FIG. 2. FIG. 3. Bolton's prize of £25, at the same place; at them in order to adapt them to steam, ploughing. appear that two three-quarter turns are made cal details if not absolutely perfect, are yet good and highly serviceable, unlikely to get out of order, and indeed we may almost say, as good as those of the engines themselves. If farmers, therefore, before adopting steam ploughing, wait with a view of seeing something more perfect than anything they can now have, we can assure them that they may wait a considerable time, during which they will lose far more in neglecting the advantages which steam ploughing will confer on their lands, than they are likely in all human probability to gain in the way of simpler, or more durable apparatus. Up to a certain point improvements in the details of machinery may be rapid, but when that which requires a wheel and a shaft to turn it, has nothing more than a wheel and shaft to perform the operation, then the utmost simplification has been attained; and waiting for something more will be like making up one's mind not to employ a steam-engine until either the boiler or cylinder is dispensed with. MR. HENRY BESSEMER Attention was directed, in the early part of the paper, to the ordinary mode of manufacturing iron by the puddling process; in the course of which the iron, after it "came to nature," was gathered into balls, and was then removed as quickly as possible to the squeezer, where much of the fluid scoria, with other mechanically mixed impurities, was driven out, leaving a mass, or billet of iron, composed of thousands of separate fragments of metal, the entire surface of every one of which was, more or less, coated with dry oxide, or fluid silicate of the oxide of iron. The great pressure exerted by the squeezer sufficed to so far remove the fluid coating of the contiguous particles, as to bring their surfaces into actual contact, and consequently to effect a union at such parts. But the whole of the matter thus displaced could not find its way between the interstices of the mass, and therefore it became locked in its numerous cavities, producing points of weakness and separation in the metal. No amount of after working or rolling could wholly displace the portions of cinder, dry oxide of iron and of sand, which thus became mixed up with and were diffused throughout the mass, causing flaws and cracks in the iron, all more or less objection able. Now, if these imperfections were the natural and inevitable consequences of the conditions under which malleable iron was at present produced, it followed that defects of a similar character must also of necessity exist in steel produced by the puddling process. The granular condition of the metal and its exposure to heat and oxygen, could not fail, in both cases, to oxydise the entire surfaces of the numerous molecules to be united into one mass; the admixture of scoria and other inatters from the furnace was equally certain to result; and also the difficulty of bringing each particle of the metal to the saine degree of decarbonisation and refinement existed as in the making of iron, with the additional inconvenience arising from some portions of the metal becoming entirely decarbonised, and being converted into soft malleable iron. Iron thus presented a most unfavourable contrast with the other malleable metals, all of which were free from sand or scoria; they had no hard and soft parts, and required no welding together of separate molecules, but they were perfectly homogeneous, and free from all mechanical admixture with foreign substances. Gold, silver, copper, zinc, tin, and lead owed this valuable exemption from the defects universally found in puddled iron, simply to the fact that they were purified and refined in a fluid state, and while still fluid were formed into ingots, whereby the cohesion of every particle in the mass was insured. If, then, the refining of other malleable metals, while in a fluid state, and their formation into cast ingots, rendered all such metals more sound and homogeneous than iron, while it did not lessen their extreme ductility, why should iron for ever remain an exception to the general rule? It might be truly answered, that hitherto the excessively high temperature required to fuse and to maintain pure iron in a fluid state, had interposed an insuperable barrier, for the highest heat of the furnaces only sufficed to show that fluidity was a possible condition of that metal. when present to the extent of 1-10th per cent., In manufacturing tool steel of the highest was doubtless owing to the favourable circum. stances under which combustion took place. There was no intercepting material to absorb the heat generated, and to prevent its being taken up by the metal, for heat was evolved at thousands of points distributed throughout the fluid, and when the metal boiled, the whole mass rose far above its natural level, forming a sort of spongy froth, with an intensely vivid combustion going on in every one of its numberless, ever