THE VICTORIA ELECTRIC LIGHT STATION.

No. IV.

Regulating the 'potential at the lamps.—Let the two dark lines in the annexed sketch represent the mains laid along a street, S the generating station, and /i, ht h₃ . . . h„ the houses along the street to which the current is laid

It must be remembered that the amount of current required in each house is not a fixed, predetermined quantity, but is varied at the pleasure of the occupier, and that, therefore, the current flowing at a given time in any particular portion of the mains is also a variable quantity. The current, in flowing through the mains, has to overcome their resistance, and thus loses a portion of its original electro-motive force, the loss being by Ohm’s well-known law directly proportional to the current. We shall, therefore, have the greatest loss if all the houses simultaneously take their full supply, in which case the electro-motive force between the mains will decrease as the distance from the generating station increases. With an even distribution all along the street, the loss of potential between the first and last house is approximately equal to one-lialf the electro-motive force which would be required to force the total current through the mains if their far ends were in metallic contact.

If we wish to have the lamps burning with equal brilliancy in all the houses, it would, therefore, be necessary to employ lamps

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force, and to place them so that the further the lamps are from the station the lower is the electro-motive force required to bring them to their standard illuminating would

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After these preliminary remarks we can explain the Having thus arrived at the conclusion that we require a system by which Mr. Crompton proposes to equalise the separate dynamo for each sub-district, the reader will, by potential throughout a whole district. It consists in referring back to the beginning of this article, see why for dividing the district into a number of sub-districts, each purposes of an even distribution we held that the total small enough to allow of a distribution of current without electrical power of a central station should be made up of appreciable loss. Into the centre of each sub-district a units not much larger than 1000 lights each. On going pair of feeders is to be brought from the central station, carefully into the question it will be found that in most which itself may be within or quite outside the whole cases a sub-district containing 1000 lights must extend district. Each sub-district is to be provided with a com- over an area so large that it begins to be somewhat difficult plete network of mains, which, however, need not be very to limit the variation of potential to one or two volts, unless heavy, since each single pair of mains is only comparatively specially heavy mains are laid down. In localities where short and serves for a comparatively small number of lamps, the houses are many stories high, and where there are The feeders are joined to the most central point of this shops or places of amusement all crowded close together, a network of mains. The networks of all the sub-districts sub-district of 1000 lights would cover only a very small are electrically connected, so that in case the direct supply area, and then it may pay to employ a larger dynamo than to any particular sub-district should fail, there will be an a 1000-light machine and increase the sub-district served indire :t supply through adjoining sub-districts; or to put by it. But this would be an exceptional case. In districts it into other words, the whole of the district is provided containing mostly private dwellings it will be found that with a continuous network of mains, and electricity is fed the convenient unit of a sub-district is rather under than into the network at various points, such points being over 1000 lights.

chosen with regard to local demands for current. If due The electro-motive force of the dynamo can be varied, care be taken to keep the potential at the delivery end of either by varying its speed, or by keeping the speed con-all the feeders—that is, the end where they join the net- stant and varying the strength of the magnetic field. The work of mains—constant, the potential throughout the latter is the only way possible with the present plant at district will be also approximately constant, no matter Victoria, since all the dynamos are driven from the

countershaft. The current which excites the field magnets of each of the large Crompton machines can be taken either direct from the mains or by way of a rheostat, consisting of iron coils placed in boxes made of slate and cast iron. By inserting a greater or smaller number into the exciting circuit— which is done by means of suitable switches on the rheostat-board—the strength of the field can be varied within considerable limits. At present only the railway station is lighted, and only one pair of mains are used. It is therefore only necessary to keep one potential at the electric station, and the rheostat is merely required to equalise the electro-motive force between both large machines, and between them and the small machines. But in future, when several mains will have to be fed to supply current to some of the streets and squares round Victoria Station, it is intended to use the rheostat for equalising the potential at the delivery end of feeders. This will have to be done by hand. It could, however, be done automatically in the case of each dynamo having its own separate engine. In this arrangement each engine will be provided with a Wilkins’ electric governor, the solenoid of which will have to be wound differentially, with a high-resistance shunt wire in one direction, and with a low-resistance main in the opposite direction. The main Fill have to carry either the whole or a proportionate how the demand for current may shift and vary. We say part of the current sent by the dynamo into the feeder, approximately constant, and by that we mean that the and, acting against the shunt, will tend to increase the potential should not vary between wider limits than 1 or speed of the engine as the current sent out by the dynamo 2 per cent, up or down from the standard. The limit of 5 increases. By properly adjusting the magnetic power of per cent, up or down from the standard, as fixed by the main and shunt coils, it is possible to arrange matters so Board of Trade, is far too wide. Customers would cer- that the increase in the speed of the engine shall exactly tainly not tolerate so great a variation in the illuminating make up for the increased loss of electro-motive force due power of their lamps as would result from a difference of to the augmentation of current through the feeders.

10 per cent, between the highest and lowest electro-motive Another method for attaining the same result is to carry force. Since the current through each pair of feeders back from the point where the feeders deliver into the net-depends on the supply required in the immediate neigh- work a pair of light leads, and working by them an electric

governor having a shunt solenoid only. In this the potential of the network is brought on to the governor, irrespective of the amount of current which at any time is flowing through the feeders. Whether this direct method or the differential method above described will be preferable experience alone can show. As already stated, all the dynamos are shunt wound, and each can be started and stopped without interfering with the rest, beyond the fact that the current given out by each of the dynamos which remain at work is somewhat increased when one of the dynamos is stopped.

aSwitches.—In order to prevent useless waste of current, the circuit connecting the mains with the field magnet coils of each dynamo can be interrupted as soon as that particular dynamo is stopped. But to interrupt the exciting current of a shunt machine is always a serious matter, since the heavy mass of iron contained in the field Fig. 26.—victoria station-measuring instruments. magnete and the great length of fine wire wound on them

make up a very powerful inductive coil; so powerful, in bourhood of its delivery end, the potential thrown on to fact, that the spark on breaking the circuit is some-the feeder at its receiving end—that is, at the generating times strong enough to pierce and destroy the insu-station—cannot be a fixed quantity, but must be in excess lation between the coils. To overcome this difficulty of the potential throughout the network by an amount and danger to the persons handling the machines, equal to the loss of potential in the feeders. From this it Kapp’s bye-pass switches are employed. These are follows that at the generating station the different feeders simply ordinary circuit breakers, with the addition will have to be supplied with currents at different potentials, of a coil of high resistance German silver wire added, and therefore that each pair of feeders must be supplied which coil is permanently joined to the terminals of the by its own special dynamo, the electro-motive force of switch. To explain their action we will suppose one of which must be capable of variation within certaiu limits, these switches to be inserted into the exciting circuit of a

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power. But not help us out of our difficulty, for, however well we distribute the lamps, so that each should get its exact number of volts when all houses take their full suppdy of current, the arrangement will be wrong if some houses reduce their supply. Imagine, for instance, that at some time in the night all the houses, except the first and hist, switch the current off, then a comparatively small amount of current will pass along the mains and the loss of potential will be trifling. Practically the potential in the first and last house will be the same.

If we keep the original potential at the stations the lamps in the first house will burn with their standard power, but those in the last house will be overstrained, and perhaps destroyed ; if, on the other hand, we lower the potential at the station to suit the lamp® in the last house, those in the first house will not be up to ]K)wer. As a remedy it lias been proposed to work one of the mains direct and the other on a returning loop, as shown in sketch.

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after the majority have been switched off. conception is based on the fallacy that the loss of potential is only dependent on the distance through which the current has to travel, whilst in reality it is due to distance multiplied by amount of current. The real remedy against too great a variation of potential is to have ample mains and to make them as short as possible. It might be objected that the length of mains is an item beyond the control of the engineer, who has simply to lay the mains along prescribed streets, but a little consideration will show that this is not so. To return to our above illustration, by placing the generating station in the middle of the street instead of at one end, the length of mains would be halved without reducing the actual number of houses served from the station. We would now have two pairs of mains, each carrying only half the former current, and each only half as long as the single pair was. Consequently the loss of potential will be only one quarter of the former loss. If it be not possible to place the station

in the middle of the street, we can obtain the same result by connecting the station to about the middle of the mains by a pair of feeders, as shown in sketch. The potential at the station will then have to be varied in accordance with the total demand for current, so that the potential at the junction between mains and feeders is kept constant.

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shunt dynamo somewhere between the brushes and the coils. If the switch be open, it is as though the shunt had increased in resistance by an amount equal to the resist-of the by-pass coil of German silver. For such an increased resistance in the exciting circuit the critical speed of the machine—that is the speed at which the machine becomes self-exciting and begins to give a current —is very high, and much higher than its working speed when the extra resistance is short-circuited by the switch being closed. If now the machine has been working, and the switch is suddenly opened, the shunt current is not stopped, but forced to pass through the extra resistance, whereby the magnetic equilibrium is made unstable. The exciting current continues flowing for a short time, but since the machine runs under her critical speed, it cannot keep up its strength of field, and this reacting on the electro-motive force, the latter, together with the shunt current, vanish gradually within a few seconds after switching off. By suitably proportioning the resistance of the by-pass coil to that of the shunt magnet coils it is possible to break the exciting current of the largest shunt dynamo without an appreciable spark. In addition to this safety switch in the exciting circuit, each dynamo is provided with a main switch inserted into the external circuit. These main switches, from the peculiar form of the piece making and breaking contact, have been called by the makers—Messrs. Crompton and Co.—S pattern switches. The contact is made by a number of copper strips placed side by side and bent into the form of an S, the ends of each strip making, independently of the other strips, the best possible elastic contact with the two terminal plates of the switch. For heavy currents it is absolutely necessary to have such elastic contacts, since solid surfaces, no matter how well they are fitted together to begin with, become uneven by the corrosive action of the spark, and then having only a few points of actual contact, are liable to heat with the passage of a strong current. Solid contacts should, therefore, only be employed where the currents are small or where the connection is broken whilst there is no current flowing.

Switch boards.—In the dynamo room there are two switch boards, besides the rheostat switch board already mentioned. Each of these consists of a cast iron frame with dovetail grooves, as will be seen by Fig. 22, which is a transverse section. There are four grooves, and each serves to receive a stout copper bar fastened by wooden wedges. The ends of these bars project beyond the board and are drilled to receive the single wires which compose the main cable. At present only two bars out of the four in each switch board are joined to the cables, which arc 19 strand No. G b.w.g. Fig. 21 shows a front elevation of the switch board. The object of having several bars on each board is to be able to feed current of different potential into the different cables. The connection between any dynamo and any bar is made by short flexible cables and gun-metal clips which can be wedged on to any of the bars. It need hardly be said that the clips are only put on or taken oft’ when there is no current flowing, and therefore a perfect contact is maintained. All the positive leads from the dynamos are taken to one board, and the negative leads to the other board, so that there is never any great difference of potential between the bars on the same board. It follows from this that also the positive and negative mains are kept well apart, and the danger of an accidental short circuit between them is reduced to a minimum. One great advantage of this way of connecting dynamos to mains is that any of the dynamos can, without interruption of the lighting, be thrown in or out of any of the feeding mains, and thus one spare dynamo is sufficient for several separate circuits.

The lamps throughout the railway station are fed from twelve distinct circuits, all of which start from the so-called “dividing switch-board” placed in a cupboard in the booking-office for passengers’ luggage. We give a front elevation of this board in Fig. 23, a transverse section in Fig. 24, and details of one of the switches in Fig. 25. In this case there is a positive and negative bar on the same board, the negative bar being connected by twelve of Hedges’ duplex cut-outs to the twelve return leads from the lamp circuits, whilst the positive bar is connected by twelve switches to the same number of out-going lamp circuits. These switches are the pecidiarity of the board, since there is absolutely no sparking between the surfaces making contact. It will be seen from Fig. 25 that the spring s serves for pressing together the under surface c of the switch lever to the top surface d of the switch terminal. The current flows from the positive bar B, through the switch lever L, and through the contact into the lamp circuit. When the lever is turned so as to break the contact between c and d, the top edge b of the lever remains for a short time yet in contact with the spring, leaving it finally at a, where a spark occurs. But since the current depends only on the good contact between the lever and the terminal, and not on the contact between lever and spring, it follows that the sparking between a and b can have no injurious influence on the conductivity of the switch.

Measuring instruments.—These are Kapp and Crompton’s current and potential indicators, placed on a table in the dynamo room, as shown to a small scale in Fig. 4, and somewhat more in detail in Fig. 26. By means of suitable two-way switches, the current of any of the small dynamos numbered 1, 4, 5, and 6 can be led through the indicator, which in our illustration is correspondingly numbered. Machines No. 2 and No. 3 are the large Crompton machines, and the current exciting the field magnets of these can be taken through and measured by the indicator labelled in our illustration “ Nos. 2 and 3 magnets”; whilst a shunt to the external circuits of these machines is permanently connected to the instruments labelled “No. 2 armature” and “No. 3 armature.” These instruments have been calibrated in position, and being permanently connected to the circuits, show at any time the current given by the large machines. The indicator labelled “ main circuit ” is also permanently connected with a shunt on the positive main cable, and measures the total current sent out from the station. In order to avoid any error in the measurements which might arise from a change in the comparative resistances between mam and shunt circuit, due to unequal heating, both these have been carried side by side as far as possible, whereby their temperature is equalised.

Leads and lamps.—In all there are at present fixed 823 Swan lamps, which are distributed as follows:—

Engine-house ...    ......

Printing office ...... ...

Main line booking-office ...

Platforms............

Outside lamps.........

Customs Department

Waiting rooms.........

Refreshment rooms......

Kitchens, &c..........

General offices and corridors

Total............

The current for these lamps is led from the dynamo room to the dividing switchboard and back again by a pair of 19 strand No. 6 b.w.g. cables laid underground in iron troughs filled in with insulating compound, the total length of outgoing and returning main being 312 yards. As already mentioned there is a second pair of mains laid side by side with this pair in anticipation of an extension of the lighting beyond the limits of the railway station. A beginning in this direction has already been made in the case of the company’s printing office, which lies across the road, and to which current is supplied by a pair of branch mains consisting of 19 strand No. 12 b.w.g. cables. In the printing office there are three distinct circuits, one for each floor, and the current in each circuit is controlled by a separate switch. All the underground mains have been supplied and laid by Mr. Callendar, whose name is well known in connection with such work by his patent bitumen insulating compound. The branch circuits to the different lamps or groups of lamps throughout the station are carried overhead. They consist of one, two, or three pairs of No. 4 b.w.g. wires, according to the distance and number of lamps in each group, with sub-branches of No. 10 14 or 10 b.w.g. wire, a cut-out being placed in every sub-branch. Over the platforms the lamps are arranged in pairs, suspended from the roof by wrought iron tube pendants at a height of 14ft. from the floor. A switch and cut-out is placed in each pendant, and the switch is provided with a lever by which it can be turned off or on with a rod very much in the fashion of the gas tap in an ordinary street lamp. The lamps are set at an angle to the vertical, and are provided with white conical glass shades which materially assist in the even distribution of light. In the general offices the lamps are suspended singly on straight pendants, a switch just inside the door controlling every three or four lamps. In addition, there are some portable table lamps provided. In the private rooms and in the refreshment rooms, the lamps are also suspended from the ceiling; but in this case there are no tube pendants, these being replaced by the silk-covered flexible which carries the current. This method of suspending incandescent lamps has a very light appearance and pleasant effect. Some highly ornamental brackets are also used in such places where they harmonise with the architecture of the rooms. In the booking offices the lamps are mounted on brackets with universal joints. The electro-motive force of all the lamps is 110 volts. Those over the platforms, in the refreshment rooms, and booking offices, have an illuminating power of 22 standard candles; those in the other offices and rooms of 20 standard candles.

The whole of the electrical plant at Victoria, with the only exception of the Swan lamps and the cables, has been manufactured by Messrs. E. E. Crompton and Co., of Chelmsford, and erected by their staff. It is no small recommendation for the capabilities of a manufacturing firm that they can turn out all the apparatus required, from dynamo, weighing between four and five tons, down to a delicate measuring instrument, or to a lamp holder.

We have now given an account of the first English installation planned and carried out by the most practised electrical engineering firm, with every reference to theoretical considerations, both in the electrical machinery and apparatus, and in the engines and motor apparatus. It is the first set of plant deliberately planned and established for the production and sale of electricity, after the manner of the sale of gas, and does infinite credit to Messrs. Crompton and Co.

ENGINES OF H.M. CEUISER AMPHION.

Our supplement this week illustrates the engines of the new twin-screw steel cruiser of the second-class, the Amphion, of the same class as the Mercury and Iris, the engines and boilers of which have been illustrated in our pages. Amphion is 300ft. in length, 46ft. in breadth, and 3750 tons displacement. She was built at Pembroke, and launched in November, 1883. She made a preliminary run about a month since, and underwent her six hours’ trial on the 10th inst. The Amphion left the dock at Keyham at 8.30 a.m. in charge of Commodore Fortescue, of the Steam Reserve. The ship was piloted out of harbour by Staff-Commander Thomas, of the Devonport Steam Reserve. The engines were in charge of Mr. Warriner, manager for Messrs. Maudslay, Sons, and Field, who assisted by the Hon. G. Duncan, a member of the firm ; Mr. Sells, designer of the engines, and Mr. J. Sampson, assistant manager. The other officers present were Mr. O. N. Brooker, chief inspector of machinery of the Steam Reserve ; Mr. It. Sennett, of the steam branch of the Controller’s Department, representing the Admiralty ; and Mr. S. J. Bird, chief engineer of the vessel. The vessel was taken direct into the Sound, and at 9.40 a.m. the order was given for full speed ahead, and this was maintained till the completion of the trial trip without the slightest hitch of any kind, the engines giving great satisfaction not only to the contractors, but to the officials on board who represented the Admiralty. Navigating-Lieutenant Gwynne superintended the navigation of the ship, and Lieutenant Bignold, of the Indus, was in command of the working party. The vessel steamed right out east of the Eddystone and then went down Channel just off Falmouth, when the ship was put about and a course then steered for the Start Point. The Amphion returned past the Eddystone again, and then went up as far as Prawle Point, her trial being completed a mile outside the Breakwater. There was a stiff head wind encountered going down Channel, whilst there was a rough

swell on. The trial was considered highly satisfactory. The results obtained as a mean of the six hours were:—Steam pressure in boilers, 88 lb.; vacuum in the condensers, starboard, 25in.; port, 26in.; revolutions per minute—starboard, 95'2;

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port, 95T ; indicated horse-power developed—starboard, 2867 ; port, 2794; total, 5661. The power is, however, better seen from the accompanying figures. During the last one and a-half hours’ run some priming took place, which was due to a well-known cause; but this greatly reduced the indicated horsepower, as will be seen. If we take the mean without the last observations, we have a mean of 5993, which is the real horsepower.

Half-hour Observations.

Ind. II.P.

6,907 5,770 5,081 6,792 5,979 0,190 0,141 6,113 6,819 5,108 4,888 4,544

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Mean speed by patent log, 17’2 knots for the six hours; highest speed, 18 knots. The mean pressuro in the high-pressure cylinders was 44*6 lb., and in the low-pressure 13'5 lb.

Engines,—The high-pressure cylinders are 46in. diameter, low-pressure, 86in., both having a stroke of 3ft. 3in. The crank shaft—steel—13|iu. diameter, the total length of the bearings

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being 7ft. 4in. The air pump, 20in. diameter; stroke, 3ft. 3in., worked direct from low-pressure piston. There is one condenser to each engine. The total cooling surface is 10,000 square feet; length of tubes is 7ft. 6in.; diameter inside, Jin.; thickness, '05in. The water is inside the tubes. Both engines are exactly alike and same hand. Both have a centifugal pump for circulating, each having a diameter of fan of 3ft. 3in., and driven by a separate engine with a cylinder 15in. diameter, stroke, 12in. The main steam pipe to each engine is 14in. diameter.

Boilers.—The boilers are eight in number, 13ft. 5in. diameter by 9ft. 6in. length; three furnaces in each; fire-grate surface, 546 square feet; tubes, 3008, 6ft. 6in. long by 2.jin. outside; total heating surface, 15,160 square feet. Two chimneys, 7ft. 3in. diameter, 68ft. from dead plate.

Screw propellers.—The screws are four-bladed propellers, 14ft. diameter, pitch 20ft. 6in.

With the exception of the slight priming to which we have referred, the trials, including a run on the 10th, with the condensers used as jet condensers, gave the most satisfactory results, the engines working remarkably smoothly, in spite of their great size and high speeds.

As will be seen from the engravings, the high-pressure cylinder is fitted with a piston valve, and both cylinders are fitted with Joy’s valve gear. This is the first time that Mr. Joy’s invention has been introduced into British war ships, although it has been adopted in the Italian and other navies, and by a large number of ocean liners. It has many advantages, and saves a good deal of room, and is easy in working and reversing. The accompanying copies of diagrams show how admirable is the distribution given at extreme grade of expansion by this valve gear. The absence of excentrics shortens the space occupied in the length of the ship, and gives several other obvious advantages.

The contractor is Mr. Matthew Pitts, of Stanningly

Total.

Collisions. Derailment .. — .. .. 10 .

10

Defects of road Defects of equipment ..    2    ..    ..

Negligence in operating 43 Unforeseen obstructions 3    ..    ..

Maliciously caused Unexplained

63

13

15

3 ..    ..105

Total

48 .

Collisions. Derailments. Other. 3    ..    .. 15 ..

Total.

1    ..    .. 19

.. 19 .. 67

. 39

19 ..

3 ..    ..105

were

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Total

Accidents are thus recorded to a total of 153 trains, of which 41, or 27 per cent., were passenger trains, and 112, or 73 per cent., were freight trains.

A good augury for the export trade of Bahia is the network of In an article “ On the Recovery of Tin and Iron from Tin Plate railway communication constantly developing itself in that country. Scrap,” by Dr. Czimatis— Chcm. Zcit. 1884, 678—the author says In the past year three new lines were opened and an extension line it is not possible to obtain a complete separation of the iron and commenced. In 1881, 52£ miles on the main line from San Felix tin by proceeding according to the various methods which depend to Tapera was thrown open ; last year sixty more miles were opened upon bringing the scrap to the melting point of tin, which is then from Tapera to Joa Amaro, and the line is now being extended removed in the molten state by mechanical means, such as re-another 47£ miles, the goal of the present concession. This line is volving the scrap in a drum with sand, or by use of a centrifugal 3ft. 6in. wide, and is noteworthy for its precise levels, its minimum machine. The iron which is left contains so much tin as to be of of oscillation, and its excellent main stations, engines, carriages, little value for working up in the furnace. The salts of tin &c. In an official report on this railway the following remarks obtained by treating the scrap with acid solvents are also too much are made:—“The entire construction of the line reflects the highest contaminated with iron to render an acid extraction process advis-credit on the contracting engineer, Mr. Hugh Wilson, and the able able. Better results, however, should be obtained with Reinecker’s superintendent engineer of the firm here—Hugh Wilson and Son— process, which depends upon the power which caustic alkali has of Mr. G. W. Ross; and when one considers the climate and surveys the dissolving tin when an oxidising agent is present. According to wilderness through which parts of the line run, the nature of the this process, the scrap is cut up into small fragments, treated in ntry and its soil, the bills and consequent cuttings, and the revolving drums with caustic soda for the removal of grease, and difficulties and the cost of transport, it seems marvellous how so thence transferred to other drums, to be acted upon by a solution complete and neat a job could be executed and maintained with of oxide of lead in caustic soda. The re-action which occurs may be such precision.” Another newline is the Santa Amaro Railway, expressed by the equation: Sn + 2NaOH + 2PbO = Na₂Sn0₃ + which has been constructed by a Brazilian engineer and opened to 2Pb 4- ILO, and since, to a great extent, this is prevented from the public, disappeared a few days after, as far as the rails were taking place by atmospheric carbonic acid, Reinecker has devised— concerned,'in the mud and mire on the first appearance of heavy Chcm. Zcit. 1884, 509—a suitable apparatus for the purpose. The rains. After thorough reconstruction, however, by the native lye containing stannate of soda is separated from the finely divided Provincial Engineer of Public Works, Dr. J. Martino Baggi, this lead, the former to be worked up in the most convenient manner, line carries its traffic satisfactorily.    the latter to be oxidised and employed in subsequent operations.

The Philadelphia Medical Reporter says:—“It is a sad commentary on the water we drink when we read that the mortality in the trout exhibit from the Eastern Station of the Pennsylvania State Fish Commission, which came near depopulating the two tanks in which they were placed at the Pennsylvania State Agii-cultural Fair, is attributed mainly to the impurities in the Schuylkill water.” This need not be any indication of the potable character of the water.

The lighting of a portion of the business and fashionable quarter of Berlin by electricity has gained many friends. The contract with Messrs. Siemens and Halske, which has been several times renewed, expires on the 1st March, 18S5, and the authorities, in view of the general approval, intend to continue the lighting. It is not known whether the town authorities will undertake it themselves, or hand it over to private undertakers, more than one of whom have tendered.

Of “ Calvert’s Mechanics’ Almanack and Workshop Companion” we have received the edition for 1885, its twelfth year of publication. It is, as usual, a very cheap and most useful little publication for all those whom it addresses, and can be obtained anywhere for 4d.    “ The Artizans’ Year-book and Engineer and

Building Trades Almanack for 1885 ” is another publication of the kind, and appears now for the sixth year. “ The Marine Engineers’ Annual and Almanack for 1885” is a somewhat more special .and ambitious publication, and contains useful information and tables for seagoing engineers and others, dates, tide tables, accounts of new ships, fast passages, engineers’ yarns, and weights, measures, and rules. It also contains some useful articles on different subjects.

The electric light has recently been successfully introduced by Mr. Wilson Hartnell, Leeds, at Ferney Mill, Todmorden—Mr. Charles Crabtree’s. The whole place is lighted from one dynamo machine, supplying currents to some 208 20-candle power Swan incandescent lamps, each taking an electro-motive force of 110 volts. In the shed are some 500 looms, all of which are well lighted by these lamps, and the warehouse and other adjacent buildings are entirely illuminated in this manner. The dynamo is one of Crompton’s latest improved type, the speed of which is 480 revolutions per minute. This is driven direct from the main shaft driving the other machinery, and the lamps burn very steadily, owing to the large flywheel of the engine.

In their iron trade report, Messrs. Bolling and Lowe say iron and steel are 10 to 15 per cent, lower in value than they were at this time last year, with the sole exception of rails, which, since January last, have advanced considerably. This has not been caused by an increased demand, but by'a combination lietwcen makers, which is still maintained. The following shows that the total quantity and value of exports of British iron and steel during the first eleven months of 1882 were 4,062,215 tons, £29,301 039-⁹² tons, £26,517,163; in 1884, 3,267,490 tons,’ ^    , ,708. lin, lead, and copper have participated in the fall,

and the returns from shipping investments are steadily declining. Great Britain is, of all civilised countries, the one which is least self-supporting, or, in other words, least able to feed her population without largely calling upon foreign nations for assistance, in return for which she offers them manufactured goods, and the products of her coal mines. The exports of coal are continually increasing, and reached a total of 21,685,801 tons—£10,095,808— for the eleven months of this year.

RAILWAY MATTERS.

We may direct attention of our readers to the article “On Economy in Railway Construction in India,” which will be found on page 409.

A despatch on the Eastern Railways Question says :—“ The Bulgarianrailway junction will cost about 20,000,0001'., and that the money will be provided from the proceeds of a tax on trade licences.”

The new extension of the London and North-Western Railway from Sutton Coldfield to Lichfield, which brings the latter place into direct railway communication with Birmingham, was opened for passenger traffic on the 15th inst.

