting its contents. This power is at its maximum when the descending column first reaches the bottom of the long leg of the syphon, and is at its minimum when the charge has subsided in the ejector down to the bottom of the shoi’t leg. Theoretically the maximum velocity which the sewage would attain in passing from an apparatus dimensioned as per our illustration would be—

application below in Figs. 8 and 9. It consists of a light iron casing, enclosing a screw Q fixed to a spindle supported in anti-friction bearings, which is caused to revolve by a turbine B acted on by three small jets C C C of water, steam, or compressed air, which impinge against buckets on the periphery of the wheel. Unlike ventilators driven with straps, the Aiiroplior can be fixed in the precise place where it is desired to remove the air or introduce the supply, the motor fluid being easily conducted to the apparatus through small pipes without incurring appreciable loss; and in this way large air ducts, with their friction and other objections, are avoided. Two forms are made, viz., the suction, and the pulsion or air-driving apparatus,

Fig. 8

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ii

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one kind or the other being used according as it is required to exhaust or to supply fresh air, while in c«ases both are adopted, the air being drawn off⁻ from the roof or ceiling, and replaced by means of openings in the walls or floor. For trades such as spinning, which require a high degree of moisture in the air for the more perfect finish of the goods, the pulsion apparatus is provided with a moistening contrivance, which impregnates the air introduced from without with excessively fine spray, so thoroughly that any desired degree of moisture, up to 80 or

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V = 8 \/ 2ft. Sin. = ll’Oft. per second and from observation it 1ms been found that the whole charge actually escapes in about 35 sec. This sudden inrush of fresh sewage into the house drain would produce an effect equal to the passing of the sewage of 3500 people at the time when the greatest flow obtains, and when the discharge averages 20 gallons per head per day. The main drains of houses, if flushed in this way by their own fresh sewage resources, would be much less liable to leposits than they are under the present system, and the air would be renewed every time the apparatus is emptied. It would seem, therefore, that the Shone hydraulic ejector would not onlyprevent the intrusion of sewage gas from public sewers, but would do away largely if not entirely with the nuisance constantly a rising from the house drains themselves, while the whole sanitary arrangements would, in each case, be complete within the premises. The engravings, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, show the details of a large public sewer flush tank, which is simply a large brick barrel sewer, to which the syphon is attached at the delivery end. The tumbling basin may be fixed in any convenient place, and in this case must be supplied with water from a stream, or from the main. If the invert levels of the sewers admit of the arrangement, the flush tank may be tilled with sewage from a drain discharging into its upper end, as shown in the engraving; but if this cannot be effected the tank itself must be supplied from a stream or from the mains, the rate of supply being adjusted to fill the tank in any desired period of time.

Messrs. E. C. Beaumont and Co., Ludgate-circus, E.C., exhibit three forms of Treutler and Schwarz’s patent Aiirophor, for which they are the sole agents in this country. The general construction of the apparatus is shown on page 477, Figs. 6 and 7, and the method of

get foul from

85 per cent, of saturation, can be obtained in the factory, the amount being capable of easy regulation by a valve. In the same way disinfectants can be readily disseminated throughout the wards of a hospital or other building, the fluid being placed in the small receptacle M, from which it passes by a pipe into the circular trough E, and issues through a number of small holes into the upward current of air, with which it immediately mixes. Another special advantage claimed for the Adrophor is the small power required to drive it as compared with the volume of air moved, and it is stated that an hourly supply of 1,000,000 cubic feet can be obtained for one actual horse-power, even if it is split up and applied to four ventilators, while a still better result is reached with the larger machines. Beyond the features to which we have specially drawn attention, the Aerophor possesses many other advantages which will be obvious to most of our readers, not the least being its perfect silence and capability of being easily regulated to work at any desired speed, according to the quantity of air to be removed or supplied.

TORPEDO BOAT FOR THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.

The engines illustrated in our two last impressions run at 480 revolutions—too high a speed for pumps. Accordingly the air and circulating pumps are driven by separate engines making about 180 revolutions per minute. We illustrate this machinery on page 484. It consists of two steam cylinders 6in. in diameter, the piston-rods of which are continuous with those of the pumps below them. At first sight it would appear that the cranks work in dog links, but this is not the case, double connecting-rods being used. The feed and bilge pumps are worked direct off the ends of the dog links. All the dimensions and details are so clearly shown on page 484 that minute description is, we think, entirely unnecessary. Everything is made as light as possible by the free use of gun-metal and steel.

CC:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Henry Aland.

in your last issue.

East F’erry-road Works, Millwall, E., June 23rd.

W. Hope.

ler.

more

£3 12s. 3d. If it were not possible to get the water direct from the street main, and if it were necessary, therefore, to pump the water to the tank at the top, exhaust it into the tank in the cellar, and pump it back again to the upper tank, thus using the same water over and over continually so that there is practically no charge for water, we should have to furnish a pumping power sufficient to raise the water needed for the regular service of the building. If we assume this to be equal to ten complete journeys per hour, it would be necessary to pump 15 gallons a minute 69ft. high. This equals 0‘4-H.P; it will be seen, therefore, how small a gas engine would suffice for working the pump. This lift is continuously at work, day and night, without interruption, the only for interruption being to perform the necessary packing, this is very easily and speedily done, at an hour when it is required for use, by the residents in the building. It will be obvious that with such a low pressure the wear upon the valves and fittings is reduced to a minimum. We believe that such a degree of economy, safety, and uninterrupted working has not been attained with any other machines.

We cite next the four lifts fixed by this company in the Albert Hall Mansions, and we take for our present purpose the No. 4. In this case the hydrostatic pressure is that due to a head of about 100ft., the rise is 65ft. 4in., the water consumed for each complete journey is 100 gallons. We have not tested the maximum lifting power of this lift, because it will do more than the contract requirement, but it is probably about 9501b. In this the water is supplied by the constant service main as in the preceding case. If the water had to be pumped in such quantity as to allow ten trips per hour, it would be necessary to pump 16$ gallons per minute 100ft. high, which may be called 0'64-horse power.

We next cite the lift fixed for Mr. J. T. Chappell in his residential flats in the Grand-avenue, Brighton. In this case the rise of the car is 60ft. 7in., the water is supplied by direct attachment to the street main—without any tank at all—the quantity consumed for each complete journey is 74'4 gallons, the load raised is 1050 lb. We do not multiply these instances at present. If to the facts above recited be added the further statements that the lifts have worked uninterruptedly since they were fixed—that the cost of repairs has been practically nothing—that they are noiseless and that safety is absolute, we think we will have established the fact that the results shown have not been equalled.

We regret that some contracts for much larger work, and where pumps will be employed, are not yet finished and ready for testing. We need hardly say to “Economiser” that as large machines for use in hotels, office buildings, Ac., involve the use of larger cylinders, there is less loss from friction than in smaller motors. In machines of large size for large buildings, and where large loads are to be lifted, we gain as high as 0'84 percent, effective, leaving only 0'16 lost in friction. In the smaller machines, such as those above referred to, we estimate the loss by friction to be from 0'25 to 0'30 per cent. It will be very easy to establish the truth of the statements just made, and we invite a test by “Economiser.”

We will cite one case in the city of New York, and will be happy to furnish in any way prescribed by “Economiser” proper and legal proof of the statements about to be made, and the case cited is in no way exceptional; but we select this one because the position is conspicuous, because the verification can be very easily made, and because the owners have given us the facts now submitted. We only add that the same results are reached in many hundreds of instances in New York, and throughout the United States. The case cited is that of the building called the United Bank Building, at the corner of Wall-street and Broadway, in the city of New York. This building is eight storeys high, it is occupied as offices by financial companies, stockbrockers, Ac. Two banks occupy the ground floor. There are two of our standard hydraulic elevators in this building, running from the ground to the eighth floor, a distance of about 110ft. The water pressure comes from a tank in the roof, giving a head of about 130ft. The two elevators exhaust the water into a tank in the cellar, from which it is pumped back again to the tank at the top. The pump used is a Worthington compound duplex steam pump. Each of these elevators makes thirty-five complete journeys per hour, running at a speed of 318ft. per minute; the average load carried each journey, up or down, is a fraction over eighteen passengers, and the number of passengers carried every day is over 11,000. The cost of working these lifts —leaving out of view, of course, the attendants, who would be involved in any case—is obviously the cost of pumping the water, and this has been done by burning 8 cwt. of coal per diem. These

two lifts have been in use about three years. They have never been stopped since they were started, nor has any tenant ever been deprived of their use. We have not at hand the cost of repairs. This will be elicited by an investigation. We believe that we are warranted in saying that this cost has been practically nothing. Since the New York Power Company has laid down steam through street mains, this building, with many others, has discontinued the use of its own boilers, and takes steam from the street main direct. If there has been an instance of such a service as this, attained at so low a cost with such a degree of effectiveness and with perfect safety and noiselessness by any other lift whatsoever, we are unaware of its existence. It cannot be difficult for “Economiser” to ascertain the truth of these statements. If they are true, we believe that they constitute an absolute and irresistible proof of the great superiority of the Standard hydraulic elevator over all others.

To facilitate any investigation by “ Economiser ” or by other engineers, we proceed to describe the Standard hydraulic elevator. An idea of the characteristic features of this elevator is given by Fig. 1. It will be seen that no ram is employed, and no boring of the earth is necessary. The cylinder stands upon a basement or cellar floor in a vertical position, and, with the travelling sheave, occupies a space of, let us say, 18in. by 30in. in ordinary cases. This may be detached from the shaft in which the car moves, and placed at some distance, or it may adjoin the shaft in which the car is, or it may be in the same shaft. It will be seen that in the figure—and in ordinary cases—the piston movement is half that of

to two. The cage is lifted by

It will be seen also

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

THE EFFICIENCY OF FANS.

Sir,—I have read over Mr. Capell’s letter in The Engineer of June 6th, wherein he writes of his harmonious water-gauge. There is no harmony in any one single water-gauge on cither the Dudley or Birmingham tests, except the one, acknowledged by Mr. Capell, tested by the South Staffordshire Mining Engineers, and in Test 10 no water-gauge is given, and no readings of the anemometer or skin friction can be taken in the closed test. It is not the proper manner to test any fan with either suction or discharge stopped up. I herewith hand you a sheet, reprinted from The Engineer, and handed to me, on the faith of the Capell fan giving over four times more blast than any other fan in the world. I have corrected the table into plain figures, according to Hutton’s Wind and Velocity Tables, and after seeing that from 25 to 115 per cent, is added to the feet per second column in Hutton’s Tables, I ask, Where is the harmony?

Mr. G. M. Capell has, for the first time, explained his intermediate water-gauge—and which water-gauge has led him into the trap which he has tried to trap other fan manufacturers with. It is the water-gauge concealed until his last week’s letter, except in your impression of February 16th, 1883. I have seen Mr. Capell plotting this water-gauge since its first appearance in your columns of February 16th, 1883—and in which impression you distinctly stated that 7in. water-gauge was raised with a 6in. fan running at 4200 revolutions per minute, with a piece of wood closed over the central orifice. Consequently, if the Oin. fan was raising 7in. water-gauge, it was no rule of efficiency. Had it been running night and day since that time until the present, not one cubic foot of air would have been passed.

On September 3rd, 1883, Mr. Capell read a paper on fans at the Dudley Institute. His explained water-gauge in your last week’s impression was concealed in that paper. He asked them for bread; they gave him a stone, and pelted him—see his letter of December 14th, 1883. I need not tell you that any gentlemen induced to read a paper in all such kindred institutions are treated with the greatest courtesy, and generally better than the members themselves.

On November 30th a letter appeared from Mr. Allday, who some years ago sold Mr. Gunther’s fans, but now manufactures his own. Mr. Capell replied in return, with a poisoned arrow—see his letter of December 7tli, 1883—stuck fast into the back of Mr. Gunther’s trade, reckless of what injury he may inflict on that gentleman ; and it was done by his intermediate water-gauge. As a proof of this Mr. Gunther could not make a 40in. fan that would not give more than llin. water-gauge at the speed named by Mr. Capell, unless it was passing some portion of its volume. Mr. Capell says that my remark about a cupola is a mere statement. A few days before lie wrote you, he personally admitted to me that his own 30in. fan was blowing into a cupola loaded with fire and coke, while the other fan was blowinginto a cupola empty; consequently his rival fan was, just as I explained to you, discharging its volume into the atmosphere. I told him I knew it as well as though I had been present to see it.

He gives you another opinion on what he pleases to call—in his letter of April 29th—my patent low-pressure ventilator. He admits to my face that I have a splendid thing, and that I was just before him with my patent. I will just remind him that it is not my new patent ventilator I should make to give at 580 revolutions 3i water-gauge through a 20in. tube. It would be one of any types of fan selected out of hundreds of different patterns and types of fan I make, including some of old date so much like his own that it would be a puzzle for many to see the difference between them,

46, Commercial-road, Lambeth.

HYDRAULIC TURNTABLES.

SIR,—It is a little curious that three separate letters from correspondents should have appeared in your last issue referring to the want of novelty in as many pieces of machinery recently noticed in your columns, the respective prior constructions being claimed as three, twenty, and forty years old. In our own case we need hardly state that we should not have brought the special hydraulic turntables made by us to your notice if we had been aware that the idea was not new as applied to the specific purpose mentioned. The arrangement referred to in “ J. J. A.’s” letter is no doubt a good one, but we think that placing the spiral guides as close to the ram as possible is preferable for several reasons. The Mersey Steel and Ironworks are to be congratulated on having had such a useful machine constructed, and we trust it is still at work after so many years’ service. Is it possible that the time is near at hand when every mechanical contrivance will have been already tried, and when your interesting publication might be called the “Engineers’Antiquarian Record,” the chief duty of the editor being to arbitrate on the relative antiquity and the respect due to the age and venerable origin of machinery then in course of construction? Your “ Patent Journal” columns would then, of course, be superseded, and might be occupied, as well as your advertisement sheets, by manufacturers eager to prove that their claim to the support of the profession and public rested on the undoubted antiquity of their designs. Your readers would then see with additional surprise and pleasure the interesting expansion joint brought to their notice by your correspondent Mr. R. F. Thompson

C. R. Parked.

THE “HOPE” GUN.

Sir,—In your article on this subject you say that my offer to the War-office “ is not a proposal that could be accepted,” and you then state certain reasons. Allow me to say that those reasons do not apply to my offer, because (1) tho War-office were to name their own conditions of trial; (2) no gun was to be paid for unless and until certified as having fulfilled those conditions; and (3) it was not even then to be paid for if unforeseen objections were raised; but in that case the matter was to be decided by Lord Wolseley as sole arbitrator, or, alternatively, by the Under Secretary of State for War, Sir Ralph Thompson, assisted by Professor Tyndall, F.R.S., as scientific assessor.

My experience of the Ordnance Department is of twenty-eight years’ standing, and knowing that no proposal that any human being outside the “ gun ring ” could possibly frame in the English language would be accepted, I was determined to frame my proposal in such a way that there could be no honest, legitimate objection to it, so that, when the inevitable refusal came, 1 should be able to unmask the Ordnance Department, and, with the help of the Fourth Estate and a few staunch Members of Parliament, get it reformed or abolished.

It is obvious that in naming their own conditions the War-office might have covered all or any of the points you raise. But they had no desire to get a good gun for the country. Their only endeavour or thought was to prevent any outsider getting inside their fence.

But to show you that I am not afraid of what you say is the only real test of the power and worth of a gun—which I altogether deny —namely, the total energy per ton of gun, I may mention that that test is even more in my favour than the one I took, as my total energy per ton of gun is no less than three times that of the Woolwich gun ; and as a further proof that my offer was not rejected on its merits, I may mention that I invited the Ordnance Department to send, at my expense, two officers to witness the trials of the “Hope” gun on the Continent, on one condition, namely, that I should be allowed to see their report. The Department declined the invitation.

I am fighting the battle of the noble army of inventors against official obstruction, official theft, and professional jealousy, and I

call upon the Editor of The Engineer to help me, in the interest of all men of science, and of all pioneers, however humble.

Army and Navy Club,

June 22nd.

HYDRAULIC LIFTS.

Sir,—In your issue of May 16th there is a report upon the exhibits in the International Health Exhibition, in the course of which there appeared a notice of a working model of a patent hydraulic balanced passenger lift, by Messrs. It. Waygood and Co. In the following issue appeared a communication from “Economiser,” asking for the publication by Messrs. R. Waygood and Co. of certain data. In the following issue—May 30th—appeared a note from Messrs. R. Waygood and Co., inviting a private conference with “ Economiser,” but not giving the data asked for by him. In your issue next following—June 6th—“Economiser” declines the private conference suggested by Messrs. It. Waygood and Co., and intimates an intention on his part to pursue the subject furtl At the date of this writing no further correspondence has appeared. If “Economiser’s” only object is to test the claims put forth by Messrs. E. Waygood and Co. for their patent balanced lift, there would appear to .be no ground upon which we could base a request for his attention. If, however, “Economiser ” desires to push his inquiries so far as to learn what degree of economy, durability, safety, and certainty of uninterrupted working has been attained by any lift manufactured, we respectfully invite his attention to the lifts manufactured by this company.

We have examined the working of many of the lifts in use in London, and are fully informed as to the manner in which they will compare with our own, in regard to all the points above mentioned. We do not wish, however, to publish any statistics which we have obtained in regard to the working of lifts made by others, but we are perfectly willing to publish any and all details required of the working of our own lifts, and we not only expect, but we earnestly solicit a comparison with any and all other lifts whatsoever, in regard to the points before referred to, and we shall be quite willing to defray any reasonable expense which may be incurred in an effort to ascertain the truth of the statements which will be made in the course of this communication. The question raised is certainly important to those who use lifts, and especially so to those who may be looking forward to their use.

We cite, first, one of our lifts fixed in the building of the Alliance Insurance Company at the corner of Pall-mall and St. James’s-street. In this case the travel of the car is 48ft. 4in., the hydrostatic pressure is that due to a head of 09ft., the maximum load raised—at a test made Feb. 23rd, 1883—was 9201b., the volume of water consumed for each complete journey from the bottom to the top and return is 90 gallons. In this case the water is delivered to the tank at the top from the constant service main in the street without the intervention of any pump or other appliance, and the lift is consequently ready for use at any hour, day or night, and by any person who may choose to use it. In working, moreover, it is noiseless, so that no person is disturbed at night. The cost of working is therefore the cost of the water consumed. In this case the charge for water is not per meter, but the water company have made a fixed rate for the whole building. If we leave out this sum, which would be charged by the water company for the building without a lift, we believe it will be found that the cost of the water does not exceed £20 per annum. This lift has been in use now than two years, and the repair bills have amounted to

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the car or cage, the gear being one not less than four wire ropes, passing over a large sheave at the top, descending thence to the movable or travelling sheave, and thence up to the points of permanent fastening. It will be at once evident from this that the movement of one foot by the piston will cause a movement of two feet by the cage, that the movement of the piston is in opposition to the motion of the car, and that thus the piston makes in itself a part of the counterbalance required to avoid the lifting of dead weight.

In this machine it is a characteristic feature that there is always solid water upon both sides of the piston. The motive power employed is twofold. During the descent of the car, the oidy power is the weight in the car plus the little surplusage of weight of the car over the counter-balance. During the ascent of the car, the power employed is the pressure of the water upon the top of the piston, whether coming from the tank at the top of the house, or from a direct connection with the street main. On the left of the cylinder, Fig. 1, will be seen a smaller cylinder placed in connection with the larger cylinder at the top and at the bottom. To more clearly show the movement of the water, we refer to Fig. 2. Lett be the point at which the connection is made either with the upper tank or with the street main; C the small cylinder communicating with the large one at the bottom by B, and at the top by H; T is the piston of the valve. This valve can occupy three positions:—First, that designated by mn; second, that answering to the closing of the port B; third, the position ml nf. The first position is that for the ascent of the car; the second is to stop the car; the third is that of the descent of the car. To lift the car, the valve is put in the position m n.

In this position the piston descends, and the water is discharged by the passages /'/", and the power employed is that which is duo to the pressure existing at the beginning of in other words, it is the pressure upon the area of the piston at the point where the piston may be, added to the weight of the column of water below the piston, so that the power is uniform at every point of the stroke, and without regard to the point which the piston may occupy in the cylinder. It is the fact of solid water upon both sides of the piston, and the fact of this uniformity of power at every point of the stroke which, in part, contributes to give this lift its superiority. To stop the car it is only needed to change the position of the valve by means of the hand rope F moving the sheave P, so as to close the port B.

For the descent of the car it is only necessary, by means of the hand rope, to put the piston of the valve in the position ml n', so as to leave the communication free between A and B. This being done, the water pressure which is coming in at t not only finds its way in the direction / to the top of the cylinder, and thence to the top of the piston in that cylinder, but it also finds its way by B to the under side of the piston in the large cylinder. This pressure upon the under side of the piston antagonises that on the upper side of the piston, thus leaving the weight of the car to be the only force operating to produce motion in the piston. Immediately the piston descends—and the car rises—and tho water is moved from above the piston, and in the direction abc to the underside of the piston, thus simply being transferred from the upper to the under side of the piston. The rate of motion will therefore be the rate at which the water will pass from the top of the large cylinder to the bottom by means of the communication H AB. It will thus be seen that when the car is descending it is in itself the cause of all motion in the machinery, and that if the car be stopped when descending by any cause other than that produced by the valve, all motion will cease—the water ceases to move, and that situation remains unchanged until the valve is closed or the car resumes its motion.

The car cannot go beyond the starting point at the bottom nor the stopping point at the top for the following reasons:—First, if the car is left to go by itself, without an attendant to close the valve by means of the hand rope, the valve will be closed automatically by the action of the car itself, notwithstanding the absence of the attendant, and will thus stop at the two extremes. Secondly, when the car reaches the highest point to which it ascends in the building, not only is the valve closed automatically in the way already described, but a follower upon the piston in the large cylinder closes first the port fl and causes a gradual stoppage of the outflow of water. Furthermore, the car will not rise beyond the highest point, because the only power employed is the hydrostatic pressure due to the elevation of the tank or furnished by direct communication with the street main; this pressure per square inch of the area of the piston is the only force being exerted, and is met by a power of resistance in the parts many times more than sufficient.

When the car is descending the piston is rising, and the water is being transferred from the upper to the lower side of the piston in the way already described; the only power being exerted, therefore, is the load that may be in the car. The car cannot go below the lowest point—and the piston cannot create a shock upon the head of the cylinder—because the valve will be automatically closed, and because the car will be stopped by the rests provided at the bottom, and there is no power sufficient to create the least injury to the machinery. The car never can over-run the points of stopping—the stopping of the car in itself causes a stoppage of all other parts, and therefore it is simply impossible for the ropes to be thrown off the sheaves in .any way whatever.

Fig. 3 represents in part the safety fixtures employed. It has already been remarked that each car is lifted by means of not less than four iron wire ropes. In large machines a greater number of ropes is employed, and it will be at once obvious that as many may be used as may be desired. The ropes are independent of each other throughout their length; each of them is more than sufficient to maintain all the load. In Fig. 1 the car is shown to be lifted by four ropes, two of these are led to the bottom of the car upon one side, and the remaining two are led to the bottom of the car upon the other side, the purpose of the iron girdle at the top being to hold them together in the centre, and to guide them to the overhead sheave; the car therefore can never break away from the point of suspension, because the ropes are fastened to the ■afety plank underneath the car, upon which the car rests. We need hardly say that it is impossible that four ropes should break at the same instant of time; if, therefore, we suppose that the lift is allowed to go on without examination from year to year, the time will come when, from excessive wear, a rope will break; in this case the car will instantaneously be locked to the guides by the safety fixtures, and it will then be impossible to

go down, but there would be ample strength in the remaining ropes to lift the car to the next floor above. Fig. 3 refers to the arrangement of one of the groups of ropes at side of the car, the other group being of course identical at the other side, any effect produced upon one side being reproduced at the other side by means of the connecting parts.

The car moves upon guides of hard wood at each side O O'. The

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own observation; a few remarks on the subject, therefore, may not be out of place.

As your correspondent points out, the boiler figured and described by him is of the locomotive type, but there are several points of difference which are very much in favour of the latter as usually constructed. The boiler in question has, compared with a locomotive boiler, an unusually thin fire-box tube plate, still further

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immediately expand, forcing the tube plates further apart. Now when a plate of metal is heated more on one side than on the other, it will bulge on the hottest side. The tube plates will, therefore, bend towards each other, that at the fire-box end being of softer metal, and expanding more than the other at the same temperature, will come off worst in the encounter, from which there is no retreat. At the same time, the iron barrel plates, being thicker metal than the brass tubes, will not become hot so soon nor expand so much when heated; this remark also applies to the longitudinal stays shown amongst the tubes. Next, suppose the fire is made up and is being pushed vigorously ; under this treatment the copper tube plate begins first to straighten itself and then to bulge towards the fire; then as it becomes hotter it expands considerably in a vertical and also in a horizontal direction ; this movement is resisted by the copper stays, the foundation ring, and by the roof stays. As the bottom ring cannot be pushed downwards, the whole of the vertical expansion must be upwards towards the crown !>late, which will be bent in front of the first row of stays, as shown—exaggerated—in the following sketch.

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cables aro fixed to the two fastenings iyg', and these in turn arc weakened by having the tubes pitched very close together, an< fastened to It R', which turns on its axis C. The breaking of one surrounded by a rigid frame. At the top we have direct screw of those ropes, g for example, would cause the piece R R' to move stays to the shell plate just where the latter is stiffly connected fc on its axis C in the direction /, the bolt r would strike the lever p the barrel by the vertical front plate of the fire-box, as shown in —turning on its axis x—and the shock of the lever p will instantly cross section on Mr. Canning’s drawing. At the sides there art drive the brass wedge K so as instantly to stop the motion of the car ; the iron lever p being toothed, engages in the substance of O Cm and prevents any slip. The same motion is produced at the opposite end of the car, X being a bar of iron having a similar lever fixed at its opposite end. If, on the contrary, the cable rp should break, the piece R R* moving in the direction /* on its axis C, will cause the bolt S to press upon the lever q, and by means of p, which is part of q, is forced to do the same as before.

The working of the machine will be clea r from what has been said. Its extreme economy and efficiency will be shown better by testimony than by argument.

We do not pursue the subject further at this time, but shall await with interest any communications or questions whic h may proceed from “Economiser” or others. The fullest information and the greatest publicity can only result to our advantage.

We apologise for our long trespass upon your valuable space.

American Elevator Company,

Wm. Aug. Gibson, President.

38, Old Jewry, E.C., London, June 25th.

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THE BREAKAGE OF SCREW SHAFTS.

Sir,—I noticed your article in The Engineer on flexible screw shafts, and I take the opportunity of sending you a drawing of my patent flexible shaft-coui -ling, which I have now fitted to eight pairs of paddle engines, each 500-I.H.P., one pair 300-1. H.P., also one pair 70-1. H.P.

This arrangement works admirably, and is quite as suitable for a screw or for a paddle engine as the ball-and-socket, ai d* as arranged, is of ample strength for taking all the thrust in backing.    Stephen Alley.

Sentinel Works, Polmadie-road, Glasgow, June 9th.

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When steam is fairly up and the fire at its hottest, the bulging of the tube plate is increased by the internal pressure, as well as by the thrust of the tubes. This will cause the tube holes in the surface next the fire to open slightly, but on the opposite side of die plate they will nip still more closely round the tubes. When he fire is suddenly stopped the tube plate begins once more to straighten itself, thus decreasing its grip upon the tubes until it breaks the joint and lets out the water. This alternate opening md nipping of the tube holes on opposite sides of the plate, caused >y changes of temperature in the boiler, is sure to loosen the tubes and assist in making the holes oval. In an old boiler the studs, tubes, and stays become fairly soldered up in their places, and the lifficulty of removing them is proverbial; but in caso of a new boiler the lubricant used in drilling the holes has not had time to evaporate, and doubtless increases the tendency of smooth brass tubes to slip in their places. This state of affairs is clearly shown by the ring of grease which forms round the heads of the copper stays of a fire-box when in steam for the first time.

The whole secret of the remedy lies in giving room ” to the fire-box tube plate. With rapid firing the maximum expansion of the tube plate might possibly take place before a single lb. pressure is raised in the boiler. Tne stays in the crown plate, therefore, may safely be arranged to allow it to lift as much as it wants. When roof stay bars are used, an allowance of Ain. to jfin. is always made in the suspension links for this purpose. While the pressure is accumulating, the heat must have ample time to soak gradually and thoroughly into every part of the boiler and its contents. The outside shell plates thus receiving their fair share of heat, will, like the inside box, expand, and lifting with them the crown stays, the latter will come to a bearing with the crown plate just as it begins to feel the load of steam pressure. The first row of copper stays next to the tube plate should not bo placed too near to it; a distance of (Jin. from its inner surface would be quite safe even for high pressures, provided the outside jorner of shell plate is rounded to a fairly large radius. The inside corner of the copper box should have as large a radius as possible, certainly not less than |in. The palm stays shown are very stiff vertically, and might be considerably lengthened ; they sometimes made half as long as the boiler barrel. The front end of one of the longitudinal stays is taken rather close to the manhole, though it will be noted the latter is supported by a strengthening ring.

The lower part of the tube plate could be made more elastic by dishing it forward and using a thinner foundation ring, making a limilar arrangement to that shown at the firehole ring. Tho saving of weight thus effected would allow us to strengthen tho tube plate by making it thicker, say £in.; in the neighbourhood of die tubes this would be a great advantage. The longitudinal stays diown amongst the tubes might safely be left out. The tubes would act as stays if ferruled at fire-box end, and should be placed urther apart, having gin. to ^in. metal between the holes; this would be a better circulation, and allow the steam to rise moro reely. It will be noticed the tubes are arranged in vertical rows —tins is as it should be. To be sure, we should get less nominal mating surface with fewer tubes, but the loss would be moro ipparent than real. It is doubtful whether the area of metal cut t way to insert a tube is not worth more than the whole of the m-called heating surface of the tube itself. It would be interesting to try this by experiment.

In some torpedo boilers the feed-water is sent in close in front of the fire-box. This arrangement is sure to give trouble, and night even lead to danger. It would be interesting to know where he broken tube referred to by Mr. Canning was found—possibly it was near to one of the longitudinal stays, or more probably near me of the palm stays. Also if the crown plate when taken out was “ wavey ” and the box generally very much out of shape. In inclusion, I may say that when we consider the few years during which the design and construction of torpedo boats have received qiecial attention, we must admit that the amount of progress that ,ias been made and the number of improvements effected are simply marvellous, and it would be a pity if so comparatively trifling a matter as a slight leakage of boiler should interfere with their efficiency.    Jas. Horsfall.

Manchester, June 24th.

THE FUTURE FROSPECTS OF YOUNG ENGINEERS.

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the usual copper stays, and to which the same remark applies. Ai the lower part the depth of plate beneath the tubes is very slight , it is straight and rivetted direct to a heavy foundation ring, and is still further stiffened by very short palm stays.

LEAKAGE IN TORPEDO-BOAT BOILERS.    Let us suppose that at the beginning of a trial for rapid steam

Sir,—Some years ago a case of leakage similar to that described ing, the boiler is suddenly filled with water at nearly boiling tem-by Mr. Canning in your issue of the 30th ultimo, came under my perature; the tubes being thin, will become hot throughout, and

Sir,—As the future prospects of young engineers is a matter of vital importance to them, it would be a pity that the discussion opened in your columns should degenerate into a mere question of treatment of engineer pupils, or even into one of the amount of work engineers have to do at the present time. How much they will have to do in the future is an unknown quantity. The facts ippear to be these: There are a number of young men, say, up to thirty years of age, who are in want of employment, and, apparently, unable to get it. They vary in ability and efficiency, but have all been educated for the profession of engineers. The question is, How are these men to get employment, and what are their prospects when they have succeeded in doing so? It will, >erhaps, be as well to review shortly the education of an engineer. Either his parents or himself decide the class and quality of work to be learned, and since an employer can hardly be expected to give facilities for learning gratis, a premium is either paid, or the apprentice is bound for a number of years. In the former case, I have always found that the works are practically thrown open to the learner, and he has thus every opportunity of studying for himself the whole of the operations carried on in the establishment in which he is an apprentice, as well as a very good one of becoming

CONTRACTS OPEN.—METRE GAUGE TIP WAGONS.

(For specification see page 490.

that page is described as a special feature of his

WALES & ADJOINING COUNTIES.

5287. Wheels for Tramway and other Vehicles, 5110.

(For specification see page 490.

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engineer from spending a few months in a workshop; these the best schools for learning practice. Were those points attended to, young English engineers could find situations abroad. Under the present system, a young man who served his apprenticeship in an English workshop would not find a situation abroad as engineer, because he has little or no theoretical training worth mentioning. Yet English engineers still hold a good reputation abroad, and their machinery is still appreciated. English engineering has not so fallen off in foreign estimation as some seem to think. There are in Europe itself vast fields for engineering enterprise which the undaunted perseverance of Englishmen, joined to their practical sense, could alone work out profitably. The present system of high-paid apprenticeship is a disgrace. It looks to me as if the engineering profession was alone the privilege of the richer classes.

All the young Germans that come over to England only do so in order to get acquainted with English practice—another proof that English industry is not delaying, as is sometimes represented. It would be, in fact, a mistake for them to stay here, unless they are their own masters. Englishmen are patriotic, but perhaps also jealous in these matters. They cannot hear of foreigners being as able as they are. The day is far when we shall be beaten by foreign competition; it will most likely never come, especially if we do as the French and Germans do. Let us take from them what good they may have; in short, let us act as they do with us.