changing cavities. Thus by the mere action of the blast a temperature was attained, in the largest masses of meta!, in ten or twelve minutes, that whole days of exposure in the most powerful furnace would fail to produce. The amount of decarbonisation of the metal was regulated with great accuracy by a meter, which indicated on a dial the number of cubic feet of air that had passed through the metal; so that steel of any quality or temper could be obtained with the greatest certainty. As soon as the metal had reached the desired point (as indicated by the dial), the workmen moved the vessel, so as to pour out the fluid malleable iron, or steel, into a founder's ladle, which was attached to the arm of a hydraulic crane, so as to be brought readily over the moulds. The ladle was provided with a fire-clay plug at the bottom, the raising of which, by a suitable lever, allowed the fluid metal to descend in a clear vertical stream into the moulds. When the first mould was filled, the plug valve was depressed, and the metal was prevented from flowing until the casting ladle was moved over the next mould, when the raising of the plug allowed this to be filled in a similar manner and so on until all the moulds were filled. (To be concluded in our next.) LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS. TO THE EDITORS OF THE "MECHANICS' MAGAZINE." GENTLEMEN,-By the tenor of a paragraph which appears in your "Weekly Gossip" for last week, I perceive that you are disposed to share my view of the case-that the opinion of the Times correspondent, when ho lately drew an invidious comparison between Captain Kynaston's and Mr. Clifford's plans for lowering boats, was rather one-sided, and as it is your object to bring all inventions fairly before the public, I will ask you to insert the following remarks: It was satisfactory to know, that there existed in this country vast and apparently inexhaustible beds of the purest ores, fitted for the process. Of the Hematite alone, 970,000 tons were raised annually, and this quantity might be doubled, or trebled, whenever a demand arose. It was from the Hematite pig-iron, made at the Workington Iron Works, that most of the larger samples of iron and steel exhibited were made. About 1 ton 13 cwt. of ore, costing 10s. per ton, would yield 1 ton of pig metal, with 60 per cent. less lime, and 20 per cent. less fuel, than were generally consumed when working inferior ores; while the furnaces using this ore alone yielded from 220 to 240 tons per week, instead of say The Times correspondent states, "Captain 160 to 180 tons per week, when working with Kynaston's disengaging hooks appear to require common iron stone. The Cleator Moor, the Wear-four men for the operation, the success of which dale, and the Forest of Dean Iron Works, also depends on the simultaneous working of the men. produced an excellent metal for this purpose. By Clifford's method the whole appears to be more safely performed by one man, who by slacking off a rope insures the boat being lowered on an even keel." True, Captain Kynaston still retains the only seamanlike way of suspending a boat, that is, by her usual tackles, and these tackles require the attendance of the usual men on board. The process of disengaging is performed by one man in the boat, is instantaneous, and completely in his power, whenever the time has arrived; moreover, whether the men on board lower simultaneously or not, directly the disengaging line is let go, the boat must enter the water on an even keel. Mr. Clifford's plan requires one man nominally, it is also true; this of itself might be of advantage, were it not for the great sacrifice entailed by the use of "single pendants," and the safety they compromise. It need not therefore be a matter of surprise, that when Mr. Bessemer first proposed to convert crude pig iron into malleable iron, while in a fluid state, and to retain the fluidity of the metal for a sufficient time to admit of its being cast into moulds, without the employment of any fuel in the process, his proposition was looked upon by many as a chimera, or as the mere day-dream of an enthusiast; but it was nevertheless fully recognised and supported by The form of converting vessel which had been many of the scientific men of the day. The same found most suitable, somewhat resembled the deep conviction of the truth on which the new glass retort used by chemists for distillation. process was based, and which led Mr. Bessemer to It was mounted on axes, and was lined with bring it before the British Association in 1856, Ganister" or road drift, which lasted during the had since determined him (in spite of the opinions conversion of thirty or forty charges of steel, and then pronounced against the process) to pursue was then quickly and cheaply repaired, or renewed. one undeviating course, until the present time, The vessel was brought into an inclined position, and to remain silent for years, under the expressed to receive the charge of crude iron, during which doubts