On the 10th inst. a conference was held in Great George-street of the managers and solicitors to the principal railway companies in the United Kingdom with reference to the Bills promoted by them for the revision of their rates and tolls. After two hours’ consultation it was resolved to leave the future action of the companies in the hands of their solicitors. It is generally believed that the committee of selection will form a strong committee, to which all the Bills relating to tolls and fares will be referred.

Manufacturers in the M idlands are determined not to be outdone by the railway companies if they can help it. They are disgusted with the manner in which their representations have been received by the Clearing House authorities, but this treatment has only banded them in closer union. At a meeting of the Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce on Friday this vexed question was again discussed, and the Chamber determined to propose at the spring meeting of the associated Chambers in London, “ That no effort be spared to prevent the railway companies obtaining powers to increase their present legal maximum charges, either by terminal charges or otherwise.” Nor did the Chamber omit the question of canals. They decided to place a motion upon the agenda paper praying the Executive to endeavour to secure the reappointment of the Select Committee upon Canals.

At the last meeting of the German Society of Mechanical Engineers, Herr Reyman read a paper on the influence of the age of locomotives upon tlu; cost of keeping them in repair. He took the ground that the average expense of repair did not increase with the age of the locomotive, but was practically constant, even though we include under the head of repairs cases where large portions of the locomotive have to be actually renewed. He based his conclusions upon a large body of statistics mainly from the Berlin and Hamburg Railroad, the general result of which was that though the average age of the locomotives in use on the road between 1875 and 1883 had increased in the proportion of eleven years in thefoimer case to sixteen years in the latter,and theaverage for the boilers from eight in 1875 to twelve in 1883, there had been no increase in the expense of repairs, either per locomotive or per mile run. What slight variations there had been from year to year were due to purely accidental causes.

On Sunday a new bridge, carrying the Great Northern Railway across the Witham,near the Grand Sluice, Boston, was tested, and ononed for traffic. The bridge, one-half of which has been completed, is a handsome iron girder and suspension structure. It consists of three spans, 120ft., 60ft., and 100ft. long respectively. The vertical supports are iron cylinders, and at the ends the bridge rests on brick piers. The cost of the work will be from £12,000 to £14,000.

Ironworks, Leeds, the brickwork being a sub-contract by Mr. Shcrwin, of Boston. The testing of the bridge took place on Sunday, to avoid hindrance to the traffic. The alterations to the permanent way were made by a large staff of men, and the final levels were taken under the superintendence of Mr. C. Kirby, chief engineer of the district, and by Mr. 0. W. Phillips, second engineer. A singlo engine and tender were run over the bridge, which did not Bhow the slightest vibration ; and then two engines and tenders coupled together, weighing 132 tons, were run over. The utmost deviation, as shown by the levels and gauges, was fin. in the centre of the longest span. Mr. Kirby was satisfied with the test.

On Wednesday evening, shortly after six o’clock, a collision occurred at the West Croydon station of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. It seems that at the time mentioned the 3.40p.m. “pick-up” luggage train from Epsom to Willow-walk had arrived near to the West Croydon railway bridge when the rear brake-van was suddenly run into by the engine of the 5.55 up passenger train from Sutton to London Bridge. Such was the violence of the collision that it sounded to persons a quarter of a mile distant like an explosion. The effect on the goods train was that the centre trucks were piled one on top of another, while several were smashed to atoms. Two of the company’s servants— the guards of the goods train, named Duffin and Frost—received serious injuries to their heads and were removed to the hospital. Some of the passengers suffered severe shocks. It is stated that the accident would have been far more serious had not Millie, the driver of the passenger train, had the presence of mind to apply the Westinghouse brake, with which all this company’s trains are fitted. The up line was blocked, and the whole of the traffic, both up and down, had to be worked on the down line. The cause of the accident has not been definitely ascertained, but it is stated to be due to a misreading of the signals.

A GENERAL classification of the accidents on American lines in October is made as follows by the Railroad Gazette:—

Other.

10 .

.. 15 .

.. 54 ..

Negligence in operating was thus the chief general cause, covering 50J per cent, of all the accidents recorded. A division according to classes of trains and accidents is as follows:—

Accidents.

To passenger trains To a passenger and a

freight........

To freight trains ..    ..    26 .

48    ..    .. 54

cou

NOTES AND MEMORANDA.

During the week ending the 5tli inst. the five healthiest places Portsmouth, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Bristol, and London.

In Greater London 3129 births and 2199 deaths were registered during the week ending the 5th inst., equal to annual rates of 32T and 22’5 per 1000 of the population.

During the first ten weeks of the current quarter the London death-rate averaged 197 per 1000, against 20'8, 207, and 20⁻0 in the corresponding periods of 1881, 1882, and 1883.

The deaths registered during the week ending December 5th in twenty-eight great towns of England and Wales corresponded to annual rate of 24'4 per 1000 of their aggregate population, which is estimated at 8,702,354 persons in the middle of this year.

In London during the week ending the 5th inst. 2385 births and 1704 deaths were registered. Allowing for increase of population, the births were 203 and the deaths 95 below the average bers in the corresponding weeks of the last ten years. The annual death-rate from all causes, which had been 19 7 and 22'3 per 1000 in the two preceding weeks, rose to 22’9 last week.

Canvas bags, and, presumably, canvas clothes used by men in wet work, can, it is said, be made as impervious to moisture as leather, by steeping it in a decoction of one pound of oak bark with fourteen pounds of boiling water, this quantity being sufficient for eight yards of stuff. The cloth from which the bags are made has to soak twenty-four hou;s, when it is taken out, passed through running water, and hung up to dry.

During the week ending November 22nd, 1884, in twenty-nine cities of the United States, having an aggregate population of 7,078,300, there were 2825 deaths, which is equivalent to an annual death-rate of 207 per 1000. The rate in the North Atlantic cities was 19 1; in the Eastern cities, 21 0 ; in the Lake cities, 18'0 ; in the river cities, 20’2; and in the Southern cities, for the whites, 233, and for the coloured, 30'9 per 1000. Of all the deaths, 34‘8 per cent, were children under 5 years of age.

In Norway and Sweden accumulations of moss, often more than a foot thick, and half decomposed, serve to make paper and mill-board, as hard as wood, blocks of which, formed by the hydraulic press, may even be turn d in the lathe and polished. This substance is said to possess the good qualities of wood without the defects, such as warping and splitting, so that it is suitable for making doors and windows. Plant has, it is said, been laid down in Sweden for working up these deposits of a hitherto waste substance into a useful material.

If the practical or public development of the use of electricity is to proceed as slowly as did that of gas, there is time yet left for plenty of alterations and inventions to make it a commercial success. Common illuminating gas was first made by Dr. Hale in 1726; then Watson in 1750, Lord Dundonald in 1786, Murdock in 1792. Murdock was about the first to lay it on in pipes. Windsor formed the first gas company in 1803, and lighted Pall Mall, London, 1807, the streets of London and Paris in 1815, Baltimore in 1816. Boston in 1822, New York in 1825.

Professor Hermann’s apparatus for the valuation of lubricants consists of a perfectly cylindrical shaft about 10 cm. in length supported in two journals carried by a branched support which turns on a hinge, so that the shaft can be adjusted at an angle of 5 to 10 deg. to the horizon; the upper end of the shaft carries a handle, whereby it can be rotated. To use the apparatus, a bent piece of the same inetal as that to which the lubricant is to be applied, is placed astride of the shaft, and suitably weighted, and the number of turns of the handle requisite to cause it to slide along the shaft for a given distance with various lubrication, are noted. The greater the distance travelled for a given number of revolutions of the shaft, the more efficient the lubrication.

Some interesting data are drawn from a comparison of the prices of glass at various periods since 1702. In that year, the Plumber and Decorator says, a square metre of glass cost 165 silver livres; in 1802 it cost 205f., and in 1884, 40f. A four-metre square of glass cost, in 1702, 2750 silver livres ; in 1802, 3044f.; and in 1884, 227f. The increase in price noted between 1702 and 1802 marks the increase in price of all articles which took place in the eighteenth century; but from 1802 the price of manufactured glass has been on a continuous declining scale In still more recent years the quotations of large glass have still further fallen off. In 1873 a ten-metre square of glass cost 1200f.; last year it was to be bought at 830f., and a still lower level will no doubt be reached as the processes of glass manufacture are perfected.

A new process in tin-plate making consists in operating by mechanical means upon the sheets of metal emerging from the bath in which they are coated as to dispense with “ the wash-pot or brushing over,” and to yield covered sheets free from scurff and imperfections, and with a better finish than 'is otherwise given. This is accomplished by causing the sheets as they emerge from the bath to be guided by rollers, covered with molten grease so as to avoid exposure to the air, between washing rollers kept covered with molten metal. The washing rollers do not bear on the sheet, but are so closely adjusted as to wash off the scum and refuse on its surface. On leaving the washing rollers the plate, still passing through a bath of grease to prevent exposure, is passed through finishing rollers to remove the excess of metal, and finally through a pair of improving rollers which bear against each other by means of springs, and thus lightly nipping the sheet between them, impart a smooth surface and finish to the metallic covered sheet.

The only zinc works in Spain belong to the Societe Royale Asturienne. They are located at Arnao, near Aviles, in Asturias, in a small coal basin, separated from the central coal basin. These works treat ores coming from the provinces of Santander and Guipuzcoa, with twenty-two Belgian furnaces, blende roasting furnaces, and a sheet zinc rolling plant. In 1881 320 men were employed. In 1881 the production was 4910 metric tons of zinc from 13,000 tons of ore, while in the preceding year it was only 4221 tons. The production of sheet zinc was 2125 tons. In 1881 the export [of spelter amounted to 1743 metric tons, of which 1515 tons went to France and 228 tons to Cuba. It appears, therefore, that the consumption of Spain is 1042 tons of spelter and 2125 tons of sheet zinc—a total of 3167 tons. In 1881 the export of zinc ore was 39,774 tons, of which 31,227 tons were calamine and 8547 tons were blende. Adding to these figures the 13,000 tons treated at Arnao, a total of 53,834 tons is reached, or more than 10,000 tons more than the production returned by official statistics.

MISCELLANEA.

A paper was read last week at the Society of Arts, by Mr. A. Jurgens, and both it and the discussion upon it showed that butterine, or oleomargarine, is now an artificial material better than much of the common article sold as butter.

The largest casting ever made in Canada, it is claimed, was made, says the Liverpool Journal of Commerce, on November 25th, when one of the large pump cylinders for the Toronto waterworks pumping engine was successfully cast at Messrs. Inglis and Hunter’s foundry.

Telegraphic communication lias now been established between the Sunk Lightship and the shore at Ramsgate. The messages are conveyed direct to the local post-office. This lightship will be connected with several others, and it will enable assistance to bo despatched to distressed vessels with much greater promptitude than heretofore.

The Ventnor Local Board, at a meeting held on the 15th inst., resolved to give their surveyor—Mr. R. S. Scott, C.E.—an honorarium of £100 in recognition of the special services rendered by him while acting as engineer for a Bill, which passed through Parliament last session, empowering the Local Board to construct a new promenade pier, roads, and other town improvements.

The Director of Navy Contracts—Mr. John Collett—has been conferring with the Dudley Chamber of Commerce this week upon the Admiralty contracts. Mr. Collett’s attention was called to the fact that the East India Company’s breaking strength of cables was higher than the Admiralty’s, and that the latter was not high enough to secure the best iron and workmanship, since ordinary iron would stand the Admiralty tests. The standard would bo sufficient if the tensile stress remained, but the breaking strain wanted increasing 50 per cent. Other points were raised, and Mr. Collett’s visit was held by the chamber to have been most satisfactory.

hi. A. Dumont has brought before the F’rench Academy of Science a project for constructing a sewer 152 kilos., or about 100 miles long, from Paris to a covered reservoir below Herblay, on the right bank of the Seine, and between Dieppe and Treport, to convey to sea the sewage of the French metropolis, pumping stations being established at Eragny and Sdrifontaine. It is estimated that for two-thirds of the year almost the whole quantity of sewago will be absorbed by irrigation without its reaching the sea at all. The cost of the undertaking is estimated at 60,000,000f.— £2,400,000—while the expenses of the pumping stations would bo covered by the sale of sewage for irrigation.

Writing to the editor of the Standard, in reference to the London Milk Supply from Holland and the keeping of milk sweet, by icing or other means, a correspondent says : “1 repeatedly saw the late Mr. Andrew Crosse, in his laboratory at F'yne Court, make experiments in subjecting milk to electric action, whereby it was kept sweet for weeks together. In the ‘ Memorials of Andrew Crosse,’ p. 219, the very simple arrangement is described :—‘ Two cylinders of sheet zinc and sheet iron are severally placed in two porous earthenware tubes, open at the top, closed at the bottom, the same being filled with water, and connected at the top by a copper riband. The earthenware vessels are placed in the fluid (milk or other), and the electrical action immediately commences, and the fluid becomes antiseptic in a few hours.'

* Milk has been kept sweet for three weeks by this process in the middle of summer,’ p. 221.”

The following information is given by the Sanitary Engineer from Mr. Dexter Brackett, Assistant City Engineer of Boston, in reference to the breakage of cement lined water pipes connected with the Mystic supply. “The pipe distribution system of the Mystic works was originally laid in 1864-08, with wrought iron and cement pipe. In Charlestown, where the pipe system is controlled by the city of Boston, the greater portion of the cement-lined pipes have been replaced by cast iron. The cities of Somerville and Chelsea own and control their pipe systems. Their cement-lined pipes are in a very bad condition, and recently there were thirty-nine breaks or bursts in the Somerville mains in about two weeks. These bursts occasion a large waste of water, and as this water is supplied by the Boston works, the Boston Water Board is desirous of having some steps taken to remedy the trouble. As is the case in many small cities, the cost of relaying the pipes is a serious obstacle to the prompt remedying of the trouble.”

THE VICTORIA ELECTRIC LIGHTING INSTALLATION — DETAILS.

MESSRS. R. E. CROMPTON AND CO., ENGINEERS.

(For description see wje 459.)

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Wk illustrate above a 120-horse power horizontal tandem engine constructed by Messrs. Simpson and Co., of Pimlico, for the Gillingham Portland Cement Company, near Chatham, where it has been at work for the past two years driving machinery in connection with cement making. The cylinders are

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runs at 100 revolutions per minute, is provided with a very New Dock at Boston.—A new dock, which has been constructed heavy fly-wheel, as its principal work is in driving millstones at at Boston, at a cost of £120,000, was opened on the 15th inst. The a high velocity. There is a jet condenser and an air pump entrance of the first vessel, the Myrtle, of Sunderland, worked by an excentric attached to the engine. The cylinders steamer of 1800 tons, was watched by many thousands of people, are fitted with variable cut-off plates working on the backs of |nchiding the Mayor and several members of the corporation. It

is expected that a large coal trade will take place from Boston, which is now by far the nearest port of the collieries of Nottingham and South Yorkshire, and also the nearest port for the great commercial centres of the Midland Counties. We shall give a full account of the works in an early issue,

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Diameter and stroke of low-pressure cylinder, 24in. by 24in.; number of revolutions per minute, 110 ; vacuum gauge, 27in.

the main valves, that on the high pressure being adjustable by hand whilst the engine is at work. The piston rod, crank pin, and valve spindles are all made of steel, and the engine is well designed, having ample bearing surface, and is one well adapted for high speed.

Messrs. Simpson and Co. are to be congratulated on having designed such an exceedingly neat and compact form of tandem engine, which* not only occupies a small space in comparison to the power exerted, but is also very economical in steam consumption.

Natural Gas v. Coal.—The steadily increasing use of natural gas in Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio, for manufacturing purposes as well as for lighting, suggests the possibility that its employment may soon have a depressing effect on the anthracite and bituminous coal business over a considerable section of country. A Pittsburg paper, referring to this matter, says: “In so far as natural gas has been applied to the manufacture of iron, steel, and glass, the quality of the products is rather in its favour. For stean raising it is very superior to solid fuel, not merely in the lessening of labour and freedom from ashes, but in that the heat can be more equally distributed lengthwise and around the boilers to the benefit of the latter in the matter of safety and durability. It is safe to say that the use of gas fuel in this locality now supplants the use of several thousand tons of coal each week, and there is no doubt that the use of gas fuel will largely increase in the near future.. Coal proprietors who have depended upon manufactories for their business already feel the local rivalry of this wonderful and valuable agent for the industries, and this competition between coal and natural gas can only be measured by the gas developments of the future.”

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Office, 8, Dalhousie-terrace, Edinburgh, December 15th.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOE.

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our correspondents.] cooper’s hill college.

Sir,—In several letters in your columns on this subject I have remarked the assertion that Cooper’s Hill College is maintained more or less “ at the cost of the public,” or “at the expense of the taxpayer.” Without qualification, these expressions are misleading, and are, in fact, whether so intended or not, a suggestio falsi, as the College being in England, those not intimately acquainted with the facts—probably the majority of your readers—will at once surmise that it is the British taxpaying public who is thus mulcted. It is therefore only fair to clearly state that this is not the case. Any deficiency of expenses incurred in working the College is wholly reimbursed by the Government of India. In particular I may note that no one would gather this from the terms of Professor Shaw’s original letter on this subject. Whether or not it is a fair charge on the revenues of India is a matter of opinion that can be adequately j udgod of only by those who have formed their opinions on the subject from actual experience in India. I altogether deny the ability of mere doctrinaires and professors of theoretical engineering for doing so. My own opinion is, that while the College has not been altogether the success it was intended to be financially, yet the annual charge on the Indian revenues due to recurring deficiencies is a mere fieabite compared to the advantages obtained to the public service by having a body of men thoroughly well educated to fit them to become successful civil engineers after due training in India. The Cooper’s Hill men have not yet had the opportunity of showing what they are capable of. Tho senior men of them are only just commencing to emerge from the ranks of assistant engineers, and get executive charge of divisions. It will still be some years before they will get the really important works into their hands. I, for one, believe that then they will be quite capable of rendering a good account of themselves. Even now-a-days they have the ability to at least escape the charge of utter imbecility in their work that so frequently distinguished many of the hard bargains in the employ of Government as civil engineers prior to tho great clear-out of October, 1879. As an example, I have known cant put on tho inside instead of the outside rail of a railway curve; but the civil engineer in charge was not a Cooper’s Hill man.

There is a small clique of disappointed civil engineers in the Public Works Department, who so frequently vent their chagrin and spite by attacks on both Royal Engineers and Cooper's Hill men, that I am not surprised to see the indirect effect of this unscrupulous and indiscriminate abuse now reflecting itself in the columns of journals at home; but in the end it can only reflect itself on its authors.

Employed as an engineer in India, though belonging to none of the contending or interested parties, I will, with your permission,

Impartial.

Sir,—I will uso but a very short space in your columns, hut seeing that after all this controversy on this subject none of your correspondents have touched tho one chief point of interest to engineers, and which shows tho absurdity of tho Government position, I must say a few words, namely, that as soon as the Cooper’s Hill College was started for the preparation of cheap engineers the Government increased tho salaries which had been previously offered, and failed to attract good engineers in any number by from two to three times. They refused to pay first-class men fair salaries, established a College, and then found the Cooper’s Hill men must be paid as much as though they had educated themselves. Tho College is thus a completely additiona

One of the Stanley Brigade.

THE PROSPECTS OF YOUNG ENGINEERS.

Sir,—I have read with interest the letters from your correspondents on the above Bubject. More particularly was I struck by the letter of “W.” in yoin⁻ issue of August 2f)th. In your answers to correspondents you say that “ there is no more chance nployrnent without interest in Australia than there is here for engineers.” This remark may afffily to the large cities, such as Sydney or Melbourne; but they form a very small part of tho field in which engineers in Australia look for employment. Speaking of myself, I certainly have no interest to help me on; but have never, since starting on my own account seven years ago, had any difficulty in obtaining employment at remunerative prices. I should mention that during the time stated I have been engaged on surveys for different departments and also individuals.

I was surprised, in reading “W.s” letter, to see the small salaries given to civil engineers in England. He also speaks of tho difficulty in obtaining employment there. That an “ accurate surveyor ’ should roceive only £li0 to £100 completely “knocked” The usual wages paid to labourers in Queensland, which colony I am better acquainted with than the others, is 4.r)s. a week, or 41117 per annum. In a railway survey camp, for instance, a ohainman gets £3 a week, out of which, after paying for his rations, ho clears £2 10s. The surveyors themselves are paid from £500 to £700 per annum. Most of the surveyors in Australia are employed on contract work for the Lands Department. The rates paid vary according to the difficulties encountered. Where the jungle is dense and the niggers troublesome, making it necessary for every man to carry his “ shooting iron,” very high rates are paid. I have known a surveyor, under unusually favourable circumstances, to do £80 worth of work in one day, with only one man to help him. This was in Victoria, when the rates were higher than they are now. As a rule surveyors, like sailors, are a very improvident class, and frequently lead people to suppose in consequence that they are very badly off; but I never knew a really hard-working man—unless a bard drinker, which many of them are—to be unable to make a fair income, taking one year with another. In stations where dam-making is going on, a man with a fair knowledge of levelling and calculating earthwork would have no difficulty in obtaining employment at from £3 to £4 per week. I have known an engineer to have several different kinds of work almost thrust on him, although he openly professed to understand one branch of engineering only. He had in hand at one time the supervision of the erection of two sugar mills, an iron bridge, the improvement of all the roads in a district forty miles long, kc. kc., and told mo that lie wished his various employers would not ask him to do so much, but that he did not like to disappoint them. As he was paid separately for each piece of work, you may be sure he would not refuse anything he could find time to do. In the same district, the Divisional Board invited applications from men willing to carry out the duties of clerk of works, and received only two replies. The salary was £350 per annum. I could give you hundreds of instances where men who were anything but accurate surveyors get from £4 to £0 per week.

I must apologise for encroaching so much on your space, but was induced to do so, as from your replies to “ W. ,T. B.” and “ E. R.” it might bo inferred that in any part of Australia engineers cannot find employment, whereas your remark applies only to the large cities. I shall be glad to furnish further particulars to any of your readers who may be desirous of hearing about the prospects of young engineers in Queensland, and enclose my address.

Queensland, October 15th.

THE EFFICIENCY OF FANS.

Sib,—A controversy seems to have raged for some time past regarding the work done by ventilating fans. I fear Prof. Herschel’s somewhat obscure utterances on the subject have not cleared away much of the fog that appears to hang round it. I jam glad to observe the very sensible letter printed in your last issue,

in which Mr. It. Snowdon warns your feaders that the pressure measured in any passage depends entirely upon the manner in which the open end of the pipe leading to the pressure gauge is placed. This is a point that must be always borne in mind in making any tests of such machines.

Of course the main part of the useful mechanical work done in actual mine ventilation is done in overcoming what is termed the “ drag,” that is the resistance to the passage of the current or currents of air through long and tortuous passages; this drag being due to friction against the walls and to viscous friction, and to eddies generated in the air current by its being broken up by the very numerous irregular projections and hollows in the walls of the passages.

But this is not the question that has been discussed lately. The question is, How to measure the work done by a fan independently of any measurement of frictional or eddy resistances outside the fan itself. To me this seems a simple enough question, if we neglect the work done on friction in the passages of the fan itself, which portion of the work done is certainly in all practical cases a very small fraction of the whole, and which can in any case be roughly allowed for by multiplying by an estimated coefficient of frictional efficiency.

All that has to be done is to go back to plain and well-understood hydrodynamic and thermodynamic principles. If the pressure at entrance be p, and the volume entering the fan per second be V; the air being driven in by the pressure of the air behind it, the work so done by the atmosphere in driving air through the fan isp V. If the pressure at exit be ft and the volume discharged from the fan per second be V₂, then we have similarly the work done by the outflowing air on the atmosphere is pV₃. If W be the work done by the fan per second in driving the air through itself, the whole gain of energy per second on the part of the air in passing through the fan is W + p V - ft V₂.

This energy gained or woi k done on the air is spent in three ways: The first part is very small, and may be taken first because it is simplest to consider—it consists in the raising or lowering of the level of the air. For clearness sake, consider that the discharge opening is higher than the suction opening, so that positive work is done in raising the air through, say, a height h. If V be measured in cubic feet and p in pounds per square foot and h in feet, and if w be the weight in pounds per cubic foot of the air at the density it has at entering, then the work done in raising it is w V h. The second part is its increased energy of resilience, or the work done in compressing it. Since p and ft are never different, except by a quantity bearing only a very small ratio to either pressure, we may take the mean pressure during this compression as

V.9₁ and thus the work done in compressing the air is i (P + ft) (V- V,).

The third part of the gain of energy is that represented by increased energy of motion, i.c., increased kinetic energy. The

y

velocity at entrance in feet per second is — if A bo the suction area in square feet; and tho velocity at discharge is similarly ^‘4 if

A*

Aj| be tho discharge area whore the pressure ft is measured, gain of kinetic energy is, therefore,

We equate tho sum of these three parts of the total gain of energy —each of which may in special cases become negative, for example, as when h is negative, meaning that tho discharge outlet is lower in level than the inlet—to the amount of work done on the air; thus,

2 fir

or the work done by the fan per second is W = w V h + h (V + Vf) (ft -p) + W.

This equation is true whatever bo tho thermal conditions under which the work is done. Hut it becomes much simpler if we assume that the air passes through the fan so quickly that it has no time either to take up from, or lose to, tho walls and blades of tho fan any heat by conduction. Under the condition, the relation between the change of pressure and the change of volume is

1⁷<s

Therefore, we have with close approximation w V ⁸

TO-"*)-¹]

equals the velocity in feet per second at the inlet. If h, = O and A₂ = A, the formula simplifies to

x 1-4 5 J

= v -U-where ~ is the “ height due to the velocity ” at the inlet measured

in feet, and where p is to be taken in lbs. per sq. foot, p never varies much from 14‘7 lb. per square inch, which corresponds to about 400in. of water gauge. The difference of pressure is never more than a few inches of water gauge, so that 8, which is the ratio of this difference to p, is a very small fraction. To express this last formula in terms of the water-gauge difference between inlet and outlet, let G inches be this difference, so that (ft — p) == 5’2 G. Take also w the weight in lbs. per cub. ft. of air = ‘08; so

that

■yyft. lbs. — 5‘2 Q ins. yc. a.

?- is to be taken in feet.

2y

I think that this shows that Professor Herschel’s proposed rule is incorrect. The quantity —-j~ is so small that tho subtraction of it may practically be omitted. When the fan is at work at the mine the pressure p at the inlet will be below atmospheric pressure by an amount corresponding to *— plus the drag

■P

of the mine—which drag, of course, itself depends on the velocity. Professor Herschel seems to assume that the pressure ft at the outlet is also below atmospheric pressuro by an amount corresponding to

corresponding to — as supposed by Professor Herschel, because 2 U

I consider it quite certain that most of the kinetic energy of outflow is spent in overcoming frictional and eddy-making resistance in the outside atmosphere, being eventually converted into heat.

Mason College, Birmingham,    ROBERT H. Smith.

December 9 th.

ELECTRIC LIGHT CABLES.

