June 11, 1886.

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THE LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

No. II.

The main building is now approaching something like order, the foreign courts are well filled and decorated, and the sale of bon-bons and wonderful imitation fruit made of soap by a Viennese firm is in full swing. The concert-room is finished, but is entirely undecorated, and presents a most barn-like appearance. The noise of hammers is still to be heard, but the exhibitors have done wonders in arranging their stands as soon as the officials gave them a chance of doing so.

The architect for the Exhibition is Mr. Henry Sumners, F.R.I.B.A., of Liverpool, and he prepared several designs for a wooden erection of a somewhat similar character to those adopted at South Kensington, but the Committee were anxious to have larger spans than could be advantageously constructed in this manner, and to obtain the desired widths iron construction would have to be resorted to; while these designs were under consideration, Messrs. Simpson and Wood, of Darlaston, who had purchased the principal portion of the building used for the Antwerp Exhibition last year, offered to erect that building at Liverpool. Eventually it was decided to accept their offer, and a contract was entered into with Messrs. Simpson and Wood to erect the building at Liverpool, and to leave it there for six months, and then to remove it, the Council having the option to purchase the building at the expiration of that period. The plan of the building has been entirely re-arranged by Mr. Sumners to suit the nature of the site and the requirements of the Exhibition, and a large sum of money had to be spent in building brick walls to carry the superstructure. The sleeper walls are 9in. thick at the top, and increase to a maximum thickness of 27in., the thickness augmenting in proportion to the height of the walls, the greatest height being 22ft. All the walls and piers for the columns are carried down to the solid, through the made ground and old clay pits, with which the site abounded, and in many cases the timbering had to be left in the trenches. The piers which carry the columns are 2ft. 3in. square at the top, and increase to 3ft. 9in. square at a depth of 14ft. ; when a solid foundation was not obtained at this depth, the remainder of the excavation was filled up with concrete. The excavation and brickwork required for the foundation formed a separate contract with Messrs. Holme and King, of Liverpool. The erection of the building was sublet by Messrs. Simpson and Wood to Messrs. Timmins and Pirrie, of London, and employed Messrs. Brown and Backhouse, of Liverpool, to execute the woodwork, of which there is a great quantity in the floor, sides, and roof, the spaces between the columns and the roof being covered with boarding. The sides are left unpainted, which give the entire structure a very unfinished and temporary appearance, but the roof is covered with zinc diamond shape plaques. The construction of the roof principals and columns is clearly shown by the engravings on page 460, the principals are extremely light, and there was at first an almost complete absence of wind ties; but a few have been added recently.

Fig. 1, page 460, represents a section through the transept of the building, the circular principle being also adopted for the main avenue, but instead of the two side spans of 15 metres used in the transept, spans of 25 metres have been placed at right angles to the main span, and thus materially contributing to the strength of the structure and forming convenient bays for dividing the exhibits into groups. Fig. 2 shows another span of 25 metres, in which a different form of construction is adopted. Figs. 4 and 5 show the form of girder used to support the principals between the columns. Fig. 6 gives the details and scantlings of the arched principal, shown also in Fig. 1. The principal characteristic of these roofs is the almost entire absence of round or angle iron, flat bars and plates being almost exclusively employed. No doubt this facilitates construction and is economical, but the principals are very deficient in stiffness, and had to be strengthened wTith timber while in course of erection. All connections are rivetted, no wedges, keys, or bolts being used. The construction of the columns is extremely ingenious, as shown by Fig. 8, as they are formed simply of rolled joists with two wrought iron clamps, A A, to tie them together, a cast iron distance piece being placed between them, and the whole fixed in position by two wooden wedges, B B, driven in between the joists and the cast iron distance pieces. The columns are secured to cast iron base-plates, which are placed directly on the brick piers, no stones being used, nor are the base-plates even bedded in cement. The quality of the iron used in this edifice was severely tested by the collapse in February, when the principals were bent and twisted without breaking, in a manner that proved the ductility of the iron; and where fractures did occur, through the great strains put upon the structure, they showed the metal to be of excellent quality. The area of the building is about 45,000 square yards, or 9^ acres, and the entire space occupied by the Exhibition grounds and roads is nearly 35 acres. The ironwork was designed by M. J. F. Gaudry, and executed by the Company for Public Works, at Braine-le-Comte, in Belgium.

The internal decoration of the building has been intrusted to M. Armand Gerard, of Brussels, and consists of casing every third column with wood, running two cornices along the nave, the space between them being filled with sham clerestory windows on painted canvas, floridly decorated. In front of the other columns are placed pedestals supporting large spears.. The effect is decidedly unsatisfactory, the so-called decorations being so palpably a sham, and being designed without regard to the construction of the building; and a better effect would have been produced, at less cost, if the constructional ironwork had been suitably treated, instead of an attempt being made to partially conceal it.

The court for machinery in motion is still at the present time, one month after the formal opening by the Queen, in a most incomplete state; the roof is not finished, and those portions which are supposed to be so, admit the rain so freel^ that many of the exhibitors keep their property

covered with tarpaulins; in fact, the engines for providing i dealer’s house enabled Mr. Webb to discover the four-way the electric light for the building and grounds had to work cock, tappit rod, and other things, and thus to put the until quite recently under a temporary roof to protect engine together. We hope to illustrate this engine and them from the weather, although in a building which was the Rocket, as constructed by Mr. Webb, supposed to be completed; and the Liverpool Electric The composite carriage exhibited by the Lanca-Supply Company, which has provided a fine installation oj shire and Yorkshire Railway Company, and made at electric lighting machinery, both for its contract with the works of the company at Newton Heath, near the Exhibition Committee and also to supply those exhibi- Manchester, and illustrated on page 454, is 51ft. long, tors who may desire it with the electric light, declines to and consists of four third, one second, one first, uncover its engines until the building is weather-proof, luggage and lavatory compartments. It is supported and we cannot describe this installation at present for this on two six-wheeled bogies. The bottom exterior part of The floor is still incomplete, owing to the opera- the carriage is painted a rich lake, while the upper part is tion in progress in connection with the steam pipes and brown and relieved with gold and black lines. The shafting for supplying motive power to various parts of interior of the second and third-class compartments are the court, and has been injured in so many places by of the ordinary construction, both of which are comfortably the heavy machinery that walking about is absolutely upholstered and provided with hat racks, &c. The first-dangerous, and very few visitors penetrate the court, class compartment is, however, a new departure from the but content themselves with casting a glance at the chaos old principle, inasmuch as the approach to the interior is which prevails from the entrances. On Monday last through a transverse passage, accessible from either side of Lady Radcliffe, the Mayoress, started the engine, but it the carriage, and by means of a sliding door at the centre ceremony pro formd, as it did not continue in of the passage the compartment is made easy of access, motion long. This engine is made by Messrs. Galloway more private, also much less liable to draughts, &c., a and Sons, of Manchester, and has a high-pressure cylin- requirement experienced in those of ordinary construction; der of 15in. diameter, and a low-pressure cylinder of besides this the interior is tastefully fitted up with light 26in. diameter, both having a stroke of 2ft. 6in. These polished oak and neatly upholstered with blue cloth, also cylinders are placed with the high-pressure one over mirrors are provided and reading or luncheon tables, which the low-pressure, the latter being horizontal, and can be fixed up or down at pleasure. The first-class the former slightly inclined, this arrangement giving lavatory compartment is approached by means of a sliding short steam passages and facilitating the escape of con- door in the passage, an arrangement which entirely dis-densed water. The engine is provided with sensitive connects the lavatory from the ordinary compartment, an automatic expansion gear, so that it may readily adapt objection which is not obviated in ordinary carriages fitted itself to the constantly varying load which it will have to with lavatories. Each compartment is lighted by means drive. The fly-wheel is 15ft. in diameter, and the whole of Pope’s gas arrangement, which has proved to be bene-of the power is transmitted from this wheel by means of ficial to passengers; also there are special ventilators hemp ropes 2in. in diameter, these ropes running at the provided, through which all foul air is excluded from the speed of 3000ft. per minute, and driving pulleys of suitable interior. The carriage is also fitted with the vacuum

automatic brake, and in connection with this each compartment is provided with passenger communication to the guard, which simply requires a small glass to be broken by means of a suspending knocker, and in so doing the air is admitted into the main pipe, thereby destroying the vacuum and applying the brake.

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company also contributes to the history of travelling some very interesting models and drawings of carriages used on the Manchester and Leeds Railway in 1839 and 1842, including a model of a stage coach body mounted on a stiff frame on railway wheels, but with no spring buffers. The contrast between the accommodation provided in 1842, especially for the third-class passengers, with the luxurious compartments of the saloon carriage of the present day, is very startling.

Another historical exhibit is a pair of cogged wheels and rack rail used on the Wylam Wagon Way in 1812, cast from the original patterns, which are now in the possession of Messrs. Spencer and Sons, of Newburn Steel Works, who also send some original patterns for cast iron rails used on the early Northumbrian railways. The cogged wheels project beyond the ordinary wheels, and the rack was formed by casting projections on the outside of the rails. The cast teeth of the wheels continually broke off, and the discovery was made that the engine could travel as well without them.

Sir Joseph Whitworth and Co. make a fine display in the nave with their forgings, armour plates, shot, and their well-known measuring machines, standard gauges, surface plates, &c., but the following are the most important articles shown sizes on both sides of the engine, which give motion to by them:—Forgings for gun tube, made of Whitworth main shafts, running the full length of the machinery fluid pressed steel, forged hollow under the Whit-gallery. These shafts are being fixed below the floor, with worth patent hydraulic forging press; this tube is 42ft. pulleys arranged to transmit power to various parts of the long, 28^in. diameter, and weighs 26 tons. Hollow gallery. Messrs. Galloway and Sons are supplying the propeller shaft, 55ft. long, 18|in. diameter, with lOin. hole, whole of the steam and exhaust pipes, which also run below collar at one end 34in. diameter. Cylinder lining with the floor, supplying steam to the various engines from the internal flange for marine engine, made from a hoop of main boilers. These boilers are three in number, each fluid pressed steel, and enlarged to size by forging; being 28ft. long, 7ft. in diameter, of the well-known Gallo- diameter outside, 81in.; length, 59in.; diameter inside, way type, having two furnaces 2ft. 9in. diameter, and an 77in.; thickness, lfin. Whitworth patent double throw oval flue containing thirteen Galloway tubes. These three hollow crank shaft, in two pieces, for H.M.S. Shah; length, boilers collectively should provide an ample supply of steam 29ft. 4in.; diameter, 21in.; throw of crank, 24in. Fourteen-for all purposes.    inch air vessel, to contain the compressed air for the pro-

The most complete and imposing display in the main pulsion of the Whitworth torpedo ; these vessels are used avenue is that made by the London and North-Western Rail- by the English Government, and are tested to a proof way, who have sent one of Webb’s compound locomotives, pressure of 15001b. per square inch; length, 5ft. 6in.; standing upon steel permanent way of the most recent pat- thickness, from ’25in. to ‘33in. Ring and plug made of tern, including steel sleepers. Between the rails is laid a sec- mild fluid pressed steel. This ring was heated and shrunk tion of the water-trough used forsupplying locomotives with on to the 18in. plug, and when cold was pushed out by a water, a standard locking frame, and signals both home and hydraulic pressure of 3200 tons, thus illustrating the distant, cast steel locomotive driving wheel and leading enormous power of shrinkage; pair of Whitworth steel wheel, duplex reversing gear for compound locomotive, shot tubes; longitudinal section of a hollow ingot; full size and a model of the standard 42ft. passenger saloon carriage, wood model of the City of Rome crank shaft; wrought iron with radial arrangement of the axles at each end. In fact, armour plate by Sir J. Brown and Co., Sheffield, 18in. this stand comprises all the principal features of modern thick, perforated by a steel shell fired from the Whitworth railway practice.    9in. 20-ton breech-loading gun. The shell made of Whit-

In striking contrast to this, Mr. Webb has lent to worth steel after perforating the above plate. The above the Exhibition a wooden model of the Rocket, the armour plate was placed against a steel hoop 37in. long, actual construction of which, when taking part in the great filled with hard rammed sand, behind which was placed Rainhill competition, has caused so much discussion in our a steel and oak backing 7in. thick; this was supported by columns; and this model has been prepared by Mr. Webb a cast iron plate 19ft. 6in. long, 5ft. wide, and 14in. deep, from the best available information to represent the held in position by baulks of timber, all well bedded and Rocket as constructed when taking part in this competition, covered with damp sand. The projectile after perforating The other relic of antiquity is an engine of Trevithick’s, the 18in. of armour passed through the sand, and then made by Hazeldine and Co., of Bridgenorth, and was dis- through the steel plate and oak backing, broke up the cast covered by Mr. Webb in a scrap heap at the goods yard iron plate, and finally buried itself in the sand at a at Hereford. The crosshead and some other parts had distance of 17ft. from the face of the target, and at a depth been already broken to get out the brass bushes; but these of 4ft. below the cast iron plate. Seventy-pounder shot have been repaired, and a subsequent search in the scrap after being fired. This shot was fired from the deck of

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the Stork gunboat at Portsmouth, in October, 1858, from a 68-pounder cast iron gun, rifled hexagonally, and against a wrought iron plate four inches thick attached to the side of the Alfred; the powder charge was 121b. It.L.G. powder, and the range 450 yards. The shot was driven through the plate and entered the planking of the ship’s side. This was the first instance of penetration against a 4-in. armour plate with solid shot, and from it dates the use of steel projectiles for that purpose.

Messrs. John Brown and Company show a very imposing exhibit skilfully put together, and surmounted by a fine bronze figure of Atlas, their trade mark. There is a furnace front plate for a marine boiler, with four large furnace holes. This plate has been flanged at one heat in a large hydraulic press, capable of flanging in one operation the largest boiler end plates at present required. Next to this there is a superheater end plate of very unusual shape and dimensions, flanged on the inside and outside. On one side there is a large steel propeller blade, weighing 95 cwt., as made for the American liners, with a face as bright and clear as a mirror. On the other side is a furnace flue of a new pattern, lately invented and patented, which is expected to supersede the furnaces now in use. The same firm also show four armour plates, illustrating in a short space the history of armour since its commencement. There is one piece of wrought iron armour, which has been tested with the original round shots. Next a piece tested by the chilled cast iron pointed Palliser projectile which superseded the round shot. Then comes a piece, 24in. thick, of iron armour, showing the greatest thickness in which this class of armour has been rolled in one plate. This is supplemented by a piece of the present Ellis patent steel-faced armour, which has been fired at by the 9-in. M.L. 12-ton gun. In marine shafts they only show a comparatively small-size thrust shaft, as their large forging press intended for the heaviest work of this class is not finished. A steel forging for a three-bladed propeller, made out of an ordinary square ingot without weld, will be looked upon as a curiosity. Besides these things there are specimens of Eyre’s patent wrought steel weldless wheel. Eave’s patent dead weight safety valve, Garrett and Ellis’ patent reversible rolled steel beater, rolled steel ribbed plates for oil cake presses, cast steel hydraulic cylinder, Thomson’s patent cast steel coupling for broken shafts; locomotive crank axle; outside locomotive crank arm; rolled steel, bridge link, as now being supplied for the new Hammersmith Bridge ; a considerable variety of steel castings; a weldless forged and rolled steel hoop 12ft. diameter, on which the figure Atlas stands. In addition to this exhibit, occupying a central position in the building, the Atlas Works have a large steel boiler plate 19ft. 6in. long and 10ft. wide, by fin. thick, fixed outside the building. It is said that this is a larger plate than any other works can roll.

Two very prominent objects in the nave are the full-sized lifeboats contributed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and by Messrs. Forrestt and Son, of Limehouse, who are the builders of both boats, their own exhibit departing in some particulars from that built to the designs of the Chief Inspector of Lifeboats, the Hon. Captain Chetwynd, R.N. This latter boat is intended to be stationed at Lytham, at the mouth of the Ribble, when the Exhibition is closed, and will replace the existing one, which has rendered excellent services.

We publish full engravings of this boat on page 459, which are interesting as showing the form considered to be the best adapted for its purpose by the officials of the Lifeboat Institution, although the boats are made of various sizes to suit the particular requirements of the stations to which they are sent. The largest class which are always kept afloat at stations like Ramsgate and New Brighton, measure 46ft. by lift., and one experimental boat, stationed at Clacton-on-Sea, has been fitted with an iron centre board or drop keel, which has been found to materially improve her sailing qualities. The dimensions of the boat exhibited are as follows:—Length overall, 37ft.; beam extreme, 8ft.; depth amidships, from underside of iron keel to upper side of gunwale, 4ft. 2in.; depth at stem and stern posts, 6ft. 10in.; the iron and wood keels are both 4in. deep. On the drawing on page 460, A indicates the relieving valves for clearing the deck of water, B scuttle for pumping water out of bilges and ventilating them, C water ballast tanks, D plugs in bottom for filling the tanks, E pumps for emptying the ballast tanks.

This boat is built on the self-righting and self-emptying principle adopted by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The skin of the hull consists of two thicknesses of bare Jin. Honduras mahogany with a layer of painted calico between; the two layers of plank go diagonally from gunwale to gunwale, one skin crossing the other, except at the bow and stern, where the angle at the keel is too sharp; here it is butted into a rabbet in the ordinary way, immense strength being gained by this system. The self-righting is effected by means of the two air-cases at the ends, which support the boat if capsized, and the heavy iron keel, which prevents her remaining bottom up, and at the same time gives her very great lateral stability and resisting power against capsizing. The weight of the iron keel varies with the dimensions of the boat—in boats of this class it is about 13 cwt. The self-emptying is secured by a deck being laid from 2in. to 4in. above the load water-line, with six or eight tubes going down through the bottom, their upper ends in the deck being closed from water coming up from below through the motion of the boat or other causes, by means of self-acting valves that open downwards only. The space under the deck is filled with very light wooden cases covered with calico ironed on hot with marine glue, for the purpose of preserving the buoyancy of the boat if she meets with an accident. There is also a series of air-cases of the same nature along each side from the deck to the thwarts, which also diminish materially the space capable of containing water when a sea breaks into the boat; the end cases are also divided into three compartments. The boat is fitted with four water-ballast tanks running along the keel, to be used when in deep enough water to admit of immersing the boat more, and so giving her greater stability. Each tank is separate from the others, and has its own plug for running the water in and pump for pumping it out, either of which operations can be performed in one minute; the boat, if completely filled by a sea breaking into her, will free herself in one minute. The transporting carriage is of the model adopted by the Institution, and forms not only a means of conveyance to the scene of a wreck, but also the best auxiliary for launching the boat on arriving there. The bed pole or trail is formed of two sides having rollers between them on which the keel of the boat rests, the bilge pieces resting on longitudinal pieces of the carriage placed for that purpose. The boat is put on the carriage with the stern towards the shafts ; the carriage then being pushed into the water far enough for the boat to be afloat when off it, the boat is launched by means of self-detaching ropes for the purpose. To replace the boat on the carriage the forebed is taken away and the end of the trail laid on the ground, thus forming an inclined plane up which to draw the boat. When the boat is in her place on the trail the carriage is so nearly balanced that it is easily lifted to replace the fore-carriage.

Messrs. Forrestt and Son, of Limehouse, the builders of the lifeboat contributed by the Lifeboat Institution, have sent the same lifeboat to Liverpool that they exhibited at the Fisheries Exhibition at South Kensington, in 1883. In the interim Messrs. Forrestt have altered their boat in nearly all the particulars which then differed from the details of the boats built for the Institution, and there is now practically no difference between the two boats, except slight modifications in model and rig. Messrs. Forrestt’s boat is 34ft. long by 8ft. beam, and has the bilges carried well forward and aft. The iron keel, and also the wooden one, are made shallower and broader than usual, thus reducing the draught of water, which is only 14in. forward and 16jin. aft, with crew and gear on board. This boat is fitted with an iron drop keel, patented by the builders in 1883. A capital ship’s lifeboat, shown by the same firm, has several good points. This boat is self-relieving of any water shipped, and also carries water-ballast. Forward and aft are large air-chambers to height of thwarts, the space being filled by metal cases. There are side cases under the deck running fore and aft. In the centre is a chamber for the water-ballast. All other parts under the deck are filled up by cases. Above the deck to height of thwarts are side buoyancy cases of metal. There are three tubes to relieve the water shipped from the deck. The water for ballast runs in through a number of holes in the bottom of the boat, and thus automatically is self-relieving and filling, as the boat is hoisted to davits or water borne. The boat is built of English elm. The same builders have also sent a fine Una boat—a dingey, as used in H.M.’s Navy—and models of stern-wheel steamers constructed by them for service in Africa and the Brazils, the former being transported to the Upper Congo in pieces weighing only 60 lb. each, with the exception of the cylinders and one or two other parts of the engine.

The only marine engine of any size that we have yet discovered is one made by Mr. W. B. Thomson, of the Tay Foundry, Dundee, and it contains several novelties, as will be seen by the engravings on page 462 and the following description:—It is claimed that this arrangement of engine, with three cylinders placed in line fore and aft, does not occupy more space in the vessel than the ordinary pair of compound engines with the slide valves placed in the ordinary way. This space is saved by turning all the valve faces to the front of the engines. The motion is given to these slide valves—which are perfectly balanced —by a shaft which can be worked by spur gear or side rods as desired from crank-shaft; in the case of the engine exhibited spur wheels are employed. These wheels, as well as the other parts of valve motion, can afford to be of a light description, owing to the slide valves requiring very little power to work them, and they are in no way affected by increased pressure of steam. The valves are made a good working fit between the cylinder faces, and although much wear is impossible with this valve, still provision is made for readjustment by the slide valve being formed in halves, between which a liner can be put and the halves again bolted together. From the engraving it will be seen that only three excentrics are required for the three cylinders. Each of these excentrics is keyed on the valve shaft, and the reversing movement is very easily and quickly effected by the hand-wheel which draws a small internal rod along inside of the hollow valve shaft; this internal shaft receives a partial revolving motion from a spiral groove cut in sleeve, on which the spur-wheel is fitted, and this semi-revolving motion is given to the hollow shaft by a cotter passing through both the tube and the internal rod, thus the valve shaft and the three excentrics are changed from the go-ahead to the go-astern position. Mr. Thomson has introduced an arrangement which is stated to be a perfect governor for this and other marine engines. This consists of a separate engine fitted on the fore end of the main engine bed plate to drive the valve shaft of main engines. This small engine, it will be understood, cannot be affected by the motion of the vessel or the motion of the waves outside the vessel, but can be regulated to any desired speed not exceeding the maximum speed at which the engines will run, so that the speed of the main engine depends on the speed at which the governing engine is turning the valve shaft of the main engine. This arrangement is not new, save in details. It may be mentioned that there are no bushes fitted for the main bearing journals, but simply white metal run into recesses formed in the bedplate, which prevents the possibility of bushes cracking or clinging round the shaft in the event of heating. This is an experiment which will be looked on with doubt by many engineer trial trip of a boat 9Uft. by 20ft. by 10ft. fitted with engines on this principle, having cylinders lOjin. and 15in. and 27in. by 16in. stroke, boiler pressure 1401b., it was found she could steam fifty miles on 11201b. of common North-country coal, the engines making 110 revolutions per minute, average speed of vessel 9f miles per hour. She had thirty tons of coal in her bunkers at the time, which would have enabled her to steam 3000 miles without coaling, which is a great matter for yachting or fishing purposes.

Messrs. Cochran and Co., of Birkenhead, send models of some of the steamers built by them, and an inverted direct-acting compound surface-condensing engine, with cylinders 13in. and 26in. diameter, and 18in. stroke. All the principal moving parts are of steel, the link-motion being case-hardened, and the valve spindle guided with a very substantial flat surface guide. They have also a smaller marine engine, with separate steam cylinders for working the circulating pump. This pump is combined with one of the columns, and the result is a very compact arrangement. Two of Cochran’s well-known vertical boilers are exhibited, one of them being 6ft. in diameter and 14ft. high, and having 400 square feet of heating surface; the other boiler is suitable for a steam launch, and has the dome flanged out of one steel plate. An improved style of bunker door is fitted with knife edges, which enables it to cut its way through coals or other obstructions, making a water-tight joint as it descends.

Messrs. Black, Hawthorn and Co. exhibit a side tank coal-burning locomotive engine for a metre gauge railway in America, for passenger and goods traffic, illustrated on page 458. It is of the outside cylinder, four wheels coupled and four-wheel swing bogie type, having compensating beams between the coupled wheels. The cylinders are 13in. diameter, stroke of pistons 20in., diameter of coupled wheels 3ft. 6in., diameter of bogie wheels 1ft. 10in., distance from centre of bogie to centre of trailing wheels 13ft. 6fin., and total length of engine over cowcatchers 31ft. The width of engine is 8ft. 8in., being made to correspond with that of the carriages. The fire-box is of copper, the tubes of brass, wheels of wrought iron, tires of best crucible steel, axles, crank-pins, piston-rods, motion bars, crosshead pins, and excentric sheaves of best forged steel. The axle-boxes are of gun-metal, those for the coupled axles being fitted with wedges to take up the wear between the guides. The brake is worked by steam in addition to hand, the steam pressure being regulated by a reducing valve. The weight of the engine in working order is 24 tons. The engine will pass round curves of 165ft. radius and haul a train of 500 tons on the level at twenty-four miles per hour, or will take a train weighing 74 tons up 1 in 50 at same speed.

Steam steering gear is well represented, including the well-known “Steam Quartermaster” of Messrs. Higginson and Co., of Liverpool, who also exhibit two novelties, viz., the hydraulic winch and windlass for use on board steamers, and the hydraulic hammer, both worked by a set of pumps on the direct system without an accumulator.

Considerable attention has been given to a well-executed model of Messrs. Hunter and English’s patent floating crane. The model represents a crane built by Messrs. Samuda Brothers for the Tilbury Docks, and launched about two months ago. It is capable of swinging weights of 50 tons through a radius of 47ft.; and we shall illustrate this crane in a future number.

Messrs. John and Henry Gwynne show a pair of lOin. “ Invincible ” vertical, direct-acting, centrifugal pumping engines for circulating water in surface condensers, &c.; one 12in. horizontal, direct-acting, centrifugal salvage pumping engine, as supplied to the principal salvage associations for raising sunken and stranded ships ; and a collection of finished portions of engines made by them ; also a steam fan supplied to steamers for forced draught in closed stokeholes and for ventilation.

Messrs. Adair and Co, of Neptune-street, Liverpool, exhibit their well-known pumps to be worked by hand or by windmills, intended for use either on board ship or on land. The construction of these pumps has been somewhat simplified. They also show models of their fire engine, intended principally for use on board ship, and of their patent steering gear, which is provided with rubber buffers to relieve the hand-wheel and gear from the shock caused by the seas striking the rudder.

The Coalbrookdale Company makes a very effective display of its exhibits, which comprise Mountain’s improved “ Coalbrook ” direct-acting horizontal steam pump. The makers state that this pump has been specially designed to overcome the complications so usually met with in direct-acting pumps. The steam chest contains an equilibrium piston valve, which is the only moving part in it; in both the valve and steam chest there are only two ports, and these being of a large area, they are not liable to get choked by dirt and bad oil. The piston in the steam cylinder is made of the same proportions, as in an ordinary steam engine, and not of an increased thickness, which adds weight and size to the steam cylinder, &c. The arrangement is, it is claimed, eessentially economical, as the equilibrium piston valve is moved half its travel by the exhaust steam before the live steam enters, and thus prevents any wasteful blow through steam; the valve is actuated upon the positive principle, of and is therefore not liable to stick or the pumps to refuse to work. There are no internal tappets or small valves, and no external gear of any description, with the exception only of the starting gear. The arrangement of the steam and exhaust branches is also claimed as a great advantage, both being cast upon the cylinder instead of the chest. This enables the steam chest to be removed at out disturbing or breaking any of the joints in the pipes, &c., excepting only the face to which the chest is bolted. This also prevents any undue weight of pipes, &c., being put on the steam chest. The exhaust outlet or branch being kept below the steam chest allows the condensed steam to drain into the exhaust pipe, and therefore always keeps the steam chest dry. There is no dead point in this arrangement, and it is therefore impossible for the valve to stop before it has completed its full travel. In the pump exhibited the steam cylinder is 7in. diameter, with a piston stroke of 12in., and works a pump of the double-acting piston type, with a barrel 5in. diameter. It is fitted with india rubber disc valves, with gun-metal grids and guards. The bucket is made of gun-metal fitted with cup leathers, and the piston-rod is made of best mild

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quantity of water as a short-stroke pump would, it will r each 2Hn. diameter, with a stroke of 2jin. The three not be necessary to make as many strokes per minute, cylinders are placed all in one plane angularly, and the and proportioned to give ample strength for the duty By this means the wear-and-tear of pump valves, &c., connecting rods are all coupled to a single-throw crank, required. The company also shows Parker and Weston’s as well as the loss from clearances is much diminished. All the wearing parts are of best phosphor bronze; the patent direct-acting horizontal steam pump; this pump These pumps can be made to work expansively when governors are very sensitive and adjustable, has a patented arrangement of valve gear. The steam required by the addition of the improved cataract governors Messrs. Walker Brothers, of Wigan, exhibit air-com-chest contains two moving parts, viz., a main valve and an which this company supplies. This regulates the admission pressing machinery, ventilating fans, and a friction clutch, auxiliary valve, both of the piston type, the peculiarity of and cut-off of the steam automatically by the variation of The air-compressing engines are of the horizontal type, their action being that, unlike any other patented arrange- the water-pressure in the water cylinder. Mountain’s having steam and air cylinders each 15in. diameter with ment with two valves, the main valve commences its improved registered vertical “ Positve ” steam fly-wheel 22in. stroke, and the principal advantage claimed by the travel before the auxiliary valve, and is actuated by steam pump is also shown. It is constructed upon the makers is the form of air valves, which are automatic in through the ordinary puff ports. The auxiliary valve is bucket and plunger principle ; it has therefore a their action, and independent of any excentric or gearing, then moved by the steam passing from behind the main more even delivery, delivering at both its upward These valves are made entirely of metal, no india-rubber valve, and travels to the end of its stroke, by this opening and downward strokes; it has only one suction and being used; they are therefore extremely durable, and the communication between the steam cylinder and main one delivery valve. In the pump shown the steam yet nearly noiseless. The improvement claimed by Messrs, chest ready for the return stroke. The arrangement of cylinder is 6in. diameter with a stroke of 9in., and the Walker Brothers in their ventilating fans is in the peculiar valves is of the positive principle, and therefore no tappets, pump plunger is 4in. Mountain’s horizontal “Positive” form of what is termed the regulating shutter or slide, small valves, or other mechanical contrivances liable to get fly-wheel pump is constructed upon the same principle as that The upper part of the opening from the ordinary fan out of order are required; and, owing to the certainty of last mentioned, but is made to work horizontally, and, in casing into the chimney has a horizontal line. The patent action obtained by this gear,these pumps can, we are told,be the case of the one exhibited, is arranged especially for shutter or “ slide” changes this to an elongated inverted worked at speeds varying from one to 200strokes per minute, ships’use—such as pumping bilge water, &c. It has the V made thus which permits of the gradual discharge The pump exhibited has a steam cylinder 6in. diameter, pump part entirely of gun-metal; it is fitted with mitre of the air from the fan vanes into the chimney. The object with a piston stroke of 12in., and works a pump of the valves of the conical wing type; the pump piston is fitted ; of this invention is to diminish the risk of breakage of the double-acting ram type, the diameter of the ram being 4in. with gun-metal piston rings; the plunger is cased with fan shafts, the wear and tear of the fans proper, and to It is fitted with india-rubber valves of the disc type, with gun-metal; and the air vessel is of copper. It is also fitted their safety at high velocities with a proportionate increase gun-metal grids and guards, steel piston-rod, and is with a distance piece between the pump part and the air of exhausting capacity. The inventors hold that whilst dismounted upon a substantial bed-plate. The ram pump vessel, which has upon it two branches for hose connections, charging the air the pressure is against the front of the —in contrary distinction to the piston pump previously This pump is also specially adapted for use as a fire engine, or blade of the fan ; but that immediately the vane enters described, which is recommended for ordinary purposes— and for pumping liquids which are injurious to iron. The the fan casing the load upon it is suddenly removed, and the is recommended as being most suitable where muddy or pump exhibited has a steam cylinder 4in. diameter, with pressure, owing to the vacuum within the casing, is instan-gritty liquids are required to be raised, as the wear and a stroke of 6in., and the plunger is 2£in. diameter, taneously reversed, and a rebound upwards of the pretear and constant renewal of cup leathers is obviated. All Another engine shown by the Coalbrookdale Company is viously depressed blade takes place. The e'!ect is the pumps of the above types are made with long strokes a modification of Elwell and Parker’s patent single-cylinder municated throughout the whole of the fan, and to the jft proportion to their diauieter. Thus, to pump the same high-speed engine, and is fitted with three steam cylinders, shqft also; and as each vane represents a powerful lever,

June 11, 1886.

