RAISING AND LOWERING SHIPS OR CANAL BOATS. FIG. 1, FIG. 2. WEBSTER'S METHOD OF MASTING AND RIGGING VESSELS. MOST of us know that "made masts" are greatly superior in strength to "single stick masts." Every piece of timber put into the former is, of course, sound and strong, or it would not be used for the purpose, but the latter is liable to be very rotten internally, without affording any external indication of the fact. Notwithstanding these considerations Mr. W. Webster, of Jefferson County, Washington, United States, has thought fit to patent in this country what he calls an improved method of rigging vessels," the main feature of which is the use of single stick masts for all classes of ships. Fig. 1 is a diagram of FIC.I. 66 RAISING AND LOWERING SHIPS OR CANAL BOATS. MR. T. FLETCHER, of Brackenley House, near Skipton-in-Craven, writes as follows: Herewith I send you drawings of a method of raising or lowering ships or canal boats from one level of water to another. I think you will find the drawings sufficiently intelligible not to require many observations from me. You will perceive it is worked on the self-acting incline plane principle; the moving power being an excess of water in the descending cradle. The cradle will be required to be all of iron; the perforation of the middle pier for the passing of the galvanised wire rope will require facing on both sides with a clow, so that the chain at the end of the rope being placed behind the clow, the clow put down, and the lock filled with water, the ship or boat may proceed. Fig. 1 illustrates the boats in motion on the cradles; fig. 2 shows the boats leaving the cradles. The above plan, if applied in crossing an isthmus, or in place of canal locks (where there are a number together) would result in a great saving of time and expense in the conveyance of goods by water. TUBULAR FENCING FOR IRRIGATION. AN ingenious invention has been made by Mr. W. Bayliss, of the firm of Bayliss & Co., of Monmoregreen, Wolverhampton. It has occurred to him that fencing might be so made as not only to possess improved strength and general appearance, but so also as to form a means for conveying water to troughs or cisterns, for the use of cattle, for irrigation, and for other purposes where water may be required. He effects this by making one or more of the fence or hurdle rails tubular, which may be conveniently done by forming them of common iron gas tubing, varying the size and number of tubes according to the quantity of water to be passed through them; and as the manufacture of the same description of tube necessarily involves the use of an extensively diversified shape of angle, and other connecting parts, the same appliances enable him to adapt this mode of constructing fencing in every possible way that water may have to be conveyed. For instance, the connection from one hurdle to another may be made either by forming a shoulder near the ends of the tubular rail, or by tapping the ends externally and screwing on a nut, so that the shoulders or nuts on each end shall form a bearing for the upright end rails to abut against. The hurdle being placed right, and the succeeding hurdle in continuous position, a common connecting piece may be placed between them, and screwed up to form a perfect and strong connection, white lead and washers being used to prevent leakage. As such connecting pieces are commonly made somewhat of a T shape, great convenience is offered for applying a lateral spout, tap, or plug, so that the water may be allowed either to flow on, or to flow out at these connecting parts, the supply being obtained from a reservoir suit ably placed to ensure the desired pressure and supply. It does not of course matter if the tube is passed underground, when the water has to be conducted across roads or pathways, or from one permanent hurdle to another, with a swinging gate between- The annexed engraving shows a hurdle (the rails of which are broken, and the uprights brought near together for convenience in engraving). The top rail of it is tubular, and it is connected on the one side to a gate, and on the other to another hurdle. A and B are flat iron uprights forming the ends of the burdle, and C is the centre support. The rails, D, E, F, and G, are of common rod iron. The top rail, H H, is of common gas-tubing, one end of which passes through the standard A, and is united by screwing the part I up tight, so as to confine the upright between this part and the nut J. The upright, K, K, is also a tube connected at top with the part I, and to an angle piece at the bottom, shown in dotted lines, showing how the water may, as we have said, be conducted underground. The connection of the gate to the fixed hurdle may be arranged in the ordinary way, or as here shown, viz., by making the vertical tube, K, K, form the axis on which the gate swings. The part I may be like the angle shown in dotted lines at L. For connecting the hurdles together, a connecting piece, as at M, may be