I spent a good deal of time abroad, and have come in contact with many foreign engineers; all that I have seen of them has but confirmed the views I expressed in my former letters.

The future belongs still to England in engineering matters if know how to reform ourselves. The profession should only admit members of decided abilities and who have a decided liking for the business. Let us give more facilities to young men who like this grand profession, but have no means to reach the aim they have in view, and the success shall be always ours. E. Cobert, B.Sc.

26, South-street, Longsight, Manchester, June 24th.

a skilled workman, either mechanic or draughtsman, or sometimes a week to be obliged to take work that only brings him in 30s. or both. The apprentice who is bound has, as a rule, the opportunity of less a week. But still that is better than nothing, and let him becoming a very skilful workman, and nothing more, as lie is kept once be earning the 30s., he has more chance of the £5 than he has tied to his vice, machine, or drawing-board. Both classes of if he simply prefers to wait on, rather than take anything at the apprentices or pupils are able to attend classes, either at colleges price his employers may consider him worth. It is said foreigners or night-schools—thanks to the munificence of many of our great are cheaper and better than Englishmen. Surely this cannot be, for engineers—where they can get a thorough knowledge of the the character of England is belied if her men cannot endure as theoretical part of their education.    much or more than a foreigner, and as for being better workmen,

From the above it will be seen at once that the efficiency of the it is not so long since an Englishman considered himself equal to engineer pupil will be determined by his ability, education previous three foreigners. And suppose he has degenerated and all others to becoming an apprentice, willingness, and application to work. [ have not done so, surely he has not done so so quickly that he is I think it may be taken for granted that no employer will discharge | not equal to one foreigner.

an efficient workman, or in other words, one who is profitable to | It appears to me, therefore, that those out of employment him, unless he has not sufficient work to employ him upon; and it j should strive to get it at any price, no matter how subordinate the is also a fact that so loath is an employer to lose a really efficient \ position; that any hardship should be willingly endured so long as man that he will rather make some sacrifice himself than do so, the work can be secured. If a man of good character applies to if he sees any chance of improvement in his business. But from a engineering firms, offering his services on the above principles, I do variety of causes, lack of ability, bad education, inattention to not think he will be very long before he receives encouragement, work, See., many an engineer student only turns out moderately | When once employed his prospects rest to a great extent with efficient; he may even turn out thus from not having been a j himself. If he is careful and prudent, and at the same time hard-sufficient time an apprentice; in fact, from the great mistake of working, he will be able to put by a little money for the rainy day young men anxious to get on, of having tried to cram too    much    J    which will probably come, and will steadily increase in value to his

knowledge into their heads,    and to learn    how to do too    !    employer, who will be proportionately unwilling to dispense with

many mechanical operations    in too short    a time.    These    |    his services. If he has a mechanical genius, in all probability he

men can hardly expect to    be employed    with the    firm    |    will have an opportunity of utilising it to his own advantage and

wo

in which they have served their apprenticeship, unless such J the welfare of the world in general; but even then, judging by the employment has been part of the agreement entered into ! signs of the times, he may not be able to earn more than a at the time the apprenticeship commenced, or unless they are i competency for himself and family, and some small provision for willing to undertake any kind of work, and to receive the pay those he may leave behind. An engineer should bear in mind that their employer may consider they are worth. In many cases the | his duty is not only to do well whatever he may be called upon to latter actually takes place, and the man of moderate efficiency | do, but also to be constantly on the watch for methods of benefitting becomes in time an efficient mechanic in the department he has his fellowmen, which will, as a rule, at the same time benefit entered, and will accordingly receive proportionate pay; and, pro- himself.    T. P. Severn, Engineer,

London, June 23rd.

vided he continues his studies and sticks to work steadily, there is | no doubt he will always be able to earn sufficient to live upon, and i

may eventually become a great man. At the same time, the man Sir,—It is with pleasure that I read the various letters inserted

who is only moderately efficient may be discharged as soon as his by some members of the profession on this matter. I think Mr.    Sir,—The correspondence on this subject in your columns has,

apprenticeship is over, either because he values himself at a higher j Audain deserves the best thanks of the younger professional to my surprise, failed to create the interest which it would seem rate than his employer, or because his employer has no work for brothers, for it is high time that this subject should be brought to claim when one considers the vast number of pupils who aspire him. In this case, if he has behaved in a proper manner towards    before the public and something done.    some day to become engineers; but experience has taught me that

the firm he was apprenticed to, that firm will give him a character,    I quite appreciate the remarks of Mr.    James    Jones    on    the    in-    pupils are, as a rule, too easily satisfied with becoming fair average

and allow reference to be made to them as a rule, in case the young sufficient education of English engineers. Some three years ago you draughtsmen—mere machines, understanding as little practically engineer gets a chance of employment. But the chances of getting granted the hospitality of your columns to two letters of mine on this of what they draw as a parrot understands the meaning of the it at his own price are very slight; he must be willing to do any- question. It gave then no rise to any special remarks on the part words it utters. They do not care to attend those classes where thing in the profession he has been trained to, to take the most of your other correspondents, but I think that this subject might alone they can be instructed, and gain that knowledge without subordinate position, and until there is a demand for him in a be reconsidered a little to-day. I pointed out then the great which their profession is absolutely valueless. I have had pupils better position he must be content to take the pay his employer difference between English and Continental engineers; but although who are now a credit to the profession, but their success is mainly considers he is worth, and at which he will be able to I thought it necessary for English young men to improve their due, as it must always be, to their own industry and energy, corn-supply his place. There is no doubt great difficulty in theoretical knowledge, I at the same time showed that a mere bined with an innate love of the work itself. No engineer can getting employment in our profession; even if a first-rate theoretical man is nothing unless he has also seen the things done devote himself or spare the time, if he hasbut a moderate practice, to engineer gets out of work he will have a difficulty in getting into it as they are done really, and even got his hand into the work. But educating hispupils by lectures orotlierwise,andnoparent possessing again, simply because of the fact that the large profits formerly it must be remembered that if going through the shops may pro- common sense would expect such a thing; but much of the lament-made by engineers have attracted to the profession an enormous cure practical knowledge, this alone will not make an engineer—it able ignorance of pupils when they have completed their articles number of labourers ; but, nevertheless, though labourers exceed    is necessary but not sufficient.    might be avoided if parents would encourage them to study, and

the demand, the demand for really good labourers exceeds the    There are certainly too many people    styling    themselves    engi-    employ their leisure time, partially at least, in seeking to improve

supply, so that let the first-rate man be willing to accept the most neers; this is one cause why many young men are kept out of theirpracticalknowledgebysuchmeansasareamplyaffordedtoany-subordinate position in that branch of his profession he has been employment. I also suggested that examinations, but not of a one desirous of so doing. The question of premium or no premium is trained for, or even in some other branch, in time he will get the competitive character, should be instituted to deliver young men quite beside the mark. Everything depends on the “young engineer” employment, and then by his efficiency he must make himself so some certificates of aptitude for that career they wish to himself, and if he considers he has done all that is neoessary when profitable to his employers that there is no danger of discharge, embrace. Universities and other colleges give degrees in engi- he can write “C.E., Assoo. Soo. Eng., &c.,” after his name, then and he may eventually rise to a good and honourable position, neering, but this will not do as long as the professors are not there is small chance that he will ever earn distinction fairly But the very fact of taking a subordinate position means hardship; experienced and well-known members of the engineering profes- justifying their use. is no doubt hard for a man who has been accustomed to earn £5 sion. The attendance at such a school cannot dispense the future i If not trespassing too far on your space, I should like to ask

office.

Imperial-buildings, Ludgate-hill, June 24th.

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extensive knowledge of the history of boilers in this country will enable you to recall dozens of instances where novel forms of shell or fire-tube boilers have been designed, and even been extensively advertised, and yet were proven to have more disadvantages than advantages when tried. Certainly no one will claim that the type is responsible for such blunders. That plenty of people will assert that the Lancashire or the return tubular is the best type of boiler is unquestionably true, but in nine cases out of ten, if not a greater proportion, it will be found that their opinion is founded on want of knowledge of other successful types, or upon the conviction that what is old and well-tried is necessarily best—that what our great-grandfathers used one hundred years ago is not only good enough for us, but better than anything we can do ourselves.

I would not be misunderstood as suggesting that any such motive actuated the author of the editorial in question, and with most of the statements therein I should not peihaps disagree; but permit me to ask if it is quite fair to attribute all that is or may be said in favour of water-tube boilers to interested parties wishing to push their manufactures, and all that is said against them to the noblest motives pro bono publico. My experience has been quite extensive for the last twenty years, and from that experience I feel quite sure that by far the greater part of what has been said against water-tube boilers has been from interested motives; while many eminent engineers have taken up the pen in their defence with no interest except that which only should actuate every engineer worthy the name, viz., the greatest advancement and the greatest general good. I have seen many such articles in your valuable journal in years past, signed by names which no one can impeach; and my acquaintance in the States is sufficiently extended to say that every engineer of standing who has no interest either way will agree that the preference is to be given to the water-tube type of boilers for economy of fuel, safety from explosion, convenience in cleaning, and rapidity of steaming, when properly constructed. That this class of boilers has a “reputation” for various faults is not only due to several unfortunate instances where some form of this type has been put into use without sufficient engineering forethought, but is also due in a large measure to the fact that there are scores of interested boiler-makers who talk against them, where there is one to talk in their favour, and, unfortunately, talk has as much to do as fact in the matter of “ reputation.”

It is not my object in this paper to say anything directly for or against any particular boiler. I am not asked to state the merits of the boiler of which I am one of the originators, and whit/h you do us the honour to refer to in your before-mentioned editorial. I certainly would not claim that it will “ never prime and never boil dry.” It has the possibility of either, in common with any other boiler ever made, when treated in tho same way. If filled full of water it will prime, and if not fed for a sufficient time while being fired, it will boil dry, and so will any other boiler. Whatever may be said of “ the class as a whole ”—and I shall not dispute your statement that “it is generally admitted that it primes”—I may, perhaps, be permitted to say that that is not generally admitted of the Babcock and Wilcox boiler. Probably no other style or form of boiler has been so often and carefully tested on this point by so many competent engineers, and in no instance has it, when so tested, been found to have as much as 5 per cent, of entrained water, an admittedly low average for other classes of boilers.

Tho boilers of tho Montana failed, not becauso they were water-tube boilers—and it is questionable whether they deserve that name any more than Lancashire boilers deserve to be called tubular—but for causes which should have been apparent to an experienced engineer on inspection of the drawings, namely, inadequate provision for unequal expansion and contraction. Others have failed because of inadequate provision for circulation, causing priming and overheating of parts even with sufficient water; others because there was no provision to prevent fouling and burning in bad water ; and still others because of bad proportions and bad mechanical construction. None of the above faults are essential to tho type, nor are they confined to tho type, boilers of other types having notably failed from the same causes.

But you have curiously overlooked an instance of remarkable success of a water-tube boiler in this country—tho Galloway boiler. The only thing which distinguishes this boiler from its prototype and near relative—the Lancashire—is its water tubes, and they constitute its sole claim and cause of superiority. By them some of the advantages due to the pure water-tube type have been grafted upon the Lancashire—such as thorough circulation of the water, tho breaking up and distribution of the currents of hot gases, and a consequent increase in economy of fuel.

The pure water-tube type, when well engineered, adds also the element of safety, because of dividing the contents into a number of comparatively small and strong compartments, instead of fining them in one large shell, the giving out of which will a general explosion; the element of accessibility for cleaning without necessitating entering the boiler itself, whereby the engineer in charge may personally inspect the thoroughness of the operation, which cannot easily be done in the ordinary types ; the element of quick steaming, invaluable in many cases ; and the element of ready complete repair by substitution of a new and perfect part for an imperfect one, instead of “soft patches” and hurried makeshifts. This latter element is also a considerable addition to the question of safety, for where a repair is so quickly and easily made there is little temptation to continue the use of a boiler having I to be discharged by means of shoots down direct into the coal dangerous defects.    | store with very little labour. There will be two stacks of retorts,

You very truly say that, “There have not been any factories containing in all 144 mouthpieces. For the present, only one of destroyed by tubulous boilers. This much we concede at once, these stacks will be erected. The other will be erected as tho But there have been several bad accidents with them, and not a demand for gas requires it. The condensers, which will be of few lives have been lost.” How many lives may have been lost wrought iron, scrubbers, washers, and tar tank will be erected in by means of water-tube boilers in this country I cannot say, but in proportion with the capacity of the retort-house just described. America, where they are in far more extensive use, the number is These have not yet been commenced, but will be put in hand very very small, and remarkably small when we consider the number of shortly. The purifying house, including sheds at either end for crudely conceived and poorly constructed water-tube boilers that lime and oxide, will be of a total length of 147ft., and width G2ft. have been sold on the general reputation of their supposed safety. The purifiers are to be six in number, each 20ft. square, four being With the same blundering in other classes of boilers, there have for oxide, and two for lime. The building for engine-house, been hundreds of lives lost to one by tubulous boilers. In the case including pump-house, will be 82ft. in length by 40ft. in width, and of tho boiler, the history of which I know best, not a life has been the boiler-house 40ft. by 35ft. These houses are being built of the lost in eighteen years. That this immunity is not due to want of full dimensions, to make room for containing all exhausting plant and use, I would say that in that time there have been installed some boilers, pumps, &c., which will be requisite for all the sections of 300,000-horse power, and that at least 95 per cent, of all which works when completed. The meter and governor-house follows have ever been sold are in use to-day.    these buildings, and will be erected not far in position from the

You ask for facts as to their comparative cheapness. I will give first gas-holder, which is already very nearly completed. The you one instance out of many. The Belcher Sugar Refining Com- diameter of the gas-holder tank is 120ft., and its depth from top pany, of St. Louis, Mo., found on comparing estimates that on of coping to paving of tank bottom is 25ft. 7in. The holder, their plant of 3000-horse power they would save in first cost, in- which is erected in this tank, is a double lift, and the two lifts eluding buildings and ground, 100,000 dols. by adopting the water- combined will hold half a million cubic feet of gas when filled, tube over the Lancashire type. There might not be the same The tank is a strong construction, with puddle brick wall and the difference in this country, but the question of space in cities is very core left in. To meet the exigencies of a somewhat exposed situa-important. You ask for facts as to their economy of fuel. The tion, the framing consists of fourteen cast iron columns, with two Oliver Wire Company, of Pittsburg, Pa., found on extensive trial, rows of neat wrought iron lattice girders. The mains laid into under similar treatment, a saving of 34 per cent, in favour of the town are 24in. in diameter. The whole of the buildings will be water-tube, instead of externally-fired return flue boilers. The in red brick, with blue brick facings, excepting key-stones, sills, and Raritan Woollen Company, of New Jersey, found by their yearly coping, which will be of Forest stone. The roofs will be strongly coal bills a saving of at least 20 per cent, over Lancashire drop- made of wrought iron, and the roof covering of double Roman flue boilers. A case was tried last year in the Superior Court of tiles. Space lias been left on the site for the erection of another the State of New York, wherein it was set up ns a defence to the retort-house, for a duplication, and in some cases a triplication, of payment for a plant of water-tube boilers, that there had been a the various members of the plant. Ample space has already been guaranteed saving of 20 per cent, over any other boiler, which left for the erection of two additional gas-holders, which may be saving had not been proven. After taking testimony, including larger if required than the one at present erected, and the whole such well-known and disinterested experts as Chas. E. Emery, of the sections of the works now begun, when completed, as the C.E., M.E., of New York; Wm. Kent, M.E., of Pittsburgh; and increasing consumption of gas may require, will be capable of Geo. H. Barms, M.E., of Boston, and others, the lion. Judge turning out about 1,750,000 cubic feet per twenty-four hours, decided that though it was not proven that such guarantee had The works are being erected to the designs and under the superin-been given in that case, still it was proven that the water-tube tendence of Mr. Thomas Canning, the engineer to the company, boiler in question “ would save 20 per cent, in fuel over other The contractors for the buildings are Messrs. Henry Hilton arid boilers.”    Sons, of Birmingham, and, for the iron roofs, Messrs. Willey and

In conclusion, permit me to say that the water-tube boiler can Co., of Exeter. The gas-holder is being erected by Messrs, l’iggott hardly be called a failure, with the record of the Galloway in this and Co., Birmingham, and tho gas-holder tank has been constructed country, and the Babcock and Wilcox in America and Europe, and by Messrs. White and Co., Evesham,

con-

cause

J. F. Hall.

your correspondent, Mr. Audain, what reasonable objection there can be to the employment of German labour, seeing that there are several German firms of engineers in London who employ Englishmen and others of various nationalities—men of colour even—if they possess ability sufficient to do the work required of them, and if one seeks for the cause of Germans frequently taking precedence, it may possibly be that, as a rule, they are more studious and industrious, and in their leisure are more thrifty and temperate.

Your other correspondent, Mr. Jones, was quite correct in his statement “ that the reason why our firms employ Germans is because they are good mathematicians and mechanics;” and with all respect to Mr. Audain, this is not equivalent to saying that the English are neither the one or the other—such an inference is simply absurd.

In conclusion, I should think it can hardly be a matter of personal gratification to those 200 or 300 in search of employment to find, from Mr. Audain’s letter, that they replied to his advertisement, enclosing their testimonials and credentials merely to satisfy his idle curiosity. To their mind, as to mine, it must appear to have been not only an unnecessary proceeding, but a cruel hoax; and as I felt somewhat curious respecting the author of this frank oonfession, and equally interested in tho subject matter of his letter generally, I was considerably disappointed, though not greatly surprised, on calling at 42, Devonshire-chambers, to be unable to find either your correspondent or his

Self Help.

Sir,—I have read with much interest the letters of Mr. Audain and others. I consider the subject a good one, and it ought to be proporly discussed in the columns of The Engineer. I thoroughly endorse their remarks in reference to the little opportunity young engineers have in obtaining employment. I have, for one, served four years in the office and three in the shop, and also attended the science classes, and yet when you finish your apprenticeship, if you are fortunate enough to get work, you cannot command the wages of a turner or fitter. This I consider wants looking into as well. The expense of education has been greatly different, therefore I think a draughtsman’s wages should be much above those of a fitter, which, as far as my experience has been, they are not.

Portsmouth, June 23rd.    Tubal Cain’s Son.

PNEUMATIC MALTING.

Sir,—M. Galland states in his letter published by you last week that some of the remarks upon pneumatic malting you were good enough to publish six months ago were lightly considered. This aptly describes the nature of somo of the singular statements contained in M. Galland’s letter. The discussion of the details of so wide and complex a subject as malting could be carried to any length. Wo shall, however, content ourselves for the present with correcting such palpable mis-statements as damage tho reputation of M. Saladin, ourselves, and pneumatic malting as a whole.

M. Galland does not furnish any proof that the Saladin germinating case cannot by any possibility be covered. Thousands of tho readers of The Engineer could suggest a variety of ways of doing this easily if required. The phrase used by M. Galland in reference to tho Echangcur that “the interested illwill of some persons has too often triumphed over the ignorance of others,” reads curiously in face of the facts. M. Saladin’s patent is dated January, 1883, Dr. Linde’s, July, 1883. Saladin’s patent is valid in Germany. How ho copied from Linde under these circumstances is a little difficult to see.

Galland’s coke chftmbor may answer all purposos ; but the fact that all the pneumatic malt-houses in Britain can still be told on tho fingers of one hand is to be accounted for -by tho enormous consumption of water, coke chambers necessitate, coupled with very grave ignorance of tho common principles of drying upon kilns. It is curious also that M. Galland has hardly ever noticed the defect of “mushrooms” upon his coke. Low organisms of many objectionable species simply abound in any coko chamber in a very short period. If M. Galland has invented something to prevent this, it would be very desirable to know tho details of his invention. Why 15,300 kilos, of barley need 10,520 kilos, of moisture per day, is a thing entirely beyond our comprehension. 350 litres of water por minute is a supply which many malthouses could not possibly obtain; and even if they could, tho power spent in pumping would bo largely wasted. It is very good and accommodating of the air to get so nicely cool in a coke tower in tho presence of so much water as M. Galland asserts. At the Health Exhibition at the present moment an Echangeur is working daily which cools a large volume of air 12 to 15deg.—i.c., to the temperature of the water used—with a consumption of about ten gallons of water per day.

M. Galland speaks vaguely and loosely of his invention of a pneumatic kiln, and he asserts that after three weeks’ trial he is satisfied that the work done on his kiln is decidedly better than upon a kiln constructed on our principle. We should be sorry oven to doubt a statement seriously made by so eminent an inventor and maltster, but it yet remains to be proved that a small percentage of lactic acid is an evil in malt. It has been proved repeatedly that the too rapid drying of malt is a distinct evil, and of the very numerous patents that have been taken out to accomplish this end, we do not know a single kiln in which any mechanical apparatus for the rapid removal of moisture has proved of practical use. Of the patents upon the same principle, apparently, as Galland’s, we have never even seen one in the thousands of malthouses known to us, although those taken by the following paten tees might be capable of doing as effective work as that stated by M. Galland, viz., Wheeler, Kay and S tell, Bush, Else, Stead, Bell, Poole, Goff and Strangman, Barnett, Watts, Reynolds, and many others whom we could name. M. Galland, like many others, appears ignorant of the fact that to dry malt properly, more has to be done than simply to remove the moisture, and then “bake” it. Malt drying is essentially a cooking process. The too rapid removal of moisture, and the application of low heats to green malt when moist, exercise influences upon the soluble albumcnoids present in the grain of a most fatal character, and destructive of the chief end a maltster should ever keep in view, viz., the adjustment of the constituents of the malt in the best possible form for the perfect reproduction of yeast. If the illustration of this kiln is correct, it possesses obvious defects, which would make the production of soundly dried friable malt difficult, if not impossible. The amount of shovelling in this kiln would obviously exceed that in scores of kilns constructed by us. The statement that the drying is performed with mathematical precision is unsupported by any evidence. That malt can be even maintained for a sufficient length of time at a suitable temperature to ensure stability, with a consumption of 19 '8 lb. of coke per metrical quarter, is as absurd as that coke could evaporate 15 lb. of water per lb. in an old egg-ended boiler.

We have the greatest respect for M. Galland and his inventions, which are of incalculable value to maltsters and brewers, and under all circumstances loyally render him the credit his great genius and devotion merit. It is with regret that we have to appear even for one instant antagonistic to him, for apart from any higher feeling, our interests in this matter are almost identical.

H. Stores and Co.

24a, Southwark-street, London, S.E., .Tune 2Gth.

WATER-TUBE BOILERS.

Sir,—In your editorial of June 13th, under the above heading, you call upon me to state tho advantages of water-tube boilers. I take the opportunity to do so with pleasure, not, however, with any fear that they cannot sustain themselves upon their own merits. That there have been many engineering blunders mitted in the construction of water-tube boilers is doubtless true, and it is none the less true that there have been equally great blunders in designing other types of boilers, No doubt your own in face of the fact that three-quarters of all the sugar refined and of sewing machines manufactured, the largest and most successful steam heating plant in the world, a large part of the woollen, cotton, iron, steel, paper, clock, flour, chemical, oil refining, and other plants, all the Edison and much of the other electric lighting and manufacturing, the cable tramways of San Francisco, Chicago, and Brooklyn Bridge, and hundreds of other kinds of work in the United States, are driven by water-tube boilers, to say no tiling of the many installations in Great Britain and on the Continent.

Geo. H. Babcock,

President, The Babcock and Wilcox Company, New York and Glasgow.

Inns-of-Court Hotel, London, June 23rd.

CRYSTAL PALACE EXHIBITION.

Sir,—In reference to the concluding remarks in your account of the above Exhibition last week, allow me, as the representative of one of the largest exhibitors, to express the indignation that I feel regarding the grossly neglectful manner in which this Exhibition has been attempted to be brought under the notice of the public. This Exhibition has now been opened two months, and it is still quite the exception to speak to anyone and find they even know of the existence of such. The directors of the Crystal Palace Company may think it will answer their purpose to take no further trouble to make it known; but it will not answer the exhibitors’, who have been at considerable expense and trouble, now to find themselves completely gulled. If things go on in the same sleepy way as they have done up to the present, it will astonish me considerably if the directors do not find matters take a very unpleasant turn.

Brightside Works, Sheffield, June 22nd.

Antwerp International Exhibition, 1885.—Finding that tho English Government, unlike other countries, were indisposed to vote any sum toward the Exhibition, the Antwerp committee have undertaken to decorate the British section, cart exhibitor’s goods into and out of the Exhibition building from the local depots free, if not exceeding l)j tons, and delivered before the 15th April, 1885, and store and return their empty packing-cases without charge, so that exhibitors will only have to pay for their rent space and the cost of their own installation. The executive committee have also undertaken to pay all the office expenses, staff, agency charges, and cost of publicity for England, so that the exhibitors will be called upon for no outlay connected with the working of the British Commission. Mr. P. L. Simmonds, 35, Queen Victoria-street, is the British Commissioner.

Important Trades Union Case.—An important case affecting members of Trades Unions, in which an extraordinary defence was set up, came before Mr. T. Jordan and a jury at the Court of Record, Manchester, on Wednesday. The plaintiff was a machinist who had been a member of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, Machinists, Smiths, and Pattern-makers, and he sought to recover from the Society £19 18s. for benefit whilst out of work for fifty-two weeks. Whilst acting as foreman of some works, tho men, against their wishes, were ordered by the Society to come out on strike. He did not obey the order, and was expelled tho Society. The period during wliich he was out of work was after his exclusion. The Judge, after examining the rules, said ho could imagine nothing more iniquitous or illegal than one rule as to piece work, which provided that any member receiving more than any other member working on the same job should divide the surplus with him under pain of fine, and ultimately of expulsion. Mr. Sutton said therewas sufficient to show that the Society was an illegal combination, and, therefore a civil action against it could not be held, Further than this, there was a contingent fund for restraining trado and encouraging strikes, and the plaintiff had knowledge of these. Por the plaintiff it was contended that, in spite of the illegal rules, he could recover against the Society as a Friendly Society. The plaintiff, in his evidence, said the men working under him were called out on strike against their own wishes. The Judge: “And this is a free country, where there is freedom of contract!” The Society, ho added, was trying to subvert the law of the country. In summing up, the Judge said that, however iniquitous the defence was, however dishonourable tho jury might take it for tho defendants to set up their own illegality and wrong as a bar to the action, the law must bo administered as it existed, but the case might have a good effect in showing working men how helpless they were in joining illegal federations like this. The jury found that the Society was a Trades Union, and gave a verdict for the defendants. The Judge said that as he had the power, he should deprive the defendants of every penny of their costs. He was astonished at the defendants showing their heads in a court of law before a judge and jury. The foreman of the jury said they endorsed every word of the Judge’s opinion.

New Gasworks at Crindau, Newport.—On Tuesday week was laid the first stone of new gasworks at Crindau, Wales, by Mr. Greatrex, Chairman of the Board. The first section of the new gasworks at Crindau consists of retort-house of 147ft. in length inside by 65ft. in width. Adjoining and parallel with it is tho coal store of the same length, and 40ft. in width. The nature of the sloping ground which has been excavated for these buildings has been here taken advantage of for the construction of the sidings, which will stand immediately above the coal store, running on the natural level of the sideland, and will thus enable the coal

We

was

The following contractions have been adopted by the International Metrical Congress at Paris, and are recommended for general — (1) Length: Kilometre, km; metre, m; decimetre, dm;

From a paper read before the Royal Institution by Professor J.

W. Judd, it appears that the Krakatoa cataclysm destroyed over 35,000 people, but as a volcanic outburst it was comparatively small with that of Tomboro in 1815. The Krakatoa was, however, more violent for the few hours it lasted than the Tomboro during its thirty days. The size of Krakatoa was formerly 33£ square kilometres; of that 23 square kilometres have subsided, and lOi square kilometres remain extant. But on the south and southwest side the island has been increased by a large ring of volcanic products, so that the size of New Krakatoa is now, according to the survey, 15J square kilometres. The size of Long Island was formerly 2 9 and is now 3'2 square kilometres. Verlaten Island has become much larger; it was formerly 3‘7 and is now 11'8 square kilometres in size. Of the Poolsche Hoedje nothing remains. In the place where the fallen part of Krakatoa once stood there is now everywhere deep sea, generally 200, in some places even more than 300, metres deep. It is remarkable that in the midst of this deep sea a rock has remained, which rises about 5 metres above its surface. Close to this rock, which is certainly not larger than 10 metres square, the sea is more than 200 metres deep. It is like a gigantic club, which Krakatoa lifts defiantly out of the sea.

At the meeting of the Chemical Society, June 19th, a paper was read, “On the Magnetic Rotary Polarisation of Chemical Compounds in relation to their Composition,” with observations on the preparation and densities of the bodies examined by Mr. W. H.

Perkin, F.R.S. In a preliminary note on this subject, read before the Society about two years ago, it was shown that no definite laws could be expected by the ordinary system of comparing the rotary effect of unit lengths of fluid, and that a comparison of molecular lengths—i.e., such lengths of fluid that the ray of light in passing through these should in all cases traverse the same number of molecules—must be made if any relationship in the rotary effect of various bodies was to become apparent. It was further shown, that the rotation due to these molecular lengths may be calculated from observations made on unit lengths by the v. M?o

formula — where r = rotation observed, M«> the molecular

weight, and d the density ; and that if this number be divided by the number similarly obtained for the standard of comparison—in this case water—the result will be the molecular coefficient of magnetic rotation, or more briefly, the molecular rotation. Examples were then given, calculated from original observation as well as from numbers taken from the papers of Recquerel and De La Rive, fully confirming this view, and plainly showing the existence of definite laws governing the magnetic rotary polarisation. These investigations have been continued, and the present communication embodies the results of the careful observation of about 140 substances belonging to the various classes of the fatty series of organic compounds. From these results it is clear that in a strictly homologous series the introduction of each C H₂ is marked by an increase in the molecular rotation. This constant for CH« was found—as the mean of a large number of closely concordant observations—to be 1'023; each series has, in addition, its own initial or series constant, and it was found that when this initial constant has been once determined for a series, by the careful overlooked ; it is, perhaps, unsurpassed, and extends up to 8in. observation of one of its members, the molecular rotation of any diameter. There is a peculiar erecting shop roof, which, wonder-other members may be found by the formula—Mol. rot. = s + ful in its day, will still repay examination. Although the premises 1‘023.71, where s = the initial or series constant, and n the are large, the quantity of general plant in modern lathes, &c., js nvupber of carbon atqms in the molecule.    now much exceeded by ^ome of the largest and newest houses.

RAILWAY MATTERS.

NOTES AND MEMORANDA.

MISCELLANEA.

It is estimated that 40,000 workmen will be employed in the completion of the railway to Quetta.

On the Pennsylvania Railroad the average consumption of fuel for all passenger trains is 50 lb. per train mile.

The eighteen principal English railways have earned almost exactly a million a week for the twenty-four weeks of the present year.

The completion of the Andine Railway to the town of Mendoza, at the foot of the Andes, in Mendoza, was the cause of much rejoicing early last month.

The Society of Engineers visited the extensive works of the Midland Railway Company on Wednesday. We defer notice of the works for another impression.

A connecting link between Portugal and Spain, namely, the railway from Salamanca to the frontier, where it joins the general system of the Portuguese railways, is now expected to be completed in September next.

According to a special report by the Engineer-in-Chief for the railways of South Australia, there are in that colony 8| miles of double lines and 894^ miles of single lines open for traffic. The cost of building, exclusive of rolling stock, has been £4,795,180, or an average of £5314 per mile.

In ten years the railways of New South Wales have been almost quadrupled in mileage, whilst the working expenses have risen from 50'8 to 55T per cent.; still the net profit resulting from these public works amounted to £704,228, which on the £15,308,493, the total cost incurred, gives a return of nearly 5 per cent.

Some important railways, the Madrid correspondent of the Times says, are about to be laid in the Phillipine Islands. English contractors and manufacturers of railway plant ought to be able to compete in this new outlet for railway enterprise. To-day’s—20th —Gazette announces that tenders will be received up to October 1st next for the construction of a line from Manila to Lingayen, on the north-west coast of the Island of Luzon.

Manufacturers are hoping to obtain by private arrangement with the railway companies some relief which at present they cannot obtain by Imperial legislation. The London and North-Western, the Great Western, and the Midland Companies have consented to receive in London a deputation from the South Staffordshire Railway and Canal Freighters’ Association, on Friday, to discuss the details of the freightage concessions which the Association believe are required to relieve the trade of the district.

On the 19th inst. the jury on the Downton accident returned the following verdict:—“ We unanimously find that Mr. Dent met his death by the accident. We also find that the Salisbury and Dorset line between Downton and Breamore is in a very weak and faulty condition, so much so that it is not safe for a train to pass over it at the speed at which we are of opinion the train was going at the time of the accident. We are also of opinion that the faulty link produced was not broken until after the carriages left the line. We also condemn the practice of making up time between the stations.”

A few days ago the passengers on the express train running from Czernowitz to Lemberg had a narrow escape. On a bridge between Bobrka and Staresi a beam had been laid across the rails. As the engine driver in the darkness could not see the obstacle, the train rushed at full speed against it. Fortunately, by the tremendous shock, a portion of the beam, which was probably rotten, was broken off and thrown from the rails, so that the engine did not leave the track. As half-an-hour before a goods train had passed the place without finding any obstruction, it is inferred that the attempt was directed against the express.