Sir,—I am glad to see, by Principal Jamieson’s and Mr. Becking-sale’s letters to you, that they confirm the accuracy of the practical information I communicated through your columns outhis subject. But as Mr. Lorrain has called in question my knowledge of chemistry, I hope you will allow me room for a line or two of explanation. As far back as 1838 I erected a laboratory for the purpose of carrying on private investigations into scientific matters. It was in this laboratory that the first effort was made by man to determine the amount of force exerted by the explosion of gases. A detailed account of these experiments was published in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal of 1843. But it is my knowledge of chemical analysis which Mr. Lorrain calls in question, and he writes: “ It is absurd to talk of the galvanic action set up by any natural process between the metallic bases of the quartz and the lead,” and he asks me “to mention the electrolyte and give equations for their reaction.” Now it would have been just as wise of Mr. Lorrain if he had asked me to give the electrolyte and equations for the process by which diamonds are made in the bowels of the earth. The following practical information is more to the point in hand:—Upwards of forty years ago I saw a cast iron water pipe lifted out of the streets of Greenock, where part of it had lain in a small bed of sand which crossed the path of the pipe. On the exterior of it, at the part where it had lain in the sand, there were attached to the pipe nodules which were conglomerates of sand and oxide of iron. Inside the pipe, opposite to each of the outer nodules, there was a corresponding nodule formed of oxide of iron. These inside nodules were in shape like those found in cavities in hematite. It was self-evident that the inner nodules were produced by a galvanic action, which came through tho body of the iron of the pipe from the nodules of sand and iron oxide on the outside of the pipe. This formation of nodules in iron water pipes, and consequent destruction of the pipes, is not peculiar to this country. It occurs in other lands where iron water pipes are used. As to lead pipes, I have never seen the sand adhering to them except when there had been lime among the sand. The common appearance of pipes which have lain in sand some time is, that the surface of them is covered with a multitude of small holes like pock-pits on a man’s face; and if the pipes lie long enough in sand they are entirely consumed by this galvanic action. If these facts had been known to Air. Lorrain I think it improbable that he would have laid so many important

James Johnstone.

TIDAL ACTION.

Sir,—At last, after a series of letters which can hardly have been interesting to your readers, except as specimens of epistolary sparring, I am sanguine that I have brought Mr. Boult to bay. He wishes now to learn “ upon what facts Mr. Snowdon’s opinions are based.” They appear to him to be “ very misty and vague,” and he hopes I “ will make them more definite as facts, and not assumptions,” that is to say, wo must hark back to my very first letter upon this subject. I therein pointed out what probably most of those conversant with the nature of wave undulations generally would have little difficulty in understanding, and at tho same time I based what I said regarding ordinary aqueous waves upon a solid foundation of facts, which are verifiable by anyone interested who will observe them in the manner I suggested ; and then I pointed out tho complete analogy between these and their huge analogues, tho secondary tidal waves, by reference to maps of the cotides, which show the position of the summit of any given tidal wavo at successive stages of an hour in its progress—pretty positive facts, which, with tho conclusions I drew from them at the time, I thought might induce some qualified persons to take an interest in the matter.

Mr. Boult has not been able to point out any facts really at variance with what I said, and all that he has written has but strengthened my conviction that there are no well-grounded arguments to be opposed to my conclusions. Those who have followed this discussion will recollect that I pointed out that it was reasonable to expect that the tidal waves, as well as ordinary billows, were—in a manner which I had not leisure to more than indicate briefly—capable of exhibiting the phenomena of interference, nodes, refraction, and reflection—causes whoso existence is certain, and I may add, demon.-, table—are in operation which must produce those effects. Mr. Boult appears to me to be essentially a practical man who must, so to speak, stumble over a thing before ho can believe in its existence, and I think makes a mistake when he ventures upon theory.

Mr. Boult had a great curiosity from tho first to know on what grounds I asserted that the high-water I described as passing Van Diemen’s land at regular intervals becomes, as stated by me, simply a monster wave, and how this wave was produced ; thereupon I quoted Newton’s law of gravitation for him, and referred him to the text books. He then told me that he had not asked me to explain the equilibrium theory of tides, but upon what grounds I asserted that the high-water which passes Van Diemen’s land became simply a monster wave. I then gave him an explanation which you printed in The Engineer for November 21st.

Still Mr. Boult was not satisfied, and to my surprise he then gratuitously quoted from “Brand’s Dictionary of Science,” &c., explanation of the equilibrium theory—as ho calls it—of the tides, as though I had shown ignorance of the causes, and he again wanted to know how the high waves passes Van Diemen’s Land, kc. Hereupon I pointed out to him that everything connected with the equilibrium theory had been present to my mind throughout the discussion; but it looked like folly to minister to his caprice by attempting a third explanation of the origin of tho secondary waves. This brings us down to your issue of 12th inst., and then I find, with a tenacity which is almost incredible, he still wants to know “ how it is the two irregular primary heaps of water and the waves arising from them are produced; and how the high water which passes Van Diemen’s Land and nowhere else becomes a monster wave.”

Sir, I never till now realised that it was necessary to explain that by the high water which I described as passing Van Diemen’s Land and, as 1 might have added at first if writing for schoolboys, Australia, the South end of Africa, ditto America—see my letter of 18th ult.— and the intermediate space every twelve hours, I simply meant the great primary waves which are tolerably well developed in the southern hemisphere, the hemisphere of water, and which sweep round the earth in those latitudes in the I described. Again, notwithstanding what I had stated about the refraction, &c. &c., of tidal waves—I hope the reader will bear in mind that I am speaking more particularly of secondary tidal waves, i.e., offshoots from the primary upheavals; see my letter in Engineer of November 21st—he subsequently criticises me in this fashionAir. Snowdon is quite correct in assuming”—this assumption (?) happily received favour—“ that the general progress of the tides is westward, but is he aware that throughout Europe, except in some parts of the Mediterranean, the progress is ward?” and, like an expert controversialist, raises irrelevant questions, and, as I pointed out the last time he gave me occasion to write, manufactures opposition by ascribing to me opinions which I never expressed or implied.

I gave my original contribution on this subject in the interests of science, and had no desire to enter into—and I am sorry so much of your space has been taken up with—a discussion of scarcely more than a mere personal interest, and I am glad that at length it

R. Snowdon.

under the moon.

/'P

There is no

see,

means

I fancy a small diagram will clear up all. Mr. Snowdon seems to think that a wave is suddenly made in the I’acific. Nothing of the kind takes place. There has always been a displacement of the water level since themoon revolved round the earth. The earth is round, and the water elliptical, and it has always been so, as shown in my sketch.    M. C.

Westminster, December 17th.

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P. W. Willans.

assume a

Edward J. M. Davies.

W. 8. Lockhart.

cations were read

a screen.

screws

In one of the old books it is

con-

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Their names were

as

appears to Mr. Boult “useless to prolong this discussion.” The only modification my belief has undergone during this discussion is one which widens the gap between us, and where in my first letter I said, “ I quite agree with Mr. Boult that the funnel shape of an estuary has practically nothing to do with high tidal ranges simply in virtue of its funnel shape,” I would now say that the taper of the estuary or strait has a great effect in raising or lowering the height of the wave, according as it is moving from where the section is large to where it is small, or vice vend.

In conclusion, I disclaim any intention of speaking flippantly of men eminent in science, such as Admiral Fitzroy, Dr. Whewell, and others; they are worthy of all honour. I am far from having disrespect for the lights of other days.

Hough Green, Whines, Dec. 14th.

Sir,—Will Mr. Snowdon excuse me if I say that I am quite at a loss to understand what he means, or what his tidal theory is? Perhaps this is my fault; perhaps it is his; but I will take it for granted that my obtuseness, not his want of lucidity, are to blame.

As I understand him, a great monster wave is set up in the Pacific every twelve hours approximately. Mr. Boult has asked whence this wave comes; and Mr. Snowdon refers him to the equilibrium theory. But the equilibrium theory says nothing about monster waves. What takes place according to that theory is this:—Let E be the earth. Then the water is attracted at A by the moon, and rises; and at B the earth is attracted away from the water, which virtually rises; and at D C we have low water. And the C high water may be said to run round the earth, in the direction of the arrow, after the moon; which accounts for the changes in time of high water, while the rotation of the earth causes the apparent progression of the tide as different portions of the sea are brought This is the broadest possible statement of the theory of the tides, without any reference to the influence of the sun’s attraction, the part played by continents, &c.; but, so far as it goes, the statement is substantially accurate. Now will Mr. Snowdon favour me by giving a simple diagram showing what his notion of the formation of a Pacific wave is? My notion is that the tide apparently moves round the earth, as shown by the dotted lines —the full lines A and B showing high water at one time, the dotted lines C and D showing the tidal position in, say, an hour afterwards, sudden upheaval here, so far as I can and unless Mr. Snowdon by “ monster wave ” the crest of high water—as H in the sketch—I do not know what he means.

driving dynamo-electric machines.

Sir,—With reference to your article last week, may I be allowed to say that out of upwards of forty electric governors constructed or now in course of construction by my firm, no single one has been applied with the intention of maintaining a constant speed of motor at all times. In the case of engines driving dynamos for lighting in series, it is, of course, desirable to reduce the speed considerably as lamps are thrown out of circuit, in order to maintain a constant current through the remainder. The same applies to engines driving dynamos for electrotyping, with the baths in series.

In the case of incandescent lighting, the changes in the speed of the engine are not required to be so large, but the electrical governor is invariably found to maintain a more constant potential than a mechanical one, under great variations in load or steam pressure, and its use renders a pure shunt machine—always the most economical one—a more efficient regulator than the best compound wound machines usually are. For these reasons electrical governors must eventually supersede mechanical ones in cases where the engine is used solely or mainly for the production of the electric current, but their chief merit will only be recognised when they are employed to govern the lighting at points distant from the generating machinery. No speed governor can control the potential at points where there is no machinery, and that is the problem with which we shall shortly have to deal.

Ferry Works, Thames Ditton, Surrey,

December 18th.

[We the more willingly publish Mr. Willans’ letter as it deals with governing engines to suit the load and not to maintain a uniform speed—two very different things. It was with the supposed necessity, and supposed superiority of electric governors for the latter purpose, that we dealt, having in view also the impracticable thing which had been brought forward by Mr. Jamieson to do what mechanical governors would not do, in maintaining uniformity.—Ed. E.]    _

WHAT IS ELECTRICITY?

Sir,—Seeing a letter on the above in your journal of last week, by Mr. James Johnstone, I beg to say that I propounded a theory in explanation in an introduction to a paper on “ The Qualities of Metals for Various Purposes,” read by me before a students’ meeting of the Institution of Civil Engineers in January last. The theory was based on an assumption that originally all matter had a common characteristic, and was composed of particles of free matter, this name being given by me to distinguish it from matter as is usually understood, and that these particles of free matter were of the same size and weight, and were constantly in a state of motion; and further, that these particles united together in various proportions to form groups, usually called atoms; that the number of particles in a group gave a characteristic weight and property peculiar to all similar groups, thus accounting for the different atomic weights and characteristics of the elements known to chemists. The next hypothesis was, that the atoms have a motion peculiar to themselves, independent of the motion of the particles of free matter composing it; and I suggested in my paper an analogy between the various planetary systems and the planets composing them, the range or amplitude of motion being in the one case an infinitesimal, and in the other or planetary system many millions of miles, and therefore having a finite value. I then suggested that heat, sound, and other phenomena were the results of the courses, motion, or vibration of the atoms themselves; whereas the phenomena of electricity, light, Ac., were the result of the more delicate motions of the particles of free matter composing these atoms; and I accounted for an electric current on the assumption that the general tendency in nature is to level, and that in a circuit or conductor, if the motion of the particles of free matter were greater in one part of the conductor than another, the result would be a transfer of this motion from particle to particle until equilibrium was established. Therefore, when we speak of electro-motive force, we mean a relative motion of the particles of free matter. Space will prevent my dilating any more on the subject, but, in conclusion, I may say that this theory brought forward by me in January, 1884, has been substan tially supported by the theory brought forward by Sir Wm. Thomson in the following September, in his address to the members of the British Association assembled at Philadelphia.

London, December 15th.

HYDRAULIC WHEEL PRESS.

Sir,—I have been surprised to see in the account of the hydraulic wheel press in your last week’s issue that the arrangement for tripping the suction valves of the pressure pumps has been made the subject of a recent patent. This plan of stopping the action of a pump at any desired point is very effectual, but there is nothing new about it, and about ten years ago I had pumps with trip gear precisely similar in principle under my care, the only difference oeing that there it was automatic in its action, while in the pumps you describe it is not so.

I do not mention the name of the firm of engineers who made these pumps, as I have not their permission to do so, but I was not aware at the time that the arrangement in question was the subject of any patent, and my object in writing is to point out that there is, at any rate now, no novelty in it.

Fenchurch House, 7, Fenchurch-street, London, December 11th.

THE PHYSICAL SOCIETY.

At the last meeting of this Society, held on December 13th, Professor Guthrie, president, in the chair, the following communi-“ On the Effect of an Electrical Current on the Rate of Thinning of a Liquid F’ilm,” by. Professors A. W. Reinold, F.R.S., and A. W. Rucker, F.R.S., read by Professor Reinold. In 1877 the authors communicated to the Royal Society an account of some experiments upon the electrical resistance of liquid films. The result then obtained showed that there was some disturbing influence present, and the authors now find this to be the action of the current upon the film itself. The films experimented on were, as in the original experiments, cylindrical and vertical, formed upon two co-axial platinum rings which are the electrodes by which an electric current can enter and leave the film. The mode of formation of these films, and the precautions necessary to keep them from gaining or losing moisture by condensation or evaporation have been already described before the Royal Society—Phil. Trans., 1881, Part II. When such a film just formed is left to itself it shows a set of colours of different orders arranged in horizontal bands. As it thins under the action of gravity these bands gradually broaden out and descend; a black band soon appears at the top, which likewise extends downwards. If a current is now passed downwards through the film the motion of the colour bands is accelerated, showing that the effect of the current is to assist gravity in thinning the film; the black band, however, becomes in part or entirely white. This upon examination is found to be due to the following action:—The film is not directly dependent upon the upper ring, but is attached to it by a comparatively thick mass of liquid. The action of the current is to transfer liquid in its own direction, thus, like gravity, thinning the film. The mass of liquid, however, on which the film hangs by this same action is forced down into the black portion, which consequently becomes white. If the current be passed upwards, the reverse effects occur; the downward motion of the bands is retarded, or, with a strong current, reversed. The explanation is precisely the same as before; the liquid is transferred along the film in the direction of the positive current; it sometimes collects in the form of pendent drops attached to the upper ring ; these increase in size, and stream down the sides of the film. Professor Reinold then formed a plane film between two horizontal wires. The film was illuminated by the limelight, and its image projected upon The motion of the bands of colour in the direction of the current produced by fifty Grove’s cells was clearly shown.

In a discussion which followed upon the transference of matter with the current, Professor Ayrton described some experiments recently made by Professor Perry and himself, which showed that certain metals were carried through mercury in the direction of the current. Mr. Boys remarked upon the apparent inertia of the film. The current seemed to require time to developc its action, no motion of the colour rings being visible for some seconds after making the current.

Dr. Stone exhibited a tuning-fork interrupter commutator. This is an instrument for reversing an electric current through a circuit a given number of times per second. From the free end of a spring, kept vibrating in unison with an electrically maintained fork by an electro-magnet in the circuit of the fork, acting upon an iron armature attached to the spring, project two small aluminium plates, side by side, but insulated by ebonite from the spring and from each other. These are connected by fine wires, which do not interfere with the vibration of the spring, to upon the base of the instrument, to which the poles of a battery are joined. The motion of each plate is arrested upwards and downwards by aluminium stops, so that there are four such stops arranged at the corners of a rectangle. They are connected in pairs, diagonally, and each pair is in communication with one end of the external circuit. Thus, when the spring is up, the current flows to the aluminium plates, and is transmitted through the circuit in one direction; when the spring is down it flows by the lower stops in the opposite direction. The electro-motive force is thus reversed in the circuit twice as many times as the fork vibrates per second.

Mr. Lev,'is Wright exhibited his new oxyhydrogen lantern microscope. Details of this instrument will shortly be published. Geological, medical, and biological specimens w’ere exhibited upon the screen with great distinctness, the definition being singularly perfect under the highest powers.

ON PERSONAL SAFETY' WITH ELECTRIC CUllllENTS.

By Professor A. E. Dolbear.

The serious accidents which have occurred within the past four or five years through accidental contacts with wires carrying strong electric currents lmve seemed to call attention to the necessity of providing safeguards against such mishaps. It is probable that carelessness has been the cause of most of the accidents reported, and it is true that if weak currents only were used nobody could be hurt. It is, however, worth while to consider the electrical relations of the human body in order to learn where danger lies. I have noted in various places the opinions of different persons as to what constituted a safe current, stated a “ a spark 18in. long begins to be dangerous.” In another place one says that a difference of potential of 800 volts is too high an electro-motive force for individual safety.

Now a difference of potential of 1000 volts will not give a jumping spark the hundredth of an inch long. The electro-motive force developed by the Holtz electro machine may be as high as 50,000 volts, and the spark from it will at most give a spasmodic jerk to the elbow and no manner of hurt come of it or of repeated shocks from it, so that more than difference of potential must be sidered in determining what is dangerous about electricity. The ability of electricity to do work of any kind, destructive physiological work as well as any other, depends upon both difference of potential and current strength, and the amount of work is proportional to the time also. Now the discharge from a Holtz machine through a short wire may give a very strong current ;

for example, let E =- 50,000 volts, R = -001 ohm, then

= 50,000,000—fifty millions of ampbres; but the wire may show no sign of being injured, for the time of the current passage was too short, probably less than the millionth of a second. If the discharge had continued for an appreciable part of a second the wire would have been vaporised. The discharge is probably equally quick when taken on the knuckles, but there is not enough energy to hurt anything. Again, the amount that will traverse any conductor, with a given difference of potential between its ends, will vary inversely as its resistance, and for the human body it may only roughly be calculated. The resistance of the body is very great. Many measurements, made with different individuals taking wires in their fingers and hands, gives a resistance varying between 6000 and 15,000 ohms; but this depends in a large degree upon the moisture of the skin when contact is made. Hands which ordinarily dry have a high resistance; the same hands moist with perspiration or purposely wetted may lose half their resistance. Dr. Stone, of London, has made many experiments, and finds that the resistance of the body may be reduced to 500 ohms or less, by having the skin soaked.

On an arc light circuit with forty lamps the difference of potentials will be about 2000 volts. If a man with a dry, thick skin were to grasp the terminals at the dynamo, the current that would go through him would be = '2 of an ampere, and in second two-tenths of a coulomb would have traversed hi If the same hands were soaked, the current might be    =

4 ampbres, or 4 coulombs per second. In the first case there would have been spent in him an amount of energy equal to 2000 x *2 = 400 watts, or more than half a horse power, and in the second case 2000 x 4 = 8000 watts, or VW — 10 horse-power in the interval of one second. Now, any electro-motive force above about 1'5 volts is sufficient to decompose water, and it has been shown that the fluids of the body are better conductors of electricity than any of the tissue, even the nerves; it may fairly be inferred that such a current with such an electro-motive force might decompose a notable quantity of the fluids of the body into their constituent gases.

To determine the highest limit of safety would require experiments which no human beings would be willing to submit to. Animals might be employed perhaps; but if 800 volts have at any time proved to be dangerous, one may set a lower limit to the resistance of the body and determine the current strength ’-nPA = ‘8 amperes. That result looks threateningly large, but it is because the resistance is made so low. I have never found one less than 5000 ohms, then ⁼ *16 amperes. But that represents 128 watts—a quantity of energy no one would care to have spent in him. After all, what would be safe for one would be entirely unsafe for another; so that each individual would have his own factor of safety, or the difference of potential which he could work with, with impunity. From what we now know it would seem if one-tenth of an ampbre current body was as much as any one could safely have traverse his body for one second. If, then, he fixes his minimum resistance, the product of the two will give him the electro-motive force which he may feel timidly safe with. Thus, if one’s resistance with wet hands is found to be 8000 ohms, then 8000 x *1 = 800 volts; while if his resistance was only 1000 ohms, he could only venture to touch wires having a difference of potential of 1000 x *1 = 100 volts. The ordinary incandescent light circuit would be on his limit.

Launch of the Boston.—The new steel cruiser Boston was launched from the shipyard by John Roach, Chester, on Thursday, the lltli inst. One o’clock was the hour set for the launch, but for a long time thereafter the Boston refused to move. “ One hundred workmen clanged a wild anvil chorus at all her props. Fifteen minutes of hammering, shouting, and confusion went on. John Roach jumped down and gave fierce orders. The delay continued. The bottle of wine and all the ceremonies of christening the vessel were forgotten. Half an hour passed. Then, finally, alone, uncrowned, unattended, without ceremony, and apparently by accident, the Boston slid down the ways and plunged stern foremost into the Delaware. Two tugs then rushed out, and, having seized the Boston, which lay like a big steel cigar on the water, hauled her, in half an hour’s time, 100 yards to port.” Secretary Chandler, who expected to be present, was detained in Washington.— U.S. Army and Navy Journal.

Remarkable Escape.—An extraordinary accident is reported as having occurred last Friday morning at Treharris Colliery, near Pontypridd. The colliery is known as the Harris Deep Navigation Pit, and its greatest depth is 78!) yards. About 1000 colliers are engaged in it. Operations were being conducted for getting coal from the lower or down-cast shaft, and at three o’clock on Friday morning five men descended in a bucket.

Thomas Dodd, Evan James, Evan Hughes, Thomas Sheen and Frank Wright. When they had descended about thirty yards, the rope attached to the bucket suddenly snapped. Down dashed the bucket a distance of over 700 yards, carrying with it all the occupants except Dodd. The men fell into the drainage sump, in which there were 8ft. of water. They must have been killed before reaching the bottom. Dodd held on to the guide rope, and remained suspended in the shaft, which was now closed at the top. He was able to lower himself down by degrees to within about 100 yards of the level, and, marvellous to say, retained his hold seven hours. He was rescued without having suffered serious injury. The colliery has hitherto been remarkably free from accident. The cause of the breakage of the rope is inexplicable, it had been on the drum for the past twelve months, and was equal to a strain of 55 tons, while the total weight on Friday morning, including the five men, did not exceed 30 cwt. With the exception of Dodd and Sheen, all the men were married, and have left children.

The Manchester Association of Emploters and F*oremkn. —The annual general meeting of the Manchester Association of Employers and Foremen was held on Saturday, and there was a good attendance of members. Mr. Thos. Ashbury, C.E., the retiring president, in reviewing the period during which he had occupied the chair of the society, stated that remarkable progress had been made by the Association during the past two years. The membership of the society had during that time increased 42 per cent., and the members admitted during the past two or three years were connected with firms.employing no less than 50,000 skilled workmen, whilst the association had now in hand accumulated savings amounting to £2600. On the motion of Mr. J. Horsley, the retiring vice-president, seconded by Mr. Rawlinson, Mr. Alderman W. H. Bailey was unanimously elected president for the ensuing year. In thanking the members for the distinction they had conferred upon him, Mr. Bailey pointed out the Association was composed of the most important firms in the engineering trades of Lancashire, and there was probably no similar association in the kingdom whose members employed more energy in connection with steam engines. It was also one of the most important technical societies in the kingdom, and its papers had, for years, been conferring upon the members what might be considered high-class technical education. The education of an engineer was, however, never finished ; he had always before him unconquered worlds and lands unknown, and it was the imperial duty of the engineer “to teach dull nature what her forces are.” In the future the Society would exert useful and beneficial influence in the scientific education of young engineers. This country had a great future before it, which they might help forward if it was only by extending the knowledge ^Jie.8rea^ causes, the great forces, and the scientific conditions or their noble profession, so as to enable the coming engineers of the country to hold firmly that which had been achieved. Amongst other business before the meeting was the election of members—eight new members being admitted—and alterations of rules, the principal of which was the substitution in future of a past-president in the place of vice-president. Arrangements were also made for a conference of the members with Mi. W. Mather on the subject of technical education.

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[Sdpplement TO THE ENGINEER, December 10, 1884.]

ENGINES OF H.M. TWIN-SCREW STEEL CRUISER A M P H I 0 N.

MESSRS. MAUDSLAY, SONS, AND FIELD, LAMBETH, ENGINEERS.

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FOREIGN AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF THE ENGINEER.

These

PARIS.— Madame Boyveau, Rue de la Banqut.

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

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

LEIPSIO.—A. Twietmeyer, Bookseller.

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

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE.

*»* With this week's number is issued as a Supplement, a Two-page Engraving of Engines of H.M. Twin-Screw Steel Cruiser Amphion. Every copy as issued by the Publisher contains this Supplement, and subscribers are requested to notify the fact should they not receive it.    _

Bank Holiday falling this year on Friday, the 26th inst., The Engineer toil? be published on Wednesday, the 24th inst. Advertisements intended for insertion in that Number should reach the Office not later than 6 p.m. on Tuesday, the 23rd.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

*** All letters intended for insertion in The Engineer, or con-taining 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.

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

*** 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 communications which do not comply with these instructions.

W. K. (Hope-street).—The substance of your letter has already appeared in

our pages.

A- T. — Sprague's “ Electricity and Magnetism," Silvanus Thompson’s “ Electricity and MagnetismFleeming Jenkin's “ Electricity and Magnetism."

A. M.—Use strong sulphuric acid. Coat the plate with wax. Considerable skill in manipulation is required to prevent undo-cutting as soon as the grooves have acquired any sensible depth.

Kelvin.—There is nothing new in the system, which has been patented both in this country and the United States. You can only patent specific mechanical arrangements for carrying it into practice.

C. J. L.—(1) Certainly. (2) We do not know of any book more likely to suit your purjwse than Reynolds’ “ Stationary Engine Driving." (3) You can use only one type, namely, an engine with a surface condenser.

Fog.— Your slide valves have not got sufficient lead. Shift the excentrics round on the shaft. Your stop valve on the boilers is, we suppose, too smalt, but we cannot answer your question as to loss of pressure without further information as to the number of revolutions made by the engine, the diameter of the steam pipe, and a sketch of its arrangement. If you supply this information, ice shall be in a position to advise you.

TRANSFER PRINTS.

(To the Editor of The Engineer.)

Sir,—Can any of your readers inform me who are the makers of the coloured transfer prints as used on railway carriages, portable engines,

Ac.?

London, December 16th.

J.

GUM AND LEAD RIVETS.

(To the Editor of The Engineer.)

Sir,—Can any reader give me the names of the makers of machines for the manipulation of gum for dyeing purposes; also of machines for making lead rivets about Jin. diameter and gin. to Jin. in length ? Manchester, December 17th.    R. L. K.

THE COST OF STEAM POWER.

(To the Editor of The Engineer.)

Sir,—Will any of your correspondents do me the favour to inform me what may bo taken as the average cost of steam power per indicated horse-power per annum, produced for ten or twelve hours per day, to large consumers, such as manufacturers and millers requiring 600 to 1000-horso power? The cost including fuel, attendance, and interest and depreciation of steam plant.    A. O.

Wyke, near Bradford, December 15th.

8UBSCRIPTION8.

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ADVERTISEMENTS.

The charge for Advertisements of four lines and under is three shillings, for every two lines aftencards one shilling and sixpence; odd lines are charged one shilling. The line averages seven words. When an advertisement measures an inch or more the charge is ten shillings per inch. All single advertisements from the country must be accompanied by a Post-office order in payment. Alternate advertisements will be inserted with all practical regularity, but regularity cannot be guaranteed in any such case. All except weekly advertisements are taken subject to this condition. Advertisements cannot be Inserted unless Delivered before 8lx o’clock on Thursday Evening in each Week.

Letters relating to Advertisements and the Publishing Department oj the paper are to be addressed to the Publisher, Mr. George Leopold Riche; all other letters to be addressed to the Editor of The Engineer, 163, Strand.

MEETING NEXT WEEK.

The Institution of Civil Engineers.—Friday, Dec. 19th, at 7.30 p.m.:

Paper to be read and discussed, “ The Difference and Foreign Locomotive Engines,” by Mr. F. H.

Mr. Woods, Vice-President, in the

Students' meeting, in Design of British Hebbletnwaite,

chair. Tuesday, Dec. 23rd, at 8 p.m.: Annual general meeting to receive the report of the outgoing Council, and to elect the Council for the ensuing year.

Stud. Inst. C.E.

THE ENGINEER.

DECEMBER 19, 1884.

THE ROYAL COMMISSION AND THE LONDON SEWAGE DISCHARGE.

