MINE.

appliances, and in such cases miners are often and as a natural consequence he is too fatigued to MAN ENGINE-DEVON GREAT CONSOLS tempted to avail themselves of the skiffs, and commence work with that spirit which he would thereby expose themselves to increased danger. otherwise. We have heard the safety cage advoThe man engine and safety cage are both compara-cated in preference to the man engine on account tively free from danger, and they enable the of its speed, but unless the cage be constructed with very little or no exertion. The muscular a time its rival can compare very favourably with power expended by a miner in descending a ladder it. A comparison of the two systems can easily for a distance of 170 fathoms is very considerable, be made. Our engraving represents an elevation

the to descend to or ascend great depth sufficiently commodious to take a large number

THE only two recognized methods employed to
work with speed and without fatigue are the man
engine and safety cage. It is a reprehensible fact
that many deep mines are without either of those

C

things, namely, first, that there is really a case to be tried at the hearing; and, secondly, that the inspection asked is of material importance to the plaintiff's case as made out by him.

the uncertainty and danger of plain cylindrical
externally-fired boilers, and is another warning
of the danger of this class of boiler. The boiler
had been repeatedly repaired, and as recently as
within a week of its explosion, and in this case The inspection here asked is an inspection of
the rent took place at the seam of rivets at what the defendants do in transmitting and receiv-
which the new work met the old, and which ing messages, and of the whole apparatus they use.
appeared to have been fractured by the recent The defendants say there can be no such inspection
repairs. It is recommended that these trea-without a disclosure of secret invention or inven-
cherous externally-fired boilers should be ex-tions, the disclosure of which would subject them
changed for those of the more reliable internally- to great loss. The plaintiff can have no difficulty
fired class.
in proving what the cable is which the defendants
use, the materials it consists of, and how, when, and
where it was manufactured. A portion of the cable
has, in fact, been produced and proved, and I may
add to that, that it is not even alleged that the
cables are the same; it is quite clear upon the
evidence that the cables are totally different, and
that, in point of fact, the defendants use a cable
with a single conductor.

Two other explosions occurred to boilers of the plain cylindrical externally-fired class through overheating of the plates, the first through a caking of salt deposited by the feed, and the other by the water supply being allowed to run short.

of a man engine, with an enlarged plan of the
landing, which is in daily operation at the Devon
Great Consols Mine. It is employed for descent
to a maximum depth of 170 fathoms, or 1,020ft.,
and is worked by a winding engine by means of
spur gearing. A pin is secured in one arm of the
wheel which acts as a substitute for a crank, a
connecting rod being attached to the pin and to
the balance bob shown in the engraving. A plat-
form is provided in the shaft overy two fathoms,
the under part of which is boarded, funnel shape,
to prevent accident during ascent. A timber rod
Sin. square descends the whole depth provided at
intervals with T-guides at the back. On the face
of this rod are secured steps corresponding with
each of the landings when the rod is at its
maximum height; each step is 18in. long by 15in.
wide, and the openings in the landings are each On August 20, an explosion took place by which
2ft. 3in. by 2ft. The men in ascending occupy seven persons were killed and five others very
one side of the landings, whilst those descending seriously injured, at about half-past six o'clock in
use the opposite side, which obviates any confusion the evening, at a steel and iron works. In conse-
in stepping on and off. It is evident that as the quence of objections being raised, the exact dimen-
stroke of the engine is 12ft., and as it makes five sions of the boiler cannot be given. The boiler,
strokes per minute-which we may remark, en which was heated by the flames passing off from
passant, is the maximum speed to which it should one or more of the iron furnaces, was of double-
be worked, as there must be given suflicient time flued vertical chimney construction, cylindrical in
for the men to step off and on-a man descends at the shell, with flat ends both at the top and bottom.
the rate of 60ft. per minute, and, therefore, takes The cause of the explosion was the defective condi-
1,020 seconds to descend 170 fathoms; and if 100 tion of the boiler, caused by original mal-construc-
men require to descend to that depth the hundredth tion. The flat bottom, instead of being strength-
man will necessarily be 1,188 seconds behind the ened with good gussets tying it to the external
first, and the time required for the whole will be shell, was stayed with diagonal rods connected to
1,188 +1,020 = 2,208 seconds, or 36-8 minutes. the flues, so that there was no tie between the
It must also be remembered that the same number bottom plate and the shell, except at the external
of men can ascend in about the same time. It is ring of angle-iron by which it was attached at the
certain a safety cage can be lowered at a much circumference. In consequence of this defective
greater speed than a man engine can possibly be staying, a deep groove, about 5ft. long, was eaten
worked at with safety, but unless the cage be large in the bottom flat plate, near to the root of the
enough to take a very great number at a time itangle-iron, which reduced the thickness of the
has to make several journeys before the whole of plate to about one-sixteenth of an inch, when the
the men are down; for instance, if it takes ten boiler rent from sheer weakness. Competent in-
men at a time, it must take ten journeys for the spection could not have failed to dectect the groove
100 men down, and the same number up; and to in question. Although at the inquest it was
do it at the speed of the man engine, or in 36-8 stated by a scientific witness that there was nothing
minutes, it would be required to travel at a speed wrong in the construction of the boiler, and that
of 90-1 fathoms per minute, without including the engineer was unnecessarily particular," and
stoppages, which is not a high velocity. But as in that the explosion was accidental, experience
metalliferous mines the men generally work at shows that this is totally false, and that steam boiler
varying depths, and seeing that with the man explosions are not accidental at all, and is another
engine there are no stoppages to be accounted for, instance of the importance of independent periodi-
which, when allowed for in the case of the safety cal inspection, and also that it is high time that
cage, would augment its speed very considerably more searching investigations should be made, and
to bring it on a par with its rival; and seeing the truth more plainly spoken than is at present
that the former requires no attention, and also that the case at coroners' inquests on the occurrence of
it affords facilities for the men to get from one steam boiler explosions, in order to arrest the con-
level to another without any further assistance, it stant recurrence of these sad disasters by which
appears best adapted for metalliferous mining, about seventy-five lives are gratuitously sacrificed
The engine illustrated in our engraving is worked every year.
for half an hour at a time, during which one set of
men descend whilst the others ascend.