There are altogether on French railways G893 locomotives, of which 2820 are passenger and 4007 goods engines. There are also 15,432 carriages, of which 3208 are first-class, 5315 second-class, and 0909 third-class, together with 182,089 wagons. As regards the principal companies, the following are the figures:—Northern: 1138 locomotives, 2021 carriages, and 33,971 wagons. Eastern: 922 locomotives, 2359 carriages, and 22,401 wagons. Western: 1045 locomotives. 2881 carriages, and 17,405 wagons. Orleans: 970 locomotives, 2100 carriages, and 20,433 wagons. Paris-Lyons-Mediterranean: 1900 locomotives, 3489 carriages, and 02,200 wagons.

Residents of the West End of Stolce-upon-Trent seem possessed, our Birmingham correspondent writes, of more modern and sen sible notions regarding the value of steam upon tramways than certain members of the Town Council of that borough. A few days ago a deputation from the residents waited upon the Council to ask for the withdrawal of their opposition to the use of steam power on the London-road branch. The tramway had become a necessity, and they desired that this convenience should not be interrupted. The Mayor replied that the Council had previously decided that if steam were used on the London-road line, the company should be called upon to discontinue the double set of rails on another portion of their line. One of the members of the Council has, however, given notice of his intention to move the rescinding of this resolution.

In his report on the collision that occurred on tlie 5th April at Chester station, on the London and North-Western and Great Western Joint Railway Company’s line, when the Birkenhead 11.40 a.m. train ran against the stop buffers at the end of the Dock platform line, when it arrived at Chester station at 12.10 p.m., and fifteen passengers were reported hurt, Colonel Rich says “The London and North-Western Railway Company use the simple vacuum on a few of their trains, and the brakes are applied to tiie train by creating a vacuum. The Great Western Railway Company use the automatic vacuum, and the brakes are applied to the train by destroying the vacuum, so that the engines of both companies can work trains belonging to either company, but the engines cannot work the continuous brakes on a train made up of carriages belonging to both companies. It is a great disadvantage as regards both safety, efficiency, and economy, that the great railway companies of the kingdom will not adopt a uniform system.”

In a recent lecture “ On Fixed Stars,” Dr. David Gill wanted an illustration of the distance to Centnuri. This is what he said : “ We are a commercial people, we like to make our estimates in pounds sterling. We shall suppose that some wealthy directors have failed in getting Parliamentary sanction to cut a sub-Atlantic tunnel to America, and so for want of some other outlet for their energy and capital they construct a railway to Centauri. shall neglect for the present the engineering difficulties—a mere detail—and suppose them overcome and the railway open for traffic. We shall go further, and suppose that the directors have found the construction of such a railway to have been peculiarly easy, and that the proprietors of interstellar space had not been exorbitant in their terms for right of way. Therefore, with a view to encourage traffic, the directors had made the fares exceedingly moderate, viz., first-class at one penny per 100 miles. Desiring to take advantage of these facilities, an American gentleman by way of providing himself with small change for the journey, buys up the National Debt of England and of a few other countries, and presenting himself at the booking-office, demands a first-class single to Centauri. For this he tenders in payment the scrip of the National Debt of England, which just covers the cost of his ticket; but I should explain that at this time the National Debt fiom little wars coupled with some unre-munerative Government investments in landed property, had run up the National Debt from 700 millions to 1100 millions sterling. Having taken his seat, it occurs to him to ask ‘ At what rate do you travel?’ ‘ Sixty miles an hour, sir, including stoppages,’ is the answer. ‘ Then when shall we reach Centauri ?’ ‘ In 48,003,000 years, sir,’ ‘ Humph! rather a long journey.’ ”

A metal which is said to be well adapted for the manufacture of various parts of agricultural implements is made by Messrs. Glueckner, of Tchirndorf, by fusing cast iron and steel together, but the proportions that have been found best are not given.

During the week ending June 21st 2015 births and 1371 deaths were registered in London. The annual death-rate from all causes, which had been 19'2, 18'9, and 18'8 per 1000 in the three preceding weeks, further declined last week to 17*8. The 1371 deaths included 41 from smallpox, and 81 from measles. In greater London 3374 births and 1087 deaths were registered, equal to annual rates of 34 0 and 17'3 per 1000 of the population.

The mean spotted area of the sun was slightly greater in 1883 than during the preceding year, although the faculae showed a small falling off. For the year 1883 Greenwich Observatory photographs are available on 215 days, and Indian photographs filling up the gaps in the series on 125 days, making a total of 340 days out of 305 on which photographs have been measured. In 1882 the total number of days was 343, viz., Greenwich series 201 days, supplemented by Indian photographs on 142 days.

At a recent meeting of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, a paper was read by Mr. A. H. Leahy on the pulsation of spheres in an elastic medium. The problem of two pulsating spheres in an incompressible fluid has been discussed by several writers. The author considers the analogous problem in the case in which the medium surrounding the spheres has the properties of an elastic solid. He finds that the most important term in the expression of the law of force between the two spheres varies inversely as the square of the distance between them. This force will be an attraction if the spheres be in unlike phases, a repulsion if they be in like phases at any instant. The next term in the expression varies inversely as the cube of the distance between the two spheres, and is always a repulsion.

A paper on some irregularities in the values of the mean density of the earth, as determined by Baily, was read on the 26th ult. by Mr. W. M. Hicks. The author showed that the numbers obtained by Baily for the mean density of the earth depended on the temperature of the air at which the different observations were made; and he exhibited a table showing that as the temperature increased from 40deg. Fah. to 60 deg. Fah. the deduced mean densities fell continuously from 5'734 to 5'582. He considered several possible causes of error, but showed that they were either inadequate to explain the irregularities, or tended in the opposite direction. The only further suggestion that occurred to him that Baily’s personal equation was a function of the temperature, leading him, as his temperature rose, to estimate distances more liberally.

In a description of the mowing and reaping machine works of Mr. W. A. Wood the following occurs:—“ Statement of materials we consumed in the manufacture of 45,032 machines, our production in 1883. We give only the principal materials used. Pig iron, 10,500 tons; steel, 1000 tons; wrought and cold rolled iron, 4500 tons; malleable iron, 1000 tons; coal, 7000 tons; coke, 1000 tons; moulding sand, 4000 tons; grinding stones, 225 tons; painting material, 490,0001b.; spring wire, 00,0001b.; tacks and rivets, 120,000 1b.; brass and composition, 120,0001b.; screws, 10,000 gross; lubricating oils, 10,000 gallons; lumber, 10,000,000ft.; cotton duck, 90,000 yards; carriage and plough bolts, 3,000,000. As evidence of the magnitude that the use of self-binding machinery in harvesting grain lias attained, we will state that we furnished our customers in 1883, 2500 tons of twine.” use:

centimetre, cm ; millimetre, mm. (2) Surface: Square kilometre, km²; square metre, w-; square decimetre, dm²; square centimetre, cm²; square millimetre, mm²; hectare, ha; are, a. (3) Cubic measure: Cubic kilometre, km?; cubic metre, m:i; cubic decimetre, dm³; cubic centimetre, cm³; cubic millimetre, mm³. (4) Hollow measure: Hectolitre, hi; litre, l; decilitre, dl; centilitre, cl. (5) Weight: Ton (1000 kilogrammes), t; metric hundredweight (100 kilogrammes), q; kilogramme, kg; decagramme, dkg; gramme, g; decigramme, dg; centigramme, eg; milligramme, mg. Italic letters are used for these contractions, and no stop is to be used at the right of them. The contractions succeed the figures to which they refer, on the same line, and after the last decimal placed, when figures are used which contain decimal fractions.

The number of visitors to the International Health Exhibition for the week ending 21st June was 143,122; total since the opening, 712,081.

A paper on the extraction of sugar from molasses by means of lime appears in the last number of the Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry.

We are asked by Messrs. Walter T. Glover and Co., to state that they are the sole makers of Bell’s rope pulley friction brake, illustrated in our impression of the 0th inst.

The Lord Mayor will distribute the medals to the successful British exhibitors in the late Amsterdam Exhibition, at the Mansion House, on Monday, the 30th instant, at 3 o’clock.

A new monthly periodical, the Illustrated Naval and Military Magazine, will appear on July 1st. It is to be devoted to all subjects connected with her Majesty’s Land and Sea Forces.

Germany has not quite succeeded in copying our torpedo boats, or if they have in copying, they have not in following up our improvements, for other orders have just been seht to this country by the German Admiralty.

The English Illustrated Magazine for July contains an unusually large number of well-executed drawings, amongst which is a small one of the Forth Bridge as it will be, and a very interesting article on “ How a Bone is Built,” byM. Dural MacAlister, which contains good deal of mechanical illustration.

It is proposed to hold an American exhibition in London in 1886. The exhibition is to be truly national in character, and afford the opportunity to Europeans of seeing the American workmen—white and coloured—engaged upon their respective handicrafts. Enquiries may be made of Mr. C. B. Norton, 7, Poultry.

Messrs. Taylor Brothers and Co., Clarence Ironworks, Leeds, have secured the order for locomotive tires from the Scinde, Pun-jaub, and Delhi Railway Company, to be of their high-class crucible cast steel; and also the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway Company’s order for locomotive crank axles, made of their mild steel.

A fast new steamboat, City of Kingston, of the Cornell Steamboat Company, which recently arrived in New York from Wilmington, Del., has begun making fast trips on the Hudson. The City of Kingston is 255ft. long, 47ft. wide, and has a capacity of 1100 tons. She is to run between West Point, Poughkeepsie, Newburg, and New York, and on her recent trip made seventy-five miles in four hours, but is expected greatly to surpass this rate of speed when fairly at work on the river.

Colonel George M. Totten, chief engineer in charge of the construction of the Panama Railroad, died at New York on the 17th ult. Deceased was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1808. When M. de Lesseps went out to Panama, Colonel Totten accompanied him as consulting engineer, and was retained in that capacity. In 1882, the president of the Maryland and Delaware Ship Canal Company also engaged him as chief engineer of that company, and he held this position at the time of his death.

The report on the composition and quality of daily samples of the water supplied to London, for the month ending May 31st, 1884, by William Crookes, F.R.S., William Odling, M.B., F.R.S., F.R.C.P., and C. Meymott Tidy, M.B., F.C.S., says:—“ Of these 189 samples of water, the whole were, without exception, clear, bright, and well filtered. The quality of the water supplied to the metropolis during the past month, as indicated by its state of aeration, and high degree of freedom from colour and excess of organic matter, was excellent. Its perfect filtration was shown by the absence of even a trace of suspended matter in any one of the numerous samples submitted to examination.”

Messrs. Siemens, Brothers, and Co., of Berlin, have recently constructed some small arc lamps which will work in parallel, and do not require more than two amperes of current ami an electromotive force of 40 volts. The upper carbon descends by its own weight, and passes as it is consumed through a hole pierced in a copper disc, the diameter of which is slightly smaller than that of the carbon. The lower carbon is pushed upwards by the action of a spring in a copper tube. A solenoid regulates the length of the arc by its action on a core, to which the upper carbon is attached. The Electrician says, “ The idea is to employ these instead of incandescent lamps, the arc lamps being more economical.”

The roll of the Institution of Civil Engineers continues steadily to increase—the addition during the past twelvemonth having been at the rate of 4f per cent. The numbers now on the register, without students, are 3833; on the 30tli of November, 1862, the gross total of all classes was 1000. The first admissions to the class of students took place in November, 1867; at present there are on the books 777 students. The Council and officers entertained at dinner last week, the President Sir J. W. Bazalgett.e, C.B., the other guests being, Mr. F. Collingwood, M. Inst. C.E., and Colonel Gzowski. M. Inst. C.E., A.D.C. to the Queen ; Sir Frederick Dram well occupied the chair, and Mr. Edward Woods the vice-chair

Sewage interception in Birmingham is, our correspondent writes, again to the front. On the occasion of a visit, a few days ago, of a number of members of the Town Council to the Montague-street interception works, it was learned that the Corporation are next month to be asked to sanction the expenditure of a further £35,000 in completing the works. This expenditure, the committee believe, will enable them to make an additional annual profit of £0000. The money would be devoted to increasing the completeness of the pan system as it at present exists, without necessarily involving any extension of the scale on which it is applied. The sewage is now being defoecated on between 12,000 and 13,000 acres of land, and the question of disposal is being dealt with in a manner of commensurate magnitude.

Some interest is awakened in engineering circles in London just now by the approaching close of the old engineering works, so well known as the “ Canal Ironworks,” at the entrance to the Isle of Dogs, London, E. This notable establishment stands second in priority in London—that of Messrs. Maudslay, Sons, and Field being the oldest—for the manufacture of marine engines. It was founded by the late Messrs. Seawards above sixty years ago, and advanced rapidly with the development of the marine engine and steam navigation, and soon obtained a world-wide reputation for the excellence and magnitude of its productions. The proprietors were able, far-seeing men, and many of the improvements in marine machinery were originated or developed from the Canal Ironworks, such as the feathering paddle-wheel, the direct-acting —Gorgon—marine engine, surface condensing, the return tube boiler, improved slides and cam motion gear, lifting propeller, and numerous details, nearly all of which have passed into general use. A vast amount of general machinery for lead rolling, dredging, brewing, cement making, Ac. Ac., was designed at the Canal Ironworks, and sent to all parts of the world. Although the decay of marine engine making in London, has prevented the extension of the old house, there will be amongst the tools some which have merits deserving of attention ; here was originated Seaward’s hoisting “sheers” with the travelling back leg, a modern example of which, 100ft. high, in iron, stands on the wharf. An interesting tool, also, is the large vertical boring machine for largest size cylinders ; Seaward spent £5000 upon this, and it is certainly an admirable tool. There is also the large vertical slotting machine, with a stroke up to 5ft. 2in.—a wonderfully powerful and compact machine; indeed a number of similar Blotters have been made by the house, especially useful for large forge work. The extensive collection of screwing tackle must not be

I—

RUSSIAN TORPEDO BOATS. —AIR AND CIRCULATING PUMPS.

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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. Gerold and Co., Booksellers.

LEIPSIC.—A. Twietmeyer, Bookseller.

NEW YORK.—The Willmer and Rogers News Company, 81, Beekman-street.

TO 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 in 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 communicatiims which do not comply with these instructions.

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

*** All letters intended for insertion in The Engineer, taming 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.

W. J.—A delivery valve is quite unnecessary.

An Ignorant User of Steam Power.—Simply a spring inside the piston ring.

The Inventor.—(1) Yes. (2) The fees will be the same as under the old law. (3) Yes.

Inventor.—Theoretically, you can get foreign patents without an agent. Practically, you will find it impossible.

Draughtsman.—You will find the process described at p. 279, April 19th, 1878, awl p. 298, April 26th, 1878. You can, however, now buy 'paper ready sensitised for the purpose.

G. H. C.—So far as we know the only degrees in civil engineering to be obtained in the United Kingdom are those of Trinity College, Dublin, a'nd the Queen's Colleges of Ireland, Belfast, and Cork. The University of London—Burlington House—does not grant any degree in civil engineering. University College, London—(So wer-street—in its department of engineering, grants a certificate, but this is only to be had by attending a course at the college for at least two years.

A Subscriber (Birmingham).—It is not easy for us to say whether you would gain anything or not, because we have not all the facts before Theoretically, the Woolf engine—yours—is just as economical, or rather economical, than the engine u-ith cranks at right angles and a receiver, but the right-angled engine will give you more regular turning. Again, you may not now be working your engine to the best advantage as regards point of cut-off, action of valves, and so on. If your engine were altered all this might be made right, when the benefit would be attributed to the change in the angle of the cranks, to which it would not really be due. Send us a set of diagrams and we can advise you further.

ENAMELLED STILLS.

(To the Editor of The Engineer.)

Sir,—I shall be much obliged to any of your readers who will tell me

where I can find a maker of enamelled stills.    D. P.

June 21st.

more

on

we

or con-

EGYPT.

us.

MILD STEEL ROLLING.

(To the Editor of The Engineer.)

Sir,—Can any reader of The Engineer of good practical experience tell me if there is any economical advantage in rolling plates, sheets, and bars from mild steel—such as Bessemer or Siemens - Martin—over malleable iron as usually piled in the rolling mill? What quantity of ingot or slab is requirod to produce one ton of finished plates, sheets or bars?    E. E

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case.

THE ENGINEER.

JUNE 27, 1884.

COLONEL MAITLAND ON THE GUNS OF 1884.

We call attention to the paper read by Colonel Maitland, the Superintendent of the Royal Gun Factories, with the accompanying drawings, as a most valuable summary of the gun question at the present time. Any paper of Colonel Maitland’s would command special attention, but several circumstances combine to give peculiar weight to this. Writing as Superintendent of of the Royal Arsenal Gun Factories, with the Secretary of State for War in the chair, supported by the Surveyor-General of Ordnance and the Director of Artillery, Colonel Maitland’s opinions are delivered ex cathedra in an unprecedented manner; so much so, that we regard the reading of the paper thus as a bold move for the authorities to take, and one which is only justified by thorough confidence in their position. Discussions at the United Service Institution are sometimes free and lively, and there is nothing to prevent independent men from being as outspoken as they please. When once the glove was thrown dowo and the lists of discussion were opened, there was a grand opportunity for the advocates of Krupp’s, Whitworth’s, Palliser’s, Hope’s, or any other rival system which has all to gain and nothing to lose,

tons.

to attack the Government position. To defeat the Super- but we are behind in numbers.” Money and time are needed intendent of the Gun Factories, backed by all the official to arm us efficiently. This means that Government authorities, and in the audience of most of the men of the adapters have done their part—Colonel Maitland, by the country who know much about ordnance, would be a feat way, uses language which does not intimate how much of that might give real satisfaction to an ill-used inventor, this work was his own—and it is for the country to vote There was nothin" to prevent this but the strength of the the money necessary to push on without further delay, position and the ability of the lecturer. It follows, there- Colonel Maitland says we have not been caught napping, fore, that if Colonel Maitland held his own, the country has but we are not yet out of the wood. It has been our task the best possible guarantee of the soundness of our position this spring to call attention repeatedly to the serious con-the important matter of ordnance at the present time, dition into which the armaments of the country are falling. We think that without question our position is a sound We have spoken strongly, and in doing so we have only one. We know of no system to be preferred to our own; quoted the warnings that have been uttered by every nay, we are not prepared to suggest any feature that we authority on the subject. Strong, burning words linve wish to see embodied in the designs approved for future been spoken by earnest men again and again. They have manufacture. Our guns may not have been invented by not been answered because they were based on the un-British artillery officers. They may even be adaptations of answerable logic of facts. They will have been of small the inventions of foreigners, but so long as they are the use if we only have them to refer to after some terrible best we have reason to be satisfied. It is consoling to know national humiliation has befallen us, to show that our pro-that even if inventive talent be lacking to us, the best guns fessional advisers were not in fault, and that the nation are not. When we wrote on this subject in 1880 we gave a has to suffer for its own neglect, series of articles on various systems of construction, including Krupp’s, Whitworth’s, Palliser’s, and Vavassenr’s, as well as those of Elswick and the Royal Gun Factories—see The The last issue of the minutes of the “ Proceedings ” of Engineer for June 25th, July 9th, and July 30th, 1880. the Institution of Civil Engineers—vol. lxxvi.—contains a We concluded our review by observing that “the intro- paper by Mr. W. Anderson on “The Condition of the duction of built-up steel guns wrasa mere question of time,” Delta of the Nile,” which possesses especial interest at the because in the form of cylinders built up into a gun the present crisis in Egyptian affairs. Mr. Anderson was pro-very qualities that had once recommended our wrought fessionally employed to visit a part of the Delta altogether iron Armstrong guns were secured in a higher degree in outside the track of ordinary travellers; and the effectof what steel in this form, and that consequently nearly all he saw and experienced moved him to write the article which the arguments for the former would tell in a greater the council of the Institution has published as one of the degree for built-up steel guns, which might be adopted by “ Selected Papers.” Mr. Anderson has long had an inti-our authorities in the shape they had then assumed with- mate knowledge of Egyptian affairs; and the object of his out any inconsistency. Two features in the system of paper is to show that the resources of Egypt have been building up now adopted, we think, call for notice. It is destroyed at their very source by the gross neglect, which the fact that the longitudinal strain is taken off the inner has for a long time existed, of the drainage, irrigation, and tube and thrown on to the jacket which surrounds it at ways of communication upon which the prosperity of a the breech, and that the latter is by a system of locking purely agricultural country entirely depends. It seems rigidly attached to the trunnion hoop or whatever corre- inexplicable that so little attention is directed by states-sponds to it. These features were especially advocated by men and financiers towards the real weakness of Egypt. Vavasseur. Anyone who cares to refer to the drawings Colonel Scott-Moncrieff, the present head of the Public we gave in 1880, which, with the exception of Krupp’s gun, Works Department, is, indeed, quite alive to the real we obtained from the manufacturers themselves, may see wants of the country, and so recently as June 18th, the that the first-mentioned feature did not exist in the Times published the substance of a note furnished by him Gun Factory, Elswick, or Krupp’s design, while it to the Legislative Council, in which he expresses his is exhibited in that of Yavasseur—p. 21, July 9—and on    opinion that the rate of    the land tax    is excessive in    the

that page is described as a special feature of his gun. Our    present impoverished    state of the    country, and    the

words were, “ Vavasseur’s method of holding the trunnion neglected condition of the public works; and in earlier hoop to the breech is peculiar to this gun, as is the hold    notes, addressed to    the financial    advisers of    the

of the breech-closing gear to the steel jacket.” We ex-    Government, he points out clearly    and forcibly that

pressed our conviction at some length of the soundness defective drainage, defective irrigation, and the almost of this, and gave our reasons. We will not trouble our total absence of cheap modes of communication, are readers with any quotations, but we may jjoint out that in at the bottom of the poverty which presses so hardly on the sections given on p. 488 of the Elswick, Gun Factory, and the fellaheen, and which, because of the apparent neces-Krupp guns, it will be seen that in each case the breech sity of reducing the rate of interest on the loans, seems piece rests against the jacket surrounding the outer tube, likely to be the cause of grave misunderstanding between and longitudinal strain is token off the inner tube and England and France. Notwithstanding the circumstance thrown on to the jacket. In the two former the connec- that the defects which Mr. Anderson has pointed out, and tion with the trunnion hoop is that advocated by Vavas- which Colonel Scott-Moncrieff has deplored, are sufficiently seur ; but the Gun Factory without question always had notorious, they seem to be ignored by the statesmen who this last feature, or a still more solid trunnion and breech have undertoken the regeneration of Egypt; at any rate, no connection. Colonel Maitland very handsomely acknow- remedy for the evils named forms a distinct and emphatic ledged any good element token from any system ; as, how- part of the contemplated reforms; while the proposal to eva-ever, Vavasseur’s name was not mentioned, we think it cuate the country in three years is a practical abandonment fair to accord him credit for what appears was an impor- of the only measures that can restore prosperity, because tout feature—indeed one which was noticed as such by it is absurd to suppose that the drainage, irrigation, and Colonel Maitland.    ways of communication of the country can be put right in

With regard to the credit to be accorded to those who so short a period, have contributed to the present excellent designs, we may Egypt is intersected by innumerable canals, mostly of observe that many have borne a share. The building up large capacity, capable of carrying efficient inland naviga-of guns, which forms the foundation of everything, in tion; and yet Mr. Anderson found that in rainy weather principle resembles that first successfully carried out by communications were completely stopped, and, under the Sir William Armstrong. Whitworth and Vavasseur have, most favourable circumstances, it cost 26s. per ton to move in the face of all discouragements, patiently worked at farm produce by canal thirty-three miles to a port on the steel hoops until they have brought them to exhibit powers Damietta Nile ! In the extensive system of canals which far beyond anything that could be hoped for in iron. To exists, there are very few permanent works for regulating Krupp is due not only the credit of success in the use of the flow of water, and locking traffic through where a steel on a very large scale, but also of practically exhibiting difference of level occurs. The barbarous plan adopted is on a great scale the enormous advantage that breech-load- to make earth banks across the canals, and throttle iug possessed when applied to modern guns of much length, or shut off the water by that means ; of course render-For the actual proportions of these guns we hold we are ing trans-shipment necessary at each dam. Is it not indebted to him. The experiments made on burning possible that the vast array of works necessary to powder by our own committee were worked out in a give Egypt the same facilities for disposing of her remarkable way by Captain Andrew Noble. The sectional produce which other competing countries enjoy, can density of our projectiles is more nearly that first adopted possibly be carried out in three years—and if the English by Krupp than any other maker, unless it be Whitworth, are to leave in that time, what will become of the works Finally, Colonel Maitland calls attention to the fact of which they will hardly have had an opportunity of even how much we owe to the French in our system of breech- inaugurating, and under what discouragement must our closingand obturation. In justice to Palliser, we must observe engineers act, with the dreary prospect of relapse to native that we have long had in our possession a formal proposal misrule so immediately before them] It is a wonder that of his of a system of breech-closing almost identical with the French, generally so keen in pecuniary matters, have the French before the latter was known in this country, not looked at the problem from this point of view; they but this does not refer to our obturation, for which De are equally interested with ourselves in making the country Bange alone deserves credit. The success obtained in as productive as possible, and it is certain that this can powder was fully described byColonelMaitland,and we have only be done by engineering works, and not by financial nothing to add on behalf of Waltham Abbey or the Rhenish nostrums.

Westphalian Company. The proportions of the powder The paper before us dwells at some length on Colonel chamber are specially those of the Gun Factory. To return Scott-Moncrieffs attempt to make use of the Barrage for to the general question, however, we have described our the purpose for which it was built—namely, damming back position as “sound;” but while this is undoubtedly the water above the forks of the Nile, so as to irrigate true, it is not everything. Colonel Maitland spoke of the Lower Egypt without having recourse to pumps. The advantages of deliberation. “ Having waited the longest, difficulties and dangers of the attempt are pointed out; we have got the best,” he said ; but he confesses the gain in and we may add that it is uncertain, supposing even that quality has certainly involved a loss in quantity. We have success attends Colonel Moncrietf’s efforts, whether the at this moment very few first-class guns, and we are behind natural height of water thus obtained will command even France and Germany in the manufacture of large steel a considerable portion of the lands of the Delta by gravi-tubes. We are both behindhand at present, and also we tation. If it does not, then the money expended on the cannot make progress easily in very large guns. We are Barrage will be money thrown away, because it will not waiting for steel which we find it difficult to get. remove the wasteful methods of raising water now in Elswick’s three breech-loading guns of 110 tons weight are vogue, and which will have to be retained, and will be a bright feature in the picture. It may be seen by the almost as extravagant, even if the lift be much reduced, table accompanying Colonel Maitland’s pa}>er that they Colonel Scott-Moncrieff rightly states, in the note which are the most powerful weapons as yet designed—exceed- appeared in the Times of the 18th, that the local pumping ing the Krupp 119-ton guns in total energy by 4863 foot- machines are worked at a cost of 20s. per acre; but it is a There are, however, but three of these pieces well-established fact that large pumping stations under ordered. This being so, we would call attention to the Government control will supply water from the lowest closing words of the paper—“We have a good type of gun, Nile level to command the land at all times at one tenth

the

lo

66,000

== 1056 cubic feet. If we further

62 ’5

feet per minute, and

This represents a

= 14'2ft.

If the depth on the weir was

A basin 500ft. long by 200ft. wide, must be 48ft. dee]) to hold it. Spread out I Oft. deej), this vast volume of water would cover 475,200 square feet, or nearly 11 statute acres. These figures show the magnitude of the works that would be needed to utilise the

goes abroad to be worked into steel, and sheets, and plates, and bars, and rails, by our foreign competitors, while our own mills are standing idle, it rej)resents a condition of affairs which is not healthy. Altogether the little story told by Mr. Cross is calculated to make thoughtful people uncomfortable, if not absolutely unhappy. Possibly, if all the facts were before us, we might regard the matter with more equanimity. As the story stands, either contracts ai’e awarded by Government without due care for the

that sum—that is, at 2s. per acre—and effect, in addition, a large saving in the maintenance of long arterial canals and release a great deal of forced labour. The Ministry of Sherif Pacha was fully alive to what we have just stated, and published a scheme which, if carried out, would certainly have assured the permanent enrichment of the country, although it is to be noted that in that exhaustive report the improvement of the ways of communication is not even mentioned.

The cultivated lands in Egypt are peculiar in their nature. The infiltration from the Nile every season tends to wash up the deleterious salts which impregnate the subsoil; these salts can only be kept down by steady irrigation and drainage; any failure, of the former especially, not only does immediate harm to the growing crops, but inflicts injury on the land, which is not got over for a year or two. It is for this reason that any scheme for the amelioration of the agricultural prospects of Egypt, if it is to be worthy of England, must be one by which the engineer will place the land absolutely beyond all risk of being injured by want of drainage, or of irrigation water at a sufficient height to command the fields, and will improve the means of communication so that the cost of carriage to the ports of shipment will not exceed that of European countries; and, if Egypt is to be saved, this work must be done immediately on a sufficient scale, because long neglect has to be atoned for—neglect which, in the native Government, was to be expected, but which, if it can be charged to us, will be nothing short of criminal indifference to th welfare of a defenceless people, of whose country and government we have taken forcible possession.

We have looked in vain in the Prime Minister’s recent statement for any allusion to the condition of the public works. The sole measure of the fitness of the country to be abandoned by us will be its condition of “ peace and order.” Not one word is said about the state of the oppressed and impoverished peasantry; not one word about effecting any permanent good by which the name of England will be gratefully remembered. We trust that the nation will look at the matter in a proper light, and will recognise the fact that the only real internal danger lies in the discontent which arises from neglect by the Government of the means by which alone agricultural and commercial prosperity can be assured, and will look rather to wise administrators to check disorder than to the presence of an armed force. In writing thus we have no political bias. But we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that Egypt is a country in which English engineers could find employment for years to come. The engineer is the great civiliser. Nothing that the politician, or the soldier, or the sailor can effect is to be compared for a moment with the work that the members of our profession can accomplish; but for this time is essential, and the announcement that English influence will lie withdrawn from Egypt in three years is quite sufficient to deter engineers from taking any part in the regeneration of the country. Without them nothing will be effected; and any Government which shuts its eyes to this fact will commit a grave mistake. With politics properly so called we have nothing to do, they fall beyond scope and province of this journal; but we are very fully impressed with the conviction—forced home by the inexorable logic of facts—that the engineer is the great reformer, the great regenerator of modern times; and without entrenching in any way on the field of politics, we must express our regret that this fact has not been more fully recognised by the Government than would appear to be the case.

WATER TOWER.

We have recently received several letters on the subject of water power, the writers of which luive apj)arently found much that is attractive in the article on, “Hurdy-gurdy Wheels,” which ajipeared in our impression for May 30th. Our attention is drawn by others to the utilisation of the tides jis a means of obtaining enormous quantities of power; and some of our correspondents seem to think that we waste valuable gifts because we do not utilise every river and mountain torrent in the country. We cannot answer all our correspondents directly, and, under the circumstances, we think it may be worth while to put a few simjde f.acts concerning water jiower before them. It is difficult to jiersuade those who are not skilled in hydraulics that the volume of water which comes leaping through a large sluice or precipitates itself down a rock represents no more power than can be had from a few pounds or hundredweights of coal. Figures, however, cannot lie in this connection; and such of our readers jis care to follow us to the end will, we think, see that it is the easiest thing jkissible to be led away by the sight and sound of a waterfall which is of insignificant jiower. We met with a case some years ago in which a man built a large Hour mill six stories high, intended to take twenty pairs of stones, solely on the strength of a fall of water about 9ft. high. The volume of water tumbling down seemed to him immense; in reality there was just 8-horse power net to be had. He found this out before the floors were laid in the mill, and it remained for many years unfinished. In another instance heavy machinery was actually laid down for rolling iron. There was a 1 tin. bar mill, a 20in. sheet mill, a hoop mill, and a rod mill; there were seven water-wheels, and the gross power of Jill the water available was equivalent to 38 indicated horse-power. Such mistakes are by no means of rare occurrence, although not made on so liirge a scale. A firm without much experience in this chiss of work m;ide and guaranteed a turbine to give out 90-horse ]>ower. They .altered the wheel in various ways, and failed to comjily with the demands made on them. Then an engineer was called in, who Jiscertained that there was not more than 24-horse power of water available for nine months in the year, and that in wet seasons the most that could be got did not exceed a total of 90-horse power. We could extend this list of examjiles of miscalculation, but it is, we think, not necessary.

The jtower to be had from any fall of water depends on the weight of water and the height. A horse-power

represents 33,000 lb. lifted or suffered to fall 1ft. in a minute. Let us assume that we want to get 12-horse power net; it will not be safe to provide less than 20-liorse power of water. Some wheels will require less, but in this matter it is always necessary to be on the safe side. Let us suppose that the fall is 10ft., just a nice height fora breast wheel. Now, 33,000 x 20 = 660,000 foot-pounds

per minute, and IffiQ’P-Q. = 66,000 lb. of water, which is the quantity that must be delivered every minute on to our breast wheel to fall 10ft. A cubic foot of water weighs

62'5 lb., and assume that this water is delivered over a weir, the depth of water on the weir being 6in., the discharge per foot run of weir will be about 74 cubic 1056 74 very tolerable stream.

18in., the length of the weir would be little short of 3ft., and the cascade would present dimensions which would easily lead the unwary into believing that it represented three or four times the true j)ower. All this water, after after all, can only give out the power to be had from a small portable engine ; and allowing the somewhat extravagant estimate of 5 lb. per brake horse jier hour, a consumption of 60 lb. of coal j)er hour—a little over a quarter of a ton per day—would do as much as the waterfall. To jiut it in another way, a horse could easily draw as much coal as would develope all the power of our fall of water for four or five days. Of course the water falls night and day, while we assume ten hours to represent a day’s work of the steam engine. But in not a few instances the night work would be useless, simply running to waste.