The second “ and final ” report of the Royal Commission on Metropolitan Sewage Discharge made its appearance a few days ago, and will be perused with unusual interest, as

age Referees in 1857 adopted the same view, authorities likewise approved of a proposal to unite the northern and southern sewage in one channel. Their own recommendation was that the northern outfall should be in Sea Reach, and the southern at Higham Creek, a little below Gravesend. On the whole it would seem, in regard to the problem of the main drainage, that plans which wer e thought at one time to be much too vast and costly coming to be looked upon as actually necessary to meet the exigencies now besetting the metropolis.

are to

as some-

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efore and

dealing with a large and important subject. To the ratepayers of the metropolis it threatens an addition of at least 2d. in the pound on the local burdens they have to bear, and it is difficult to see how the emphatic declarations of the Commissioners as to the necessity for the outlay be disregarded. That the lower Thames is intolerably foul as the result of the discharge of the metropolitan sewage, is a point on which the Royal Commissioners speak in the most positive terms. In this respect their second report are goes far beyond their first, the experience gained during the recent hot summer having converted suspicion into certainty. The tone adopted by Sir William Harcourt    .    STEAM B0ILER ruRNACES*

whenever, as Home Secretary, he has found occasion From time to time new furnaces, or systems of combus-to advert to this matter, indicates that the conclusions tion, are brought before the public of steam users. It is arrived at by the Commissioners will find ready acceptance invariably claimed for these that they prevent the evolu-in that quarter. The language of the report is unequivocal, tion of smoke and save fuel. Sometimes it is asserted that The Commissioners say: “ Freeing the Thames from pollu- they save fuel because they prevent smoke, but this is not tion must be undertaken as a work to be done and paid for, invariably stated. Sometimes only economy of fuel is whatever the cost may be.” The Commissioners know that claimed, the reduction or prevention of smoke being thrown the Thames is in a foul condition, for it made five of their in as an extra, so to speak. In other words, the merit number ill, and their clerk into the bargain. The crew of of the new furnace is based solely on its powers of pie-the steamer which carried them on their cruise also “ com- venting smoke, and a saving in fuel is suggested plained strongly of the general effect upon them.” There thing which the inventor presents gratis to the purchaser was a “nauseating odour from the river,” and the sufferers or user. It can scarcely have failed to strike the mtelli-had a bad night of it. This was physiological evidence gent observer, however, that chimneys smoke just about beyond dispute, and the medical members of the Commis- as much as they have done at any time (luring the last sion were of opinion that the state of the river was “ such fifty years, and no inventors have succeeded in beating the as to be a danger to health.” The Commissioners declare record of H.M.S. Janus, Lord Dundonald’s boiler, which that no crude sewage ought to be allowed to go into the evaporated over 14 lb. of water per pound of coal. At the Thames anywhere. Even the effluent to be obtained after last meeting of the Society of Engineers a paper was read precipitation by chemical treatment ought not to be dis- by Mr. Engert on what he has termed “ A Blow-pipe h lame charged into the river near London. The effluent must Steam Boiler Furnace,” and we have received a special re-be discharged from a new outfall, to be situated in the quest from Mr. Engert that we should notice the furnace estuary, at least as low down as Hole Haven, or else it and bring it before our readers. We have no objection to must be subjected to a further process of purification by do this. Mr. Engert’s statements serve very well to illus-intermittent downward filtration carried out on a suitable trate what we have said above.

area of land. For this latter purpose the Commissioners In another page will be found a sectional drawing of believe space can be found not far from the northern out- the “ blowpipe-flame furnace,” so that we need not describe fall. They contemplate that the southern sewage should it here. It will be seen that its peculiarities consist in be brought over to the northern shore by a conduit under sloping the grate upwards at the l«tck, instead of down-the Thames, and that the whole volume of the metropolitan wards; putting a kind of tray close under the bars; prosewage should then be pumped up to the scene of filtration. viding a very long bridge, and admitting air above the If suitable land, in sufficient quantity, “ and at reasonable burning fuel by a kind of modified Martin’s fire-door. It cost,” cannot be procured near the present outfalls, then is quite unnecessary to say one word concerning the novelty the Hole Haven project is recommended. At this remote of this arrangement. We are content to assume that a spot the sewage can be discharged after simple precipita- long bridge never was used before, and that, neither here tion. In the one case there is tne expense of the filtering nor on the Continent, was a grate sloped the wrong way, area, comprising at least eight square miles, and in the so to speak. Neither have we the least objection to admit other there is the cost of a gigantic sewer traversing the that the furnace works very well. The only question whole of the northern shore of the Thames from Barking to really worth our while to discuss is, Is this arrangement the estuary. The solid matter deposited as sludge is to be better than others which have been in daily use for many applied “ to the raising of low-lying lands, or burnt, or dug years'? Is there, in a word, anything specially good about into the land, or carried away to sea.” Pending the full the blowpipe action claimed for his furnace by Mr. Engert? carrying out of one or other of the plans for dealing Now, some time since Mr. D. K. Clark carried out a series with the sewage, it is allowed that the effluent from of experiments with an Engert furnace and boiler. No precipitation may be discharged at the present outfalls, one more competent than Mr. Clark could have undertaken But this is to be considered only “as a preliminary the work. So far as we can gather from Mr. Engert’s and temporary measure.” The Commissioners are so paper, he employed “ a Lancashire boiler, 18ft. long by 7ft. anxious to be clearly understood on this point, that in diameter. Such a boiler would have,” he states, “ 30 they print their proviso in italics. They further require to 36 square feet of grate-bars, but I only allow 7 square that the discharge of the effluent—in other words, the feet of fire-bars, which are 3ft. Gin. long and 2ft. wide.” liquid portion of the sewage remaining after the precipita- The boiler is not fired in the flues but underneath. Let tion of the solids—shall “ be rigorously limited, to the us take two experiments. On the 8th of September, with period between high water and half ebb of each tide.” We the damper full open, and six square feet of fire-bar are surprised that the Royal Commissioners should be un- surface, 7 cwt. of hard steam coal was burned, and 605 mindful of the fact that this “rigorous ” limitation of the gallons of water evaporated in three and a-half hours, period of discharge is a physical impossibility, and will The pressure was 49 lb , and the economic efficiency 7*75 lb. continue so until the sewage reservoirs are considerably of water evaporated per pound of coal. On the 29tli Sep-enlarged, or until there is a decrease in the population. tember the grate area was reduced to four square feet.

An important suggestion in the report is, that if the The damper was not quite open, and 451 gallons of water outfalls are removed farther down the river, the main con- were evaporated in four hours, the economic efficiency duit may, if thought desirable, be made of sufficient being 13 75 lb. of water per pound of coal. Mr. Engert capacity to receive not only the metropolitan sewage, but asserts that the first experiment is a striking illustration of also that which appertains to the districts surrounding the the loss caused by a forced draught. To us it presents metropolitan area. This proposal takes in the plans and itself as an example of the loss sure to be caused by work-proposals of Sir Joseph Bazalgette and Mr. Baldwin ing a very bad boiler beyond its proper capacity. If it Latham, whereby the drainage of the Lower Thames had been 28ft. long instead of 18ft. the result would have Valley and the Valley of the Lea would be brought into been quite different. In neither case is anything said conjunction with that of the metropolis. For this concerning the temperature of the feed-water or the purpose a population of seven millions would have quality of the steam produced. We venture, howto be provided for. Sir Joseph Bazalgette estimates the ever, to doubt that 13*75 lb. of water was evaporated cost of the conduit at £4,000,000. In order to gain ahead per pound of the commonest hard steam coal. No for the fall, the sewage would have to be pumped at an such result has ever been recorded as the result annual expense of .£41,200. In the opinion of Sir Joseph, of careful experiment. In fact, when non-combustible the sewage might be discharged at Sea Reach in the crude matter, ashes, &c., are deducted from “ commonest hard condition ; but the Commissioners decidedly object to that steam coal,” there is not enough fuel left in one pound of idea, and demand precipitation. For obvious reasons they it to evaporate 13*75 lb. of water. The error may have recommend that in the new drainage works the sewage occurred in either or both of two ways. In the first place, should be, as far as possible, separated from the rainfall, the trial only lasted four hours, and nothing A variety of considerations are debated in the report, and difficult than to estimate the condition of a fire b we may expect that some old controversies will speedily after a run of four hours. The total quantity burned was, rage again. But the report clearly prepares the way for it is stated, but 84 lb. per hour. Let us suppose action, and we may look upon it as introducing a fresh era that it was 90 lb. per hour. The entire difference would in the history of the metropolitan main drainage. Among have been but 24 lb., but in this case the economical other things, we shall look for the rising of a storm on the efficiency of the fuel would have been 12*52 lb., and a question of expense. Chemical precipitation at the present mistake of 24 lb. in the condition of the fire could very outfalls would be an immense improvement on the existing easily be made. It is more than probable, however, that state of things, and might be managed economically, if Sir the steam was very wet, and this would account easily for J. Bazalgette and Mr. W. J. Dibdin can get over the the apparently high results obtained.

sludge difficulty as easily as they anticipate. But any- Further on in the paper we have the tabulated results thing beyond this will necessarily involve a large additional of two trials made by Mr. 1). K. Clark and Mr. Schon-outlay, unless Sir J. Bazalgette can get permission to dis- heyder. These will be found in another page. In brief, charge crude sewage at Thames Haven, which is not very Mr. Clark states that the Engert boiler evaporated likely. To go down to the estuary, and yet have to pre- 13*02 lb. of water from 70 deg. per lb. of coal. The test cipitate, is a formidable prospect in regard to finance, lasted 6 hours 50 minutes. The rate of combustion was Several of the witnesses who appeared before the Royal 21*86 lb. per square foot of grate per hour. In Mr. Schon-Commissioners suggested carrying the outfalls “ to the heyder’s experiments the rate of combustion was raised sea,” as the best mode for getting rid of the sewage. Mr. to 29*6 lb. per foot of grate per hour. Mr. Schonheyder Baldwin Latham was strongly in favour of this method, was not so fortunate as Mr. Clark, the evaporation being his proposal being to “take the sewage straight out to sea, at the rate of 11*48 lb. from a temperature of 74 deg., the and discharge it in deep tidal water.” He considered it rate of evaporation being 1531 lb. per hour. In Mr. would be far cheaper to spend five or six millions of money Clark’s experiment, 1377 lb. w ere evaporated. In both in carrying an extended outfall into the deep sea, than to cases the total efficiency of the boiler was small, the adopt any chemical precipitation process. Mr. Baldwin rate of evaporation being only for Mr. Schonheyder’s expe-Latham also offered some very striking arguments in riment 2*66 lb. per square foot of heating surface ; and for favour of combining the sewage of London with that of Mr. Clark’s experiment, 3 lb. nearly per hour. Mr. Engert the adjoining districts. It is curious that the Main Drain- has omitted to quote in his paper the following suggestive

was

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a man has to aim at the target by standing exactly opposite the holes, and the bullet must pass through the holes in the first and second screen in order to leave the shed, and when thus directed it must strike the target, while all wild shots are stopped by the screens, which are made of iron covered with wood. This is ingenious, but, we think, an element of danger exists in the fact that the men can only see the narrow line of fire, and special precautions must surely be necessary to guard against any person coming unperceived into the line of fire. This may be arranged for. Of this, however, many of our readers are likely to judge as well as anybody. ’

The Depreciation of Factories and their Valuation. By Ewing

Matheson, M.I.C.E. London: E. and F. N. Spon. 1884.

124 pp.

The importance of a subject is seldom the cause of the appearance of a book ; more often it is the cause of non-appearance, as importance is sometimes synonymous with complexity, and this often means want of that knowledge which will permit the systematic reduction of a mass of facts to simple order. The capital invested in factories in this country alone makes the subjects of Mr. Matheson’s book of importance to a large class, but the absence of information on the rates at which factories and plant depreciate, the numerous causes of variation in these rates, and the absence of agreement in the practice of arriving at or assigning them, renders Mr. Matheson’s book important, because it is a successful attempt to systematise existing information, and to make it possible to arrive at something like uniformity and accuracy in the practice of making up balance-sheets for valuations.

The first four chapters of the book and of Part I., dealing with depreciation, are substantially the articles which appeared in The Engineer from September to November last year, but a fifth chapter has been added to this part, which adds in the highest degree to the value of the first four. It consists of examples and tables. The examples may be said to give quantitative value to the various considerations affecting the influences and causes and rates of depreciation in factories and machinery set forth in the first four chapters. Here we may quote the author :— “While accountants may properly deal with facts and figures presented to them, and may fairly allot to capital and revenue actual expenditure or estimated depreciation, they must always be dependent for the accuracy of these data on those technically acquainted with the operations of manufacture.” Thus, having in the chapters referred to, pointed out salient circumstances that have to be taken into consideration by those who have to write off for depreciation, Mr. Matheson does not retire from his subject into his office, with a delicately-phrased intimation that, as Jack Bunsby would have said, the “ bearing of these observations lies in the application,” but he as fully as possible sets forth the application. He might, however, liave increased the value of the book by entering more fully into the actual life of different kinds of machinery and plant, as shown by reference to long experience. On this point he might have added to the figures he has given.

The second part of the book is on valuation. It is divided into eight chapters, as follows:—Chapter VI., different kinds of values defined ; VII., thq value of a factory as a going concern ; VIII., the rental value of factories ; IX., the value of a factory that has stopped working ; X., the valuation of losses by fire ; XI., the rateable value of factories ; XII., trade fixtures, bills of sale, debentures ; and XIII., the locality of factories. In dealing with these subjects the clearness of style and the practical value of the examples in explanation of statement are marked by the same thoroughness that characterises the first part, and copious references to the writings of others are given. A notable feature of the whole book is a most complete system of side index notes and page references to other parts of the book, and to the curves and tables which give numerical value to the facts set forth. Beside this, the book has a very complete index, so that information on any question treated is most easily found. Though we might review this book at length, it will be sufficient to say that the work is unique of its kind, and that no pains have been spared to make it really valuable to the very large class it addresses.

Civil and Mechanical Engineers’ Society.—At a meeting of this Society on Wednesday evening, the 17th December, a paper, illustrated by experiments, was read by Dr. G. Selkirk Jones, F.O.S., upon “ Slate Ddbris and its Utilisation.” The author, after describing the composition and geological formation of clay slate, called attention to the various substances which in the laboratory he had obtained from waste slate, or debris, such as crystallised alum, so much in demand as a mordant in calico printing and other processes; secondly, a new filtering agent for sugar refining and water purification, this substance containing a large percentage of carbon; thirdly, a substance which he named argilline, to be used in conjunction with lime for the chemical precipitation of sewage. The author then showed an aluminate of peculiar composition, possessing, he said, good detergent properties, and which he said had already found much favour among wool and silk scourers, its efficiency as a detergent being due, firstly, to its power as a remover of grease; and, secondly, on account of its harmless action upon these delicate fabrics, the curl of the wool being uninjured, and the silk freed from the so-called gum without dajnaging the fibre.

passage from Mr. Schonheyder’s report :—“ Several times during the progress of the test I drew samples of coal, and afterwards submitted them for calorimeter tests to Mr. F. W. Hartley, of well known experience and ability in these matters. The results of his tests showed that the coal possessed a total evaporative power of about 12'5 lb. as a mean of three experiments, the highest obtained was 12‘8, all reckoned from and at 212 deg. as usual. An impossible result thtis appears to have been obtained, the evaporation in practice exceeding the theoretical evaporative power of the fuel; and provided that the calorimeter tests are in every way reliable I am forced to one of two conjectures, viz., either priming took place to a quite unsuspected extent, or some unknown leak from the boiler took away much of the water pumped into it.”

The deductions to be drawn from the whole are very limited. In the first place, with the utmost confidence in Mr. Clark, we look with the greatest doubt on the statement that any boiler evaporated 13 lb. of water at 70 deg. per pound of coal. We will even go so far as to say that we regard such a performance a physical impossibility. It means that out of each pound of coal were got no fewer than 14,038 units, all which were imparted to the water in the boiler, leaving none for heating the air used to support combustion, and allowing nothing for non-combustible matter and ash. But the total heat of carbon is but 14,500 units per pound. Some coal is better than carbon, because of the hydrogen it contains, but common hard steam coal certainly is not. Favi-e and Silberman give the average total heat of combustion of coal at but 14,133 units. If only 121b. of air were admitted per pound of coal, this air being raised to and discharged at 300 deg., at the very least, would carry away 230 x *23 x 12 = 034 units. Thus, out of a material capable of giving out, in all probability, but 14,133 heat units per pound, Mr. Clark actually got 14,038 + 034 = 15,272 units. We think we do not go too far if we say that such a statement as this requires explanation. Mr. Clarke has collected in his “ Rules, Tables, and Memoranda” an immense number of figures illustrative of the performance of various boilers and coals, but nothing even approaching to the results he obtained with Mr. Engert’s boiler is to be found among them.

Mr. Engert’s paper is full of assumptions concerning the conditions under which fuel is burned to the best advantage, but he seems not to be aware of the fact that very high temperatures are really unfavourable to complete combustion, because there is then a tendency to dissociation set up. The idea that complete combustion can be got with an admission of only 12 lb. of air per lb. of coal is a complete fallacy. It may be practicable to preclude the emission of smoke, but it will not be possible to prevent the evolution of large quantities of unconsumed carbonic oxide. Finally, we would say that Mr. Engert’s paper, while no doubt prepared with the utmost honesty of purpose, lacks all value as a scientific production simply because of its vagueness; and this is a common if not invariable defect in statements made concerning boiler efficiency. Nothing is more difficult than to carry out the requisite experiments with accuracy, and to draw the legitimate deductions from them in such papers and statements as those in question. Nothing from beginning to end is given with completeness or with that accurate and complete detail of conditions essential to scientific papers. We have no doubt that Mr. Engert has succeeded, as many others have done, in burning coal without producing smoke. Going further than this, however, he claims to have produced a furnace which does more than any other furnace on record. Possibly he does not know this, but it is nevertheless true. When a man stands up before a scientific assembly and makes such a statement as that he is certain to be criticised,and we have criticised him,, but as we hope in no unkind spirit. There are things to which our faith will not extend, and we cannot believe that 1 lb. of the commonest hard steam coal ever evaporated 13’75 lb. water at 70 deg. into steam of 40 lb. pressure.

THE MORRIS TUBES AND SHEDS.

A report was sent in to the Council of the National Rifle Association, on September 19th last, on the Morris tube, ammunition, and safety shed, by General McMurdo and Major Waller. Attention of those interested in rifle practice is invited to the ingenious designs reported on. rThe tube is fitted to the rifle and enables a diminutive cartridge to be used, by means of which rifle practice may be carried on on a miniature scale. This originally conducted against targets made on a small scale; but the powers of shooting have been now increased, so that a range of 300 yards is attainable. The absence of recoil offers a great advantage in enabling young soldiers to fire steadily. This practice is not intended to take the place of ball practice, but it certainly offers advantages which do not belong to blank firing. The safety shooting shed is ingenious. The object is to enable practice to be conducted in barrack squares and other places where ordinary ball firing could not be allowed. The firing party are posted in the shed, which has a double wall or screens perforated with small square holes situated in a line directed the target. Thus

IRON PRODUCTION.

There are now accumulated facts which enable us to judge of the extent of the production of crude iron in the largest of our pig iron manufacturing districts. Judging from these facts, and estimating the probable production for the few days that remain of the year, it may be concluded that for the Cleveland and Durham district there will be for the present year a total yield of about 2,500,000 tons. This is a considerable reduction upon the quantity for the past year. None of the other districts issue statements of their production as does the Cleveland and Durham district, but it is known that in several of them there is a reduction in the number of the furnaces in blast, and thus it may be fairly concluded that in the year the total production of pig iron in this country has been brought down to a considerable extent. Statistics obtainable from the United States are in the same direction, and the same remark applies to one or two other countries. We may, therefore, conclude that not only has the yield of pig iron received a check, but that there has been a large reduction. That reduction has not been fully experienced in the present year, because it has only been in course of development, but it may be fairly assumed that at the present time the extent of the production of iron is far below that of the output of a year ago. The benefit will be reaped in the future, and when the stocks begin to decline, the effect on the price will be felt. Prices and production are very nearly allied, and act and react upon each other. Low prices have in 1884 brought about a very large diminution in the extent of the production—a reduction that may be to the extent of a sixth of the total for the year. Now the output is below that rate, and in consequence it is possible that the lessened production and the low prices may have another effect —that of the reduction of the stocks by the development of an increase in the demand. The year, therefore, must be taken as one that has in a very considerable degree helped to bring about a better state of the iron trade, and that by the effect of the operation of the laws of supply and demand. As yet the full effect has to be felt, for the winter’s accession of stocks will need time to be removed, but the healthful feeling is showing itself now in the better tone that pervades the iron world as to the prospects of the future.

LITERATURE.

LINKS IN THE HISTORY OF THE LOCOMOTIVE.

No. XVIII.

In our impression for September 12th we published an engraving, enlarged from a sketch made by Mr. James Nasmyth in 1830, of a locomotive engine on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, believed by Mr. Nasmyth at the time to be the Rocket. We took occasion to point out that if this were really the Rocket, the engine must have undergone such alterations subsequently to the Rainliill trials that it was substantially a new engine; in which case the Rocket in South Kensington could have next to nothing of the real engine which it pretends to be, about it. The appearance of Mr. Nasmyth’s sketch made a considerable sensation, especially among old railway men; and we received many letters asserting that Mr. Nasmyth was mistaken, and that there never was in 1829 or 1830 more than one Rocket, namely the famous engine which may be regarded as the progenitor of the modern locomotive. For some time the opponents of Mr. Nasmyth’s statement had it all their own way, and it seemed to be beyond question that Mr. Nasmyth had mistaken the Northumbrian for the Rocket. But after a little time other writers appeared on the scene, and some of these said that they believed that there really were two Rockets, and that Mr. Nasmyth might be right after all. We shall not attempt to analyse the whole of this voluminous correspondence, which is all on record in our pages; it will suffice to say that, partly as a result of inquiries made by ourselves in every quarter which held out the least promise, and partly as a result of the correspondence in our pages, we are now enabled to state, not only that there were two Rockets on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, but to give a sketch, made on the 12th of March, 1832, of the second Rocket, after it had undergone important alterations. It will be seen that this is the engine drawn by Mr. Nasmyth, but with the cylinders raised, and a second pair of driving wheels added. Before stating how this sketch came into our hands, it will be advisable to recapitulate certain facts which it is desirable should not be forgotten.

So far as can be learned, the first railway ever used apart from a mine was the Surrey Railway, designed by Mr. Jessop, on which goods were hauled by horses between Croydon and Wandsworth. The second was the Stockton and Darlington Railway, opened on the 29th September, 1825. In the first year its receipts increased from .£700 to £1500 a month. Passengers were earned on it at Id. a mile outside, and l$d. a mile inside. The price of coals, which used to be 15s. to 17s. a ton at Stockton, was reduced at once to 10s. 2d. by the railway. As far back as 1822 the Liverpool and Manchester Railway was projected by Mr. William James.* The surveys for it were made by Mr. Vignoles, but the opposition of the canal proprietors was so great, that nothing was done until the financial success of the Stockton and Darlington Railway stimulated Liverpool and Manchester capitalists to renewed exertions. In the autumn of 182G the new railway was begun by George Stephenson, who had been appointed by the company to carry out Mr. James’s scheme. In October, 1829, there remained to be completed only four milesof the road,out of thirty-three—that is to say, all the heavy work was done ; but not more than fourteen miles of permanent way were laid. The rails were of the fish-bellied type, which, it may not be generally known, was invented and patented by a Mr. Birkinshaw. It will be found stated in many books that the rails were of cast iron. This is not the fact. They were of wrought iron, in part at least. Mr. Birkinshaw proposed rolling them in rolls made purposely to give the fish-belly, and such rails were rolled 18ft. long—a great triumph for those days. About the 23rd of October, the celebrated Rainhill competition resulted in the award of the £500 prize to Stephenson for the Rocket. The particulars of the trials are too well known to require to be mentioned in detail here.

Up to this point there is no difficulty; all about the Rocket is well known. But no writer has said what became of the Rocket in the interval between the Rainhill trials and the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway on the 15th of September—that is, a period of eleven months. All that was known until a comparatively recent period is that the engine went back to Stephenson’s works and had some alterations made. But our questions on this point have elicited considerable information which will be found in our correspondence columns, and may be briefly summarised here. After the Rainhill competition was over, some experiments were made with the engine by Mr. Wood, and in the course of a month or so the engine was put to work ballasting, and appears to have been employed steadily at that duty. During this period it met with two, if not three, accidents; running off the line twice, killing one man, and on one occasion turning something like a somersault. In the meantime the Stephensons were hard at work building more engines. The Rocket had served its purpose nnu was discarded, an entirely new type of boiler being introduced. The boiler of the Rocket consisted of a barrel with twenty-four tubes in it, and to this was tacked on the fire-box, an entirely separate and distinct structure communicating with the barrel by three pipes, one for steam and two for water. But the new engines had the fire-box put into the boiler. To whom this splendid development of the original idea is due we cannot tell. The boiler of the engine sketched by Mr. Nasmyth is as great an improvement over that of the original Rocket as the boiler of the latter was over that of the Royal George or the Locomotion.

Although Stephenson by no means wished to run the Rocket, a half-worn-out ballast engine, from Manchester to Liverpool on the opening day, he did not wish that the name should be lost, and so a new Rocket was put on the road. There is a suggestive passage in Smiles’ “ Lives of the Engineers, George and Robert Stephenson,” page 223 of the 1874 edition, “ Eight locomotive engines constructed at the Stephenson Works had been delivered and placed upon the line, the whole of which had been tried and tested weeks before with perfect

* Sec the Mechanics' Magazine for October 17th, 1829,

success.” This plainly implies that all the eight engines were new.* Smiles is writing, be it remembered, of the events of the 15tli of September. There is not in this passage a shadow of foundation for believing that the Rocket of 1829 took part in the proceedings of the day. On the same page further down, Smiles records the particulars of Huskisson’s death, which we have already given in a former “ Link.” “ Mr. Huskisson,” says Smiles, “ had alighted from the carriage, and was standing on the opposite road, along which the Rocket was observed rapidly coming up.” Here we have the only mention made of the Rocket by Smiles in connection with the opening. Indeed, search in contemporary records has entirely failed to do more than prove that an engine called the Rocket was present at the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and ran over Mr. Huskisson. Several of our

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and all this improvement had been made in less than a and the Government of India. Originally this depart-year. It shows what the Stephensons could do if they ment was recruited exclusively from the first two sources, set to work. Now, having got so far, is it likely that and the officers so obtained were entrusted with duties Stephenson—having just completed a new Rocket, ready partly constructive and partly administrative, over large to open the Liverpool and Manchester line, and having all areas of country, with scarcely any means of intercommu-his new improvements—would bring out the old Rainhill ideation. For the guidance of the departments so consti-Rocket, or crude idea ? On such a grand day he would, tuted, a code was drawn up, which almost inevitably and did, put his newest and best engine to the front; and reflects much of the spirit of the General Order-book, in besides that, George Stephenson himself drove her, and ! providing a procedure for every contingency, and a rigid Kobert fired for him. The looks of the two illustrious system for the planning and carrying out of work, and men standing on that foot-plate of the Rocket, September, which leaves little or nothing to the personal judgment of 1830, and also the looks of the engine, are as clear to me as if it took place but yesterday. I have seen Mr.

Nasmyth’s sketch in The Engineer, and I say it is true and exact; it certainly ought to be, as I well remember him and several others making drawings. Well, in a short time Stephenson made so many more improvements that even this 1830 Rocket was not up to the times; so she went back to Newcastle to be improved. Just now the men at the Newcastle works were hard at it, almost night and day; yet they could not turn out engines fast enough for the demand.