MANCHESTER BOILER ASSOCIATION. HE last ordinary monthly meeting of the held at the offices, 41, Corporation-street, Manchester, on Tuesday, September 1, William Fairbairn, Esq., C.E., F.R.S., LL.D., &c., President, in the chair, when Mr. L. E. Fletcher, chief engineer, presented his report, of which the following is an abstract:-During the past month 179 visits have been made, and 441 boilers examined, 294 externally, 10 internally, 9 in the flues, and 128 entirely, while in addition 3 have been tested by hydraulic pressure. In these boilers 124 defects were discovered, 1 of them being dangerous. Furnaces out of shape, 5; fractures, 20; blistered plates, 7; internal corrosion, 32-1 dangerous; external ditto, 12; internal grooving, 13; feed apparatus out of order, 2; water gauges ditto, 2; blow-out apparatus ditto, 12; safety valves ditto, 2; pressure gauges, ditto, 14; without blow-out apparatus, 2; without feed back pressure valves, 1. The following is a statement of explosions from July 25, 1868, to August 21, 1868, inclusive:July 31, plain cylindrical egg-ended, externallyfired-1 killed. July 31, plain cylindrical eggended, horizontal furnace. August 8, portable agricultural-2 killed, 3 injured. August 11, particulars not yet fully ascertained. August 16, particulars not yet fully ascertained-1 killed. August 17, plain cylindrical, egg-ended, externallyfired, 1 killed. August 20, furnace boiler, vertical two-flued-7 killed, 5 injured. Total-12 killed, 8 injured.

The explosion that occurred on July 31, by which one man was killed, took place at ten minutes past two o'clock in the afternoon, at a colliery, and is simply an illustration of

Legal Intelligence.

VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT.
August 3.

(Before Vice-Chancellor GIFFARD.)

PIGGOTT V. THE ANGLO-AMERICAN TELEGRAPH

COMPANY (LIMITED).

ON August 3, this case, which is a suit to restrain
the defendants from infringing the patent of Mr.
Piggott, and which that gentleman has been
advertising frequently of late, came on before Vice-
Chancellor Giffard, at Lincoln's Inn.

Counsel for the plaintiffs, Mr. Druce, Q.C., and
Mr. Lawson. Counsel for the defendants, Sir
Roundell Palmer, Q.C., Mr. Wickens, and Mr.
Theodore Aston.