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the momentum of the blow, or jerk, becomes serious on reaching the shaft, and a dangerous tremour or vibration is set up. The regulating shutter, or slide, removes this evil, by effecting a perfectly gradual change in the pressure referred to, and so governs the discharge of the air as to cause it to pass in a continuous stream from the fan arms or blades into the chimney, instead of intermittently, and without the pulsatory action we have described. The working of the fan is thus rendered noiseless, and there is an entire freedom from vibration. The fans which are now at work ventilating the Mersey Bailway Tunnel have this patent applied to them, hence their perfect quietness ; and the fan which is now being erected for the purpose of ventilating the Severn Tunnel has also this patent regulating shutter applied thereto. The friction clutch referred to is that of Fisher and Walker’s patent. The chief features in the construction of the clutch are a cast iron disc firmly keyed to the main shaft or prime mover. Bound the periphery of this disc there is a belt of steel composed of three or more segments held together by bolts having right and left-hand threaded screws formed at each end; these bolts are moved by levers, the grip being put upon the disc by the steel segments being perfectly gradual and easy of adjustment, and also readily released.

The Blackman Air Propeller Ventilating Company show their system of ventilation by means of a fan, working in the wall of the space to be ventilated, but without any tube or casing. One of these air propellers is shown with a water-wheel enclosed in a casing attached to its periphery. A very minute jet of water from the main will set this fan in motion, and it can thus be utilised in buildings where no other motive power exists. This is a great desideratum, as most ventilating appliances depend upon the difference in the temperature of the room to be ventilated and that of the external air; consequently in warm weather, when ventilation is most needed, their action is weakest, but by means of an air propeller driven by water at a very slight cost, and that only when actually required, efficient ventilation can easily be secured.

The Hydraulic Engineering Company, of Chester, sends practically a repetition of its exhibit at the Inventions Exhibition at South Kensington last year, which is of an interesting character. There are, however, two novelties on its stand. The first is Thornton’s patent hydraulic lubricator, specially designed for the lubrication of high-pressure hydraulic machinery. This apparatus enables

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE EDINBURGH EXHIBITION.—COMPOUND HORIZONTAL CONDENSING STEAM ENGINE.

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the surface of the working valves and other moving parts of hydraulic machinery, which are in contact with the pressure water, to be efficiently lubricated at any time while the machinery is in motion. The lubricator being inserted in the pipe which supplies the pressure water to the machinery, no special provision is required in the machinery itself. It is therefore as applicable to existing as to new machinery. By its action, the pressure water becomes impregnated with the lubricant to any required degree, and a greasy film is imparted to all parts of the machinery with which the water comes in contact. The working valves being by this means kept in proper condition, are easy to work, and repairs and renewals are reduced to a minimum. The lubricator may be entirely shut off if desired, or it can be so regulated as to impart continuously just as much oil to the water as may be found desirable. The regulations of the London Hydraulic Power Company require that an efficient lubricator shall be fixed to all machinery working off the company’s mains. This lubricator complies with the above requirement, and having given satisfactory results, it is recommended and has been adopted by that company. In the illustration A is the screw valve through which the oil is admitted to the pipe conveying the pressure water to the hydraulic machinery. B, the valve admitting pressure water into the reservoir containing the oil. C, a drain cock for emptying the water from the reservoir preparatory to refilling with oil. D, the screw plug for filling the reservoir. To charge the lubricator : (1) Firmly close the screw valves A and B so as to shut off all connection with the pressure pipe ; (2) open the drain cock C ; (3) remove the-screw plug D, and allow all the water to drain out of the reservoir ; (4) close the drain cock C ; (5) fill the reservoir with oil ; (6) replace the screw plug D, and screw it firmly down. The lubricator is then ready for use. To start the lubricator : (1) Open the screw valve A about two full turns ; (2) open the screw valve B about one quarter turn, the lubricator will then act as soon as the current of water passes through the pipe to work the hydraulic machinery. Experience has shown that in most instances an intermittent use of the lubricator is sufficient to keep the working valves in proper order, and it is recommended that the operation should be gone through regularly once a day, say, in the morning before starting regular work. After charging and starting the lubricator in the manner above described, the attendant should make a few short lifts in rapid succession with the crane or lift as the case may be, the object being to get the surfaces of the working valves greased with as little expenditure of oil as possible, and this is best accomplished by this means. As soon as the surfaces have become well greased, which will be easily ascertained by the ease with which the working valve is moved, the lubricator should be entirely shutoff by closing the screw valves A and B. Should the valve again become hard to work, the same operation can be repeated at any time. In the case of rotary engines an occasional use of the lubricator, varying in frequency according to the quantity of water used, and which experience will soon determine, will keep the valve and working parts in good working condition. Where cranes have separate slewing cylinders, the lubricator should be fixed upon the supply pipe before it branches off to the slewing valve, in order that the greased water may operate upon this as well as upon the lifting and lowering valve. The lubricant employed need not be of an expensive character, the cheapest lubricating mineral oils answers the purpose perfectly, and is recommended. Lard oil should be avoided, because it is apt to congeal in cold weather.

The second novelty is a hydraulic drilling apparatus, of which it is not deemed advisable to publish any details at present. The Hydraulic Engineering Company are the general contractors to the Liverpool Hydraulic Power Company for the installation of the public hydraulic power supply in Liverpool.

Mr. James Lyall, South Castle-street, Liverpool, exhibits Lyall’s patent oval cutting machine. This machine is adapted for cutting out manholes and mudholes, their doors and compensation rings, donkey boiler fire-doors, and their openings, bracket-plate, floors of ships, water ballast tanks, &c. As shown in the illustration, Fig. 1, page 458, the machine is placed directly under the centre of a boring machine spindle, and is fixed to the plate to be cut by two studs or bolts passing through the plate on the centre line of the long axis of the oval; the holes bored or punched in the plate do for the studs of the door when mounted. It is driven by the driving arm fixed into the socket of the boring machine that is generally used for boring out the tube plates in boilerworks. On the boring machine being started, the revolving of the driving arm causes the rotary arm of the machine, which is fitted with a bush having two holes fitting bolts, with heads sliding in grooves at right angles to one another, to travel before it; and this imparts an elliptical motion to the rotary arm of the machine, which carries an adjustable cutting tool fed forward with a hand-wheel, or star' wheel and ricker, until the hole is cut out. By having interchangeable bushes, with the holes to fit the bolts at different distances apart, the relative lengths of the major and minor axis of the oval may be varied. The machine, it is said, can cut a hole through a steel or iron plate in twenty minutes that would take a skilled caulker a day to cut, and the doors and rings can be truly fitted on and into the manhole without any fairing in the way of chipping or filing. The plates cut by the machine are free from the injury and straining often attendant upon punching, while the rings are free from the defects due to imperfect welding, and these and the doors can be cut from scrap pieces of plate, the pieces cut out always doing for a smaller ring or door. The brass frames for oval sidelights can be faced by the machine, and fitted as easily as they are now fitted in round holes. After cutting out the hole the machine can be put aside and a drill substituted, with which without removing the plate from the boring machine table, the rivet holes for the compensation ring can be bored. The machine illustrated cuts an oval hole llin. by 7in. up to and including 21in. by 17in. Bound holes 9£in. up to and including 19in. diameter, and weighs 157 lb. Much larger and smaller sizes are made. The revolving motion, to drive the arm of the machine, can be obtained from a vertical or horizontal boring machine, from the face-plate of a lathe, or simply from a revolving shaft; all that is wanted is a revolving motion to drive the arm of the machine. Fig. 2 shows the machine as wrought by hand power, and is specially adapted for cutting oval and round side-lights in vessels and deck-houses, and for girders, boilers, and tanks. The principle is the same as the one just described, but to get the necessary power on the cutter a train of wheels is employed, and the feed for cutting is self-acting. The machine for cutting oval holes 9fin. by 5fin. up to and including 18in. by 14in., round holes 7£in. up to and including 16in. diameter, weighs no more than 74 lb., being made of steel and wrought iron, and can be carried about on a scaffold, and employed by one man in cutting out holes after the plates are in place. By removing the driving handle and substituting a pulley this machine can be driven by a rope or belt. Messrs. Bobert Napier and Sons, engineers and shipbuilders on the Clyde, have had a portable machine of the style of Fig. 2 specially made of a large size to cut oval holes 18^in. by lHin. up to and including 28|in. by 21iin., round holes 15in. up to and including 25in. diameter, after the plates are in place, and it has been used by them to cut holes 24in. diameter through 2in. steel decks of the war vessels now building by them for the British Government. It is driven by a rope pulley, and weighs 360 lb. Two portable machines of the same type have been ordered for the Imperial Arsenal at Foo Chow, one to cut holes up to 3ft. diameter, and one for smaller sizes, both to cut out the holes after the plates are in place. By making the slotted arm and tool holder of the machines Y-shaped the cutter can be travelled out or in by a screwed spindle working into the tool-holder. By this means the metal surface round the hole can be faced, and a perfect joint both in round, and oval holes ensured—that is, when the door or chest to be jointed is also faced, the two machined surfaces fit closely and truly together.

Messrs. Charles Burrell and Sons, of Thetford, have sent a 4-horse power traction engine with spur gearing, with a winding drum fitted on the main axle to hold fifty to 100 yards of steel wire rope for winding machines out of stack yards and other purposes, and a 4-horse power portable engine of their usual pattern; also some well-made and useful grinding mills, for grinding grain or even harder substances.

The full-sized model of the new Eddystone Lighthouse, illustrated on page 456, is the most conspicuous object in the grounds of the Exhibition, and it is at first sight difficult to believe that it is only a plaster edifice so far as the exterior is concerned, as the material employed has exactly the appearance of stone, and the actual courses of the stonework in the original have been faithfully reproduced. The height from the ground line, or bottom of base, to the centre of the light, is 150ft., and the total height to the top of the lantern roof is 170ft. As the base of the structure is nearly 150ft. above the level of the top of the quay wall at the landing-stage, the height of the light will be about 300ft. above that point. The diameter of the base, which has a vertical face of 20ft. high, is 44ft. The diameter of the structure, starting from the top of the base, is 35ft. 6in., and this gradually tapers to a diameter of 19ft. near the top, where it swells out again to a diameter of 24ft. at the top of the main structure, to receive the lantern. This lantern, in which is placed the lighting apparatus, is 14ft. diameter inside, thus leaving a width of 5ft. outside for a gallery. The height of the lantern is 16ft. 6in. to the eaves of the roof.

Although only intended as a temporary structure, great care had to be taken to ensure its stability owing to the exposed nature of the site, and a wind pressure of 56 lb. per square foot has been allowed for by the engineer, that being the requirement of the Board of Trade for railway viaducts. Thirty-six strong foundation bolts are secured to heavy anchor plates, buried 20ft. below the surface of the ground, and on massive blocks of cement concrete are fixed the base plates of the main ribs. There are six of these main ribs, so constructed that when erected a space of 9ft. is left in the centre, forming a shaft in which will work the passenger lift. The ribs are constructed of wrought iron rolled beams, tee bars, angle irons, and flat bars, firmly braced together—as shown upon the drawing —dividing each rib vertically into thirteen bays, the level of each bay corresponding to a floor line in the original lighthouse.

The whole of the ironwork has been executed by Messrs. Timmins and Pirie, of London, and reflects great credit upon that firm. The iron framework is covered with a strong wooden framework, spaced 13in. apart, by Messrs. Brown and Backhouse; this framework is again covered by cement plaster slabs, which have been carefully made to the exact curves and radii by Mr. Jones, of Mount-pleasant, and have the appearance of the real stone. 1600 square yards of these slabs were required to cover the structure. The lift is being made by Messrs. Waygood, of Liverpool and London, who have had considerable experience in the construction of all kinds of passenger lifts. The motive power will be a large gas engine, fixed in the base of the structure, actuating steel ropes attached to the cage. The cage will be hexagonal in shape, 8ft. across, and about 9ft. high; it will be made of polished walnut, well upholstered, and fitted with bevelled mirrors and ornamental lead lights. In addition to a very efficient safety apparatus, the engineer has arranged to have duplicate steel ropes throughout, so that in the almost impossible contingency of one rope breaking or failing, the other one will be sufficient to do the work. Each steel rope will be made with a factor of safety of 8—that is to say, it will be constructed to withstand a load eight times greater than the actual working load. The lighthouse will be illuminated at night by a very powerful revolving light, having an electric lamp and lenses of the fourth order, the whole of this work being supplied by Messrs. Chance Brothers, of Birmingham. Messrs. Sillett and Co., Croydon, bellfounders, are supplying the two large fog bells which are suspended from the top. Visitors will be allowed to go either inside the lantern or on the balcony outside, from which a most magnificent panoramic view of the surrounding country will- be obtained. To prevent any accidents from people falling or throwing themselves involuntarily from the top, the balcony will be protected by a strong wire network cage. There will be over 100 tons of ironwork in the structure, made up of over 4000 pieces of iron, all of which have been marked, drilled, punched, cut, or bent to the required shape; so some idea can be formed of the immense amount of labour entailed in the construction of such a structure. The engineer for the work is Mr. John J. Webster, M. Inst. C.E., of Stephenson-chambers, Lord-street, under whose superintendence the work is being carried out.

The lift is constructed to carry a load of about twelve persons, the height of travel being 140ft. to the floor where passengers land, from which a spiral staircase ascends to the lantern above. It is assumed that the load is about equal to one ton, but all the parts are stated to be equal to a working load of at least four times that weight. The cage is polygonal in shape, 7ft. 4in. across and 8ft. 6in. high, made of strong wrought iron framing, and filled in with panelling with walnut styles and black and gold mouldings. Some of the panels are of ash, and others of bevelled embossed silvered plate glass and opal plaques handsomely decorated. The roof is fitted with stained glass, with a new and pleasing effect produced by the insertion of cut brilliants; and round the sides are ornamental glass ventilators, the glasswork having been executed by Messrs. Britten and Gilson, of London. The cage is raised by three steel-wire ropes, each 2|in. in circumference, specially made by Messrs. Bullivant and Co.? and together equal to a strain of 27 tons, and provision is made by which each rope receives its proper proportionate strain. It is provided with two sets of safety cams or catches, one set at the top of the cage and the other at the bottom, which, if it were possible for all the ropes to be severed, would grip on to

THE LIVERPOOL EXHIBITION — METRE GAUGE ENGINE.

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These mandrils have been largely adopted by engineers; among others may be named A. G. Mumford, engineer, Colchester; Messrs. Marshall and Son, engineers, Gainsborough; Great Eastern Railway Locomotive Works; North London Railway Locomotive Works; London, Tilbury, and Southend Railway Locomotive Works; Messrs. J. and H. Gwynne apd Co., engineers, London; Messrs. W. Gwynne and Co., engineers, London; Messrs. J. Allen and Co., engineers, London; Messrs. Samuda and Sons, engineers, London; and Messrs. Owen and Co., engineers, London.

NOBLE’S EXPANDING MANDRIL.

the wood upright guides—which are of great strength, and securely bolted to the framing of lighthouse. The wire ropes pass at top over special wrought iron wheels of extra strength. The gearing consists of a steel worm 8in. diameter, 2fin. pitch, and a worm wheel 2ft. 5fin. diameter,

.34 teeth 4in. wide, keyed on to a shaft 5in. diameter.

The drum for wire ropes is 4ft. Cin. diameter by 3ft. Gin. long between the flanges, and screwed with a three-threaded groove to suit the three ropes. The worm shaft has thrust hearings, and two loose pulleys 30in. diameter by lOin. wide, and one fast pulley 4£in. wide by same diameter.

A brake is also fitted on worm shaft with band and weighted lever, which is automatically brought into play and released by the stopping and starting gear. The worm and wheel are carried in a strong cast iron bracket, which has the two thrust bearings for worm shaft and two bearings for worm wheel shaft, all forming part of same casting, so that the whole of strains are self-contained; and the bracket is further strengthened by holes cast in, through which strong bolts are passed and tightened up in the direction of the strain from the worm. The whole of the

gearing is mounted on strong rolled girders, which are    _____    _________

secured to the framing of the iighthouse, so that it cannot    fas ^    (|^HH F illiBHBiitr''"* L—J C    . Cuns for Italy.—The Italian Government has

l»e pulled up by the weight of cage and load. There are    ■£    I    »R    ^Je‘od^"mo“Si StJSS

two separate steel-wire ropes to the balance-weight, which    S g    1    egg||ggg|^    for coast defence.

unwind off the barrel as the three ropes from cage wind    I    • • • • 11    Chemical Society.—At the next meeting on

on. The balance-weight, of cast iron, exceeds the weight    J    j I ||HH    June 17th, there will be a ballot for the election of

of cage by about 10 to 12 cwt., thus materially easing the    |HH £    ||j    jjJjB ||| jHH|    Fellows, and the    following papers will be read:—

strain on the gearing, so that if the cage is ascending with    1JI a    BHHl^    (1) “The Electrolysis of Aqueous Solutions of

a load of one ton, or descending emptv, the strain on the    B| £ '    HH .

gearing in either case would be only 10 cwt. plus friction.    Hg    Dispersi^rWer,” by Dr J.'H Gladstone, F.R.S.

Automatic stops are arranged on the starting rope at top    (3) & The Formation and Destruction of Nitrates

and bottom of travel, but if the starting rope should break the driver> and as the tool comea into contact with its work, it and Nitrites in Artificial Solutions and in River and Well Waters,” or fail, another stopping gear, actuated by the balance- move9 the driving nut and the three steel slides up the mandril, fa Mr. J. M. H. Munro D.Sc. (4) An Apparatus for Distilla-weight, would couie into play, thus removing all danger thu» expanding exactly sufficiently to hold the article.firmly. The    kSoWive'Fom'e    t£' Comb£.tio«ot

of over-winding. The lift is driven by means of a 9-horse advantages claimed are that any articles such as pulleys, bushes, Cadmium and Iodine in Presence of Water,” by Mr. A. P. Laurie, power Otto gas engine, one of the new sizes just introduced &c., can be fitted by this mandril in a moment, without fixing ^ A Method of Investigating the Constitution of Azo, Diazo, by Messrs. Crossley Brothers of Manchester, and was in a vice or hammering. The slides expand automatically, the and Analogous Compounds,” by Mr. R. Meldola, F.R.S., and Mr. specially constructed and finished by them for this .work. deeper the cut of the tool the tighter the mandril holds, as the F. W. Streatfeild.

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BAIL WAY MATTEBS.

The French Governments have adopted a new method for disinfecting the cattle trucks of the State railways by heating them with steam to a temperature of 110 deg. Cent. A few minutes’ contact with steam of this temperature is sufficient to destroy all germs of contagious diseases. The discoverer of this simple method is Dr. Redard, Physician-in-Chief on the State railways, and for it he has been decorated with the Legion of Honour.

The following percentages of increase in the railway system of Canada during the last ten years indicate the development of the country during that period. The miles of completed railway have in ten years increased 118 per cent., the amount of capital invested has increased 48 per cent., the gross earnings show an increase of CG per cent., and the net earnings an increase of 130 per cent. The number of passengers carried increased 76 per cent., the amount of freight 130 per cent., and the train mileage 70 per cent.

The April accidents on American railways are classed, as to their nature and causes, as follows, by the Railroad Gazette:—Collisions: Rear, 19; butting, 3; crossing, 2; total, 24. Derailments: Broken rail, 2; broken frog, 1; broken bridge, 2; spreading of rails, 4; broken wheel, 2; broken axle, 4; broken brake beam, 1; accidental obstruction, 1; cattle on track, 3; wash out, 2; landslide, 4; wind, 1; misplaced switch, 4; rail removed purposely, 2; malicious obstruction, 1; unexplained, 5; total, 39. Other accidents: Broken parallel rod, 1; accidental obstruction, 1; car burned while running, 1; total, 3. Total number of accidents, 6G.

NOTES AND MEMOBANDA.

The rainfall at Greenwich during 1885 was 24 Gin., being 0 Sin. below the average of the preceding forty-four years.

According to the latest statistics, the population of Rome at the 31st December, 1885, was 345,036; at the 31st March of the present year it had risen to 49,921, showing an increase of 4885 inhabitants.

At a recent meeting of the Paris Academy of Sciences a paper was read giving a determination of the absolute value of the wave length of the ray D₂, by M. J. Mace de Lcpinay. A fresh attempt to settle this disputed point gives the general result, 5'8917 x 10-6 (millilitre)^; and in the air, at Odeg., normal pressure, 5"8900 x 10-⁶ (millilitre)i.

The German Secretary of State has published statistics on the periodicals of the world, from which it appears that there are 34,000, with a distribution of 592,000,000 copies; 19,000 published in Europe, 12,000 in North America, 775 in Asia, 809 in South America ; 16,500 are in English, 7800 in German, 3850 in French, and 1000 in Spanish.

MISCELLANEA.

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Negligence in operating Unforeseen obstructions Maliciously caused Unexplained......

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Since the opening of the Swedish Patent-office, on January 1st, 1885, to December 31st, applications were made for 703 patents, of which 206 were granted. During the same period 1746 iron brands and 1387 trade marks were registered. Since the beginning of this year to March 31st, 133 applications for patents have been received, and 91 for registration of brands and trade marks.

The composition of metallic mirrors of the present day differs very little from that used by Sir Isaac Newton. Many and different alloys have been suggested, some including silver or nickel or arsenic; but there is little doubt that the best alloy, taking all things into account, is made with four atoms of copper, and one of tin, which gives the following proportions by weight: copper, 252, tin, 117-8.

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Negligence in operating is thus charged with 30 per cent, of all the accidents, defects of road with 13£, and defects of equipment with 21 per cent.

To be able to adapt to one’s needs whatever material may be at hand is, the American Machinist remarks, one of the points which go to make up the “ good mechanic.” Such a man does things quickly and well, where the “ poor workman” would give up as “ stuck.” “ A case occurred on a railroad not long since which substantiates the above. A locomotive broke down on the road. The engineer, whose name could not be learned, although he is worthy of being put on record, found he would be able to make repairs and proceed if he could have the use of a vice for a few minutes. After a few seconds’ thought, the piece of iron to be held was put between driver and brake-shoe, and the fireman requested to put on the air. No better vice could have been found, and that brainy engineer was soon on his way in.”

The same questions are occupying the industrial countries almost everywhere. Speaking of railways, Science says, “ Railway companies have become so important a part of our industrial organisation, and the power they wield is so great, that the right adjustment of their relations to individuals and to the public at large is imperatively necessary. Troubles are constantly arising between the companies themselves, between the companies and shippers, and between the companies and their employes, fading oftentimes to a great disturbance of the national industry. A railroad ‘ war ’ is raging at this very moment among the transcontinental lines at the West; and it is only a short time since a dispute between corporations and their workmen almost paralysed the business of Galveston. How such disputes can best be settled, whether by State regulation, by arbitration, or by leaving the evil to work its own cure, is the question before us deserving notice.”

The Ncio York Sun says:—“The 2 o’clock in the morning up train on Third Avenue elevated got up to 47th Street and stopped as if it were going to stop there all night. All hands got out to investigate. They found that a citizen had gone peacefully to sleep upon the dark upper end of the station, leaning against the north side guard rail and hanging his legs down over the platform. The ticket seller and gateman didn’t know he was there, and neither did anybody else until the engine passed him and the train pinned him. Then he woke up, but he wasn’t a bit excited. ‘Be’r gemme out o’here now,’he said. ‘Train can’ g’wan’ long’s I’m here.’ The engineer got under the platform with a lantern and twisted one of the man’s legs around so that the foot bore north and south. Then plump Conductor Smith hauled on that leg and extricated it at some peril of splitting the man in two. The same process was adopted with the other leg, and the citizen got up and stood erect. ‘ S’oll ri’,’ he said, waving his hand; * g’wan’ wi’r train.’ The train had ten minutes to make up, and she just spun along, leaving him there. He said he was James White, of 400, East 125th Street.”

The collision that occurred on the 4 th ult. at Sutton Coldfield Station on the London and North-Western Railway, when the train ran into the buffer stops at the end of the bay line, is another instance of the terribly fatal policy of employing a continuous brake that does not act when it is of itself out of gear in the ■ smallest detail. In a report on the collision, Colonel Rich says “ The collision was caused by the breakage of a part of the ejector, which interfered with the proper working of the vacuum brake; but it would not have occurred if the engine driver had not disregarded the rules of the company, which direct drivers not to approach terminal stations at such speed as to require them to use these brakes to stop their trains. This man is also to blame for not having informed the guard before leaving Aston Station that the vacuum brake was out of order. I would strongly urge the London and North-Western and all other railway companies to take the necessary steps to secure the rule being strictly enforced. This can be done by requiring station-masters to report all cases of drivers disregarding the rule. I think that the clack valves of the ejectors should be made of a more reliable material than cast iron.” Why does not Colonel Rich urge the railway companies to put the best tools into the hands of the drivers, who have so many thousands of lives at their disposal, and not encourage companies to use a tool that is not the best, and then try to secure safety by ruling that the drivers shall look upon the tool as untrustworthy ?

Though there are said to be still some legal difficulties with regard to the construction of the proposed railway under Broadway, New York, the repute of the men connected with the dertaking is stated to furnish a guarantee that the work will be at last, after many delays, carried out. By the plan now substantially adopted, the company is allowed 44ft, under the surface, the least width between the kerbstones in Broadway being for a short distance 39ft., and the average width about 49ft. The company must not intrench upon the foot pavements. There are to be four main galleries, each about 8ft. wide, in the subway, iron entering largely into their construction. The two inner ones are to be reserved for express or through trains, and the two outer ones for way or local trains making frequent stoppages. The sewers, water, gas, and steam pipes, and tubes for telegraph and telephone wires, &c., are to be carried along two side galleries to be constructed and kept in repair by the company, will obviate the frequent tearing up of the pavement. The cars are to be propelled by electricity or any motor not emitting smoke, gas, or cinders. Owing to the small width of the cars, the seats will be along the sides, with a gangway between, as in tram-cars. The road is to extend about four and a-half miles, to be completed within five years. The capital of the company is fixed at 25,000,000 dols., and the cost of construction is variously estimated at from 3,000,000 dols. to 6,000,000 dols. per mile. The city of New York is to receive for the privileges granted 3 per cent, of the gross revenue.

Captain Anderson, of the British bark Siddartha, which lately arrived in New York, reported a pecular thunderstorm on April 27th, while on the northern edge of the Gulf Stream. The sky was quite clear at the time and the sun shining brightly, although there appeared to be a thin mist about the ship. Suddenly there appeared a vivid flash of lightning, accompanied by violent thunder. The compass was caused to vibrate perceptibly for a period of fifteen minutes.

An interesting note accompanying the presentation, to the Paris Academy of Sciences, of M, Verbeek’s fresh studies on the Krakatao eruption, was read by M. Daubree. Besides a detailed account of the eruption: this comprehensive work contains a full description of the Meteorological and magnetic phenomena attending it, together with some theoretical considerations on their causes. The author calculates that the quantity of matter ejected was at least 18 cubic kilometres in volume, all discrete and unaccompanied by any flow of lava.

The number of miles of London streets which at present contain mains constantly charged, and from which constant supply can be given, and upon which hydrants for fire purposes could be fixed, in each district of the metropolis,is as follows:—Kent,about 85miles , New River, about 247 ; East London, 180; Southwark and Yaux-hall, 160 ; West Middlesex, 94£ ; Grand Junction, 82 ; Lambeth, 217J ; Chelsea, 73£; making a total length of about 11391 miles. The companies are ready to give constant supply, and to affix hydrants whenever legally required to do so.

MM, H. Fal and E. Sarasin, in a recent communication to the French Academy of Sciences, have supplemented their researches on the penetrability of light in deep water by the results of a series of observations in the Gulf of Nice, showing the relation that exists between the vertical and oblique rays of the sun in their power to reach to great depths. They found the limit of luminosity to be four hundred metres in midday of April and that only for a short time. At eight o’clock in the morning its penetrability was limited by three hundred and fifty fathoms; at six o’clock in the afternoon the light reached less than three hundred metres.

The number of hours of bright sunshine recorded by Campbell’s sunshine instrument at Greenwich during 1885 was 1261, which is about sixty hours more than the average of the preceding eight years. The aggregate number of hours during which the sun was above the horizon was 4454, so that the mean proportion of sunshine for the year was 0'283 when constant sunshine is represented by 1. A register of sunshine has also been regularly obtained from the beginning of June last to the end of December with Jordan’s sunshine recorder. A comparison of the results with the two instruments for the month of June, 1885, shows 222 hours of sunshine registered by Jordan’s recorder and 212 hours by Campbell’s.

Mr. F. Siemens’ view of the theory of dissociation as caused or influenced by surfaces, may be given as follows:—“Increase of temperature producing expansion of gases will reduce the attractive tendency of the atoms towards one another, or, in other words, diminish their chemical affinity. In the same ratio as the temperature is increased the repelling tendency of the atoms must increase also, until at last decomposition, or what is called dissociation, takes place. This being admitted, it will follow that the adhesive or condensing influence of surfaces on the atoms of the gas, which action will increase at high temperatures, will assist this decomposition by increasing the repelling tendency of the atoms.”

The name of the firm, Cordner, Allen, and Co., has been changed to the Stanhope Company, Limited.

Messrs. Harpers, of Aberdeen, known amongst other things for their wheel and pulley manufacture, have opened a London office at 110, Cannon-street, E.C.

The May number of the Journal of the British Society of Mining Students contains, amongst other things, an interesting paper by J. J. Jordan on the Santo Domingos Mine, Alemtejo, Portugal.

Messrs. Smith, Patterson, and Co. , of Blaydon-on-Tyne, have entered into an agreement with Sir William Armstrong, Mitchell, and Co. to bring three of the 110-ton guns with their ss. Eider from Elswick to Woolwich. They expect to bring the first gun up about the 18th inst., Waterloo day.

The first city in Europe where electricity has been entirely substituted for gas for street lighting is the town of Hernosand, in Sweden, where the system of Messrs. Thomson and Houston has just been adopted. The motive power is water, which is very plentiful there, rendering the light cheaper than gas.

Events do not seem to prove the statements made by some of the Panama Canal promoters as to the healthy character of the site. After losing two engineers, it has now lost a leading contractor, M. Henri Gerardin, who has succumbed at Panama to a third attack of yellow fever. He was only thirty-eight years of age, and had returned a few weeks before to Panama.