The Canterbury and Whitstable Company’s manager wrote:—‘ Our engine Invicta is broken down ; send men at once ; we are having to work with horses.’ The Liverpool and Manchester sent for five ; and the Darlington for seven new engines at once. Only those in the works at the time liave any idea what a bother it was to keep the lines supplied. The Leicester and Swannington Company had ordered three new engines, to be named Phoenix,

Samson, Goliath, to be ready for the opening, fixed for October, 1832; and, to the consternation of the works’ manager at Newcastle, a letter came from Robert Stephenson, at West-bridge, saying, ‘ Get engines ready, as this line will be opened 17th July ; John Ellis says if engines can’t be made, we will open the line with horses.’

What was to be done ? The manager went into the shop, and all he could do for the Swannington Company was to send them the ‘1830 Rocket,’ which had just been put in first-rate order, and was ready to return to the Liverpool and Manchester line. So this 1830 Rocket was sent by boat to the Leicester and Swannington Railway. She was put on the line at the Fosse-lane siding, and, as Mr.

Weatherburn says, did the ballasting. Well, the 17th July arrived, and it had been publicly announced that the line would be opened with three new engines, Phoenix,

Samson, and Goliath, but as bad luck would have it, the boat with the Samson ran aground near Trent. Being thus short of an engine, the Rocket was taken off ballasting, and required for the opening trains. All Leicester knew that the Rocket was the ballast engine, so John Ellis and Robert Stephenson said ‘ Call her Comet,’ which was no sooner said than done. The passengers all praised the new Comet as they called it, little knowing that it was the Rocket, which they had seen ballasting for about four months. In December, 1835, the Rocket, then under the name of the Comet, went to the London and Birmingham line to be a ballast engine ; the Phoenix soon went to help to make the Gloucester line, and the Samson went on the Ibstock branch ; and in place of these we had the Vulcan and Atlas, two very fine six-wheeled coupled engines. I hope I have cleared up some of the difficulties, and as I liave only told you just what I saw and know, my account, rough as it is, may be relied upon.”

Were it necessary to add further testimony we could supply it. We fancy, however, we have said enough to convince even the most sceptical that the belief so long entertained that the Rainhill prize engine opened the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, and killed Mr.

ILuskisson, has no foundation in fact; and, thanks to Mr.

Nasmyth, a remarkable engine has been rescued from obscurity. We have here another example of the great difficulty which must always be experienced by those who attempt to write accurate history, and we venture to think that our readers will feel with us some satisfaction that the truth has been placed on record at last in the pages of The Engineer. The question what the so-called Rocket in South Kensington really is remains for solution. We are strongly disposed to think that it has very few claims beyond its name plate to the title. It is certainly a very curious fact, if it be a fact, that the old tender should have been preserved, if we bear in mind the vicissitudes through which the engine has passed, as already detailed in our pages. The probability is that the engine has been rebuilt from the remains of several old engines, a bit from one and a bit from another. Such remains are not hard to get even now. Mr. I. W. Boulton has probably 1000 tons of scrap of old locomotives dating from about the year 1830 down.

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100

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correspondents, however, insist that there was but one Rocket on the railway, and Mr. Isaac Watt Boulton has supplied several very interesting extracts from his fatliei’’s diary bearing on the early7 history of the locomotive, which seem to support this view. There is, however, only an apparent inconsistency ; and we have no doubt whatever that there were two Rockets for some time at work on the line; and it is even doubtful if the second Rocket had any name-plate at the time Mr. Nasmyth sketched it. It must be remembered that events trod on each other’s heels during the first two years of the life of the locomotive which immediately followed the Rainhill trials; and it was quite possible for a locomotive to work for two or three months line without the knowledge of everyone concerned. Thus, the experience of an individual might apply to nine months only, and he would write that in 1830 a given event could not have happened, tacitly assuming that, because he could account for nine months, he could account for a whole year. In fact, in this matter of early history of locomotives, we have to do almost with hours; and the circumstance that the original Rocket was frequently7 repaired by one of our correspondents during 1830 and 1831 is no proof whatever that a second engine of the name did not exist without his knowledge. So far can sec, there is nothing in any of the letters we have published which is fatal to the supposition that an improved engine known as the Rocket was put on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway some time before the 15tli of September, 1830.

We may now turn to the positive testimony. It would take up more space than we can spare to reproduce the letters we have received, and those we have published, supplying this evidence. We must ask our readers to take for the moment what we are .about to say by way of a summary as correct. They will find all the information hearing on it in our correspondence columns, since the date which Mr. Nasmyth’s sketch appeared, and can form their opinions as to the soundness of our views. Our only object is to arrive at the truth, and if they do not think the evidence conclusive, we shall be happy to publish their objections if they appear sound.

On the 17th of July, 1832, the line between Leicester and Swannington—a town in Leicestershire—was opened. Mr. Clement E. Stretton, of Leicester, writing to us on the 10th of last October, says:—“Just now I see you wish to know what became of a second Rocket, 1830. Well, that point is soon cleared up, as the engine in question was taken back to Stephenson in 1831, had the cylinders raised, coupled wheels added, and was sent to Leicester, and ran the first train on the 17th July, 1832. I am not old enough to remember this, but I saw the fact in the old Swannington books, and it is generally known by men on the line.” This is very direct testimony from a gentleman petent to write with authority on the subject. But we have even better evidence than this. On the 12th of March, 1832, Mr. W. Stenson, of Leicester, made a drawing of the Rocket as she stood at the Fosse-lane siding, near Leicester. George and Robert Stephenson, S. S. Harris, John Eilis and his son, Edward Shipley, and others, present. Mr. Stenson afterwards made a tracing of the engine for his friend Mr. Smith Harris, who gave it to a gentleman who has sent it to us for publication, and we reproduce this tracing as nearly as possible in facsimile on page 466. He was present when Mr. Stenson made the sketch, and he states that after the engine ran on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and was there drawn by Mr. Nasmyth, it went back to Newcastle, the cylinders were raised, a large pair of trailing wheels was put on and coupled, the safety valve was put on the dome, a brake put on the tender, a head light on the chimney, and the chimney was shoi’tened. “ If,” our correspondent concludes, “Mr. Stenson’s sketch is compared with Mr. Nasmyth’s, your readers will see that Mr. Nasmyth did draw the Swannington Rocket.” There is reason to believe that this engine was afterwards called the Comet.

Further details of the history of this 1830 Rocket are supplied by a remarkable letter which appeared in the Railway Review of November 28th, 1884. We are not at liberty to give the name of the writer, but may say that he was on the Stockton and Darlington line in 1825, at Rainhill in 1829, at the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester line in 1830, in the Stephenson Works in 1831, and on the Lincoln and Swannington Railway from 1832 to 1846, when he went back to Newcastle. This correspondent, writing over the signature “ An Old West-bridge Man,” says in the letter referred to:—

“Now, Sir, I should just like to run over a bit of history, which, perhaps, may clear up this matter. You know that in the month of October, 1829, the first Rocket won the prize, and the line was not opened till September 15th, 1830. Now, what were the Stephensons doing during that eleven months ? Does any one think they were sitting still? No, indeed ; both father and son were working, as if for their very lives, to perfect the locomotive. More real progress was made during that eleven months than in any one year before or since. Look at the old Rainhill Rocket, and at Mr. Nasmyth’s 1830 Rocket. The one is a crude idea; the other is a finished locomotive;

* These engines were the Rocket, the Northumbrian, the Arrow, the Phoenix, the North Star, the Dart, the Comet, and the Meteor.

THE ECONOMY OF RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA.

By S. De Buath, Assist. Eng., P.W.D., India.

No. I.

Tiie resolutions of the Parliamentary Committee, supporting the Indian Government in the extension of railways in that country, will mark a more important departure in its history than the political agitations in which the general public have shown a greater interest, and which have given rise to incomparably more comment. There can be no doubt that some of the projected lines will be made by private enterprise; but whether from the reluctance of the Indian Government to give guarantees in pounds sterling, the consequent disinclination of capitalists to embark in undertakings of which they have little or no control, the fearof afurther fall in silver, or from other causes, there can be little doubt that the projected lines will have to be made, as heretofore, largely by State agency. Under these circumstances, it would be to the great profit of the Government of India, and not a little to that of the Indian taxpayer, if the system under which these lines are made wei^e subjected to a searching revision. The agency by which these and other works in India are constructed, as some of my readers may be aware, is known as the Public W orks Department, consisting of officers taken rather at haphazard from the Royal Engineers and the Staff Corps, and of civil engineers appointed by the Secretary of State the men entrusted with its execution.

So long as these works were confined to the erection of barracks and laying out of roads, building staging-houses, and such like, the evil results of this system were only apparent in the exceedingly high establishment charges— usually averaging 25 per cent, or more on the capital value—and the occasional failure of the buildings themselves; but from the time when it became necessary to construct large commercial works, such as railways, involving an outlay estimated in millions sterling, the question rose to a much higher degree of importance, and the expensiveness of the machinery is by none more keenly felt than by the civil engineers of the Department, who see themselves made the unwilling instruments of a great waste of public money. Permanent railways, however important they may be for strategical purposes, are, first of all, commercial enterprises, and should be conceived and carried out in a commercial spirit, which is totally inconsistent with the present system, with its cumbrous accounts, its multitudinous references, and almost total absence of personal responsibility, all of which combine to render necessary overgrown office establishments and a redundant staff of officers. The railway branch of this department consists of: Chief engineers, 4; superintending engineers, 12; executive engineers, 106; assistant engineers, 103; temporary engineers, 30; and upper subordinates, lit). The duties of the upper ranks are of purely consultative and administrative nature. With superintending engineers rests the final decision on professional matters, irrespective of expenditure; and from them, and the seniors of the next class, engineers-in-chief are selected, while the actual execution of the works is entrusted to the executive engineers and their assistants and subordinates. In consequence of the absence of large contracting firms well known to every one at home, and quite competent to undertake the complete construction of any ordinary' railway—having their own engineers, clerks of works, foremen, and plant of every kind—the mode in which railway work is done in India differs very greatly frem that in England. Under the English plan the first party to the contract needs but a very small staff of professional men to ensure the observance of the agreement, and the ready means of locomotion renders this staff still smaller. In India, however, it is necessary for the projector to provide nearly the whole of the establishment and plant himself, and to execute the work by a system of small petty contracts, or by daily labour; and it will therefore be seen that the Government of India, in its capacity of a constructor of railways, is precisely in the position of a large contractor whose object is to make a line coining up to a certain standard of requirements at a minimum cost. It will be instructive to compare the procedure in the two cases. All preliminaries of survey, location, plans, estimates, and designs having been settled, a contractor would naturally, in a country devoid of roads and means of communication, proceed to establish competent and trustworthy engineers at a few central stations, furnish them with instructions as clear and concise as possible, open the necessary credits in their names, and judge of them entirely by results. He would relieve them as far as possible from all duties connected with the actual disbursement of money and of account, and would require from each simply (1) a debit and credit cash account and journal; (2) a register of works performed; (3) a statement of tools and plant and materials received and expended. He would also take the gi-eatest care to avoid disturbing an efficient man in the carrying out of his work, either by detail orders, or by removing him to another portion of the line. His establishment charges per 100 miles of railway for 200 miles of lines and over would then be approximately under:—

Contractor's Office Account.

Two accountants and clerks.................

Four engineers in charge of district, with one clerk

each and petty establishment............

One storekeeper, clerk and messenger ...    ......

Police guards, &c.................

Total ...

Such a contractor will judge of the agents he employs, commercial principles, solely by the quality and quantity of the woi'k done, and the ratio between expenditure and production. He will hold each man personally responsible for the work under his control, and will be careful to keep him well supplied with materials and stores. It is hardly too much to say that with the very best intentions on the part of the officers entrusted by Government with the direction of railways, the practical result of the system they have to work to, issues in the direct reverse of "these commercial principles. Dealing with a very much higher stamp of professional men than any but the very largest contractors can secure, in place of freely trusting them Government subjects them to the rigid application of a military code, any deviation from which is visited by severe reprimand, or by the infliction of an amount of correspondence and “reasons in writing” which is equally appalling.    1 J

The executive engineer is further burdened with the carrying out of a minute and exceedingly cumbrous syst of accounts, which, as a matter of fact and experience, entails his passing in his office twice as much time as lie can devote to his legitimate professional duties, this system swells the numbers of employes both in the superior and subordinate establishments, and if it were of the slightest use in checking possible fraud or dishonesty m a large staff there might be some ground for its reteu

2 examiners of accounts................

2 deputy examiners of accounts .......

1 assistant examiner.....................

10 accountants, at average Rs. 250 ............

050 ............

400 ............

120............

40............

Average travelling allowances...............

Office of examiner of accounts...............

5 executive engineers, 6 clerks, 1 accountant, peons, &c.............

,,    10 assistant engineers, 1 clerk, 2 peons ...

Chief storekeeper... .....................

Office of storekeeper, subordinates, &c..........

5 cashiers ..........................

2,500 3,250 0,000 1,440 480 2,000

99

000

..... 24,020

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the most marked contrast with the by engineers in England, where work is

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tion, though even then it would be open to question whether the indirect loss would not be out of all proportion to the saving; but with the staff the Government of India has at its disposal, such a supposition is an insult to the body of gentlemen who compose it. It is, moreover, almost impossible to fix responsibility under the frequent transfers that take place. When one engineer has made the estimate, another laid the foundation, and a third built the superstructure, the resjxmsibility for either failure or extravagance is so diluted, that to blame any one of them is obviously unjust.

Let us now turn to the system itself. On opening work on a new line of 200 miles or so in length, which has reached the stage of advance we have pre-supposed, Government employs (1) an engineer-in-chief, whose pay and allowances it would not be fair to include here, as he represents the contractor in the parallel previously drawn, and (2) a staff which will be approximately as under:—

Its.

Per mensem.

1,(>00

900

450

5 executive engineers „ 15 assistant engineers „ 12 subordinates    „

12 native subordinates „ 900

2,500

500

500

1,000

Total Rs.............

or Rs. 12,310 per month per 100 miles.

This estimate has been carefully framed, to be well within the truth. It takes no account of a lower subordinate establishment, police, temporary establishment, bridge erectors, shares of salaries of officials at a distance, such as the port storekeepers and account officers, nor of many similar charges. Altogether, on a Government line the cost of establishment alone frequently attains 10 per cent.

the capital outlay, and the indirect loss by reason of the enforced adherence to a military instead of a commercial system runs to as much more. One of the regulations, which will serve as a sample of the rest, is tnat it is incumbent on the engineers in charge to procure all tools, materials, and plant, however urgently required for the prosecution of work, from a central railway store, even though the same articles may be readily and cheaply procurable locally. From these and similar causes the loss to Government is immensely increased ; work is delayed by constant correspondence on trivial matters, by non-compliance with indents, by references and cross-references; rates increase by reason of delays, and changes in procedure, and in the personnel of the staff; interest on capital accumulates, and it would be within the mark to state that the indirect loss in ordinary cases runs to 20 per cent, on the capital cost of the lines. This wili be readily perceived when it is considered that the non-completion of one small section of a railway prevents all through traffic, and that a delay of three months in opening a line 300 miles in length means a loss in interest alone of 1 per cent, on the outlay—in most cases about £60,000, taking the value of the line at £5000 per mile.

The upshot of the military system applied to the Public Works Depirtment has been to convert a large body of professional men into routine carriers-out of superior orders, and to deprive them of nearly all initiative and interest in the works nominally under their control, in a way which presents enthusiasm shown bi conducted under a single able and responsible head; and also to establish a tone of chronic discontent with prospects which, though admittedly unjust, can only be ameliorated by a still more lavish outpouring of money, already too much squandered, so long as this system is retained.

These considerations are supported by an array of evidence overwhelming, both in quantity and authority. Sir Andrew Clarke, the late Minister for Public Works, wrote:—“My first impression on my arrival in India was that the staff of engineers was redundant, and that the ratio of cost of establishment to expenditure on actual work was excessive.” SirGeorge Campbell, M.P., K.C.S.I., and other witnesses gave evidence to the same effect before the Select Committee on East India Public Works—1878. Mr. Binnie, M.I.C.E., writes in 1881:—“ When we come to inquire into the reasons which govern and have caused this excessive cost, we find them to be numerous, and varying much in the amount of evil they produce; but one thing is clear, that they are in some way inherent in and peculiar to the Public Works Department in India, as such a state of things does not exist in England nor in other countries. I have no hesitation in saying that it is mainly due to the fact that the Government of India has been attempting an impossibility, viz., to govern and direct what, in the main, should be a purely civil department of the most energetic, elastic, and progressive description, by rules founded in and inspired by a spirit of the most rigid military character.” Many others might be quoted, and from all the active staff of the Public Works Department there is one loud complaint against the effects of a system of “measures not men,” and a desire to make that system do the work which can only be efficiently done by trained personal agency. The result is ruinous alike to finance, to the works, and to the officers themselves, and the opportunity now offering for amendment, without injury to any of the employes, is such as cannot be expected to occur again.

The whole of the private Bills intended to be proceeded with in the ensuing session were deposited in the Private Bill Office, House of Lords, on Wednesday night. Compared with last year, when 295 Bills were deposited, there is a decrease of 47, the number being 248.

COLES AND MATTHEWS’ PATENT VERTICAL BOILER.

The accompanying engraving illustrates a boiler made by Messrs. Coles aud Matthews, engineers, Coventry. Its struction will be readily understood. The principal novelty is the use of a deflecting cone over the tubes. After some experiments with vertical boilers, the patentees found, with the manhole cover removed and the conical telescopic sleeve raised, the water was ejected to the top of the boiler and mixed with the steam; but the boiler, when working with the conical telescopic protector down over the tubes at the water level A A, prevents the water from the tubes B B being projected into the steam

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space outside the cone. This conical telescopic sleeve is made of steel, being strong and light, and in three parts, which fit in each other ; the top one is bolted to the boiler crown, and the other two can be raised up by handles provided to the top of the boiler. The top of the sleeve is the smallest and the bottom the largest, so as to enable them to be removed with ease, each being of equal length, so that the bottom can be pulled over the top sleeve, to give easy access to the top of the fire-box and tubes through the manhole. Having worked a boiler on this principle with the patent tubes and patent sleeve up to its full power for several weeks, the patentees speak from experience, and say that they find priming is prevented by the patent sleeve, the dry steam being on the outside of the sleeve.

AN ELECTRIC TRAM-CAR.

Experiments have been carried out for a few months past in a quiet and systematic way with a view of determining the value of secondary batteries, in conjunction with electro motors, for the propulsion of tram-cars in crowded cities. Mr. A. lleckenzaun has designed, and the Electrical Power Storage Company has constructed, apparatus which promises a very handy means of locomotion on street rails, and for more than two months past a car has been running on a line put down for experimental purposes in the yard of the Storage Company at Millwall. line—4ft. 8$in. gauge—is 400ft. long, forming a right angle of nearly equal sides, so that about half way a curve of 35ft. radius has to be passed. From one end, as far as the commencement of the curve, the road is tolerably level; but with this commences an incline of 1 in 40, which rises gradually until it reaches the maximum of 1 in 17 nearly at the end of the up journey; thus it is impossible to make a rusli for the hill on account of the sharp curve intervening. The car itself is an old one procured from one of the Metropolitan Tramways, and it has done many years’ service whilst drawn by horses on the Greenwich-Westminster line. The body of this vehicle weighs ‘2\ tons, and it accommodates forty-six passengers. The accumulators furnishing the electric energy are of a special type manufactured by the Storage Company, to the designs of Mr. Reckenzaun. Stowed under the seats on long trays, which run on rollersfor their speedy removal, they are out of sight, and the whole car internally and externally has the ordinary appearance. The motor and gearing—Reckenzaun’s patents—are placed underneath the car, and occupy so little space that to an ordinary observer they are invisible. The speed may be varied from three miles to ten miles per hour.

Electric tram-cars propelled by accumulators have been made and tried on several occasions in London, Paris, and Brussels, but hitherto with little success, and eminent men have pronounced the accumulator system of motive power as impracticable. One of the main reasons assigned was that batteries were much too heavy. The Electrical Power Storage Company has, we are told, reduced the weight without sacrificing either efficiency or durability. The accumulators in the car under notice weigh lj ton, the motor, glaring, and accessories weigh about ^ ton, bringing the total weight of motive power to 1 ij ton for a car which, with its full complement of passengers, weighs itself tons ; whilst the batteries, motor, and gearing, are capable of furnishing at any desired moment a power of sixteen horses if required. Comparing this weight of lj ton, with that of a steam tramway locomotive, or a compressed air locomotive, either of which will weigh some eight or ten Lins to do the same amount of useful work, stored electricity has the advantage in proportion of about five to one, so long as the propelling force is directly proportional to the weight moved. It has also been said that there is a great waste of power in the use of accumulators for motive power, as the conversion of energy has to pass through several stages, viz., steam into electric current, current into oxygen and hydrogen, and these again into current and electro-motive power. It can be shown from prolonged experiments and practice that the total loss of energy with all these transformations is 66 per cent, between the steam engine and the tram-rails. Tramway steam locomotives consume from three to four times as much fuel per horse power as large stationary engines, such as would be used for driving dynamo machines, and bearing thi in mind, an efficiency in the electrical tram-car far below the one quoted above would still be considered economical. Th e prime cost of the electrically-propelled cars with the charging station is less than steam cars, and the depreciation and repairs of machinery must also be less, on account of the few wearing parts and the complete protection from dirt.

The running cost, including 15 per cent, depreciation on chinery and 50 per cent, on accumulators, is given as 3‘5(1. per car mile, which is about one-half of the cost of horsing on tram lines. The car on the line at Millwall runs for two hours with one charge, starting, stopping, and reversing every sixty seconds, and the discharged accumulators can be replaced, it is said, almost as quickly as changing a pair of horses, by means of a trolly, which brings and removes the trays of cells, running on rollers. The whole arrangement has been very carefully worked out in every detail, the mechanical parts being as well arranged. The load is distributed upon two small bogies, so that no objection can be raised on the part of tramway companies using light rails laid for horse car traffic, and the old rolling stock can be readily utilised by putting the bogies which carry the motor under the car, and fitting the space under the seats for the reception of the accumulators. The car is brilliantly lighted by four 20-candle power Swan lamps, and bell pushes inside the vehicle enable the passengers to call the conductor and driver at the same time by the ringing of electric bells.

PROPOSED CANAL AT JARROW-ON-TYNE.

The Corporation of Jarrow commissioned a few days ago a special committee to investigate the desirability of making a canal, or permanent water way, on that part of Jarrow Slake facing Hunter’s Cottages ; and necessarily—as a subject identical with the foregoing—to also consider whether it would be a desirable undertaking to construct a new quay. The enterprise has been thus ushered into its preliminary stages at a time when the Corporate Borough, with its population of 30,000, is undergoing a severe depression because of the stagnation of the shipbuilding trade, but notwithstanding this, and other drawbacks, an encouraging amount of support has been accorded to the scheme in the Council Chamber, when fourteen against four carried the appointment of a representative committee. Previous to reverting to the gigantic nature of the scheme, it may be stated that, although one of the largest riverside ports on the Tyne, and certainly the busiest as far as shipbuilding is concerned, it has practically no river frontage used for purely public purposes. Ever and anon the necessity for a public quay inis been frequently demonstrated; and when the horse-and-cait ferry was established some twelve months ago the Corporation found itself forced to appeal to Parliament for special powers to permit of their enfranchising land only sufficiently large enough to allow of a lauding stage being floated. Occasionally endeavours, instituted by the Council, to purchase land now leased by the gas company have signally failed, and not until the immense scheme now under notice was publicly initiated by Councillor W. M. Patterson, who is seconded by Alderman W. H. Dickinson, Alderman Q. H. Dexter, Councillor Russell, and others, was there much hope of final success. Jarrow Slake, a vast stretch of silt, mud, and sand, the latter being the foundation, is between Tyne Dock and Jarrow, and forms part of the western boundary of the former place, and the north-east boundary of the latter. In relation to the falling and rising of the tide, it resembles a good-sized haven with a gradual slope. The scheme before the Council is to endeavour to bring about a state of things likely to culminate in the making of a permanent water way on the extreme west side of the Slake, and so allow of a quay being made on the substantial laud adjoining. The most important and commendable feature associated with the project—admitted freely to l>e within the bounds of realisation—is that it would open out for industrial purposes many acres of land now lying idle. The entire eastern portion of the East Ward—once the scene of the old Curlew Farm and the place where stands the old parish church, wherein worshipped the Venerable Bede, a priest memorable in the North of England—would be improved as a centre of industry, and when the approaching time of improvement in trade comes, great benefit might fairly be expected to be derived from the carrying out of the scheme. All interested admit that the scheme is one of importance to the enterprising borough. Certain parties, it may be mentioned, possess the power of laying down a line of rails, so that a junction of the quay and canal with the adjoining land could be effected with ease. The probabilities of the now crude scheme being perfected rest solely upon the amount of support tendered by men of influence and, of course, by the public generally. _

TENDERS.

BARMOUTH.

For extension of main sewer to Hanlitli-terrace. Mr. Thomas Roberts, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., engineer.

John Jones, Barmouth......

W. Davis, Portmadoc......

S. P. Owen, Portmadoc—accepted Engineer’s estimate ......

Naval Engineer Appointments.—The following appoint have been made at the Admiralty :—Joseph H. Pill, engineer, to the Asia, additional, for service in the Colossus; Benjamin J. Lewis, engineer, to the Asia; Edward J. Rutter, assistant-engineer, to the Hector; A. D. Watson, engineer, to the defiance; and G. W. Barry, engineer, to the Defiance, additional, for service in the Scourge.

British Association.—At the close of the British Association Meeting at Montreal, the suggestion w as brought forward that, in commemoration of the meeting, and as a recognition of the hospitality with which the members of the Association had been treated in Canada, it would be a graceful act to form a fund for the purpose of founding a gold medal at the McGill University at Montreal. After consultation with the authorities of the University, it was agreed that, subject to further consideration, the medal should be given annually, in the faculty of applied science, in which there is at present no prize of this sort. Lord Rayleigh, the president of the Association, undertook to act as treasurer, and Mr. W. Topley and Mr. H. Trueman Wood as honorary secretaries. In answer to an appeal circulated amongst the members in Canada, and to a circular which has been issued in this country since the return of the Association, a sum amounting at present to £540 has been subscribed. Deducting the necessary expenses of printing and postage, there will remain an amount of something over £500 to provide the medal. The general committee of the Association have agreed to provide from the funds of the Association sufficient for the purchase of a die, so that the interest resulting annually from the investment of the whole of the above amount may be available for the medal itself. The honorary secetaries will be glad to receive contributions from any members of the Association who may not yet have subscribed. These may be sent to them at Society of Arts’ House, John street, Adel phi; or maybe paid in to the account of the fund, at Messrs. Hoare, 37, Fleet-street.

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ENGERT’S BLOWPIPE FLAME FURNACE.

JL.

Temperature of atmosphere..........54 deg. Fah.

Weather....................N.W. breeze. Fair.

Duration of test................6 hours 50 minutes

Coal consumed................721 "5 lb.

Coal consumed per hour............105-6 lb.

Coal consumed per square foot of fire-grate .. 21⁻86 lb.

Number of firings ..............14

Average interval between firings Weight of fuel per firing ..

Clinker produced

34 lb.

in flue to the

200 deg. Fah.

70 deg. Fah.

150 8 cubic feet. 22-08 cubic feet.

4-57 cubic feet.

13-02 lb.

Quantity of water consumed per lb. from and

at 212 deg. Fah...............

Quantity of water consumed per lb. of

bustible...............

Quantity of water consumed per lb. from and at 212 deg. Fah.............

com-

inch.

Mean temperature of atmosphere Water per square foot of heating surface per

hour....................