Twelve horse-power is a very insignificant amount of energy. Let us see what a fair sized cotton mill would need. Let us assume, as before, that the fall is 1 Oft., but the power needed is 500 horses. For this we shall need no less than 1,650,0001b. of water, or 26,400 cubic feet. This, running 2ft. deej), would require a weir 45ft. Oin. long to discharge it. A cascade over 45ft. long and 10ft. high, the water rolling over its crest 2ft. deej), is no contemptible sjiectaele, and in this country there are very few places where anything like it can be seen all the year round.

The few ligures we have given will suffice to show that on moderate falls an enormous volume of water is required to give anything like a useful amount of power. Let us supj)ose that the cotton mill we have just cited was to be driven by tidal jiower; sjiace enough must be provided to store all the water that would be needed to run the mill for, let us say, three hours. The storage reservoir being filled while the tide was running, and being emptied as the tide falls, we must provide for a total quantity of water equal to 26,400 x 60 x 3 = 4,752,000 cubic feet.

tides on even a comparatively small scale. When we com-pare them with the plant required to suj)ply steam power, thelatter sinks into insignificance. The great draw back to water is the difficulty of obtaining it just where jiower is wanted, and the expanse of the works which are essential when much jiower is needed. It may be safely said that in England there is no water power worth having ; in Ireland there is a great deal, but it is questionable whether it is or is not worth having at the price that must be paid for it. In Europe there is a good deal of water power well worth paying for ; and some—jus, for examjde, at Bellegarde—which does not seem to be obtainable itt a sufficiently low price to j>ermit it to compete.with steam. The factory must bo taken to the jjower, and to make this pay in the majority of instances it would be necessary that the power could be suj)plied for almost nothing, which would mean that no means would exist of paying interest on the capital ex-pended in the construction of mill dams, sluices, races, water wheels, and such like.

INDIAN RAILWAY GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.

From time to time the Indian Government advertise in our columns for tenders for materials and plant of various kinds for Indian railways. The .advertisements supply little information, find practically nothing would be known of the jirecise nature of the demands made by Government were it not that we jmblish under the head of “Contracts Ojien ” drawings of the railway carriages, bridges, locomotives, and so on, for which tenders are askeu. No steps are even taken by the authorities to make known the names of the contracting firms, or the amounts of the tenders received. This is entirely ojqiosed to the practice which obtains in civil life. Thus, for example, corporation engineers, to say nothing of numbers of their professional brethren, always send to the technical j)ress lists of the amounts of the various tenders they receive for work to be executed under their supervision. This is useful in various ways which readily suggest tliem-selves;and itisdesirable that the same system should be pursued in all cases where the Government are purchasers. There is an idea in existence—whether well-founded or not makes no difference, for the mischievous result is the same—that special firms ;ire favoured by the Government, and that it is quite useless for firms outside the charmed circle to tender for any Government contract. This delusion—if it be one—could at once be disposed of by the regular publication of the names of the tendering firms and the amount of their tenders; and it would not cost the Government a j)enny, for the technical jiress would willingly give jmblicity to what would be very interesting information. The jiractical secrecy with which the Government conducts its operations leads now and then to the putting of awkward questions. Thus, on Monday night, in the House of Commons, Mr. H. Fowler .asked the Under Secretary of State for India whether his attention had been called to statements that large contracts for ironwork for Indian railways have been entered into by the India-office with foreign firms; and whether lit could inform the House as to the amount of these contracts, the reasons why they had been entered into, and the proportion they bore to contracts for railway ironworks placed in this country with home manufacturers. On the same subject Mr. Anderson asked the Under Secretary of State for India whether, with reference to the statement that no work except two contracts for axle-boxes, value about ,£5600, had been given to foreign makers, he had been made aware that in 1883 there had been at least one contract for 249,000 wrought steel transverse sleepers, value about ,£70,000; whether he was aware that last May another contract was given for 100,000 more of these steel sleepers, value .about £.'22,000; whether, in estimating comparative costs of home and foreign manufacture, allowance was made for difference in quality, extra cost of inspectors and engineers visiting works, &c.; and if, on the completion of either of those contracts, he would lay upon the table a paper showing the accurate cost as compared with what it would have been if the lowest offer of a British manufacturer had been accepted.

Mr. Cross’s reply was conclusive enough. We wish we could add that it was equally satisfactory. He began by stating that he was glad he had an opportunity of stating the facts—the publication of lists of tenders which we have suggested would give him just the opportunities he wishes for—and he went on to say, “ Since I stated to the House that orders for axle-boxes had been placed abroad, 10,000 steel sleepers have been contracted for at £7 12s. per ton, the lowest British tender being £,'8 12s. 6d. This contract was made on the 26th of May last. The India-office made no foreign contract for steel sleepers in 1883, and the contract for 249,000 referred to by the hon. member for Glasgow is imaginary. The only foreign purchase in that year was 37 tons of Swedish iron. I learn, however, that the directors of the Southern Mahratta Company bought 99,600 steel sleepers from a foreign firm. The contracts for railway work entered into by the India-office since June, 1877, amount to £6,594,385, of which £53,833 lms been placed with foreign firms; and in these contracts due consideration has been given to the extra cost incurred by our inspectors in visiting foreign works. The quality of the work is equal to English work, and the specifications are the same. I shall be quite willing on the completion of the contract for sleepers to lay upon the table a paper showing the saving to the Government of India on this contract as compared with the lowest English tender, may say that the traditions of the India-office are strongly against placing contracts abroad; still, on some occasions, even the India-office must depart from tradition. I may also inform the House that steel sleepers are somewhat novel in England, and that several of our greatest English manufacturers have declined to make them or tender for them. At present German prices are considerably below English. As, however, these sleepers may in the future be very generally used by the Indian Government and by the Indian railway companies, I hope that our great English firms will not allow foreigners to distance them in fair and open competition.”

It is quite possible that the 99,600 Mahratta sleepers formed the foundation on which Mr. Anderson’s superstructure of 249,000 sleepers was built up. There is nothing, of course, very serious in the fact that £53,833 has been spent by the Indian Government out of England for railway materials, out of a total of £6,594,385, between June, 1877, and May, 1884; but there is ground for distrust at least, in the fact that in May as much as £76,000 worth of sleepers was purchased abroad. It will be noticed that official reticence has stepped in and prevented Mi’. Cross from stating to whom the contract had been awarded, and we trust that Mr. Anderson will take steps to elicit the facts from the Government. We wish to know what foreign firm was competent to make steel sleepers at £1 0s. 6d. per ton less than they could be made here during a period of almost unexampled depression in the iron and steel trade. We are sorry to say that with some firms in this country it is held to be right to make Governments pay longer juices than those which any private buyer can afford to give. If extravagant demands have been made, then the sooner the facts are jmblished the better; they will act as a warning in future. There is, however, another aspect to this matter. It sometimes happens that ajiparently trifling concessions are made to contractors, which really represent no small advantages. It would be as well that the circumstances under which this sleeper contract was, or rather is, to be carried out were made known. For examj)le, the ]>ort of delivery should be stated ; its locality may make a very great difference. Thus, for example, if it were stijiu-lated that the sleejiers should be delivered in London, a Belgian firm could ]>robably beat a north-country English firm, because the sleepers could be delivered in London by sea at a less cost for transport than would be incurred by the English firm using the railways. It is, of course, very e;isy to say that the specification was the same for English and foi’eign houses; but there is always a little outside the sjiecification, and it is well known that this little may make a great difference in favour of the contractor. Possibly Mr. Cross does not know all the facts himself; it is just as well that he should ascertain them. As we have already said, it seems quite unaccountable that English makers should be undersold by foreign rivals to the extent of over £1 per ton. Of course, the serious aspect of the case is that the example thus set will be followed. Nothing is wanting to comjdete the ruin of our iron trade but the circumstance that we can be largely undersold for manufactured articles. Our pig iron trade may keep active, but if the iron only

interests of home manufacturers; or competition by foreigners is growing in importance after a very alarming fashion.

THE PROPOSED SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE SEWERAGE SCHEME.

The large engineering scheme suggested by Mr. Walter Williams, the chairman of the South Staffordshire Mines’ Drainage Commissioners, for the disposal of the sewage of thirteen local authorities in the mines drainage area, took on a more definite form at an adjourned conference between the authorities and the Surface Drainage Committee of the Commissioners in Wolverhampton, on Wednesday. Mr. Williams suggests that Parliamentary powers be obtained for a South Staffordshire Conservancy Board of five members, representing the two interests involved, to have full control of the surface drainage of the area including the Commissioners’ present face drainage works. The Commissioners believe that sites obtainable on their streams where the water may be turned out into tanks for the quiescent precipitation principle, where the detritus and sewage can be arranged. Storm water can only be dealt with by allowing it to pass the side tanks. All the sewerage not provided for by existing systems in populated areas would be carried down by the storm waters and dealt with by collecting tanks on the site of a stretch of water at Wednes-bury known as Elwell’s Pools, the effluent being carried still further down for filtration upon a site below. Such is the scheme, which it is estimated would cost about a quarter of a million sterling less than separate schemes by the local authorities, and which they are to consider among themselves in three weeks at Wolverhampton. Should they decide to fill in the outline thus presented, engineering advice of the first order will be obtained, for hitherto oidy friendly opinion has been forthcoming. The local authorities are the more likely to fall in with the suggestions since the system advised has been that most generally recommended by their own engineers when called in to advise upon individual sewerage schemes. The importance of a proposal affecting a population of nearly 400,000 persons, and property of the rateable value of nearly a million sterling, is too patent to require comment, nor should there be difficulty in obtaining from Parliament the required partial suspension of the Pollution Act and Public Health Acts.

THE NEW COAL SLIDING SCALE.

sur-

method, I am compelled to bring forward a certain historical fact.

“In the beginning of the year 1872 the Native Guano Company, proprietors of the ABC process, were beginning to treat the sewage of Leeds. A formal trial of forty-eight hours was made under the superintendence of the Sewage Committee of the Leeds Town Council. Every hour a bottle of effluent water was taken and tested by officials of the council, and at the end of the forty-eight hours the contents of the bottles were poured into a large vessel, and thoroughly stirred up together. It is, therefore, evident that any two samples of water taken out of this vessel must have been identical. Two Winchester quarts were tilled with this water by the officials of the Town Council, sealed, and despatched to Prof. Frankland for analysis.

“ The one was forwarded direct to London, whilst the other was sent to a gentleman in Bedford, who at once sent it on to Professor Frankland. Neither of these bottles was ever in the custody of any person connected with the Native Guano Company. The results of the analyses of the two samples were in course of time received by the Leeds officials, the one directly and the other vid Bedford, and are indeed instructive. They are here subjoined. The originals, duly signed, are in existence, and can, I am told, be produced if needful.

THE HEAVY GUNS OF 1884.

Number of

Remits of analysis expressed in parts per 100,000.

a    -b

i ii I

ii

? to

i ii

Ammonia.

Nitrogen as

nitrates and

| § _ Is*

a II

§5

II

II

By Colonel E. Maitland, R.A., Superintendent Royal Gun Factory, Woolwich.*

On Friday afternoon, June 20th last, Colonel Maitland, R.A., Superintendent of the Gun Factories, read a paper reviewing the present position of the gun question. This may be regarded as the most authoritative expression of opinion that we can have. As such it was delivered with the' sanction of the War Department. Lord Hartington took the chair, supported by Lord Northbrook and Mr. Brand, the Surveyor-General of Ordnance, and Mr. G. Rendel. Among many prominent in connection with the question in one way or another, we noticed Mr. W. H. Smith, late F'irst Lord of the Admiralty, Lord C. Beresford, General Reilly, Director of Artillery, and Colonel Hay, Adjutant-General, R.A.,Colonel Nolan, SirW. Codrington, Captain AndrewNoble, of Elswick,Mr.Whinfield, of Messrs. Whitworth’s, Mr. Longsdon, HerrKrupp’s representative, Herr Kraftmcier, of the Rhenish Westphalian Powder Company, Col. Moncrieff, Captain Palliser, Mr. Lynall Thomas, Colonel Hope, Admirals Hamilton and Boys, late Directors of Naval Ordnance, General Smyth, Commandant of Woolwich, Sir F. Bramwell, Sir Cooper Key s,Colonel Inglis, and Colonel Scha w, Fortification Branch, Colonel Lyon, Colonel Noble, Colonel Woolsey, and artillery and naval officers in large numbers. We give the paper in full, with the exception of a few diagrams.

Whilst the miners of the Midlands have rebelled against an award of an arbitrator as to the amendment of their wages, it is interesting to notice that the miners of the county of Durham have agreed to a new sliding scale. There are many reasons that could be urged why a sliding scale is preferable to arbitration. It is quicker in operation, cheaper in its working, and above all, the decision given is one that is free from all supposition of bias or partiality to either side. An arbitrator may be so biassed, but the basis of the sliding scale is usually settled on by the two parties to it, and it then works automatically, so that for the period for which it is defined it is as fair as can be, while there is at the end of that period the opportunity to improve it as its experience may have shown to be needful. The coal trade, too, would seem to be one that is very suitable indeed for the operation of the sliding scale system, because the labour is tolerably constant, and bears a given proportion to the price of coal at different times. Under these circumstances the sliding scale should not have been allowed to lapse in Durham, for the basis could have been changed if needful; but that lapse having taken place, the miners do well to revive the scale after a few months waiting. This is what has been done, and it is to be hoped that both in Fife and in the Midland coalfield that example may be followed. It enables both mineowners and miners to join in the fixing of the basis of the scale, and it then remits the exact determination of the wages paid to an automatic system that is free, fair, and unbiassed in its decision, though sometimes its movements are not quite so quick as those of the trade that it follows. In the coal trade there is increasing competition, both district and international, and it would be a gain to our employers and workmen if they could have that guarantee that sliding scales give of adaptation to the price of the wages, and that also of continued work whilst the adaptation proceeded.

THE GHOST OF THE SEASON.

This is the title, given in the current number of the Journal of Science, to an article by “ Argus ” on the same subject, only treated from another aspect, as that on “The London Water Supply and its Critics ” which we recently published. We give an abstract of it here. On the Royal Rivers’ Pollution Commission, to which reference is made at the outset, we are pointedly brought in contact with one of its fundamental dogmas which, it is stated, may be fairly embodied in the following words :—“ If a river be once polluted by sewage water, the water of that river was for ever unfit for dietetic

purposes, and no practical distance of flow would render such a river safe.” This dogma is professedly based upon the experiments of Professor Frankland. He had made analyses of water taken from different portions of a polluted river, and has told us that as it flows its proportion of pollution—i.c., of organic impurities—remains substantially the same. He has also, after determining the impurities in a sample of sewage, mixed similar sewage with water and shaken it up with air in a bottle, in order to ascertain if the impurities were to any extent destroyed by oxidation ! It is difficult to imagine how any man accustomed to scientific research, and acting in good faith, could persuade himself or try to persuade others, that this experiment in the least degree reproduced the condition found in a river. In a river there is doubtless, as in the bottle, contact with water and exposure to light; but in the river there are agencies which are absent in the bottle. There are animals of low grade which devour the filth; there are vegetables—all water-plants—which, whenever the sun shines, and even under the influence of diffused daylight, give off oxygen, and oxidise, or in common language burn up the impurities. Both these agencies, “Argus ” repeats, were wanting in Professor Frankland’s bottle, whilst they were present more or less in every river. In the Thames above London they were certainly not wanting.

Attention is then directed to experiments made on the river Oder about Breslau, on the rivers Passaic, and Brandywine, in Delaware, and on the river Yesle, about the town of Rheims ; and it clearly pointed out that the water of each river works itself pure again below the town through which the stream passes. Then “ Argus ” goes on to say :—“ The dogma of the Commission is, to some extent, based upon the analytical method used by them, or, more strictly speaking, by Professor Frankland. I am not about to enter upon a discussion of this method, or to undervalue it in comparison with any other method. But as Dr. Percy Frankland, the son of Professor Frankland, and author of the paper read before the Society of Arts last month, asked his audience to condemn the ABC process for the purifi-pation of sewage upon the strength of an analysis iqode by that

In the spring of this year the Council of the Royal United Service Institution did me the great honour of asking for a lecture on the subject with which my work is chiefly connected, viz., ordnance. The Secretary of State for War cordially granted permission, and, moreover, most kindly consented to take the chair on the occasion. I felt, therefore, that the time had now arrived for as clear an exposition as I could lay before you—and through you before the public—of the present state of this subject, which is of national importance, setting forth the causes which had led to the necessity for the re-armament of our naval and military forces, the progress now made in that re-armament, and the comparative efficiency of the heavy guns of 1884 in England and in the other chief countries of the world. As time is short, you will pardon me for being exceedingly brief in summarising the chief causes which have led to our re-armament. Putting aside all minor considerations, many of which have frequently formed fertile matters of controversy, I state at once that the chief causes are three :—(1) Improvement in powder ; (2) Improvement in mechanical appliances; (3) Improvement in production of large masses of steel. It will, perhaps, be said that if this be true, these considerations should affect other nations besides our own, and that the great continental Powers should be re-arm-ing extensively also. To which I reply that this is exactly what they are doing, and have been doing for some time past. This re-armanent is being carried out rather more gradually than ours, and the changes they are making are less radical, but none the less are they thoroughly re-arming. It may be admitted that during the latter part of the seventies England fell behind in the artillery race, but not to the extent that is supposed by many who have not thoroughly studied the subject. As a matter of fact, the old short breech-loaders of the Continent are just as obsolete now as the old short muzzle-loaders of England, and up to about 1875 or 1870 the British artillery was as good as anybody else’s. Then came a period of comparative stagnation, and wc fell to leeward. During the last three years we have been endeavouring to make up our leeway. One point we have in our favour. In a science which advances as fast as artillery has been doing of late years, the Power which waits longest before com mitting itself to a new manufacture has the best of it, always supposing that it is not caught napping by an important war. It is not necessary to explore the debateablo land of the might-have-been; it is sufficient for our purpose to know that we have not been caught napping by an important war, and I hope to show you to-day that the result is that having waited the longest we have got the best of it. I come now to the improve-Death ok Mu. H. TomlisON.—With much regret we have to ment which lias taken place in powder. It must be remembered announce the death of,Mr. Tomlison, the engineer and manager to that the weight of the gun is the limiting element of power m the Cambridge Waterworks Company. He had been failing in “early all cases. It is easy to carry about powder and shot, but health over four years, and became more seriously affected during the «U11 ls,one and ““^visible, and taxes the appliances ot trans-the past winter and spring, but still he was able to undergo much lJ0rt to the utmost. Hence, as long as guns have no special bodily and mental exertion until last Sunday fortnight. Then for counter-balancing points ot advantage or disadvantage, the pro-a few days he was in a very critical state, from which he had con- l’⁰¹'*-¹⁰¹¹ between the energy attained by the projectile and the siderably recovered up to early on Monday morning last, when he 'vel«ht ?f th.e gunforms a convenient way ot comparing the excel-suddenly succumbed to an outburst of pulmonary hemorrhage. J®llce various designs. It is briefly called energy per ton. Mr. Tomlison has been connected with the Cambridge Waterworks Conversely, the description of powder which enables a gun to Company twenty-one years, and has throughout rendered most reallse the greatest energy per ton without exceeding the valuable service in extending and perfecting the works of the com- Pressures which it is constructed to bear, will be the best for pany. He was very young when appointed to take office; but the 1 lat.    irrespective    of the quantity ot powder expended in

directors foresaw, as time has proved, that lie was a man of great Producmg ,tiat ^sidt. There are cases, no doubt, where the scientific acquirements and practical skill, and it is with profound 81z? or weight of the cartndge becomes a serious consideration, regret they lose the assistance of so much esteemed and valuable as a ru^e. ^ ¹⁸ °f little importance when compared with the an officer. His ability as engineer and manager to the Cambridge I “^vantage °/ increased power. Mith breech-loaders that powder and Trowbridge Water Companies earned him the entire confidence 18 fo’??cLt,°J>e tbe beLst wblcb satlshes the fol}°wl,nK condltl°¹¹⁸- R of the directors and others connected therewith, by whom he was sl°,u<] t lu chamber of the gun as completely as is consistent held in the light of a personal friend. His engineering skill has Wlt!‘ facility ot loading. It should burn slowly at first, till the not been confined to Cambridge alone. He devised and carried Projectile begins to move, gradually setting up just the maximum out the waterworks at Trowbridge, Melksham, Frome, and Devizes; Vressure sulta^e. to the gun; it should then burn faster and and his was also the scheme for the Warminster Waterworks and ■ *aster as ^1C projectile travels onward through the bore, so as to the reconstruction of the Ely Waterworks. He was also the engi- i keeP UP *he pressure as long as possible, and give the greatest neer to the Frome Local Board Sewerage scheme. Mr. Tomlison ! amount of energy. A low maximum pressure long sustained is the was born at Walfcon-le-Dale, and was in the fortieth year of his &reat desideratum ot the artillerist, and no one will attain any age, and had been for many years a member of the Institution of lneasiUre of ballistic success who fails to recognise this fundamental Civil Engineers.    maxim. Diagram No. 1 shows clearly the amount of progress

which has been attained in slowing the powder and producing energy per ton of gun. The ordinates represent the pressure of the gas measured ill tons per square inch; the abscissie show the length of travel of the projectile along the bore measured in calibres. The fine curve indicates the pressures with quick burning powder, the medium curve with medium powder, and the thick curve with slow powder. The quick and medium powders were used in short guns, and the dotted portion of their curves is merely added to show how little gain would have resulted from increase of length. The slow powder is used in long guns, and the amount of pressure kept up to the muzzle indicates that we can go still further in the direction of length with advantage. The area included by these curves of course represents the work done by the powder, nearly all of which goes to produce energy in the projectile. It at becomes evident that to get an increased ratio of power to weight, wc had to turn thickness of metal at the breech into length at the muzzle ; that is, to lower the pressure in the chamber and keep it up longer in the bore. We sometimes hear statements to the effect that the road to improvement lies in the direction of using very quick powders, and making enormously strong guns to withstand the highest pressures powder can give in a closed vessel, viz., about 42 tons per square inch. This system, from an engineering point of view, is no doubt right as causing the least consumption of fuel; but it is utterly and entirely wrong when seen from the artillerist’s standpoint. The artillerist cares little for the amount of fuel consumed, but a great deal for the weight of the machine consuming it. Now, when guns are fired with powders giving different pressures, it is found that the rise in energy of projectile at the muzzle is not nearly in proportion to the rise in pressure in the powder chamber. High pressures are extremely capricious and uncertain in their effects, and no precise rule can be laid down; but taking our usual service maximum pressure with slow powder at 17^ tons per square inch, and substituting an equal quantity of a powder violent enough to give 35 tons per square inch, I should not

. .107-7.. 2-179. .0-566.. T550 .. 0-372 .. 2-214 .. 1-618 —. .Bedford water. .IOS'4. .2-012. .1-017. .1-020 .. 0'062 .. 1-919 .. 0'870

Suspended matter.

A..

A..

Hardness.

Permanent.

Total.

Mineral.

7-1,

Total.

.. 14-6 .. 7-9 .. 40-7 .. 48-6 .. 0'68 .. 0-54 .. 1-22 .Bedford water.. 14⁻0 .. 2"2 .. 32⁻8 .. 35-0 .. 1-82 .. 0"06 .. TS8

Thusitwill be seen,if weturnto themost important points, that in these two identical samples the one which had come direct from Leeds is represented as containing nearly double the amount of previous sewage contamination which was present in the other. Again, whilst the difference between the two samples in total solid impurities and in chlorine is trifling, the difference in organic nitrogen is nearly 50 per cent, that in ammonia nearly 3d per cent., and that in nitrogen, as nitrates and nitrites, above 80 per cent. What can we think of analytical methods by which such results are reached 1 Yet it was in the face of such methods of analysis that the ABC process for the purification of sewage was condemned by the Rivers’ Pollution Commission. It is on the faith of one of these analyses exhumed, so to speak, for the occasion, that the old condemnation was repeated on March 13th.

“I have here to complain of something very like intentional unfairness on the part of Dr. Percy Frankland, as regards his attack upon the ABC process. The man who, professing to have given any serious attention to the sewage question, can yet endorse the statement of the defunct commission, that “ after treatment by this process the effluent sewage is very little better than that which is obtained by allowing raw sewage to settle in subsidence tanks,” is, to say the least, gudty of most culpable rashness.

It is surely singular and significant that Dr. Percy Frankland should have contented himself with this old analysis, and never have taken the trouble even to inquire whether it and the conclusions based upon it were applicable at the present day.”

Suakim-Berber Railway.—The Royal Engineers have inspected the stock of railway material in store at the Royal Arsenal, and it is to be forwarded at an early date to the Red Sea, for the purpose of forming the nucleus of a military line to be constructed from Suakim to Berber. A ship has been selected for its conveyance, and is expected to arrive at Woolwich in the course of this week. Two small locomotive engines which were purchased about two years ago for a Government railway at Cyprus will form part of the equipment, and others are ordered to be supplied by contract. They are adapted to the narrow gauge tramway laid down at the Royal Arsenal, and when the Cyprus railway was countermanded about twelve months ago they were placed at the service of the Works Department, in which they are at the present time daily employed. All the railway plant is designed for the same narrow gauge, and the whole of the material is remarkably light. The rails are in 21ft. lengths, and weigh 26 lb. to the yard. The sleepers are formed of £in. iron-plates, with an “M ” section, and are 6in. wide by 3ft. long. The rails will be laid to form a line only 18in. wide, and will be attached to the iron sleepers by a simple grip. The engines are of 15 or 20-liorse power, and draw about 40 tons. Not more than 50 tons of railway iron are at Woolwich, but orders have been sent out for 150 tons more of the same pattern. It is calculated that the whole line can be laid down in about three weeks after the material is landed. There is no apparent exertion in any other preparation for the proposed expedition. A number of wagons belonging to the second line of the 1st Army Corps have been brought out of store for inspection and repair, and most of the manufacturing branches have some work on hand for Egypt, but the Commissariat Department, which is generally the busiest in times of preparation, has relaxed even the slight strain that was evident a few weeks ago. A special equipment of 40,000 rations of every kind for man and beast has been prepared and put aside, being intended, it is said, for a small expedition in Natal, and the Commissariat stores have ready huge piles of packages labelled “Alexandria,” but only such as are constantly being sept- to the army of occupation.

once

can

* Heac,! before Royal United Service Institution.

ENGLISH AND FOREIGN HEAVY GUNS.

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which time the manufacture has been steadily proceeding, but of course no important change has been made. I will now endeavour to give you some idea of the relative excellence of the latest types of heavy guns at home and abroad, selecting three separate features for comparison as being of a crucial character. These (1) The system of breech-loading and obturation ; (2) the construction; (3) the power. First, the Krupp system of breech-loading. This consists of a round-backed wedge, which is pushed in from the side of the breech and forced firmly home by a screw provided with handles; the face of the wedge is fitted with easily removable fiat plate, which abuts against a Broadwell ring let into a recess in the end of the bore. On firing, the gas presses the ring firmly against the flat plate, and renders escape impossible as long as the surfaces remain uninjured. When they become worn the ring and plate can be exchanged in a few minutes. The vent passes through the facing plate to the rear of the wedge. The gun is fired by a frictional vent sealing tube, which is screwed by the fingers into the vent, and unscrewed after firing. This form of breech-loading has a decided advantage in loading by hand at elevation, which may sometimes be required, as the weight of tho wedge is not working against closing the breech, as in the case with interrupted screw systems. It has, however, several counterbalancing

expect to realise an increase of energy of more than about 20 per cent., though the pressure has been doubled. But doubling the pressure necessitates doubling the strength of the breech, and hence of adding about 80 per cent, to the weight of the gun.

Besides this, high pressures give rise to many inconveniences, the breech fittings and the firing arrangements are apt to be burred, set up, and jammed; the shell and shrapnel are liable to be broken up in the bore unless made so strong as to reduce seriously their capacity for holding bullets or powder. Hence I think it is clear that slowing the powder is a most important improvement. There are two reasons why this improvement in the powder renders breech-loading an absolute necessity. First, the guns have to be made so long that loading from the muzzle becomes practically impossible on service. Second, tho slow powder cannot burn in the most effective manner unless the projectile be held fast by a strong band which prevents it from moving till a pressure of from 1 to 2 tons per square inch is set up in the chamber. This can only be done in breech-loading guns, and hence they aro capable of developing greater power than can bo obtained from muzzle-loaders of equal weight. I am aware that two or three years ago, when breech-loading was young in England, this view was strongly combated by some of our most able artillerists, who held that muzzle or breech loading per nr made no difference in the power of a gun ; but now I think its correctness has been established by frequent experiment, and will hardly bo Questioned. Here it may be seen how, by coming last to breech loading, England was able to build on Continental experience and improve upon it. In 1880 we were using for our heavy muzzle loaders either Waltham P² or German prismatic powder, which gave, when proved in the 38-ton muzzle-loader guns, pressures of about 19 tons, and velocities of 1660 f.s. Directly the j Royal Gun Factory came to breech loading, the unsuitability of I these powders became apparent to us, though the German prismatic powder was specially manufactured for Krupp breechloaders. The superintendent of the Royal Gunpowder Factory at j Waltham was promptly asked to make a powder which should ! give about 800 f.s. velocity in the 38-ton gun, with a pressure of not more than 6 tons, using the same charges as with the German prismatic. This modest request would probably have met with derision if regarded simply from an engineering point of view, as involving an absurd waste of fuel; but Colonel Brackenbury tackled the matter very successfully, and, after some preliminary trials, produced an admirable powder, which attained celebrity under the name of H;!. This powder was nearly useless for muzzle-loaders, but when fired in heavy breech-loaders gave by far the best results then known. A modification of it has now been introduced and issued for service as C₂; since that time the Germans have taken a fresh departure, and have quite lately produced a powder which seems to be a little better than C... It is known as cocoa powder, and its composition is a secret. The speciality of this cocoa powder is that although it lights with great regularity and burns very slowly at first, yet when the projectile has got fairly under way it burns with tremendous rapidity. In the 19-ton 9⁻2in. guns it has about the same ballistic excellence as the best lots of C._.; that is, it gives about the same pressures and velocities all the way up the bore, but it takes only 1701b. of the cocoa to produce the results attained by 2001b. C₂. These charges give about 2050 f.s. velocity to a projectile weighing 3801b., the pressure being about 17 tons in the chamber. Thus the extra 30 lb. of C₂ are required to give off gas the quality, required for these guns; but up to the present disadvantages; the handles at the side are very liable to be damaged as the projectile travels through the bore, to    balance the quicker    time the demand has    been    a new one to the English trade,    by the enemy’s fire or otherwise; the length of the gun is neces-

final burning of the cocoa. Darwin tells    us, in one of his    and there has been    great    difficulty in obtaining from the    sarily greater in proportion to the length of bore; the recess for

charming books, how the probosces of the    Madagascar moths    English trade steel forgings of the size and quality required.” This    the Broadwell ring somewhat weakens the wall of the chamber;

tend to lengthen in successive generations    so as to reach the    precisely sums up the    case,    and shows how the improvements    the gun can be fired even though the wedge is not pushed properly

honey-dew of the orchids, while the nectaries of the flowers introduced into the manufacture of large masses of steel have home, and the breech lias to be opened after a missfire, or if the tend to deepen continually to force the moths to push their affected our re armament. I speak in general terms of the material tube is exchanged without opening the breech, it may be unsafely heads in and exchange the fertilising pollen. So we find, in the of which our new guns are made simply as steel, because I wish to replaced; moreover, the longitudinal strength depends on tho struggle for existence, the guns growing longer and longer to get avoid entering at all upon the vast question of the innumerable soundness of the single piece of steel through which the wedge the best effects from the slow powder, while the powder tends to qualities and attributes of this wonderful substance. Although passes. Still it must be admitted by all unprejudiced persons that grow slower and slower to meet the wants of the guns, in accord- its manufacture is still far from perfect, and will probably not be the Krupp ordnance, taking system, construction, and material ance with the eternal principles of evolution. The next point is reduced to anything like an exact science for many years, yet altogether, are not easily to be beaten. Secondly, the French the improvement made in the mechanical appliances of guns, sufficient is known about it to afford matter for many lectures, marine system. Here the bore is continued to the rear extremity With a breech-loader the first necessity is a thoroughly satisfactory and I cannot venture in the short time now at our disposal to of the piece, the breech end forming an intermittent screw—that system of closing the breech. This was certainly not accomplished touch the subject at all. For the purposes of the present lecture is, a screw having the threads intermittently left and slotted away, by any nation till after the Franco-German war of 1870. Krupp I must ask you to take steel as steel. On the occasion just The breech block has a similarly cut screw on it, so that when the then entirely remodelled his breech fittings, and introduced the referred to, speaking of the progress made in our re-armament, slots on the block correspond with the untouched threads in the form now universal in his modern guns. The French Marine Lord Hartington went on to say, “ We have supplied, or in a few gun, the block can be pushed straight in, and the threads made to improved the details of their existing system in like manner, and days shall have supplied, to the Navy 10 guns of 43 tons and 12in. engage by part of a revolution. In the French marine the escape the French land service, after a long series of experiments, bore, 18 of 18 tons and 9'2in. bore, 8 of 18 tons and 8in. bore, 171 of gas is stopped very much as in Krupp’s system; a Broadwell retained their system of closing the breech, but adopted an of 4 tons and 6in. bore ; besides 190 smaller guns of 2 tons ring is let into a recess in the end of the bore, and a plate entirely new method of obturation invented by De Bange, of the and under, making a total of nearly 400 new breech-loading on the face of the breech block abuts against it. The vent bush French Artillery, to whom I am very pleased to have this guns. Those first in hand were of mixed steel and wrought passes through the screw, and is fitted with a lock at the opportunity for expressing my gratitude. The great Elswick firm iron, while the later guns are entirely of steel. There has been rear for firing percussion tubes. It is so arranged that the gun also adopted the French system of closing the breech, but applied some advantage in the delay in the adoption of the new pattern of cannot be fired unless the breech block is screwed properly home, a method of obturation of their own. Thus, during the seventies breech-loading ordnance. We have had the advantage of the The parts are all protected behind the gun, and the only disad-four really serviceable methods of working the breech and sealing experience gained by France and other Powers, and it is believed vantage seems to be the recess required for the Broadwell ring, the escape of gas became available, and one of the great objections that we have now obtained a system of breech-loading of a simple which weakens the wall of the chamber, and necessitates a corre-to breech-loading disappeared. The two first causes named, and efficient character. In addition to the guns I have enumerated, spending increase in the area of the face of the breech screw upon i.e., the improvements in powder anil breech actions, settled there are in hand, under construction for the Navy, three guns of which thegasacts, thusincreasing the longitudinal strain beyond that the questions of breech-loading versus muzzle-loading; the 110 tons, four of 63 tons, and three of 43 tons, besides a very large unavoidably due to the size of the powder chamber. As in Krupp’s third cause of re armament, viz., the production of steel number of smaller guns in various stages of progress. At the same guns, the parts liable to wear are very dependent for their duration in large masses, affects construction only. Were large masses of time there are under construction for the land service ten guns of on cleanliness and freedom from dust and grit; but when worn steel not available, we should still have to re-arm with breech- 43 tons, four of 26 tons, and other guns of smaller size.” This they are quiokly and easily replaced. Thirdly, the French land loaders; but the old system of construction would, no doubt, be brings the state of affairs down to about three months ago, since service system. Here we have the interrupted screw as in the

be made to

retained, and the change we have made would not be of so radical and complete a character. In bringing forward the Army Estimates in March, Lord Hartington stated to the House of Commons that, “With regard to the supply of heavy guns for the Navy, fair progress has been made in the present year. During the present and the past two years, we have been undergoing a double transition; first, from the muzzle-loader to the breech-loader; and in the next place, in the material, from wrought iron to steel. Twenty years ago another transition took place, which was of an exactly opposite character. Twenty years ago we reverted from the breech-loader, the more complicated gun, to the muzzle-loader, or more simple gun, retaining the same material of manufacture. At that time the largest guns in the service were of 7 tons weight, firing 30 lb. of powder. In the change from the muzzle-loader to

of 40 tons weight, firing 4001b. of powder. The Committee may therefore imagine what has been the difficulty, and the necessity there has been for hesitation and caution in undergoing such a transition under such circumstances. The main difficulty has been to obtain sufficiently large steel forgings for these immense weapons. There are in France and Germany several firms which have been able to supply steel forgings of the size, anil also of