At the recent meeting of the Highland Agricultural Society, it was announced that the first and second prizes for ploughs at the autumn trials, and the first prize at the recent spring trials were awarded to T. Corbett, of Shrewsbury. The spring trial plough is said to have made a furrow 8in. deep and 9in. wide with a draught of 3 cwt., in land which is described as heavy turnip land in a dry state.

A canal between the White Sea and the Baltic Sea has been determined upon by the Russian authorities, says Ausland. Peter the Great long ago busied himself with such a project, which only lately was revived by the Russian Society for the Promotion of Commerce and Industry. The cost, which is estimated at seven million roubles, will be borne by the State. Work will, it is said, be begun upon the canal in the present year.

The Board of Judges appointed by the Franklin Institute, of Philadelphia, Pa., after an exhaustive examination, have recommended the Grand Medal of Honour in favour of Thaddeus S. C. Lowe, of Norristown, Pa., for his substantial improvements in the manufacture of water-gas, and for his numerous improvements in methods and appliances for the utilisation of water-gas as a fuel for domestic and industrial purposes, and as an illuminating agent.

After an inquiry extending to two days, a Select Committee of the House of Commons decided on Monday to reject so much of the Salford Corporation Bill as sought powers to contribute £250,000 towards the capital required for the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal. The principal opponents of the Bill the railway companies, who, as large ratepayers, objected to being compelled to contribute towards a scheme to compete with them.

Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan and Co., Middlesbrough, have secured an order for nearly 10,000 tons of steel rails for the Swedish and Norwegian Railway Company. This, with the rails on hand, is sufficient to complete the 200 kilometres of the company’s line from the great iron mountain of Gellivara to the port of Lulea. This iron ore in inexhaustible quantities contains 70 per cent, of metallic iron. The company hopes to lay this section of the line this year, and it is taking delivery of 1000 tons of rails per fortnight.

The new system of main drainage and sewage disposal completed for the Sheffield Town Council was formally set in operation on the 2nd inst. by the opening of the sewage works at Blackburn Meadows. This ceremony was performed in the presence of most of the members of the Corporation, officials of the Local Government Board, representatives of adjoining municipal bodies, and others interested in the undertaking. Mr. G. Alsing, C.E., is the engineer, and Mr. F. Massie has acted as resident engineer.

The Norwegian nickel and copper industries are suffering from great depression, the demand and prices, chiefly for the former metal, being reduced to a minimum. During the last few years several mines have been closed, and recently another nickel mine and a copper mine have had to follow this example. On the other hand, the owners of the Great Roraas Copper Works have decided upon adopting a new method for an improved and more profitable production of their copper, in which electricity plays the principal part, the introduction of which will cost £8000.

We have received from M. Paul Dejoux, Commissioner for England, 39, Rue de la Chaussee-d’Antin, Paris, a copy of La Grande Industrie, an illustrated paper, published in Paris as the organ of the forthcoming International Exhibition, to be held in that city, at the Palais de l’lndustrie, from July 24th to November 30th next. This Exhibition is placed under the distinguished patronage of the Minister of Commerce and Industry, and a committee of leading senators, deputies, and municipal councillors. We are informed that English exhibits will receive a most cordial welcome at the Palais de l’lndustrie.

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The first use of natural gas in iron-making was at the Leechburg, Pa., works, of Messrs. Rogers and Burchfield, about 1874. In glass-making, the Rochester Tumbler Works, at Rochester, Pa,, were probably the pioneers, and in plate-glass Mr. J. B. Ford, at the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Works, at Creighton, Pa., in 1883. Salt was boiled with it at East Liverpool, Ohio, in 1860, and it was tried later in burning pottery in the same village. In 1874, or earlier, Mr. Peter Neff began the manufacture of lamp-black from gas at Gambier, Ohio. In 1875 gas was piped to Spang, Chalfant, and Co.’s iron works, at Sharpsburg, near Pittsburgh, and has been used ever since, but it was not until 1883, with the piping of the Murraysville gas, and its introduction into the industrial establishments of Pittsburgh, that its use as a fuel assumed any importance.

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Possibly the earliest use of natural gas for any economical purpose was in lighting the village of Fredonia, New York. In 1821 a gas spring or well was discovered on the banks of the Canada way creek, new the Main-street bridge. The gas was collected by excavating and covering the spring, and was conveyed into a small copper holder and thence conducted through pipe to the place where used. Enough gas was obtained to light thirty burners. The inn of the village was illuminated by this gas when General Lafayette passed through this section in 1824. A well 30ft. deep was sunk for gas in 1858 which supplied 200 burners. Shortly after gas was found at Fredonia, Judge Campbell, of Westfield, N.Y., lit the lighthouse at Barcelona—a small harbour on Lake Erie—from a spring of natural gas. The contract was only

abandoned in 1856.

A curious phenomenon, the Scotsman reports, was witnessed at Stonehaven on Sunday afternoon, May 23rd. At intervals just before and after high tide, without any apparent cause, the water along the coast rose and fell from lOin. to 18in. at a time, the subsidence leaving as much as 15ft. to 18ft. of the beach dry. The disturbance continued for three hours, commencing at about halfpast 4 o’clock. There was no wind, and the sea was quite smooth, but the water advanced and retired with a speed equal to the of a large river during a spate, and caused so much commotion in the harbour that the fishermen had to secure their boats with extra moorings to prevent damage being done. Indeed, it is seldom that there is so much commotion in the harbour, even during stormy weather. It is surmised that the phenomenon was due to some eruption or subsidence in the sea bottom.

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Some engineers still speak of electric lighting as untrustworthy. One railway engineer recently refused to light an underground railway by this light, chiefly because of its uncertainty, but another railway engineer is not only lighting Paddington station, one of the largest in London, but he is lighting all the signals by the same means, the strongest possible proof of the reliance some men put in electric lighting, and this even with an alternating current. An underground line is just the place where gas should not be used, but the engineer of the Mersey line laid great stress on the higher cost of the electric light. When railway signals are properly lighted by electricity they may be also worked by the same means,

The report of the Suez Canal Company, read by M. de Lesseps on Tuesday, shows the receipts of 1885 to have been 65,049,945f., and the expenses 31,021,178f., leaving a profit of 34,028,767f., which allows a dividend of 60f. 40c. The return of traffic—3624 ships, of 6,335,753 tons—exceeded by 340 ships and 464,253 tons that of the previous year. The passengers numbered 205,951, against 151,916 in 1884, and 43,813 of them were English. The average time of transit was forty-three hours, and though the twelve days’ interruption caused by a dredger being run down led to an assemblage of 123 ships, all these got through in three days. Liberty of travelling by night with the electric light had been taken advantage of by several of the Peninsular and Oriental Company’s steamers, one of which thus made the transit in seventeen hours fifty minutes. Traffic has not suffered from the economic depression because the reduced dues have allowed the creation of fresh enterprises, or the extension of existing ones.

On Thursday last, the 27th ult., the leases of about 600 of blue lias limestone, gypsum, and brick earth adjoining the borough of Leicester, were offered for sale by Mr. H. T. Hincks, of Leicester. The property is of interest, as the vendor included in the sale of 8 acres 2 rods 31 perches of building land, the whole of the plant and machinery put up by the Leicester and Evington Lime Company, which had expended large capital in boring for coal. The result of the experiments has been that the Cambrian strata was discovered, the carboniferous measures being absent, but beds of blue lias limestone were found to exist to a depth of 200ft. Large deposits of gypsum were also discovered. The late company was formed to work the beds of limestone mainly, and the extensive take of these, as also the gypsum and brick earth, were offered for sale. The biddings reached £5200, at which price the auctioneer withdrew the property, saying that the vendor would be pleased to treat privately. The property lies close to Leicester.

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Photographs op the Severn Tunnel.—We recently acknowledged the receipt from Mr. Worsley Benison, of Livingstone House, Chepstow, of several photographs of the entrances to this great tunnel, including a large one of the English entrance, under the Severn. We have now to acknowledge the receipt of a very fine carbon photograph of the Welsh entrance. Mr. Benison will no doubt find that these photographs prove of great interest to engineers. The particulars sent with each photograph mention that the tunnel was commenced in 1873, and finished in 1886. Its length from face to face is 7666 yards, and the depth from high water to rails 163ft. at lowest point.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents.] engineers in the colonies.

Sir,—Sometime ago a letter appeared in Engineering purporting to give an account of the prospects of engineers employed in Government service in Australia. This letter dealt with a limited part of the whole question of the status of engineering in the colonies, and as the condition of the profession in one part of the British dominions largely influences it in others, the professional readers of The Engineer may be lugubriously interested to hear a few more remarks on the same subject.

Previous to the commencement of public works on a large scale by borrowed money, the engineer in the Colonies was a rara avis terris. The land surveyor supplied the duties which usually devolve on the engineer, and such engineers as had strayed so far generally took to land surveying for an occupation. As soon as public works were in full activity, the demand for engineers was supplied by importations from England in the first instance, and supplemented by colonials trained on the works in progress. While public works continued at the height of their activity, spending millions of borrowed money, engineering employment was plentiful, and the nature of the employment offered unusual attractions to the colonial youth, who entered the profession in crowds. As at the same time, and ever since, new arrivals were continually pouring in from Great Britain, long before the works began to subside, the numbers of engineers seeking employment exceeded the demand, and this state of things is continually aggravated by the unavoidable decrease of public work as the limits of borrowing are reached. The impetus of the rush continuing unchecked, a block more or less complete ensues, the evil consequences of which I propose to show as an awful warning to parents anxious to place their sons in the profession, or to schoolboys eager to handle the level or theodolite.

Every profession which has existed fora length of time sufficient to make it respected and useful has been built up by carefully training the members as they enter it, and before allowing a candidate to offer his services for hire to the public every profession which has a sense of honour and an esprit de corps takes efficient means to ascertain that the young candidates are really proficient; and having done this, it farther proceeds in a spirit of duty to the public, and to preserve the self-respect of the profession, to take every available and legal means to exclude unqualified persons and restrict the numbers of the profession to the amount in demand consistent with the well-being of the profession itself. All professions of any standing have found means in one way or another to accomplish roughly their objects, their standing, and the value of their services to the public depend on the success of their efforts to protect themselves. A profession which is not exclusive to this extent cannot hold its ground, because before long it will be lost in the general throng, just as a river loses its character when it ceases to be confined by banks and mingles with the sea. Every being or implement which is designed for a special use must be specialised by some distinguishing trait from the general mass of beings or matter, and similarly a profession must be preserved by special means; in human affairs this can only be accomplished by its own action in self-preservation.

> It is needless to inquire how this has been done by such professions as the clergy, the army, navy, civil services, the medical profession, the law, the Royal Engineers, the Marine Engineers, and other professions of recognised proficiency; the question is, how far it has been attempted, and with what success, in civil engineering? and if it has not been tried, or tried without success, can civil engineering rightly claim to be a profession properly so called? Now whatever pains a young man may take to acquire all the knowledge and practice which may be supposed necessary to qualify him for his career, when he comes to offer his services to the public he will find himself confronted by numbers who equally claim to be employed as civil engineers without taking the useless trouble to acquire knowledge or practice, and he will further find, that the public neither know nor care what training he has received, as there are no public tests required to prove his acquirements, nor any restrictions to prevent him practising without them. It i3 a great delusion to suppose that it is the public that require the tests and restrictions which keep a profession, properly so called, within bounds—such as doctors, lawyers, clergymen. Not so; the public would see all diplomas, examinations, consecrations removed, if not with joy, at least with the greatest indifference. It is the professions themselves which impose them, under a of duty to an ignorant, long-suffering public.

But civil engineering has still more to suffer, inasmuch as it has parted with the only specialities that cannot be practised by rule-of-thumb—such as mechanical engineering, land surveying, and perhaps we may include architecture. These, which formerly joined to form the profession, have long since dissolved partnership, and civil engineering is greatly the loser. It stands alone, unsupported by law, without recognised course of training, unproved by any public tests or diploma. In these respects it forms an exception to any other profession in the world, and if it should hold its unimpaired under such conditions for any length of time, it will offer the best argument in favour of those who propose that all professions should be thrown open, and diplomas and examinations abolished.

It will be argued by many that this profession does not require protection, because it ha3 been very successful hitherto, and has produced great men and great works. That, however, is a condition of things which characterises the beginnings of all new movements in human affairs, and a continual repetition cannot be looked for, any more than one can expect the glories of the dawn to be prolonged throughout the day. The profession is young yet, and it remains to be seen what stagnation and abuses will grow upon it as it gets older. There are also two points from which the success of the profession may be viewed, viz., that of the public and that of the members of the profession. The public only to get their engineering work done cheaply, at what cost to the engineers does not concern it; but the members of the profession are concerned with their own welfare as well as the advancement of engineering knowledge, and they must fight their own battle to achieve these objects, as every profession has had to do before it. A few decades will probably show what there is in store for the profession under conditions which prevail in England, America, and the Colonies. On the European Continent it is guarded sufficiently by required courses of training and legal restrictions, and consequently holds a high position.

Returning to the discussion after this digression, in the Colonies the number of engineers is enormously out of proportion to the demand for their services, and, as remarked above, the numbers are continually increasing. A large number is retained by the various Governments in the Public Works Departments, others ployed by local, municipal, and other boards; the rest thrash out the old straw of private practice, or happier still, are unemployed. The numbers seeking employment govern the status of the whole, but those under Government hold the best position and are best selected; the others are anybody, and their position is anything but satisfactory. As might be expected, they are exposed to all the evils which the competition of numbers and their own necessities impose. It is every day becoming more the custom to advertise for engineering services, and corporations and boards usually consider themselves bound to accept the lowest offer in the interests of ratepayers. This manner of proceeding often procures offers of service such as even ratepayers hesitate to accept. My note-book has numerous instances, but I also hesitate to soil your pages with the humiliating record.

Another evil of excessive competition is the unscrupulous underbidding for work by needy persons. Thus, should an engineer be instructed to make plans for a public work, his design is assailed by numbers of others who send in plans gratuitously, and if they are not received exhibit them in shop windows, offering all sorts of schemes of their own at any price, buttonholing members of boards or influential persons, and writing in the papers to show how useless are all plans but their own. These schemes and plans are not confined to engineers; “all sorts and conditions of men” exhibit plans and estimates and offer to do the work, until the authorities and the public are sometimes hopelessly perplexed, and abandon the project in despair of arriving at proper conclusions. Those who assert that the profession does not require self-protection will acknowledge that such tricks do not prevail in the honourable professions of law or medicine, which have at least gained exemption from such abuses by the safeguards they have instituted.

As to the selection of men for employment as engineers, local authorities requiring such services are free to choose as they like, and they are not always impressed with the necessity for any engineering references as to professional acquirements. A townsman is often more to their liking; if he says he is an engineer, well and good, or they may resolve to make an engineer of him whether or no. For instance, a local authority found its engineer unwilling to give his certificate for the completion of a bridge, the work not being satisfactory. The contractor, however, discovers that there are ways of overcoming obstruction, as the engineer is dismissed and his foreman is appointed in his stead; this was not a petty appointment, but one involving works to the value of hundreds of thousands of pounds. In the selection of an engineer by local bodies, what he will serve for is more to the point than his qualifications, and thus engineers find themselves competing against road gangers, carpenters, fitters, foremen of works, contractors, and any such men whom the authorities may prefer to employ. Such men promote the cause of getting engineering work done cheaply, but the profession suffers grievously in having the mistakes and bad work committed by them attributed to the ignorance and folly of engineers; and now suppose the heart-sick unemployed engineer at last reaches the goal of his hopes and gets a billet, his troubles do not necessarily come to an end, and he must be prepared to work alone or be continually on his guard against his assistant, who is pretty certain to be made to supersede him, not by any means through the intrigues of the assistant, but from the economical propensities of the employers. I have seen so many cases where so soon as the assistant had acquired sufficient insight the chief was dismissed and the assistant installed in his place at assistant’s pay, that I am justified in mapping this as one of the rocks ahead of the engineering bark.

In consequence of the competition for employment among engineers, the profession is quite unable to hold its own, either as regards its duties or its remuneration. The employing bodies are thus able to reduce their engineers to the condition of mere clerks without influence or authority. To the unhappy engineer it is a case of no charge but all responsibility, with the result that, should the imposing structure fall, the employers scuttle away, and the engineer must dodge the falling bricks as best he can, frequently receiving wounds to his reputation that Dr. Time himself cannot cure. I have heard of a Harbour Board which instructed one of its members, a soft-goods man who was travelling in Europe, to visit the harbours of England, and report on the works and improvements which he might see; and on his return the engineer was directed to carry out the recommendations contained in the report. As to the scale of remuneration to engineers, it might be as well to leave it to the indignant recipients to state their cases, if they wish to do so, while I merely fill in the background to the picture. In the colonies salesmen in drapers’ shops, commercial travellers, tailors’ chief cutters, head clerks in commercial houses, and cooks in hotels—the latter occasionally—are paid salaries ranging from £350 to £600 a year, head masters and mistresses of schools and colleges from £300 to £800, managers of banks and firms from £800 to £1500, clergymen from £250 to £600. Lawyers and doctors are always their own masters, and their pay ranges through a very much wider scale, even up to £3000 and £4000 a year. Yerily engineering knowledge, which is so cracked up, must be twopenny-halfpenny stuff compared to these, or else there is something else that sprags the engineers’ wheels.

Engineers are so situated that they will take any pay, however small. Sometimes they offer their services for nothing, in the hope of getting in, with the chance of afterwards receiving pay; and their position is still further weakened from the presence of engineers, having some means of their own, who offer their services at low figures to fill up their time and help out their incomes. The amount of distress, destitution, and degradation among the unemployed engineers is beyond all belief, and helps to make the calling of an engineer a byeword of contempt and suspicion among decent society. Some engineers, in order to bring themselves into notice and get employment, resort to methods of self-advertising which, whether useful or not to the public, are not calculated to benefit the profession. One may write a series of papers purporting to instruct any uneducated farmer how to proceeed in irrigation, how to use a level so as to lay out the channels with ready-reckoner methods for finding the requisite sizes, describing the processes necessary to success by short methods which shall dispense with special knowledge and save the labour of calculation ; other engineers hasten to make known short and easy methods for calculating earthwork or measuring structures or for finding the forces and strains in them, or how to proceed in difficult cases in engineering operations, while Molesworth’s pocket-book aims at making every man his own engineer, so that now-a-days if one finds fault with his ganger the latter outs with his Molesworth and confutes you on the spot. I will refrain from arguing question of the general good to the public which the “ Engineer Abroad ” may be supposed to confer, I would merely ask if these steps in the diffusion of engineering information must be taken

are the engineers themselves those from whom they should originate? as it seems to be throwing their bread on waters from which it will not return. We do not notice that lawyers are officiously anxious to teach the public short and easy cuts to their profession, nor do I remember seeing any popular treatise by doctors minutely directing the general public how to tie femoral arteries, or remove ovarian tumours, nor have “ even ministers been kenned in holy rapture” to give general instructions in administration of sacraments, nor are they obtrusively officious in offering their pulpits to psalm-singing street ranters with the object of making every man his own parson.

Now all this may be a natural and unavoidable result of the laws of supply and demand, but it is a fair question to ask why such a state of things attaches to engineering alone of all the professions; it cannot be expected that the public will respect a profession which has to submit to such humiliations; and they have themselves to blame, for while engineers outbid and abuse each other, the public sit by and enjoy the fun.

Young as the profession is, it is already decrepit from abuses, to attempt to remedy which seems hopeless. One fertile source of them is the system of pupilage, which is unrestricted, and is fostered by pecuniary advantages to the masters. Under this abuse, armies of young engineers are annually launched on the profession. If engineers cannot be restrained in this practice, it is only fair that parents were warned of the wretched prospects in store for their sons under this misleading step in their lives. As far as the Colonies and foreign countries are concerned, it is a waste of money to give premiums for the pupilage of boys; they may quote the names of the moat eminent masters, but it will bring no billets, and the sums paid in premiums can be put to much better uses. I knew a case of a young fellow who had paid a premium of about £1000 in London, serving on equal terms with colonial youths who had been “cadeted” by the Govertment and others who never had any pupilage at all. No doubt the profession is very alluring to young men, which is just the reason why it leads to the greatest disappointment in after life.

In addition to the disadvantages mentioned above, an engineer can never be settled; therefore he can never gather friends or scraps of property. He must follow public works, and be always on the move. Three removes are said to be worse than a fire; the engineer is always moving, shifting from town to town, or from one country to another, as jobs offer on public works, Employment being precarious and uncertain, with occasional years of idleness between his engagements, he always lives from hand to mouth, and his career is almost certain to end in poverty. It is like sailoring, “ no end of jolly” while you are young, but a source of bitter regret in after life. An engineer should never marry, as his wife will have the dearest instincts of a woman’s nature, the love of a home, continually outraged, by being dragged about the world like a soldier’s wife. I have known engineers’ wives who have never had a home until they were grandmothers, and others whose children were born in tents. The life of an engineer is that of continual strain and anxiety, as the responsibility for the success of works is always on his mind. Success brings him nothing but his pay, and failure will stick to him through life. But failure may occur through fifty causes that he cannot control, from the cu] >idity of contractors or tradesmen, often from causes which it is impossible to foresee. If he makes his work sufficiently strong to be beyond risk, others will show him up; if he makes a name for economy, he will fail sooner or later. He can never relax the strain on his exertions, because, as soon as he is out of one employ ment, he must “ work himself up ” in the next, and the result is that an astonishing proportion of engineers die young. Of course, there is for those whom it may satisfy the consolation of knowing that those whom the Gods love die young.

That the unsatisfactory state of things mentioned above prevails to any extent in England is quite unlikely, otherwise it must have attracted the notice of the Institute of Civil Engineers ; on the contrary, we read in addresses by the presidents, congratulations to the members on the increase in the roll of the Institute, although it does not seem clear on what grounds the members are to be congratulated for that fact. One could understand the eause if the Institution were a field naturalists’ club into which all are welcome who pay a subscription to be used in defraying the expenses of picnics. It seems a pity that the conditions of membership are necessarily connected with the payment of an annual subscription, as this is apt to lead to a wrong estimate of the objects for which the Institution exists, so that although from the point of view of the London engineers an unlimited increase in the numbers of the members, associates, and students may seem a matter for congratulation, yet it brings distress and humiliation everywhere else. It is singular that in 240 meetings held by the Institution, questions of internal policy and of the ordering and regulation of the professional body with a view to its welfare and standing in society, have scarcely ever been discussed, the meetings are content to hear with tiresome iteration the experiences of members in the conduct of works, regardless of the blight which is falling on the profession itself. Nevertheless, there is one solitary instance in which a Government has unsolicited, and with the object of securing the public interest, taken steps to place the profession of civil engineering on a proper footing, and with excellent results. I will be bound that the Institution of Civil Engi never heard of this case.

It may be objected that no good purpose can be served by describing these evils, unless at the same time one is prepared to point out the remedy. I cannot agree with this view of the case. By knowledge of the conditions and discussion of them,' we may hope to discover the remedy; and it is to be hoped that members in every part of the world will begin to ponder over their career; and when a whole body of men are thinking on the same subject, something will be elicited sooner or later. Perhaps the case is not yet hopeless for the profession, and we have a right in its name to demand of every engineer all over the world that he devote some attention, and from time to time use some efforts, however small, towards furthering the specialisation of the profession of the civil engineer by some means similar to those which have been put in practice by other professions. Shall it be said that we are the only body of men who have been faithless to ourselves, and so have betrayed the public interests entrusted to our care ? If we continue in this course, and cannot be roused by the calls of duty and the sense of self-preservation, then indeed the profession of civil engineering is dying, and it will do so dishonoured and unregretted.    Warraronga.

New Zealand, 1886.

TENDERS.

TOXTETH PARK.

Tenders received by the Toxteth Park Local Board for the completion of Holme-street, contract No. 7. Quantities supplied by the engineer, Mr. John Price, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.

McCabe and Co., Liverpool......

Hayes and Son, Bolton........

C. Burt, Toxteth Park........

An well and Co., Liverpool......

I/. Marr, Toxteth Park........

R. Lomax, Eccles..........

W. P. Chadwick, Liverpool—accepted Walkden and Co., Bootle—withdrawn owing to error 197 0 0 Engineer’s estimate ................ 269 0 0

Tenders received by the Toxteth Park Local Board for the completion of Wendell-street, contract No. 8. Quantities supplied by the engineer, Mr. John Price, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.

Hayes and Son, Bolton......

C. Burt, Toxteth Park......

McCabe and Co., Kirkdale ..    ..

L. Marr, Toxteth Park......

An well and Co., Liverpool ..    ..

W. P. Chadwick, Liverpool

R.    Lomax, Eccles........

Walkden and Co., Bootle—accepted Engineer’s estimate ......

Tenders received by the Toxteth Park Local Board for the pletion of Whittier-street, contract No. 9. Quantities supplied by the engineer, Mr. John Price, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.

Hayes and Son, Bolton......

McCabe and Co., Kirkdale ..

C. Burt, Toxteth Park......

L. Marr, Toxteth Park......

S.    McCullagh, Toxteth Park Anwell and Co., Liverpool ..

W. P. Chadwick, Liverpool..    ..

R. Lomax, Eccles........

Walkden and Co., Bootle—accepted Engineer’s estimate ......

The Colonial and Indian Exhibition.—The Executive Commissioners and other official representatives from the colonies and from India have been invited to dine with the present and past members of Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers at Greenwich, on Wednesday, the 7th of July.

Glasgow Waterworks.—We understand that Messrs. Thomas Larmuth and Co., engineers, Cross-lane, Salford, are supplying to Messrs. Morrison and Mason, contractors, Glasgow, the whole of the plant required for both ends of the tunnel on the Lock Katrine Waterworks for the Corporation of Glasgow, consisting of engines, boilers, pumps, blowers, air compressors, the “Hirnant” rock drills, rock drill carriages, air pipes, &c.— in fact, all that is required for the job.

June 11, 1886.

THE ENGINEER.

CTJ

Ov

FOREIGN AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF THE ENGINEER.

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THE ENGINEER

JUNE 11, 1886.

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE.

*,* With this tocck's number is issued as a Supplement, a Two-Pay e Engraving of an Express Bogie Engine for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. Every copy as issued by the Publisher contains this Supplement, and subscribers are requested to notify the fact should they not receive it.

CONTENTS.

The Engineer, June 11th, 1886.

PAGE

Liverpool Exhibition ......................

Lifeboat for Lytham. (Illustrated.)................

Liverpool Exhibition Building. (Illustrated.)..........

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

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

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

Triple Expansion Engine. (Illustrated.)...... ........

Express Bogie Engine, Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.

(Illustrated.) ..........................

Letters to the Editor—Engineers in the Colonies ........

Tenders ..............................

Leading Articles—The Royal Agricultural Society—Boiler Setting. The Sanitary Condition of the Houses of Parliament—Reduced

Production of Iron ..    ....................

' The Edinburgh International Exhibition............

Plan of the Grounds and. the Electric Lighting Arrangements

at the Edinburgh Exhibition................

Lockwood’s Leather Scourer. (Illustrated.) ........

Westinghouse Engine and Gulcher Dynamo. (Illustrated.).. Hughes’ Ball Castors.

The Bath and West of

Private Bills in Parliament ..................

American Notes..........................

The Iron, Coal, and General Trades of Birmingham, Wolver-other Districts..................

(Illustrated.)

England Society’s Show

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464

464

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470

.. 470

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473

HAMPTON, AND

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

Notes from the North of England..............

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

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

Notes from Wales and Adjoining Counties..........

New Companies........................

The Patent Journal......................

Selected American Patents....................476

Paragraphs—The Colonial and Indian Exhibition, 464—Glasgow Waterworks, 464—Photographs of the Severn Tunnel, 464—The Civil Engineers, 470.

Two-page Supplement — Express Bogie Engine, Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.

473

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475

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

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*** 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. R. E.—Messrs. Triibner and Co., Ludgate-hill.

J. (Penthouses).—The suction pipe must be leaking—that is to say, drawing air. A very small leakage will suffice.

C. R. (Greenwich).—The bent crane question which you refer to has been fully dealt with already in The Engineer.

J. D.—It is impossible to give any correct answer to so vague a question as yours. The maximum strain put on a tow rope depends on a host of circumstances. You may take it that three tons is a very usual strain, but we doubt that this amount of information can prove of much use to you.

Novice (Adelaide).—(1) The second glass inside the first glass oj an air pump will not be fixed provided you take care in making the experiment to get the air out of both, which you have not done. (2) The cup of a barometer, or its equivalent, a leather diaphragm, or a bend in the tube at the lower end is necessary, as you will find if you try. (3) If you will put a barometer tube through the top of your air pump receiver, the cup being inside the receiver, and exhaust the air, you will find all the mercury fall out of the tube as you exhaust the receiver. (4) A few improperly conducted experiments have led you so far astray that you have written a great deal of nonsense, to which we have replied simply because you are a novice, and may yet learn better ivays.

anonymous

ALOE FIBRE MACHINERY.

{To the Editor of The Engineer.)

Sir,—Can any of your readers oblige me with the name of makers of ^ood, simple hand-power machinery for turning aloe fibre into yarn, joir, and rope, and for extracting the aloe fibre?    T.

London, June 8th.    _

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THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

We announce, with great pleasure, that, owing in large part to the action of Mr. Jacob and some other members of Council, the Royal Agricultural Society has practically determined to give prizes next year for the best compound traction engine. The competitive trials will take place at Newcastle-on-Tyne, a little before the annual show. The last engine competition was held at Cardiff in 1871, so that an interval of sixteen years will divide the two. During that period remai’kable advances have been made in the construction of steam engines; and we shall not be surprised to find some of the competitive engines making over 6 hours on the brake. It may be well for the benefit of those engineers who were boys when the Cardiff trials took place, if we explain the system of testing adopted. The competitor declared what power he intended to work at—generally something in excess of the nominal power. By the rules of the Society, the power of an engine is determined by squaring the diameter of the cylinder and pointing off the last figure. Thus, an engine with an 8in. cylinder would be rated as 6’4 nominal horse-power, and so on. An 8-horse power engine used to be worked up to 12 or 14-horse power on the brake, some makers selecting more and others less, experience acquired by them in their own works telling them under what conditions of load their engine performed best. The brake load depended, of course, on the number of revolutions. All being ready, a certain amount of wood and coal was weighed out to each competitor, and steam got up from cold water to the required pressure, the time taken and the weight of fuel used being noted. Then 141b. of coal perdeclared brake horse power was weighed out to each engine, and the trial began, and was continued until such time as the engine could no longer run at the declared speed for want of steam. The time of starting and the time of stopping-noted, also the whole number of revolutions, competitor might run as much faster than the stated rate as he liked, but he must not run slower. The whole number of revolutions being divided by the nominal number, gave the mechanical time, and the longer this time the more economical is the engine. Let us suppose, for example, that an engine was intended to work to 12-horse power at 120 revolutions per minute. The brake was loaded accordingly, and it was found that the engine makes 35,600 revolutions. Dividing this by 120, we get 296'6 minutes, or 4 hours 56‘6minutes; and this divided into 141b. of coal, gives 2'78 lb. of coal per brake horse-power per hour. As a matter of fact, however, the engine really made, let us suppose, 123 revolutions per minute, and 35,600 divided by 123 = 289'4 minutes, or 4 hours 49 minutes, as the real duration of the run; but a little reflection will show that in this case the engine was exerting more than 12-horse power, in the ratio of 123 to 120, and with this the engine had of course to be credited. In practice it was found that the engines by the best makers seldom overran their speed much, the actual and mechanical time agreeing very closely. We may add, further, that experienced competitors would not run on a new brake if they could help it. They stoutly maintained that a well-worn brake put less load on the engine than a new* one, and this although, as a matter of fact, the work is measured altogether by the load which is kept in a state of suspension by the action of the engine turning the brake pulley. This being so, the condition of the machine ought in no way to affect the work done, always provided the pulley journals ran cool. During the Cardiff trials the engines were indicated during their run on the brake, and the water consumed was also measured. We have no doubt but that the Newcastle trials will be conducted with as much care and skill as it is possible to bring to bear on them.