Coal per square foot of grate per hour......

The evaporation would therefore appear to have been at the rate of    = 11’48 lb. of water per lb. of coal from 74 deg.

, but because

the kilogramme, and ounds; but really the standard t is the platinum kilogramme

weight is 2"2 of our unit of wei weight deposited in Paris.

Swedish iron and steel are rolled to English inches in size; so, also, their boards are cut to the English inch, because their market is largely in those countries that use the inch. In the Russian machine shops the English inch is used exclusively, and, as I have said, throughout all Germany it holds for all screw sizes. In Franco and in Belgium, the yard stick is the metre hung from a rod like the cross bracket of a drop gas light, placed about 18in. above the counter. In Germany, the half-metre, or 2Gin., about, is the used, and that held in the hand of a

measure

salesman by a handle at one end of the measuring stick. The Swedish machinist carries in his pocket a rule on which he has the English inch, and by its side the French measures; on the other side he has the two Swedish feet, one long in use, and one ordered to be used, but put into practice. The Swedish roads are laid out now in kilometres, and marked by iron each 10 kilometres the dis-

In a communication to the Philadelphia Public Ledger, dated at Eisenach, August 24th, Mr. Coleman Sellers, a member of the firm of William Sellers and Co., of Philadelphia, gives his impres sions of the very slow progress the metric system is making toward general adoption among the leading nations of the world, together with a statement of his objections to the system. He says :—The librarian of the Paris Geographical Society has recently prepared a table showing what countries have adopted the French metric system and have made its use obligatory. The total population of these countries is given, and it professes to show that the people who use this system are vastly more numerous than those who do not, and among the minority are mentioned Great Britain and the United States. Thus, those using the system aggregate, say, 241,972,011, as against 97,639,825 not using it.

I notice among those countries where this system is said to be in compulsory use Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Now, I have just visited these three kingdoms, and while there I made it my business, as I have done in other countries, to make a full inquiry into the practical operation of the F'rench metric system. I find that the Governments of the three countries above mentioned have adopted the system, and have appointed a date a few years in the future when its use will be obligatory; but as yet it is not in general use, except among the employes of the Government or in the Government depots. The people at large know little or nothing about the subject, and small progress has been made toward preparing them for the change. In the railroad stations may be seen charts hanging on the walls that give the system in a graphical way, and the weight of the luggage upon which an extra charge is made is computed in kilos., not in pounds; while everything weighed in the shops or markets is reckoned in pounds or measured by a “yard stick,” which is twenty-five of our inches in length; this I give from actual measurement, although the shopkeepers say that the Swedish measure for cloth is two-thirds of the English yard. In Denmark, so little is known about the enforced adoption of the French system, that an important shopkeeper told me that it was never to be adopted.

What I wish to make clear to your readers is, that the mere fact that the inhabitants of the countries using the metric system more numerous than those of the countries that do not use it does

not furnish so strong an argument in favour of the enforced _    _

adoption of this system as would at first appear. The interests is to'sayVby operating u'iwn ThTmetalXile y'e't hl'thVst^te offusion! involved and the industries that would be affected by the change M. Clemandot, on the contrary, takes steel already made, heats

must be considered. The uprooting of any established system of ; simnlv in a    r-^i    v... —,_______

weights and measures is a matter of very serious import, aside from any question of the relative merits or demerits of the abandoned systems, and this is es

iu. oiemanaot, on tne contrary, takes steel already made, heats it simply to a cherry red, and submits it, by means of a hydraulic press,

KhmllS Wpr-6 and Vftfled Proc®sses    °“ established does not require any further treatment. The result of theprocess

Russia, with her millions of peasantry, would be less than that sus- alteration is most considerable with highly carbonated steel • and

spatmmm

™er<taov wh° b^S and qq!qq’- xt ^ake8 no    lf thf strongly compressed, the conversion of the mechanical energy into

yard is one of 2oin., or 3bin., or 39 39m. long, nor if the pound heat serves to raise the temperature of the entire mass, at ttmsame weighs more or less than a pint of water; but to the engineer the time that the particles of the metal are more closely cemented matter w of more vital importance. I have gone this summer together. This effect is followed by a rapid ceiling rh?e through the workshops of almost all the great countnes on this to the contact of the plates of the hydraulic press with the surfaces “-»• »f .«* "*!*& «d “ “r. °,f V*™?*- ;    »' ‘he metel. Tho So.e JmSRZS'

practical use of the system that I have for so long a time con- ducting effect of the cold metal.

ENGERT’S BLOWPIPE FURNACE.

We have referred in another page to a paper read by Mr. A. C. Engert before the Society of Engineers on the 1st inst. We illustrate above the furnace in question, thus described by Mr. Engert:—The yellowish white flame from bituminous coals is giving the highest degree of heat in the ordinary furnace, but it is well known that it is by no means the greatest heat which can be obtained. By the help of the blowpipe, blowing into a burning coal, a transparent flame may be produced with a tint of bluish or greenish colour. This flame gives a much greater heat, and it may frequently be seen arising from anthracite coal or good coke. But the flame from these fuels is very short, and the heat, therefore, concentrated within a small space, which is a source of danger to the boiler plates; and it is, therefore, no wonder that engineers, fearing to burn holes in their boilers, do not want any greater heat, forgetting that the largest part of the steam in a boiler is formed just over the bridge, and that on these few feet of plate the most and the hardest crust is formed from the solids contained in the water of which the steam has been formed. This concentration of heat ought, therefore, to be avoided at any price; but by distributing the heat over a much larger surface of the plates it penetrates to the water and forms steam.

This result has been successfully obtained by the author’s new furnace with a fire-brick embankment and bridge, and which has the fire-bars sloping downwards to the front, with a proper guide for the air beneath the fire bars, as shown in section in the diagram. A guide to the draught will help it to flow

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I

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easy by a gentle sloping course from under’the fire-bars for the better combustion of the fuel. It is of the utmost importance that all corners and obstacles should be avoided for the proper guidance of draught for the fuel to the top of the fire-bars. These fire-bars have been made to slope downwards to the front, so that the air, entering in front at the bottom of the door, and guided by the slotted plate hanging down within, acts on the burning fuel similarly to the blowpipe, and produces a long, bright, transparent flame with a tint of blue or greenish colour, which show’s that thorough combustion is going on. In this furnace no atom of oxygen from below or from the front can escape without coming in contact with the fuel and thus producing almost perfect combustion. The damper is generally one-third open, but this is quite enough for the burning mass to draw in the atmosphere by its own gravity, and therefore not a particle of air is drawn in more than is actually consumed by the fuel, so that the heat once formed by the gases within the furnace is retained, and not reduced by a useless and damaging surplus of cold air. The slanting fire-bars have another very important purpose, and that is to guide the bright flame as near as possible to the boiler plates, and to keep it near the plates the tire-brick embankment is formed about 3ft. 6in. long, conforming to the shape of the boiler, and leaving only an 8in. space at the front end, and a 7in. space at the back end between them. At the end of this embankment is a pocket or chamber for any heavy dust that may have been brought forward by the draught to settle in. Then comes the so-called bridge, with a 7in. space between it and the boiler, so that the flame, some 10ft. or 12ft. long, is obliged to remain the whole length close to the boiler plates. Thus the area of heat penetrating the metal to form steam is at least four or five times greater than in an ordinary Cornish or Lancashire boiler.

It should be remarked that the air entering the furnace from the front at the bottom of the hanging plate is only the small quantity necessary for supply to the gases rising from the top of the fuel, chiefly after firing, when the coals get warm, which opens the pores and allows the compressed volatile gases to escape in large quantities to the amount of some 17 per cent, of their weight. These gases seldom find the oxygen required for their combustion within the furnace, as the air which enters through the fire-bars, and the incandescent fire, has for the most part combined with the volume of oxygen or hydrogen to form combustion. It will, therefore, be seen that a further supply of air is necessary for these newly-liberated gases to enter into combustion. Warm air and a forced combination of the gases, as in the present instance, of course produces the highest degree of combustion.

Two tests have been made with this furnace by independent engineers, one by Mr. D. K. Clark, and the other by Mr. W. Schonheyder. Mr. Clark’s test was made on November 10th, 1884, and the following are the leading results as stated in that gentleman’s report to the author.

Results of Test.

29-3 minutes. 51-5 lb.

14-5 lb.

Ash produced ................25 lb.

Clinker and ash residue............39-5 lb.

Clinker and ash per cent, of coal consumed .. 5"47 per cent. Average pressure maintained in boiler per

square inch .......

Temperature of burnt gases

chimney.........

Average temperature of feed-water ......

Quantity of water consumed..........

Quantity of water consumed per hour ..    ..

Quantity of water consumed per square foot of

fire-grate..................

Quantity of water consumed per lb. of coal consumed........

15-11 lb.

13-78 lb.

.. 15-98 lb.

Mr. Clark states that the steam proved to be dry, and there was no evidence of priming in any way. The broad result here is an evaporation of 13 02 lb. of water per pound of coal from a temperature of 70 deg. Fah. The test was made under conditions of slow combustion, only a small proportion of steam being used during this trial for driving the machinery in the author’s works, most of the hands being absent on a holiday.

Mr. Schonheyder’s test was made on November 20th, 1884, and the following are the tabulated results given in the report made by that gentleman to the author :—

Results of Test.

Length of test ................8 hours 25 minutes.

Water withdrawn from tank.......... 12,857 lb.

Water withdrawn from tank per hour ..    .. 1,531 lb.

Coal thrown into furnace ..........1,1201b.

Coal thrown into furnace per hour ......133 lb.

Mean temperature of feed-water........74 deg. Fah.

Mean pressure of steam (27 lb. to 40 lb.) ..    .. 35 lb. per sq.

Mean temperature in back flue (348 to 376 deg.). 356 deg. Fah.

44 deg Fah.

2-66 lb.

29-6 lb.

and at 35 lb. boiler pressure. The equivalent evaporation from and at 212 deg. would be 13‘39 lb. of water per lb. of coal. At the conclusion of the test, 40 lb. of ashes and clinkers were left, equal to barely 4 per cent, of the coal used; 13lb. of cinders were also left, but evidently of small value.

Thus far the author has quoted Mr. Schbnheyder’s own words. He will only add that that gentleman’s test was made under the conditions of quick combustion, that is, when the author’s factory was in full work, and the boiler supplying steam to drive all the machinery. Mr. Schonheyder also states in his report that the combination of the furnace arrangements assists to cause an intense heat and very perfect combustion, the top of the chimney being, as a rule, during his test quite clear of smoke.

THE ENFORCED USE OF THE METRIC SYSTEM.

are

demned. I frequently asked engineers if they like the system, and if they use it, and I will give the answer of one in Berlin: “We use it because we have to, and it is better to have some uniform system than the many measurements that formerly prevailed in the German States. The unit of the machine shop is the millimetre in everything except bolts, nuts, and screws. All bolts and nuts are made to the English inch, because we use the Whitworth system. We do not like the metric system, because it has too small a unit, and the metre is too large and involves the use of decimals.”

In Philadelphia, the firm of William Sellers and Co. adopted the French metric system in an important part of their works as long ago as thirty years, and have continued its use since, until their workmen are as familiar with it as with the inch. With all this long practice during my connection with the firm, I have written and spoken against the enforced adoption of the system, not only because of the expense involved in changing it is not a practical system; it permits of no elastic gradation of shop or trade Bizes. The millimetre is taken as the standard to avoid the complication of the constant use of decimals, as nearly all measurements in machine work are less than one metre. This small measure involves many figures, and does not permit any good memorisable series. The inch cut up into the natural division by constantly halving permits the use of sizes best suited to the needs of the workmen.

The standard of the French system is a certain bar, kept for comparison; so is the English yard, from which we get our feet and inches. The high-flown notion that the metre is a measurable portion of the quadrant of the earth’s circumference has been given up long ago, and the measurements of England and America are on a better basis of accuracy to-day than those of any other country. The French system theoretically predicates its weights on the weight of a cubic decimetre of distilled water at a temperature of 39T deg. Fah., the of which is called

never

plates, giving at

tance from some place, while half way between is a sign “ 5 kilometres.” This division of the roadway seems to them to be fine enough, as the old Swedish miles was G# of our miles, and 5 kilometres is a less distance.

In Germany you never hear of the kilo., but they sell by the pound, their pound being the half of 1 kilo.; this they cut up as they please into smaller weights, and you can buy half a pound of grapes or butter just as well as you can in America. It is claimed that, given the metre, all weights, &c., can be deduced from it. In theory this is very well. The most skilful workmen, however, are not yet able to make two litres of water weigh alike to the utmost point of accuracy, and the cubical litre is not used, but is converted into a circular or cylindrical vessel, with all the trouble of the problem of squaring the circle.

If a bar of ordinary forged iron be planed up to measure lin. square, and the bar be one English yard long, it will weigh 10 pounds, and the tenth of such a bar will weigh 1 pound more accurately than will the ordinary litre of water weigh 1 kilo. The English engineer, in these days of iron, knows when he uses shapes of iron rolled of uniform section that the tenth of their weight in pounds per yard gives him the area of the section, and this one admirable incident will long fix the desirability of the present unit of England and America. When we consider the interest involved, it will be seen that the population now making practical use of the English standard is greatly in excess of that using, by force, the French system. Millions of those numbered among the people who use the French system have no occasion to use any or know any system whatever save in the crudest form.

Carefully as I have considered this subject of weights and measures during the time I have been from home, I am the more confirmed in my opposition to the enforced adoption of the metric system of France in my own country, and firmly believe that those countries that have adopted it are at a disadvantage as compared with even the most imperfect of our systems. America has entered on the line of simplification of its metrology, and that is the direction that should be followed, not by any means giving up what is good, but by making what has been found to be practical better and simpler. One has not to be long in England to find out how firmly are the seemingly complicated systems of weights and measures of that country fixed with the people. They weigh by the stone and compute by the sterling currency as rapidly, or more so, than we do with our dollars and cents, and that because their unit is larger. The English shopkeeper knows nothing about decimals, and says, if you ask him, that he has never learned what they are. England has lately made legal the admirable standard manufactured by Sir Joseph Whitworth, and the chance of her adopting the metric system is not in the most remote degree possible.

A New Processs for Toughening Steel.—The French Society d’Encouragement have had under prolonged examination a process, invented by M. Clemandot, for working steel. This process is described by the Revue Industrielle as consisting in heating the metal until it acquires a sufficient ductility, and then subjecting it to high pressure during cooling. In this way a modification of the structure of the metal is produced, and the material acquires properties analogous to those developed by tempering. Similar processes have been tried in France, but only upon the same principle—that

this coo-

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

For Lancashire pig iron delivered equal to Manchester, makers still quote 41s. to 41s. 6d., less 2J, and about the same figures are also quoted for good Lincolnshire iron, but there are some district brands which could be got at as low as 40s. for forge and 40s. Gd. (From our own Correspondent.)    for foundry, less 2£, delivered here. Middlesbrough iron is being

To-DAY-Thursday-in Birmingham, and yesterday in Wolver- offefed’ fol₊ ^livery equal to Manchester, over nine months of hampton, there was but little business doing. Buying seemed to ?,ext at 45f 4d; »et cash> and for three or S1X months 0(L less have been pretty much abandoned for the rest of the year. Only    ¹¹⁸ ^ou e a er*.

very small lots were sought for when orders could not be placed by Manufactured iron makers are still able with difficulty, to keep monied men on terms which would make it worth their while to the f°rg°³ going about full time in most cases, and the leading purchase forward    manufacturers still quote £5 12s. 6d. for good qualities of bars

Sheet makers and some other of the finished iron makers were Ker*d herej, but there, is no difficulty in placing orders for North complaining that though they have some good orders on their Staffordshire bars at £6 11s. 3d and /or some of the local brands books, they cannot get specifications for their execution without at £5 10s. per ton delivered into the Manchester district Local-further concessions, for their customers were now able to supply made hoops can be got at about £6 and sheets at about £7 per ton. their wants upon terms within those at which the orders were North-country plates continue to be offered here at extremely low originally given out. In such cases there was some disposition by flgu,rf ,Good I™¹*¹®" delivered into this district can be got makers to increase stock; and if the workmen are to be kept on    u,nder £5 10s- Per ton> and in some cases at ls- to ls- 0d-

average hours the increasing of stock is imperative.    CT0W , ¹³ ,gure' ..    ,    ,    ,    ,    .    ,

The markets were not improved by the fact that the Chillington /^founders generally report trade as extremely dull, and for Iron Company, has served its ironworkers with notice to ^1 descriptions of castings prices are cut excessively low. terminate contracts a week hence. No explanation is given of the . ^founders also reP<>rt a quiet tone generally; engineers are object of the notice; its purpose will not be generally known until gmng out very little new work, and for marine fittings the demand it has expired. The company has its chief works in Wolverhamp- i3 extreme y s™alL 1 ° sc®uro °rders> P™®⁸ »» cut very fine, and ton; it has a minor works at Copperfield, in the Bilston locality, the general ordinary run of work has to be taken at figures that It is somewhat extensive maker of sheets, which it sends both to P^Ueally leave little or no margin for profit.

London and Liverpool; at the latter port it galvanises them. It . Thametal HH® ls\Ty du]¹!    tendency in prices;

is a producer also of most descriptions of finished iron, and it « copper tubes delivered into this district being now quoted possesses blast furnaces, but these have not for a long time been at. ⁷*dV solld d™Tl bra3St tubes, Gid.; copper wire, 8d.; brass in operation, the company having found it more profitable to buy W13 Jd.; and rolled brass «i^d. per lb.

than to make pigs. At its Wolverhampton establishment there is ,, 4 ie returns for the past month as to the state of employment in also a cultivating tool department. Business has not of late been t ie various branches of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers carried on at a profit, and, therefore, for a few years it has given stlll8how an increase m the number of members receiving out-of-no dividends on the ordinary capital. The company is a member of W,°[K ⁸y.PPor^    increase,    however, is not more than is usual

the Iron Trade Wages Board, and if the object of the notice at tins time of the year, and the average for the whole of the should bo to re-engage some of the hands at    lower wages    the effort    ⁸??iety    ⁸ branches is not much over 5 per cent, of the total member-

may bo attended with some little trouble.    3 HP in    "““P* °f out-of-work donation. In    the Lancashire district

Common bars were to-day plentiful at £510s., and good medium 10 condl lon off employment remains about stationary and with qualities were procurable at £G to £G 10s. The marked bar houses thc ex°ePtl.°n of Liverpool, Birkenhead, Barrow and Wigan, trade still quoted £7 10s to £8 2s Oil    generally is fairly steady. Locomotive builders and railway

There was more than the customary anxiety at this season of the “™*e b₎uilde₁rs have still sufficient work in hand to keep them year to get orders for strips and hoops, which, though they were u y employed. Ihc leading boiler makers are also well supplied quoted at £6 2s. 0d„ were to be obtained in considerable quantities Wltb?rdf⁸/ To<d '^kers are kept fairly employed, and cotton at £(5 at works, and occasionally at a trifle within that figure, machinists have of late had a tolerably large amount of work which Sheets of the double gauge were mostly quoted at £7 10s.! but 13 8tdl keeping the principal firms occupied. Taking the branch galvanisers reported themselves able to buy    from    some    makers at    reports    throughout the country however    there is no important

£7 7s. Gd. easy.    district    in whioh trade is reported as good,    the general tenour of

The girder plate and angle iron mills are prejudiced by the the returns sent in being either declining or bad. cheapness of those descriptions in the Cleveland district, from tho coftl *™de ™⁸¹?es8    extremely slow for the time

whence considerable supplies reach this part of tho kingdom. °‘tho year, with collieries still working short time, and m many Boiler plates were a trifle better in job lots, in anticipation of the casca not mor,° than three to four days a week. Bound coals repairs that will bo undertaken at works during thc holidays. Tank !“ very l,oor doiyia?d b?th for boU3e fi.re nn,d general trade purposes, plates were £7 10s.; common boilers, £8 to £8 10s.; and best, £0 *[¹⁰ acquirements for ironworks haying shown rather a falling off to £0 10s    the *a84i wee* or    80* Quoted prices remain without material

Pig iron was again slow of sale. The leading prices which    altcration> but for    quantities buyers are able to place orders at

determined transactions wero:-3Gs. to 37s. Gd. for cinder sorts; veu74o.w figures and there is a great deal of coal lying under load 45s. for part mines; and 55s. to 57s. Gd. for all mine hot blast, which is very often forced upon the market at almost any price Derbyshire pigs were easy at 42s., and Northampton at less *hat Bellcr8 can get. At the pit mouth best coals average about than 41s    '’9,> secon(l qualities, 7s. od.; and common round coals, os. Gd, to

Coal was plentiful at 2s. Gd. for common, up to 4s. Gd. for best ⁶»- P®r ton. Engine classes of fuel are not quite so plentiful in the deep mine slack.    Common forgo coal was 5s. Gd.    Best deep    ™rl5et> bcBt. flla?k    b®in8 n»w rathe,r. 8carce at some collieries, but

domestic coal was    quoted 10s. at thc pits, which makes    it 15s. per    J ,j^eniaim ¹⁸ «tdl    only moderate. Burgy remains at about 4s. (>d.

ton supplied to householders.    to r,s* l)er ton at tho P¹®* slack 18 fetching 4s. to 4s. 3d., but

After a chequered career tho Coal Trade Wages’ Board has ended co?,rao". 80r.t8 can be    ?⁸; !,d> to d3, '*'}• Per t(Jn-

its existence. On Tuesday, the president and vice-president, ^Shipping has been quiet, with steam ooal delivered at the Garston panied by the secretaries representing tho employers and tho ⁴ ^j*3 <>r 410 blgb ^cve^j Liverpool, to be got at about 7s. to < a. (>d. men, formally wougd up the accounts. Tho amicable results l’®^1011,    .    ...

which it was sometime hoped might ho forthcoming from its ™rrou>.—I have to report the usual quieting down m busi-onerations have not been rcaliseil. Every meeting 1ms been n®⁸⁸ l*nor to the customary Christmas holidays. The attendance of a stormy nature, and thc death-blow to tho Board was the markets is very limited and the amount of new contracts late three months’ strike. Any attempt to bring the men and    ¹⁸ inconsiderable. Some few makers m tho district are

masters together again upon the vital question of wages will have b'cev bo busy until the end of the year, but the generality of to commence at the beginning    them> 1 notlce* are anxious to secure nrompt specifications, in

The ironworkers in the neighbourhood of Brierley    Hill are at    order    k®eP w°rks Koin8- Thb naturally has a tendency to cause

present undecided whether the new Ironworkers^    Association    Pnc08    )®.ra^^r ea8ier> although no perceptible difference is

should be affiliated with that existing in North Staffordshire. It clu°tabl°- The attempt to force prices up for orders for forward is reported that six new works have joined the Association.    delivery has not succeeded, and mixed Bessemer samples are still

The mails received this week from Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, PTnct'₍, a4 ‘,0.ln 4 )8, 4o d ,'s‘    works, prompt delivery.

Rio, Bahia, Pernambuco, and Lisbon have brought some accession v8ftmplcs are quoted at 43s. to 44s. per ton. 4 he shipping of work to the hardware manufactories. The new antipodean l ( ,venc8 8how a falling off on the week, stocks are extensive, orders are, however, quiet. New Zealand bulks largest, and tho and ftr° d¹⁰*1 being reduced, as the present output is quite Cape business is yet dull. One merchant from Morocco, who, in ®fiuaj tbo demand, h or Bessemer steel there are practically no his picturesque costume, is a welcome visitor at the factories here- in(luines °‘ importance. One or two good contracts for rails, abouts, has this week been distributing acceptable    orders for    which    have just been placed out, have had the effect of giving a

miscellaneous metal requisites and for machinery.    lie is also    ⁸P"r*;    this particular industry; but in the course of a few wreeks,

chaperoning Eastern merchants who, unlike himself, are visiting    Hicse are 'worked off, there is nothing else on the books to

Europe for the first time.    ‘al bac c UP011, In *he hoop and wire department of the steel

A meeting of thc operative nut and bolt makers of Darlaston lias trade I understand some activity prevails. I liis is about the only passed a resolution calling upon the Government to institute an department which the great depression seems not to have visited, inquiry into the cause of the depression in trade, and request of for throughout the year there has been fair employment. Angles Air. A. Brogden, M.P., to use his influence to bring about such aad tires are in limited demand. Shipbuilders are expecting with inquiry without delay, with “ a view to improving the condition of ,ncw year to bo busier. Coal and coke rather steadier. Iron the working classes.”    °r® is quiet at unchanged rates, with large stocks at mines. Ship-

A meeting of the South Staffordshire Institute of Iron and without material change.

Steel Works Managers was held at Dudley on Saturday.

The president, Mr. W. J. Hudson, continued liis remarks upon “ Modern Blast Furnace Practice.” He showed that the analyses from hot and cold blast pigs varied so little in chemical composition that it was difficult to say which of the two was the better. He also reiterated his contention, that provided the same materials were put in tho furnace, the nature of the blast had no material effect upon the product. Mr. M. Millard, the ex-president, urged that a fortune was being lost in South Staffordshire every year hy casting pigs in sand instead of iron moulds. He quoted the opinion of a manager who had worked blast furnaces for twenty years, that the extra cost entailed was only 4d. per ton. Other members contended that the days of cold blast pig iron had departed. The Institute also passed a resolution sympathising with Mr. Sydney G. Thomas, one of the inventors of the basic process, in his illness, and expressing the hope that his recovery would be early.

The Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce have this week forwarded to the Associated Chambers their views upon the working of the Bankruptcy Act. As regards the management of small estates, the Chamber believes that the appointment of official receivers has worked well. Touching large estates, however, the do not express any positive opinion. The Act appeared to well as regards promptness and closing of estates and the payment of dividends.

NOTES FROM LANCASHIRE.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Manchester.—Business has now settled down into the quiet condition which will in all probability continue with very little change until after the holidays. In all branches of the iron trade there is a gradual suspension of operations, and in view of the close of the year consumers are working down their stocks as low as they possibly can, with the result that deliveries of iron under contract are only being partially taken, and where any iron is being bought it is only in small parcels for immediate requirements. Nominally quoted rates are without change from last week, but to secure any orders of weight considerably under current rates would, for the moment, have to be taken, and there are sellers in the market who would come down very low to effect sales. For the present, however, no one is really wanting iron, and some very substantial inducement would be required to bring forward buyers.

There was extremely little doing on the Manchester Iron Exchange on Tuesday, and prices could scarcely be said to be tested.

on Saturday, owing to illness. Though a large profit had been made, it was not considered advisable to declare any dividend. The general manager—Mr. A. E. Seaton—stated that, in addition to a contract entered into with the firm of Messrs. Thomas Wilson, Sons, and Co., for a smart passenger steamer, other prominent Hull shipowners had continued to give their support to the company, Mr. B. Jameson and Mr. Edward Leatham having each given rder for a steamer, while Grimsby had ordered two powerful steam trawlers. Notwithstanding the severe depression in the shipbuilding trade, the company is better off in respect to new work than most of their neighbours elsewhere. Sir John Brown and Mr. Thomas Bingham, the retiring directors, were re-elected; and Mr. C. B. Godfrey, of London, was also elected a director.

It is interesting to note the week before Christmas that the prices of household coal for local consumption are as follows:— Hand-picked Silkstone branch, 14s. per ton ; best Silkstone hards, 11s. 8d.; best Silkstone, screened, 10s. 10d.; second Silkstone, screened, 9s. 7<3.; screened Silkstone nuts, 7s. Gd. These are the quotations of the Nunnery Colliery Company, who do a very large local trade in house fuel. The prices are at the depot, and exclusive of carriage.