of those who predicted its failure, rather time the tuyeres were above the surface of the than again bring forward the invention until it metal. As soon as the whole charge was run in, had been practically and commercially worked, the vessel was moved on its axes, so as to bring and there had been produced by it both iron and the tuyeres below the level of the metal, when the steel of a quality which could not be surpassed process was at once brought into full activity, and by any iron or steel made by the tedious and ex- twenty small, though powerful, jets of air sprung pensive processes now in general use. The want upwards through the fluid mass; the air, expandof success which attended some of the early ex- ing in volume, divided itself into globules, or periments was erroneously attributed, by some per- burst violently upwards, carrying with it a large sons, to the "burning" of the metal, and by others quantity of the fluid metal, which again fell back to the absence of cinder, and to the crystalline into the boiling mass below. The oxygen of the condition of cast metal. It was almost needless to air appeared, in this process, first to produce the say, that neither of the causes assigned had any- combustion of the carbon contained in the iron, and thing to do with the failure of the process in those at the same time to oxydise the silicum, producing cases where failure had occurred. Chemical inves-silicic acid, which, uniting with the oxide of iron, tigation soon pointed out the real source of difficulty. It was found, that although the metal could be wholly decarbonised, and the silicum be removed, the quantity of sulphur and of phosphorus was but little affected; and as different samples were carefully analysed, it was ascertained that red shortness was always produced by sulphur, obtained by the combustion of a small quantity of 1st. The boat cannot be disengaged ad libitum, or until she has run her whole length of pendants off the roller. For a trial like the Paramatta's, the length of pendant is easily adjusted to the height of the boat's suspension from the water; but at sea not only does the ship's draught of water change with the consumption of coal, but there is such a thing as a weather and a lee side, which have the same effect. If the boat be lowered from the weather side, the chances are she will disengage herself before her time; if from the lee, she will necessarily have more pendant to get rid of; this sometimes leads to accidents. 2nd. If the pendants become saturated with moisture, and stiff, they either require the assistance of sundry of the crew to overhaul them, to ensure the boat descending on an even keel, or (as it has frequently happened with our large men-ofwar) they break during the process, and throw their crew overboard. If a pendant hangs after the boat has entered the water, she becomes immediately swamped, and her crew probably drowned. I fear an instance of this even might be cited. 3rd. There is great vibration attached to lowering a boat with single ropes, and she is apt in a seaway to be stove against the ship's side; in this latter event Mr. Clifford's boat is helpless, and may be dashed to pieces before the proper tackles can be overhauled down for rehoisting her; on the other hand, Captain Kynaston, by retaining the usual tackles, has completely guarded against a similar evil. 4th. Mr. Clifford's plan of lowering in the boat is a great incentive to deserting a ship in time of difficulty fatal facility indeed! 5th. There is as much danger attending the hoisting a boat in a seaway as in lowering, from the liability of one or other of the tackles to become unhooked-Mr. Clifford makes no provision for this, Captain Kynaston does. 6th. When hoisted at the davits, the single pendants are not sufficient for a boat's security. It is necessary to back them up with the tackles, or else with slip-stoppers. In either case the lowering must be retarded. Our best naval officers moreover agree that, in large ships more especially, Mr. Clifford's pendants, after a short use, are untrustworthy, through the use of the nip-sheaves. I remain, Gentlemen, your obedient servant, In the time of Queen Elizabeth, ships were armed with "built-up" cannon of rude fabrication, harmless in comparison with the "built-up' rifled gun of the present period. There were also, in the time of Elizabeth, fire-ships, which did good service in the defeat of the Spanish Armada. The fire-ships of the English were, on that occasion, towed by active row-galleys into contact with the slow and huge Spanish ships, which suffered greatly by that method of destruction. Something analogous to such mode of warfare would be the employment of submarine explosive shells, which do their work some feet under, instead of upon, the surface of the water. By steam-vessels, adapted to the service of these engines, they can with ease, and with destructive effect, be towed into contact with large ships armed with cannon and of inferior speed. In the Museum at Canterbury