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marine, but the escape is sealed in quite a different manner. A stalk passes through the breech block, its foot being secured on the exterior. The stalk has a mushroom-shaped head projecting into the bore. Round the neck of the stalk, just under the mushroom, is a collar or pad of asbestos secured in a canvas cover. When the gun is fired, the gas presses the mushroom against the asbestos collar, and squeezes it against the walls of the bore. It is found that this cuts off all escape. In this obturation we have no weakening of the walls of the gun, and no increase of longitudinal strain, but the bore is slightly shortened by the protrusion of the mushroom head into the chamber. Its great advantages are that the soft pad adapts itself to the gun surface, against which it presses, regardless of dust, grit, bruises, or other imperfections. The parts can be replaced easily and quickly; they are also light and inexpensive. The vent passes through the mushroom head and stalk to the rear, and the gun is fired by a simple friction tube, pulled from the side. This arrangement is defective, as the gas soon wears out the vent, necessitating a new mushroom; while the frame of the firing tube is blown forcibly out, clinging to the hook of the lanyard, and proving a source of inconvenience to the firer. Fourthly, the Elswick system, which consists of a flat-backed cup abutting against the slightly rounded face of the breech plug. The lips of the cup rests against a copper ring let in the walls of the bore. On firing, the gas presses back the cup against the rounded end of the breech block, and thus forces the lips hard against the copper ring. The cup takes up very little room in the chamber, but is very sensitive to grit and dirt, so that, as well as the copper ring, it requires renewal at uncertain and often frequent intervals. The cup itself can be replaced in a few minutes, but the copper ring takes several hours to extract and renew; the instructions given lay down that a special cup is to be inserted, and two rounds fired with it so as to fully expand the ring, which is then to be trimmed to fit the reserved cups. The firing arrangement consists of a removable needle holder, which carries a percussion tube nearly to the end of the bore; the needle passes from the tube to the rear of the breech screw, and is there struck by a hammer actuated by a lanyard. There is a safety arrangement which prevents the hammer from striking the needle till the breech is properly closed. The chief objection to this plan of firing lies in the difficulty of training men to pull the lanyard in such a way as to give sufficient force to ignite the detonator. Fifthly, the breech action we began with, viz., the French interrupted screw. The Elswick obturation was selected, not know exactly why, but I believe under the idea that the gas would not be able to eat its way between the ring, which therefore would never require to renewed. We changed the firing arrangement to one having a removable vent head carrying a friction tube; it was provided with a safety arrangement which prevented the lanyard from being hooked to the tube till the breech was properly home. As experience showed that the copper ring did require to be renewed from time to time at very uncertain intervals, and as this was a serious operation, experiments were forthwith instituted with the De Range obturation, and with such success that it speedily established itself, and was adopted for all the new guns—vide E, Fig. 1. Sixthly, our present breech closing arrangement, as applied to the steel 7in. guns—vide Figs. 1 and 2. retical defect—it appears extremely complicated. This, however, is not quite so serious as it seems at first sight, for not only is it difficult for the parts to get out of order, but any or all of them can be exchanged in two or three minutes. The vent A passes through the mushroom B and stalk C as in the French land service gun; a clutch box on the rear end of the stalk carries a percussion lock D similar to that of the French marine. The safeguards which cause the apparent complication of the action are numerous. The tube cannot be struck by the hammer, even though the lanyard be pulled, till the breech is screwed home. Should there be a missfire, the slide is diawn back to permit the exchange of the tube, and the new tube cannot be fired till the slide is pushed properly over the tube again. Should the slide not be properly pushed over the tube before loading, the action of closing the breech forces it home; but should the tube be sticking so far out of the vent that forcing the slide home would break it, and perhaps explode the detonator, the slide yields, and the attempt to screw the breech-block home reveals the error.

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is transmitted from the tube to the breech-piece, and from the breech-piece to the superposed hoops. Neither hoops nor tube, however, assist in bearing the longitudinal strain, which is entirely taken by the breech-piece. I suppose Krupp has satisfied himself that this gives plenty of strength, and that there is no chance of a dangerous defect, but I confess I should prefer to have a second string with guns of such great size in case anything went wrong with the breech-piece. Secondly, the latest heavy French naval guns, the 34 cm. and 37 cm. of 50 and 70 tons respectively. The 34 cm. gun consists of a very thick tube or body strengthened with layers of hoops. As in Krupp’s guns, the whole of the metal comes into play transversely, but the longitudinal strain is taken by the tube alone. Personally I do not like this construction. I think too much depends on the tube, and any failure of this part, which is, moreover, specially subject to the erosive action of the gas, would be disastrous in the extreme. Whether General Dard, the designer of this gun, found it difficult to obtain satisfactory forgings big enough to make the 37 cm. guns on the same construction I do not know, but Le Creusot and St. diamond can turn out forgings of 70 or 80 tons weight, and therefore I am inclined to suspect that General Dard preferred to trust less implicity to the tube in these larger guns, and therefore thinned down the central forging and introduced a breech-piece between it and the hoops, which to my mind is a very decided improvement, as being put on with shrinkage it places the metal in a better position for resisting the transverse strain, and affords far greater security against longitudinal rupture. Every part is of steel. Thirdly, the Italian naval 100-ton breech-loader of 1882, manufactured by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell, and Co., of Elswick. In this construction the tube is in two parts, held together longitudinally by a key-ring in halves. The breech screw plays in the tube, over which is shrunk a steel breech piece supported by two layers of thin hoops, and a thick outer wrought iron coil. The middle and forward parts of the tubes are supported partly by steel hoops and partly by wrought iron coils. This construction was never repeated, though the experiments with it at Spezzia were very successful. It is introduced here as showing with remarkable clearness the nature of the transition which has been taking place in construction. Fourthly, I give you the typical design submitted to the Ordnance Committee by the Royal Gun Factory on 21st July, 1882, and recommended by them to guide future manufacture. This particular gun weighs 12 tons, and is 8in. in calibre. Here the tube is thin and extends to the rear only sufficiently far to receive the obturator. Over the tube is shrunk a breech-piece, which is supported by exterior hoops. In this construction the whole of the metal assists in bearing the transverse strain, but the breech-piece does all the longitudinal work. This is not particularly objectionable in a medium sized gun of 12 tons, but would, I think, be so in very large ordnance; as you will presently see, with our heavy guns further provision is made for taking the longitudinal strain. The tube which is subject to erosion by gas is relieved from longitudinal strain, and is moreover so thin that a crack in it would not imperil the safety of the gun; while the form given to the breech opening renders it easy to bore out the eroded surface after long continued firing, and to insert a thin lining into the tube itself, as shown by the dotted lines, thus giving the gun a fresh life. With breech-loaders on the interrupted screw system, the longitudinal strain is found to act most dangerously about the position of the front threads, and it will be seen that at this point the metal of the breech-piece becomes thicker and stronger than in the more forward part over the chamber, while a strong hoop extending to the extreme rear of the gun clasps the breech-piece tightly over the screw and prevents any tendency toopen. Fifthly, the Armstrong 100-ton guns now being made for the Lepanto, the great Italian war vessel. The design has superseded that of the 100-ton breech-loading gun mentioned above, and has been kindly sent to me by Captain A. Noble. Sixthly, in Fig. 4 we have the section of the Elswick gun of 110 tons. This magnificent piece of ordnance is being manufactured for the British Government at the works of Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell, and Co., Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It is entirely of steel. The tube is thin,

strain, except a very small layer, of which only half assists, as will be seen presently. Over the breech-piece a hoop extending the full length of the chamber is shrunk on, and the weakness of a joint at this important part is avoided. An exterior hoop of fair length reinforces the breech still further. You will observe a novel feature in the disposal of the hoops, so as to secure the greatest amount of longitudinal strength.

The hoops abutting against one another endways are linked together by outer hoops. The exterior of the inner hoop carries a ring which is slotted away so as to leave alternate projections and intervals. The interior of the outer hoop carries a corresponding ring, which is also slotted away, so as to leave alternate projections and intervals. The outer hoop, expanded by heat, is passed over the inner hoop, so that the projections pass through the intervals ; it is then turned, so as to bring the projections of one hoop exactly in line with the projections of the other, thus preventing any longitudinal movement. The intervals are then filled up with long steel wedges, which are forcibly driven in. One wedge would be sufficient to prevent any circumferential shift, but all the intervals are filled up, so that the strain from the interior on firing is directly transmitted to the whole of the outer hoop. You see that half the metal of the layer represented by the thickness of the wedges is not available for resisting the transverse strain. This is made up by slightly increasing the thickness of the outer hoop. By this device the gun is stiffened at the joints, and held together longitudinally from the extreme breech end to a point far up the chase —an advantage in point of strength and safety possessed by no other design with which I am acquainted. Coming last to steel breech-loaders, England has been justified in fearlessly adopting the metal, which has been thoroughly tested by German experience. She has also adopted a construction which bears a certain similarity to the French, but is modified somewhat as in Krupp’s guns. Having thus taken what seemed to be best of other people’s, we have added a little of our own in the matter of locking all the parts of the gun together. It would be unpardonable in a manufacturer not to adopt what he thought the best, and if I saw anything which satisfied me better than this 03-ton design, I should certainly try to get it; hence you will, I am sure, pardon me for saying that I think that, coming last, we really have got the best forged steel construction known. I use this expression to avoid including constructions which involve the employment of wire, which may, perhaps, supersede those consisting entirely of forged steel. It is perhaps hardly correct to include them among the guns of 1884, as they are chiefly experimental; but I believe some have been made, and actually issued, for service to Chili, by the firm of Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell, and Co. Competitive designs have been prepared for the War-office by the same great firm and by the Royal Gun Factory for guns of this kind, and I have received Captain A. Noble’s kind permission* to show you a section of the 18-ton wire-gun proposed by Elswick. The tube is thinned down inside the breech-piece, which is shrunk over it, and receives the breech screw. Instead of being reinforced with steel hoops, the breech-piece receives great transverse support from a steel flat wire or ribbon which is wound round it like thread on a reel, but at considerable tension. This wire breaks at 60 tons per square inch. Thin protecting hoops of steel cover the wire and form the exterior of the gun. Here all the metal over the breech assists in supporting the transverse strain, but the longitudinal strain falls entirely on the breech-piece. The great obstacle to the employment of wire in a gun has always been the difficulty of getting sufficient longitudinal strength; no means has yet been devised of putting on high class wire to give both longitudinal and transverse strength. A portion of the wire may be put on, as was done in one construction most ingeniously by Sir W. G. Armstrong, so as togive longitudinal strength, but then it becomes useless transversely. That device has been abandoned in this design, and hence the longitudinal strength is rather low. A Royal Gun Factory design was submitted at the same time. In this construction the tube extends the whole length of the gun, and receives the breech screw. It is protected from the erosive action of the gas by a thin lining, which extends from the obturator as far as necessary up the bore. The breech end of the tube is much

A.—Comparative Powers of Breech-loading Guns of 1881-1884.

Should the thumb slip in cocking, the hammer to explode the tube, but on a projection which is removed when the lanyard is pulled. Thus, by coming last, we have been able to select and combine the best features of the French systems, land service and marine, making, perhaps, a few trifling improvements of our own.

The next point is construction. The experimental breech-loading guns first designed followed implicitly the system of construction which owed its origin to Sir W. G. Armstrong, and which, though subsequently modified in several ways in the Royal Gun Factory, will ever be associated with his name. This was the system of wrought iron coils shrunk over each other and lined with a steel tube, which had been adopted for the long discarded vent-piece breech-loaders, and afterwards for the muzzle-loaders up to and including the 80-ton and 100-ton guns. This construction had a long day of success, and its cult was not rudely disturbed till the close of the seventies. Early in the eighties—the revolutionary eighties—however, it was found impossible to vie any longer with the stronger material which was in general use in Germany and France. Guns of wrought iron could not bo made to possess the same power as guns of steel without an important excess of weight. Efforts were made to preserve the advantages of the coil construction by ploying a mild steel largely alloyed with manganese, which dd be made to weld satisfactorily, and experiments were carried out in the Royal Gun Factory with wrought iron coils, steel coils, and forged steel hoops. These resulted in the complete victory of the forged steel hoops, and in April, 1882, the first English heavy breech-loader, a 12in. of 43 tons, entirely of forged steel, was proposed by the Royal Gun Factory. The matter was so important that it formed the subject of an elaborate inquiry by the Ordnance Committee, who took evidence from the principal experts of the country, and whose recommendations have proved of great value to the service. They decided upon a general type of gun, which was based upon a design submitted by the Royal Gun Factory on the 21st July, 1882, and all the guns since made for the British Government have conformed substantially to this type. But before describing it, I will take some of the continental guns, the constructions of which are earlier in date. First, the 70-t Krupp gun of 1881. The great German manufacturer keeps the sections of his guns a profound secret, and hence the drawing I am going to point to next must not be taken as authentic. During a visit to Essen in 1881 I saw the parts of his guns in the machines, and lying about, and I hope he will forgive me for having taken furtive measurements with an umbrella and by the eye sufficient to enable me to make a tolerably close guess at the construction. It should be said here that the Russian heavy guns are either made by Krupp on designs of similar character to this, or copied by the Russians in their own steel. Krupp’s latest design is for a heavy gun weighing 121 tons, and 35 cals, long—vide Fig. 3. I venture to fill in the construction

Nature of gun.

Date.

Royal Gun Factories, 9'2in. (wire) Elswick, 9'2in. (wire)......

18S1

18S4

18S1

1SS4

1S82

1SS4

1S84

1S84

1884

Weight Weight Weight Ratio of w Muzzle of ot ofj.ro- a    -- vcloclt

gun. chargo. jcctile. a    u    J

Lbs. i

Tons.

52

71

71

119

100

110

63

19

t. r.

1'07

Ft. sec. O'30 I 1008

Pcrfora-Muzzlo tion of energy, iron at

1000 yd.

Foot-tons. Inches. Ft.-Tns. 24,80S    22' it 478

Energy

per ton of gun.

543

483

015

772

900

625

330

IS 203

11S0    1'02

1715 l'2l

1032    1-31

2005

1'34

1S00    1-09

1250    1-78

380

2'32

380    1-S5

•38 I 1055

•44    1703

•42    2017

•41    1S32

•42    2020

•51 ¹ 2050

•50

•50

31,272

24-5

440

2520

2200

34,502    23-8

40,001    29-2

480

387

400

513

509

880

709

and extends only to the obturator, and the breecli-screw works in thickened over the breech screw, so that this is the strongest part the breech-piece, which is shrunk over the tube as in the typical longitudinally. Over the chamber is wound a high-class flat wire, design above mentioned. Three layers of hoops reinforce the which confers immense transverse strength, but does nothing breech-piece. Here also every part of the metal over the chamber longitudinally. This wire breaks at 100 tons per square inch, assists in supporting the transverse strain. The breech-piece is Over the wire are shrunk two long hoops of forged steel, which assisted in supporting the longitudinal strain by the peculiar dis- transmit the longitudinal strain from the rear end of the tube to tribution of the hoops. A long hoop provided with stout the trunnions, by means of two systems of locked projections. In shoulders forms the rear part of the first layer. Its front shoulder this construction the whole of the metal over the chamber assists engages the rear shoulder of a long hoop, which forms the front in supporting the transverse strain. The longitudinal strength is part of the second layer and carries a front exterior shoulder ¹ divided about equally between the tube and the outer hoops, and against which the trunnion hoop, forming the middle part of the | is ample. In considering the probability of forged steel construc-third layer, abuts. Hence we have a direct pull from the trunnion tion being supplanted by those containing wire, it must be borne hoop to the shoulder on the breech-piece. For the sake of clear- ! in mind that the lighter the gun in proportion to its power, the ness I speak of the trunnion hoop, but in reality there are no I more work is thrown on the carriage in checking and absorbing the trunnions—the exterior of the hoop forms two rings which recoil. There is some doubt whether a practical limit has are held in a strong band attached to the slide. To not already been reached in this respect with the latest prevent the inner tube from moving forward in case the friction patterns of forged steel guns; that is to say, any further between it and the breech-piece should become relaxed on firing, a reduction of weight in proportion to power may be found

or bronze is run into a serrated to necessitate more than a corresponding increase of weight

to the carriage. Should experience prove this to be the case, there will be little advantage in the introduction of wire, except in certain special cases, such as siege howitzers, &c.

Our third and last point of comparison is the power developed by the various types of ordnance which have been brought before you. In this respect we have had nothing to learn from abroad. We owe much to the labours of the Explosives Committee, and much to the admirable experiments with fired gunpowder in closed vessels which were carried out in 1874 by Captain A. Noble, of Elswick, and Sir Frederick Abel; but our chief superiority is due the breech screw. The joint in the front part of the tube is got to the practical results obtained with enlarged powder chambers rid of. The material of the gun is entirely of steel, cast and forged, and lengthened bores during a searching trial at the Royal Gun on the assumption that The system of obturation is changed from the cup to the pad, and Factory in 1873; from these causes our ballistic knowledge has long no radical change has taken place in the Essen principles since the powder chamber is made shorter and thicker. Fig. 5 repre- been fuller and more complete than that of any of the continental 1881; but again this must be taken as guesswork as regards the 8ents the section of the 63-ton guns now being made in the authorities; and it was really owing to this circumstance actual dimensions of the parts. This is the heaviest gun in the    Royal Gun Factory. They are entirely of forged steel, which,    that England’s guns held their ground    as long as they did

world, and four are being made for the Italian land service. It    wj{h the exception of some of the smaller parts, comes from    under the double disadvantage of    being    wrought iron muzzle-

will be observed that the tube forms a lining extending from the sir J. Whitworth and Co., who have, so far, met our require- loaders instead of steel breech-loaders. The principle of cham-muzzle to the face of the wedge, anil that it is recessed at the end of ments better than any other maker. In this design the tube is bering—that is, of enlarging that part of the bore which the bore to receive the Broadwcll ring. Over the tube is shrunk the    thinned down at the breech, and the breech-piece, which is shrunk    contains the explosive—depends    upon    a peculiarity in the

breech-piece in which the wedge plays. Over the breech-piece are    over it, receives the breech screw, as in the typical gun of Dia-    action of powder charges which is    not very generally known or

shrunk several hoops. Every portion is made of the finest gun    15. The metal is disposed in fair conformity with the trans- '

steel. In this construction the whole of the metal over the powder verse strain expected, and considerable weight is saved in front of chamber comes into play to sustain the transverse strain, which • the trunnion ring. All the metal assists in taking the transverse

cm

cou

on

metal of the character of phosph recess at the front of the breech-piece. In building up this gun the trunnion hoop forms a kind of watershed, so to speak, that is, all the hoops behind it are put on from the breech, and all in front of it are put on from the muzzle. To assist friction in keeping them in place, phosphor bronze is run into a serrated recess under the trunnion hoop. It will be observed that in this design several important improvements have been made in the 100-ton gun manufactured for the Italians in 1882. The Lepanto gun shows an intermediate step in the transition. The tube is thinned down and fitted into the breech-piece which receives

* A section of an Elswick 43-ton gun, partly made of wire, may be seen in The Engineer of July 29,1881.

understood. I will endeavour to make the facts clear to you. Supposing I fill a chamber which measures 3T5in. in diameter and 18'Gin. in length with R.L.G.² powder, at a density of 35’G cubic inches per lb., as in the proof charge of the 12-pounder muzzleloading field gun, the pressure will be extremely capricious, varying from about 2G tons to 37^ tons per square inch ; the velocities will vary also, but to nothing like the same extent. Next, supposing I fill a chamber which measures 7in. in diameter and 18‘Gin. in length with 201b. 3 ozs. of R.L.G.², at the same density as before, as in the 7in. muzzle-loading gun, I shall get fairly regular pressures and velocities; the pressures will be about 22 tons only, varying about a ton above and below, although the densities of the charges are equal, and there is more than five times as much powder in the charge which gives the lower pressure. This anomalous result arises from the shape of the chamber. It is found that long narrow chambers favour the development of “wave pressures,” as they are called, in a surprising degree, and experience has clearly shown that to get the best effect out of the charge, the chamber should not be longer than from three to four times its diameter ; with a powder which is slow in proportion to the size of the gun, it is generally safe to approach four diameters in length; but with a powderquick in proportion to the size of the gun, it is often dangerous to exceed three diameters in length. The cause appears to be that as soon as the charge is lighted the gas first evolved travels through the chamber from end to end with great rapidity, and sets up a dynamic action of a vibratory or wave character, But if it is asked why increasing the diameter of the chamber should mitigate and indeed remove this action, I have to confess frankly that I do not know. In the cases given the gas has just as far to travel, and to acquire momentum in, but it seems to lose the intensity of its rush from end to end when afforded increased space laterally. Many efforts have been made to overcome this difficulty, and to obtain satisfactory combustion in long narrow chambers by means of extensive air spacing, or by introducing central tubes of zinc and other substances; but the results have not been very promising, and in the Royal Gun Factory we have kept all our chambers short and thick, so as to consume the charges under the most favourable conditions. Hence it follows that if we wish to employ a charge which is too large to be contained in a portion of the bore four calibres in length, we

In practice,

lesigning a gun Tor a given charge, I start with the equation—7 n r‘ = C, where r is the radius of the section of the chamber, and C is the cubic content required, course, gives the dimensions of a chamber 3} diameters long, which are subsequently adjusted certain incidental advantages in shortening the cartridge by chambering ; the length of travel of the projectile, and consequently its velocity at the muzzle are increased. The shell has not to be rammed so far in, and the cartridge is more compact and serviceable. The disadvantage lies in the necessity for making the gun stronger, and therefore heavier, over the powder charge; in fact the breecli must bo that duo to the size of the chamber and not of the bore. Still the ballistic advantages outweigh this, and as you see by the table A, the chambered guns beat all others in energy per ton. There is one more point where chambering will probably prove of great service. The special duty of all very heavy guns, either for land or sea service, is to get their projectiles through armour. Of late years the armour question has undergone very great change. The guns casdy mastered the wrought iron plate armour of the seventies, whether solid or in layers, but the uso of steel which has become general in the eighties, has checked the artillerist’s victorious career. Elates made either entirely of. steel or of wrought iron faced with steel—the jdates known as compound—are very difficult to get through or to smash if thoroughly well supported by firm backing. They break up the chilled iron shot, which splash harmlessly on the surface, while the steel shot fired at them usually break if too hard, or flatten out if too soft. We are trying to find the shot material which will prove most effective against this improved armour, and till this is accomplished we shall be unable to say with certainty what proportions should be given to the projectiles. The smashing or racking effect of a very heavy projectile of largo diameter, striking with moderate velocity, may prove more effective than a lighter shot of smaller diameter and nigh velocity, or the reverse result may take place. We can adopt our chambered guns to suit either scheme. Wince the calibre does not bear any fixed relation to the diameter of chamber, we can either enlarge the bore or reduco it by a thin lining, at pleasure, without interfering with the powder charge or its stronghold.

To recapitulate the principal points alluded to in this lecture, having come last among the Great Powers to steel breech-loaders, we have been able to select the best points from the various systems worked out by others. The material is that proved admirable chiefly by German experience ; the system of breech-loading is that of the French land service ; some parts of our present construction have been tested in Germany and some in France, while we have been able to improve on both, and solidify the whole structure in a marked degree. Not being hampered by the necessity for utilising old material, we have been able to devote all our energies to new guns of the best quality, instead of repairing and altering old guns of inferior type, as is being largely done all over the Continent. We have, moreover, greatly extended the ballistics of our guns, and have conferred on them unsurpassed power in proportion to their weight. It is true that in numbers we are behind, but having the best types, all that is required is money and a little more time. The money will no doubt be forthcoming at the good pleasure of the country, which must not hesitato to pay its war insurance. The time is more serious ; a heavy gun cannot be made under about fifteen months, and the only way to economise in this respect is to put up sufficient plant to permit of a considerable number of heavy guns being under manufacture at the same time, some extent, and the next two or three years will see us in a very different position as regards numbers. Still there is much more to be done, and I will conclude by earnestly representing that though sufficient confidence may not have been felt two or three years ago to justify the heavy outlay which was seen to be necessary to rapid re-armament, yet that now the time has arrived for the country to face the question seriously, to grant the money, and to push the manufacture.

In the discussion which followed, Admiral Hamilton and Admiral Boys spoke briefly, the latter asking for definite information as to the length of the life of a new type breech-loading gun.

Mr. G. Rendel then questioned Colonel Maitland’s conclusions as to the proportions of a powder chamber. He noticed that Colonel Maitland apparently limited the length to 3| diameters, to avoid wave pressures, but that he admitted the loss in increased diameter and strain on gun. Mr. Kcndel had taken the case of the 43-ton gun, with 12in. bore and lGin. chamber, and had calculated that if the same capacity of chamber were obtained by simply lengthening the 12in. bore, the gun’s weight might be reduced from 43 to 31 > tons—a great consideration in the Navy. Colonel Maitland had said that in such a case the strain on the carriage would be increased. Mr. Rendel found that this would only be increased from 27b to 320 foot-tons, which need involve little more than an increase in size of the hydraulic buffer. On the other hand, the gain in reduced diameter by having no enlarged chamber was very great; it helped to the same end as the abolition of trunnions, namely, the bringing of the two guns in a turret close together, so a< to approach the condition of a double-barrelled gun. By this the couple with which the recoil of each gun acted with a tendency to rotate the turrets was decreased, and further, the whole turret might be decreased in diameter. He thought that wave pressures would not be developed with really slow-burning powder. The 100-ton breech-loading gun at Spezzia had a chamber over five diameters long, yet it exhibited no wave pressures. Further, Mr. Rendel maintained that the advantages of reduced diameter such that we ought to try all devices for igniting the charge, so as, for example, igniting it in several places.

must increase the diameter of the chamber, when

This, of

as required. There are also

This has been done to

were

Colonel Hope remarked that he was glad to find none of the wrong opinions of the official text-books of 1879 put forth by Colonel Maitland. Colonel Maitland had asked for an explanation of the wave pressure set up in long chambers. This Colonel Hope could supply. He (Colonel Hope) had dealt with the question practically, and had burnt charges 15 calibres long without wave pressures being generated. He had ignited charges at 140 places simultaneously. His shot moved before nis charge was all ignited. Sir William Armstrong had, he considered, attempted something in this way when he lit his charge by means of a vent opposite to the front close to the projectile, but the result had been to blow out the breech of the gun. The fault we have constantly committed has been to treat the powder as an explosive, although we have long since learned that it is not an explosive. In fact, as regards the ignition of the charge we have not advanced one step since the Battle of Crecy. When a small portion of powder just below the vent is converted into gas it drives the remainder forward and compresses it, so that when it ignites in, say, half the space it originally occupied, it produces double the pressure contemplated. Thus a wave is set up that the gun cannot withstand.

Sir F. Bramwell objected that Colonel Hope had, indeed, given an explanation of wave pressure when absolute length is increased, but he had not explained the question raised by Colonel Maitland, which was one of the relative length and diameter. In the diagram shown were two charges of the same absolute length; the difference was in diameter. The gun with larger diameter had the longer projectile, and the greater resistance on each square inch of cross section, yet the pressure in the bore of smaller diameter was the greater. He confessed that he did not understand why the relation of length to diameter told in this way, and he had as yet heard no explanation of it.

Herr. Kraftmeier spoke of the progress made with brown prismatic—i.e., cocoa—powder, especially in an effort which was being made to suit it to field guns. The prisms were lin. in diameter andjjin. in height. Experiments were not yet concluded. He trusted that when the money referred to by the lecturer was voted that powder might receive its share of it.

Captain Palliser observed that Colonel Maitland’s commendation of a system of construction, consisting of steel hoops of comparatively moderate dimensions, was very important in its application to the ease of such arsenals as might be established by colonies. He—Captain Palliser—had just been consulted with regard to an arsenal to be established at Quebec.

Sir William Codrington moved the adjournment of the debate to Thursday, June 27th, which was carried.

them are punched through a template as above described, or they may be punched in the usual manner.

Erection.-—One wagon is to be built and rivetted complete and approved by the Inspector-General as a pattern before the rest of the contract is proceeded with. The whole of the bodies are to be rivetted up complete with the end flaps, and all attachments rivetted to them, and the timbers bolted to their places. All the wooden underframes are to be framed and bolted together by the tie rods. The pivot brackets, draw chains, check plates, and cast iron pedestals are to be fitted and bolted to their places wagon, and then taken down and packed. Every detail must be tested by gauges at each stage of its manufacture, and be to the satisfaction of the Inspector-General. Every wagon must be completely erected, in order that the accuracy of the work may be tested, and should any in accuracies be found in any wagon so erected, the whole of such in accurate work will be rejected.

Painting,packing, and marking.—After the parts of each wagon have been inspected and approved, they are to be marked to their places in some manner to the satisfaction of the Inspector-General; each piece is then to be carefully cleaned from all rust, and all iron and woodwork is then to be painted with one coat of red lead and linseed oil, and is afterwards to have one coat of good oil paint, proper time for drying being allowed between the application of each coat. All the under frames and under-frame ironwork must be finished black. A complete description of the method of packing and delivery follows.

Drawings.—The contractor is to supply, without charge, with his second delivery, seven complete sets of general and detail tracings of the wagons, on tracing cloth. These tracings must be made to a scale approved by the Inspector-General, and must not exceed 25in. in width, and are to be delivered rolled up on a wooden roller, and not folded in any way. The contractor is also to supply, without charge, twenty large, well-executed, unmounted photographs of the pattern wagon when completely erected, taken from at least two points of view.

Tenders to be in by 2 p.m. on 1st July.

on every

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

(From our oivn Correspondent.)

The threatened strike and lock-out of colliers in South Stafford shire and East Worcestershire is still the chief topic which engages the market’s attention. The notices that the masters have served upon the men expire on Saturday next. The men continue to maintain a bold front, declaring that they will not accept the reduction which those notices enforce. Indeed, the men’s leaders have now taken refuge in the statement that, as the notices were given in the middle of the week, and not on the regular pay day, The work required under this specification comprises the con- they are illegal, and consequently not binding, struction, supply, and delivery in England, at one or more of the ports named in the conditions of tender, of iron and woodwork for underframes and bodies, with all requisite bolts and nuts and rivets complete, for putting the work together in India, and fixing the bodies to the underframes, for fifty earth or tip wagons. All fastenings, bolts, nuts, and rivets are to be supplied in quantities sufficient for putting all the work together in India, witli an allowance of 20 per cent, extra for waste.

The contract does not include wheels and axles. These parts will form the subjects of a separate contract. The contractor whoso tender is accepted must make all such copies of the drawing exhibited as are necessary, and must prepare, at his own cost, from the specification, and from the instructions of the Inspector-General of Railway Stores, a complete set of working drawings, which are to be in everv respect approved by the Inspector-General, and must be completed before the work of any part of them is commenced or any of the material for them is ordered. The general construction of the wagons is shown on drawing No. E1176, which may be seen and copied at the office of the Director-General of Stores, India-office.