used. It is a simple ordinary means of connecting gas tubing, and, by turning this around with proper tools, and regu. lating the nuts, N and O, a perfectly strong watertight union may be formed. If desired, arrangements in these parts may be formed for supplying a suitable plug, or tap, or hose, for drawing off the water for any required purposes. Mr. Bayliss has patented his invention. which holds the yard; M, a universal joint; N, chain slings; a, hinges; b, bolts; b', clamp screws; c, eye bolts; d, annular sheave for rotating yards; e, yoke. Ship's masts are now usually made, he says, of three or four pieces by doublings, which necessitates a great deal of top hamper to secure and hold these pieces in place and cumbrous contrivances to hoist and lower them; this top weight involves a decrease in the length of the a FIG.3. spars and in the spread of the canvas; it is also an important clement in the cost of a ship. Abundance of sticks, long, straight, and large enough for a ship's mainmast, and of the proper material, can be obtained on the north west coast of the United States, and probably in many other portions of the world. For smaller vessels sticks of proper dimensions are everywhere readily obtained. The masts formed of them are secured to the hull by wire shrouds, F, F, placed at an unusually large angle with each other, and so that the lower ends of the after shrouds of the foremast are immediately contiguous to those of the forward shrouds of the mainmast, and so with the others. "A ship with masts and shrouds of this description will carry," says Mr. Webster, "with safety onefourth more canvas than the ordinary amount, and will sail much nearer to the wind." The yards he makes much longer than usual, as shown, and secures them to the masts by an improved form of truss-band and slings. These bands, figs 2 and 3, are hinged at a, a, and have clamp screws, B, to hold them at any desired point on the mast, The yards are held in bands, L, hinged to a bolt, which rotates in a yoke, e, attached to. and forming part of the band K which grasps the mast. This attachment is a universal joint, M. and allows motion to be given to the yards in every required direction. The lifts, I, are attached to hinged slide-bands, fig. 4, occupying the positions J, J, on the mast, fig. 1, that is, they are clamped to the masts at the proper distance above their respective yards. The hinge-bolt of these bands has a ring at its lower end, fig 2, to which the chainslings of the yarn are hooked. There are also eye-bolts, e, in the sides of these bands, to which the lifts, I, are attached. The bands of the topsail yard are slit, L, fig. 3, for the reception of a grooved hoop or sheave, d, which may be rotated in them as a sheave is rotated in an ordinary pulley. The yards, C, D, E, work inside the shrouds, and can be hoisted up or lowered down upon the rail as readily as sails are now hoisted and lowered, and when on the rail can be pointed nearly fore and aft. The topsail yard may be rotated on its own axis in its band by means of the annular sheave d, fig. 3, turning in the slit in the band. The bowsprit, G, he makes to run inboard; when it is thus run in and the yards lowered, the ship will present to the action of the wind only three bare poles and a few small wire shrouds. It will be observed that he does not connect the masts together by stays as in ordinary ships, relying upon the great inclination of the shrouds to give them the required stability; nor does he connect the bowsprit to the foremast by anything more than a small cord, H, which can be severed in an instant, and would yield of itself to a much smaller force than would suffice to carry away the bowsprit. "The effect of this arrange ment is," he says, "that the loss of one mast does not involve the loss of the others, and the common accident of carrying away the bowsprit does not endanger the masts." ON THE CONSERVATION OF FORCE. (Continued from page 16.) In very much of this essay, Mr. Grove endea vours to expunge from the mind the idea of force as an external reality, and to induce in the mind of his reader, the habit of regarding physical phenomena as various modes of motion impressed upon matter, force being a mere hypothetic mediate idea, demanded by psychological convenience, but having no objective truth. The only objective realities which he is inclined to admit are matter and motion. These are the two elements of various proportions of which Mr. Grove attempts to show all physical phenomena are consituted. Is it possible that science should gain anything from such an attempt? In order that such a proceeding may be of any considerable use, it must be first shown that the ideas of the two elements, matter and motion, are themselves of a simple nature. Before we can say that the term or the notion of force as an outward fact is unnecessary for the knowledge of physical philosophy, and that the two ideas of matter and motion are all-sufficient, it must be shown that