It is a noteworthy fact that very few firms make compound portable engines, although a great many make semi-portable and semi-fixed compound engines in large numbers. Messrs. Richard Garrett and Sons were, we believe, the first to put a compound portable engine into the market, and they have made such engines for years. The firm has never competed for a Royal Agricultural Society’s steam engine prize, and it is not likely that they will break through their rule and compete now. But they have on two occasions done what no other firm in the kingdom has done, enabled us to carry out trials with their regular commercial compound engines. The results of these trials are on record in our pages, and it will be seen that the competitors at the Newcastle trials will have their work cut out for them if they mean to beat Messrs. Garrett’s engines. It is, we believe, not yet certain whether portable engines will be admitted to compete; and semi-fixed engines are not agricultural in any sense, except in so far as they are used by millers. If such engines are admitted for competition, the makers of compound portables will find themselves a little handicapped, because there is a great deal of experience extant about compound semi-portables, and very little indeed outside of Leiston concerning compound portable engines, and those who have made semi-portables will be able to bring their experience to bear in designing portable engines. As, however, the engines will no doubt compete in classes, portable engines competing with portable, and semi-fixed with semi-fixed engines, there will not be much ground for complaint.

We shall, of course, have it urged that nothing but racers will have a chance of winning. We opine, however, that the word “ racer ” will be found to have lost its meaning to a very considerable extent. Engines are regularly made and sold now which a few years ago would have been called “ racers.” It is very difficult indeed to see what can be added to a modern compound portable to entitle it to be called a racer. Probably the use of a copper fire-box and brass tubes would entitle it to that appellation; but we very much doubt that the advantage due to the use of

in the performance of the engine, and we are certain it would not make as much difference as would the quality of the oil used for lubrication. To render the trial at Newcastle complete there ought to be entered simply for the purpose of comparison as good a non-compound double cylinder engine as it is possible to make, in order that it might be seen at once how much better the compound is than the non-compound, and how much better the noncompound engine of 1887 will be than the non-compound engine of 1871. We fear that this is too much to expect.

The trials of traction engines will be complicated and difficult if the test consists in using the engines on the high roads or in the fields. A mere fuel test can of course be carried out on the brake in the sliowyard without any trouble. But it is quite a different matter to test an engine when hauling, and it will be found no easy thing to reduce the performance of all the competitors to a common standard. No doubt, however, the Boyal Agricultural Society, with the able assistance of Messrs. Easton and Anderson, will be able to overcome all obstacles. If portable engines are admitted to compete, the trials are certain to be the most interesting that have ever been carried out under the auspices of the Society, and they ought to supply much valuable information, while convincing the foreigner that we have not reached finality yet, and that he had better think twice before he puts his capital into works for the production of portable engines intended to beat English engines out of the foreign market. We know that the opinion held abroad is that English portable engines will undergo no further change, and that it will be quite safe to copy them as they are. The Newcastle trials will place matters in another light, and will, we believe, act as a wholesome deterrent to our rivals, who will perhaps be taught that English engineers know nothing of finality.

were

The

BOILER SETTING.

Cornish and Lancashire boilers have been in use for considerably more than half a century. During that time, and especially during the latter moiety of it, great improvements have been effected, both in the quality of their materials and in the tools and appliances for their construction. As a matter of course, too, experience in the working of these forms of steam generator has taught its lessons; and while to the uninstructed eye a boiler of either type as made now presents no differences from others of the same type made in the earlier days of boiler construction, the eye of the expert sees many. For example, the expert who is old enough to remember boilers made half a century ago, and contrasts them with their successors, will observe that the practice of the best makers—if, indeed, such a term can be fairly applied to the primitive days when pressures were so low that injury to boilers was as likely to happen from the negative or collapsing pressure of the atmosphere as from the internal force of the steam —showed that the right principles of staying were little understood. Then as pressure increased, more and more stays were introduced, until boilers got to be so overstayed they could not “ breathe,” or, in other words, yield sufficiently at the proper points to allow for expansion and contraction; and furrowed plates; rapid deterioration of boilers; leaky seams, and split plates resulted. Happily all boiler designers and makers of reputation in this country at all events, know better now; and if boilers were made only by competent persons injury or explosion from defective design would never occur. In fact, the thoughtful and trained observer of the history, construction, and setting of Cornish and Lancashire boilers perceives advance and improvement in everything connected with their design, materials, and construction. Here, however, unfortunately things stop, little improvement is anywhere perceptible in the methods of setting or working boilers, and future historians may, if they please, record scathing comments upon us who pride ourselves on being a practical nation, for as much as that, while deserving credit for our exertions to improve the design, materials, and construction of steam boilers, we used no exertion, and gave ourselves no concern to secure the best and safest means of working them. Even in the present day what would be thought of the man who would go to Long Acre, give 300 or 400 guineas for a beautiful carriage, have it sent home, and run it into some tumbledown shanty open to wind and weather, and set the most ignorant labourer he could find to take care of it ? Yet in this case the carriage owner in j ures but himself, A steam boiler is quite another affair. While at work it represents chained-up death to all within a certain—perhaps uncertain would be the better word—distance of it. The days are, we venture to hope, gone for ever when hidden and occult causes for boiler explosions were sought for to explain their occurrence. In earlier days doubtless causes were hidden, but only by the curtain of ignorance —a curtain rent asunder by science and practical experience ; and it may be fairly asserted that now the great majority of explosions are wholly preventable, and this brings us directly to the title we have given this article.

Destruction to life and property arising from boiler explosions was in early days due in all probability quite as much to defective design, materials, and workmanship, as to bad management; we think that boilers made by good makers now only explode through bad usage. The only check on this is efficient periodical inspection, and inspection is of use exactly in proportion to the facilities afforded for its performance. A boiler is like a fortress or a chain—no stronger than its weakest part. The military engineer can perceive the weak point of his fortress, anil can take his measures accordingly. The chain maker cannot do more than test his cable to a certain point, and surmise that its breaking strain is so much more. The boiler user occupies an intermediate position between these two. Given a certain mode of construction, and, in the case of at least most land boilers, tain mode of setting, and there is no difficulty in making a thoroughly efficient examination of the plates inside and out. The engineers to the Board of Trade will not certify any boilers which come under their jurisdiction which have not proper manholes and other facilities for making

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condition. If a common lodging-house were in the condition of the stately pile where our laws are made, the local authorities must of necessity take proceedings in order that the sanitary defects of the building might be remedied. One honourable member was lately reported to be suffering from fever of a typhoid type, and whether this was due to the atmosphere of the House or not, there seemed fair ground for suspecting some connection between the two.

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thorough inspection of all their interiors. Cornish and Lancashire boilers do not come within the jurisdiction of the Board of Trade till after they have blown up and either destroyed or endangered life. In other words, no steam user is allowed to jeopardise the lives of his passengers at sea, but he may endanger as many lives as he likes on shore with perfect impunity. This is the regulation of a practical people! We have observed that inspection is necessary for the safe working of steam boilers, and we have pointed out that everything about Cornish and Lancashire boilers has been improved save their mode of setting, and yet innumerable explosions have been directly due to this cause. For years engineers, both by tongue and pen, have pointed out the evils of setting boilers on side or midfeather walls, all the dangers arising from corrosion caused by small leaks or “ weeping ” seams letting moisture pass and find its way to the walls on which the plates rest have been pointed out ad nauseam, but boilers aie still set thus. There is probably no body of men who pursue an unhealthy calling with greater patience or efficiency than the inspectors of our boiler insurance companies, working hardest just when all others are taking holiday; exposed to the often extremely high temperatures of half-cooled flues, and carrying on duties that demand tact, unflinching strength of mind, and thorough practical competence for their duties. They work on year after year, and “ make no sign.” How many tales do their reports tell? Yet, although there is no insuperable difficulty in setting cylindrical boilers in such a way as greatly to facilitate external inspection, as well as to prolong the lives of the boilers, the old defective system is adhered to. Two points or methods present themselves to the man about to put down a Lancashire or Cornish boiler. One of these is to so arrange the setting as to give the greatest facility for external examination with the least expenditure of time. The second is to set his boiler in such a way that the inaccessible external surfaces of the plates shall be so protected as to be safe from corrosion. This last system is practised with the plates and frames of iron ships, which are covered with asphalte, concrete, or other similar protective agent. That iron if properly protected is to all intents imperishable has been proved over and over again. We have heard, for example, of the end bearing plates of a very old iron bridge, which, when the bridge was pulled down, were found, where they rested on the felt originally put between them and the heavy plates, to be perfectly clean and free from corrosion, and we have seen the floor plates of a bridge many years old stripped of pavement and ballast perfectly clean and free from corrosion. There is but one condition different in the case of the boiler plate, and that is temperature. Bridge and ship plates can be protected with asphalte, which would become soft and presumably useless at the temperature of 60 lb. or 80 lb. steam, such as is usually used in Cornish boilers; but other means of protection may be found if sought. We would prefer, however, to see the alternative principle adopted of so setting boilers that a thorough and minute examination of every part of their external surfaces can be made with ease and expedition. How to effect this is not a more difficult problem than many others satisfactorily solved long since. In fact it has been very nearly solved by the system of seating boilers on cast iron saddles, or carrying them by brackets, resting on side walls. Any arrangement that can be suggested is better than the plan of seating on one or two midfeather walls, a method still, we regret to say, freely adopted by men who ought to know better.

THE SANITARY CONDITION OF THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.

It happened once in years gone by that as a Select Committee were sitting in one of the rooms in the Houses of Parliament overlooking the Thames, a passing steamer, churning up the foul waters of the river with its paddles, liberated a volume of gas so pestiferous in its odour and far-reaching in its effects, that the Committee were well nigh driven from their deliberations, and gave immediate orders for the windows to be closed. The event attracted considerable notice at the time, and probably had effect in hastening the day when the great intercepting sewers were constructed, carrying the sewage of London down away into the river beyond the metropolitan boundary. It is strange, after all the money that has been spent, and all the work that has been done, we should find the latter state of the Houses of Parliament worse than the former. This time there has been an invasion of mephitic odours into the precincts of the Legislature, not merely producing temporary discomfort to a Select Committee, but actually compelling the House of Commons itself, on a recent occasion, to seek safety in sudden flight, both sides of the House agreeing that the noxious smells were unbearable. It has been sought to lay the blame of this state of things on the main drainage works in the vicinity of the House, and Sir James M‘Garel-Hogg has been called to his feet more than once to answer complaints on the subject. Towards the end of March a Select Committee was appointed to inquire into the ventilation of the House, and from this source we have now two reports, the second appearing a few days back. A perusal of these documents recalls to our mind the statement said to have been made by the mayor of an ancient borough to Queen Elizabeth, in explanation of the circumstance that no bells were ringing to welcome the royal visitor. Many reasons were forthcoming for the absence of the jubilant peals, but the first was simply that the borough “ had no bells.” Her Majesty replied that this was quite sufficient, and graciously dispensed with any further explanation. The reports of Sir Henry Roscoe’s Committee carry us to all points of the compass for a solution of the fact that there are offensive odours within the Houses of Parliament, but there is one that is all-sufficient in the absence of every other, and that is the state of the drainage of the House itself. If all around were as fragrant as Araby the Blest, the atmosphere within the Palace of Westminster could not be otherwise than disagreeable. The picture is complete, and nothing seems wanting to render the legislative abode liable to summary proceedings in respect to its insanitary

It is amusing to find that rather less than a couple of years ago, when the House was plagued with bad odours less intense than those of the present session, a Select Committee reported the condition of the sewers and drains about the Houses of Parliament to be “ entirely satisfactory,” and such as “ reflected great credit upon the officers in charge of the building.” Major Tulloch, who afterwards conducted a Local Government Board inquiry into the subject, arrived at a very different conclusion. Sir Robert Rawlinson differed to some extent from Major Tulloch, and certain authorities identified with the sanitary arrangements of the Houses of Parliament dissented still more strongly. The Select Committee of the present session, in their second report, may be said fully to justify the conclusions of Major Tulloch. The attempt made in the first report to throw the greater part of the blame on the low-level sewer of the metropolitan main drainage system may be said to fail when confronted with the evidence contained in the second report as to the state of affairs nearer home. Whatever may be the condition of the low-level sewer, the air of the Houses of Parliament must unavoidably suffer from sanitary errors for which the Metropolitan Board are in no wise accountable. It might have been well if the Select Committee, instead of merely scenting the odours in the upper air, had obtained admission into the low-level sewer, so as to judge for themselves as to its atmospheric condition. Finding it singularly inoffensive, the Committee might still have contended that the foul gases were drawn off from the sewer through the drainage system of the Palace. This theory could have been tested by observing the strength of the odours within the sewerat two opposite points,so as to detect whether the effluvia underwent diminution in passing the Houses of Parliament. If so, it would be clear which way the odours went. If no such change was perceived, the air of the sewer being as good in one part as the other, the Committee could then only rely on the argument that in times of flood, when the low-level sewer is gorged with water, the gases both of the Board’s sewer and those which belong to the Palace, are forced into the edifice. It is intimated that this also takes place at high water. But it is not shown how the tide can affect the low-level sewer, seeing that the level of the water outside has nothing whatever to do with the flow of the sewage in the intercepting sewers, unless it be when excessive rainfall demands escape by the storm outlets. That the air of the Board’s sewer under ordinary circumstances is only slightly malodorous seems tolerably certain. In the House of Commons a short time back Sir J. M‘Garel-Hogg, in reply to Sir H. Roscoe, stated that an examination of the low-level sewer in that locality on a certain day in April showed that the sewer itself was almost free from smell, but, upon opening a side entrance, a foul odour was found to proceed from the sewer draining the Houses of Parliament. We have also reason to believe that, at a more recent date than this, the air of the low-level sewer was found to be such that no reasonable complaint could be urged against it. Thus, the only way of establishing an accusation against this sewer would be by proving that it receives effectual ventilation through the Houses of Parliament. If this is the fact, and if this be the source of the evil smells complained of in the House of Commons, the remedy would consist in such an alteration of the junction between the Palace drainage and the low-level sewer as would cut off all direct communication between the two. This is proposed by the Committee, and if they were convinced that the sewer in question did all the mischief, they would act logically if they proposed nothing vinced, and they propose verj* much more. After recommending that the drainage of the Palace should be cut off from direct connection with the Metropolitan system, by the use of Shone’s pneumatic ejectors, they propose an entire transformation of the drainage arrangements of the Palace—of the need of which there can be no doubt.

It is worth while looking at the defects described in the report of the Committee. The chief sewer to which all the drains of the Houses of Parliament are tributary, and which passes from one end of the precincts of the Palace to the other, is pronounced “ faulty and obsolete,” so as to require reconstruction. This, with other matters in connection with it, will cost £8000. An auxiliary drain or sewer running from north to south under the basement of the two Houses, forming a junction with the larger sewer near the Clock Tower, is so constructed that the Committee say : “ A worse state of things than is presented by this sewer could not be devised.” A change has necessarily to be effected in that spot, the estimated cost being £1100. Two other drains require to be put into repair, at an estimated cost of about £500. There is no complete plan in existence showing the position of the various drains, and there appears to be a good deal of mystification on the subject. Hence the Committee consider it necessary that the course of the drains should be traced without delay, and a complete plan prepared. Another matter of note carries us back to 1878, when a requisition was made for a sum of £5000 by the Office of Works from the Treasury, for the purpose of placing the drainage of the House in proper sanitary order. Up to that time “ the closets, urinals, lavatories, sinks, and the overflow pipes from the water cisterns were all, or nearly all, unventilated, and in direct communication with the sewers.” But all the money expended from time to time in order to effect the necessary alterations amounts only to £1800. Hence the Committee calculate that only about two-fifths of the necessary changes have been made. In the next place we come to something which is certainly very remarkable. The Committee call the attention of the House “to a reprehensible practice which has been uniformly carried on, and one which they are of opinion is a primary cause of the smells which have been so much complained of.” If this be “ a primary cause,” there is little need to make a fuss about the low - level sewer. The practice referred to consists “ in allowing the waste steam from the warming apparatus, and the high-pressure steam and boiling water from the boilers to pass directly into the sewers.” This boiling-up of the sewage, of course, is highly agreeable. To get rid of this pleasant arrangement will cost .£325. The prospect of eliminating a “ primary cause ” at so small a cost cannot be otherwise than satisfactory. Then there is an admirably contrived dustbin, receiving “garbage and refuse from the kitchens, &c.,” and felicitously placed at the foot of the staircase leading to the ladies’ gallery. The foul emanations from this Pandora’s box having no other outlet, “ pass up this staircase.” With a commendable burst of indignation, the Committee declare “ it can hardly ba credited that a practice of this kind, which is condemned by the sanitary inspectors in every workman’s cottage, should have been for years permitted in the Palace of Westminster.” There is also something wrong with the kitchens, and something equally wrong, or worse, with regard to the laundry. In fact, we hardly know what there is that is right. In the midst of this miserable state of affairs we are not surprised to learn that “ no single authority is responsible for the sanitation of the building,” that is to say, there are four authorities each supreme in its own domain. One department has charge of the drainage, another the heating and lighting, another the kitchen and cooking arrangements, while yet another looks after the cleaning. The result of it all is that the health of the Members of Parliament and of the officers who reside within the precincts of the Palace at Westminster is so seriously imperilled by the defective drainage and sanitary arrangements which now exist in the building. Such is the unanimous opinion of the Committee, and we do not see how it is possible for anyone who duly weighs the evidence to arrive at any other conclusion. Assuredly there is something grimly humorous in the circumstance that sanitary legislation has to proceed from a “Palace” so eminently unsanitary in its internal arrangements. The wrong is now to be set right. Some of the work is done; and, if certain other items are adopted, the total cost is estimated at £13,265. But this is irrespective of improvements in the means of obtaining fresh air in the House of Commons and in the Commons’ lobby. There is also no estimate as to the cost of a proposed change in the mode of ventilation, designed to do away with the system of exhaust. If the recommendations of the Select Committee are put into execution, we might hope that, in the course of a couple of years, the Houses of Parliament would be made as healthy as they ought to be. But there is “ many a slip between the cup and the lip.” The Government Board of Works will have a voice in the matter, and there may be some little difficulty arising out of the recommendation of the Select Committee that the designing and superintending of the works which they propose should be intrusted to “an independent expert of the highest professional standing, under whose personal direction the alterations suggested should be carried into effect.” This is not very nice for the Board of Works, although the pill is carefully sweetened by the Select Committee in the language they employ.

REDUCED PRODUCTION OF IRON.

At last the ironmasters of the country are beginning to reduce the production of pig iron. In Scotland last week there were five furnaces put out of blast, bringing the number down to eighty-four, and others it is expected will follow. But although the shipping season is now nearly at its height, and although there is that reduction of the production which the blowing out of furnaces indicates, yet there is still an increase of stocks in the warrant stores in Scotland, and it is believed an increase also in the stocks held by the makers. Prices are still so low as to be unprofitable, so that it is clear that there will be a further reduction in the output soon, unless there should be a sudden and at present unlikely change in the range of prices and in the state of trade. It should not be forgotten in this connection that Scotland is largely to blame for the last stocks of pig iron which have accumulated, for whilst all the other large producing districts reduced their production last year, there was in Scotland an increase in the make of 15,562 tons; and the stocks it held last year rose from 821,000 tons to 1,050,683 tons —nearly one-half of the total held in Great Britain, though its production is only one-seventh of the whole. It is this vast mass of iron held in store in Scotland which is largely responsible for the present state of the iron trade. If every blast furnace in Scotland were put out, there is a stock more than sufficient to meet all the wants of the buyers for one year—a state of affairs which does not obtain in any other district as far as we know. Very tardily, then, Scotland is beginning to see the effect on the market of the vast stocks of pig iron it holds, and of the great production it keeps up in the face of low prices and a demand which has shown some signs of falling off for Scotch iron. For it should not be forgotten that there is included in the output of iron in Scotland a percentage of hematite, and it is possible that there may also be a portion in the stocks in hand. But that hematite iron is in some branches of the trade forcing out the Scotch iron, just as in another branch the Cleveland pig is trenching on the domain of Scotland. Under these circumstances the wisdom of the course taken in Scotland of late is proved; and if it be followed up sharply, there will be an ease in the market, a reduction of stocks, and in the end an improvement in prices. Scottish makers of iron will, however, have to further reduce production soon.

A miners’ industrial exhibition.

Yet another exhibition ! The Right Hon. Earl Fitzwilliam proposes to hold an industrial and fine art exhibition in the market hall at Elsecar. The Princess Mary, Duchess of Teck, has consented to open the Exhibition, which begins on Whit Tuesday, June 15th, and is to be continued for several days. Exhibitors are to be divided into two classes : (a) working men in the usual acceptation of the term, and such as may be judged to belong to that class at the discretion of the committee; (b) amateurs, manufacturers, and tradesmen. Pecuniary prizes are to be awarded to the successful competitors in class “ a," and certificates of merit in class “ b.” The enterprise is the first of the kind which has been attempted in a mining district, and its success will be watched with considerable interest.

THE EDINBURGH EXHIBITION.—COMPOUND HORIZONTAL CONDENSING STEAM ENGINE.

MESSRS. O. AND W. BERTRAM, SCIENNES, EDINBURGH AND BOW, LONDON, ENGINEERS.

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the crank shaft with wheels at the same speed as the engine. On its spindle is a cam, efficiently case-hardened, which actuates the cut-off valve grid plates working on the back of each slide valve, whose spindle is connected to a bell crank lever and spring box, with a bracket for carrying the same. There is a steadying bracket for the governor spindle, also a footstep bracket for same and brackets for lying shaft. All the working parts are thoroughly case-hardened. A suitable air pump and condenser are provided, the pump, 15in. diameter and 16in. stroke, being worked from end of crank shaft by means of disc, connecting-rods, &c. The engine is beautifully finished in every respect, and deservedly attracts great attention in the Exhibition.

Turning now to the lighting of the building we may say that the system of installations of electric lighting in operation at Edinburgh is perhaps the most extensive that has ever been seen; certainly nothing in Scotland has ever approached it. It is on this account alone a very conspicuous feature of the Exhibition, but when it is considered that the work represents not one single system—with perhaps good and Dad features commingled—but an aggregation of several of the best firms’ apparatus, it is additionally valuable as a demonstration of lighting on a large scale, affording the means for a six months’ crucial comparison. In all, there are distributed over the buildings and grounds 306 arc lamps; in the Central Avenue, the outside Promenade, “Old Edinburgh,” and in other minor places, 3000 incandescent lamps. The aggregate candle-power represented

THE EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL steamand exhaust branches, for one double ported slide valve EXHIBITION.    worked from the crank shaft by an excentricand crosshead

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vation of a compound horizontal condensing engine, jj™^“*^e ^'Ll'konrStted'’'with Bnckley’s by Messrs. Bertram, the well-known paper-making metallic packing and junk ring. The piston rods are of mild machinery manufacturers, of Edinburgh. This engine steel, arranged to work through both ends of the cylinder and drives the larger portion of the shafting in the machinery | secured to the pistons by nuts. The tail ends have cast iron in motion section at the Edinburgh Exhibition. It has guides and slippers for supporting the weight of the piston, been running since the opening with great smoothness The crossheads and connecting rods are of malleable scrap and regularity, and is especially adapted for paper-mills and iron, having gun-metal bushes and steel pins at the connec-fast running machinery. The high-pressure cylinder is I tions. The noticeable smoothness of the working is due in 16in. diameter, and the low-pressure 28in., the stroke being ¹ somedegree to the rigidity of the foundations ensured by the 3ft. The working barrel of the high-pressure cylinder is sole plate—which is of cast iron of trunk and box section inserted into the outer shell and caulked at both ends with combined—being cast in one piece with the guide channels, very soft charcoal iron wire Jin. diameter. Two short front cylinder ends, and crank shaft pillow blocks. The valve chests, having suitable steam and exhaust crank shaft is double-throw, of malleable scrap, the journals branches, are cast on. The cylinder is jacketted on being 7Jin. by 15in. and body 8fin. diameter, swelled for the body, the jacket being proved to 100 lb. hydraulic the fly-wheel to llin. diameter. The fly-wheel is 12ft. pressure. A blow-through valve 2|in. diameter is fitted diameter, cast in two pieces, with rim of suitable on this cylinder complete. The steam ports are lOin. by width for a 26in. belt. The wheel is keyed on the shaft 1 Jin., and exhaust port lOin. by 2Jin. The slide with two keys, and round the boss are two malleable valves are box-shaped with grid slots on the back, con- iron hoops shrunk on, and at the rim and along the arms nected to the excentric rod, with guide complete, by a bolts are used to secure the two halves together. The spindle working through a stuffing-box, having adjusting governor and cut-off gear—Turnbull’s patent—are note-nuts outside. The low-pressure cylinder is jacketted, J worthy features of the engine. The governor, placed, caulked, and proved in all respects like the high-pressure ! as will be seen from our illustration, between the two one. The valve casing is cast on its side, with suitable valve chests on the high-pressure cylinder, is driven from

THE EDINBURGH EXHIBITION.—DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

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The machinery employed in producing the powerful electrical currents absorbed in maintaining this vast system of illumination is situated in two courts about the centre of the south side of the buildings. The arrangement of this vital section of the Exhibition is shown in plan herewith. The boiler shed incloses six boilers in all, supplying steam power both for the engines working the dynamos and for the engines furnishing motive power to the moving machinery section. Two of the six boilers are supplied by Messrs. Daniel Adamson and Co., of Dukinfield, near Manchester, each being 28ft. long and 7ft. Gin. in diameter, suitable for a working pressure of 100 lb. The

square inch. The remaining two boilers are by Mr. Geo. Sinclair, Albion Boiler Works, Leith, and the Babcock and Wilcox Company respectively. Both are noteworthy as having patent adjuncts in the shape of mechanical selfacting stokers. The Sinclair boiler, like the others, is 28ft. long by 7ft. 6in. diameter, having two furnaces 3ft. diameter, but tapered to 2ft. Sin. at mouth. They are connected behind the fire-bridge to an oval flue, containing 100 5in. tubes. Mild steel boiler-plates are used in the construction, the rivet holes having been drilled after the lates were bent into form. The furnaces are fed from oppers fitted above them, through which the coal perco-

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material employed in their construction is specially selected mild steel, and the flues are welded solid to the body of the boiler. Other two of the boilers are furnished by Messrs. Penman and Co., Caledonian Ironworks, Glasgow. Like the preceding, they are each 28ft. long by 7ft. 6in. diameter, and of the high-class Lancashire type. Each has two furnaces 3ft. diameter, the first 7ft. consisting of Fox’s patent corrugated flues, the remaining rings being joined together with Bolton’s weldless steel expansion hoops. Each flue is fitted with six Galloway’s patent conical tubes. The boilers are constructed entirely of Siemens-Martin mild boiler steel, the rivet holes and openings in end plates for flues having, according to the most approved practice, been drilled out from the solid after being bent and put in position. The boilers are constructed for a daily working pressure of 80 lb. per

exhibited by the company at the Inventions Exhibition last year.

The engines which take steam from the boilers just described for working the dynamos generating the electric current, are thirteen in number, all of them beautiful specimens of their various classes. Those taking steam for working the shafting which gives motion to the various machines throughout the machinery section are two in number, one of which, as explained in a previous article, is a compound horizontal condensing engine of about 200-horse power, by Messrs. G. and W. Bertram, of Edinburgh, and the other a Corliss vertical tandem engine of

about 120-horse power, by Messrs. Douglas and Grant, Kirkcaldy. Setting aside the latter engines meantime, we proceed to follow out the machinery and apparatus connected with the various systems of electric lighting employed. There are seven engines by Messrs. Marshall, Sons, and Co., of Gainsborough, all of these fine examples of their respective types. There are four vertical engines, each of 14-horse power nominal, which furnish power to eight of King, Brown, and Co.’s dynamos supplying light to the central avenue; two horizontal fixed engines of Messrs. Marshall’s “ B ” class, erected on strong cast iron beds, which drive two King-Brown dynamos for the outside lighting. The seventh engine is a fine specimen of Messrs. Marshall’s semi-portable compound type of 40 nominal horse-power, driving an Andrews dynamo supplying light to the machinery section.

Messrs. Robey and Co., Globe Works, Lincoln, as might naturally be expected, contribute largely to the plant furnishing motive power to the dynamos of the Exhibition. These engines are five in number, including a powerful twin horizontal fixed engine, and are together capable of yielding about 600 actual horse-power. They comprise two compound semi-portable typical “ Robey ” engines, with boilers on the same base plate, respectively of 40 and 30-horse power nominal, but capable of yielding 150 and 120 actual. One horizontal fixed engine of 40 nominal or 120 actual horse-power, which takes steam from the Babcock and Wilcox boiler, above referred to; a pair of horizontal fixed engines, coupled, with fly wheel in centre, of 50 nominal or 200 actual horse-power, and a small high speed horizontal engine carrying a Thomson-Houston dynamo on same base plate, used to illuminate—on the incandescent system—stands in the central avenue and elsewhere. The two semi-portable engines just mentioned

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lates, as it were, being drawn in gradually and continuously by a pushing box on the dead plate working with a horizontal reciprocating motion. In the present instance this movement is obtained from a small horizontal engine fitted on the brickwork encasing the boiler. The system has already received awards at the Smoke Abatement Exhibition several years ago, and at the Exhibition of Sanitary Apparatus held in Glasgow in 1883. Tests of its efficiency will be made, we understand, during the course of the Exhibition, and when the results are known we may return to the subject. The Babcock and Wilcox boiler, fitted with a chain grate mechanical stoker on the Juckes principle, is, we believe, the same in all respects as that

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are of the same general construction, except that the base of the 30-horse power engine is formed of wrought iron girders instead, as in the other case, of one massive piece. Both are controlled by Richardson’s patent governor actuating a slot-link cut-off gear, enabling them to work with a very small percentage of variation in speed under large variations of load. These engines give motion to separate lines of shafting by means of double belts, 15in. wide, from which in turn seven son-Houston’%’ dynamos — four by the 40-horse power and three by the 30-horse power engine—are driven. These and the other dynamos of the whole installation, with the work allotted to them, will be described further on. Messrs. Robey’s next engine is the 40-horse power fixed compound, taking steam from the Babcock boiler. It is designed for working at a pressure of 1001b., at which it will develope economically 120-horse power, and is erected upon a massive cast iron foundation plate. It works at 100 revolutions, being governed like the above by the Richardson automatic cut-off gear. This engine, which appears to us very suitable for driving installations where steam can be obtained from an independent source, drives a countershaft from which power is taken for four Brush dynamos. Next to this stands the twin horizontal engines of 50 nominal horse-power, a good example of Messrs. Robey’s now well-known horizontal type. A noteworthy feature of these engines is the expansion gear, which is on the principle patented by Dr. Proell, and already shortly noticed in our columns.* As applied in this instance, the gear comprises a double-beat valve fixed close above and at each end of the cylinder, which is raised at each stroke by a rocking lever carrying on its outer ends movable detents. The position of these is controlled by the height of the governor, which is placed midway between the two cylinders and controls the position of the detent for both. The exhaust valves are of the Corliss type, placed underneath the cylinder, so that it is kept always perfectly drained. The Proell gear, it may be added, has been receiving somewhat extended adoption since being made knowninthis country,and Messrs. Thomas McCulloch and Sons, of Kilmarnock, show it in action on a high-pressure horizontal engine in the Exhibition, which application, and its results in practice, we may return to in a separate notice. The twin engine of Messrs. Robey drives, by means of a belt 2ft. in width, another line of shafting from which four Gulcher dynamos are actuated. The four separate shafts driven by the Robey engines are all placed in line, and at the end of each a face coupling is fitted, with iin. of separation. By this arrangement the several shafts can be coupled together and be driven by any of the engines in the event of accident to either engines or dynamos, the shafting all being arranged to run at the same speed. It may be of interest to state that Messrs. Robey are preparing an electric regulator to be fixed to the twin engines last described, so as to control the expansion gear instead of the governor, with the view of showing that when such an engine is driving shunt-wound dynamos it can be made to automatically vary its speed to accommodate the machines to the number of lamps they are driving.