At the Cyclops Steel and Iron Works, Sheffield—Messrs. Charles Cammell and Co

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on Monday, Edward Kirk, a crane driver, was killed in the course of his employment. Kirk was working his crane in the lifting of armour-plates, when one of the girders carrying the crane gave way, and fell upon Kirk, who was dreadfully crushed. The crane at the time was not bearing anything like the weight for which it is certified—25 tons. The Cyclops Company has ambulance wagons for each of their Savile-street and Grimesthorpe Works, and in one of these Kirk was taken to the infirmary, where his injuries shortly after proved fatal.

The Sheffield shareholders in the Chillington Iron and Coal Company has been interested in the statement that the directors have given a fortnight’s notice to all the ironworkers to terminate contracts. The company has works in Wolveihampton and Bilston, but dividends have not been regularly declared for some time. Though the blast furnaces have been stopped, the rolled iron branch has been kept on. The company are also edge-tool and galvanised sheet makers. It is said that if the works should not be wholly stopped after Christmas, some hands will be discharged, and it is probable that the rest will be asked to accept lower wages.

The Sheffield Chamber of Commerce are again having their attention directed to the necessity for water communication with the coast. Amongst tho business to be considered at the next Council meeting of the Chamber is tho advisability of having a survey made of a deep canal from Sheffield to Coole. It is one of the serious difficulties of thc leading trades of Sheffield to secure cheap transit of raw material and finished goods to and from Sheffield.

Mr. J. T. Key, engineer to tho Sheffield Gas Company, was elected a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers at their last meeting. Mr. Key was elected without being called upon to pass through the other grades.

On Wednesday morning tho Barnsley magistrates fined a colliery deputy—stated to be a very steady man—40s. and costs for neglecting to withdraw tho miners from No. 4, instead of tho Silkstono seam, on his finding a largo accumulation of gas there. A damaged lamp had been found in that part of the workings, and an explosion might have occurred. At another colliery a youtli toasted his cheese over a safety lamp ! Ho was also fined.

THE NORTH OF ENGLAND.

accom

THE SHEFFIELD DISTRICT.

(From our own Correspondent.)

As the end of the year approaches, the Cleveland pig iron trade seems to grow more and more stagnant. There was but a poor attendance at the market held at Middlesbrough on Tuesday last, and few sales wero made. Makers’ quotations for No. 3 g.m.b. were the same as a week previously, viz., 3Gs. 3d. per ton for immediate delivery, and 3Gs. fid. to J3Gs. l)d. for forward delivery. None of them are, however, eager sellers at present. Merchants have reduced their prices, and are now offering No. 3 at 35s. 9d. per ton, and, indeed, one or two small lots have been sold at 35s. Gd. It is believed, however, that they have not much under their control, and such sales have for their object to force down the market prices. Forge iron is easier, sales having been made at 348. per ton, or Gd. less than a week ago.

Warrants are nominally 30s. per ton.

In Messrs. Connal and Co.’s store at Middlesbrough on Monday last the stock of pig iron was 52,559 tons, that being a reduction of 100 tons during thc week. At Glasgow their stock has decreased 311 tons.

Shipments of pig iron from the Tees have this month fallen behind those for November, but are about the same as in December, 1883. The actual figures are as follows, viz.: This month to the 15th, 32,070 tons; last month, 4G,728 tons; and December, 1883, 32,740 tons.

The finished iron trade is quiet. Most of the works will be closed next week for stock-taking. Orders to about an average value are being hooked, the prices being about as follows:—For ship and bridge plates, £5 to £5 2s. Gd. per ton; angles, £4 15s. to £4 17s. Gd.; and bar iron, common quality, £5 2s. Gd. to £5 5s. All on trucks at makers’ works less 21s per cent, discount.

At several of the shipyards on the Tees, Tyne, and Wear, and at Hartlepool, new vessels are now being built, and employment is being found for a large number of hands. Messrs. Doxford and Sons, of Sunderland, commenced a new ship on Monday last, and at Messrs. Short Brothers’ yard fresh workmen are being daily set to work.

At a meeting of the River Tyne Commissioners, held on the 11th inst., it was reported that only fifty-seven steamers were now laid up idle in the river, as compared with 104 two months ago.

Messrs. Ashmore and White, of Stockton, have booked an order for a four-lift gasholder 180ft. high, and capable of holding about 8,000,000 cubic feet of gas.

Messrs. Richardson, Duck, and Co., of South Stockton, have launched this year three screw steamers and five sailing vessels, equivalent in all to 15,002 gross register tonnage.

If Mr. Wm. Boyd’s presidential address, read on the 28th ult. at the inaugural meeting of the North-East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders, may be taken as a sample of the quality of future contributions, the new-born institution should at once command respect. Mr. Boyd has shown himself a capable engineer, and a clear and forcible writer. The modesty with which ho states his views, and [the tact he evinces when discussing controversial topics, are conspicuous and commendable. The ground intended to be covered by the operations of the Institution includes the Tyne, the Wear, and the Tees, and the subjects to be treated of arc those relating to the shipbuilding industry carried on in the Northern rivers. Mr. Boyd, in commencing his address, glances at the question of the stability of ships as affected by their forms, dimensions, loading, and management. Next he considers the materials of which they are usually made, and the probable rapid change from iron to steel. Loading and unloading by hydraulic machinery, and by aid of the electric light, is next discussed, and its influence in increasing the effectiveness of steamers. The Esmeralda cruiser in particular, and warships in general, are then touched upon, and afterwards some interesting information is given as to triple expansion engines working at 150 lb. pressure. To illustrate the even balancing and smoothness of working secured by these, arranged on the three-crank system, Mr. Boyd says : “I recently saw a triple expansion engine with a working premire of 150 lb. in the boilers, revolve smoothly and continuously, and without stoppage, at twelve revolutions per minute, and I believe this is a result not attainable in an ordinary compound engine.” He doubts if he shall stop at a twelve-fold expansion, and thinks we may come soon to sixteen-fold, with four cylinders and 250 lb. boiler pres-This will lead to a revolution in boilers. For as it is not

(From our own Correspondent.)

Messrs. Craven Brothers, railway carriage and wagon works, Darnall, are at present completing an order for forty-two carriages for tho Cheshire Lines Committee. Of these fourteen are composite bogie carriages, fourteen third-class bogie carriages, and fourteen brakes. During the year the wagon trade has been brisk at Darnall, owing to two heavy orders, 1000 wagons for the Great Northern Railway, and 750 for the Caledonian Company. This firm have also just completed an order for twenty-seven coaches for the Metropolitan Railway. Generally, the wagon-builders do not find many large orders coming in to take the place of those now being finished.

New steel works, under the title of the Dearne and Dove Steel Company, have been opened at Worsbrough Bridge, in the presence of a number of gentlemen connected with the iron and coal tiades of the district. The company, which has been registered with a nominal capital of £10,000, is presided over by Mr. J. W. Taylor, of Denby Dale, with him as directors being associated Mr. Joseph Mitchell and Mr. S. Foster. A complete Bessemer plant, capable of an output of from 100 to 150 tons of steel per week, has been put dowrn. It is the intention of the company to produce general castings on the most modern principles, for which purpose they have fitted up the requisite plant. It is comfortable to find, at a time when the most gloomy statements are made regarding the steel trade, that business men have still sufficient faith in its future to commence new works.

The Grassmoor Colliery Company, which has long been a first-class private concern, has been converted into a limited liability company; but the arrangement is purely a private one, and no shares will be offered for public subscription. Mr. Mundella, M.P., has agreed to act as arbitrator in the dispute at the Barrow Collieries, near Barnsley, and has consented to open up communications with Mr. David Dale, of Darlington, with a view of bringing the difficulty to an end. Mr. Benjamin Rickard, the secretary of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association, advises the men to be patient and law-abiding, and then good would come out of what had been done. The men have passed a resolution not to go to work until an honourable settlement had been made.

Earle’s Shipbuilding Company, Hull, has a large amount of its capital in Sheffield, and its affairs are therefore of more than ordinary interest in these parts. Sir John Brown, of Endcliffe Hall, the chairman, was prevented presiding at the annual meeting

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Messrs. Russell and Co., of Port Glasgow, have intimated a reduction on the wages of rivetters.

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THE PATENT J0UKNAL.

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

Ma-

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11(A December, 1884.

Launching and

10.310.

(J- Brandt and G. IF. von Nawrocki, Berlin.)

16.311.    Decorating Glass, E. E. Searle, Greenwich.

practical to use steel plates thicker than 1-^in. without a serious proportionate weakening of the steel itself, and still more of the rivetted joints, it will be necessary to obtain the requisite increase of strength by lessening the diameter of the boiler. This will necessitate a complete rearrangement of steam generating apparatus onboard ship, and Mr. Boyd thinks that the Admiralty type of boiler will be most likely to come into use. A consideration of the value of forced draught, and of the effective compared with the indicated horsepower of a marine engine, concludes this section of the address. Economy of production in ship and engine build is next considered, and the paper concludes with some valuable observations on the consideration which should guide members in selecting subjects for papers, in writing them, and in criticising them in the course of the discussion. Mr. Boyd is to be congratulated on his address, and the members of the new Northern Institute as their first president.

A year or two since an electric light company started upon the marshes at Middlesbrough, to supply Brush lights on rental to the various ironworks around from a central station. £25 per per light was the charge made, plus the co3t of carbons consumed. The North-Eastern Steel Company has hitherto rented eighteen lights; Gjers, Mills, and Co., one; and two others are employed by neighbouring firms. But there are no symptoms of the demand extending, and the company is now endeavouring to sell its plant to a syndicate of its customers at a price considerably less than it cost. It is said that £3000 has in all been expended. It has been found that gas lighting answers well enough for ironworks, especially if three-flame lights Sugg’s or Bray’s principle be used in the _____ important places, and that it costs far less than electric lighting. For steel works, however, the electric seems almost a necessity. In the end it is probable that the North-Eastern Steel Company will buy up the electric light company’s plant.

NOTES FROM SCOTLAND.

(From our oum Correspondent.)

THE iron trade continues quiet, although the past week’s shipments show a considerable improvement in amount as compared with those of several weoks preceding. The speculative department of the market is quiet, there being very little business of any consequence outside tho circle of tho brokers. Fluctuations of prices have again tended downwards. For export the inquiry is not at all satisfactory, but it is, of course, possible that an improvement may come with the opening of the new year. There is no change in the amount of the production. The stock of Scotch pigs in Messrs. Connal and Co.’s Glasgow stores shows a reduction for the week of about 350 tons.

Business was done in tho warrant market Friday from 42s. 4d. to 42s. 2d. cash. The tone of the market on Monday forenoon was fiat, with transactions at 41s. 11 £d. to 41s. 10£d. cash, afternoon quotations being 41s. lOd. to 42s. cash. On Tuesday business was done at 42s. Id. to 42s. 1J)<1. cash. On Wednesday business Yvas done at 42s. 2d. to 42s. 5£d. cash. To-day— Thursday—the market was quiet, with transactions varying from 42s. 5d. to 42s. 3d. per ton.

In consequence of tho limited shipping demand, makers’ prices are slightly lower, as follows:— Gartsherrie, f.o.b. at Glasgow, per ton, No. 1, 52s. 9d.; No. 3, 47s. 9d.; Coltness, 57s. and 51s. 4d.; I>angloan, 57s. fid. and 52s. Gd.; Sum-mcrlee, 53s. fid. and 47s. 3d.; Calder, 53s. Gd. and 48s.; Carnbroe, 50s. and 47s.; Clyde, 47s. Gd. and 44s.; Monkland, 44s. and 41s. 3d.; Quarter, 43s. and 40s. 9d.; Govan, at Broomiclaw, 43s. 3d. and 41s.; Shotts, at Leith, 53s. Gd. and 52s.; Carron, at Grangemouth, 49s. and 48s. (specially selected, 53s. Gd.); Kinneil, at Bo’ness, 44s. fid. and 43s. fid.; Glengarnock, at Ardrossan, 49s. and 43s. 3d.; Eglinton, 44s. and 41s. 3d.; Dalmellington, 48s. fid. and 44s. The total shipments of Scotch pigs to date are 514,023, as compared with 616,050 in the corresponding period of last year, and the aggregate stock in Messrs. Connal and Co.’s stores is 579,323, against 583,701 tons.

The shipments of iron manufactures from Glasgow in the past week embraced ten locomotives, valued at £16,860, for Bombay; £22,000 machinery of different kinds, of which £9000 represented sugar crushing plant for Brisbane. There was also a steam launch, valued at £740, for Rangoon; £3378 worth of sewing machines, £9700 steel goods, and £42,500 iron manufactures, including pipes, sleepers, bars, &c., to the value of £13,200, for Bombay. The imports of iron goods from abroad were comparatively small in quantity.

The coal trade is comparatively quiet; yet the coalmasters have, upon the whole, little reason for complaint. Up to the end of last week, the coal shipments from the whole of the Scottish ports for the present year aggregated 3,062,488 tons, being only 257,640 tons less than in the corresponding week of last year. Of course the inbound consumption has been considerably smaller than it w’as last year in consequence of the dulness of trade curtailing the requirements of the manufacturing consumers. It is somewhat difficult at present for merchants to obtain full rates, but they will not admit that there is any general reduction of prices. In the past Yveek there Yvas shipped at the Glasgow General Terminus 12,369 tons of coals, at the Queen’s Dock 7171 tons, the quantity despatched from Greenock being 708 tons; Grangemouth, 11,146 tons; Ayr, 9262; Troon, 6142; and Irvine, 1881 tons. At Leith the coal shipments have been scarcely so good they were of late. In Fifeshire the demand for household coals has been good and the prices satisfactory, but poor quotations are ruling for shipping qualities.

In some of the mining districts it is impossible to give the colliers full employment; but, Yvhere-ever that is possible, they are working steadily in anticipation of the New Year holidays.

A number of the Clyde shipyards will close for the holidays earlier than usual, and will remain longer shut, in consequence of the scarcity of employment.

Within the past few days several orders for new vessels have been contracted for, and the output for the year will compare well with most preceding years ; but there are fifty fewer vessels on the stocks than twelve months ago, and the prospect is not at all encouraging.

WALES & ADJOINING COUNTIES.

(From our own Correspondent.)

The prospects of the Cardiff and Monmouthshire Railway may now be taken as excellent. Thanks to the coalition between the Taff Vale and the Bute Docks interest, a powerful opposition has been avoided, and now the joint interest will be in favour of the new line.

At an important meeting in Cardiff a few days ago, Mr. W. T. Lewis promised on behalf of Lord Bute to subscribe two-thirds of the promotion money, and before the meeting ended the whole of it—£7500—had been subscribed. During the proceedings one freighter promised to send a million tons annually over the line. It was also pointed out, as one great advantage, that the whole of the eastern and western valley of Monmouthshire would be placed as near to Cardiff as Newport, and the Monmouthshire ironworks be considerably benefited.

The Pontypridd, Caerphilly, and Newport Rail-wayCompany will notgoinyet forpasscngertraflic. It is proposed to get powers to make a deviation of the present incline between the Maclien Tin-works and the Brecon and Merthyr Machen station, as the present gradient would not pass the Government Board for such traffic. Rapid progress is being made on the new line from Quakers Yard to the Great Western Station, Merthyr, and an opening early in the year is certain. It is a joint line, by the Rhymney and Great Western authorities, and is a substantial construction. The Taff Vale Company has a small army employed in widening and extending. The advantages of the Roath sidings have been strikingly shown of late, for on account of the stormy weather the shipping has been much inconvenienced. This week the congestion about there has been great in coal traffic.

It is tolerably clear now that the year is going to close with a depressed condition of the coal trade. A fortnight ago the export from Cardiff was 113,000 tons, last week it was only 98,000. These figures, compared with the old average of 150,000 tons, speak volumes.

have had such a run of good times that it is only in a few cases that the slackness is felt. Possibly, too, now that the storms have abated, there will be larger clearances. I expect to record bigger figures next week.

The principal coalowners are somewhat fortunate in securing contracts. Powell, Duffryn, Nixon and Co., and the National Steam Coal Company have secured a portion of the contract for the Austrian Lloyd’s, and the Glamorgan Steam Coal Company for Admiralty requisites at Malta.

Newport is faring tolerably well with the coal trade, as is but natural, being the leading port for house coal. Its clearances last week showed well, and a fair average is being maintained of close upon 40,000 tons foreign and 20,000 tons coastwise. Swansea, which usually suffers the most from tempestuous weather, has had to complain of a great falling off in tonnage; but with a change in the weather, this will soon be made up.

A strike has taken place at the Forest Colliery, Neath. The dispute is in the matter of paying wages by the ton, instead of day.

Only forty-eight vessels came in last week, and colliery owners have in consequence been hampered.

The Swansea and Rhondda Colliery Company has been floated, capital £100,000 in £1 shares. Subscribers include Cheshire, Manchester, Preston, and Wrexham capitalists. A new seam of coal has been won at Loughar, Broad vale Colliery. The taking is 1000 acres, and the seam a fine bituminous one. This will be a capital incentive to other explorers, as the district is nearly virgin. The Ynyshir shot firing prosecution will be carried out forthwith. Counsel’s opinion has been obtained, and is against the Home-office authorities. The rule of the Mines Regulation Act is already carried out, and it will be necessary that the Home Secretary propose a new rule to meet the prohibition of shot firing when men are in the pit.

There is little doing in steel rails. Home requirements and colonial keep up the same degree of life as I have so frequently reported. If anything, more requirements are coming in from India. Last week several thousand tons left, the accumulations of some weeks. Bar, too, is slightly in better request for foreign use, but in no place is there anything like activity. Even tin-plate works are quiet and prices unremunera-tive. Best coke I.C. brands only fetch 14s., and ordinary will not yield so much. If prices fell there would be a rush on stocks, for it is well-known that orders are numerous in the market. The present dulness is due to the conflict in the market between buyers and sellers, and the latter act wisely in refusing to give way; 14s. per box is a losing figure, and the pressure to force the market down can only tend to the increase of common brands.

Three men were killed at Treharris by the breaking of a wire rope last week. One saved himself by the guide rope. It is attiibuted to a false coil having been made in unwinding, but an inquest will be held.

I am pleased to note that the Home Secretary has appointed Mr. W. T. Lewis on the Board of Management for the examination of certificates for colliery managers, South Wales Mining district.

Society of Engineers.—The thirtieth annual dinner of the Society of Engineers was held on Wednesday evening at the Guildhall Tavern, the chair being occupied by the president, Mr. Arthur Rigg. The chairman gave an interesting account of his recent visit to America, and spoke of the striking advances made there in mechanical science and practice.

Condensed. from the Journal of the Commissioners of Patents.

Applications for Letters Patent.

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

9th December, 1884.

16.145.    Boilers for Heating Churches, E. W. Astle, Derby.

16.146.    Pulleys, Ac., for Driving Purposes, W. N. Wilkinson, Manchester.

16.147.    Compounding Iron and Steel, <fec., W. Rose, Birmingham.

16.148.    Gas Motor Machines, J. Robson, Birmingham.

16.149.    Wagon Draw-bars, J. II. Milner, Halifax.

16.150.    English and Anglo-German Concertinas, J. II. Airey, Sunderland.

16.151.    Gas Motor Engines, J. T. Nelson, Leeds.

16.152.    Economical Working of Locomotives, Ac., II. Harrison, Manchester.

16.153.    Tips for Boot Heels, II. N. Box, Manchester.

16.154.    Chisels, Gouges and Augers, J. Ball and J. H. and F. P. Rawson, London.

16.155.    Watch, <fec., Dials to Denote the Time up to 24 o’clock, E. Liddlc, Middlesbrough.

16.156.    Driving Gear for Sewing Machines, J. Farran. —(A. C. Perkins, U.S.)

16.157.    Bicycles, Ac., J. Farran.—(A. C. Perkins, U.S.)

16.158.    Packing Textile Fabrics for Export, A. Provand, Manchester.

16.159.    Knitting Machines, W. P. Thompson.—(A. J. Wood, U.S.)

16.160.    Clamping Apparatus for Paper-cutting chines, G. Daniels, Liverpool.

16.161.    Ships and Boats, S. Firth, Birmingham.

16.162.    Safety Bicvcles, W. Spence and A. W. Hirst, London.

16.163.    Band Saw Machines, J. H. R. Dinsmore, London.

16.164.    Climbing Chimneys, J. Brown and T. A. Porter, London.

16.165.    Electric Switches or Cut-outs, E. C. War-burton, Halifax.

16.166.    Freezing Apparatus, T. Fisliburn, London.

16.167.    Water-closet Basins, A. C. Billings and A. D. Middleton, Birmingham.

16.168.    Fire Bloyveii, W. I’. English, London.

16.169.    Producing Cold Dry Air, W. P. English, London.

16.170.    Minimising Damage to Ships in Collision, W. P. English, London.

16.171.    Type-writers, F. T. Ball, London.

16.172.    Projectiles, J. C. D. Hay, London.

16.173.    Nails, Bolts, Spikes, Ac., H. J. Allison.—(IF.

C.    Watson, U.S.)

16.174.    Advertising Contrivance, Ac., II. Roman, London.

16.175.    Electric Current Areometer, F. P. E. de Lalande, London.

16.176.    Slide Valves for Motive Power Enoines, E. R. AHfrey, London.

16.177.    Ornamental Woodwork, F. Mankey, London.

16.178.    Attachments for Electric Lamps, R. P. Sellon, London.

16.179.    Perforating Holding Apparatus, II. J. liaddan.—(Is. Tacsch, Paris.)

16.180.    Drying, Ac , Threads, A. C. Henderson.—(/. Mosselli, Lyon.

167/85 ) l)RAW'BAR for Cars> Al m< Clark.—(IF. A. Jones,

16.182.    Permanent Way of Railways, Ac., J. H. Poole, London.

16.183.    Revolving Book Shelves, M. O. Ilund.— (Messrs. Gretscliel and Ileincmann, Reudnilz.)

16.184.    Working Punkahs, C. Steiner, London.

16.185.    Watch Protector, W. J. Blunden, Lond

16.186.    Extracting Cellulose from Wood, A. Albutt. —-(A. Fellner, Lintz.)

16.187.    Luminous Signs, G. F. Williams and W. C. Home, London.

16.188.    Ornamental Embossing, A. Cowell, London.

16.189.    Producing, Ac., Perforated Writing, J. H. Johnson.—(Ignalio, Marquis of Camarasa, Madrid.)

16.190.    Comprkssino Pasty Substances, J. II. Johnson.—^. M. IV ill cox, U.S.)

16.191.    Covered Wagonettes, &c., S. G. Turner and T. J. and J. C. Perry, London.

16.192.    Ventilating Rooms, G. Henderson McNiel, London.

16.193.    Levf.r and Spring Bolt Alarum Striker, J. Harris, London.

16.194.    Lining Tubular Fabrics, P. Jensen—(J. V.

D.    Reed, United States.)

16.195.    Lining Tubular Fabrics, P. Jensen.—(J. F. D. Reed, United States.)

16.196.    Incubators, W. R. Lake.—(C. C. Maurice, Paris.)

16.197.    Educational Apparatus, W. R. Lake.—(T. F. A ttix, United States.)

16.198.    Rolling and Shaping Metal Cylinders or Tubes, J. A. and J. Hopkinson, London.

16.199.    Rolling and Shaping Metal Cylinders or Tubes, J. A. and J. Hopkinson, London.

10 Ih December, 1884.

16.200.    Perambulator Bodies, J. Aylward, Coventry.

16.201.    Perfecting Letter-press Printing Machines, J. H. Buxton, D. Braithwaite, & M. Smith, London.

16.202.    Roving and Spinning Frames, A. and J. Holmes, Halifax.

16.203.    Supplying Lubricant to Bricks, R. Smallman,

Halifax.    ’

16.204.    Casters, A. Paul, Glasgow.

16.205.    Elevators, R. Woodhall, Manchester.

16.206.    Handles for Knives, Ac., H. A. Done, Birmingham.

16.207.    Controlling Runayvay, Ac., Horses, W. O. Walley, Manchester.

16.208.    Coprail for Mule Spinning, J. Jackson, Manchester.

16.209.    Elastic Driving Band, C. L. Baker, Manchester.

16.210.    Royvlocks for Boats, A. Allan, Liverpool.

16.211.    Making Bread, Ac., K. J. Dance, Glasgow.

16.212.    Invalid’s Night Foot-yvaumer, W. K. Fulley-love, Bulkington.

16.213.    Indicator for Clocks, Ac., R. Evans, New-castle-on-Tyne.

16.214.    Heating, Ac., Apartments, T. G. Doming, London.

16.215.    Bulwarks of Ships, J. and T. Linkleter, Tynemouth.

16.216.    Conveying Power by Means of Air and Water, J. Goode, Col wall Stone.

16.217.    Cinder Sifters, T. H. Ward, Tipton.

16.218.    Making Asbestos Lamp Wicks, E. King, Leeds.

16.219.    Advertising Apparatus, II. Robinson, Liverpool.

16.220.    Sulphide of Zing, Ac., II. Knight, Liverpool.

16.221.    Manuring Land, G. Quarrie, Liverpool.

16.222.    Standards for Windows, F. Mcllvenna, Liverpool.

16.223.    Fixing Pipes, G. C. Akrigg, Hull.

16.224.    Substitute for Skins, J. Walter and C. Wilkinson, London.

16.225.    Locks, I. Loftus and S. M. Baker, London.

16.226.    Joining Ship-plates, Ac., B. L. Thomson, London.

16.227.    Block-printing Machine, W. J. Slous and G.

A. Sykes, London.

16.228.    Safety Pin, \V. Rowbotham, Woolwich.

16.229.    Cleansing Flues, E. Hillsdou and A. Bath, London.

16.230.    Cartridges, J. H. Dunn and A. C. Cronin, London.

16.231.    Dart Boards, J. E. Glover, Halifax.

16.232.    Cover for School Slates, II. G. Boom-Thompson, London.

16.233.    Cuttino Fustian Cords by Self-acting Machinery, J. and T. Marshall, Lydgate, J. Marshall and J. Pickles, Linsholme, and T. Hargreaves, Todmorden.

16.234.    New Form of Dial for Clocks, Ac., T. C. Hep-worth, London.

16.235.    Horizontal Rotary Scrubber Washer, II. and J. II. Lyon, London.

16.236.    Making Compressed Gunpowder, Ac., D. F. Downing, Woolwich.

16.237.    Magnetic Electricity Meter, W. C. D. Whetham, London.

16.238.    Holders for Pencil Leads, Ac., D. Norman, London.

16.239.    Cements or Compositions, J. Robbins, London.

16.240.    Frames for Horse Hoes, Sic., T. W. A. Evans, London.

16.241.    Fire-bars, C. A. Glazebrook and T. Lockerbie, Charlton.

16,212. A Reading Ligbt Holder, J. Longbottom, Chester.