is deposited, for public inspection, a submarine explosive shell, to which I would most earnestly direct the attention of engineers and mechanics; who, by taking the matter in hand, may gain such attention as to prevent a useless expenditure of labour and skill upon vessels armed with any kind of gun or projectile at present known, which would in combat at sea prove no match for vessels, of comparatively trifling cost, armed with submarine explosive shells. I am, Gentlemen, yours obediently, APPLICATION OF BALLOONS TO WAR TO THE EDITORS OF THE 66 MECHANICS' MAGAZINE." GENTLEMEN,-Seeing in your number of the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE of the 27th of May an article on balloons and their application to war purposes, it has struck me that if a balloon was elevated to a suitable height, and there held by a rope to the earth, that this rope by having a wire in the core of it, and Lord specimens of woods from the Zambesi brought home by Mr. Mc Leod, late Consul at Mozambique, and several maps of the seat of war, &c., were exhibited to the meeting. The papers read were by Captain R. F. Burton, F.R.G.S., and Captain J. H. Speke, F.R.G.S., on "Explorations in Eastern Africa." A general résumé of the proceedings of the expedition having been given, the subject was divided under three headsfirst, in explanation of the map of the country between Zanzibar and Lake Tanganyika, in the interior: secondly, description of the lake itself; and thirdly, discovery of the Lake Nyanza, or sources of the Nile. ; An animated discussion followed the reading of the papers in which the President, Sir R. Murchison, Mr. Marqueen, Colonel Sykes, Mr. Danby Seymour, and Captains Burton and Speke took part; and the thanks of the society having been voted to the authors, the meeting adjourned to the 27th instant. INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS. May 10 and 17.-John Hawkshaw, Esq., Vice. Kingsbury's Paper "On the Victoria (London) President, in the chair. The discussion upon Mr. Docks," and upon Mr. Harrison's Paper "On the Tyne Docks," occupied both evenings. As the papers and the discussion would shortly be published in extenso in the "Minutes of Proceedings," it was con sidered unnecessary to print an abstract of the dis cussion. Law Cases. VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT, June 9.-(Before ViceChancellor Sir W. Page Wood.) June 8.-At a weekly Council held on this day, the Right Hon. Lord Berners, Trustee, in the chair. A letter from Mr. R. Wainwright was read relative to a compound that he stated he had discovered to be unusually fertilising. The Council expressed their willingness to receive any further particulars he might wish to communicate. Mr. H. Smythies, of Auckland, New Zealand, addressed an inquiry to the Council as to whether they were in possession of any remedy (poisonous or otherwise) against a small caterpiller, which he stated passes over the face of the country in swarms during hot dry summers and devours all vegetation. A communication from Mr. Greenwood, of Abermant, Brecon, was read relative to an insect that had destroyed his Mangel Wurzel corp. This insect is not seen during the day-time, and the specimens which were placed on the table had been collected very early in the morning. Berners stated that his bailiff had found the Mangel plant on his lordship's estate caten all over when about an inch high by a similar insect. Professor Simonds stated that his Mangel plants had been attacked by an underground grub. The Council direc ted the insects to be forwarded to Mr. Curtis, the entomologist, for examination, and also desired it to Mr. Rolt, Mr. Hindmarch, and Mr. W. Morris be stated in the reports of the proceedings of the moved on behalf of the defendants that the injunction meeting, that the Society would be obliged by any awarded against them on the 21st of March, 1857, by further information on this subject from the members this Court, to restrain them from importing and or others whose Mangel crops had suffered in a selling metallic capsules of the same or the like similar manner to those above named, and in case any material as that described in the specification of the successful remedy had been discovered by an account plaintiff's patent might be dissolved, and that an of its nature and mode of application. Mr. White- inquiry might be directed as to the damages sushead transmitted copies of the prospectus of the" Cot-tained by the defendants by reason of the injunc tage Improvement Society," 18 Adam Street, Strand. tion, and that the amount might be paid to them by Baron de Cetto, of the Bavarian Legation, trans- the plaintiff. mitted copies of the Transactions and Almanac of the Agricultural Society of Bavaria. The thanks of the Council were ordered for the above communications, as also for the Journal of the Statistical Society, the Transactions of the Entomological Society and the American Geographical and Statistical Society, which were placed on the table. The Council then adjourned. ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. June 13.-A crowded meeting of the above Society President, in the chair. took place at Burlington-house, the Earl of Ripon, Among those present were the Earls of Airlie and Sheffield, Lord Strangford, Sir Roderick Murchison, General d'Oxholm, Generals Sir G. Pollock, Portlock, Monteith, and Cannon; Admirals Sir G. Back and Gordon; Sir J. P. K. Shuttleworth, Sir H. Willoughby, Sir T. Fremantle, Sir C. Fellows, Mr. T. Bazley, M.P., Mr. H. A. Bruce, M.P., Mr. R. W. Grey, M.P., Mr. A. Russell, M. P., Mr. Danby Seymour, M.P., Mr. J. A. Warre, M.P., the Hon. G. Waldegrave, Captains the Hon. H. A. Murray, Collinson, and Craufurd, R.N.; Colonels Sykes, Everest, Lane Fox, Cocks, and Landon; Majors Stokes and Cooke; the Master of Clare College; Archdeacon Raymond; Messrs. Osborne Smith, C. White, Arrowsmith Findlay, &c. ELECTIONS.-Lieutenant-General P. De la Motte, Tyler, Professor Hind (of Canada), John F. Bateman, C.B., Captain R. F. Burton, Captain W. Fraser C.E., A. Benson Dickson, Christian Hellmann, Henry Johnson, Coleridge Kennard, Daniel A. Lange, Walter D. Leslie, F. Butler Montgomerie, W. Moon, Stephen W. Silver, and Edward W. Stafford, Esqrs., were elected Fellows. PROPOSALS.-The Duke of Newcastle, the Earl of Elgin, the Earl of Airlie, the Hon. Robert Marsham, Major Henry Cracroft, Captain Philip D. Margesson, R.A., George Barclay, Fred. W. Bigge, H. Austin Bruce, M.P., R. A. Osborn Dalyell (Consul at Erzeroum), George Fitz Roy, William Fryer, Charles P. Grenfell, M.P., W. Vernon Harcourt, H. G. R. Robinson (Governor of Hong Kong), and William H. Smith, Esqrs., were proposed as candidates for elec tion. EXHIBITIONS.-Specimens of the weapons, manufactures, and natural productions, brought by Captains Burton and Speke from Eastern Africa, and likewise BETTS V. MENZIES. metallic capsules for securing the corks of bottles has The patent claimed by the plaintiff in respect of been the subject of much protracted litigation, both at common law and in equity, and it will be sufficient to state that upon a recent application to the Court of Queen's Bench for leave to enter the verdict recorded in the second trial for the defendant, the application was on the 30th of May last unanimously granted, on the ground that the plaintiff's patent was bad for want of originality, and was in effect defeated by a patent for a similar invention taken out by one Dobbs as far back as 1804. Under these circumstances the defendants moved to dissolve the injunction. Mr. Willcock, Mr. T. H. Terrell, and Mr. Webster, for the plaintiff, opposed the motion, and contended that matters ought at least to be left in statu quo until the plaintiff's appeal from the Court of Queen's Bench to the Exchequer Chamber had been decided. They also contended that the legal question had been left undetermined by the Court of Queen's Bench, the defendants having raised an extraneous issue upon the construction of the rival specifications of Dobbs and Betts, upon which question alone that Court had given judgment, without adverting to the more material issues in the cause which had been decided by a jury in favour of the plaintiff. Mr. Hindmarsh replied. The Vice-Chancellor said that prima facie there were the strongest possible grounds for dissolving the until the decision of the appeal from the Court of injunction, but the question in reality was whether, Queen's Bench, which would be heard in December next, there was such a case on the part of the defendant as would induce the Court to dissolve the injunction in the meantime. The plaintiff, by the concurrent decision of judge and jury, was admitted to be plainly and clearly the inventor of the process. He had also enjoyed for a long time an undisputed possession, until one of his own servants found his way to Belgium, and there described the process. It subsequently appeared that some 45 years before a patent for a similar invention had been taken out by one Dobbs, but everybody supposed that it was the patent of the plaintiff which was being invaded, and the defendant, it would seem, thought so too. There was considerable contest as to whether Dobbs ever did make any use of the invention which he wrote down on paper. It was said that he nor any one else could avail himself of the invention, as he had de oxide of manganese, or the oxide of zine and the The Attorney-General, Mr. Montagu Chambers, of them only. JUNE 11. The arguments for the plaintiff were necessarily The sur patent. The alleged infringement was Our Weekly Gossip. The WE understand that in order to have an authoritative scribed it, until Betts took out his patent. There was evidence on both sides; but, at any rate, the issue was very distinctly raised as to whether Dobbs ever invented it all, and the jury found that he had not. His Honour, after adverting to the proceedings upon the various trials at law, said that, with respect to the recent judgment of the Court of Queen's Bench, it was a matter that