Messrs. Daniel Adamson and Sons, of Dukinfield, Manchester, supply one engine of the single high-pressure horizontal type, fitted with the now well-known T^heelock automatic cut-off gear. It is similar to what was exhibited at the Inventions Exhibition last year, and attracted so much attention on account of the smoothness of its running and almost noiseless action.f The cylinder is 16in. diameter, and the stroke 3ft., the belt driving fly-wheel being 10ft. diameter. The engine is calculated to develope 100 indicated horse-power, with a speed of seventy revolutions per minute. This engine supplies the power for other two Brush dynamos. The last engine in the court is the semi-portable one by Marshall, Sons, and Co., previously referred to. Outside the dynamo court proper, but forming an integral portion of the general installation, an engine exhibited by Mr. John Bennie, Star Engine Works, Glasgow, drives a new dynamo by Mr. Rankin Kennedy, Woodside Electric Works, Glasgow, supplying light to portions of “ Old Edinburgh.” The engine is an ordinary 12in. horizontal one, fitted with a Tangyes governor, and running at seventy revolutions per minute. A similar engine, it may be stated, is employed at the new Central Station, Glasgow, driving an Edison-Hopkinson dynamo, and gives most satisfactory results.

Proceeding now to speak of the various dynamos and the distribution of lighting throughout the buildings and grounds, we have first to explain that the series of articles which appeared in our columns last year, dealing theoretically and very exhaustively with the various systems employed in the lighting of the Inventions Exhibition, renders it quite unnecessary for us to notice, except in the most general way, many of the machines in use at Edinburgh. Most of them are by companies whose systems have been fully noticed, as above described. Those of them which are not are machines exhibited for the first time by firms comparatively new to the business of lighting on a large scale. We shall only speak briefly while of these as well, but may notice them separately at some length when the results of practical working are better known.

The dynamos are thirty in number ; ten are by Messrs. King, Brown, and Co,Rosebank Works, Edinburgh; seven by the Thomson-Houston Electric Company, Boston, U.S.A. ; six by the Anglo-American Brush Corporation, London—four for arc and two for incandescent lighting ; four by the Gulcher Company, London ; two by Messrs. Andrews and Co., Woodside Electric Works, Glasgow; and one by Mr. Rankin Kennedy, Woodside, Glasgow. The various machines are connected to the intermediate shafting, and thence to the engines by leather belting, chiefly of the orange tan description, manufactured by Messrs. John Tullis and Son, Glasgow, and by india-rubber belting by Messrs. R. and J. Dick, Glasgow.

From the plan of the electric lighting machines shown by our engraving, it will be seen that the plant of Messrs. King, Brown, and Co. is situated in a separate shed, to the

* gee vol. lx., pp. 11 land 160. f See Engineer for May 8th, 1885.

west of the large court. The firm light the central avenue, 750ft. in. length, with 1425 incandescent lamps, and the outside promenade, including band stand, verandahs, &c., with 1200 incandescent lamps. Eight dynamos, taking power from the four vertical Marshall engines, supply the current for the central avenue; and the remaining two dynamos, taking power from the horizontal Marshall engines, light the promenade, &c., outside. In reality six dynamos are sufficient to do the lighting required; but the others are kept running in case of emergency. By an elaborate arrangement of switches any dynamo can be switched on to any section of the installation. The machines are of a neat and compact description, the field magnets consisting of a number of rectangular iron bars, the armature being of the Gramme order. In some subsequent issue we hope to be able to illustrate this form of dynamo, and give particulars of its working and fuller reference to the system of Messrs. King, Brown, and Co. The lighting of the central avenue is effected by placing the lamps, which are 20-candle power each, in continuous lines along the arches of the roof, which occur at intervals of a few feet. The effect with the whole of the 1425 lamps under illumination at night, as seen from the vantage ground of the grand pavilion, from which the central avenue runs off—but on a lower level—is good. The spectator from that standpoint, looking along the avenue, has before him a stretch of 750ft., the semicircular roof of which is one continuous cavern of golden light. The outside portion of Messrs. King, Brown, and Co.’s installation comprises the north promenade extending the whole length of the buildings, with the central verandah and band-stand opposite. Three rows of Venetian masts traverse the whole length of the promenade at distances of several feet, the central row of masts being loftier than the others. From these masts the lamps are swung in graceful festoons, all the lamps being covered with outside globes of alternating colours—red, blue, and yellow. They are, as has been stated, 1200 in number, of 10 candle power each, and are so arranged as to give the onlookers the impression of long bands of red, blue, and yellow colours running the entire length of the promenade and forming for it, so to speak, an unbroken roof of colour. Halfway along the promenade there is an extension of the area lighted, in order to include the bandstand and the opposite verandah around the principal side entrance to the buildings. Venetian poles surround the band-stand, and red lights festooned from these completely encircle the stand. The verandah is similarly lighted, and in both cases lamps having Chinese lanterns outside add picturesqueness to the effect. The total light of the lamps is somewhat impaired by the coloured glass globes ; but this is fully compensated for by the feeling of softness and warmth which the latter feature imparts to the general effect. The promenade with its flowers, shrubbery, and beautifully fitted pavilions, is already a favourite resort for the thousands of visitors, and in the evenings the music and the lights together constitute a very strong attraction.

Returning now to the dynamo court, we have to notice the seven dynamos of the Thomson-Houston Company, whose installation on the present occasion is much the largest of any it has fitted in this country. It had, as our readers know, a small installation at the Inventions Exhibition, for which it was awarded a gold medal. At present it has an installation of modest dimensions at work in Glasgow. The installation under notice at Edinburgh has been fitted by Mr. Richard Miller, of the first-named city, who is sole representative for the company in Scotland. It is laid out with the view of showing a central station for the distribution of the electric light in any desired district. The seven dynamos are for lighting on the arc system, six of which are in use, with one kept in reserve. The sections lighted by the Thomson-Houston machines are the grand hall, the adjoining art galleries, and courts, Nos. 1 to 15 in the north-western section of the Exhibition. There are over 155 arc lamps of 2000-candle power each, arranged on six different circuits, all brought into one switch board, so that any of the circuits can be changed from one dynamo to another while the lights are running without any appreciable interruption to the lights. The seven machines are capable of supplying a total of 206 arc lamps. The north-western courts absorb eighty of the 152 arc lamps fitted, the grand hall and picture galleries have sixty-seven devoted to them, while in the outside grounds, from the main entrance doors to the outer gates, six lamps of 3000-candle power each, and two of 2000-candle power, are supplied. Throughout the lamps burn with a steady white light, and in the grand hall and picture galleries, where the height is considerably greater than in the courts, the success in this respect is more conspicuous. The perfection to which this is attained in the Thomson-Houston lamps is doubtless greatly owing to the specially noteworthy feature possessed by their dynamos in the automatic regulator, which makes allowance for any change of speed in the driving engine or in the number of lights put on the circuit. This means of regulation, it may be briefly stated, is accomplished in the following manner. The yokes carrying the brushes are connected to a lever controlled by a magnet in the main circuit. If the current should increase through lights being turned off or speed increasing, the magnet shifts the lever, thus shifting the brushes to a position on the commutator, which at once restores the current to its normal strength. If the current decreases the action is the reverse. This regulator magnet is assisted by a very simple device, termed a wall controller, which by a very quick movement alternately short-circuiting and allowing the regulator magnet full play, prevents the momentum of the moving lever from carrying the brushes further than is required. By means of this wall controller the current can be adjusted to any strength, and that current is thereafter maintained automatically under any conditions.

Though not an integral part of the general lighting, a sentence or so is due to a small supplementary Thomson-Houston incandescent dynamo, on the same base with, and belted direct to, the small high-speed horizontal Robey engine previously noticed. It is here shown for the first time in this country. Engine and dynamo together, while occupying remarkably little room, have generating capacity for as many as 150 incandescent lights. They are employed supplying the current to lamps in various stalls in the central avenue and the north-west courts. We noticed that it ran without appreciable sparking at the commutator—a very desirable feature in an incandescent machine.

The dynamos of the Brush Corporation—four for arc and two for incandescent lighting—driven by Robey engines, come next in order of situation. The former supply 55 arc lamps of 2000-candle power, illuminating the north-eastern courts. Like the Thomson-Houston machines, the Brush dynamos received exhaustive notice in our articles last year,* so that it is needless to describe them here. The recent improvement known as the laminated armature, by which, although no change is made in the frame of the dynamo, an immense gain in output is obtained, is introduced in two of the present four machines. An alteration in the lamps, also, obviates any slight unsteadiness previously noticeable. Of the “Victoria.” dynamos for incandescent lighting, only one is really employed, the other being simply a reserve in case of accident. It supplies a current for 250 lamps of 20-candle power in the “ Old Edinburgh ” section, fittingly sustains the high reputation of the Corporation for excellence of workmanship, and resulting strength and steadiness of illumination.

The Gulcher Company, another of the firms whose machines received full attention in the articles before alluded to,+ is the next in order. The four dynamos it shows supply the current for both arc and incandescent lamps. Each of them is said to be capable of working either twenty 3000-candle power arc lamps, thirty-seven of 2000-candle power, or 300 to 350 incandescent lamps of 20-candle power. In the present instance there are thirty arc lights of 3000-candle power illuminating the south-west courts, and thirty-two arc lamps of 2000-candle power lighting the northern and western portions of the outside grounds; also about seventy incandescent 20-candle power lamps lighting rooms, cloak-rooms, and several exhibition stalls. Each arc lamp is worked by an independent switch, enabling any number of lamps to be used as desired. The arc lamps in the outside grounds are arranged in groups of four fixed on light masts with conical shades above. The effect, considering the very open nature of the space illuminated is, on the whole, satisfactory.

The dynamo machines of Messrs. Andrews and Co., Woodside Electric Works, Glasgow, are two in number, only one of which, however, is in operation. This machine is so powerful that in itself it supplies the current required for the thirty-two arc lamps of 2000-candle power lighting up the machinery section and dynamo court constituting Messrs. Andrews’ portion of the work. The machine is much the heaviest in the Exhibition, weighing about 4 tons. It is of the four-pole Gramme type, the armature rotating within a cylinder nearly three times as long as itself and formed of wrought iron bars. The cylinder is not entire all the way round, some of the bars being left out forming longitudinal openings 90 deg. apart. The bars remaining form the field magnets. There is no break in the magnetic circuit, except at the neutral points where the framing acts as a coupling between adjacent magnets. In a subsequent issue we hope to be able to illustrate this dynamo, and give more accurate details.

The dynamo placed by Mr. Rankin Kennedy, of Glasgow, is his invention, and has never before been exhibited. Its distinguishing features are the field-magnets, which in the machine at work are four-polar, but larger machines are six and eight-polar. The polar faces of the magnets are formed by projecting portions on the two cheeks or sides of the dynamo. Two projections, being on each side but placed at right angles to each other, form four poles, two N-poles on one side and two S-poles on the other side of the ring. Outside and over these projections are fixed two circular coils of insulated wires, square in section, which excite the polarity in the projecting polar pieces. The whole is encased in an iron cylinder, which forms a portion of the field-magnets, and at the same time acts as a portion of the frame work of the dynamo. This machine, which, as before explained, takes power from the engine by Bennie, of Glasgow, is capable of supplying 150 80-volt incandescent lamps, and from it is furnished the light for the lavatories in “ Old Edinburgh ” and in the court-yard between “ Old Edinburgh ” and the main building, as well as the lamps at the stall of Messrs. R. and J. Dick, where they are displayed in an extensive window opening on the central avenue. Another of the Kennedy machines is employed as a motor at the stand of the firm above named, driving gutta-percha masticating machinery, the power required being from 4 to 6-horses, and is conveyed from another machine at the stall of Mr. Kennedy some distance off. The lamps employed for all the above, it should be stated, are from recent patents by Mr. R. Dick, of Glasgow, and manufactured by Mr. Kennedy. In this lamp the filament is produced from an Indian grass converted into carbon while under strong compression. At future time we will give fuller details both of the dynamo and lamp referred to.

One or two exhibits concerned with electric lighting, though not part of the general installation, may be briefly alluded to. One of these we have already noticed—i.e.t the Robey engine and Thomson-Houston dynamo on same sole plate. This exhibit, with the others to be named, are eminently adapted for lighting on board ship, or where economy of space is a desideratum. Messrs. King, Brown, and Co., in the Machinery in Motion Department, show one of their dynamos having a capacity of 200 incandescent lamps, driven by a vertical Marshall engine of 5-horse power nominal. The dynamo is braced out from the engine by a powerful spring, thus doing away with the necessity for heavy foundations. The plant is very suitable for lighting a large dwelling-house or public institution, and is employed charging an arrangement of accumulators at the stand of Messrs. Norman and Son, of Glasgow, who demonstrate at any time the practicability of domestic lighting in a most effective way. At the stand of Messrs.

* Vol. lx. pp., 157 and 193.

THE EDINBURGH EXHIBITION. —LOCKWOOD’S LEATHER SCOURER.

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Alley and McLellan, of Glasgow, who are the manufacturing agents for Scotland, a distinct novelty on the north side of the Border is shown in the Westinghouse automatic engine, with a Giilcher dynamo worked without the intervention of fly-wheel or belting, the armature revolving with the engine-shaft direct. The speed is about G60 revolutions per minute, and the whole machine is very compact and powerful.

on the screw shaft seen behind the table. This nut is rotated by reversible gear driven off the small pulley on the left side of the truck. That part of the mechanism inside of the crane arms which we may speak of as the carriage is automatically moved transversely in relation to the table by means of a screw-threaded shaft, the screw fitting a nut fixed to the rear part of the carriage. This screw shaft is rotated by an ingenious combination of bevel Although the currying industry is one of great antiquity, gearing and shafting, driven in their turn off reversible an automatic leather-dressing machine is in itself some- gear and pulley on the right side of the truck, similar to what of a novelty. Apart from the interest in this respect those on the left side controlling the travel of the truck attaching to Lockwood’s automatic leather scourer and longitudinally. Both of these principal motions—i.e., the

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driven off the mitre gearing on the main driving shaft above the truck at the speed of 240 revolutions per minute. The machine works with either or both tools, which can be at once raised or dropped, and when working one tool is always in the table while the other is off, the two tools setting in opposite directions. The tools have a lifting motion imparted to them by the upper side of the tool carrier frame resting against the under side of rotating cam fixed to crank. The table, which is 22ft. long by 5ft. wide, is large enough to accommodate two or more pieces of leather simultaneously, in such a manner that one man can be preparing a hide at one end while the other man is directing the machine in the automatic setting out of a hide previously arranged at the other end. The working thus keeps two men constantly employed, but the physical labour is light, for the machine takes the brunt of this. Extra weight and extra size of leather are, it is said, obtained by the machine, as compared with handwork. Six are at work in Glasgow—three at Messrs. John Tullis and Son, engaged on strapping, and three at Messrs. Hamilton, Caldwell, and Sons on the lighter work connected with shoe leathers.

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WESTINGHOUSE ENGINE AND GULCHER DYNAMO.

The ball castors illustrated by the accompanying engravings arc made at the Hambly Works, London-road, Clapton. In the form shown at Fig. 1, the steel ball runs within a ring and one small ball bears upon it. [• In the form shown at Figs. 3 and 4, the main ball bears against small free balls inserted in the casing, one small steel ball bearing upon the main ball as before. These castors have been tested at Kirkaldy’s and it is found that the ball continues to revolve with loads up to 1800 lb. on a hard floor. A satisfactory ball castor is supplied by the arrangement shown, and the samples sent us are very strong and well made. The mechanical objections to many existing forms of swivel castors are wholly avoided. In the forms of lujj top shown in Figs. 2 and 3 it will Ls be seen that the top is fixed by an ordinary wood screw in the centre and the castor screwed in afterwards. An advantage with these castors is, that the ball casing or cup is in all cases terminated at the top with a large screw, to which either of the several forms of top, either of the ferrule form of Fig. 1, the shallow

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setting machine, shown at Stand No. 1249 in the machinery travel of the truck longitudinally and of the carriage transsection of the Edinburgh Exhibition, and illustrated by versely, relatively to the table—are by an interlocking con-our engraving above, the exhibit has claims upon our trolled by one and the same guide lever, a small handle notice for other reasons. The ingenuity of design and w hich may be seen hanging down in front of the carriage.

accuracy of workmanship are fully evidenced in the ease, The so-cailed “ carriage ” is in three distinct parts_the

regularity, and precision with which it performs the trundle-frame,the head,and the yoke. The trundle-frame is variety of motions required. The machine, which is only capable of moving backward and forward transversely exhibited by Messrs. Schrader, Mitchell, and Weir, leather to the fixed table inside of the crane arms, bearing with it and hide factors, Glasgow, and made by Messrs. Arrol the head and yoke. The head is vertically adjustable with Brothers, of Germiston Ironworks, Glasgow, is an Ameri- relation to the horizontally movable trundle-frame, and is can invention. While it is a comparative novelty on this raised or lowered by turning the small hand-wheel side of the Atlantic, scarcely a dozen being at work, it is directly in front of the carriage, thus bringing the recipro-universally coming into use in the States, where, from eating tools nearer to or further from the table, giving extended experience of its labour-saving capabilities, and pressures heavy or light as required, while the machine is the quality of its work, it has come to be regarded as a in active operation. Below the head is mounted the yoke, necessary to the currying industry. With two men in carrying the guide-rod which receives the reciprocating attendance it is claimed that the machine can do as much tool-carrier, which yoke is movable axially as regards the work as seven men can do by hand, while the quality of head and trundle-frame. When it is desired to repeat the the work is superior. The machine combines movable strokes in the same direction several times, the inventor tools working in any direction required, over a fixed has provided a latch capable of locking the yoke rigidly to oblong table of solid slate, which can at any time be the head, and preventing its revolving. The actual hori-quickly levelled up and adjusted by means of a series of zontal stroke is converted from the circular motion of the set pins. The whole of the mechanism behind the table, upright carriage-shaft by a crank, carrying a spur pinion which we may call the truck, together with the crane arms which gears into an internal spur-wheel situated in the or brackets overhanging the table—which are rigidly yoke above the guide-rod of the reciprocating tools. This attached to a fixed part of the truck—travels auto- upright carriage-shaft is driven at the speed of 120 revolu-matically in either direction along the length of the table, tions per minute, off the bevel gearing above the carriage driven by a nut which bears against the truck and rotates on the so-called top-shaft, which top-shaft is, in it3 turn,

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cup of Fig. 3, or the flat disc of Fig. 2. Thus the stock that any retailer must keep is lessened by about two-thirds, and a good castor obtained.

The Civil Engineers.—-At the first meeting of the present Council of the Institution Mr. H. L. Antrobus was re-appointed treasurer, Dr. William Pole, F.R.S., honorary secretary, and Mr. James Forrest the secretary. From a new edition of the list of members, corrected to the 3rd inst., it appears that there are now 1558 Members, 2187 Associate Members, 499 Associates, 20 Honorary Members, and 910 Students—together 5174, against 4884 at the same date last year.

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THE “DEANE” HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM PUMP.

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No. 3 silo, with the exception that the grass is to be making machines and chaff cutters, it may make some The accompanying engraving illustrates a well-designed    chaffed. The sub-committee concluded their report by    work in other ways, such as    the construction    of suitable

hydraulic engine, made by the Pulsometer Engineering Company,    stating that “ it does not consider it to be within its pro-    presses; but the growth of some such requirement is    more

London. The steam cylinder is 20in. diameter by 18in. stroke,    vince to offer any opinion of its own upon the results    likely than the decreased    requirement of    the    other

and the plungers 2in. diameter. The pump barrel is of steel,    which have been obtained, or as to what place ensiling will    machines.

and the plungers and valve-boxes of phosphor bronze. The ultimately take in our agricultural economy. These points All the leading makers of engines and machines exhi-working pressure in the accumulator is 2000 lb. on the inch, will, no doubt, be comprehensively studied by the autho- bited large numbers of engines and machines in sheds and The steam pressure available for the pump illustrated is rather rities on agricultural chemistry, and form the subject of a the machinery in motion department. Messrs. Clayton low and varying, and the pump has to give specific results under special essay in the ensuing number of the society’s and Shuttleworth show a traction engine with a much varying circumstances.    ‘Journal.’”    longer boiler-barrel than usual, thereby obtaining long

A further report on the subject was published last week, tubes by which an economic advantage is said to be but without referring to this any further, it may be said obtained. The wheelbase is not lengthened by the altera-that the Society’s experiments give very valuable informa- tion, as the fore carriage is attached to the boiler instead tion both for the study and in the practice of ensiling, of the smoke-box. The firm exhibits several thrashing Each silo showed exactly the results expected. They also machines of their well-known finish, and amongst other show what is not so encouraging to machine makers, things the handy little screw jack shown by the accom-namely, that chaffing the green crop before putting it in the silo does not offer commensurate advantages. The preservation of ensilage appears to be a matter quite within control, and either a sour product or a sweet fruity or a sweet aromatic food can be produced at will. These are valuable results, and the details of this, the first attempt at accurate and detailed experiment, will form a valuable guide to the practical farmer in making his essay in preserving green crops for winter and spring feeding.

The construction of silos, however, does not seem to offer much scope either for the country builder or the agricultural implement maker. The cost of silos will of course range between wide limits, according to their size, depth, and the material used in their construction, and to the price of labour. If the materials can be transported with little labour to the site of the silo, the cost for a moderately large structure ought, it is stated, not to be much more than 10s. per 50 cubic feet of capacity. But this, of course, supposes skilful and efficient management on the part of the farmer. Thus the Royal Agricultural Society’s first prize silo, belonging to Mr. John Morris, a Herefordshire farmer, has a capacity of 7020 cubic feet, and was built of stones and bricks off the estate at a cost of .£102 18s. 8d.

It is worked by mechanical pressure. The cost here is 14s. 9d. per 50 cubic feet. Mr. T. Kirby, of Bromley, built a silo of 23,750 cubic feet capacity. It is with concrete walls and slate roof, and the silage is compressed with dead weights. Here the cost is only 9s. per 50 cubic feet of capacity, the lowest price of any entered for the competitions. Mr. A. H. Brassey, of Preston Hall, Kent, has built a most substantial silo with concrete walls and iron roof, and with both mechanical pressure and dead weight appliances. Here the cost per 50 cubic feet of capacity was no less than £1 15s.

The methods of pressing vary very much, and the Royal Society’s judges think highly of the economy and efficiency of pressing by dead weights, notably in those places where there was dry soil or sand to combine in itself the two points of successful pressing and an excellent covering to the silage. Blocks of concrete or iron, or bags of sand, are also used with success; but these require planks or boards over the whole surface of the silage, so as to equalise the pressure. But from what is said it appears doubtful whether equalisation of pressure was so well secured by these weights as by loose soil or sand. The board covering was not so efficient as the soil covering, which, it is said, did not cause any waste in the silage. It is said that the mechanical pressures were often laborious in their application and inefficient in their results. That most under control—similar to that used in Mr. Morris’s silo—was that of Mr. Wilson, at Rigmaden Park. By use of levers the pressure was made to follow the shrinking of the fodder between the periodical pressings by means of a hydraulic jack. The importance of thoroughly treading the fodder, and especially of ramming it near the walls, where the atmosphere is most likely to force itself in, and to work the decomposition of the fodder by degrees, indicated that it might be taken as a leading rule of silage making should be—-Look to the consolidation of the sides, and the centre will look after itself.

At present it is difficult to see what effect ensilage may have on the makers of agricultural implements and machines. If it reduces the numbers required of hay-

HYDRAULIC PUMPING ENGINE.

THE BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SHOW AT BRISTOL.

The show of this Society, held on the Durdliam Downs, Clifton and Bristol, proved very attractive to a very large number of exhibitors and visitors. In spite of a good deal of rain during the first two days the attendance of visitors was very large, and exceeded the expectations of any of the exhibitors of agricultural implements, while the number of visitors on Saturday and Monday last was greater than at any previous meeting. The ensilage experiments carried out by the society during the past year, and the specimens of ensilage exhibited by the committee under which it was made, proved to be of great interest to agriculturists and stock-feeders, and the now proved facility with which green foods may be preserved for winter and early spring feeding will no doubt give rise to a demand for silos and ensilage presses. Of the latter several were exhibited by different makers, and the importance attached to the construction of these has already been indicated by an infringement case in the Law Courts.

A few words may be here said of the experiments of the secretary’s special committee and their report. The committee was appointed to conduct experiments, with a view to ascertain comparative results, as shown by chemical analysis, from grass from the same field made into (1) hay, (2) sour ensilage, and (3) sweet ensilage. It was decided that about 5 tons of hay, 7J tons of sour ensilage, and 7J tons of sweet ensilage should be made, the sour and sweet ensilage to be made in lots of about 2| tons each, and each lot made in a separate silo. Sufficient old pasture was rented, together with the use of a barn in which six silos could be erected. The grasses and herbage growing on this pasture were examined and classified, and the proportion of each of the various plants found thereon carefully estimated and recorded. When mowing commenced samples of the grass were taken from each load as carried to the barn, and sent to the chemist of the society for analysis, and the area of the pasture was so subdivided that the hay and the contents of each silo should be fairly representative of the herbage growing over the entire area of the pasture mown, in order that a comparison of the several results might be made with as close an approximation to absolute accuracy as the nature of the material and states of the weather permitted. The hay was made in the usual manner. Six substantial, water-tight wooden silo3 were erected, each having a capacity of 250 cubic feet, the details of the filling of which were as follow :— No. 1. Sour ensilage : Rammed and compressed as rapidly as possible. The te nperature was kept down to 50 deg. Fah., or as near thereto as possible. The silo was filled and covered in one day. It was anticipated that the only acid present in this ensilage would be lactic, and perhaps a little butyric. No. 2. Sour ensilage : Temperature kept below 120 deg. Fah. This was trodden and compressed as much as would be practicable in a general way. filling of this silo extended over a week. The acid in this ensilage was expected to be both lactic and acetic. No. 3. Sweet ensilage : Made by carting the grass as cut direct to the silo, treading it well in at the sides, but not in the centre. Temperature regulated from 140 deg. Fah. to 150 deg. Fah. This should produce a fruity type of sweet ensilage. No. 4. Sweet ensilage : Grass allowed to lie after cutting one day in the field, and then made in the same way as No. 3. It was intended here to produce an aromatic type of sweet ensilage. No 5. Sour ensilage : The grass to be chaffed and the silo filled at once and covered as in No. 1. No. 6. Sweet ensilage ; The same as

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panying engravings, specially made to enable a man to adjust the position of a threshing machine. A strip of iron with indentations is fixed under the axle-trees of the machine, and the blunt-pointed top of the jack enters either of these, with the jack either vertical or at an angle, according as it is desired to lift or to push the machine over one way or the other. It will be seen that the jack body is pivotted on the base, and can be set at any angle by the screw and quadrant. For ordinary lifting the cap shown is put on the top of the screw.

Mr. E. Humphries, like others, is now showing a singlecrank thrasher, and Messrs. Marshall and Co. have modified their shaker, and now give seven boxes instead of five. Each box is narrow, but the makers consider that with this arrangement they keep the straw in much stronger movement. They have also modified their single-crank machine as respects the parts illustrated in our impression of the 11th December last. In this direction Messrs. Ruston, Proctor, and Co. have gone furthest in their crankless machine with all bearings outside. They use excen-trics instead of cranks, and they are said to work well. The same firm show a new pattern horizontal engine of 3-horse power nominal. It is an engine with an overhung cylinder 5‘5in. diameter and lOin. stroke, and therefore at a moderate speed capable of about six times its nominal power, for it is very strongly designed throughout, has a 2‘5in. slotted crank-shaft with good bearings close up, a heavy fly-wheel, and adjustable governor. Every part of the engine is well considered, and it is very cheap. It is noticeable that the trunk guide for steam engine crossheads is rapidly gaining ground, although both this system and the four bar guides are shown by the same makers, the explanation being that many buyers, who have long been accustomed to the four bars, object to the newer and simpler trunk, the idea being that adjustment is easier. Inasmuch as the trunk crosshead would probably wear for a dozen years before wear need be taken up, the adjustment does not seem to be of much importance.

Messrs. Aveling and Porter show an agricultural locomotive, with their spring wheels. These wheels have now been very fully tested in practice, and by running the engine over and dropping it from 12in. and 14in. balks. Turton’s steel springs are used, and instead of being, as it were, threaded on bolts in such a way as to te used only under compression, they are now held by their ends, and come into play both by compression and extension, and form a perfect spring wheel.

Messrs. J. Watts and Co., of Bristol, exhibit the new piston ring which is illustrated by the accompanying engraving. To meet the irregular departure from circu-

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pieces, which are spaced at equal distances apart on the inside of the rings. The rings are cut into segments opposite the centres of each of the loops, by which they remain joined together. The special advantage obtained by this method of construction is that, at any diameter within the range of expansion, these rings will present a face which coincides with that of the cylinder in which they work. Each segment of the ring is, within the range of flexure, independent of the rest. The normal condition or form of the loops is circular, but when the rings are compressed within the cylinder, the loops are deflected, and act as springs, and as these loops do not bear upon, or come into contact with, any part of the piston, they exert an equal thrust at each end of the segments to which the loops are joined. At the Show the rings are shown of small size and of a large size for a marine engine in course of construction by one of the leading London firms.

Messrs. A. and H. Williams and Co., of the Yulcan Ironworks near Winchester, exhibit a self-governing turbine made under the patent of Jacob McConnell. The device by which the self-governing is effected is simple. It is shown in the accompanying engraving, which is partially in section. The rotating wheel A is carried on a vertical shaft B, and formed with curved blades a arranged as is usual in turbines in which the water enters at the outside of the wheel and passes out by the centre, and this wheel is fitted within an annular guide case provided with stationary guide blades c, which direct the inflowing water against the blades a of the wheel. The stationary guide blades are fitted with movable blades or valves d, which when open lie in recesses formed in the fixed blades c, and which pivot on vertical pins dl passing up through the guide case, where they are each fitted with an arm e projecting out radially on the top of the casing, and all united to a ring E. This ring is fitted and guided on rollers /, so that it may oscillate freely in unison with the movement of the valves d. A lever with a counterbalance weight is connected to this ring. When the pressure of the water is sufficiently great and the counterbalancing weight tending to close the valves d is properly adjusted, the water will open the valves fully while the full power is developed by the turbine. When part of the load is taken off the turbine, the wheel will commence to rotate at a higher speed, and it is claimed by the inventor that the centrifugal action on the water within the wheel A reacts on the inflowing water and reduces the inward pressure, so that the valves d will at once be partially closed by the counterbalancing weight arrangement, and the supply of water will be diminished until the initial velocity of the wheel is again attained. In like manner, if the velocity of the wheel be momentarily reduced, the valves open to a greater extent by reason of the increased pressure of the inflowing water.