the idea of matter does not itself involve any idea of force. If the subject here suggested be followed up, it will be found so difficult to determine which of the two terms, and which of the two ideas is the more important, and which first reaches the mind, that I think it only prudent to accept them both. It is said we only know force by the motion with which it impresses matter, and it "It may be asked what becomes of force" [motion should be meant] "when motion is arrested or impeded by the counter-motion of another body? This is generally believed to produce rest, or entire destruction of motion, and conse quent annihilation of force: so indeed it may, as regards the motion of the masses, but a new force, or a new chaof visible motion, is heat. I venture to regard the heat racter of force, now ensues, the exponent of which, instead which results from friction or percussion as a continuation moving body, and which, when this infringes on another of the force which was previously associated with the body, ceasing to exist as gross palpable motion, continues to exist as heat. may be answered we only know of matter from use the heat results." I must confess that I am by no means certain If two per that of B. of my interpretation of this passage. I am not sure whether it is intended as a statement of facts as they are, or as they ought to be, according to the author's notions of physical propriety. Does heat result from impact only for certain absolute velocities of impinging bodies? sons come in collision, will the heat developed be less if they are on board ship than if the same thing happened on terra firma? Will not the heat which supervenes depend only on the intensity of the blow, which in turn depends only on the relative velocities of the impinging bodies? Suppose one body, A, in motion to impinge on another, B, at rest, and suppose their mutual elasticity is, and the mass of A = In such a case the whole of A's motion would be transferred to B, and A would be reduced to rest. posed to be lost. Will any one pretend that no heat No motion of the masses could, therefore be supwould be produced, and that heat would be deBut forces never appear singly. Every force veloped if the bodies struck each other the same on one body is accompanied by an equal and blow on board a ship, with different absolute veopposite force acting on some other body. With locities? Who would believe such a one? And how every action there appears an equal and opposite could he prove his point? There is no doubt that re-action. From these two propositions it follows the same heat would appear in the case I have that every change of momentum impressed upon proposed as if the same bodies came into collision one body is generated at the cost of an equal and under any absolute velocities whatever, so long as If the heat opposite change of momentum in some other their relative motion is the same. body or bodies. For as there is no such thing as called forth in other cases of impact can be rea single isolated force acting in one direction in a garded as an equivalent of motion, apparently lost, single body, so every change of motion involves then in this case, where no motion is lost, and yet the mutual action of at least two bodies The heat is generated, there is an appearance of new be equal to, but of the same duration as that acting old. Thus Mr. Grove's own opinions appear to me to force acting on the one must, therefore, not only force without an equivalent disappearance of the on the other; and since momenta in equal times involve that creation of force to which, in general, by equal forces are equal, the changes of momenta he so seriously objects. in the two bodies are equal in amount and opposite in direction. body. This law of action and re-action, extended to the other changes of which the material world is susceptible, implies, in my belief, all that is true in the general doctrine of the conservation of force. The key notion in the system of physical doctrine which Mr. Grove and others endeavour to teach, appears to be that the universe, on the whole, must be in a state of permanence that no change in any place or any body of matter is isolated and absolute, but that every modification is compensated for by an equivalent countermodification in some other body. But they far outstep the limits of this law and of truth at the same time. Take the following extract from Mr. Grove. It relates to impact, and appears to me to be neither related to fact, nor required by the general principle of action and re-action: May not the true account of such cases be that the "force," or rather motion, which is said to be lost, is not motion lost at all, but that the two masses, with their motions after impact, are equivalent to their motions before impact? If they were moving in opposite directions, the motions destroyed are equal in amount and opposite in character, so that whether existent together or together destroyed, they are alike valueless at all