weighed greatly with him. He was not sitting to review that decision, nor even to express any opinion upon it. But was there such a bona fide ground for an appeal that he ought to allow things to remain in statu quo rather than dissolve the injunction? Unless there were strong grounds for showing that the appeal was frivolous and merely interposed for purposes of delay, the Court must uphold the injunction until the trial at law was concluded, and that it was finally concluded could not be said until the appeal was determined. If the case were to be appealed to the House of Lords the question would be different, as there would then be a delay of two years. He was not in the slightest degree saying that the judgment of the Court of Queen's Bench might not be followed by the Exchequer Chamber; but it was to be observed that Lord Campbell stated that it was "after great doubt and deliberation" that he had come to his decision. Then, he confessed, he was unable to follow his Lordship's language in a part of what he stated as a matter of fact upon the specification. He should at once submit to his Lordship's judment as a matter of law, but he could not but think that there had been some misappropriation of facts, or error in the notes of the judgment, and further, that the attention of the judges had been directed to the question of construction of the specifications and that only. As the matter would merely the plaintiff was confessedly the inventor, and had person by the widest claim or mere assertion might made. With regard to the motives of Government remain undecided for some six months longer, while had the sole enjoyment for a long period, he should stop any future inventor from patenting anything in thus departing from the ordinary practice of em. within the generality of the assertion. The second ploying the agency of a public company, some curiosity specification relied on by the defendants (Laming's) will be felt. Messages on the service of the State will purify coal gas: he gave and claimed a mixture as did not indicate that precipitated oxide of iron would of course have priority over all others; but as the such in which, if taken to operate in the liquid way, undertaking will be constructed with the money of the nation, a proper degree of attention must be paid precipitated oxide of iron was one of the ingredients; had not given to the public the knowledge that pre- the line, when completed, to be worked or leased by a but although he might be entitled to the mixture he authorities may, perhaps, contemplate handing over to commercial requirements. It is surmised that the cipitated oxides alone would succeed, or were, indeed, beyond the mixture he claimed. the active ingredients, and, therefore, he could not go public company or other parties. A decided defect is The plaintiff' made involved, however, in the existing arrangement that the cable shall contain only one wire, the more the discovery of what really would succeed, and disclaimed Laming's mixture. The plaintiff had really especially as, although the line is at present to be invented and first published an invention which had carried only to Gibraltar, its ultimate extension to not been indicated to the public by Laming. That Malta and Alexandria, there to form a junction with the wires to India, is certain and not remote. Until both Croll's and Laming's specifications, when read as a whole, indicated the preparations by the dry be no real security for interests of vast national imthis comprehensive scheme is carried out, there with way, and, therefore, anhydrous oxides-that was contradicted by the defendants' witnesses at the trial, portance, nor will Government be making a proper use of the invaluable appliances placed at their combut the question was one entirely for the jury to made by modern science." decide, therefore the Court ought not to enter a not dissolve the injunction. His Honour, after adverting to the circumstance that the defendant was residence abroad, and that with the exception of Clifford, who employed the process for the ornamentation of coffins, there was no one else to be found who was infringing the patents, directed the motion to stand over until the hearing of the appeal in the Exchequer Chamber. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, June 9.