Messrs. Gibbons and Robinson, Wantage, show a thrashing machine, with a slight improvement in their compensating momentum springs, which make the machine run very smoothly. No other makers are at present adopting these springs. Messrs. G. K. Stothert and Co., of Bristol, exhibited a large vertical boiler of new design. It is lift, in height and 5ft. in diameter, and is of the tubular and combustion-chamber type. We shall illustrate it in another impression. They also showed a horizontal compound condensing tandem engine at work. The cylinders are 12in. and 15in. diameter and 24in. stroke, the engine being like that illustrated in Thk Engineer of May 29th, 1885.

Messrs, Hind and Lund, of Preston, exhibited, amongst

other well-made milling machinery, a new rotary-gravity semolina purifier. It is a circular silk reel, with practically uninterrupted interior surface, a series of guide-blades of about 3in. pitch being attached clear of the silk, which is brushed by one exterior revolving brush. The arrangement secures a simple purifier, in which the aspiration for each size is easily arranged so that they are quite distinct. Mr. J. H. Carter, of Mark-lane, also shows a new purifier. This is a sieve-machine, with the gravity separation. The middlings are graded into five sizes, and delivered into five aspiration spouts, which have each three divisions, so that they make a division altogether of fifteen grades.

Messrs. Entwisle and Kenyon, of Accrington, exhibit a new form of their instantaneous grip vice, made to meet the request for a quick vice with a greater range of squeeze after the grip has commenced than can be obtained with the instantaneous vice, which grips and is tight with not more than one turn of the handle. This is secured in the new vice by an ingenious arrangement, which we will describe at another time by the aid of a drawing.

Messrs. Ransomes, Sims, and Jeffries show some new pattern silent chair lawn-mowers, in which the cylinder revolves as much when turning sharply round as when going straight. The chain is all steel, and great care has been bestowed on its manufacture.

Messrs. Robey and Co., Messrs. Hornsby and Sons, and many other makers of the best types of engines, machines, and implements, exhibited on a large scale; but we have to postpone reference to these for the present.

EXPRESS BOGIE PASSENGER ENGINES—LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY.

Our supplement and the engraving on page 463 illustrate a new type of locomotive designed by Mr. Barton Wright, and built by the Vulcan Foundry Company, Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire. The following are the particulars of these fine engines:—

Boiler—

Diameter of barrel, outside, at fire-box end

Length of barrel............ ,

Thickness of plates, Yorkshire iron

Fire-box shell—

Length outside ........

Breadth outside at bottom Depth from C line at front Depth from C line at back Copper fire-box —

Length of fire-box inside, top .. Length of fire-box inside, bottom Breadth of fire-box inside, top Breadth of fire-box inside, bottom

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Depth at back end ......

Tubes—

Material, iron; number, 192

Diameter outside......

Length between tube plates

Heating surface— Fire-box .. Tubes

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Inside diameter of cylinders ..

Stroke of piston........

Length of ports ........

Width of steam ports......

Width of exhaust ports ..    ..

Centre to centre of cylinders .. Centre to centre of valve spindles Excentncs—

Throw ............

Diameter............

Rods—

Length of excentric rods Length of connecting rods

Wheels—

Diameter of coupled wheels on tread Diameter of bogie wheels on tread.. Thickness of all tires when finished Width of all tires when finished

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From centre to centre of bogie axles From centre of bogie to driving axle .. From centre of driving to trailing axle

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Axles—best mild crucible cast steel—

Bogie, diameter of journals ......

Bogie, length of journals........

Driving, diameter of crank pin journals Driving, length of crank pin journals ..

Driving, diameter of journals......

Driving, leDgth of journals ......

Trailing, diameter of journals......

Trailing, length of journals ......

Weight of engine in working order—

Bogie wheels .. Driving wheels Trailing wheels

These engines are employed in working the main line fast traffic, and are a complete success.

THE RAILWAY COLLISION AT SUTTON COLDFIELD.

In view of the recent discussion on the introduction of Mr. Channing’s Railway Regulations Bill, and the reference then made to the London and North-Western Railway Company’s action in the matter of brakes, the report of Colonel Rich on the above collision is worthy of notice. On the 4th May the 7.30 p.m. passenger train from Birmingham, consisting of a tank engine and ten carriages, of which two had brake compartments, ran past the platform at Sutton Coldfield, and was not stopped until it came into collision with the buffer stops. The engine was fitted with a steam and vacuum brake, and all the coaches with the simple vacuum brake, which, however, was so arranged as to act automatically if required on the two vehicles with brake compartments at the front and rear of the train. On this occasion the brake was tested before the train left Birmingham, and found to be in good order; audit appears to have acted well at the first stop, but Aston, the second station, was overrun, and after several other stops the brake failed utterly at the terminus and ran into the buffer stops, injuring four passengers and doing sundry other damage. It must be allowed that Sutton Coldfield is a particularly awkward place for such a failure to occur, since the station is approached for 900 yards by a falling gradient of 1 in 130; but these are the very places which find out the weak points of an untrustworthy and incomplete appliance. According to the report of the Government Inspector, it was found after the accident that the stalk of the valve of the large ejector on the engine was broken, “ which interfered with the proper action of the brake.” The driver thus describes his troubles:—“ On approaching Aston I applied the vacuum brake in the usual way, but it did not act properly. I could not raise the vacuum further thun lOin.—I can generally raise it to about 22in.—and directly I shut off the ejector it fell to 5in. I opened it again, and kept it full open until we came to a stand, which we did when two or three coaches had passed the end of the platform. After we came to a stand I shut off the ejector, and the needle went right back at once, showing no vacuum. I tried to get the needle to stand in the proper running position with the small ejector, but I could not do so, and I had to open the large ejector to get the brakes off the vans.” Further, on approaching Sutton Coldfield, the driver says, “ The vacuum brake would not work at all; I could not raise any vacuum, the needle would not move beyond ‘ brake’s off,’ although I opened the ejector as wide as I could.”

The reference to automatic vans renders it necessary perhaps to explain the peculiar method by which the largest railway corporation in the world seeks to circumvent the Board of Trade conditions. As has been said, each van on a train has been fitted with an automatic brake, that is to say, with a brake cylinder, a reservoir of enormous size carrying the store of power, and a distribution valve, which, if not a Westinghouse triple valve, it would appear is to answer the same purpose. The reservoir being exhausted by the large ejector on the engine, a store of power, registered on a gauge, is thus created, ready to act on the brake cylinder automatically, but which is held off by a small vacuum constantly maintained in the train pipe. There is also a cell in connection with the automatic valve, and the idea and object of the whole arrangement is, that should anything prevent the small vacuum being kept up in the train pipe—in other words, should the brake be in an untrustworthy condition—the valve in the van will drop, the bell will ring, and the automatic brake be instantly applied on the vans. This brake is called Webb’s vacuum, and the arrangement is a recognition of the fact that one great defect of the simple vacuum brake is that it is likely to be rendered useless at any moment without warning. Instead, however, of also boldly recognising that the only real safeguard is a brake entirely automatic, which will not allow a train to run unless all is in order, the London and North-Western Company, seeing the necessity for a tell-tale, is yet content to stop short of safety, and rest satisfied with ringing a bell and applying a brake to guards’ van3, the object according to the instructions being that the guard may “ endeavour to ascertain the cause ” of failure, and “ advise the driver at the first stop.” What is to be done in case the first stop should be caused unexpectedly by some emergency is not stated, and interesting as this warning to “ look out for squalls ” might be to the guard, it would be quite inadequate to stop the train. The driver may continue to tear down Shap incline, for instance, with every brake coupling undone, every bell ringing its hardest, and every van brake on, long after he should have been deprived of the power of running at all. In such a case as that at Penistone something more than bells and automatic vans would be necessary if even the slightest service was to be rendered. It would almost appear from the evidence of the driver at the Sutton Coldfield inquiry, however, that the creeping-on of the van brakes is not an uncommon event, for he says: “ I ran from Aston to Sutton using the large ejector to keep the automatic brake off the vans ”—an exercise of power not brought into use for the first time on this occasion, we may be sure. The train, as we have seen, was helpless on arriving at the terminus, and what had been the behaviour of the ingenious tell-tale arrangements ? The guard states : “ The train overshot Aston platform about three coaches, it was set back, and then went on. As far as I saw, the brake acted all right at the other station stops. The bell did not ring. The bell wheezes (sic) when the automatic vacuum in the van is not maintained. The gauge still showed about 20in. when the train stopped at Sutton. .    .    . The tell-tale bell in my van did not ring, and I saw

nothing wrong on my vacuum gauge. I had no intimation that anything was wrong.” In short, although there was something particularly wrong, and considerable danger ahead, the tell-tale action was simply useless, and the guard had no warning to look out for danger.

As has been mentioned, the immediate cause of this accident was the failure of the large ejector on the locomotive, and it is worth noticing that simple as these instruments are claimed to be, they are by no means an uncommon cause of failure in brakes, and when they do fail they are likely to prove particularly mischievous. They at least have no bells to give warning, and their shortcomings are only ascertained when the brake is about to be used. In pressure brakes, on the other hand, the power is obtained by an air pump, and the superiority of this principle by which a store of power is accumulated for after use, either with the automatic or non-automatic systems, is very marked. For should a pump stop running the store remains until required, and no danger need be run. Ejectors are in reality not very dependable appliances, as a study of the Board of Trade brake returns suffices to show. Their capacity to create the very limited force selected for working the brakes varies with the pressure of steam, and even the height of the water in the boiler is an important matter. In this very case the driver states, “ I thought the defect might arise from my having too much water in the boiler;” as though implying this was a by no means uncommon cause. We have ourselves known of a case where a train overran a station on the Carlisle section about half a mile owing to the same reason, and in the Board of Trade returns we find the following:—“The up limited mail was delayed at Crewe owing to the necessary vacuum not being maintained. This was caused by the engine boiler being too full of water, so that the ejector could not be worked. Neglect of engine ‘ washer ” Why when discarding what was recently the House of Commons its “ antediluvian chain brake ” the London and North-Western Company should have stultified itself so far as to equip its stock with the apparatus we have been describing, it is perhaps not impossible to say. The apparatus upon which so much money is being expended, and which gives results so dangerous in practice, will certainly not suit the Board of Trade or the public, and from the following description it has not even the charm of that apparent simplicity which we have always been given to understand is the crowning merit of all vacuum brakes.

Vacuum Brake.—Instructions to Guards. Description.—Each carriage and van is fitted with the vacuum brake, which can be applied by the driver. The van is also provided with an automatic brake, held off by a small vacuum,

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After all these provisions and precautions, however, this brake positively causes a most unnecessary collision with buffer stops on one day, and on the next it is found perfectly useless when an engine separates from its train in running down the steep incline into New-street station, Birmingham. The report of the latter alarming accident is not yet out, but it might have been entirely prevented by the use of a completely efficient automatic brake.

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which is constantly maintained in the train pipe. Should this small vacuum not be kept up, the valve in the van will drop, the bell will ring, and the automatic brake be instantly applied. A vacuum gauge is placed in the van to indicate the amount of stored-up power reserved for automatic action.

Starting.—Before giving a signal for the train to start out of a station, the guard must satisfy himself that the valve in his van has been raised by the small vacuum, that the bell in the van working in connection with it has ceased to ring, that the small catch has dropped out of gear, and the gauge shows not less than 15in. of vacuum.

Automatic brakes.—If at any time during a journey the automatic brake goes on, and the bell rings, the guard must at once endeavour to ascertain the cause. It may be caused by the train breaking in two, by neglect on the part of the driver to maintain the small vacuum, or by failure of some part of the brake apparatus. In all cases the guards must enter particulars of the occurrence in their reports, and advise the driver at the first stop.

Shunting.—To enable a van to be moved when the engine is detached from the train, the automatic brake can be held off by pulling up the spindle of the valve with the left hand and by hooking in the catch with the right. The valve must be so hooked up on coming to a stand at the end of a journey.

Bell.—The bell must always be kept wound up.

Hand brake.—The brakes throughout the train being under the control of the driver, the use of the hand brake in the vans is not required for ordinary stops, but guards must be prepared to apply the hand brake immediately on its being called for by the driver’s whistle.

Vacuum brake on carriages.—There is a handle placed at each side of the carriage near the centre, and close under the frame, the object of which is to cut off the connection between the train pipe and brake cylinder. This handle forms part of a rod extending across the carriage, and provided at each end with three notches. When the brake on a carriage is out of order from leakage or other cause, or when a carriage has to run on a foreign line with an automatic brake, such as the Great Western and Midland Railways, this handle must be pulled or pushed into one of the end notches. When right for workiug, the handle will stand in the centre notch, and level with the side of the carriage frame. Care must be taken that the handle is returned to this position—centre notch—when the carriage is put into traffic after having undergone repairs to brake gear, or after it has been working on a foreign line, such as those named

Geo. Findlay.

We look upon this vacuum brake as a costly experiment, and as simply an attempt at another and inferior way of doing what can be much more advantageously performed by the pressure system.

Wet Sand for Casting.—An American paper says in making the moulds for casting single pieces wet sand is sometimes preferable to dry sand because cheaper. The use of wet sand is but little known and is seldom used, as it requires quite a degree of skill. The process is as follows:—Pure moulding sand is heated and mixed with one-third of powdered charcoal, and then common salt and powdered sal ammoniac are added. The common salt imparts adhesive strength to the sand, and the sal ammoniac prevents sputtering. After these ingredients are thoroughly mixed the sand is allowed to lie until pliable. If the sand, on being used, does not show sufficient adhesiveness, more salt must be added, and should sputtering occur, more sal ammoniac. Through the use of these two ingredients and the repeated trials to determine the proportions in which they must be added to the sand, a moulding sand is obtained peculiarly adapted to the destined use.

Tilbury Docks Arbitration.—This great case has recently been advanced an important stage by a judgment of the Court of Appeal in favour of the contractors, Messrs. Kirk and Randall, and against the defendants, the East and West India Docks Company. The claims involved are very large, and in view of the magnitude of the case the Court took time to put into writing the reasons for upholding the decision which the Court of Queen’s Bench has already given, and which was to the effect that so long as the arbitrator acts judicially—that is to say, behaved himself as a Court should do, giving fair hearing and doing justice between the parties—no Court can legally interfere with the decisions he may come to in the exercise of the powers conferred upon him by the submission of reference. Sir Frederick Bramwell, the arbitrator in this case, has decided that the claims put before him by the contractors are properly within his jurisdiction, and in this decision the judges have unanimously agreed that he is right.

Rolled Joists of Steel and Iron.—Everyone has heard so much of Belgian rolled joists that engineers, architects and builders, will be glad to hear of the production of rolled joists of all sizes up to 20in. by lOin. and of improved section in this country. Messrs. Dorman, Long and Co., of Middlesbrough, have for some time devoted special attention to this subject, with the result that they have succeeded in producing first-class branded joists, which stand a test of from 20 to 24 tons per square inch and give 8 to 10 per cent, elongation. The prices are very nearly the same as the inferior Belgian article, and the finish, as well as the material and section, is better. Messrs. Dorman, Long, and Co. have made arrangements with Messrs. W. H. Lindsay and Co., of South Wharf, Paddington, who are the sole agents in London for the girders, under which 5000 tons of different sized joists are always to be in stock in Middlesbrough, and 2000 tons are to be kept at Messrs. Lindsay’s wharf, so that no time need ever be lost on ordinary demands.

Amsterdam Waterworks.—On Monday a large party of engineers interested in water supply visited the works of Messrs. Easton and Anderson at Erith, to inspect a very fine set of machinery constructed by the firm and now being shipped to Amsterdam. This consists of ten Lancashire boilers and four beam engines in two coupled pairs. The boilers are constructed of mild steel. Each is 28ft. long and 7ft. diameter, with two internal flues and eight Galloway tubes in the flues, and are proportioned for a working pressure of 75 lb. per square inch. The engines are arranged so that they can work either singly or coupled. Each engine is self-contained on a heavy bed-plate in a single casting, on which the A frames, cylinders, and main bearings stand. The high-pressure cylinder is 30in. diameter, 58in. stroke, and the low-pressure cylinder is 45in. diameter, 90in. stroke. Each engine works a low-lift double-acting pump at the outer end of the beam, with barrel 28|in. diameter, 90in. stroke, for raising 3058 gallons of unfiltered water per minute 30ft. high into the settling ponds; a doubleacting high-lift pump, with barrel 33^in. diameter, 58in. stroke, under the high-pressure oylinder, for forcing 2689 gallons of filtered water per minute into the stand pipe and city mains against p pressure of 230ft. The feed is provided for by two pairs of duplex donkey engines in the boiler-house, and the feed-water is heated by tljejf exhaust steam.

AMEEICAN NOTES.

(From our own Correspondent.)

New York, May 29th.

A general strike is threatened among the ironworkers east of the Allegheny Mountains, who have demanded a 7 per cent.

A conference will take place in Pittsburg on June 1st, between the representatives of the Amalgamated Association of the iron and steelworkers and the Manufacturers’ Association, to fix the wages for the ensuing year. The workmen have not yet made known their demands, but it will be for an advance of either 50c. or 1 dol. per ton. The iron trade has been gradually improving since the opening of the year, with the exception of the past two or three weeks, but returning activity is contemplated by all large iron and steel makers. The indication of this is to be found in the large demand for steel rails, which during the past thirty days will foot up not less than 75,000 or 80,000 tons. The Board of Control of the steel rail makers will probably agree to increase its production 100,000 tons more, as there are several inquiries this week from the West. Rails are selling at 34 dols. 50c. to 35 dols., though less has been taken where exceptionally large lots were ordered. An immense amount of construction is projected west of the Mississippi river. Builders are now in this State endeavouring to negotiate money for the inauguration of several enterprises which they have in view, and the construction of about 3000 miles of road. Investors have been warned against a too liberal investment of money in new railway enterprises, because of the bad management, the mistakes, and the opposition of Western Legislatures to railroad enterprises. The latest advices from Western Pennsylvania show considerable activity in iron, steel, coal, lumber, and fresh enterprises in the development of natural gas. Several wells are burning and wasting an immense amount of gas. It is found impossible in some cases to extinguish the flames. The roar of some wells can be heard eight or ten miles, and the gas burns fully 125ft. above the ground. Several lines are being laid from the wells to Pittsburg and other manufacturing centres. American foundry iron is selling from 17 dols. to 19 dols.; mill iron from 15 dols. to 1G dols. 50c.; merchant iron, 1 dol. 50c. to 1 dol. 90c.; nails, 2 dols. to 2 dols. 15c.; bridge iron, 2c. to 3c.; skelp iron, 1 dol. 80c , with heavy orders. All the wrought iron pipe mills are crowded with orders, and the merchant steel mills have met this week for the purpose of advancing prices.

THE IEON, COAL, AND GENEEAL TEADES OF BIEMINGHAM, WOLVEEHAMPTON, AND OTHEE DISTEIOTS.

(From our own Correspondent.)

On ’Change in Birmingham to-day—Thursday—and in Wolverhampton yesterday political matters occupied much of the attention of the market. Apart from this disturbing element there are Borne conditions of a slightly more encouraging character concerning trade this week, the chief of which is the improvement in the weather, which gives hopes of a more satisfactory condition of agriculture.

Export orders for finished iron received direct and through merchants continue to be mainly for individually small lots, though bar and hoop firms who have a colonial connection are well engaged. In some instances good inquiries have been received from America, India, and the colonies for the better classes of bars and sheets, but the low price of produce in South America, the West Indies, and some other markets, has a deterrent effect upon trade.

A hopeful feature of the export trade is the treaty now on the point of completion with Spain. Prior to the abolition of the former treaty, some local ironmasters did a large and remunerative business with Spain. In prospect of the ratification of the new treaty, customers in Spain are now preparing to renew their relations with Staffordshire ironmasters, and some of our makers are in daily communication with them, in the belief that they will soon receive some good orders.

There is a moderate demand for hoops, strips, and stamping sheets ; and rounds, fiats, and squares of the larger sizes, for engineering, dockyard, and other purposes, are in fair request at some of the works. Rivet iron is in moderate demand, but business in chain and cable iron bIiowb no improvement. In the tin-plate trade a steady business is doing with foreign customers.

Prices show little if any improvement, whatever branch is spoken of. Best bars are £7; second-class branded bars, £6; and common, £5 10s. down to £5. Superior hoops are £6 10s., and common £5 10s. to £5 5s., while gas strip is £4 17s. fid. to £5. Plates are dull at £7 to £9 easy for tank and boiler sorts. Common sheets—singles—are offered at from £5 15s. upwards, and doubles are plentiful at £6 to £6 5s.; while galvanised sheets of 24 gauge are easy at £10. Common finished iron is now offered at the lowest prices known in this district for the last thirty years.

Certain of the sheet works will be conspicuous exceptions to the general holiday-making which next week will render many ironworks idle for either half or the whole week. Some of the firms in this branch are very well placed with orders, and are running the full six days of the week. The forge at the Bulls Bridge Ironworks, Moxley, late the property of Messrs. Molineux and Co., has this week been re-started by the new proprietor, Mr. Thos. Jeavons, and it is understood that after the holidays the mills will be set going. The works of Messrs. East at Bradley continue idle, the millmen not being willing to meet their employers in the matter of wages revision.

Messrs. Geo. Adams and Sons, of the Mars Ironworks, Wolverhampton, have just issued an official intimation that they have now added to their black iron business the manufacture of galvanised tinned corrugated sheets and galvanised tinned fiat sheets, for roofing purposes. The firm remarks that no effort will be spared to secure as much success in the quality of their galvanised iron as has hitherto attended their quality of black sheets, bars, and hoop iron.

Notwithstanding the competition of Bessemer and other cheap steels, local steel masters who produce superior cast steel are still finding a market at large prices. Open market quotations for cast steel made at Wednesbury are as follows, subject to the usual trade discounts :—Best cast steel for taps, screwing dies, drills, turning tools, &c., 56s. per cwt.; second quality of best welding steel, 42s.; and third quality, 28s. Best double shear steel, 60s.; and best single shear for hammer faces and for smiths’ general use, 48s. First quality steel for gun locks, 60s.; and second quality, 32s. Best rolled steel for piston rings, vice springs, cotters, &c., 28s.; ditto for shoe tacks, 20s. Spur steel, 30s.; best ramrod steel, 60s.; and second quality, 18s. Horseshoe stud- steel, 28s.; second quality, 12s.; best grooved horseshoe steel and best cast hammer steel, 20s.; second quality steel for mining tools and chisels, 32s.; best tilted key steel for engineering purposes and best blister steel, 28s.; Siemens-Marten steel for hammers, plating picks, forks, and general stamping purposes varies from £8 to £13 per ton; while some qualities of horseshoe steel may also be bought for £8.

Good sales are this week again recorded in pig iron of Midland sorts for stocking, many consumers seeming to be of opinion that prices have about touched their lowest and that operations at the present time will be found judicious. Many of the transactions are for cash against prompt delivery, since makers having large stocks on hand are compelled to realise, and will accept in some cases very easy terms. Best brands, on the other hand, are maintaining prices pretty well, and some Derbyshire* are realising 35s. at stations or 36s. delivered to works. Lincolnshires are quoted 88s.; native all-mines are 50s. to 55s. for hot blast sorts; part-mines are 35s. to 40s.; common foundry sorts, 80s. to 35s.; and forge sorts 27s. 6d. to 30s. for cinder qualities.

Stocks of pig iron at the Staffordshire furnaces are large. One firm in the Bilston district is said to have a stock of 10,000 tons of best all-mine iron, much of which was made when prices were considerably higher than at present. Other houses report stocks at from 2000 to 5000 tons, which in some measure go to explain the weaker prices. Cold blast pig makers are rather better off than holders of stocks of hot blast iron, and current prices varying from 80s. a ton downwards are relatively 5s. a ton higher than other sorts.

In the coal trade, I have to announce a reduction of Is. per ton in household qualities by the Cannock Chase masters. The reduction is announced with the object of retaining present customers, the competition from other quarters being severe. Best house quotations now become: 9s. for best deep, 8s. for deep one way, and 7s. for cobbles; but realised prices are at many collieries Is. per ton below those figures. Steam coal is selling at a lower price than ever before. Contracts for twelve months forward supply being made at 4s. fid. to 4s. fid. per ton.

In the North Staffordshire iron trade the most encouraging feature is a fair demand for special brands, alike plates and bars, which are indented from several of the shipping houses. A number of orders for iron to stand severe tests have lately been placed in this district, former lots having been found to respond satisfactorily to the various requirements. Home orders are light, and the number of specifications coming to hand are barely sufficient to keep the mills running more than from three to four turns a week. The plate trade is dull, and some of the mills have been standing the whole week. Competition for shipping orders from other ironmaking districts is severe, and although makers are prepared to quote very low for some orders, yet they are unsuccessful in keeping them in the district. Prices of merchant bars of ordinary quality are about £5 2s. fid. to £5 10s., and superior sorts £6 to £6 10s. Pig iron is in slow demand.

The engineers, machinists, and constructive ironwork firms in South Staffordshire are moderately well off, but the light iron-founders are only quietly situated for work. Railway ironwork, carriage axles and fittings, and steam fittings are in steadier demand. Some capital inquiries continue to come into the market on account of the railway companies of the Empire which should afford work for this district. The South Indian Railway Company is inquiring for ironwork and fittings for 100 iron covered goods wagons, and 50 iron ballast wagons, 300 pairs of wheels and axles, and fiOO bearing springs. For the Indian State Railway galvanised wrought ironwork for roofing, together with cast iron sleepers, are required, while the East Indian Company desires tenders for steel, metals, and other stores.

Concerning the shipping trade, the opinion is strengthening among hardware manufacturers that trade with India and the colonies is likely to be directly promoted by the holding of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition. Already Canadian and other manufacturers of furniture and other goods shown at South Kensington, and who have hitherto been getting their supplies of fittings in brass and other metal from United States makers, are beginning to inquire whether Birmingham cannot supply them at cheaper prices.

The Institute of Mining Engineers met at Dudley on Monday, when a paper on “ The Capell Fan ” was read by Mr. W. H. Glennie, and a description of an improved sight feed lubricator was given by Mr. C. H. Tregloan. Mr. Tregloan explained the derful saving which resulted from a minute, but persistent, lubrication of machinery.

A special meeting of the North Staffordshire Mining Institute was held on Monday at Stoke, to consider the new Coal Mines Regulation Act. The chairman—Mr. J. Lucas—and Mr. Freeman advocated the necessity of carefully watching the provisions of a measure capable of working so great a change in the relations of colliery proprietors and miners. A committee of seven was appointed to inquire into the Bill, and to prepare a petition against the obnoxious sections.

The question of bi-metallism occupied the attention of the Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce at a special meeting on Friday. An address was delivered by Mr. Ralph Heaton, of Birmingham, in which he particularly showed the effect upon the trade of India, of depreciated currency. He advocated the establishment of bi-metallism, being assured that other countries who were indisposed to take action independent of England would speedily follow. During the proceedings a letter was read from Mr. Alfred Hickman, M.P., in which he said that the long continued and universal fall in price of every article was having a most disastrous effect on trade, and would continue to act with accumulated force.

The application of steam on the lines of the Dudley, Sedgley, and Wolverhampton Tramways Company has been successful. At a meeting of the shareholders on Friday it was reported that since steam had superseded horses the takings had increased £10 a week, and with extra cars they expected a still greater augmentation. By exercising economy the cost of the line had been reduced 1 37d. per mile, and the fares had been lessened correspondingly.

NOTES FEOM LANCASHIEE.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Manchester.—The advent of the holidays and the present political excitement have added an additional element of unsettlement to the already unsatisfactory condition of trade. What little business there was doing is tapering down to still smaller dimensions in anticipation of the Whitweek cessation of work, and there is nothing of any weight offering in the market. As I’have before pointed out, users of pig iron have so little work either in

.uu *n Prospect that, however low the prices makers are willing to accept, consumers, in the absence even of probable requirements, are not induced to extend their purchases beyond their hand-to-mouth actual wants, and these for the most part are extremely small. Some of the makers, finding that concessions in price have no influence in increasing the bulk of business actually to be got, have ceased attempting to meet buyers with the view of securing business, and only quote when actual inquiries are put forward. There is, however, plenty of iron in the market, which is being priced for sale for prompt delivery and cash at prices so excessively low as only the most desperate necessity could apparently justify, and beyond occasional small sales to regular customers who have a preference for particular brands quotations on the basis of makers’ list rates are really only nominal! It is not only in common pig iron that this exceptional cutting in price is going on; for hematites excessively low figures are being taken wherever sales of any moment are being made. In finished iron also much the same thing is going on. Makers are so much in want of specifications to keep works going, that it is more a ques-tion of securing orders than of price, and merchants, taking advan-tage of the present weak position of manufacturers, are underselling even on the present extremely low basis of prices.

An extremely quiet tone characterised the Manchester iron market on Tuesday, and, if anything, prices were a shade weaker. Lancashire makers of pig iron still hold onto 37s. and 37s. fid., less 2i, their minimum quotations for delivery equal to Manchester, but at these prices they are doing little or nothing except a few small sales to some of their regular customers, chiefly in the immediate neighbourhood of the furnaces. For one or two of the Lincolnshire brands 3bs. fid., less 2^, delivered here, remains the minimum quoted figure, but this price is also practically out of the market, as there are district brands which can be bought readily at about 3:is. to 3os. 6d., less 2£, delivered equal to Manchester. The somewhat firmer tone which is reported in the Glasgow and North of England markets is not reflected here in the prices at which outside brands can be bought, both Scotch and Middlesbrough iron being obtainable at figures which certainly do not show any advance upon those that have been quoted of late.

For hematites there is still only a very slow demand, Furness and Cumberland qualities delivered here are quoted at about 50s. to 51s., less 2&, for No. 3 foundry, but local makes are offered at 2s. to 3s. per ton under these figures, and for one moderately large transaction during the past week, although the price actually accepted has not transpired, the margin of difference has been considerably greater,

the basis of £4 17s. 6d. to £5 per ton for bars, £5 5s. to £5 7s. 6d. for hoops, and £6 10s. for sheets delivered into the Manchester district.

There is nothing material to add to what I reported last week with reference to the condition of the engineering trades in this district. In a few special cases works are busy with the orders they have in hand, but slackness continues the general report, and there is still an absence of any indication of improvement so far as new work in prospect is concerned.

Messrs. Hulse and Co., of the Ordsal Works, Salford, who are very busy on orders for heavy machine tools, are making progress with their extensions, intended to meet an increasing business without resorting to overtime, as required by the Trades Unions. They have just despatched one of their exceptionally powerful lathes, capable of removing about 20 tons of cuttings per day, and another of these lathes—an important feature of which, as I have described in previous “ Notes,” is that they are constructed on the principle of a fixed riages—is in a forward state, awarded the Watt Medal and the Telford Premium, for his paper on “ Modern Machine Tools,” read at the last meeting of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, is certainly an evidence that he is regarded as an authority in this special branch of engineering, for which the Ordsal Works have long enjoyed a high reputation in this district.

A plate edge planing machine of an exceptionally large size has just been completed by Messrs. Hetherington and Co., of Manchester. This machine has been specially designed to meet the requirements of the great lengths of plates now being used in building up boilers with a single plate for the whole circumference of the shell, and a few details as to its construction will be of interest. The driving is so arranged that the machine is driven direct by means of belt pulleys on the end of the driving screw. The tool, which is provided with a self-acting down feed, is also arranged with a tilting motion for the purpose of putting a bevel e Ige on the plates for caulking, and there is in addition a turnover motion so that the tool can plane in both directions, the carriage being provided with a travelling platform upon which the attendant can ride and turn over the tool at each end. The top beam is built up of steel plates in the form of an inverted box girder, and is 32ft. 6in. in length by 2ft. 9in. in depth in the centre. There are sixteen cramping screws, the setting nuts for which are placed on the under side of the beam, so that the attendants can easily reach them from the ground level. The bottom beam is a continuous cast iron girder resting on the ground. For supporting the work there are five tables at the back side of the machine, and the standards are provided with lugs for the purpose of attaching jib cranes for slinging the plates on or off the machine. For one operation the machine is constructed to take in work 14in. in depth and 26ft. in length, but the standards SO &Fr<Ul£ed at the front side of t.hft manhinp t.Vin.f.    n.llnw w

common

consumers are

scarce

are

remains

as

The stocks of iron on band are

are

are

THE SHEFFIELD DISTRICT.