Materials.—The whole of the materials used for this contract are to be of the best quality, and subject to the approval of the Inspector-Goneral. No other material than wrought iron is to be used, except where specified otherwise, or shown on the drawings.

All draw hooks, eyes, rings, and chains for the draw gear are to bo forged from Staffordshire chain iron of the best quality. No iron of foreign manufacture is to be used throughout the contract.

The iron must be of such strength and quality that it shall bo equal to the undernamed several tensional strains, and shall indicate the several rates of contraction of the tested area at the point of fracture that follow, namely

CONTRACTS OPEN.

BELLARY-KISTNA AND CUDDAPAH-NELLORE RAILWAY, METRE GAUGE.

Tensional stongtli per squaro inch. Tons.

Percentage of contraction of fracturod area.

Bars and rods .....

Platos .........

Channol, angle, and T-iron

The iron castings for the axle pedestals are to be sound and clean, and aro to be made of a strong mixture of metal of such quality that bars 3ft. Gin. long, 2in. wide, and lin. deep, when placed edgeways on bearings 3ft. apart, will stand a weight of 30cwt. suspended from the centre without breaking.

Manufacture.—Every piece of iron and wood shall be manufactured with such accuracy that any piece may be used without dressing of any kind in the place for which it is designed in any of the wagons. The angle irons forming the joint between the floor, sides, and end plates are to be made and welded into one piece. The top outside angle irons must he made each in one piece, the pieces at the ends forming closing irons for the end flaps, being cranked round and not welded on. The draw hooks and chain eyes are to be forged out of the solid, and all bolt holes in them are to be drilled, and are to be provided with two chains, each 3ft. long, as shown on the drawing. The top and bottom halves of the pivots are to be forged out of the solid, and the eyes of both parts are to be faced on both sides in a machine; all holes in them are to be drilled and the pins turned. The eyes of all hinges and hinge feet are to bo forged out of the solid and welded on to the arms not less than 6in. from the centre of the eye, and the eyes of both hinges and hinge feet must be faced on both sides in a machine, all holes of every kind in them being drilled and the pins turned. The cast iron pedestal bearings are to be bored out to receive the axle journal, the top of the pedestal is to be faced up perfectly true and square with the axle journal, the holes for the bolts may be cast, but they must be perfectly true and square with the top of the pedestal, and must be cleaned out with the file; any pedestal in which the journal bearing top and bolt holes are not true with each other will be rejected, the pedestals are to be fitted with wrought iron keep plates as shown on the drawing. Generally all surfaces tinted red on the drawing are to be bored or turned and finished up smooth and bright, whether mentioned in this specification or not, and all pieces of iron not bored or turned must be cleaned up with the file, and finished up in first-class style. All rivets that are rivetted up in England which are found to be loose, or to have cracked heads, or to be in any other way defective, must be cut out and replaced by others. Generally all workmanship must be of the very best class. All nuts are to be square, and must fit so tightly on their bolts that they cannot be turned by hand. Whitworth’s standard gauges must be used in turning all pins, boring all holes, and forging or finishing all bolt heads and nuts, and all bolts and nuts must be screwed to his standard pitch, the bolts to a length of three diameters. The side, end, end flap, and floor sheets may be punched, provided the holes in each plate are punched either simultaneously or through a template clamped and fixed to the sheet which contains all the holes required in the sheet; the bars and angle irons connected with the sheets may be punched, provided the holes in each of

24

22

22

20 •

10

15

Upon the broad question of drop or no drop, the leaders are stating that a reduction of wages at the present time means that “ the miners and their families are to bo half starved;” and they further assert that “ there is to be no corresponding reduction in the prices of coal.” “ Therefore,” they point out, “the masters, and not the consumers, would get all the benefit.”

At a few of the collieries the men have, the leaders state, been informed that their wages are to be reduced not 4d., but (id. per day or stint; and they repeat their contentions that the principal evils of the trade just now are selling coal for slack, over-weight, and underselling. These practices they desire to put down. The masters are firm in their determination to have the arbitrator’s award observed. It is understood that Mr. E. Fisher-Smith, the agent of the Earl of Dudley, has informed the Coalmasters’ As ciation, of which his lordship is not a member, that he is fully prepared to lock-out the men if the leading members of the Association will act in unison with him. This being Mr. Smith’s decision, the other firms are only too glad to co-operate, believing that the men’s leaders have become so overbearing that a lock-out would be beneficial rather than otherwise.

A largo meeting of coalmasters was held to-day—Thursday —in Birmingham. Mr. Cochrane, chairman of the association presiding, at which it was unanimously resolved that the colliers be not allowed to resume work after Saturday excepting upon the terms of Mr. Rowland’s award. The meeting recognised the principle of subsidising firms who may be compelled to pump water. Mr. Fisher Smith wrote stating he was in full accord with the action of the meeting.

The quarterly meetings of the iron trade are fixed to come off in Wolverhampton on Wednesday, July 9th, and in Birmingham Thursday, July 10tli. In the face of these gatherings being near at hand, and in consequence of stock taking—now that Midsummer Day has turned—having begun, merchants are withholding somewhat the placing of new orders of magnitude. This week, therefore, the works are running chiefly upon hand-to-mouth contracts. Sheets and bars are the sections mostly demanded. Competition for orders keeps keen, alike from Yorkshire, Lancashire, and tho North of England, and prices are still very low.

On 'Change this afternoon in Birmingham the opinion was entertained that there will be no declared alteration in prices at the quarterly meetings, but that the Earl of Dudley’s bars will be re-declared at £8 2s. 6d., and those of the other “list” houses at £7 10s. to £7. All-mine pigs will at the same time, probably, bo re-announced as GOs. for hot blast and 80s. for cold blast sorts.

The threatened colliers’ strike has not made consumers wishful to buy iron in advance, nor has it had much effect upon the demand for coal, as the ironmasters know that they will have open to them the undisturbed supplies from Cannock Chase and from other outside districts. Prices are without much alteration upon tho lists given in my last. Medium bars are £6 10s., and common, £0 to £5 15s Hoops are £6 5s. to £G 10s. at works; gas strip, £5 15s. upwards. Sheets, singles, are £7; doubles, £7 10s.; and lattens, £8 10s. easy. Pig vendors reported to-day only a quiet business. The considerable sales that are sometimes experienced during the fortnight before quarterly meetings were to-day absent. Consumers are fully of opinion that they have nothing to lose by waiting. Part-mine native pigs were 45s., and cinder sorts, 40s. Northampton were 42s. to 42s. Gd., and Derbyshires, 43s.

So satisfied are Messrs. Nettlefolds with the working of tho Clapp and Griffith’s process of steel making at their axle works near Wellington, Shropshire, that they have determined to erect at once another converter, upon the same principle.

Mr. Percy C. Gilchrist, one of the inventors of the basic steel process, and Mr. L. G. Fitzmaurice, the manager of the new works of the Staffordshire Steel and Ingot Iron Company, have taken out a joint patent for the easy fixture and removal of the Bessemer converters, when in the course of regular work one has served its purpose, and another is waiting with a new lining to be dropped into its predecessor’s place.

The iron and steel wire manufacturers of Birmingham state that the reductions which they recently announced in prices aro far larger than is proportionate to the drop in wages obtained at the close of the recent strike. It is the belief of Mr. F. Nettle-fold that if the workmen and masters act together, they will be able to win back much of the trade which has left this district and England for the Continent.

Certain of the bridge and gasometer builders are busy on contracts for home and export, but pipe and other ironfounders have not an

Oil

average amount of work. Bridge builders note that the East India Railway Company is inquiring for the supply of steel superstructures for the two central piers of the Hooghly Bridge. Also that the Midland Railway Companys want ironworks for the reconstruction of a bridge over its line near Bredon station, on the Birmingham and Gloucester branch.

The vice and anvil manufacturers of Dudley—which is the seat of the trade—are complaining that British goods

are being driven,

out of the continental markets by the prohibitory duties, andi

-O'

certain of them fear that “ unless something is speedily done,” the | English makers, and I may add that the difference in the contract The stock of Cleveland pig iron in Messrs. Connal and Co.’s store European markets will be in a great measure lost to us.

Divided opinions are entertained by traders in the Birmingham district concerning Mr. Chamberlain’s reply to the influential I classes of round coal are bad to sell, and engine fuel, notwitlistand- the week. At Glasgow their stock on Monday was 589,387 tons, or deputations of manufacturers and others which waited upon the ing the lessened production of slack, is still fairly plentiful. The a decrease of 600 tons.

right hon. gentleman last week relative to the proposed new demand generally is not more than sufficient to keep pits working The monthly quantity of pig iron shipped from the Tees up to Kail way Bill. Some consider the reply fairly satisfactory, while    three or four days a week, and where they are kept running more    Monday last was 60,469 tons, being about 4000 less    than    during the

others still strongly hold the opinion that Mr. Chamberlain should    than this, stocks are being put down. Pit prices are now so low    same number of days in May, and about    14,000    tons    less    than

especially withdraw that part of the measure which deals with    that there is not much margin for further reduction; and in the    during a similar portion of June last year.

terminal charges. The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce have    ordinary quoted rates there is no material change, but for quan-    The manufactured iron trade continues    quiet,    very    few    mills

decided to shortly convene a meeting of the freighters to consider tities to clear away stocks under load very low prices are taken, being now in operation. Those manufacturers who are still able certain of the provisions, and the Council of the Dudley Chamber and there is a downward tendency in the market. It is, however, to supply stand firmly to the prices which have been quoted during resolved on Tuesday that terminal charges should be confined to only in a few exceptional cases that any actually announced re- the last few weeks. Ship-plates are £5 to £5 2s. fid. per ton; extra services rendered by railway companies over and above what ductions in the quoted pit prices are being made with the close of angles, £4 15s. to £4 17s. fid.; and common bars, £5 2s. fid. to was granted by Act of Parliament.    the month ; but in the Manchester district the delivered rates on £5 5s.; all free on rails at works, less 21 per cent.

It has been determined that the autumnal session of the Asso- all classes of round coal are being reduced lOd. per ton, and on The Hartlepool Malleable Ironworks, which were laid idle last ciated Chambers of Commerce which is to be held this year in engine fuel 5d. per ton.    week, are at work again this week.

Wolverhampton shall open on September 30th.    The shipping trade continues quiet, with very low prices ruling About 150 workmen were paid off by Messrs. Doxford and Sons

The Birmingham and Wolverhampton Chambers of Commerce both at Liverpool and Garston, Lancashire steam coal being at their shipyard at Sunderland last Saturday, have just refused the prayers of the Liverpool Chamber asking for delivered at the above port at 7s. per ton.    The Wheatley Hill and Thornley Collieries were offered for sale

their opposition to the Manchester Ship Canal, and instead they The question of a reduction in wages in the South West Lanca- by auction at Newcastle on Saturday last. There was a large have decided to continue to give the Bill their support.    shire district, to which I referred last week, is now taking more attendance, but no bid was made. These collieries comprise an

With the exception of Leeds—and Leeds, it has to be remembered, definite shape. A special meeting to consider the matter was held area of 2080 acres, and it is estimated that with an output of is right in the middle of a coal-field producing gas coal—the Corpo- in Liverpool on Monday, and although one important section of 250,000 tons of coal per annum, they would not be exhausted in ration of Birmingham claim that they are now supplying gas con- the district was not represented, a sufficiently unanimous feeling fifty years.

sumers with light at a cheaper price than any other Corporation in was expressed to enable definite action to be taken, and at some of It is reported that a new company is being formed at Middles-the kingdom, namely, an average, after the discount has been | the collieries notices for a reduction of 10 per cent, will be posted brough to erect blast furnaces for the production of iron of a

superior quality from ores to be obtained from Devonshire and elsewhere.

It will be remembered that the proposition to reduce puddlers’ wages 3d. per ton, and other forge and mill wages 2.J; per cent., was subject to confirmation by the subscribers to the Board of Arbitration. The result of the balloting at seventeen works has now been made known. Twelve of the works with 6325 subscribers were in favour of the reduction, and five works with 2245 subscribers were against. The arrangement is therefore confirmed.

A town’s meeting was held in Middlesbrough on Tuesday evening under the presidency of the Mayor, to consider what means should be taken to provide work for the unemployed, and sustenance for those who cannot work. From statements made by various persons conversant with the condition of the working population, it seems that great destitution and distress already prevails, and immediate relief is necessary. Fortunately a balance of nearly a thousand pounds remains from a fund collected in 1879, the complete distribution of which became unnecessary because of the sudden advent of the American boom. This sum has been handed over to a Relief Committee already organised. Whilst disbursing it they will endeavour at the same time to substantially maintain it by fresh contributions, and so make it last out till better times.

Now that the East Coast operatives are idle in thousands, and pig iron, coal, and other raw materials are leaving the country as freely as ever, in order to be worked up into higher products where that can be done more economically than here, it behoves those operatives to turn their thoughts to their habits, and rectify whatever therein is found wasteful and mischievous. Drunkenness and gambling are their two besetting sins. The former vice is already energetically denounced both from the pulpit and the platform, and many organisations exist having for their object its suppression. But gambling is seldom decried, and indeed few are aware of the terrible extent to which it is practised by the northern operative. Middlesbrough, Nortli Stockton, and South Stockton, each have their place of resort for gambling in the open, and every day during the dinner hour hundreds may be seen, mainly workmen, but sometimes including boys and women, all busily engaged in betting with professional bookmakers. These latter individuals, parasites as they are, live lives of ease and luxury on their ill-gotten gains. Their dupes are kept impecunious in good times, and in periods of depression have, of course, nothing to fall back on. . Attempts of a more or less feeble character have been from time to time made to put down this miserable system, to keep the fools apart from the knaves, to separate the blindfold yet self-confident victims from the vampires who feed upon them; but these attempts have so far been only half-hearted, and naturally unsuccessful. Possibly idle works with active store yards, streets of empty houses with full workhouses, disease, want, and starvation stalking rampant through the land, may open the eyes of local authorities and of bookmakers’ victims to the utter unwisdom of such practices, even though all other means may have heretofore failed.

prices is not regarded as the only point at issue.

The coal trade all through Lancashire is extremely quiet. All

at Middlesbrough continues slowly to decrease. On Monday last the quantity held was 58,207 tons, being a reduction of 92 tons for

taken off, of 2s. Id. per 1000ft. Yet, by the profits which the Gas next week.

Committee and the Water Committee have annually handed over Barrow.—I have no change to report this week in the condition to the Corporation, the rates of the borough have been reduced of the hematite pig iron trade of this district. Business remains since 1880 by very nearly Is. in the pound. The ratepayers are, very quiet all round. The market has remained firm, however, however, now demanding that for the future a larger proportion of throughout the week, and the prices last quoted have been well the annual gas profits shall be devoted to the interests of the maintained by makers, viz., No. 1 Bessemer samples, 48s. per ton existing generation, and it seems likely that the Gas Committee net at works; No. 2, 47s. fid.; and No. 3, 47s. per ton. The will before long accede to the request.    | demand has not improved on home account, but pig iron is selling

a little better to Russian consumers, and the shipments are now larger than they have been for some time past. Buyers are not placing much confidence in makers, and appear to be waiting for a further drop in prices. The weight of metal now on hand is ,,    ,    .    ,    .    ,    . , considerable, the output having been well maintained, although it

Manchester.—I he iron trade of this district continues all though is nothing like what it was a few months ago. Stocks are not in a depressed condition, and there is still an absence of any diminishing. r"'

NOTES FROM LANCASHIRE.

(From our own Correspondent.)

was a few months ago.

...    .    , -    - , ..............a.    The steel trade continues briskly employed, and

encouraging feature in the future upon which to base any hope 8ome good orders are being received from both home and foreign

consumers. Kails are selling at about 90s. per ton net at works, prompt delivery. Merchant qualities are also asked for, and wire

,    D—d d-------d. There is no change in the shipbuilding

been reached at which it is utterly impossible to produce iron at industry of the district, works continuing almost at a standstill, less money, or makers determine to relieve the market of the pre- Engineers and boiler-makers quiet. Iron ore in rather increased sent pressure of surplus supplies by a reduction of the output, demand at last week’s rates. Coal and coke easier. Shipping T here is certainly nothing to indicate that the demand for iron is of itself likely to give a firmer tone in face of the present means of production, and with the failure of low prices to bring forward any weight of buying, the blowing out of furnaces, and the closing or running of forges on short time, seems to be the alternative which most commends itself to ironmasters.

Very little business was reported on the Manchester iron market I themselves in view of Mr. Burt’s action on mining legislation.

on lues day, either in pig or manufactured iron, and with the I The member for Morpeth is to move a resolution on July 4th to

of improvement. Weakness continues to characterise the market throughout, and it would seem as if the persistent downward tendency of prices could only be arrested either when a point has I fB~ in¹ good demand*

freights low.

THE SHEFFIELD DISTRICT.

(From our own Correspondent.)

The officials of the Yorkshire Miners’Association are bestirring

exception that outside brands, such as bcotch and Middlesbrough, I the following effect:—“ That, considering the great development still maintain a tolerably firm tone, prices if anything were ₀f the mining industry of Great Britain in recent years, the num-gcnorally rather easier. Lancashire pig iron makers still ask 43s., her and extent of the mines, their increase in depth, and the large less per cent., for forge and foundry qualities, delivered equal number of persons employed therein, this House is of opinion that to Manchester; but the few offers that do come forward are, as a the time has come when there should be a considerable addition rule, at under tins figure, which practically keeps local brands out to the staff of inspectors of mines.” The Home Secretary has of the market, in face of the lower prices at which district brands consented to receive a deputation from the members of trades ,    , ⁰ fi°uKht. _ I he brands which at present are competing unions on July 2nd, in reference to the question. The last

the most keenly in this market are those, from Lincolnshire, which increase in the number of inspectors of mines was made in 1872, are being offered at about 42s. to 42s. fid., less 2£, for forge and -when the output of coal was 123,000,000 tons, while the output foundry qualities, delivered here, and in some cases they could be last year was 103,000,000 tons. The Yorkshire Miners’ Associa-got at even a little under these figures. Derbyshire brands are tion have appointed their president—Mr. E. Cowly—Mr. B.

also coming into this market at very low figures, and in some cases Pickard and Mr. John Frith—secretaries—with Mr. W. Parrott,

oalJ,, e bought at about.43s. to 44s., less 2^, delivered here.    treasurer, and three other delegates to attend the deputation to

I ho question of blowing out some of the Lincolnshire furnaces the Home Secretary, is under consideration, and, although it has not yet been definitely After nine weeks’ strike, the Elsecar ironworkers, pressed by the

decided to take this step, it is more than probable that the present distress which prevails in the district, have returned to their

depressed state of trade will before long necessitate a reduction of employment.

the output.    .    .    I The proposed amalgamation of the Chesterfield and Barnsley

Hematites still meet with very little inquiry; nominally quoted Institute of Engineers, and the removal of the headquarters to rates remain unchanged, but prices are weak.    Sheffield,    is    being vigorously opposed at Chesterfield.

I he finished iron trade is extremely quiet, and one large maker The proposal to found a technical school, in connection with told me lie had not known it in a more depressed condition for    Firth College, is making rapid progress. At a meeting of the

years past. Not only is the home trade exceptionally dull, but    Firth College Council, held on Tuesday, it was reported that the

^b® shipping season has brought forward none of the usual funds at the disposal of the Technical Committee, including the

activity at tins time of the year, and what trade there has been donations lately promised by the Duke of Norfolk of £3000, and    (From    our    own    Correspondent.)

domgappears to have gone largely to Scotland. Nominally £5 15s. the Duke of Devonshire of £500, now amount to a capital sum of After being very firm till near the close of last week the Gins is still the quoted price for good local and North Staffordshire bars £10,300, and a yearly income of £845 for five years. It has been g0w pig ircSS tole qSerandthe^quotltbns of warrants delivered into this district, but for good specifications makers are decided to advertise for nrofessors of metallurirv and meehnniral i • L i necarne\lmel,er’ "“a tne quotations or warrants in many cases open to entertain offers, and common bars can be Sneeringat ^alarieVofnotlew th?n S i.eI?nSm    have since been slowly declining. The causes that led to large

got readily at about £5 12s. fid. per ton; hoops average about    f "e ™nu    Steel <X and Iron 1Hlrc mfses f week have Iia88ed, and the likelihood is that the

£6 2s. fid. per ton delivered into this district.    Company was £fidat ManchesteroiTtlie25th inst The chairman    n°W f    1>08ltlon' ,TJ»e shipments of

An announcement, which illustrates the present condition of the —Mr Edward Coward—stated that durum the year the comnanv Pkg8’ wl’lc|¹ amounted to 1-,<31 tons, compared favourably with finished iron trade, is made to the effect that the ironworkers had rolled a^ much larger^Tuant tv of steel rails than theThad    yf ! KTSf-ngt ,Week’ but T ®onsiderab y short of th.e

employed at thelnce Works of the Wigan and Ince Hall Rolling rolled ‘before-llfi 000^n?Tainrt 113 (& toSs ii^ WS? and    d?sPatched in the corresponding week of 1883 There is

Mills have received seven days’notice to terminate all contracts, 90 000 tons in 1882 But the° prices were unremunerative 'and c.¹’an8® ^ tlie amount of the current production, but there is a and it is believed to be the intention of the company to close the the wi^^hi^iso    oblS^to^Sk^rt^S *^fa hkelihood that one or two furnaces may go out soon. The week s

wk, for the —on,to th, „vere d.pre.Uprev.iling in    £= Sorel

theirontia.de. This will affect a large number of workmen, and    the rail mills was greater than the consumptive power. Mr.    Bifsiness    was    done    in the warrant    market on    Friday    at    41s    fi-ld

unless trade speedily revives it is added that the proprietors will    Coward incidentally confirmed my statement that a confederation of    cash.    On    Monday    forenoon    transactions    occurred'at    41s    fAd

>c reluctantly compelled also to close their works in Woodhouse- English and foreign rail makers had been formed. “Brices had 4ls 7J and 41s fid cash the afternoon ouotations hfiirm 41s fW lane. I may add that in other large finished ironworks in Lanca- been forced so low,” he said, “at the end of last year, that the Jo 41s 4id cash The martletwere

scarcity JTSden "    ° mS be°n nccessary owin« to the ste.el ra>j makers of England and Scotland, with one exception, 41s. 4d. to 41s. 5d. cash, and in the afternoon the market

r y Olliers.    and most of the makers m Belgium, Germany, and Austria, had steadier at 41s fid with however verv little doimr

•vfwsss;tLir.e^s'^de,tiafSSLS£ l"eyhad**“impr°vedi>ricefor“,em*m,f“t"red jbherGt»u»crftoTkN„s.'fvv.5?„Uo₃w;wbanerrie'

offeied next month for sale by auction.    Messrs. John Brown and Co., Limited, Atlas Steel and Iron- 57s. and 50s. fid.- Langloan' 53s. fid/and°*5l’s • 'summerlee’

1 lie reports which I receive from well-informed quarters as to works, also held their annual meeting on the 25th inst. It being 50s. fid. and 47s.-’’Calder 52s. and 46s' fid • Carnbroe 50s fid’ the condition of the engineering trades are to the effect that the twentieth year of the company's existence, the chairman—Mr. and 47s • Clyde 47s fid and 45s • Monkland 43s fid and 40s 3d • adecided ^iTnot ^ou? faUh,^ nff°' a^(lvlt>' ge^raRy, there is j. D. Ellis-reviewed its history Mr. Burridge, managing Quarter, wl fid. and 40s. 3d.; Go van, at Broomielaw, 42s.⁴fid.Sd

coming forward^ Scomotiii hudirT iwvT'nH    Z “or> gave encouraging accounts of the state of the company’s 40s. 3d.; Shotts, at Leith, 51s. fid. and 51s.; Carron, at Grange-

coming iorwaid. incomotive builders in this district who have business and position, and the report recommending the payment mouth 48s (sneciallv selected 54s ) and 47s fid • TCirmoil at

contracts, with ve^Stle ”c°w    Xg IXS Z e,Yrt 5&    XZl    "»crve-now •"»»»«! to Eglinton, 41, Gd. and 41,; Dalmaiungton, 40, (id. and 42, (id

which have recently appeared of large order. f.avh.sZentooTed in 'Th'eTrst sS of Z new sewage works of the Sheffield Corpora- are t ‘tTSteL    1>,S lr0" " “°t8° 80O<’- “nJ

otliu districts aie veiy much exaggerated. With regard to tool tion at Blackburn Meadows was turned on the 25th inst. Messrs. The total imports of Cleveland pig iron into Scotland un to makers, those firms engaged on heavy marine work are getting Wm. Bissett and Son, Sheffield, have the contract for this section, Saturday last were 121 680 tons being a decrease of 656° tom! for quiet but there is still a good deal in hand amongst the established which will cost about £24,000, the total expense of the complete the year to date    ‘    decrease of bob. tons for

well-known makers, and in special work activity is being well scheme being £150,000. The system .adopted is that of precipitate, In the manufactured iron trade there is no imnrovemenl and in^eaU^unMitisfactory condition ^xceDTso⁸⁰?^^ G ^ to b® and the works will be erected under the superintendence of Mr. prices remain nominally unaltered since the reduction of’‘last

bX.ed Vn“ tkte*di«t3', “St 1 doMMmi/thiTu^Ta ?c°£ng    THE NORTH OF ENGLAND.    T|C“!’ ™thcric«» demand both for home use and shipment,

followed by any further large weight of new work.    (From our own Correspondent.)    to^Mont^fd SOOO^fS^+o⁰ h!¹¹ d** Past.wee£r^m,br^je<1,2,,K}0 ton*

tracts abrorn'r^f or° iron 'and' steeT remS iTth^^ °Uf “"f T’'K    tone ia the Cleveland pig iron trade which began smaller qualities to other placel At^’rangem°oSh 8600’ton!

Indian    ^STseTe    ^^iSSlfi ^l"-^

questions put'by Mr^W ⁰H^Houhls’worth ^shoid'c f T    ^d    t'Vf' At ^    ^ at Middlesbrough on Tuesday districts. Quotations at Burntisland are fis. fid., fis 9d„ and 7s!

?o Mr. Folder Yh^^ week me^o ookei    WthUTS'X L^rices '7    m    -In

£^tory- . The general feeling is that, although Z Sa“ STStoJ”their    SSSS'1ST The^uaTsuS ZlS ^

plausiMe justification may be given for the course of action taken, by holding back purchased freely, but only for prompt delivery, atlSS 2dSSTre^ wSricing^lo^to

the wlmtry'wheii^very^branciro/^Dit^rron^ti^Pth^ W°f f*? The lowest Prjce at wbich 3 g-m-b- can now be bo«gbt »    more nmney for holiday purposes Coalmasters have full supplies

should be jfiK    LdZ    “ ‘he PnCe    °r‘,erS    b"‘ th“'    *»

Belgian man“uftj&-wMch "might "be iMaoeie wfilftbl    nominally 37s’ Per ton’ but sales are few and far A seam of Dunnet shale 5ft. lOin. in thickness has been dis-

uiacrurers orders which might be placed with the I between.    covcred by boring in the Crosswoodhill property of the Lanark Oil

can now

NOTES FROM SCOTLAND.

are

Company. The shale is of good quality, and the deposit is believed to be extensive.

A strike of six weeks’ duration at the Allan-sliaw Colliery, near Hamilton, has now terminated, the colliers having gone to work on the masters’ terms.

In reply to a letter from Mr. Weir, the miners’ representative, the Secretary of the Fife and Clackmannan Colliery Owners’ Association has stated that in the present condition of trade and prices it is impossible to give an advance of wages. At the same time the colliery owners express their willingness to meet with the men and arrange a sliding scale for the regulation of wages.

Several fresh shipbuilding contracts have been received on the Clyde since my last report, but they are quite insufficient to supply the places of vessels that are being launched. Messrs. D. J. Dunlop and Co., engineers and shipbuilders, Port Glasgow, having completed all their orders, discharged the whole of their workmen last Friday evening. At Greenock the engineering firms have given notice that at the termination of the Fair holidays, which begin next week and generally extend over about ten days, the wages of artisans will be reduced id. per hour, and those of labourers half that amount.

Messrs. Denny and Co., Dumbarton, have intimated a reduction of 7£ per cent, on the wages of the workmen in their engineering and boiler-making shops.

that it is wanted.

narty was not represented in the House—the people; and the voice of the people is emphatically ngainst any more outlets than those now existing, or in course of formation. The voice of the neoplo says: “ We do not want to hurry off our nest coals at highest pressuro. It may enrich a few ; hut wliat shall we do in twenty years hence when our best coals are gone, and we have only the lower coals, which cannot be worked so cheaply as the best, and must of necessity place us second in the market of the country?”

The output in every valley lias been well sustained this week, and Cardiff, Newport, and Swansea keep up their averages capitally. On the railways the briskness of the coal trade is * well shown, and enormous quantities are being run on the Taff Vale, Great Western, Midland, London and North-Western, and Brecon. In fact travelling on the Taff lino is an excellent way of seeing the enormous quantity grappled with, and this week no congestion was to be met with, and the flow down seawards was uninterrupted.

Several good coal finds have come to light of late, one in the direction of Ogmore ; the other, Blackwood; and an excellent quality of coal has been won.

Apart from the coal, the other industries are not flourishing. Iron and steel rails are in slight request; bars fairly good at low prices, and tinplate flagging again. Patent fuel is in tolerably free demand, particularly at Cardiff and Swansea. From the latter place the shipments last week amounted to 10,000 tons, quality all that could be desired.

The organisation of tlie engineers and stokers of South Wales is becoming more settled and perfect, and it is evident that the intention of promoters is to make essays in matters of time ami wages. The eight hours’ movement is strongly advocated, and at a meeting held this week at Aberdare it was shown that there was an urgent need for equalisation of wages. From Treharris to Hirwain at present the wages vary from 3s. 2d. to 3s. 7d., and from Nantyglo to Blaina, 3s. to 3s. (id.

The Caerphilly district of colliers recommend that the men of Coedcefn colliery work out their notice, but do not continue, as the coal of that colliery is to be worked by contract. They have also recommended the men at Rudry to refrain from “pushing the trams to and from several parts ” of the colliery, such not being their labour. In other parts of the coal valley the colliers are working with a good deal of earnest cordiality, the grave questions of wages and doctors being effectually at rest.

The Newport Chamber of Commerce has had the amended Shipping Bill before it, and having warmly discussed it, rejected it by a majority of 15. The prominent members (lid not deny but that a measure of some sort was called for, but with respect to the Board of Trade, they maintained “ that all should unite in the agitation for its reconstruction, as at present the name was a misnomer. There was no Board of Trade, and the legislation for shipping during the last twenty years had been a failure.” It is clear that, as far as Newport is concerned, a Minister of Marine is regarded

THE PATENT JOURNAL.

Sle

18th June, 1884.

9118.    Cutting Fabrics, G. H. Smith and B. Cooper, Manchester.

9119.    Ventilating Rooms, 4c., W. Potts, Edinburgh.

9120.    Grippers for Rotary Cylinders, G. A. Wilson, Liverpool.

9121.    Rifled Torpedo, W. J. Murphy and J. R. Foster, Richmond, Cork.

9122.    Revolving Carriages, J. H. Potter, Poole.

19(A June, 1884.

9163.    Transmitting Currents, M. II. Smith, Halifax.

9164.    Cooking Ranges, G. Blrkitt, Derby.

9165.    Compressing Ensilage in Silos, A. Seward and II. G. Walton, Liverpool.

916 i. Corsets, W. P. Thompson.—(M. Borsarelli, Marseilles, France.)

9167.    Gas Motor Engines, T. M. Williamson, J. Malam, and W. A. Ireland, Southport.

9168.    Double Spiral Springs, G. Lumb, Halifax.

9169.    Suction Hose, J. Jones, Dublin.

9170.    Tires, II. C. Birloy, Manchester.

9171.    Bookshelves. A. Cotgreave, Hichmond, and W. Morgan, Birmingham.

Latches, W. Morgan, Birmingham.

1884.

cm

am.

20th June, 1884.

9208.    Wheel Tires, J. Needham, Manchester.

9209.    Two-wheeled Velocipede, J. E. Dixon, Nottingham.

9210.    Attachments to Brace, 4c., Buckles, C. N. Eyland, Walsall.

9211.    Telephonic Apparatus, 8. P. Thompson, Bristol.

9212.    Valves and Cocks, J. S. Borlase, Coed Poeth.

9213.    Saving Waste in Candles, G. J. Harcourt, Clifton.

9214.    Water Motor, 4c., W. Freakley, Endon.

9215.    Warping Mills, H. Stott, West Vale, near Halifax.

9216.    Stone-breakino, 4c., Machines, S. Mason, Leicester.

9217.    Automatic Friction Brakes, II. W. Jones, Plumstcad.

9218.    Self-lubricating Roller Wheel Nave, G. l’arkington and J. Chew, Blackburn.

9219.    Waterproof Fabrics, H. H. Waddington, Manchester.

9220.    Consolidating Leather, II. A. Gibbs, Edgbaston.

9221.    Winding Drums, G. II. Daglish, St. Helens.

9222.    Line-throwing and Fire-extinguishing Apparatus, W. Miller, Glasgow.

9223.    Tricycles, T. Shakespcar, Smalllicath.

9224.    Advertising, F. J. Piper, Stoke.

9225.    Animal Engine, A. Tictz, London.

9226.    Flues for Steam Boilers, J. II. Smith, Salford, and D. Smith, Burnley.

Intelligence Clifton.

9231. Spindles for Spinning Machinery, J. de Ilemp-Ghent.

9257.

ompson, near

Blyth.