-(Sittings in Banco, before the Lord Chief Baron, Mr. Baron Martin, Mr. Baron Bramwell, and Mr. Baron Watson.) HILLS V. THE LONDON GAS LIGHT COMPANY. THIS was an action for infringing a patent, tried before Mr. Baron Bramwell at Guildford during the Summer Assizes last year, when a verdict was found for the plaintiff. The patent was obtained for certain improvements in the manufacture of gas by taking the subsulphates, the oxychlorides, or the hydrated or precipitated oxides of iron, either by themselves or mixed with sulphate of lime, or sulphate of muriate of magnesia, baryta, strontia, potash, or soda, and absorbing them into or mixing them with sawdust, or peat charcoal, or breeze, or other porous or absorbent material, so as to make a very porous substance easily permeable by the gas. The material was to be put into a purifier and the gas passed through it, depriving it of its sulphuretted hydrogen, cyanogen, and a part of its ammonia, which would be absorbed into the porous material, water being at the same time formed by the union of the oxygen of the oxide and the hydrogen of the sulphuretted hydrogen absorbed. The patent also claimed renovating the material, after it had ceased to purify the gas, by exposure to air. Mr. Bovill moved for and obtained a rule upon several grounds-1. That the plaintiff's invention was not new, by reason of Croll's and Laming's patents, and the disclosures made by their respective specifications. 2. That the plaintiff was not the inventor on similar grounds. 3. That the plaintiff's specification was insufficient and bad, for not specifying which hydrated oxides of iron would answer the purpose, or for claiming all hydrated oxides of iron, though some would not purify gas. 4. That the mere application of hydrated oxide of iron to absorb sulphuretted hydrogen from gas was not the subject of a patent, its properties and effects with reference to sulphuretted hydrogen being previously well known. 5. That the renovation of hydrated oxide of iron by exposure to air being previously well known, its application to purifying gas was not the subject of a patent. At the trial several points were raised by the learned counsel for the defendants, and the most important was, that the subject-matter of the plaintiff's patent was not new, it having been disclosed to the world by Mr. Croll, who in the year 1840 took out a 1for the purification of gas by the use of black verdict for the defendants or direct a non-suit. When Mr. Grove had concluded his arguments, Baron Martin intimated that notice had better be COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Westminster, June 14.- BROWN v. OXLEY AND OTHERS. Mr. Knowles, Q.C., and Mr. Beasley were for the plaintiff; and Mr Hawkins, Q.C., Mr. Karslake, and Mr. Brandt for the defendants. This was an action brought by an architect to recover a large sum of money from the defendants, who are the patantees of a peculiar kind of wheel for the manufacturing of which they had taken premises at King's-cross. Notwithstanding that the establishment of Woolwich Arsenal engaged in the various departments of period, large additions have been made every day war has for some time exceeded that of any former during the past week, consisting principally of men required for preparing guns, shot, shell, and carof obsolete or doubtful stores to be examined and retridges, for use and for exportation, removing stocks cast, and cleaning and burnishing arms and materials of every description which may possibly be brought into sudden requisition. The Times correspondent furnishes the following particulars:-The number of men, women, and lads who daily assemble within the Arsenal at the various working hours, including the contractor's labourers, are calculated at about 12,000 persons. The Royal carriage department and the laboratory employ 6,718 military and civil officers, managers, masters, foremen, artificers, labourers, and others; the gun factories, the military storekeepers, and the inspectors of machinery, about 2,000; the other departiments each a proportionate number, and the contractors about 3,000. A large building is in course of erection at the terminus of the new railway juction in the Arsenal, to be used as a store reception room. The length of the building is stated to be 272 feet, and the breadth 72 feet. The contract has been granted to Mr. Myers, who recently built the pattern room attached to the carriage department. The new branch of Sir W. Armstrong's rifled ordnance depart ment, under contract by Messrs. Lucas Brothers, is progressing rapidly; the tall chimney, intended to serve the machinery, and to be 100 feet high, is far SECONDARY OFFICE, Basinghall-street,-(Before Mr. advanced, and the exterior walls of the factory are Mr. Knowles having opened the case to the jury, it became clear that the case would be more efficiently disposed of by an arbitrator. It was accordingly, after some discussion, referred to Mr. Serjeant Hayes, with full powers to state a case for the opinion of the Court on any points of law which might arise, if he should think fit. Potter.) CARTER v. COCKHEAD. Counsel, Mr. Powell; Solicitors, Messrs. Langley and Gibbon. In this case it was decided that the user of a patent was liable to the patentee in the shape of royalty if he persisted in using the invention after receiving notice of its being an infringement of a ready to receive the iron girders to lay down the first floor. The old Lancaster shell factory, adjoining the building now in progress, is employing 180 smiths. hammermen, and others, and on Saturday commence4 forging the coils to carry out the manufactory of the new rifled ordnance as far as the limits of the present establishment will admit. |