In the manufactured iron trade there is still only a miserably dealers will not order stocks under the present circumstances, slow business doing with the current market prices remaining on They have the less necessity for doing so now-a-days, as sixpenny

telegrams and the parcel post enable them to get supplies promptly as their customers require. In fact, the modern condition of affairs tends to make the manufacturers’ premises the warehouse of the country merchant—an arrangement which is more satisfactory to the merchant than the maker. An improvement in the Irish trade is expected, particularly in Ulster and the North—the leading markets—where orders have been held in suspense during the Home Rule debate. The restoration of confidence in the North will again encourage North-country dealers to lay in stocks. What the immediate effect will be in other localities is more doubtful.

Generally, business is in the main as dull as ever. Most of the continental markets are very quiet, and firms who have a connection with German, French, and other customers report that orders getting lighter still. Though edge tools are languid generally, several good orders have been placed with one firm. The dispute in Messrs. Ward and Payne’s edge tool establishment was followed by a case of rattening, in which the agent of Mary Ann was seen at work. He has not yet been arrested, and there is reason to believe he has got clear of the country. The firm adhere to their determination to establish the system of division of labour, by which they hope to successfully compete with the longer hours and cheaper labour of foreign workmen, who, on the other hand, will live much more cheaply than their English brethren.

Messrs. Farrer and Birley, at their old foundry, Barnsley, have constructed an engine, the joint design of two workmen named Wright and Charlton, which is propelled by means of compressed air, carburetted with petroleum oil. The piston condenses the air into a receiver on its down stroke, and the air then passes through a stop valve to the carbureter, or vessel containing the petroleum, through which it is forced, and it then passes to the top of the cylinder, where it is exploded by a spark, and the power is gained. The exhaust products pass noiselessly into the atmosphere. A new form of igniting apparatus is being constructed which will make the engine absolutely self-contained. Two other types of engine, with petroleum as the motive power, have been invented and patented. The consumption of petroleum is stated to be very small. The engine will shortly be exhibited in London.

are

mer-

prepare

for a reduction of 2s. per week, which will come into force next week.

The following figures show the value of goods—exclusive of coal and coke—exported from the principal north-east ports during May, and the increase or decrease when compared with May, 1885: —Newcastle, £175,554; decrease, £1958. Middlesbrough, £214,388; decrease, £22,548. Hartlepool, £51,682; decrease, £29,429. North Shields, £18,705; increase, £16,732. South Shields, £36,176; increase, £12,644.

The strike at the marine engine works of Messrs. T. Richardson and Sons, of Hartlepool, has not come to an end so soon as was expected. The Engineers’ Society appears to be conducting the negotiations on behalf of the workmen, and they have insisted that none of their members shall receive less than 30s. per week, and that not more than 2s. per week reduction shall be made in any case. The firm are said to have agreed to concede the first point, but not the second. As, however, the matters still in dispute do not affect many men, it is thought that an early settlement will be effected.

It appears that the Committee of the House of Lords which had under consideration the West Durham and Tyne Railway Bill has declared the preamble not proven, notwithstanding that the Committee of the House of Commons passed the bill. The promoters, however, are not without justification for the action they took, nor without substantial reward for their efforts. For the North-Eastern Railway Company, who were the main opponents, have given pledges to carry out certain extensive works, which will have the effect of benefitting greatly the West Durham Colliery owners.

Pontop and South Shields branch and the Team Valley line, and to make a new branch from the latter to a wharf at Redheugh, near Gateshead. At this wharf they will erect coal staithes with all modern appliances. This is another instance of the necessity of occasionally fighting with large railway companies in order to get them to concede reasonable facilities.

owners.

new

vess

screw and rotating nuts for traversing the car-That Mr. Hulse has just been

so arranged at the front side of the machine that they allow work of any length to be taken on to be planed in two or more operations as may be found necessary.

In the coal trade there is a very dull tone so far as the demand for all descriptions of round coal is concerned, and except where stocks are being put down there are very few of the collieries that are working more than four days a week. For house fire consumption the demand naturally is now only very small but it is in the classes of round coal for steam and forge purposes that colliery proprietors find the greatest difficulty. With the general depression in all the principal coal using branches of industry, not taking anything like their ordinary quantities, and colliery proprietors are driven to find an outlet by forcing sales for shipment at excessively low figures. For house fire qualities of coal, prices at the pit mouth average about 8s. 6d. for the best sorts, 7s. to 7s. 6d. for seconds, and about 5s. 6d. for the common qualities. For steam and forge purposes the pit prices for common coals do not average more than 5s., and for shipment as low as 4s. 6d. to 4s. 9d. per ton is being taken. Engine classes of fuel meet with a moderate demand, but with the exception that best slack is at some collieriss and rather stiffer in price, supplies generally plentiful. At the pit mouth burgy averages 4s. fid. to 4s. 9d. per ton for good ordinary qualities, and slack from 2s. 6d. to 3s. for common to 3s. 9d. to 4s. 3d. for the best sorts.

Shipping continues quiet, and steam coal delivered at the Garston Docks is being sold at as low as 6s. 6d. per ton.

Mr. J. S. Martin, who has been appointed to succeed the late Mr. T.. E.. AVales as inspector of mines for the South Wales district, is one of the first assistant inspectors appointed in 1873, and during the whole of the period since that date Mr. Martin has filled the post of assistant inspector for North and East Lancashire, and Ireland, under Mr. Joseph Dickinson Hill, H.M. chief inspector of mines. For the last twelve years Mr. Martin has worked very actively in connection with the Slanchester Geological Society, and as one of its hon. secretaries has been chiefly instrumental in giving to the society its present important position as the representative association of the mining engineers of Lancashire and the district.

Barrow.—The condition of the hematite pig iron trade of 1 urness and Cumberland remains unchanged, and the events of the past week have not disturbed the position of either the demand or the actual sales as represented by the number of orders, or their extent, or importance. The output of the works very steady, and may still be estimated at 27,000 tons per week. Prices are steady and firm at 42s. per ton for mixed numbers of Bessemer iron, and 41s. for No. 3 forge and foundry iron net at works. The demand which is now experienced is not, however, of the character which requires prompt attention, evidenced by the fact that buyers are resisting makers’ quotations, and are only disposed to place orders at a lower rate than that which is at present ruling. The position of makers, however, is such as enables them to withstand this attitude on the part of buyers, as they have sold their produce forward for fully three months. The probabilities are that in the meantime further orders will come to hand from America, where a disposition has lately been shown to buy largely of iron ore, pig iron, and Bessemer blooms. Several large orders of this class have been booked, and other orders are expected to follow, so that makers confidently look forward to the maintenance of present prices, if not to an improvement, comparatively large, but they are not nearly so large as they have been, as some makers have entirely disposed of the whole of their stock of metal in hand. Steel makers are busily employed in most of their departments, the only exception being the plate and angle mills where ship and boiler plates are produced. Steel rails are on fair demand, but here again sellers’ prices too high for buyers, who are anxious to get deliveries at £3 10s. per ton net at the works, prompt delivery. Engineers are only busy on marine orders which have been in hand some time. There is next to no demand for new work. Shipbuilders have not booked any new contracts, but a few orders are offering, though they only of a small character. Iron ore is quiet at from 8s. 6d. to Us. per ton. Coal and coke are in steady consumption, at rather fuller rates. The high level bridge at Barrow is nearly completed, and it is expected it will be fully opened for traffic in a week or two. The tramway service in the borough will then be extended to Ramsden Dock.

(From our own Correspondent.)

While the foreign trade is not thus far very gratifying, except in one or two markets, the prospect at home is not improved by the political situation. It seems quite certain that a dissolution will take place on an early date. This means a disturbance of business in every district, but affecting more particularly the provincial towns and villages. Travellers report that for some time their work has been rendered more difficult by the dread of a general election. It will now be practically at a stand. Merchants and

THE NORTH OF ENGLAND.

(From our ovm Correspondent.)

At the Cleveland iron market held at Middlesbrough on Tuesday last but few sales were made, notwithstanding that inquiries were mere numerous than for some time past. Under the impression that prospects are a little more hopeful, both makers and merchants are reluctant to commit themselves. They are firm in their quotations, and do not care to sell much either for prompt or forward delivery. The quotation most commonly given by chants for No. 3 g.m.b. is 29s. 4^d. per ton with prompt delivery, or 29s. lO^d. for delivery in the autumn. The principal makers do not, however, accept less than 30s. per ton for orders for immediate execution, and they will not as a rule quote at all for deferred delivery. The change for the better, if there really be anything of the kind, is not sufficient to tempt anyone to speculate. Next week being Whit-week, it has been arranged that the market be held on Wednesday instead of Tuesday.

No transactions have recently taken place in warrants, the nominal market price is about 29s. 9d. per ton.

Messrs. Connal and Co.’s stocks of pig iron were on Monday last as follows :—At Middlesbrough they hold 243,498 tons, being an increase during the week of 2225 tons; and at Glasgow, 772,126 tons, being an increase of 2832 tons.

Shipments of pig iron from the Tees are steadily improving. The quantity sent away this month up to Monday last was 19,359 tons, as compared with 17,245 tons during the first seven days of May.

There has been no perceptible change in the finished iron trade, either as regards amount of business done or prices obtained.

The ironmasters’ statistics for May have been issued. They show the total make of pig iron within the Cleveland district to have been 211,049 tons, being an increase of 22,340 tons above the April output. The total stocks are now 669,772 tons, which is 17,912 tons more than they were on the 30th of April.

Messrs. Gjers, Mills, and Co. have reopened their ironstone mines at Guisborough, after having laid them idle for some weeks.

Messrs. Blair and Co., marine engineers, Stockton, have given notice to all the men in their engineering department to

They have agreed to make a connection between the

NOTES FROM SCOTLAND.

(From our own Correspondent.)

There has been a notable improvement in the tone of the pig iron market this week. The shipments of Scotch iron are not materially greater, but the greatly increased exports of iron and steel from West Cumberland, together with the putting out of furnaces here and the reduced additions to stocks, have conspired to produce a cheerful effect in the market, and to advance the prices of both warrants and the special brands of makers’ pig iron. The week’s shipments of Scotch pigs amounted to 9597 tons as compared with 9887 in the preceding week and 8780 in the corresponding week of 1885, The addition to the stocks in Messrs. Connal and Co.’s stores are about 2700 tons as contrasted with 5000 to 6000 in a succession of previous weeks. As regards furnaces, three have been put out by the Coltness Iron Company, one at Carron, and one at Quarter, reducing the total number in operation to 84 against 92 at this date last year.

Business was done in the warrant market on Friday last at 38s. 6d. to 38s. 7d. cash. On Monday the quotations were 38s. 7d. to 38s. 9LL, whilst on Tuesday the price advanced from 38s. 9^d. to 39s, 2d, cash, Business was dope on Wednesday at 39s. 2d. to to 38s. lOd. cash. To-day—Thursday—transactions occurred at 39s. 2d. to 39s. Id. cash.

The current values of makers’ iron are as follow:—Gart-sherrie, f.o.b. at Glasgow, per ton, No. 1, 42s. 9d.; No. 3, 40s. 9d.; Ooltness, 46s. 6d. and 42s. 6d.; Langloan, 43s. 6d. and 41s. Gd.; Summerlee, 45s. and 41s.; Calder, 46s. and 40s. 6d.; Carn-broe, 42s. and 39s. 6d.; Clyde, 42s. and 39s. 6d.; Monkland, 39s. 6d. and 36s.; Quarter, 39s. 6d. and 35s. 6d.; Govan, at Broomie-law, 39s. 6d. and 36s.; Shotts, at Leith,. 44s. and 43s. 6d.; Carron, at Grangemouth, 47s. 6d. and 44s. 6d.; Kinneil, at Bo’ness, 43s. and 42s.; Glengarnock, at Ardrossan, 42s. and 39s. 6d.; Eglinton, 39s. 3d. and 36s.; Dalmellington, 41s. and 37s. 6d.

In the course of the past three weeks, locomotive engines to the value of £44,550 have been shipped from the Clyde to Bombay, and £1100 ditto to Japan. The shipments of machinery are valued at £38,850; sewing machines, £7500; steel goods, £32,500; and general iron manufactures, £65,000. Some of the makers of malleable iron report that they are obtaining better employment, and in the bridge-building and pipe-founding, and some other branches, a number of firms are quite actively employed.

There is a fair business in the coal trade, but even as to quantity it does not come up to expectations, while the prices have rather been going back than improving. The week’s shipments have been 23,842 tons at Glasgow, 677 at Greenock, 2365 at Irvine, 7676 at Troon, 2390 at Leith, 6576 at Bo’ness, and 12,051 tons at Grangemouth. The demand on the part of the Contiment is reported easier, but freights are so far maintained at the rates that have been attained this season.

WALES AND ADJOINING COUNTIES.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Colliers at present are better off than ironworkers. I have heard of collieries where colliers still get Is. 9d. per ton, and are able to make from 20s. to 23s. per week ; and boys of fourteen get their 10s. This is good wages compared with the ironworkers, who get 2s. 2d. a day— often less—and make but three or four days per week.

There, too, are questions under discussion, and which will prepare the colliers for a reduction of at least 2^ per cent. I am told that it is peremptory, in order to compete with northern coal-Where the sliding scale is in operation there is certain also to be another drop, for prices continue immovable.

The object in lessening output is, of course, to improve prices.

It is stated that Perch and Co., New Clydach, have contracted to supply locomotive coal to the London and North-Western for the next twelve months. This is a piece of good news.

The Rhondda engineers and stokers have agreed to rejoin the Federation of Enginemen and Stokers of South Wales and Monmouthshire.

In patent fuel, the strike at Cardiff is, happily, ended. I was reminded of this a day or two ago, looking at the loading of a vessel at Cardiff with patent fuel, and the uppermost idea was that there is too much labour about the trade for the benefit of owners. Quite a swarm of men settled down on a small cargo. 6000 tons left Cardiff last week. Prices are firm.

Things are easy in the iron and steel trade, and the acceptance of the 10 per cent, reduction may be taken as settled. A few branches hold out, and some of the prudent are taking their holidays. Eventually, however, the old half and three quarters’ time will continue until an improvement sets in.

Something like a spurt has taken place in pitwood, and imports having fallen, prices have touched 15s. 6d. this week.

Prices remain as last week, and buyers are holding back from fresh business, expecting, so it is reported, that the restart of works will bring prices down. I do not think this possible. Makers hold sufficient good orders to be a little indifferent to fresh business. May totals show an increase of nearly 75 per cent, over the total of May last year.

The shipments during last week were principally for America. The attention of Swansea and Newport tin-plate makers is being directed towards Germany with some degree of concern, as rivalry from that quarter would be keen, labour being so low. Tin-plate labour in Wales is at present the best paid.

A Board of Conciliation has been established in connection with the trade, and one of the first measures, I hear, is to be a reduction.

The North Pembrokeshire and Fishguard Railway bids now to be a success. It is urgently needed. The second reading is announced for the House of Lords.

LAUNCHES AND TEIAL TRIPS.

On the 10th ult. the Usk Shipbuilding Company launched from the Usk shipbuilding yard an iron steamer, the Avelisino, the principal dimensions of which are 140ft. 6in. x 22ft. 6in. x lift. 6in. She was immediately towed to Barrow-in-Furness to be fitted with machinery by Messrs. Westray and Copeland.

On Friday a new iron steam trawler, the Linnet, built by Messrs. Cook, Welton, and Gemmell, for Messrs. Pickering and Haldane, Hull, performed a very satisfactory trial trip. The vessel, which has been turned out on exceedingly smart lines, is 90ft. in length, with a breadth of 20ft., and a depth of hold of 10ft. 6in. Her gross tonnage is 102 tons, and she is classed 100 A1 at Lloyd’s, and fitted with combined surface condensing engines of 30-horse power, with 14in. and 26in. cylinders and 20in. stroke, the boiler pressure being 90 lb. The measured mile was run at Withernsea at full speed, with the result that the engines proved equal to driving the el at nearly 10 knots per hour.

On Friday, the 4th inst., Messrs. Edward Finch and Co. launched from their shipbuilding yard at Chepstow a handsomely modelled steam launch, built for Messrs. Cory Bros, and Co., of London and Cardiff. Her principal dimensions are, length 50ft.; breadth, 13ft.; depth moulded, 6ft. 6in. She is to be fitted with compound engines Sin. slid 14in. by lOin. stroke, and will be shipped at Cardiff for Port Said.

On Saturday Messrs. Cochrane and Co., of Giovebill, Beverley, launched a steamer for the Hull fishing trade. The vessel, the New Zealand, is one of two sister-ships building by the firm for the Hull Red Cross Steam Fishing and Ice Company, and is 112ft. long, 22ft. broad, and lift. 6in. deep, and, when completed, will have trawling gear on both sides, and large steam winches for heaving in the trawls, and also a patent windlass. She has a raking stem, accommodation for crew under a raised forecastle deck, and cabin under a raised quarter deck. She will be ketch-rigged, with two pole masts, the mizzen made of steel, acting also as funnel for the cabin stove. The engines are being made by Messrs. C. D. Holmes and Co., Hull, and will be triple compound, of 50-horse power nominal. The keel of the vessel was only laid six weeks ago, so that the builders have not been long in completing the hull. The second vessel will be ready for launching in about a month. The vessel had been constructed broadside to the river Hull, and she had accordingly to be launched sideways.

Royal Institution of Great Britain.—At the general monthly meeting held on Monday, June 7th, Sir Frederick Abel, C.B., D.C.L., F.R.S., Vice-President, in the chair, the following vice-presidents for the ensuing year were announced:—Sir Frederick Abel, C.B., D.C.L., F.R.S., Sir William Bowman, Bart., LL.D., F.R.S., Right Hon. the Lord Halsbury, Mr. William Huggins, D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., Sir John Lubbock, Bart, M.P., D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart., M.A., Mr. Henry Pollock, treasurer; Sir Frederick Bramwell, F.R.S., honorary secretary. Sir Nathaniel Barnaby, K.C B , and Mr. Charles Selby Bigge, J.P., were elected members of the Royal Institution. The presents received since the last meeting were laid on the table, and the thanks pf the members returned for the same.

This company was registered on the 28th ult. with a capital of £800,000, in £10 shares, to acquire and work mines of ozokerit in Austria-Hungary or elsewhere, and in particular the mines at Boryslaw, in Galicia, together with the plant, buildings, and appurtenances thereof. The subscrib

Shares.

100

100

100

100

Shares.

Shares.

and

ri r

10

3000

. 3000

.    .. 3000

Naval Engineer Appointments.—The following appointments have been made at the Admiralty:—Frederick D. Hobbs and George G. Goodwin, assistant engineers, to the President, additional, for temporary service at the Admiralty.

South Kensington Museum.—Visitors during the week ending June 5th, 1886:—On Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, free, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Museum, 7089; mercantile marine, Indian section, and other collections, 3121. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, admission 6d., from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Museum, 1508; mercantile marine, Indian section, and other collections, 185. Total, 11,903. Average of corresponding week in former years, 17,124. Total

THE PATENT JOURNAL.

31s< May, 1886.

7294.    Globes, &c., for Electric Lamps, F. H. Varley’ London.

7295.    Envelope, F. M. Rogers.—(Osnabrtlcke Papier-waaren Fabrik, Germany.)

7296.    Sandwich-boxes, T. Foxall, London.

7297.    Hook Fastenings, A. J. Wheeler, London.

7298.    Wave Motor, H. E. Newton.—(T. Dufy, United States )

7299.    Manufacture of Lead Sulphate, <kc., F. M. Lyte, London.

7300.    Corsets, S. and A. Uhlman, London.

7301.    Liquid Meters, G. G. M. Hardingham.—(P. Milani, Italy.)

7302.    Engines or Motors, H. H. Lake.—(G. de Montrichard, France.)

7303.    Preservation of Milk, C. Hoorn, London.

7304.    Hand Grip Testers, G. B. Fowler, London.

7305.    Sensitised Paper, &c., F. L. and H. W. Teed, London.

7306.    Closing Water-tight Doors in Ships, C. Dawe, Devonport.

7307.    Floors for Dancing, he., W. Verity and J. H. Walker, Bradford.

7308.    Flax Scutching Machinery, J. Spence and W. H. Lawlor, London.

7309.    Rollers, T. Ivers and S. Rogers, London.

7310.    Veneer Cutters, H. S. Smith and E. Bradley, London.

7311.    ElectricCabi.es for Telegraphic Purposes, &c., B. J. B. Mills.—(/. J. C. Smith and M. Smith, United States.)

7312.    Driving Spindles in Machinery, W. S. Cowgill, Lancashire.

7313.    Looms, G. Crompton and H. Wyman, Paris.

7314.    Looms, G. Crompton and H. Wyman, Paris.

7315.    Cloth Mats, T. Westerby, Halifax.

7316.    Oil Economisers, H. Toulson, Bradford.

7317.    Swimming Collars, &c., H. J. Bovill and J. A. Broder, Chiswick.

7318.    Boating, Bathing, and Skating Dress, L. S. Bickley, Cardiff.

7319.    Feeding Bottle, E C. Hodgson, Dublin.

1    7320. Shoeing Horses, J. G. Smeaton, C. J. Jutson,

and G. Dee, Fulham.

1    7321. Regenerative Gas Lamps, H. Fourness, Man

chester.

7322. Gas Lighting, J. Bradley, Salford.

¹ 7323. Explosives, D. F. Downing, Woolwich.

1    7324. Disinfecting Powder, W. H. Bibby, Preston.

7325. Supplying Gas to Beer, P. M. Justice.—(J. D.

Hazlett and W. R. Bennett, United States )

7826. Roofing Tiles, E. Breething, London.

7327.    Zither Attachment for Musical Boxes, A. Paillard.—(A. Sueur, United States.)

7328.    Manufacture of Transparent Ice, J. L. Rigg, Warwickshire.

7329.    Telegraphic Apparatus, J. H. Johnson.—(E. J. Mallett, United States.)

7330.    Packings for Valve Stems &c., J. H. Johnson.—

(T. S Peck and F. G. Btownell, United States.)

7331.    Lubricators, J. H. Johnson.—{T. S. Peck and F. G. Brotcnell, United States.)

7332.    Fastener for Buttons, &c., J. Hart-Davies.— (J. McDonnell, Ceylon)

7333.    Filtering Sewage, J. Fenton, Leeds.

7334.    Wheels for Vehicles, A. Schwartz and C. Wandelt, London.

7335.    Spiked Wire Fencing, A. Hankinson and E. Pearson, London.

7336.    Apparatus for Washing the Blankets of Papermaking Machines, G. H. Mallary, London.

7337.    Hydraulic Presses, T. Veasey, London.

7338.    Glass, E. Picard, London.

7339.    Horse Blankets, C. H. Magoon, London.

7340.    Umbrellas, P. Ehrt, London.

7341.    Blacking Boxes, H. J. Haddan.—(C. II. Jackson, United States.)

7342.    Amalgamating Metal Plates, R. H. Courtenay, London.

7343.    Lubricating Packing, J. H. White, London.

7344.    Slide Carrier for Magic Lanterns, &c., R. R. Beard, London.

7345.    Atomising Liquids, R. Tebbs, London.

7346.    Punch and Embosser for Railway Tickets, &c., J. N. Flatau, London.

7347.    Regulating Heat of Hot Air Chambers, T. Christy, London.

7348.    Rollers for Scouring, ho., Machines, H. Allison, Bradford.

7349.    Chaff Machines, S. Burlingham, G. H. Innes, and J. H. Mann, London.

in 7350. Optical Prisms, C. D. Ahrens, Kingston-on-Thames.

7351.    Screw Propellers of Vessels, ho., A. C. Henderson.—(A. Desgoffc and L. de Georges, Russia.)

7352.    Stoppers for Bottles, <fcc., F. Bridge, London.

•    7353. Galvanic Batteries, P. R. de F. d’Humy,

London.

7354.    Guns or Fire-arms, H. S. Maxim, London.

7355.    Sulphuric Acid, H. H. Lake.—(P. Cummings, United States.)

7356.    Fire-escapes, H. J. W. Raphael, London.

7357.    Portable House for Feeding Cattle, E. Matthews, London.

7358.    Gas Heating Box Iron, D. Wilson, London.

7359.    Shutters of Photographic Dark Slides, T. P. Watson, London.

7360.    Velocipedes, O. B. Granville and F. T. Page, London.

7361.    Cement, H. H. Lake.—(U. Cummings, United States.)

7362.    Chronograph Watches, H. H. Lake.—(E. J. A. Dupuis, United States )

7363.    Needle for Sewing Buttons on Boots, H. H. Lake.—(E. A. Bailey, United States.)

7364.    Straining Driving Belts, &c., D. S. Beesley, London.

tassium

3rd June, 1886.

NEW COMPANIES.

The following companies have just been regis-t3red

Austrian Ozokerit Company, Limited.

era are:—

H. Barrett, Menival, Dulwich, merchant ..    ..

E. Rawlings, 3, Victoria-street, Westminster,

architect, &c.................

J. A. Archer, Lordship-lane, S.E., merchant ..    100

L. E. Brooke, 2, Copthall-buildings, stockbroker 100

C. J. Elers, 6, Kensington-court ......

R. W. Langdon, Chard ..........

H. C. Birkin, Aspley Hall, Nottingham .. .. 100 The subscribers are to appoint the first directors. Most of the articles of Tabic A are adopted.

Beehive Refuse Destructor, Limited.

This company proposes to purchase and work the British, United States, Canadian, Australian, Indian, French, German, Austrian, Hungarian, Spanish, and Italian patent rights of an invention known as the Beehive Refuse Destructor. It was registered on the 1st inst. with a capital of £15,000, in £5 shares. The subscribers are:—

Share

J. Stephenson, Burnley, tobacco manufacturer ..

J. T. Pearson, Burnley, surveyor and engineer ..

W. Berry, Burnley, brickmaker ........

C. Bailey, Burnley, yarn agent, &c.......

T. Holden, Burnley ..............

P. E. Roberts, Burnley ............

J. Lee, Burnley ................

Registered without special articles.

Industries Development Company, Limited.

This company proposes to take over the business carried on under the title of the Patent Ore Extraction Company. It was registered on the 1st inst. with a capital of £32,000, in £10 shares. Several agreements are referred to in the memorandum of association, but are not registered. The subscribers are:—

*H. Barrett, Menival, Dulwich, merchant ..

*C. G. Elers, 6, Kensington-court, merchant *E. Rawlings, 3, Victoria-street, S.W., suiveyor *G. F. Wills, Crewkerne, Somerset, surgeon *J. Sinclair Pirrie, C.E., 37, Walbrook ..    ..

J. A. Archer, Waverley, Lordship-lane, S.E

merchant ................

H. G. Barrett, Menival, North Dulwich

The number of directors is not to be less than three nor more than nine; qualification, 50 shares; the first are the subscribers denoted by an asterisk. The company in general meeting will determine remuneration.    _

Manchester Road Car Company, Limited.

This company proposes to take over the live, rolling, or other stock, or goodwill, of any Manchester omnibus or road car proprietor as the directors may consider to the advantage of the company. It was registered on the 28th ult. with a capital of £150,000, in £5 shares. The subscribers are:—

*J. Hull, 30, Walnut-street, Cheetham, designer *J. W. Wood, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, boot shoe manufactu

* J. Kershaw, Lower Broughton, printer, &c.

*W. Currie, Cheetham, fish salesman ......

H. T. Johnson, Urmston, surveyor and engineer

F. B. Kroshaw, Broughton, clerk........

J. R. Leech, Lower Broughton, newsagent..

A. W. Sharpe, Lower Broughton, clerk......

H. Lee, Salford, clerk..............

H. Hope, Cheetham, clerk............

R. J. Thompson, St. Mary’s-gate, solicitor ..    ..

R. L. Roberts, Salford, book-keeper ......

T. Townsend, 21, Dickinson-street, accountant..

J. Richardson, Redditcb ............

A. Goodier, Old Trafford, clerk..........

*W. H. Cowbum, Flixton, chemical merchant ..

All of Manchester and neighbourhood. The subscribers denoted by an asterisk are the first directors; qualification, five shares.

Marston Hall Salt Company, Limited.

This company proposes to take over the business of salt proprietors, carried on by W. Hayes, jun., and John Urmston Hayes, trading as W. Hayes and Son, at Marston, Anderton, and Runcorn, in Cheshire. It was registered on the 2nd inst. with a capital of £30,000, in £100 shares. The purchase consideration is £3920 cash, and 63 shares credited with £80 as paid upon each. The subscribers are:—

Shares.

William Hayes, Ashton Hayes, Chester .. ..    1

*William Hayes, jun., Ashton Hayes, Chester, salt proprietor *J. N. Hayes, Gorstage, Chester, salt proprietor 1 * J. Brundrit, Runcorn, Chester, merchant..    ..    1

J. H. Salkeld, Runcorn, Chester, manager ..    ..    1

A. Salkeld, Runcorn, Chester, book-keeper ....    1

J. Ball, Runcorn, Chester, clerk

The number of directors is not to be less than three nor more than five; qualification, one share; the first are the subscribers denoted by an asterisk. Mr. Arthur Salkeld is appointed first manager and secretary.

North-West Argentine Railway Company, Limited.

This company proposes to acquire and carry out a concession dated 8th April, 1885, granted by the provincial Government of Tucuman, in the Argentine Republic, to Samuel Kelton for the construction of a railway from Tucuman to La Madrid, in the province of Tucuman. It was registered on the 1st inst. with a capital of £550,000, in £10 shares, 35,000 of which are 7 per cent, cumulative preference shares. The subscribers are:—

„ .    _    Shares.

A. E. Klein, 32, Sistova-road, Balham

The number of directors is not to be less than

three nor more than seven; qualification, £500 in shares or stock; the first are the subscribers denoted by an asterisk; remuneration, £1200 per annum.    _

Patent Paving and Construction Company, * Limited.

This company was registered on the 1st inst. with a capital of £20,000, in £1 shares, to manufacture and deal in patent paving and other concrete, and also to manufacture, excavate, and trade in the materials of which patent paving and other concrete are composed. The company will adopt two agreements, neither of which are registered. The subscribers are:—

Shares.

*C. R. Williams, C.E., 9, Bridge-street, Westminster ..................

* William D. Curzon, 5, Westminster-chambers,

Victoria-street, manufacturer ........

*R. P. H. Hickman, 5, Westminstev-chambers, Victoria-street, manufacturer ..    .

H. V. L. Kelham, 9, Bridge-street, Westminster,

clerk ..................

S. S. Allin, C.E., 52, Woodstock-road, Bedford

Park ....................

A. E. Wilson, Balham, traveller ........

J. H. Walker, Chingford, merchant ......

The number of directors is not to be less than three nor more than seven; qualification, 250 shares; the first are the subscribers denoted by an asterisk. The company in general meeting will determine remuneration.

Rosario Waterworks Company, Limited.

This company was registered on the 27th ult. with a capital of £105,000, in £10 shares, to supply the town of Rosario, province of Santa Fe, in the Argentine Republic and neighbourhood with water, power being also taken to carry on the business of a waterworks company in any places in the Argentine Republic. The subscribers are:—

Shares.

J. Henderson, 61, Moorgate-street, secretary to a

company ..................

W. Hamilton, 12, The Avenue, Brondesbury,

clerk ....................