stages of the pheno menon. May not the heat, too, which makes its appearance, be of the same double character as the motion lost sight of? That there is a law of conservation of mo. mentum I do not doubt, and there may be a law of conservation in relation to other natural phenomena. But I am quite sure that the advocates of the conservative doctrine who have hitherto come to my notice, have either mistaken the law altogether, or grossly misinterpreted it in its branches. A MECHANIC, LENOX'S IRON FLOATING DOCK. THE esteemed principal of the Chain Cable and Anchor Works, Mill Wall, Poplar, has favoured us with the following communication, and with the drawings from which the annexed engravings were made: GENTLEMEN,-Observing in your No. 1835 a description of a floating dock to be constructed of wood, proposed by Mr. Geo. Bayley, of Cowper's Court, Cornhill, in 1836, I was reminded of an arrangement I made for a similar purpose, to be constructed in iron, for which I took the preliminary steps for a patent in 1846. I had not then heard of any similar proposal, nor did Mr. Bayley's plan appear to be known at that time. I made a model with air-tight compartments, air pipes, and model of a brig, floating it in water, which I exhibited to several engineers, the late Mr. John Seaward, the late Colonel Brandreth, of the Admiralty, Mr. Denison, of Woolwich Yard (now Sir William Denison), and to the Lords of the Admiralty-all of whom expressed their satisfaction with my invention. Their lordships directed me to place the model again with Colonel Brandreth and Mr. Denison, for the purpose of estimating its practicability and cost; the working of the model was much appreciated by those gentlemen, as will be seen by letters from the latter, and by the former having asked for my specification of its construction and estimated cost, to place in his department in Somerset House. There it has, unfortunately, remained unnoticed ever since, under the care and keeping of Mr. Scamp, into whose hands Colonel Brandreth resigned it on quitting the office; Mr. Denison was shortly after appointed to the government of Swan River. I will venture to mention the origin of the idea, and then give you a short description, after which I will leave it in your able hands, to deal with it as you may deem it merits. I will premise by observing, that I am indebted, in a considerable degree, to the assistance and able services of my friend, Mr. Robert Murray, the brother of Mr. Alexander Murray, the Admiralty engineer of Portsmouth Dockyard, for the drawing out of the specification and description of my invention. About the year 1843, from a knowledge of the strength of iron, I was favoured with a visit from Mr. Murray, on behalf of Mr. Fairbairn, for the purpose of considering what size and strength would be required to construct some vessel or machine in iron, for the Emperor of Russia, that should supersede the pontoons used for floating the men-of-war over the bar, and out of the river Neva, to Cronstadt; but, after much consideration, we came to no result. About two years afterwards the idea struck me, that an entire dock might be made to float a ship, with her armament complete; and thus my model arose. I connected it with the possibility of war with a great neighbouring power, whose ships and forts might riddle our steamers, which, thus disabled, might at once run up to the Medway, or to Woolwich, where floating docks might be moored always in readiness, and enter them irrespective of tide, and out again in a few hours, returning to their work of mischief in the chops of the Channel. I now submit a lithograph of the dock, which I propose to make a complete dockyard, by the introduction of workshops and machinery around the main deck, and over the air-tight compartments, to be worked by the pumping engine, and a strong sheer-legs erected from side to side over the middle of the dock, for the purpose of masting the ships, putting in and out the boilers of steamers for repair, &c., &c. The construction of this dock is upon the principle since used in the Great Eastern, viz., double-sided, with internal divisions, &c. GEO. W. LENOX. We have but little to add to this communication. The perfect practicability of Mr. Lenox's proposals experience has placed beyond doubt. The origination of so sound and useful an invention does him much credit. The floating dock has, in modern days, become comparatively common in countries where there is but little tide, but its use is unnecessarily restricted, and appears likely to be interfered with by more specious, but less efficient contrivances. The publication of Mr. Lenox's letter and illustrations may tend to counteract this circumstance, and to promote the adoption of the dock in many parts where it is much needed. But few will now doubt the superiority of iron to wood as a material for its contruction; and Mr. Lenox has drawn a specification of the construction, showing how it may be effi ciently applied. Fig. 1 of the engravings is a side elevation of the dock, containing one of the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam ships. Fig. 2 is a midship section of the same; OWL being the water line when the dock is open, and the vessel entering it; V W L the water line when the dock is pumped dry, with the vessel in it; and L W L the water line when the dock is empty, and pumped dry. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the dock forward. MAUDSLAY'S IMPROVED FURNACES FOR MANUFACTURING IRON. EVERY engineer knows that immense expense is incurred in the manufacture of those large masses of wrought iron which have to be used for certain parts of steam-engines for which ordinary cast iron cannot, with security, be employed. After many years' experience, especially in connection with the manufacture of large marine engines for the Admiralty, Mr. Joseph Maudslay, of Lambeth, has instituted experiments with the view of producing an iron which should possess but little less strength than wrought iron, and at the same time be susceptible of being cast in moulds to the forms required; and he has been, to a very great extent, successful. The apparatus by which he effects his object is a rotating furnace, moving about an inclined axis, as illustrated in figs. 1 and 2 of the annexed engravings, of which fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, and fig. 2 a transverse vertical section through the bed of the furnace. A is the fire-place; B, the feeding hole for the fuel; C, the inclined bed of the furnace, which is made to revolve about an inclined axis; D, an arched cover above the furnace, which cover is supported by a fixed iron frame, or casing; E, the door through which the furnace is charged with metal; F, a tapping-hole, through which the metal is run off; G, a roller-frame, upon which the bed of the furnace revolves; H, a bevel pinion gearing into the teeth of the wheel for giving motion to the revolving bed; K, a lower frame furnished with wheels, by means of which the revolving bed, after having been lowered by the screw L, may be withdrawn from beneath the arched cover, for repairs or otherwise. The leaves the metal itself in a semi-puddled state, somewhat approaching the condition of wrought iron, but still with sufficient fluidity to allow of its being run into moulds and used for many purposes for which wrought iron is at present employed. The axis of the improved furnace is placed by preference about 10° out of the perpendicular. glazed structure constructed according to Sir Joseph's invention. a a are the side frames, which are hinged together at their upper ends, and are in this structure inclined at an angle of 30 to the ground line. bb are triangular glazed frames, forming the ends of the structure; they are hinged to the side-frames at b' b'. If it is desired, the side-frames may be inclined at an angle of 60° to the ground line, and the end frames, b, to adapt them to the change of inclination in the side-frames, may be turned onequarter round. Fig. 2 is an end view of one of the joints employed to combine together in pairs the side frames, a a. In this figure, the joint is in the position which it assumes in fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the joint in the position it assumes when the side-frames are at an angle of 60° with each other. The frames have each a metal eye fixed to them, and a thumb-screw passes through the eyes of the two frames, and screws into a nut beyond. Each frame has also a wooden block, with a curved upper surface fixed to its upper edge; and a curved ridge-piece is employed, which, resting on the curved blocks of the two frames of each pair, makes a tight joint at whatever inclination the frames may be set. The ridge-piece is held in position by pins at intervals. Fig. 4 is an end view of one-half of a structure formed from the same frames, a and b, and in which frames, a a, are placed one above another, correctly together, leaving an open space between; SIR JOSEPH PAXTON'S IMPROVED and it is by means of these openings that ventila. the upper ones forming the roof, and the lower HORTICULTURAL BUILDINGS. SIR JOSEPH PAXTON, M.P., who has probably as good a knowledge of the requirements of horticultural buildings as any man living, has patented a set of improvements in their construction. In carrying out his invention rectangular glazed frames are used, and are by preference longer than they are wide. These frames are combined in pairs at their upper ends by hinges, in such manner that their lower ends may be set apart at different times to a greater or less distance, according to the horticultural purposes to which the buildings are for the time applied, and their upper ends are 80 arranged as to form good ridges, where two of the frames go together. Each pair of such frames is confined with the neighbouring pair by distance pieces of a few inches in length, which are made to lock or hold the neighbouring pairs of frames tion is obtained for the