2958. Wire Hope and Automatic Railway Couplings, R. C. Sayer, Newport.

9259.    Spouts of Watering Cans, P. Garton, Liverpool.

9260.    Effective Washer, 8. Woodall, Dudley.

9261.    Chimney Caps or Wind Guards, J.

Bristol.

9262.    Button Fasteners, O. G. Goodman and T. Birmingham.

9263.    Dyeing and Padding Cloth, T. Briggs and E. Webb, Salford.

9264.    Pianoforte Sounding Boards, W. II. Dreapor, Liverpool.

9265.    Obtaining Motive Power by Electricity, R. B. Gant, Woolwich.

9266.    Rivettino Machines, II. H. Twoddol, London, J. Platt and J. Fielding, Gloucester.

9267.    Horse Gears, R. lhirns, Rugelcy.

9268.    Steering Carriages, II. C. Tucker, Banbury.

9269.    Producing Gases of High-heating Powers, A. T. D. Borrington, Abergavenny, and J. Parry, Ebbw Vale.

9270.    Utilising Furnace Oases, A. T. Bcarington, rgavenny, and J. Parry, Ebbw Vale.

Makino Biscuits, A. Grant, London.

WALES & ADJOINING COUNTIES.

(From our own Correspondent.)

When the line from the Rhondda to Newport was but half completed I was speaking one day to a director of the Taff Vale Railway, and hazarded a surmise that his company would want the line when finished. “There are many things more unlikely,” he rejoined, with a significant look. So I am not at all surprised at the statement made by Sir George Elliot It will be a good thing all round; the Taff organisation is perfect, and its extension to the new line will free the early life of the Newport, Caerphilly, and l’ontypridd lino from the usual results of want of experience.

The Barry inquiry in the House of Commons is now almost at an end, and the whole of the district is awaiting impatiently the result. When the decision is given I may refer to some important points that have been raised as to the probable duration of the coalfield of South Wales. One

as a necessity.

One man has been killed, and six injured, by a fall in one of the Abercarne coal pits this week.

The new dry dock has been opened at Cardiff this week. Now that the Tyne steamers come here to coal, dry docks are increasing, and so far pay well—some as much as from 10 to 15 per cent.

Another grievance has occurred at the various ironworks. They are getting into straits for want of water. If they worked full time instead of half a week only, a still greater mischief would be caused. Times are emphatically dull, and most of the works are accumulating financial burdens. I hear of one which paid away last year £15,000 sterling to the bad.

Condensed from the Journal of the Commissioners o) Patents.

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

Applications for Letters Patent.

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

11th June, 1884.

9010. Holdfast, H. G. Norrington, Exeter.

9041.    Self-signalling Target, G. Edwards, Rainbow Hill.

9042.    Combined Convertible Safety Lamp, H. E. Astley, Croxdale.

9043.    Tent Pegs, H. M. Goodman, Birmingham.

9044.    Seed-sowino Machine, D. Jones, Warborno.

9045.    Sewing Machines, J. H. Johnson.—(J. L. Follett, New York, U.S.)

9046.    Appliances for Toasting Bread, &c., J. Leiper, Bryn Efa.

9047.    Casting Metal Articles, T. Withers, West Bromwich.

9048.    Stenographic Printing, W. P. Thompson.—(J. A. Mathieu, Detroit, U.S.)

9049.    Carbonising Apparatus, W. P. Thompson.—(J. A. Mathieu, Detroit, U.S.)

9050.    Mechanical Telephone, W. P. Thompson.—(.4. A. Knudson, Brooklyn, U.S.)

9051.    Bicycles, 4c., A. J. Tonkin, Bristol.

9052.    Fihhino-rod Joints, R. Heaton, Birmingham.

9053.    Loose Paper Clip, C. II. Brampton, Birmingham.

9054.    Screw Stocks, J. E. Walsh.— (C. C. Flamme, Hof, Bavaria.)

9055.    Cementing Leather Fabrics, 4c., T. Carter, London.

9 56. I’ropellino Tricycles, 4c., J. Wheatley, Abergavenny.

9057.    Dabbing Brushes, W. Robcrtsliaw and E. Cockcroft, Allorton

9058.    Brushes, J. Banks, London.

9059.    Drying Moist Sheets of Paper-board, 4c., J. II. Johnson.—(F. Flinsch, Germany.)

9060.    4V1 re Fencing, A. Shepherd, Aleiglo.

9061.    Ventilating Tunnels, Ac., W. Cluttcrbuck, London.

9062.    Chairs, C. A. Day.—(J. S. MacKaye, U.S.)

9003. Non-conducting Composition for Protection

aoainstIIeat, S. P. Wilding.—(Wirth and Co., Germany.)

9064. Automatic Swimming-bait for Anolino, M. C.

Campbell, Walthamstow.

0005. Gas, 8. C. Salisbury, New York, U.S.

9066.    Anti - friction Bearings, P. Brownley, St. John's, Canada.

9067.    Refrigerators, II. C. Goodcll, Atchison, U.S.

9068.    Steam Engine Slide Valve, M. C. Baker, New York, U.S.

9069.    Toy Air Gun, 4 c., II. J. Allison.—(E. J. B. Whitaker, Neir York, U.S.)

9070.    Cork Strips for Covering Pipes, Ac., J. Bourdon, Paris.

9071.    Preventing Smoke in Domestic Fire-grates, R. 11. Hepburn, London.

9072.    Gas or Oil Stove, R. W. Boyd, London.

9073.    Stove for Introducing Fresh Warmed Air into Rooms, R. W. Boyd, London.

9074.    Sewing Machines, J. Thomas, Bristol.

9075.    Horse-rakes, W. F. Walker, Norfolk.

9076.    Taps or Valves, G. Chisholm, Stirling.

9077.    Crushing (Quartz, II. Moon, Loicostcr.

9078.    Ventilating Belt Corset, W. Rushton, Land-jxirt.

9079.    Knitting Machinery, J. Borton, Paris.

9080.    Reeling Silk, Arc., II. E. Newton.—(0. Atwood, New London, Connecticut, U.S.)

9081.    Formation of the Holes for Separators, 4c., F. J. Drochsler, London.

9082.    Water-cooled Valve, A. J. Boult.—(J. Hanlon, New York, U.S.)

9083.    Railway Chairs, F. Kcoling and It. Riglcy, Bui well.

9084.    Illuminating, 4c., Gas, A. J. Boult.—(J. Hanlon, New York, U.S.)

9085.    Water Meters, L. II. Nash, Brooklyn, U.S.

9086.    Water Meters, L. H. Nash, Brooklyn, U.S.

9087.    Mechanical Movements, A. J. Boult.—(A. E. Wallerlnann, Milwaukee, U.S.)

9088.    Water Meters, L. II. Nash, Brooklyn, U.S.

9089.    Water Meters, L. H. Nash, Brooklyn, U.S.

9090.    Hose Reel, A. J. Boult.—(//. L. Gardner, Spring-field, U.S.)

9091.    Producing Wall-paper, 4c., II. W. Johns, New York, U.S.

9092.    Recovery of Exhaust Steam, A. J. Boult.—(D. Rensha.w, Braintree, U.S.)

9093.    Automatic Sky Battery, E. do Pass.— (F. A. Gower, Paris.)

9094.    Directed Sky Battery, E. do Pass.—(F. A. Gower, Paris.)

9095.    Envelopes, 4c., D. Groig, jun., and J. W. Thackery, Leeds.

9096.    Explosives, W. A. Barlow.—(A. Gacon, Paris.)

9097.    Bracelet, A. S. Opcnshaw, London.

9098.    Brushes, H. H. Lake.—(F. L. Fenn-ty, Halifax.) !*099. Electrical Wires, 4c., H. II. Lako.—(J. J.

Williamson, Boston, U.S.)

9100.    Setting for Jewellery, II. II. Lake.—(C. A. Fowler, New York, U.S.)

9101.    Letter Files, 4c., II. H. Lake.—(IF. //. Gilman, U.S.)

9102.    Carbon, J. W. Gatehouse, Bath.

9103.    Gas Producers, C. D. Abel.—(F. Siemens, Dresden.)

9104.    Mf.tal-cased Insulated Electric Conductors, .1. S. Haworth and It. A. Smith, Manchester.

9105.    Protecting* Iron Surfaces from Damp, J. Brydson, Kingston-upon-Hull.

9106.    Fastening Devices for Gloves, 4c , II. II. Lako. —(IF. S. Richardson, Boston, U.S.)

9107.    Producing Carbonate of Strontium, 4c., E. F. Trachscl, London.

9108.    Cultivation of Oysters, A. P. Price, London.

9109.    Metallic Packing for Piston, Ac., Hods, C. T. eper, Chicago, U.S.

911Q. Locks for Fire-arms, J. Victor, Perry, Illinois, U.S.

9111.    IIot-air Engines, W. Schmidt, Germany.

9112.    Gas or Oil Motors, L. A. Groth.—(G. Daimler, Germany.)

9113.    Electrodes, J. S. Bceman, London.

9114.    Castor for Chairs, II. B. and H. It. F. Bourne, London.

9115.    Operating Electrical Switches, II. B. and H. R. F. Bourne, London.

9116.    Electrically Measuring Distances, 4c., II. B. and H. It. F. Bourne, London.

9117.    Tram Rails, E. Edwards.—(E. Willmann, Dortmund. Germany.)

9123.    Carriage Springs, 4c., G. Simmons, Liverpool.

9124.    Pencils, J. F. Williams, Derby.

9125.    Machine for Working Sides of Nuts, A. von Babo, Baden.

9120. Hinges, J. Thomas, jun., Wrenbury.

9127.    Driving Bands, G. Perrott and G Perrott, jun., Cork.

9128.    Securing Wire to Frames, G. L. Scott and I. Chorltoll, Manchester.

9129.    Coupling, 4c., Vehicles, T. Veitch and S. Hanna, Edinburgh

9130.    Securing Concrete Slabs to Framing, J. S. Haslip, Maidstone.

9131.    Hose Reel, 4c , J. W. Duncan and W. Tennant, Sunderland.

9132.    Raising, 4c , Covers of Boxes, J. N. Favell, Sheffield, and E. Fletcher, Heelej*.

9133.    Weighting Stoppers for Bottles, R. Walton, Colne.

9134.    Handles for Cutlery, W. Binks, Sheffield.

9135.    Filtering Fluids, W. A. Hepburn, Itams-bottom.

9130. Looms for Weaving, G. H. Hodgson and W. Tetley, Bradford.

9137.    Roasted Coffee, J. S. Richardson, London.

9138.    Saddle-bars, S. Davis, London.

9139.    Fire-bars, R. and W. Welford, Sunderland.

9140.    Gas Lamps, J. D. Ready and C. Mason, Staffordshire.

9141.    Accumulators for Batteries, W. B. Brain, London.

9142.    Multiple Cylinder Engines, F. Wynne, London.

9143.    Neck-ties, 4c., R. Latham, and H. W. Wickins, London.

9144.    Nuts, A. Johnson, Hampden, U.S.

9145.    Bread, H. Shaw, London.

9140. Garden Edgings, A. Smith, Goudhurst.

9147.    Perambulators, A. Brochelbank, London.

9148.    Applying Bronze to Printed Surfaces, P. Lawrence.—(Lawrence and Bax er, New York, U.S.)

9149.    Marking Ink Pencils, J. Hickisson, London.

9150.    Ventilating Railway Carriages, A. Miller, London.

9151.    Amalgamating Apparatus, A. Miller, London.

9152.    Furnaces, C. D. Abel.—(J. and C. J. Has well, Vienna.)

9153.    Shawl Straps, J. H. Johnson.— (E. Marx, New York, U.S.)

9154.    Hoisting Bales, L. II. Brock, Alexandria.

9155.    Driving Velocipedes, D. Jones, London.

9150. Knife-cleaning Apparatus, W. Fabian and A.

Toller, Hamburg.

9157.    Jointing Chains, W. R. Lake.—(/. L. Robert,

Paris.)

9158.    Signalling Apparatus, W. R. Lake.— (B.

Schneider, Germany.)

9159.    Silos, J. Howard and E. T. Bousfiold, Bedford.

9100.    Clocks, W. R. Lake.—(A. Vanoii, Germany.)

9101.    Valve Gear, R. do Palacios, Berlin.

9102.    Producing Yellow Colouring Matter, J. Erskino.—(larbcnfabriken formats F. llayer and Co., Flberfeld.)

1172.

9173.    Manhole Frames, W. Lord, Bury.

9174.    Checking Restive Horses, II. G. Tliiriot, Ran-irt, Franco.—'MlIt May,

9175.    Propelling, tic., Steam Vessels, J. Jopling, Sunderland.

9176.    Regulating tho Feed of Carbons in Arc Lamps, W. Oswald and W. Foster, London.—8th May, 1884.

9177.    Tipping and Screening Apparatus, E. Jones, Cawthomo.

9178.    Drilling Apparatus, J. P. Adams, Liverpool.

9179.    Salt, J. K. and T. H. Higgin, Liverpool.

9180.    Domestic Cinder Rakes, T. McGrah, Sheffield.

9181.    Chimney Cowl, E. and J. M. Vority, Leeds.

9182.    Incandescent Electric Lamp Holders, A. Swan, Gatcshcad-on-Tyne.

9183.    Chin Holder for Violins, 4c., L. LOwonthal, Saxony.

9184.    Combined Anvil and Vice, T. D. Richardson, North Greenwich.

9185.    Incandescent Electric Lamp Holders, A. Swan, Gatesliead-on-Tyne.

9186.    Drawing tho Form of tho Foot on Paper, 4c., L. A. Groth. -(J. Stern, Berlin.)

9187.    Vessels for Annealing Iron, 4c., J. Thompson, near Wolverhampton.

9188.    Garden Trowels, M. E. Rochfort, London.

9189.    Chemical Fire-engines, J. Gibbs, Glasgow.

9190.    Mixino Tea, A. Carson, Stirling.

9191.    Music, 4c., Cases, A. Tuck, London, and C. G. Noakes, Sydenh

9192.    Printino Machines, W. 8. Hope, London.

9193.    Hose Couulinoh, J. C. Hudson, London.

9194.    Cuisine, A. Parkes, Wolverhampton.

9195.    Electrodes for Secondary Batteries, II. J. Haddan. (L. Epstein, Saxony.)

9196.    Sighting Fire-arms at Night, W. Winans, Brighton.

9197.    Attaching Handles to Coffins, C. E. Clive, Birmingham.

9198.    Piston Meters, A. Goodwin, jun., and C. II. Brain, London.

9199.    Igniting Matches, 4c., B. Mayes, Redland.

9200.    Fire-proof Structures, C. D. Abel.—(P. Fran-quin, Paris )

92ul. Exercising tho Lungs, II. II. Lako.—(Wirthand Co., Frankfort-on-the-Main.)

92( 2. Mirror, W. R. Lake.—(//. Grunbaum, Paris.) 9203. Reaping Machines, J. Howard and G. Gibbs, Bedford.

9204 Removing Tin Foil from tho Necks of Bottles, A. Chapman, London.

9205.    Plastic Compositions, J. J. Varley, Merton.

9206.    Crucibles, 4*c , A. M. Clark.—(Wirt/1 and Co., Frankfort-on-lhc-Main.)

9207.    Mats, &c., J. Whiteley, Salford.

9227.    Bread Vans, 4c., T. andW. Rodgers, Pendleton.

9228.    Self-supplying Apparatus for Filters, F. C. Bliss, Swansea.

9229.    Safety Loop or Catch, W. Fletcher, Dover.

9280. Combining the Posting of Telegraphic, <tc.,

with Advertisements, C. J. Chubb,

tinne,

9232.    Protection for Suspended Wires, E. Tomlinson, London.

9233.    Permanent Way of Railways, J. H. Johnson.— (C. Scguin, A. Ode, J. F. Filassier, and G. P. E. Bruneau, Paris.)

9234.    Chlorine and Bleaching Powder, T. Mac-farlane, Montreal.

9235.    Couplings for Vehicles, N. S. Russell, London.

9236.    Presses for Stamping Sheet Metals, W. Rhodos, Wakefield.

9237.    Self-acting Filtering Apparatus, J. Walsh, London.

9238.    Foot-warmers, W. R. Lake.—(J. T. Scholte, Paris.)

9239.    Extinguishing Fire, W. B. Dick and J. Sinclair, London.

9240.    Handles of Cricket Bats, 4c., W. R. Lake.— (E. Cady, Hertford, U.S.)

9241.    Projectiles for Ordnance, W. A. F. Blakeney, Dublin.

9242.    Printing Machines, C. D. Abel.—(La S. P. Laffitte et Cie., Paris.)

9243.    Osmose Apparatus, C. D. Abel.—(H. Leplay, Paris.)

9244.    Stencil Holding and Printino Frames, F. T. Ball, London.

92 45. Hektoghaphic Copying or Transfer Sheets, F. T. Ball, London.

9240. Engraving Marble and Granite, F. W. Coons, St. Louis, U.S.

9247.    Car Couplings, F. F. A. Brandt, St. Clair, U.S.

9248.    Pulverisers, G. J. Fritz, St Louis, U.S.

9249.    Supports for Lawn Tennis Nets, T. W. Goddard, Bitteswell.

9250.    Land Rollers, S. W. Blyth, Ongar.

9251.    Obtaining Motive Power, 4c., C. P. Johnson, London.

9252.    Chloroiodoc Bases, E. Ostermayer and M. Dittmar, Germany.

9253.    Moulds for Makino Cigars, J. V. Berndes, sen., —(/'. Haehnel, New Orleans.)

21 st June, 1S84.

9254.    Wicker Hampers for Carboys, C. J. Schofield, Clayton.

9255.    Waterproof Garments, H. Markus, Fleetwood.

9256.    Tricycles, J. Appleby, Dunham.

Locking Railway Points, W. Th

Hobbs,

Westwood

Abo

9271.

9272.    Ornamental Clamp Window Blind, A. Kelvio, London.

0273. Carbonising and Drying Woollen Pieces, 4c., D. Fox, Dewsbury.

9271. Baking Oatcake, J. Wright, Shipley.

9275.    Rolls for Rollino Flats, W. Leonard, Coatbridge.

9276.    Life Buoy and Rope Sender, A. Oppenheimor, London.

9277.    Punch for Cutting Leather, A. T. Perrins, Birmingham.

9278.    Preparation of Food, C. Becker, Berlin.

9279.    Convertible Double Tricycles, W. H. Benson, Bristol.

9280.    Opener for Internally Stoppered Bottles, J. Allen, Bolton.

9281.    FmniNo Rods, T. Hemming, Redditch, and R. Hill, Ipsley.

9282.    Hat Boxes, G. Downs, Hooley Hill.

9283.    Gas Engines, J. McGillivray, Glasgow.

9284.    Pumps, G. Murray and R. Turnlcy, London.

9285.    Retorts for Distilling Shale, 4*c., R. Bell, Broxburn.

9286.    Velocipedes, A. J. Boult.—(J. de Bornier, France.)

9287.    Separating Cream from Milk, II. J. Allison. (N. Jacobsen ami II. P. Jensen, Denmark.)

9288.    Treating Flexible Catheters, J. Mitchell, London.

9289.    Expansion Gear for Steam Engines, W. W. Horn.—(C. W. F. Falkenberg, Holland.)

9290.    Bessemer Converters, A. Tiappen, Germany.

9291.    Locomotive Engines, A. M. Clark.—(G. Brelel, Brasil.

9292.    Marker for Lawn Tennis, 4c., A. C. Bluett, Watford, and A. Remington, Kent.

9293.    Canals, 4c., W. N. Hutchinson, Wcllcsbournc. 929i. Machine for Ploughing, 4*c., J. and J. Broad,

Ashford, Kent.

23rd June, 1884.

9295.    Bands and Ropes, C. Gill, Admalton.

9296.    Compressing Green Crops in Silos, T. Potter, Alrcsford, Hampshire.

9297.    Wirino Corks in Bottles, H. J. Allison.—(0. C. Carpenter, Brooklyn, U.S.)

9298.    Chisels, 4c., C. Willey, Sheffield.

9299.    Coupling Chains of Railway Wagons, T. II. Heard, Sheffield.

9300.    Sliding Rings for Parasols, 4c., A. AltschUl, Vienna.

9301.    Washing Hanks of Yarn, F. Bosshardt.—(/. B. Straub, Germany.)

0302. Cricket Stumps, II. G. Thompson, Lancashire.

9303.    Cart, W. Blackshaw, Birmingham.

9304.    Furnaces, W. Weldon.—(Messrs. Pechiney ct Compagnie, France.)

9305.    Chlorine, W. Weldon.—(Messrs. A. R. Pechiney, ct Cie., France.)

9306.    Obtaining Hydrochloric Acid, 4c., W. Weldon.—(Messrs. A. R. Pechiney et Cie., France.)

9307.    Chlorine, 4c., W. Weldon.—(Messrs. A. R. Pechiney et Cie., France.)

9308.    Stove Grates, G. W. Chambers, Rotherham.

9309.    Cells for Galvanic Batteries, J. B. Spence and H. A. Fergusson, London.

9310.    Portable Electric Alarm, II. C. Newton, London.

9311.    Journal Bearings, II. J. Allison.—(W. R. Austin a.nd J. F. de Nararro, Ntw York.)

9312.    Bleaching, J. B. Thompson, New Cross.

9313.    Gas-motor Engines, H. Campbell, Leeds.

9314.    Anglo-German Concertinas, G. Jones, London.

9315.    Preventing Draughts under Doors, J. Wilson, Wandsworth.

9316.    Valves, 4c., for Controlling the Supply of Water, W. Till, New Cross.

9317.    Sulphuric Acid, W. Spence.—(J. J. Thyss, Russia.)

9318.    Wrapper for Cigarette Papers, 4c., A. Jczzi, London.

9319.    Pruning Sheers, A. C. Henderson.—(A. Lemcu• nier and Q. Branchu, Paris.)

ABSTRACTS OF SPECIFICATIONS.

and trans

4755. Apparatus for Raising Water, &c., C. Burnett,

5280. Pencil Cases, 0. Bussler, London.—7th Novem-4944. Heating Stove, A. C. Kenard, Falkirk.—17iA I ber, 1883. 6d.

October, 1883. 6d.    Relates partly to forcing the lead forward by an

Relates to the construction and use of a heating elastic tube, stove, wherein a fire-box is arranged in combination ₅₂₈₁. Spring Hinges for Doors, J. S. Stevens and C. with sets of vertical partitioned chambers, through G Major< London.-8th November, 1883. lOd. wlneh the product⁸ °f combustion are caused to I Relates to the construction of spring hinges in which descend and ascend, these chambers having covers and the check is „jven by liquid pressure, doors giving access to them.    |    J

4966. Machine for Filling and Syruping Inter- I 5283. Shifting, Stowing, Trimming, and Cooling NALLY - STOPPERED Bottlks for CONTAINING    Grain, /. H. Johnson, London. 8th Noveniber,1883.

Aerated Liquids, F. Foster, London.-\8th Octo-    -(A communication from H. Stubbendorff, Montreal.)

btr 1883 (5cl    I    —(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Relates to means for regulating tho charge of syrup    impelled forward in tho required

delivered at each stroko of tho pump.    direction by a blast of air.

5009- Hydraulic Lifts, &c„ J. S. Stevens and C. J. ⁵²⁸⁴‘. Fl‘AMEa KOR Bed Bottoms, &c., A’. Hoskins, Bir-Major, London.—20th October, 1883. lOd.    „ mingham.—Sth November, 1883. 4d.

Consists partly in connecting by a lever or levers Consists in forming or attaching to both the head with an hydraulic ram, or system of rams, a counter- ??d *oot rail » bar or bara of an8le or othf >r°n poise, so that the counterpoise moves with the ram, blocks upon them with an arrangement of dovetails, tut at a rate in relation to the movement of the ram, b? moans of which longitudinal bars can be attached, which changes with tho position of the ram, and in 5285. Blinds, E. and B. Barber, Bring.—8th November, such manner as to compensate, or partially to com-    1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

pensate, variations in the efficiency of the ram or in Consists in so constructing Venetian and other the load dependent on tho position of the ram in its | blinds that when partly raised the closed laths, instead

of being at the bottom of the blind, may be adjusted so as to close at the top, or to a position in any part of the height of the same, the whole of the remaining or lower portion being unclosed to admit light.

wound on the links. The armature revolves between outer fixed field magnets and an internal, which may either revolve or be stationary.

5173. Pianos, &c., J. II. Johnson, London.—31st Octo-

ail

Ji.

1SMI.

Relates to the arrangement of a mill with vertical stones, one of which is fixed and the other rotates.

■:d.

The central rod or bar which has hitherto been commonly slotted is formed with a rack or teeth along its sides, and suitable catches are provided on the cross

ores or

5297. Petroleum Motors, F. Wirth, Frankfort—8 th I the pressure over and above that which is absolutely November, 1883.—(A communication from. J. Liihn- necessary to make them steam-tight. lein, Schierstein.)—(Not proceeded with.) id.    5329. Miners’ Safety Lamps, J. M. Wilkinson,

Relates to a petroleum engine wherein finely-divided    Sheffield. — 12th November, 1883.—(Not proceeded

petroleum in the form of a conically-diverging spray, with.) 2d.

like jet is injected into a chamber filled with com- The oil vessel screws into the base of the lamp frame

pressed air, and is fired electrically at the point of its and carries the wickholder and extinguisher and a greatest density and during the time of its formation, picker to trim the lamp. Tubes pass through this

5299.    Electric Arc Lamps, H. Spnngman, Berlin.— vessel and are arranged around the wickholder, their

9th November, 1883.—(A communication from H. A. bottoms being open to admit air, while the tops are Earle, London, and E. Goltstein, Hanover.—(Not closed and perforated on the side facing the burner. proceeded with.) 2d.    Pure air is thus admitted to the lamp, while inflam-

lis relates to a lamp in which the feed of the mable gases entering the tubes will burn at the perio-

carbons is regulated by the flow of a liquid.    rations without danger. On top of the oil vessel is a

___ _    ■    _T c _    , Trr ,r ,. cam-shaped catch connected by a crank lever to an

5300.    Drying Wool, &.c., J. and IF. -McWaagW, exti igh which is lowered over the burner as the Rochdale. — 2th November, 1883. — (Not proceeded | od ve|gei j8 unscrewed.

5330. Anti-foulino Composition, W. F. McIntosh and W. S. Croudace, Dundee.—l‘2th November, 1883.

with.) 2d.

Relates to an apparatus for drying wool, &c., by means of air.

5302.    Fastenings for Gloves, Boots, &c., G. and C. I Consists in boiling together Venice turpentine,

Ball, Birmingham.—9th November, 1883.—(Not pro- paima christi oil, tallow, and colcothar with another ceeded with.) 2d.    mixture composed of barium sulphate, calcium

Relates to the construction of a snap fastener.    | bonate and'alumina.

5303.    Coupling and Uncoupling Railway Wagons, I 5331. Gas Engines, /. Robson, Shipley.—\2th Novem-

W. Dean, J. Holden, and W. H. Stanier, Swindon.    /,crj 1883.— (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

—9th November, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    Relates to the general construction of the engine.

wagon,, one of the buffo,, forming tho fulcrum.    |    \L

5304.    Ligneous Materials for the Manufacture peners hollow, so that they may provide additional

of Cigar Boxes,/. M. Webster, Bootle.—9th Novem- buoyancy to the vessel to which they are applied, as ber, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    well as serving to propel the same.

wUh^^venee^of c™an 0r<RliarF w^e w00<^ covered |    s> Tew, London. 12th November, 1883.

—(Not 'proceeded with.) Id.

A cord encircling the body, and having its ends fastened together, passes through loops upon shoulder straps of the braces.

5335. Cocks and Valves, J. B. Fenby, Sutton Coldfield.—\2th November, 1883. (id.

____    _    „    .    ,    ,    , The objects are to prevent continuous waste of

5307. Chairs for Theatres, &c., P. Jensen, London. hiquids when cocks are left fully or partly open, the —9th November, 1883.—(A communication from the means provided being so arranged that they cannot MacKaye Manufacturing Company, New York.)— be reacbed from the outside of the cock ; to enable the (Not proceeded with.) 2d.    | valve seats to be renewed without cutting off tho

Relates to the construction of folding-up chairs.

5305. Revolving Chairs, R. Cruikshank,jun., Denney, N.B—9th November, 1883. 6d.

Refers to a mode and means of, and construction or arrangement of mechanism for, the excentric swiveling of the upper seat part of chairs on their under or frame stool part.

supply; to construct ball-cocks and other water-cocks 5308. Mathematical Measuring and Dividing In- I with self-closing valves moving with little friction, struments, P. S. Marks, London.—9th November, and without liability to stick ; and to construct water-1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    cocks which will deliver fixed quantities of water.

Relates to the construction of proportional com- | 5333, Breakwaters, <te., L. W. Leeds, London.—12th

November, 1883. 0d.

The breakwater is of peculiar form and construction, ber, 1883. 6d.    I and is so arranged with irregular angles made ex-

Relates to forming part of the filtering medium pressly to destroy the continuous motion of the waves, solid or non-porous.    | that the breakwater remains comparatively motionless

even in a rough sea.

passes.

5310. Filters, G. F. Marshall, London.—9th Novem-

5312.    Lifeboats, H. Cnltcn, Great Yarmouth.—9th November, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Relates to the construction of the mid-ship air tanks.

5313.    Perambulators, L. L’Hollier, Birmingham.— 10th November, 1883.—(Provisional protection not allowed.) 2d.

Consists principally in the uso and application of bamboo cane.

5311. Making Extract from the Bark of the

Mangrove Tree, &c., for Tanning Leather, <S:c.,    5337. Steam Vessels for Carrying Live Fish, Ac.,

J. Fisher, Matlock.—9th November, 1883.—(Partly a L. IF. Leeds, London.—12th November, 1883.    6d.

communication from C. M. Allen, Singapore.) id. I Consists in the construction of steam or other Relates to the method of soaking in water and treat- I vessels, by means of which the air for ventilation is ing the bark of Mangrove trees, and other plants of an I taken from abovo deck, separated from its moisture analogous kind, for the purpose of obtaining from by means of baffle plates, and then conducted to and them an extract containing tannin.    | through tho below deck portion of tho vessel, and

finds its outlet preferably through an air funnel, which in steam vessels is in close proximity to the smoko stack, and of equal height therewith.

5338. Copying and Engraving Machines, J. Wetter, London.—12th November, 1883.—(A communication from A. Schmid, Zurich.) 6d.

Relates to that class of copying machines which are provided with a pattern plate carrying the original in metallic ink on a non-conducting base, a copying plate, a contact pin movable on the pattern, a tracer movable

5314.    Pocket Razors, A. B. Ball, Sheffield.—10th I on the copying plate, and mechanism for imparting to

November, 1883.— (Not proceeded with.) 2d.    the contact pin and tho tracer a motion parallel to the

Relates to the mode of securing the blade.    surfaces of the discs. An electric circuit passing

5315.    Gas Engines, J. H. Johnson, London.—10th through the contact pin and pattern plate sets the

November, 1883.—(A communication from J. J. E. tracer by means of an electro-magnet as the pm Lenoir, Paris.) 8d.    passes over tho metallic ink lines forming the pattern.

Relates partly to the employment of an apparatus | 5339. Obtaining Motive Power, C. Barker, Thetford. for superheating tho explosive mixture before ignition, thus admitting of the use of extremely poor explosive mixtures.

2nd November, 1883.— (Not proceeded with.) 2d. Relates to obtaining motion by means of balls, rollers, or weights falling through a cylinder.

5316. Saving Life at Sf.a, J. II. Johnson, London.— I 5340. Refining and Deodorising Oils and Fats, E. lOt* November, 1883.—(A communication from P. T.    s. Wilson, London.—12th November, 1883.    4d.

Ramakers and F. X. Nyer, Paris.)—(Not proceeded    Consists principally in the employment of chlorinated

with.) 2d.    alkaline leys or free chlorine gas, or an emulsion of or

Consists essentially of a float or buoyant sphere of saponified crude or discoloured fats or oils, and trans-cork or other equivalent material containing an air forming them by destroying tho colouring matters chamber or chambers, and combined with a belt or | contained therein, and odours arising therefrom, girdle or with an annular float.

5319. Preparing, Spinning, Doubling, and Winding of the motor.

Cotton, Wool, Sic., R. Tatham, Rochdale, and T. | 5342. Screw-bolt and Nut for Bedsteads, &c., A. J.

Bentley, Oldham.—lOtA November, 1883. 6d.

the formation of what inery or apparatus for preparing spinning, doubling, and wdnding cotton, wool, silk, and other fibrous materials by breaking or I be turned, and the thread on the body is square and severing the remaining sliver, yam or thread or coarse pitched. The nut is secured in position on the slivers, yams, or threads of a set upon one of such | bed and can be removed by slackening the screw, slivers, yams, or threads becoming broken or severed.

Boult, London.—12th November, 1883.—(A communication from Boitiat-Bemot and Fils, France.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The head of the bolt has holes in it by which it can

Relates partly to preventing are called “singles” in macn

5320. Domestic Fireplaces, &c., J. N. Moerath, London.—lOt/i November, 1883. Is.

Relates partly to the employment of automatic air suckers, tubes, tuyeres, or passages for the sucking in or admission of air to air mixing chambers, which by silicious material.

pipes distribute same through

5347. Hats, &c., J. H. Johnson, London.—13th November, 1883.—(A communication from C. H. Wilcox, New York.) 8d.

Relates partly to improvements in attaching covered wire or its equivalent, as cord for example, to the brims of hats or bonnets.