H. C. Hudson, 48, Ennis-road, Finsbury Park,

clerk ....................

C. F. Neve, 4, Thurloe Villas, Peckham, clerk .. H. Dixon, jun., Aldenham-street, St. Pancras,

clerk ....................

W. H. Adams, 30, Pcckham-grove, accountant .. E. T. Botwright, 23, Sutton-place, Hackney, accountant ..................

The number of directors is not to be less than three nor more than seven; the subscribers are to appoint the first and act ad interim; qualification, shares or debenture stock of the nominal value of £500; remuneration, £875 per annum. The board may appoint a manager or agent in Buenos Ayres at such remuneration as they may determine. The company is empowered to raise any sum not exceeding £150,000 by the creation of debenture stock, the interest upon which is not to exceed 6 per cent, per annum.

from the opening of the Museum, 24,860,497.

Society of Engineers.—At a meeting of the Society of Engineers on the 7th inst., a paper was read “ On Some Modern Improvements ' the Manufacture of Coal Gas,” by Mr. R. P. Spice, C.E. The author gave a short history of the various steps in the progress of coal gas manufacture since the adoption of clay retorts Referring to the objections raised to these on their first introduction, he showed how these objections had been disproved by experience. He then noticed the exhauster in its two forms—by air pump and steam jets—and explained the advantages of both the charging and drawing retorts by machinery. Some of the difficulties that arose in practice, such as those caused by dips and anti-dips, choked ascension pipes, and those occasioned by naphthaline, with the various remedies proposed, were afterwards discussed. The paper then dealt with the advantages of purification in closed vessels, as now carried on by means of carbonising coal with a small percentage of slaked lime mixed with it before charging the retorts, the result being the entire abolition of the nuisance arising from the frequent opening and cleansing of purifiers on the old method, which is no longer necessary.

Engineering Society, King’s College.—At a general meeting held on Tuesday, June 1st, Professor Henry Robinson in the chair, Mr. Haskett-Smith read a paper on “ The Well of the Petersfield Waterworks.” The author began by describing the position of Petersfield, both geographically and geologically, and gave a short account of the difficulties encountered in the selection of a suitable site. He then described the different strata through which the trial shaft was sunk, and how water was reached at a depth of 54ft. Pumps were erected and experiments made to find the maximum amount of water obtainable. It was discovered that at this depth sufficient water would be supplied for the present population of Petersfield; but as Petersfield is a growing town, it was considered necessary to sink lower, and after the trial shaft had been considerably enlarged at the bottom to form a storage chamber, and the brickwork finished, a bore-hole was sunk, and ample water is now obtained. The author then proceeded to describe the engines, boilers, pumps, &c., used in pumping the water from the well to the reservoir, which is about 550 yards distant. A consideration of the cost of construction closed the paper.

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.

1st June, 1886.

2nd June, 1886.

7365.    Mantles for Incandescent Gas Lighting, A. Paget, London.

7366.    Machine for Ironing Linen, he., T. Bradford, Manchester.

7367.    Actuating the Movable Fire-bars of Steam Boiler Furnaces, J. Proctor, Manchester.

7368.    Fishing Reels, J. Smalley and W. Seed, Manchester.

7369.    Brakes for Wagons, R. Bradshaw, Swinton.

7370.    Cleaning Away Snow from Roads, J. Sadler, Nottingham.

7371.    Furnaces for Heating Iron, &c., D. Caddick, London.

7372.    Yarn Beaming Machines, A. Hitchon, Halifax.

7373.    Bearings of Wheels and Axles of Vehicles, J. C. Walker, Birmingham.

7374.    Shoe Blacking, J. Blain, Manchester.

7375.    Burning Gas from Petroleum, &c., F. Hill, Cheltenham.

7376.    Automatic Regulators for Electric Currents, V. Nowak, Austria.

7377.    Gas Producers, F. Radcliffe, London.

7378.    Frames for Exhibiting Drawings, J. M. Macintosh, Reading.

7379.    Retaining Pressures Applied by Levers, H. C. Capel and W. Gaskill, London.

7380.    Water Meters, T. and H. Holcroft, London.

7381.    Stripping the Clothing of Carding Engines, J. M. Hetherington, Manchester.

7382.    Shelling Maize, E. F. Sandon and D. F. Tonge. —(L. Pfaff, Argentine Republic.)

7383. Controlling Railway Signals, C. J. Howe, Sunderland.

7381. Spring Knives, &c., W. T. Brooke and C. Nield, Sheffield.

7385.    Automatic Cut-off Motion for Steam Engines, R. Dennis, G. Tricklebank, F. Johnson, and F. Mellor, Sheffield.

7386.    Fumigating, Disinfecting, and Deodorising, E. Foster, Preston.

7387.    Brackets for Leaf Tables, E. Jones, Tunstall.

7388.    Feeding Wool, (fee., in Carding and other Machinery, I Holden.—(IF. C. Bramwell, United States.)

7389.    Weighing and Supplying Wool to Carding and other Machinery, I. Holden.—(IF. C. Bramwell, United States.)

7390.    Type-writers, J. F. C. James, Birmirgham.

7391.    Cricket Bats, J. Vickers, London.

7392.    Regulating and Controlling the Cut-off of Steam and other Pressure Engines, W. Stevens, Leeds.

7393.    Type-writer, F. Forlong.—(F. Prouty and 0. S. Hynes, United States.)

7394.    Electrical Conductors, P. M. Justice.—(E. G. Acheson, United States.)

7395.    Sodium and Potassium, P. M. Justice.—(H. Y. Castner, United States.)

7396.    Ventilators, H S. Heath, London.

7397.    Moulding Bricks, &c., J. and B. Craven, London.

7398.    Feed-boxes of Combing Machines, J. H. White-head, London.

7399.    Treads for Steps or Stairs, &c., H. Hedges and A. W. Be vis, London.

7400.    Transmitting Motions to Toy Figures, G. Cole, London.

7401.    Gas Fires, J. Hepworth, Glasgow.

7402.    Ploughs, F. GrOber, London.

7403.    Preserving War Ships from Damage by Torpedoes, <fec., J. Rogers, London.

7404.    Metallic Handles for Buckets, &c., T. H. Ash, London.

7405.    Applying Electro-motors to Vehicles, M. Immisch, London.

7406.    Furnaces for the Combustion of Fuel, G. Criner, London.

7407.    Electric Fuses, A. M. Clark.—(H. J. Smith, Un ted States.)

7408.    Land Cultivating Machines, P. Faure, London.

7409.    Hot-water Boilers, H. J. Pearson, London.

7410.    Writing Pens, T. D. Harries, London.

7411.    Advertising, E. R. Fulton, London.

7412.    Grain Binders, G. F. Redfem.—(B. E. Huntley, United States.)

7413.    Castors for Furniture, C. Wellin, London.

7414.    Apparatus for Playing a Game of Skill, E. W. Parkes, London.

7415.    Sizing Yarns, L. Wilkinson and E. Morris, Halifax.

7416.    Hassock Hat-box, F. Knatchbull, London.

7417.    Washing Machines, R. Lawes, London.

7418.    Constructing Water Cisterns, H. W. Hart, London.

7419.    Perforation of Rolls of Toilet or other Paper, H. H. Lake.—{S. Wheeler, United States )

7420.    Indicating the Direction of Rotation of the Shafts of Steam Engines, J. W. Herquet, London.

7421.    Horseshoes, J. F. W. Siedenburg, London.

7422.    Securing the Lids of Packing-cases, G. Blackman and E. H. Lawton, London.

7423.    Steam and other Engines, G. J. C. D. Skinner, London.

7424.    Breech - loading Ordnance, J. Vavasseur, London.

7425.    Marine Boiler Furnaces, R. R. Bevis, London.

7426.    Production of the Ferri-cyanides of Po &c., C. Petri, London.

7427.    Gas Engines, A. Rollason, London.

7428.    Vulcanite, J. G. Grimsley, Leicester.

7429.    Connecting Devices, W. L. Wise.—(A. Tiirpe, jun., Germany.)

7430.    Alarm Signals, J. Hanson.

7431.    Ranging Gauge, E. Duckenfield, Northampton.

7432.    Velvets, H. Lee, Manchester.

7433.    Packing-case, H. Cochrane, Dublin.

7434.    Shuttle Tongue, T. Morton.

7435.    India-rubber, E. J. Armstrong, Brussels.

7436.    Abjusting a Spring Mirror, J. Murphy, Cork.

7437.    Combined Tie Chair, Point Detector, and Lock for Railways, W. H. Elliott, Tipperary.

7438.    Formation of Building Bricks, E. Kerry and E. C. Kerry, London.

7439.    Label-holder, W. H. Bowater and T. Gould, Birmingham.

7440.    Connection of Dynamo Machines with Accumulators, T. Parker, Wolverhampton.

7441.    Lawn Tennis and other Shoes or Boots, A. Coker, Northampton.

7442.    Board or Table for Games, H. Stevens, Southampton.

7443.    Brass Cornice Pole Rings, J. Vann, Birmingham.

7444.    Fastenings for Connecting Rails or Sleepers, J. M. While and C. Simmons, Darlington.

7445.    Doors of Railway Carriages, F. W. H. Durant, Bradford.

7446.    Writing Tables, ho., M. Leach.—(T. Little,

Canada.)

7447.    Feeding Machines for Feeding Wool, &c., A. Haigh, Halifax.

7448.    Leather, &c., Beading, M. Gamar, London.

7449.    Decoration of Glass Vases, &c., G. Goodyear, Birmingham.

7450.    Ball Fire Engine, he., J. J. Snow, London.

7451.    Discharging Aerated Liquids, F. Walter, London.

7452.    Roller for Blinds, H. R. Millen, Beckenham.

7453.    Waterproofing Millboard, Paper, &c , J. Morley, London.

7454.    Hot-air Cooking Apparatus, D. Grove, London.

7455.    Automatically Latching and Bolting Doors, J. Kaye, Bradford.

7456.    Electro-magnetic Marine Governor, G. A. Smith, London.

7457.    Frames for Combined Muffs and Bags, C. Drobig, London.

7458.    Dog, Ac., Muzzles, A. J. Edney and H. Stunning, London.

7459.    Treating Wheat, R. Smith, London.

7460.    Handles, &c., for Carrying Parcels, G. A. Nussbaum, London.

7461.    Rotary Engines and PuMrs, J. and J. Robinson, London.

7462.    Blowing, &c., Molten Metals, W. C. Tweney, London.

7463.    Electro-chemical Etching Process, H. E. P. Dorn, London.

7464.    Automatic Trigger for Fire-arms, E. Edwards. —(F. Shirmacher, Germany.)

7465.    Safety Bicycles, W. Hillman, W. H. Herbert, G. B. Cooper, R. A. Dalton, G. F. Twist, and A. Rotherham, London.

7466.    Depositing Pulverised Metal, he., T. Wild, London.

7467.    Tree-stays or Trainers, G. M. Ndther, London.

7468.    Door Latch, C. Baldock, London.

7469.    Pipes for Smoking, A. J. Clarkson and A. T. Clarkson, London.

7470.    Carding Engines, J. A. Hart, London.

7471.    Corsets, J. Thom, London

7472.    Creating Currents of Air for Draught in Furnaces, &c., T. T. Smith, London.

7478. Speed Gear and Clutch for Bicycles, <fec., W. Cross, London.

7474.    Secondary Batteries, W. T. Whiteman.—(A. J. Quicker, Germany.)

7475.    Leaf Holder, A. Jefcoate, London.

7476.    Composition of Bricks, &c., I. Ramboux end N. Maghe, London.

7477.    Nails, J. F. J. Dahse and E. L. Heinrich London.

as-

7478.    Electric Lamps, S. P. Thompson, London.

7479.    Turning the Current on and off Incandescent Electric Lamps, T. Mace.—(The Vitriteand Luminoid Company, United States.)

7480.    Trouser Stretcher, Felix Mcllvenna and W. Thompson, Liverpool.

7481.    Fasteners for Securing Telegraph Wires, J. Milne.—(The Telegraph Department, Sydney, Here South Wales.)

7482.    Burglar and other Alarm Bell Apparatus, E. G. Brewer.—(J. Rcdoutc, Belgium.)

4th June, 1880.

7483.    Self-lubricating Axle Boxes, T. Rowbotham, Cheshire.

7484.    Heating Steam Boilers, G. Parker, Piss Eyton.

7485.    Ball-caps and Ferrules for Cutlery, J. Biggin, Sheffield.

7486.    Hydraulic Cylinders, J. Morely and W. Gaskill, London.

7487.    Intermittent Discharge of Water, S. H. Adams₎

7488.    School Desks, C. Bennett, Glasgow.

74S9. Gumming Labels, J. Holroyd, Manchester.

7490.    Life-rafts, W. G. Rothwell, Liverpool.

7491.    Metallic Bedsteads, W. H. Sproston, S. Spro3ton, and C. Sproston, Birmingham.

7492.    Artificial Elaterite for Road Making, <tec., W. Brierley.—(F. Wallbreeht and H. Russe, Germany.)

7493.    Improving Back Sights of Rifles, F. A. Knapton, Bengeworth.

7494.    Pegs for Violins, G. S. Heath, Harbourne.

7495.    Apparatus for Opening Bottles, J. S'urrock, Dundee.

7496.    Making Authors’ Proofs, J. C. Youker, London.

7497.    Anti-fouling Compositions for Ships, J. Cameron, Glasgow.

7498.    Fixing Bristles of Brushes, F. J. Page and C.

F.    Page.—(J. V. Gane, France.)

7499.    Construction of Stationary Engines, S. Morley, Horsforth.

7500.    Watch Protector, A J. Lester, Handsworth.

7501.    Attaching Knobs to Spindles, E. B. Bailey and C. Mackey, Bloxwich.

7502.    Wheels for Vehicles, W. B. Gedge.—(E. F. H. de Berthuis, France )

7503.    Cotton Waste, T. H. Johns and J. Shawcross, Lancashire.

7504.    Stands for Improving the Tone of Pianofortes, <fec., E. A. Needham, Egremont.

7505.    Separation of Threads of Cotton, J. Hitchon, J. Shepherd, and J. Shepherd, Rochdale.

7506 Fire Escape, C. Coutts, D. N. Coutts, and J. Coutts, Barrow-in-Furness.

7507.    Tricyoles, A. Weil, Lond

7508.    Combined Necktie Fastening and Collar Stud,

G.    R. Minshull, Birmingham.

7509.    Steam Engines, D. L. Cross. London.

7510.    Spinning Rings, E. Leak, London.

7511.    Universal Fastener, J. S. Tjyler and G. Jobson, Grimsby.

7512.    Utilising Watch and Clock Glasses, S. J. Pocock, London.

7513.    Book Wrappers, II. G. Forbes, London.

7514.    Cigarettes, A. Gutmachcr, London.

7515.    Invalid Bedstead, T. Jowsy, Timaru.

75'6. Velocipedes. II. Thresher, London.

7517.    Preparing Flax for Spinning, J. C. Mewburn. —(J. B. A. Lcmaire-Dcstombes, France )

7518.    Apparatus for Sawing Stone, P. Gay, London.

7519.    Apparatus for Sawing Stone, E. Salendre, London.

7520.    Ointment, W. H. Bainbridge and R. C. Scott, Liverpool.

7521.    Hydrocarbon Safety Lamps, S. P. Wilding.— (S. Siemang and A. Breden, Austria.)

7522.    Filters, W. McCulloch, London.

7523.    Cutting Helical or Spirit Fluting or Screw Work, J. Norman, Glasgow.

7524.    Gutta-percha Compounds, R. Dick, Glasgow.

7525.    Machines for Cleaning, &c., Wooden Surfaces, N. C. Sorensen, London.

7526.    Fastenings for Lead Linings of Oil Bleaching, P. J. Davies, London.

7527.    Apparatus for Printing or Copying Music, M. A. Wier, London.

7528.    Spindles and Bolsters for Spinning Machines,

H.    J. Haddan.—(E. Colby, United States.)

7529.    Metallic Packing for Stuffing-boxes, H. J. Haddan.—(F. Hansen and IF. Sylvester von Essen,

Germany.)

7530.    Rendering all kinds of Paper Impermeable, Ac., E. de Pass.—(La Socicti de Lafarge, L'ebre et Com-pagnie, France.)

7531.    Holder for Mounted Photographs, Ac , B. J. Heywood, London.

7582. Labels, W. G. Stoneham, London.

7533.    Blotters, A. N. Sill, Lend

7534.    Pulleys, Ac., A. Trask, London.

7535.    Castors for Chairs, Ac , R. H. Hughes, London.

7536.    Tanks for Treating Sewage, J. W. Fereday, London.

7537.    Propulsion, Ac., of Ships, H. J. Marshall, London.

7538.    Coffee-making Machine, C. Holterhoff, London.

7539.    Nailing Bundles of Tickets Together, J. M. Black, London.

7540 Manurial Insecticide, W. G Gard, London.

7541.    Transparent Material for Roofing, Ac., M. M. Brophy and J. A. Archer, London.

7542.    Musical Instruments, Zithers, end, Bradford.

7543.    Automatic Variable Expansion Gear, G. F. Redfern.—(F. Coblyn, Belgium )

7544.    Dynamo-electric Machines, H. J. Smith, London.

7545.    Chairs for Restaurants, Ac., J. A. Callahan, London.

7546.    Lawn Tennis Nets, B. A. Collins, London.

7547.    Batting Gloves, Ac., for Cricketers, H. I. Livermore, London.

7543. Testing Stations for Electric Wires, H. H.

Lake.—(/. F. Muvsie and H. N. May, United States.) 7549. Covering Breaches made by Collisions, H. H. Lake.—CD, Jams, U.S.)

on.

on.

Ac., J. Town-

7573.    Pipes for Smoking Tobacco, W.McGill, London, grain, substantially as set forth. (3) In combination

7574.    Photographic Cameras, F. T. Ball, London. with stock A and oscillating cutter head B, the

7575.    Spinning, Ac., Filamentous Materials, J. C. shaving catches R, connected with bars d~, having an

Mewburn.—(E. Prevost, France.)    up-and-down movement along the stock above the

7576.    Dynamo electric Machinery, J. A. Kingdon, cutters corresponding with the swing of the cutter

London.    head , substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7577.    Horizontal Grand Pianofortes, W. G. Eave- (4) In combination with stock A and oscillating cutter

staff, London.    head B, the sliding bars <#, provided with a series of

757S. Lighting, Ac., J. H. W. Stringfcllow, London. catches d, having an up-and down movement along

7579.    Bending, Ac., Angle and other Metal Bars, the stock above the cutters, substantially as and for

R. E Davis and J. Primrose, London.    the purpose specified. (5) In combination with sliding

7580.    Purification of    Coal    Gas,    C.    F.    Claus,    London,    frame O, gear wheel W, having teeth or lugs J, hinged

7581.    Purification of    Coal    Gas,    C.    F.    Claus,    London,    rack H, having worm gear j², of the feed wheel I, pro-

7582.    Ammonia Compounds from Coal Gas, C. F. Claus, vided with bevelled and oblique gear j on its upper

London.    surface, and worm thread j¹ upon its rim, said gear

7583.    Recovering Cyanogen Compounds, C. F. Claus, and thread fitted to coact with the lugs J and worm

London.    gear/•! respectively, substantially as and for the pur-

7584.    Purification of    Coal    Gas,    C.    F.    Claus,    London,    pose specified. (6) The combination, in a square hole

7585.    Purification of    Coal    Gas,    C.    F.    Claus,    London,    boring machine, with the slide stock A, of a feed

7586.    Purification of    Coal    Gas,    C.    F.    Claus,    London,    wheel I, pivotted in the frame O, and having a worm

7587.    Manufacture of Woven Fabrics, J. Hartley, thread upon its periphery, and bevelled cogs upon its

London.    upper surfaces standing obliquely to the diameter

7588.    Manufacturing Ladies’ Boas, J. Koenigsberg, thereof, a rack H hinged to the stationary frame F,

London.    and meshing with said worm wheel, a wheel W

75S9. Metallic Sleepers for Railways, H. Livesey, mounted upon the main shaft, having upon its rim at London.    intervals teeth or lugs to mesh with the bevelled cogs

7590.    Oil Grease Cups for Lubricating Machinery,

E. Ludlow, London.

7591.    Alcoholic Liquors, A. J. Boult.—(H. A. 0. P.

Lissagaray, France.)

7592.    Completing Electric Currents, W. H. Scott and E. A. Paris, London.

7593.    Breaking Electric Currents, W. H. Scott and E. A. Paris, London.

7594.    Stand for Exhibiting Boots, &c., A. Smith,

London.

7595.    Heating Bakers’ Ovens, J. Martin, Liverpool.

7596.    Elements for Secondary Batteries, J. Pitkin.

London.

7597.    Concrete Pavements, &c., J. and J. Crombie,

London.

7598.    Reciprocating Engines, R. Bolton, London.

7599.    Traveller Cranes, W. Pitt, London.

7th June, 1886.

7600.    Pickers for Looms, J. Yates and P. Yates, jun.,

Halifax.

7601.    Bath Cabinets, J. Tattersall, Keighley.

7602.    Taking-up Motion for Looms, T. H. Brigg,

Bradford.

7603.    Horizontal Steam Generators, A. J. Lehmann,

Liverpool.

7604.    Reaping Machines, J. Jeffery, Glasgow.

7605.    Sketching Easel, R. E. Nicholson and H. R.

Oddy, Halifax.

7606.    Combined Shoe and Pad, R. Revell, Leicester.

7607.    Scythes and Sneyds, T. Nash, Oldbury.

7608.    Mangling, Ac., Fabrics, W. Robertson and J.

G. Orchar, Glasgow.

7609.    Gas, Ac., Motors, M. Milburn and R. Hannan,

Glasgow.

7610.    Hydrostatic Balance, J. Joly, Dublin.

7611.    Fastening Rails to Sleepers, J. Duffield,

Sheffield.

7612.    Spanners, J. C. Martin, Hammersmith.

7613.    Packing Egcs, E. G. W. Packer, London.

7614.    Solitaires, Ac , II. Dalgety, Catford Bridge.

7615.    Accumulator Treadle, J. H. Smith, London.

7616.    Hat Guards, G. Johnson, London.

7617.    Spanner, J Brawn, Birmingham.

7618.    Sunshades, J. Strick, London.

7619.    Preserving Beer, J. Death, London.

7620.    Securing Wheels, T. Bailey, London.

7621.    Racks for Fire-arms, F. Gray, London.

7622.    Signal Lights, N. J. Holmes, London.

7623.    Dynamometers, J. Emerson, London.

7624.    Transporting Vehicles, C. D. Richard, Lord Sudeley, and C. E. Webber, London.

7625.    Utilising Rise and Fall of Water, C. M.

Walker, London.

7626.    Target, J. M. Olley and A. S. Hartrick,

London.

7627.    Mincing Machines, J. O. S

7628.    Braces, W. E. Carrington,

7629.    Pad Fastenings for Billiard Cues, E. Ferch-land, New York.

7630.    Sliding Window - sashes, J. H. Betteley,

London.

7631.    Boots and Shoes, T. G. Douglas, London.

7632.    Carrying the Lamps of Velocipedes, G. D.

In gall and T. R. Dix, London.

7633.    Manufacturing Sulfite Cellulole, L. A.

Groth.—(H. Schnurman and G. Close, Germany.)

7634.    Cleansing Wool, L. A. Groth.—(Messrs. Holzer and Co., Germany.)

7635.    Ventilators, ate., A. M. Clarke.—(J. L. A. Bour,

France.)

76.36. Negative Elements for Voltaic Batteries, D.

G.    Fitz-Gerald, London.

7637.    Obtaining Gold from Alloy, D. G. Fitz-Gerald,

London.

7638.    Short Curtain Bands, G. Newbery, London.

7639.    Coupling for Railway Vehicles, G. F. Car-ruthers, London.

7640.    Castors for Furniture, Ac., H. S. Whitehouse,

London.

7641.    Games, C. Joyner, London.

7642.    Machinery for Drying, Ac., B. J. B. Mills.— the (H. C. Chasles, France.)

7643.    Apparatus for Cooling Milk, F. A. Thyss.—(N.

Moes, France.)

7644.    Preservation of Alimentary Substances, H.

H.    Lake.—(N. Muller, Russia.)

7645.    Boot Cleaning Machine, G. W. B. Edwards,

London.

and clamp screw for secuiing the stock to the main bit of the mortising machine, and provided with a recess or bit seat for the reception of an auxiliary or intermediate bit, which is clamped between the bit stock and bit of the mortising machine, substantially as and for the purposes specified. (3) In a gain cutting attachment for mortising machines, the combination, with a slotted bit stock which is vertically adjustable on the main or slotting bit of the machine, of a shouldered leading or gain bit G, substantially as and for the purposes specified. (4) In a gain cutting attachment for mortising machines, a leading bit and an intermediate straddle bit, in combination with an adjustable bit stock provided with clamp screws (the straddle bit being clamped between the bit stock and the main or slotting bit of the machine), substantially as and for the purposes specified.

339,771- Metallic Packing for Stuffing-Boxes, Frank Hennebohle, South Chicago, III.—Filed June 23rd, 1885.

Claim.—(1) The combination, with a sectional packing ring the sections of which are arranged with spaces therebetween, and a spring coiled around such sections, of a stuffing-box provided with channels leading from the packing riDg recess to the bore of the cylinder, as set forth. (2) The combination, with a

pong.

London.

London.

SELECTED AMERICAN PATENTS.

(From the United States' Patent Office official Gazette.)

I33S.I96I

'3-—

IF

”1.

11!

If;

tit !

iS

H'

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Es

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upon the pivotted feed wheel, whereby an intermittent movement is communicated to said sliding frame, substantially as set forth.

339,394. Card Clothing for Carding Engines, John T. Fallows, Denton, County of Lancaster t England•— Filed September 28th, 1885.

To prevent the teeth of the card clothing from working back through the foundation, a supplementary belt of thin metal is placed between the ordinary

1339.3941

clothing and the cylinders on which it runs. The improvement is particularly applicable to those engines in which an endless belt is employed instead of usual card clothed cylinders.

339,499. Telephone Transmitter, Silvanus P. Thompson and Philip Jolin, Bristol, County of Gloucester, England.—Filed Hovcmber 22nd, 1884.

Claim.— (1) A telephonic transmitter consisting of combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a speaking tube, a spherical valve partially closing the same, and one or more contact pins sup-

1339.4991

mJtl

the

I339.77M

if

Wm

sectional packing ring the sections of which are arranged with spaces therebetween, and a spring coiled around such sections, and a stuffing-box provided with channels leading from the packing ring recess to the bore of the cylinder, of a gland provided with a circumferental depression, and a waste-pipe communicating therewith, as set forth.

340,049. Pressure Regulator for Brick Machines, Julius J. Koch, St. Louis, Mo.—Filed July ‘27th, 1885.

Claim.—(1) In a brick-press whose plungers are operated by positive mechanical powers, the combination of a water cylinder provided with a safety valve, with one or both plungers, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. (2) In a brick press, the combination of a water

1340.049.1

T MIS!

6-J ME

ma

7a

he

Ia

I!

II

.r

■i

II

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-

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II

III

111

cylinder C, pipe E, water reservoir F, safety valve G, check valve h, air valve H, with one or both plungers, substantially as herein shown and described, and for

the purpose set forth. _________

340,054. Steam Valve Gear, Merrick Murphy, Milwaukee, Wis.—Filed January 9th, 1886.

Claim.—(1) The combination, with the inlet and exhaust ports, of a pair of oscillating valves located therein, and carrying each upon its shaft a tripping finger, a reciprocating frame carrying a two-part pivotted apron having a sustaining spring, tripping springs located each upon one of the apron sections to engage the tripping fingers, and a fixed oscillating cam arm operating to raise and depress the apron sections, substantially as described. (2) The combina-

1340.054]

Jt

3=3

uB.

Q=r

bth June, 1886.

7550.    Self-acting Temples for Looms, W. Chetham, Salford.

7551.    Buckles for Braces, Ac., J. B. Brooks, Birmingham.

7652. Smokers’ Walking Stick or Cane, G. T. Phillips and J. P. Kingston, Northampton.

7553.    Card-grinding Rollers, J. S. Dronsfiold, Manchester.

7554.    Balances. M. E. Reisert, London.

7555 Coupling and Uncoupling Railway Trucks, W. Herald, Godley.

7556.    Drilling Circular and other Machine Combs, T. W. Harding, Leeds.

7557.    Regulating Motion of Lap Machines for Opening Cotton, Ac. , W. Taylor, Manchester.

7558.    Cure for Chilblains, Ac. , J. C. Hill, Maidstone.

7559.    Tricycles, F. Mirls and F. J. J. Gibbons, Manchester.

7560.    Horticultural Sunshade, S. Stephens, Southampton.

7561.    Electrode, J. and F. M. Gibson, Glasgow.

7562.    Paper, Ac., J. and F. M. Gibson, Glasgow.

7563.    Fire-extinguishing Apparatus, J. Morton, Glasgow.

7564.    Stationary Clocks, R. Brown, York.

7565.    Pen and Pencil Holders, 1. Greenbuiy, Edinburgh.

7566.    Photographic Shutter, J. Place, Birmingham.

7567.    Miners’ Safety Lamps, H. Wilde, Manchester.

7568.    Locks and Latches, J. Hookham, Eastbourne.

7569.    Threading Sewing Machine Needles, J. Fox, London.

7570.    Plug-taps, T. Thrippleton and W. H. Hoyle, London.

7571.    New Game, W. J. Clements, London

7572.    Soldering, J. McConnell, Glasgow.

339,195. Square Hole Boring Machine, Abraham E. Lake, Wooster, and John C. Lake, Big Filed July 29th, 1885.

Claim.—(1) The combination, with a mortising cutter head having journal bearings provided with a cutting device having parallel side cutting edges and parallel

Prairie.—

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St

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fa

end cutters, of the operating device consisting of opposito reciprocating bars a, connected with cutter head to oscillate the same upon said journal bearings, substantially as and for the purpose specified. (2) The combination, with a mortising cutter head having journal bearings, of the cutting device, consisting of two independent blades set into opposite sides of the cutter head to cut upwardly only, said blades provided with end cutters to cut across the

the

porting said valve. (2) The combination,_ substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a speaking tube, of a spherical conducting valve, adjustable contact pins supporting said valve at the end of said tube, and means for completing an electric circuit from said pins through said valve.

339,806. Mortising Chisel, Benjamin W. Peterson and John W. Connelly, Wheeling, W. Va.—Filed August 5th, 1885.

Claim.—(1) In a gain cutting attachment for mortising machines, the combination, with a bit stock

1339,806.1

which is adjustable on the main or slotting bit of the machine, of a leading or gain bit and an intermediate bit adjacont to the main bit, substantially as and for the purposes specified. (2) In a gain cutting ment for mortising machines, a bit stock havin

attach-g a slot

tion, with the cylinder and valve chest, with the inlet and exhaust ports thereof, and the flap valves M, connected therewith, of the valves D, located in the inlet ports and carrying the tripping fingers E upon their shafts, the reciprocating frame j, carrying the pivotted apron sections F¹ F¹, the sustaining spring G, and tripping springs F, and the fixed oscillating cam G¹, connected by arm H and rod H¹, to the governor, substantially as set forth.

340,065. Carbon Holder for Arc Lamps, & H. Stupakoff, Hartford, Conn.—Filed February 8th, 1886.

Claim.—The carbon holder 3, provided with a central recess for the reception of a carbon, and with the

[340,0651

converging recesses 4, 5, and 6, for the recoptiofi of three balls, each converging recess being provided with an opening into the central recess wide enough to permit the protrusion, but not wide enough to permit the passage of its ball thereout, all substantially as described.