interior of the buildings. The openings are arranged to be covered, or for a time partly covered, by doors or flaps hung to the sides of the frames, such doors being by preference made to open or close in parts to facilitate the adjustment of the ventilation from time to time. The lower parts of the frames, when of wood, are shod with zinc, or other metal. In some cases, such frames as are above described are placed one above another, the upper ones forming a roof, and the lower ones forming inclined sides sustained by uprights. The ends of such buildings may be made of angular glazed frames, so arranged as to form different angular ends, or the ends may be made of wood, or of mats, or of other material. Fig. 1 of the annexed engravings is an end view of one-half of a horticultural building or ones the inclined sides. In this structure a fixed framework, 4 4, is employed, and the roof is fixed to this by screws, and the side-frames may be 4, all round in a similar manner to that in which hinged to the upper part of the fixed frame-work, the frames a were before hinged together in pairs. LIST OF NEW BOOKS. Adcock's Engineer's Pocket Book, 1859, 12mo. 6s. Rubens as an Artist and a Diplomatist, by Sainsbury. 168. Sketches and Lessons from Daily Life, fc. 8vo. 2s. boards. Somerville on Connexion of Phys. Sci., 9 ed. 9s. cl. FOREIGN BOOKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED. Barruel (M. G.), Traité de chimie tech. tome iv. 6s. Bellermann (Heinr.), Die Mensu. u. Taktz. d. xv. u. xvi. Jahrhunderts erläutert, 4to. Berlin, Ga. Biot (J. B.), Mélanges scient. et litt., 3 vols. 20s. Champion La fin du monde et ies comètes, 1s. Chenu, Encycl. d'hist. nat., 5s. 3d. Desbarreaux-Bernard, Les Lanternistes, Techener, 5 portraits, 12s., without, Ss. Gervais et Vaa Beneden, Zool. med., 2 vols. 12s. 6d. Kepleri (Joa.) astron. op. omnia, Ch. Frisch, vol. ii. pars. i. Frankfort-a-M. 65. LITERATURE. The Carpenter and Joiner's Assistant; a complete course of Practical Instruction in Geometry, Geometrical Lines, Drawing, Projection and Prospective-the Selection, Preparation, and Strength of Materials, and the Mechanical Principles of Framing, with their Applications in Carpentry and Joinery. Parts 5.-14. Blackie and Son. Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, and New York. WE have nothing but praise to give to this admirable work, which is now sufficiently far advanced in publication to enable us to speak of it with confidence. Its authors are equal to their work; its theoretical disquisitions being sound, and its practical articles full and reliable. Its illustrations are really perfect. We earnestly recommend it to carpenters, joiners, and other mechanics, and wish every trade possessed an equally splendid text book. Painting Popularly explained, including Fresco, Tempera, Encaustic, Miniature, Oil, Mosaic, Water Colour, Missal, Painting on Pottery, Porcelain, Enamel, Glass, &c.; with Historica, Sketches of the Progress of Art. By THOMA! JOHN GULLICH, Painter, and JOHN TIMBSS F.S.A., Author of Curiosities of London, &c, Kent and Co. (late Boyne) Fleet-street. THE work before us singularly bears out, in their utmost integrity, the promises made to the reader in its title. To a great deal that is original in thought, expressed in simple and not inelegant language, and free from technicalities, is added much ably condensed information from the best and most expensive volumes devoted to art. Mr. Timbs, admirable as a collator, is here conjoined with Mr. T. J. Gullich, an artist, whose pen exhibits a happy fluency of style, and occasionally a just severity of handling which, only requires a little less modest reserve to render his literary talents a most desirable aid in the detection and exposure of the cant which prevails at the present moment in art. As a means of reference, the careful index of the book before us will afford facilities to the connoisseur and general reader to an extent, the expectation of which, its comparatively small size at first appears to di-courage; and the artist may learn in the volume all that description of knowledge, which books have the power to bestow-a history of art, with its mechanical resources and requisite paraphanalia; more than this, it would be absurd to expect. We have to thank the author of the Year Book of Facts, Popular Errors, Curiosities of Science, Curiosities of History and other excellent works of reference; and his eo-adjutor, Mr. T. J. Gullich, for a volume which we hope to have the opportunity of often opening for our own information, and for the delectation of those for whom we write. Adcock's Engineer's Pocket Book for the year 1859. London: Simpkin Marshall, and Co. This book suffers, as usual, from the very compre hensiveness of the information contained in it. Without going over its valuable contents very minutely, we find that its articles are brought up to the end of last year, and are prepared with the accustomed care of its authors. We know of no book of the kind in which the information needfal for engineers is, in the main, so sound or so colaplete. We observe, however, with much regret, that the absurdly blundering article on Naval Architecture-the defects of which were pointed out by us two years ago-still stands uncorrected even by an "Erratum." A Short Handbook of the Comparative Philology of the English, Anglo-Saxon, Frisian, Fiemish or Dutch, Low or Platt Dutch, High Dutch or German, Danish, Swedish, Icelandic, Latin, Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese Tongues. By HYDE CLARKE, D.C.L., London: John Weale, 59, High Holborn. 