16.243.    Rotary Cutters for Paring Boot Soles, Sic., J. Keats, London.

16.244.    Separating Metal from Crushed Ores, II. Moon, London.

16.245.    Preventing tho Accumulation of Snow in Railway Cuttings, W. Ij. Howio, London.

16.246.    Watches and Clocks, W. Sturroek and J. Mook, London.

16.247.    Tram-cars, T. F. Millott, London.

16.248.    Construction of Steam Boilers, W. Malam, London.

16.249.    Steam Boilers, J. Kirkaldy, London.

16.250.    Hot-air Motor Engine, II. P. Holt, London.

16.251.    Substitute for Wood, Ac., E. Brady, Philadelphia, U.S.

16.252.    Communication between the Occupant and Driver of a Vehicle, II. 11. Lake.—(A. SUbersdorjf, St. Petersburg.)

16.253.    Propulsion of Vessels, H. II. Lake.—(5. and J. A. Secor, U.S.)

16.254.    Issuing, Ac., Tickets, G. W. Aytoii and II. A. Jackson, London.

16.255.    Machinery for Excavating Earth, A. II. Owlcs, London.

16.256.    Varying tho Gauge of Carrying Wheels, F. Mack inlay, London.

10.257.    Supplying Water to Water-closets, Ac., II. Wainwrighfc, London.

16.258.    Supplying Water to Water-closets, Ac., II. Wainwright, London.

16.259.    Valves for Wind Instruments, E. Armitago, London.

16.260.    Sun Blinds and Reflectors, J. AValker, Southport.

16.261.    Stop Motion for Slides of Machine Tools, W. Darling and R. Sellors, Keighley.

16.262.    Slide Valve for Engines, W. Frcakley, Long-port.

16.263.    Folding Tables and Forms, W. II. Dowland, London.

16.264.    Card Clothino, J. Moseley, Manchester.

16.265.    Files, J. M. Kdelstcn, Manchester.

16.266.    Straps for Trousers, <tc., J. Cadbury and J.

Q. Rollason, Birmingham.

16.267.    Attachino Buttons to Boots, Ac., J. Cadbury and J. G. Rollason, Birmingham.

16.268.    Stone-breaking, Ac., Machine, W. H. Baxter Halifax.

16.269.    Ascertaining Depth of Liquid in Casks, It.

J. Anderson, Liverpool.

16.270.    Joints for Cant Iron Pipes, T. Fraser, A. Bair, and J. C. Aitken, Glasgow.

10.271.    Looms for Weaving, T. Norton and J. H. Hellewell, Leeds.

16.272.    Brake for Looms for Weaving, T. Norton and J. H. Hellewcll, Loeds.

16.273.    Hand Instrument for Eartiiino Plants, Ac.,

C. J. liovdand, Liverpool.

16.274.    Stop Valves, G. Thomson and E. A. Whitehead, Rimiinglmm.

16.275.    Surface and Submarine Ejecting Torpedoes, Ac., from Ships’ Boats, W. Welch, Southsca.

16.276.    Voltaic Batteries, D. G. FitzGerald and T. J. Jones, London.

16.277.    Ornamenting Picture Frames, Ac., J. Man • lond, Liverpool.

16.278.    Securing Wood against Bench-stop, R. II. Griffin, Dublin.

16.279.    Preventing Horses Runnino Away, M. Cleary, Dublin.

16.280.    Sheep Shears, J. Ball, London.

16.281.    Sheep Shears, W. Ball, London.

16.2S2. Sifting Apparatus, J. E. Stafford and J. T Pearson, London.

16.283.    Mechanical Movement for Opening, Ac., Windoyvs, E. and J. M. Verity, and B. Banks, Leeds.

16.284.    Indicating and Displaying Advertisements,

G.    Francis and G. W. Smith, Halifax.

16.285.    Engines Worked by Steam, Ac., W. Ross, Dulwich.

16.286.    Absorbent Pads for the use of Women, P. J. Strangman, London.

16.287.    Towels for Absorbent Purposes, J. P. Strangman, London.

16.288.    Permanent Way of Railways, J. Edwards, London.

16.289.    Barbed Wire, C. Klauke, Germany.

16.290.    Stanchions for Supporting the Decks of Ships, Ac., T. Jones, London.

16.291.    Covering Rivet of Brace Buckles, G. Walker, Birmingham.

16.292.    Protecting Chimes of Casks, J. T. Club, Burton-on-Trent.

16.293.    Supports for Table’s Leaves. R. Fletcher, Hanley.

16.294.    converting Shawls into Shaped Garments without Cutting or Injuring, S. Miller, London.

16.295.    Fastening Mouths of Envelopes, D. Dalziel, Glasgow.

16.296.    Removing Dust from Wheat, J. Walworth, London.

16.297.    Plates for Filter Presses, H. E. Newton. —(A. L. 0. Dehne, Ilallc-on-Saal.)

16.298.    Trapping Steam, R. B. Pearse, London.

16.299.    Spring Snare for Catching Animals, T. Cank, London.

16.300.    Packing for Stuffing Boxes, H. H. Cobbett , London.

16.301.    Steam Engines, J. W. Ilackworth, London.

16.302.    Fishing Tackle, S. B. Long, London.

16.303.    Separating Substances Dissolved in Waste Waters containing Fatty Matters, W. E. Heys. —(A. Girod, Milan.)

16.304.    Valve Gear for Steam Engines, G. Cawley, Manchester.

16.305.    Electrodes for Galvanic Cells, S. H. Beckles, London.

16.306.    Grinding Stone into Poyvder, E. G. Brewer.— (/. Magdelainc and Cie., Brussels.)

16.307.    Cartridge Ejectors for Breech-loading Sporting Fire-arms, T. Southgate, London.

16.308.    Treating Gun-cotton, 8. Trivick and A. H. Anderson, London.

16.309.    Treating Materials for Paper Making, J.

H.    Johnson.—(A. Clacys, Marcq en Baroeul.)

16.310.    Bread Holder for Cutting, H. J. Haddan.—

Purifier, A. Marston

io and J.W.

alve, H. Soydol, London.

16.365.    Indicating tho Time from 13 to 24 O’clock, B. J. Lezard, London.

10.366.    Registering tho Number of Persons Entering, Ac., Vehicles, C. E. Carr, London.

16.367.    Signals for Indicating Audibly tho Position or Bearings of a Vessel, J. D. Churchill, London.

16.368.    Holdino and Tightening Tennis Nets, J. Osmond, London.

16.369.    Cartridges for Ordnance, C. D. Abel.—(J. N. I/eidcmann, Cologne.)

16,870. Two-wheeled Velocipedes, C. D. Abel.—(A. II. Bock and R. II. Fritzsche, Meissen.)

10.371.    Stoppering Bottles and Jars, H. Codd, London.

16.372.    Bottles for containing Aerated Liquids, H. Codd, London.

16.373.    Packing Rings and Discs for Bottle Stoppers, II. Codd, London.

10.374.    Bottles for containing Aerated Liquids, II. Codd, London.

16.375.    Galvanic Batterif,s, A. Schanschieff, London.

16.376.    Preservation of Meat Extracts, F. Walton, London.

16.377.    Boxes for Displaying Embroidery, Ac., W. R. Lake.—(II. J. Woodley, United States.)

16.378.    Expanding Pulleys, W. R. Lake.—(IF. G. Finlay, United States.)

16.379.    Combined Book-case and Bedstead, J. C. Murphy, London.

16.380.    Door Mats, E. Parr, London.

London.

Ornamental Fabrics, A.

MU.

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ailway Carriages, J. Somerset,

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16.312.    Mechanical Musical Instruments, A. J. Boult.—(L. Potthoff and H. Golf, Berlin.)

16.313.    Drying Cocoa, &c., W. R. Lake —(G. Stoll-werck, Cologne-on-the-Rhine.)

16.314.    Gunpowder, J. N. Heideman, London.

16.315.    Lifting Torpedo Launches, P. G. B. Westma-cott, London.

16.316.    Conveying Ammunition on Board Ship, P. G.

B. Westmacott, London.

16.317.    Alloys, J. W. More, London.

16.318.    Reaping Machines, A. C. Bamlott, London.

16.319.    Tennis Bats, Ac., T. M. Gardiner, London.

16.320.    Reproducing Tunes in Musical Boxes, E. Parr, London.

16.321.    Steel, P. Botcharoff, London.

12th December, 1884.

16.322.    Fast Warp Lace Machines, A. Dawson and E. Smith, London.

16.323.    Flexible Pipes, S. Alley, Glasgow.

16.324.    Lever Escapements for Watches, J. Lecomber, Liverpool.

16.325.    Carbon Tobacco Smoke and C. E. Davios, Ludlow.

10.326.    Filters, W. Oldham, Manchester.

16.327.    Safety Valves, tic., T. Mackenzie, Fallings Heath.

16.328.    Gas Generators, B. J. Thwaite, Tranmere.

16.329.    Combined Time and Concussion Fuze, W. P. Kelly, Carlow.

16.330.    Fire-damp Detector Lamp, S. Lawton, Chesterton.

16.331.    Coupling, Ac., Railway Vehicles, W. Carter, Glasgow.

16.332.    Watch and Clock Glasses, Ac., W. Carter, Glasgow.

16.333.    Seats of Hansom Cabs, J. Halso, London.

16.334.    Photographic Cameras, S. D. McKellin, Manchester.

16.335.    Gas-lioht Regulator, D. B. Kennard, London.

16.336.    Supporting Lawn Tennis Nets, F. H. Ayres, London.

16.337.    Producing, Ac., Electricity, J. L. Huber, London.

16.338.    Hook for Hanging Pictures, II. Agar, Worcester Park.

16.339.    Fire and Burglar Alarm, I. Thomas, Aber-dare.

16.340.    Portable Car Fire-escape, W. Paul, Herne Ilill, and E. I. Wood, Goodrich-road.

16.341.    Picking Sticks for Looms, J. Holding and J. H. Wilson, London.

16.342.    Block for Wire Ropes in Hauling, W. Rigby, London.

16.343.    Pattern Linings for Dresses, H. J. Iladdan. —( The Gilbert Cut Lining Company, U.S.)

16.344.    Obtaining Motive Power, S. Mack Ilawkes, London.

16.345.    Exercising Apparatus, J. M. Smith, London. 16 346. Construction of Crank Shafts, T. Wilson,

London.

16.347.    Lock-stitch Sewing Machines, D. Jones, London.

16.348.    Window Frames, D. J. Jones, London.

16.349.    Lock-stitch Sewino Machines, D. Jones, London.

16.350.    Lamps for Buiinino Oils, T. Pragnell, London.

16.351.    Surface Colour Printino, C. P. Huntington, London.

16.352.    Bobbin Winding Machinery, J. H. Sykes, Huddersfield,

16.353.    Fitting Wire Rope in Shackle Blocks, W. Rigby, London.

16,854. Hauling in Towing Cable, A. Todd, London. 16,355. Boxes, Ac., W. Spoar.—(J. IF. Spear, Fuerth.) 16,856. Twizzles of Guide Wires for Twistino Yarn, J. Steel, London.

16.357.    Lids or Doors for Gas Retorts, W. H. West-wood and E. T. Wright, London.

16.358.    Files for Holding Letters, Ac., T. Walker, London.

16.359.    Tandem Velocipedes, T. Shakcspoar, London.

16.360.    Screw Bolts, H. and E. Hawkins, London.

16.361.    Obtaining Electric Currents for Lighting Purposes, R. Roso, Clapton.

16,302. Boots, W. T. May, London.

16.363.    Anti friction Hearings, II. J. Haddnn.—(A. IF. Spatzitr, Leipzig.)

16.364.    A Three-way V

13</t December, 1884.

16,381. Holders for Electric Incandescent Lamps,

C. F. Hodges, Waterford.

16,-882. Non-conducting Composition, C. F. Hodges, Waterford.

16.383.    Purifying Butter, G. Perrott, jun., Cork.

16.384.    Railway Coupling, J. Graham, Edinburgh.

16.385.    Sizino Machines, A. P. Dickinson, Manchester.

16.386.    Radial Wire Rope and Cable Stopper, J. Lcitch, London.

16.387.    Railway and Tramway Chairs, J. Poyser, London.

16.388.    Sewing Machine, W. Jones, London.

16.389.    Crushing and Triturating Ores, Ac., W. Davis, Enfield Wash.

16.390.    Looms, J. and J. Nightingale,

16,891. Stair Pad, S. Quilliam, London.

16.392.    Washing Clothes, Wool, Ac., A. Taylor, Manchester.

16.393.    Looms, A. Taylor, London.

16.394.    Preventing Skidding of Wheels, Ac., J. Sanders, Longton.

16.395.    Looms for Weaving McNab, Glasgow.

16.396.    Winding Electrical Coils, W. F. King Glasgow.

16.397.    Stamping Press, H. Savago, London.

16.398.    Venetian Blind Cord Holders, W. H. Bara-dough, Birmingham.

16.399.    Pipe Scraper or Cleaner, Ac., S. Clayton, Bradford.

16.400.    Machine for Cleaning Knives, R. Wallwork, Manchester.

16.401.    Registering the Time of Day and Night applied to Clock Dials, C. Warren, Ipswich.

16.402.    Incubators, W. P. Thompson.—(L. Kclner, Brussels.)

16.403.    Metallic Bedsteads, W. P. Hoskins, Birmingham.

16.404.    Gas Engines, J. Atkinson, London.

16.405.    Calenders for Paper, H. Barsdorf and W. T. Eggleston, Salford.

16.406.    Additions to Bicycles, J. Koy, Birmingham.

16.407.    Machine for Filling Black and White Puddings, B. D. Waddell, Glasgow.

16.408.    Fillers or Nozzles of Sausage-filling Machines, R. D. Waddell, Glasgow.

16.409.    Cooking Ranges, J. McI. Shaw, Glasgow.

16.410.    Fixing Fencing Wires to Standards, J. M. Dormer, London.

16.411.    Introducing Air into the Air Regenerator of Regenerative Furnaces, S. Pope, London.

16.412.    Valve Gears, H. Borgsmitller, Berlin.

16.413.    Lighting, &c., Gas Burners, G. P. L. Chaffort, London.

16.414.    Life Rafts, A. H. Williams, London.

16.415.    Raft for Saving Life, Ac., at Sea, A. H. Williams, London.

16.416.    Faces of Watches and Clocks, H. W. Weller, London.

16.417.    Electrical Generators and Motors, H. Cushman and J. P. Hall, London.

16.418.    Improving, &c., the Light in Railway Carriages, A. M. Pym, Upper Norwood.

16.419.    Cartridges, R. Punshon and A. II. Anderson, London.

16.420.    Applying Mourning Borders to Stationery, J. F. Peasgood, London.

16.421.    Ladies’ Riding Skirts, J. B. Hohno, London.

16.422.    Railway Weighing Scales, F. Casse, Copenhagen.

16.423.    Musical Spinning Tops, R. H. Bishop and E. Parr, London.

16.424.    Refining Sugar, E. Edwards.—(E. Pechnik, Skrivan.)

16.425.    Fastening for Stay Busks, Ac., W. A. Barlow. —(II. Fetter, Gbppingen.)

16.426.    Soaking, Brushing, and Rinsing Bottles, tic., W. W. Horner, Lower Norwood.

16.427.    Disinfecting Compound, J. Jeyes, London.

16.428.    Strengthening Lead, Ac., I. S. and J. T. McDougall, Chadderton.

16.429.    Lead-lined Boilers, Ac., I. S. and J. T. McDougall, Chadderton.

16.430.    Rotary Steam, Ac., Engines, S. H. Berry, London.

16.431.    Grates and Stoves, A. Myall.—(IP. Griffith, United States.)

16.432.    Drawing Ellipses, F. Knott, London.

16.433.    Weighing Machines, P. Evoritt, London.

16.434.    Taking off Atparatus for 8inole-oylindkr Printing Machines, S. Savile and P. Lund, London.

16.435.    Receiving Relay Apparatus for Long Distance Telegraph Lines, A. M. Clark.—(L. Maiche, Paris.)

16.436.    Reservoir Combs for containing Dyes, A. M. Clark.—(J. Lepavre, Paris.)

16.437.    Electric Apparatus Cells, Ac., J. S. Williams, Rivorton, U.S.

16.438.    Electric Accumulators, Ac., J. S. Williams, Rivorton, U.S.

15</i December, 1884.

16.439.    Automatic Vacuum Brake Apparatus, tic., J. Gresham, London.

16.440.    Cartridge Cases, D. F. Downing, Woolwich.

16.441.    Oil and Spirit Lamps, W. H. Bailey and W. Hickin, Birmingham.

16.442.    Cocking Hammerless Guns, E. G. Anson, Birmingham.

16.443.    Securing tho Keys of Railway Chairs, H. J. Saunders, Rock Faur.

16.444.    Preventing Smokey Chimneys, Ac., R. andJ. Holt and J. Tates, Over Darwen.

16.445.    Gentlemen’s Fronts, T. W. Holliwcll, Halifax.

16.446.    Loom Temples, T. Blezard and W. Nelson, Halifax.

16.447.    Busks for Stays, F. R. Baker, Birmingham.

16.448.    Rocking Bars of Steam Boilers, Ac., W. Ball, Halifax.

16.449.    Oil Cans, T. Kenyon, Halifax.

16.450.    Machine for Making Bread, J. D. Murray and A. Kerr, Glasgow.

16.451.    Musical Instruments, T. C. Turner, Bristol

16.452.    Combined Manhole Covers and Ventilators for Sewers, B. C. Badham, London.

16.453.    Raising and Forcing Water, I. Shone and E. Ault, London.

16.454.    Footballs, J. Clegg, London.

10.455.    Cleaning and Coating Wire, Ac., H. Smith, Halifax.

16.456.    Polishing and Glazing Material, J. Davids, Lond

16.457.    Steam Regulator Valve, G. Collier, London.

16.458.    Step Ladders, J. T. Dann.—(M. Fliirschcim, Gaggenau.)

16.459.    Splint for Fractures, C. E. Wright and E. C. Hammond, London.

16.460.    Casting Ships’ Anchors Overboard, J. Bates, London.

16.461.    Lock-stitch Sewino Machines, D. Jones, London.

16.462.    Folding Window Blinds, C. Ilolmc, London.

16.463.    Electrodes and Galvanic Cells, S. H. Bccklcs, London.

16.464.    Self-igniting Luminous Gas, W. R. Hodgkin-son, London.

16.465.    Syphons, J. Sturrock, Dundee.

16.466.    Coupling, Ac., Railway Vehicles, J. Darling, Glasgow.

16.467.    Measuring, Ac., Apparatus, A. St. J. W. Wriford, London.

16.468.    Bottle Stopper, H. Jones, Birmingham.

16.469.    Pocket Indorsing Stamp, J. Parkes, Birmingham.

16.470.    Coffin Carrying Bands, J. E. Gill, London.

16.471.    Ornamental Decorations, A. Cordingley, London.

16.472.    Steel Crinolette Cloth, C. G. Starling, London.

16.473.    Carving Knife and Fork, L. A. Groth.—(A. Zander, Vienna.)

16.474.    Dyeing Woollen, tic., Materials, W. N. Field-house, London.

16.475.    Springs for Saddles of Bicycles, Ac., J. Harrington, Coventry.

16.476.    Apparatus for Heating Water, C. Cooper, Lond

16.477.    Shaping tho Ends of Steel, Ac., Links, J. Dixon, London.

16.478.    Platform Weighing Machines, W. B. Avery, London.

16.479.    Fixing Door-knobs on their Spindles, C. Osman, London.

16.480.    Fastener for Window-sashes, W. J. Reynolds, London.

16.481.    Extinguishing Fires, M. Vinning, London.

16.482.    Driving Sewing Machines, H. H. Lake.—(F. Slromeyer, U.S.)

16.483.    Opening the Eyes of Heddles, H. H. Lake.— (J. Sladdin, U.S.)

16.484.    Warming R London.

16.485.    Quays, Piers, Ac., H. H. Lake.—(H. J. Four-mond,, Rouen.)

16.486.    Alarums, A. J. Boult.—(A. Binczit, Villeneuve-sur-Lot.)

16.487.    Surface Drainage, A. J. Boult.— (A. Montenegro, Madrid.)

16.488.    Envelopes, J. W. Coppin and J. A. Moloney, London.

16.489.    Ploughs, T. A. W. Edwards, London.

16.490.    Detergent, W. Needham, London.

16.491.    Locking Apparatus for Railway Points, A. Reinhard.—(B. G. Keeker, Metz.)

16.492.    Measuring, Ac., Fabrics, J. Krockaert, London.

SELECTED AMERICAN PATENTS.

307,030. Electrical Meter, Thomas A. Edison, Menlo Park, N.J.—Filed October 10th, 1883.

Claim.—(1) Tho combination, with an electrical circuit and translating devices arranged in multiple

arc therein, of a galvanometer in the main line, a circuit controlled by said galvanometer, electrically operated apparatus in such circuit, and indicating or registering devices operated or controlled by such apparatus, substantially as set forth. (2) In an electrical meter, the combination, with a galvanometer arranged to be affected by the current of the circuit in which the consumption of electrical energy is desired to be measured, of moving contacts, at which circuits are made and broken by the galvanometer arm, and a registering or indicating apparatus controlled thoreby, substantially as set forth. (3) In an electrical meter, the combination, with a galvanometer arm included in an electrical circuit, of another arm following the movement of such galvanometer arm, electrically operated dovices moving such second arm, the circuit of which is controlled by tho galvanometer arm, and a registering or indicating apparatus operated by said second arm, substantially as set forth. (4) In an electrical meter, the combination, with a galvanometer arm, of another pivotted arm carrying on its free end insulated contacts, between which the galvanometer arm plays, two electro-magnots located in circuit with such contacts and operating pawl levers, oppositely-arranged ratchet wlieols worked by such pawl levers and moving said plvotted arm, and a registering or indicating apparatus, substantially as set forth. (5) In an electrical motor, the combination, with a ga meter, of a pivotted arm carrying a stylus, electrically operated means controlled by the galvanometer ana moving said pivottod arm, substantially as sot forth. (61 In an electrical meter, a galvanometer provided with a constant field, in which its needle is located, and a single low-resistance current conductor located directly in the circuit the consumption of cnorgy in which is to be measured, in combination with an electrically oporatod registering or indicating apparatus controlled by the galvanomotor, substantially as sot forth.

307,159. Chain Drill, Albert D. Alexander, Lawton, Mich.—Filed July 11th, 1884.

Claim.—(1) The combination of a two-end drill share, one of said cndH being a spiko and the othor a shoo, centrally pivotted to a supporting bar, grain tubo, said spike, shoo, ana drain tube being adapted for detachable connection at tho lower ond of tho tubo, substantially as sot forth. (2) The combination, with a supporting bar provided with the lock holos and a detachable lock pin, of tho combined rovcrsibly-pivotted spiko and shoo provided with tho perforated portions, and a grain tube provided with a supporting hook for detachably connecting tho grain tubo with said hollow portions, substantially as set forth. (3) The pivotally-supported combined spike and shoo, in combination with a grain tubo adaptod for detachable connection with said spiko and shoe, substantially as set forth.

307,216. Tire Rolling Machine, James Munton, Mayioood, III.—Filed October 18th, 1883.

Claim.—(6) In a tire rolling machine, the combination, with the rolls B and ID, provided with flanges or collars to ombrace the bloom or tire, of the upper and lower cutters for removing fins from the edges of the tiro or bloom and smoothing the same as it is rolled, substantially as specified. (2) In a tire rolling machine, the combination, with the rolls B and B*, provided with flanges or collars b and &*, the outer roll B being also provided with a groove b‘², for the flange at its upper corner, so that the flange or thick edge of the tire is up, of tho tire supports or rollers and the upper or lower cutter bars D and E, substantially as specified. (3) In a tiro rolling machine, the combination, with tho rolls and tire supports or rollers, of a cutter liar for removing tho fin formed upon tho tire as it is rolled, substantially as specified. (4) In a tire

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rolling machino, the combination of tire supports or rollers with the rolls and an upper and a lower cutter bar, said cutter bar being adjustable and set at an angle to the radius of the tire, substantially Bcified. (5) In a tire rolling machine, the combina-tno tire supports or rollers, of the rolls B and B¹, provided with flanges or collars b H. to embrace the bloom or tire and prevent tho formation of fins at its comers, and a device for removing fins from the edges of the tire or bloom as it is rolled, substantially as specified. (6) In a tire rolling machine, the combination of the rolls and tire supports or rollers with a cutter for removing the fin formed upon the tire as it is rolled, substantially as specified. 307,292. Dynamo-electric Machine, Henmn A.

Ooi-n, Aew York, N. Y.—Filed December 31«f, 1883.

Claim.—(1) An armature for dynamo-electric machines, the core of which is made of U-shaped cross sections, and formed of two L-shaped rings insulated from each other, each ring being made of a number of sections connected at their overlapping ends, and also insulated from each other, substantially as specified. (2) An armature for dynamo-electric machines, the core of which is made of U-shaped cross section, and formed of two disc-shaped rings insulated from each other, each ring being formed of a number of sections and connected at their overlapping insulated ends, and provided with laterally projecting lugs at the inner and outer circumference, the outer lu being recessed to decrease the weight of the armature core, substantially as set forth. (3) In a dynamo-

[307292]

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mqjairlfooiiM electric machine, the combination of an armaturo core of U-shaped cross section, and made of two insulated rings, with spider frames, to which the rings are attached, the spider frames being provided with hubs that are secured by insulating bushings to the armature shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

307,387- Electric Motor, William IF. Griscom, Philadelphia, Pa.—Filed June 18</i, 1883.

Claim.—(1) In an electric motor, the combination of rotary electro-magnet or armature with a stationary electro-magnet or field surrounding tho periphery of the armature, and having a number of poles a multiple of those on the armature, and commutating dovices for changing the polarities of the poles of the stationary electro-magnet, substantially as described. (2) In an electro motor, the combination of a rotary armature carrying contact brushes, with stationary fiold-magnets surrounding the periphery of the armaturo

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and having a number of polos a multiple of thoso on tho armature, and a stationary commutator to which the respective field coils aro connected, substantially as sot forth. f3) Tho combination of tho fiold-magnct and commutator to which its coils aro connected, with an armaturo carrying at ono ond contact brushes for tho commutator, and at the othor a disc or ring D and contacts d, substantially as described. (4) An oloctric motor having a cylindrical magnet core mado in two or more segments united by polo pieces, sub

CONTENTS.

The Engineer, Docembor 10th, 1884.

The Victoria Electric Lighting Installation.

No. IV. (Illustrated.) ............

Engines of H.M.3. Amphion. (Illustrated.) .. 460

Railway Matters..............

Notes and Memoranda ..........

Miscellanea ................

Compound Tandem Engines. (Illustrated.).. .. 463 Letters to the Editor—

Cooper’s Hill College...... ,

The Prospects of Young Engineers

Efficiency of Fans........

Electric Lioht Cables......

Tidal Action ..........

Driving Dynamo-electric Machinery ..    .. 465

What is Electricity ? .........

Hydraulic Wheel Press .......

The Physical Society............

Personal Safety with Electric Currents .. 465 Leading Articles—

The Royal Commission and the Sewage Outfall .............. ,, ,,

Steam Boiler Furnaces............

The Morriss Tubes and Sheds........

Iron Production ..............

Literature ..................

Links in the History of the Locomotive.

(Illustrated.)

Economy of R No. I.

Coles and Matthews’ Vertical Boiler. (Illustrated.) ....................

An Electric Tram-car ............

Proposed Canal at Jarrow-on-Tyne......

Enoert's Blow-pipe Furnace. (Illustrated.) .. 471

Enforced Use of the Metric 8ystem......

The Iron, Coal, and General Trades of Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and District

Notes from Lancashire.........

Notes from Sheffield .........

Notes from the North of England .. ,

Notes from Scotland ...........

Notes from Wales and Adjoining Counties .. 473 The Patent Journal Abstracts of Patent American Specifications. 474 Paragraphs—

Launch of the Boston ............

Remarkable Escape..............

Manchester Association of Employers and Foremen ..............

Civil and Mechanical Engineers’ Society ..    .. 468

New Dock at Boston........

Natural Gas v. Coal ........

Naval Engineer Appointments

British Association ........

A New Process for Toughening Steel

Epps’s Cocoa.—Grateful and Comforting, —“ By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected Cocoa, Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately-flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors’ bills. It is by the judicious use of such articles of diet that a constitution may be gradually built up until strong enough to resist every tendency to disease. Hundreds of subtle maladies are floating around us ready to attack wherever there is a weak point. We may escape many a fatal shaft by keeping ourselves well fortified with pure blood and a properly nourished frame.”—Civil Service Gazette, blade simply with boiling water or milk. Sold only in packets, labelled—“James Epps & Co., Homoeopathic Chemists, London.” — Also makers of Epps’s Chocolate Essence.—[Advt.