5352.    Pneumatic Power Hammers, IF. D. Player Birmingham.—13th November, 1883. 8d.

Relates principally to the construction of tho air cushioning arrangement of the hammer head, and the parts by which the hammer head is connected to the rocking bar of the hammer.

5353.    Generators for Producing Gaseous Fuel, J. Lones, C. Vernon, E. Holden, and R. Bennett, Smelh-

wick.—13tA November, 1883. 6d.

A chamber, built partly of brick and partly of

cast

TondoT ElBS’ &C" ^ UMBRELL:S’ *

9322. ' Striking MouLds fo/llAND rTils, A. M. Clark. Consists in the application of a balance or endless

—(E. R. Bodley, Denver, U.S.)    r°Pe> attached to the top and bottom of a pit cage or

9323.    Letter-box Alarm, G. J. Harcourt, Clifton. skip, and passing over guide pulleys, in combination

9324.    Treating Iron and Steel, P. H. Baily, London, with a brake strap and levers.

9325.    Stop Action in Twisting, &c., Machines, H. 5276. Winding Machinery, J. C. Jefferson, Leeds.—Ith

Tee, Tipperary.    November, 1883.—(A communication from C. Mexnicke,

9326.    Electric Regulating Apparatus for Clocks, Hanover.) 6d.

H. J. Haddan.—(P. Guisol, Paris.)    | Consists in the use of a balance rope, attached at its

ends to lighter auxiliary ropes, by which it is so connected to the winding engine that the winding ropes are balanced.

Prepared by ourselves expressly for The Engineer at the 5277. Mules for Spinning, T. Rawsthorne, Preston.— office of Her Majesty's Commissioners of Patents. | yth November, 1883. 6d.

Consists in imparting a varying speed to the carriage, 4575. Printing Presses, W. R. Lake, London.—25th I spindles, rollers, and attendant mechanism during the September, 1883.—(A communication from B. Huber outward stretch or traverse, in such manner that the and W. K. Hodgman, Taunton, Mass.) 6d.    traverse being commenced at an ordinary speed, such

Consists partly in the combination in a printing speed may be increased at any desired point, and may press of an impression cylinder having two or more be subsequently reduced to the original or other faces, each fitted with a set of grippers and one or required speed as the carriage approaches the end of more series of wheels, or one or more cylinders fitted its outward movement, with sets of grippers, all arranged to take up a sheet t-₉₇o oorsft fir asps W n Lake London —7th No-

*m~GZXCSaS£:SSS2

The inventor claims the eye piece for a corset clasp, Hartlepool.—6th October, 1883. Is. 2d.    I constructed with an opening for the passage of the

Consists partly in the employment of a piston or head, and with a narrower slot leading therefrom, the diaphragm in combination with a steam admission said slot having an upwardly projecting flange or valve or valves—double beat or otherwise—whereby flanges at its side or sides, to form a stop for the stud, the steam is admitted in such quantity that at any , 5279 Geoov1no Metal Rolls, D. Burr, Croydon.-desired point before or on the completion of the stroke    v w

the pressure of the steam will fall to or below the Co⁷ngists in [imparting rotary motion alternately in pressure of the column of water in the rising main, cout directions to the rolls, by means of a toothed when a portion or jet of same will return through the wheel j'ose on a shaft driving the roll, which wheel injection port the said jet being controlled when carriea t    j gearing with two ratchet wheels

desired either by the piston or otherwise, and so effect fixed ou th(f said shaft, and so arranged that the the condensation.    I ro-fca,tl₀n of the toothed wheel in one direction causes

4858. Valves, M. Williams and A. Schottler, Cardiff. I the one ratchet wheel to rotate the roll through a —12th October, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d. somewhat less angle in the backward motion than the Consists in manufacturing the valves of air and angle through which the other ratchet wheel is made circulating pumps of woven cotton, hemp, jute, to rotate the roll in the forward motion, when the manilla, or other analogous and suitable fibrous sub- | toothed wheel is rotated in the other direction, stance.

stroke.

5031. Electric Motors, &c., A. Reckenzaun, London.

—23rd October, 1883. 6d.

The armature coil is made up of a number of links

connected together like a pitch chain. The coils are | 5286. Manufacture of Glass-ware, L. J. Murray,

Birmingham.—8th November, 1883. 2d.

Relates to the mode of decorating the glass.

5287. Wheels for Tramway and other Vehicles, 5110. Generation, Storage, Regulation, Distribu- I R. A. and J. B. Hansell, Sheffield.—8th November, tion, Sic., of Electricity, J. S. Williams, Riverton, I 1883. 6d.

N.J., U.S.—27th October, 1883. Is. 2d.    Relates to the peculiar construction of cast metal

It is proposed to utilise any surplus of electrical wheels cast in two interchangeable (inner and outer) powor by extracting metals from their ores, or re- parts, in which the inner part of the complete wheel covering them from their compounds. Various methods consists of an internal rim or drum formed with lugs of connecting the depositing cells, together with their and recesses, and having two sets of alternately dis-nutomatic cut-outs, meters, pressure regulators, Sic., I posed arms and a boss all cast in one piece; and the into tho circuit are described, as is also tho construe- outer part consists of a tire having lugs cast therein tion of the cells and various combinations of apparatus corresponding to the lugs and recesses in the internal for utilising natural forces 6r regulating the consump- rim or drum of the inner part, the two parts being tion of fuel.    I fitted and secured together to form a complete wheel.

5119. Apparatus for the Treatment of Wool and I 5288. Mounts for Tobacco Pipes, Sic., R. W. King, Mixed Fabrics, <fcc., J. Woodcock, Huddersfield, and I    London.—8th November, 1883. 6d.

H. Webster, Dewsbury.—29th October, 1883. 6d.    The object is to enable the pipe to be readily cleaned.

Consists, First, in the employment of a machine 5289. Compositions for Heating and Illuminating, where the fibre or fibrous materials undergoing car-    //. j. Hculdan, London.-8tli November, 1883.-(A

bonisation, neutralisation, bleaching, or disinfecting    I    communication from U. K. Mayo, Massachusetts.)—

is carried backward and forward by lattice sheets or I (Not proceeded with ) 2d

rollers, and dropped from sheet to sheet to the bottom Consists of 201b. benzine, lib. resin, lib. gum sheet, and then thrown from the bottom to the top lattice 1 camphor, 21b. blue vitriol, and 1 lb. beeswax, mixed sheet or row of rollers, and thus exposing every portion together. The solution is placed in receivers, and of the material to the action of the gases; Secondly, 1 evaporated by air forced therein, and from thence into the employment of a machine in combination with a a gasometer, retort or other chemical apparatus necessary for 1 cor.„

making any of the gases required.    52QOf Raie™ At?D    ¹¹ ‘    //adfnn-

,    I    don.—8th November, 1883.—(A communication from

5167. Portable Buildings, E. E. Allen, London. 31st    I    A. Count Dienhem-Sczawinski-Brochocki, Rome, and

_ October, 1883. (Not proceeded with.) 2d.    |    iJ. Vogdt, Vienna.)—(Not proceeded With.) 2d.

Relates to the construction of portable buildings Relates to several improvements in the permanent formed of corrugated or other sheet or plate iron or way.

5291. Governing Steam and other Motors, W. P. Willans, London.—8th November, 1883. 8d. ber, 1883.—(A communication from W. R. Elmen- The throttle valve is actuated directly by a pair of horst, Montreal.) 6 d.    “motor” solenoids controlled by a “ governor ” sole-

The object is to supply mechanical means, whereby noid. The latter works a lever which, by means of 1 air or melody played upon a piano or organ or two insulated contact pieces, brings into play either analogous instrument may be transposed from the one or the other of the two motor solenoids, and so original to a higher or lower key without difficulty, tends to open or close the throttle valve. An auxiliary the air being played in such higher or lower key while valve is used in connection with the throttle valve to the plaver strikes apparently the notes set down in the control the pressure on the two sides—engine and original music.    boiler— of the latter.

5204. Producing Surfaces for Printing, H. Garside, 5292. Breech-loading Fire-arms, D. Bentley, Bir-blanchester.—2nd November, 1883. 4d.    mingham, and W. Baker, Handsworth.—8th Novem-

lhe object is the production, by mechanical and f,er, 1883. 6d. chemical means, of surfaces for mechanical or ink    Relates to means for cocking drop-down guns, and

printing, and its leading feature is the breaking up of to making hammerless guns easier to open, the varying tints of the photographs or object to be co_. _

represented into the dots or lines of varying dimen- 5294. Grinding Mills, A. J. Boult, London.—8th sions which are needed for ink printing.    November, 1883.—(A communication from J. Boul-

5208. Purification of Petroleum, Ac., R. Baynes 1 ti<r> fiU' ViriviUe’ France.)-(Not proceeded with.) and J. Fearenside, Liverpool.—2nd November,

Relates to the purification or bleaching of distillable oils by mixing with them to the consistency of mud, I 5295. Cages of Lace Machines, J. Chapman, Notting-or thereabouts, animal charcoal or other thoroughly I ham.—8th November, 1883.—-(A’ot proceeded with.) dried granular indifferent porous material, and distilling preferably through more thoroughly dried hot granular indifferent porous material.

⁶²²I' Von^NewndM, ArMla«.-3^    I piece, which bears on the top bobbins when placed in

(Void) 6 d    position, and these catches are capable of sliding into

Relates'to the process of subjecting zinc ore, other and elWn8 with the teeth or notches on the central materials containing zinc, zinkiferoiTs furnace waste, bar when required, on the necessary pressure being and other products of a similar class to a distilling pro- reacbed that 18 desirable to be applied to the bobbins, cess and a smelting process in a blast or other similar 5296. Manufacture of Iron, P. L. T. Von Schoning, furnace, for the purpose of producing or extracting |    Vienna.—8th November, 1883.— (ATot proceeded with.)

both the zinc and the lead; in other words, treating

zinkiferous and plumbiferous ore, and other materials, I The inventor brings the ores in a heated state into in a direct manner (in opposition to the extraction of contact with substances capable of forming chemical the zinc in muffles, tubes, crucibles, and such like), in compounds with phosphorus, which compounds are a blast or high furnace, in such manner that not only removed either in the form of gases or of slag, all tho zinc, but also the entire lead contained in the 5298. Instrument for Measuring Distances, A. M. in the furnace    ^ ^hereby tbe    Clark, London.-8th November, 1883.-(A communi-

suitable receptacles8 d ^    ° dUSt ^ collected in cation from Messrs. Dairy and Lepage, Paris.)-(Not

r-ofln _>    *    I proceeded with.) 2d.

DAoA. Disintegrat°r8, C. Schiitzc, Charlottenburg.— I Relates to an instrument whereby the indication of Ota November, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    the distance of the object observed from the station is

i.¹?®*ne is open all round and at the Dottom, so 1 obtained immediately by a single motion of the inat tne material in being thrown out is projected alidades without measuring a base line, or the angles a    and flexible mantle made of leather, made by the relative displacement of the sights or

rubber, or the like, and then falls to the bottom. I telescopes.

■l<(.

car-

5341. Hf.at Regulating Apparatus for Stf.am 5317. Hot Air Engines, <tc., IF. Schmidt, Germany. I    Engines, &c., H. II. Lake, London.—12th November,

—10<A November, 1883. 6d.    I    1888.—(A communication from J. Garadot, France.)

Relates partly to a double-acting air pump adapted    —(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

to act both as a compression pump proper, and as a This relates to the use of a pipe situated within one pump for replacing the escaped air, this effect being ₀f two cylinders and through which the gases from obtained by completely shutting off the air contained the fire-box pass, such cylinder having radiating wings in the waste space at the reversal of the stroke, so to offer a large heating surface to the steam in the that the air may expand to a pressure below that of chamber. A piston is caused by a screw, actuated by the atmosphere. Any loss of air may be replaced I a governor, to rise or fall, and so increase or decrease through a suction valve, operated by the excess of the capacity of one of the chambers. A slide valve pressure of the atmosphere. Several other improve- 1 alternately places the heat-regulating apjiaratus in tnents are described.    I communication with the generator and the cylinder

5343. Soap and Soap Powder, A. J. Boult, London.— 12th November, 1883.—(A communication from Tisserant and Martin, St. Die, Vosges, France.— (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

One hundred kilos, of fatty acid is placed in a heated boiler, and saponified with 100 kilos, of caustic lye of 20deg.; then 50 kilos, of resin, 20 kilos, of

5321.    Fire-arms, E. G. Brewer, London.—10th Novem- I caustic lye of 25 deg. and 50 kilos, of silicate of soda

ber, 1883.—(A communication from E. Seches, Paris.) °r potash are added. When this mixture has been so —(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    far made and has become pasty, 100 to 120 kilos, of

The butt end plate of the stock is made double, carbonate of soda of about 90 to 92 deg. are gradually and is composed of two halves, one of which is added, and the whole thoroughly mixed till cold, secured to the butt end of the stock, while the other 'when it is moulded, is connected to it by a hinge; and when opened into the 5344. Brooms, Sic., A. J. Boult, London.—12th Norem-vertical position above becomes a prolongation of the    ber, 1883.—(A communication from St. J. Lacam,

other, in order to take accuracy of aim at long dis-    Tours, France.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

tances.    | Relates to the means of fastening the tufts.

5322.    Braces, H. J. Bellman, London.—10tfc Novem- 5345. Fire, Heating, and other Pipes or Tubes, E.

ber, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    I    A. Brydges, London.—12th November, 1883.—(A com-

The object is to form braces so that they may adjust    I    munication from G. Sokoff, Russia.)—(Not proceeded

themselves to the various motions of the body without with.) 2d. >

strain upon the buttons.    I The object is to increase the heating surface of the

5323.    Steam Engines, S. Lake, Milford Haven.—10th pipes or tubes without increasing the diameter of

November, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.    same.

Relates specially to the arrangement of the cylinders I 5346. Dummies, Stands, Jkc., for Displaying and pistons of compound engines.    I    Articles of Dress, J. H. Johnson, London.—12th

5324.    Production of Surfaces for Printing, Jic., J. November, 1883.—(A communication from E. and A.

J. Sachs, London.—10th November, 1883. 4<i.    |    Merle, Paris.) 6d.

Relates to the production of rollers or surfaces for Relates to a means for adjusting the dummies to printing or embossing purposes by means of a sand various sizes, blast.

5325.    Carbons for Incandescent Electric Lamps,

J. Wavish, J. Warner, and M. Bailey, London.— lOfft. November, 1883. 4<i.

The “carbon” consists of two end pieces having a flat helix or ribbon piece between them. The ends are connected together by flattened sockets or clips.

5326- Antiseptic, IF. R. Lake, London.—10th November, 1883.—(A communication from T. A. Breithaupt,

Strasbourg.) 4d.

Relates to a combination of glycerine, crystallised boric acid, water, and alcohol.

5328. Valves for Motors, G. Temple, Sheffield.—12th November, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Consists in the construction of so-called “balance slide valves ” in which the said valves are relieved of

the

June* 27, 1884

iron, is divided horizontally into two chambers, upper containing the fuel and the lower forming the ash-pit, the opening for removing ashes from which is ordinarily tightly closed by a door. Jets of steam are introduced into small openings in the ash-pit and force air into the combustion chamber, such openings being regulated by valves. Horizontal fluted rollers separate the chambers, and the projections of one are arranged opposite the recesses of the others, and are perforated so that when oscillated or revolved the ashes will bo allowed to pass, but the solid fuel will be prevented from doing so.

5417. Primary Voltaic Batteries, D. G. Fitzge

and T. J. Jones, London.—16th November, 1883.___

The negative element is of lead coated electrolyti-cally with peroxide of lead, or of carbon surrounded with peroxide of lead, the positive electrode being of porous lead obtained by compressing lead electrolytically reduced from an oxide or salt; or the negative element may be of c&rbon immersed in a solution of chromic acid.

raid

equal distance above and below the centre of the beam shaft, and tho beam pins to which the plunger rods are connected shall not travel below the centre of said beam shaft, substantially as described for the purpose specified. The combination of the hollow plungers, and an engine for operating the same, with a working beam of elliptical form, constructed with four arms differing in length and standing at different angles,

Butlin,

5354. Umbrellas for Carriages, &e., C. II. Camborne.—13th November, 1883.    8d.

be fitted on an arched

er,

to

Relates to an umbrella support in any desired position.

5356. Manumotive Velocipedes, IV. P. Thompson, Liverpool.—Vith November, 1883.—(A communication from S. Krnka, Prague.)—(Not proceeded with ) 2d. The velocipede is driven by two cranks turned by hand.

5358.    Wool-oiling Machines, J. L. Mattthews, West Troy, U.S.—13<A November, 1883.— (.Complete.) 6d.

The object is to provide an even and well-equalised distribution of oil into the stock, and to regulate the supply according to the nature of the stock; and it consists of mechanism to automatically regulate the supply to and discharge of oil from a tank. A of springs bear upon an oiling feed roller, and convey the oil to tho stock travelling along an endless feed apron. A float in the oiling chamber regulates the passage of oil to and from the tank.

5359.    Extracting Cobalt, Nickel, and Manganese

from their Ores, J. B. Headman, Glasgow.—12th November, 1883.    2d.

Relates to tho treatment

number

of ores containing cobalt, nickel, and manganese with chloride of iron or other suitable chloride.

5364.    Cutting and Making-up Trousers, tic., A. Maclure, jun., London.—12th November, 1883.— (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

The object is to permit of tho backbody portion being loosened from the front and band portion with ease and facility when desired.

5365.    Automatic Expansion Gear for Controlling Steam Engines, tic., F. J. Burrell, Thetford.—Uth November, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Relates to improvements in automatic expansion gear for controlling steam and other motive power engines where an expansion link is used in connection with a high-speed governor to vary tho cut-off.

5366.    Registering and Indicating Mechanism for Lace and other Machines, H. II. Payne, Nottingham.—13th November, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.)

5419. Magnetic and Electrical Apparatus for the Treatment of the Nerves and Muscles Connected with the Human Eye and Ear, S. Mason and C. It. Huxley, London.—\6th November, 1883.— (Not proceeded with.)

Relates to appliances for placing tho nerves and muscles within the influence of a magnetic field. 5429. Lighting Trains by Electricity in Combination with Gas, E. Edwards, London.—17th November,, 1883.—(A communication from. 1). Tommasi, Brussels.)— (Not proceeded with.) ‘2d.

Relates to an arrangement by which gas and electricity can be used simultaneously or alternately for lighting the train.

5451. Alarums, A. M. Clark, London.—19th November, 1883.—(A communication from C. F. Luquer, Nero York.) 6d.

The object is to provide an alarum that will sound once a day for eight days without being rewound, and it consists in tho use of an alarum dial and a cam, rotating once every twelve hours, the cam acting upon a lever, which releases the alarm mechanism at a given hour, fixed by setting tho cam, such alarum being prevented from sounding at each alternate revolution of the cam by means of a stop lever, which engages between stop pins attached to the pallet wheel.

5474. Tricycles, Bicyles, Arc., G. Illston, Birmingham.—21.* I November, 1883. lOd.

This relates, First, to a double-driving mechanism

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substantially as set forth. (5) In a dynamo-electric machine, the combination of the divided commutator bars, the armature coils, and tho connecting pi of high resistance material, all the divisions of a being connected at the same point to the armature colls, substantially.as set forth.

299,004. Balanced Slide Valve, William A. Pearson, Scranton, Pa.—Filed December 21 at, 1883.

Claim.—(1) The combination, with a slide valve having a round neck, of a balance plate or cover A, interposed between the valve and the top of the chest, and having a round neck engaging steam tight with the neck of the valve, and having a square or rectangular abutting margin n to bear upon the top of the chest or its equivalent, and with means, substantially such as described, to prevent the rotation of the same, substantially as herein set forth. (2) The combination, with a slide valve having a cylindrical neek k, of the balance cover A interposed between the valve and the chest cover, having the circular neck

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Tho apparatus combines tho solf-rogulation of the work, the number of yards or other lengths, the number of racks, the number of inches to tho rack, or whatever mode or modes of reckoning may bo used. 5367. Manufacture of Steel, IF. Beardmore and J.

McC. Cherrie, Glasgow.—14th November, 1883.    6d.

Consists in tho casting of stool into ingots of a shallow or flat shapo, so that tlioro is in tho said ingots a thin or shallow, as distinguished from a thick, depth or length of liquid steel, through which tho gases have to oscapo, and whereby tho escape or elimination of tho said gases is much facilitated.

applicable to tricycles, with driving or travelling wheels of different diameters; and Secondly, to the springs for supporting seats of velocipedes.

5644. Manufacture of Solid Non-deliquescent Phosphate of Lime Soluble in Water, C. I). Abel, London.—4th December, 1883. —(A communication from F. Barbe, Paris.) 4d.

The inventor claims, First, the method of solidifying phosphoric acid by means of lime for the production of a solid phosphate, all the constituents of which aro assimilable, non-deliquescont, and completely soluble in water, containing as much anhydrous phosphoric acid as oxistod in the syrupy liquor employed in its production ; Secondly, the manufacture of a solid non-doliquoscont phosphate of lime, soluble in water by tho addition of lime or its compounds to hydrated phosphoric acid; Thirdly, the use of the solid phosphoric acid above roferrod to, for tho production of superphosphates of varying strengths.

5781. Compounds for Marking Surfaces or Blackboards, &c., P. M. Justice, London.—13th December, 1883.—(A communication from N. F. Potter, Providence, U.S.) 4 d.    ,

The compound for uso as a marking surface consists of soapstone, alum, liine-putty, blacksand, silica, mortar black, and plaster of Paris.

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piston, plunger, nnd crank connections, and the loading weights Ni of the plungers, substantially as described, for the purpose specified. In combination, in a steam pumping engine, tho loaded plungers J J, the engine L, the elliptic working beam A, having arms of different length, the working connections, and an air cushion T connected with tho valve chamber S, all constructed for operation substantially as described.

298,649. Tack Hammer, George. S. Yingling, Albert L. Flack, and Henry T. Heller, Tiffin, Ohio.—Filed January 24th, 1884.

Claim.—As an article of manufacture, a hammer having its head, shank, and handle all of ono piece, tho handle being hollow and open at Its outer end,

m engaging the neck k, and the rectangular abutting neck n with longitudinal guides o o, between which said neck fits, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. (3) The combination, with tho and its slide valve, of a balance cover fitting between tho top of the chest and tho valve, and engaging together in the manner of a piston and cylinder, tho top of the balance cover being rectangular, with tho chest cover/, formed with tho raised bearing surface p to receive said rectangular top, and with guides o n to embraco tho same, substantially as and for tho purpose set forth. (4) In combination with the slide valve h and balance cover A, engaging in the manno of a cylinder and piston, the obliq of saia engaging parts, with the split packing ring t of tallic wiro fitted in said groove, and tho

steam chest

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5368. Hopes, G. E.

Vaughan, London.—14th November, 1883.—(A communication from S. Troll and F. A. Hamilton, Haliffxr, Canada.) 4d.

Consists in the combination of yarns of right-hand and left-hand twist or lay, arranged rospcctivoly in left-hand and right-hand layers or sewings.

5369.    Automatic Fog Signalling on Railways, 0. IF. White and IF. Sinclair, London.—14th November, 1883,—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Relates to an apparatus for automatically discharging a dotonating mixture, or for striking a gong, bell, or other apparatus.

5370.    Boring Taper Holes, H. Lethcrby, Barnstaple. —14/A November, 1883. fid.

Consists in tho omploymont of a cam acting upon a counterbalanced jaw, and thereby upon tho Ixirlng bltts or augers in such manner that tho said bitts or ugers aro intermittently presented to and withdrawn from the articles operated upon to clear the holes or borings of chips.

6371.    Batteries for Electric Lighting, tic., J. Noad and H. Matthews, London.—14/A November, 1883. M.

This battery may bo used either as a primary or secondary, ami is constructed with outer cells of glass containing iron plates which form the positive elements. Within these aro porous cells provided with carbon plates and charged with a solution jsised of nitric acid, sulphuric acid, nitre crystals, and water. Tho outer coll is chargod with a solution of nitro hydrochloric acid and water.

6372.    Car Couplings, II. J. IIaddon, London.—14th November, 1883.—(A communication from J. IF. Snyder, Pennsylvania, U.S.)—{Not proceeded with.)

5851. Electric Clock Regulators, H. If. Brandon, Paris.—24 th December, 1883.—(A communication from J. F. Kettill, Worcester, Moss., U.S.)

This rolates to means for “setting” one or more clocks, tho main object boing to enable tho conducting wires to bo usod for telephonic or telegraphic purposes if desirod.

5858. Driving Mechanism, A. J. Boult, London.— 24 th December, 1883.—(A communication from J. C. Tennet, Maryland, U.S.) 0d.

This relates to driving rnochaniHm for velocipedos and other machines, and consists of an arrangement whereby tho motion of tho back in moving to and fro is caused to supplement tho powor of pedals worked by tho foot of tho operator.

5884. Greenhouses, E. M. Wood, Massachusetts.—28th December, 1883. (Comgit te.) (id.

This relates to means whereby tho glass coverings or sashes of greenhouses can all bo caused to turn simultaneously on pivots to any dosired extent, so as to oxpose tho plants to tho action of tho open air.

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and there provided with tho shoulders x x for retaining tho springs e e. of the stopper, thus forming a receptacle for holding tacks, all being arranged substantially as described.

298,679. Method of Treatino Carbons for Electric Lights, Thos. A. Edison, Menlo Park, N.J.—Filed July 3rd, 1880.

Claim.—(1) Tlio method of preparing carbons for incandescing electric lamps having broad or onlargcd ends, consisting in first carbonising tho filament, con-rting its body into carbon, and then subjecting broad ends or enlarged jxirtions to tho action of h

soft me

springs u, placed beneath the ring and serving to pross it out upon the other part, substantially as herein shown and described. (5) Tho combination, with a slide valve and a balance cover h A, having necks which engage in the manner of a cylinder and piston, of an oblique groove s, formed in one of the necks, and a packing ling /, placed in said groove, and moans, substantially as described, for pressing said ring up in tho oblique groove, and tlioreby wedging it against the opposite neck, substantially as oln shown and described.

299,025. Electric Arc Lamp, Sidney Ilowe Shod, Denver, Colo.—Filed October 26th, 1883.

Claim.—In an arc lamp, a globe or chamber for tho arc, closed air tight at the bottom and on all sides, a regulator above the globe or chamber, a tight tube

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Relates to devices which are readily applied to most ordinary draw-heads of a car, and are adapted to be used in connection with tho usual coupling pin and link, and by means of which the coupling of the cars can be effected with the greatest facility and safety.

5374.    Pumps, G. Murray and Ii. Turnley, Elvaston.— 14/A November, 1883.— (Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Refers to tho construction of a pump or apparatus for raising and forcing liquids, and is more especially applicable for purposes whero water and other fluid has to be projected some distance, and with more or loss pressure, as, for example, a fire engine.

5375.    Protecting Submerged Structures

FROM

Corrosion and Foulino, F. M. Lyte, London.—14th November, 1883.    4d.

The Iron or steel to be protected is first coated with a paint, having for its basis a metallic oxide electropositive to Iron or steel, and is, secondly, painted with a paint having anti-fouling qualities.

5376. Paring the Edoes of the Soles of Boots and Shoes, F. Cuttau, Cardiff.—14th November, 1883.

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Relates to the construction of apparatus for holding the last, and to the knife, and means of keeping the knife to its work.

5377- Lamp “Globes” and Shades, F. J. and II. A. Biertumpfel, London.—14th November, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

Relates to a framework for receiving “fields,” panes, or slides of glass or other transparent or partly transparent material.

6378. Wire Fences, W. R. Lake, London.—14th November, 1883. — (A communication from J. B. Oliver, Pittsburgh, U.S.)—(Not proceeded with.) 2d. Consists in the

combination with two or more twisted strands of wire of a tablet or warning plate interposed at intervals between the strands.

5379.    Deodorising Foul Air, J. F. Johnstone, Belvedere.—14/A November, 1883. fid.

The foul air is caused by a fan to be driven into a chamber, into which a deodorising liquid is admitted gradually.

5380.    “Bessemer" Converters, Ac., TF. M. Murdock, Gilwern, Rreckon.—14th November, 1883. 6d.

Consists partly in a “Bessemer” converter, of a receiver or spout for pouring out the metal, or rapidly clearing it from the tuyeres as the converter is tipped, in combination with blast tuyeres arranged around the circumference of the converter, or on opposite sides thereof.

6408. M AONETO - ELECTRIC AND DYNAMO - ELECTRIC Machines, G. Hookham, Birmingham.—16lh November, 1883.—(Not proceeded with.) 2d.

This relates to duplicating the series of permanent V-shaped magnets described in patent 2042 of 1883,

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SELECTED AMEKIOAN PATENTS.

Frome United States' Patent Office Official Gazette.

298,580. Machine for Casting Plumpers’ Blocks, Charles E. lbiss, Chicago, III.—Filed February 28th, 1884.

Claim.—(1) A mould for casting plumbers' traps, having an enlarged inner diamotor at its ends, a core extending into the enlarged cavity at each end, a sleeve at each end, arranged to move back and forth on tho core, nnd having an inner portion of thickness suitable to fit around the core in the smallest part of the mould, and an outer portion of thickness to fit in the enlarged part of the mould and support tho core, and mechanism wheroby pressuro may be applied to tho sleeves, to forco them inward, all in combination,

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substantially as and for the purpi Tho mould B, in combination wit. sleeves F, provided with slots/, and the pins e, substantially as and for tho purposes set forth. (3) The mould B, in combination with tho core E, the sleeves F, the follower G, the screw IT, and a suitable fixed bearing for the screw, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

iso described. (2) h the coro E, the

298,596. Steam Pumping Engine, Joseph L. Lowry, Pittsburg, Pa.—Filed January 9th, 1884.

Claim.—Tiie method herein described

for operating a pumping engine, which consists in weighing the pump plungers in excess of the weight required to discharge a column of water at a given level, and transferring said excess of weight of the descending plunger to the motive power cylinder, to assist in raising the ascending plunger, substantially as described. In a pumping engine, the combination of tho motive powor cylinder, beam, plungers, weighted as described, and connections between the beam, plungers nnd piston, arranged so that the changing overages in the beam will cause a reduction of the work imposed on the ongino in proportion to the reduction of the working pressure in the cylinder, due to tho expansion of tho steam after it is cut off, substantially as described. The combination of the two coacting weighted plungers, and an engine for operating the same, with a working beam of elliptic form, the connections of which aro arranged in such that the beam pin of the piston-rod

manner

travels an

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forming a passago between the regulator and the globe or chamber, and a carbon holder extending loosely through the said tube, whereby tho gases are retained in the globe, undue prossuro avoided, and free movement of the carbon secured, all substantially as described.

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in vacuo, substantially as set forth. (2) The combination of a vacuum chamber, a platform therein for the carbons, an exhausting apparatus, and means for imparting a high heat to the broad ends of the carbons while in vacuo, substantially as shown and described.

298,955. Dynamo-electric Machine, Thomas A. Edison, Menlo Park, N.J.—Filed December 12th, 1883. Claim.—(1) In a dynamo-electric machine, the bination, with the commutator bars and the armature

12 9879551

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coils, of high resistance connections between substantially as set forth. (2) In a dynamo-electric machine, tho combination, with the commutator bars and the armature coils, of connections between them of varying resistance, the highest resistance being in circuit when the current collector leaves a bar, substantially as sot forth. (3) In a dynamo-electric machine, tho divided commutator liars, all the divisions of a bar being connected at the same point to the armature coils, substantially as set forth. (4) In a dynamo-electric machine, the combination, with the armatnro coils and the commutator bars, of connecting strips of high resistance material between them

them,

The Engineer, Juno 27th, 1884. Machinery at the Health Exhibition. No. VI.

(Illustrated.)................

Letters to the Editor—

The Efficiency of Fans............

Hydraulic Turntables............

Hydraulic Lifts ..............

Breakage of Screw Shafts..........

Torpedo Boat Boilers ............

Future Prospects of Young Engineers.. .. 480

Water Tub.>; Boilers ............

Pneumatic Malting..............

Crystal Palace Exhibition..........

Contracts Open—Metre Gauge. Tip Wagons.

(Illustrated.)................

Railway Matters..............

Notes and Memoranda ..........

Miscellanea................

Air and Circulating Pumps, Russian Torpedo

Boats. (Illustrated.)...........

Leading Articles—

, The Guns of 1884    ...........

' Egypt .................

Water Power .............

Indian Railway Government Contracts

South Stafford Seweraof........

New Coal Sliding Scale .......

The Ghost op the Season.........

The Heavy Guns of 1884. (Illustrated.) ..    .. 487

English and Foreign Heavy Guns. (Illustrated.)

The Iron, Coal, and General Trades of Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and District .. 4i»0

Notes from Lancashire ......

Notes from Sheffield ......

Notes from the North of England

Notes from Scotland........

Notes from Wales and Adjoining Counties .. 492 The Patent Journal Abstracts of Patent Specifications. (Illus.) .. 493 Abstracts of Patent American Specifications. 494 Paragraphs—

Antwerp International Exhibition Gasworks at Crindau, Newport

Trades Union Case .......

I Death of Mr. H. Tomllaon

Suakim-Berber Railway.....

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Naval Engineer Appointments.—The following appointments have been made at the Admiralty:—Charles F. Hulford, chief engineer, to the Ready; Thomas Hughes, chief engineer, to the Swift; Edward Nor ring ton, chief engineer, to the Vigilant; Daniel Griffin, engineer, to the Alecto; Henry A. Evans, assistant engineer, to the Vigilant; and Walter J. Graham, assistant engineer, to the Alecto.

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