1859. A LITTLE book on a great subject; but, thongh small, it contains more than any reader will thoroughly master, unless he bring considerable previous knowledge to its study. One important lesson it may, however, teach to every reader, viz., that between ages so widely different as to form the broadest barrier which can separate two peoples, there is a relation sufficiently intimate, and sufficiently apparent, to suggest the thought that all mankind belong to one great family, and that "God has made of one blood all the nations of men." Five Place Logorithms, arranged by EDWARD SANG, F.R.S.E. William Blackwood and Sons. Edinburgh and London. 1859. THIS little book is about four inches by three inches, and contains thirty pages of tables in a paper cover. It sells for 6d. This is all we observe on looking at it, and into it; and as the author has not chosen to say anything about it, we do not see why we should add more. CRUSHING APPARATUS-Mr. E. W. Blake, of Newhaven, has introduced a simple but useful form of crushing apparatus. It consists essentially of a pair of vertical jaws, one fixed, the other moveable; or both may be moveable. These jaws have their faces corrugated vertically, and convergent downwards, so that whilst the space at the top, where the stones, &c. are introduced is sufficiently large to receive them unbroken, the space at the bottom is only sufficient to allow the fragments to pass when broken to the required size. A short powerful vibration is imparted to one or both of the jaws by any convenient levers worked by a crank or eccentric. The back stroke of the jaw is effected by a spring. If one stroke doss not crush the stones sufficiently the next will crush them still smaller, and so on until they are sufficiently reduced to pass through the bottom space between the jaws. It is also proposed to combine with this machine a revol ring screen to receive the fragments as they fall from the jaws, and sort them into two or more sizes, AN IMPROVED LATHE CHUCK, AND LATHE VICE. I beg to forward for insertion in the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE, a drawing of two adjuncts to a lathe, which I have invented, and which I trust may prove interesting to some of your readers, who like myself, have suffered trials of patience, constantly occurring, for want of some such instruments. The first is an universal chuck. I had turned my attention to it some years ago, and had put it on paper, when in a book called "Le Manuel du Toarner," I found, figured, precisely the same thing as I had then thought of; in that, the helical screw was on the part of the chuck which is screwed on to the mandril, and an objection was stated that the work was always jammed, and sometimes broken, by the force of the tool acting to turn the face-plate, and therefore force the dogs" still tighter. This I then remedied by putbehind, and capable, as shown in the drawing, of ting the helical screw on a loose face plate. fitting turning on the true face-plate, which was screwed on to the mandril. My profession calling me abroad, I had ceased to think of this, when at Pernambuco, in Brazil, I was surprised and pleased to see on an American lathe the identical chuck, acting, as the chief engineer assured me, most perfectly, and saving so much trouble even for factory work that he would not be without it on any account. (it was in a factory attached to a cotton mill), Adapted to it was also a vice (worked by the same helical screw), of which I have given a sketch at G., Fig. 3. The second is a small lathe-vice, which for some purposes would be preferable to the one I have just spoken of. I will now give an account of each, with reference to the drawings. FIC.I. D D which move the dogs. BB are the dogs which gear Fig. 1. Ais a face-plate with four or more slots, in in the helical screw. C helical screw worked on the face of D. D a plate which turns round by hand on the collar of A. E is a ring screwed on to D, and which keeps A and D in their relative positions. a a, portions of A, are the slots in which the dogs work. For use, screw A on to the mandril; turn D till the dogs have receded far enough from the centre to embrace the work; now, by turning D back again the dogs will be forced to the centre, and hold the work firmly and truly centered at one operation. The second is very simple, and will require but little explanation. |