Now, that being so, let us just see what the plaintiff's invention is. I am not at all going to say that the plaintiff's patent is bad-for aught I know it may be an exceedingly good patent, and I proceed entirely upon that assumption. First of all, of course it is not enough to allege a title of a patent; the title is wide enough for anything, but when we come to the provisional specification, it is this:-" The manufacture of a cable composed of two or more copper wires as a centre or core, embedded or worked into well-tarred hemp or other fibrous material, which will be covered with a coating of iron wire, and then by connecting two of the inner or copper wires with a recording instrument at the receiving station, and bringing either end of the same in contact with the outer wires of the cable at the sending station, signals will be immediately transmitted.'

The essence of that specification, beyond all question, is the cable; that is the provisional specification, and the essence of it is two or more copper wires with probably tarred hemp and a coating of iron wire.

Then when we come to the complete specification, we have it stated thus, "this invention has for its object improvements in the mode of obtaining or generating electric currents in combination with telegraph cables or wires. It has hitherto been the practice to generate the electric currents required for submarine cables by means of a battery or magnetic apparatus at the sending end, the galvanic or magnetic current evolved being of sufficient force to produce its effect on an instrument at the other end of the cable or receiving station. Now, currents of electricity or magnetism, as is well known, in this passage through the wire, excite within it a resistance which increases according to certain ratio between the distance and force. Thus, however well a cable or wire may preserve its insulation for a short distance when the electric charge has to be augmented, in order to reach a station more remote, the resistance consequent upon this increase of the force produces a leakage, and thence sooner or later the failure of the current to arrive at the distant station. My mode of remedying this defect consists in the novelty of so constructing the cable that it shall at all times retain a static electric charge, or, in other words, so that a cable or the wire or wires of a telegraph cable may co-operate as agent with the generating surface, by which means such cable or wire or wires will be kept in a constant static condition, and consequently will require but very small power for the production of the required force." There you have a cable, unquestionably. "In carrying out the invention I employ various elements and combination of elements for the production of voltaic currents, and these may be varied according to the circumstances.

After hearing the arguments of Mr. Druce and Mr. Lawson in support of an application by the plaintiffs for an order giving leave to the plaintiff's "In the mode of constructing a cable capable of and their agents to inspect the modes of working generating currents of electricity, and of effecting the defendant's cables at Valentia and Newfound-reverse currents when required, I propose to make Land, and the instruments employed, the Vice-a copper or other wire circuit in the cable, placing Chancellor, without calling upon the defendant's the instrument or galvanometer in such circuit at counsel for any reply, pronounced the following judgment:

In patent cases, inspection is, I believe, much more readily granted by courts of equity than by courts of law, but it never has been treated as a matter of absolute right, nor have the courts of equity ever considered themselves as precluded from exercising a reasonoble discretion, regard being had to the circumstances of each particular case. In some cases, as in the sewing machine case, nothing is asked to be seen which is not openly exhibited to the whole world; in others, trade secrets are alleged, and although trade secrets would afford no ground whatever for refusing inspection if the ends of justice require that inspection should be granted, the Court, in my opinion, ought to be satisfied of two

the distant station, this wire circuit to be partially insulated and each half of the circuit to be separate one from the other, and from metallic contact with each other, and worked into a strand or strands of hemp saturated with a solution of the chlorides of one of the following salts." Then the salts are mentioned. "The cable so far constructed may then have a covering of a metal wire or wires of a different electric property or condition from that of which the metal circuit is made, producing_in this manner a static condition of such cable. The outer wires may be covered with hemp," and so on. Then it is stated that the cable is capable of producing its effect at a distant station.

Then there is another mode of carrying out the invention, which is stated, and that is a different

these works. If it is attempted to get at discovery
by means of the answer, it will be sufficient to deal
with that when the time comes, but I shall be sur-
prised if the Court cannot find a way of protecting
the defendants from that unless the plaintiff can
make a very different case to that which he has
made.

and fig. 4 an elevation showing the interior of the expanding case in which the forming roller revolves. This machine is constructed with a forming roller A, on the top of which is situated a pressure or feed roller B. Both of these rollers are carried in the bearings, so that the metallic cases may be easily case frame or headstock C and overhang their removed from the rollers when they are formed. For this purpose the spindle D of the lower or forming roller A is hollow or tubular, into which

cable, a cable that is called a ganglionic cable, and if that means anything, the essence of the invention appears to be two descriptions of cable, and it may be that a distinct portion of the first cable consists in there being a covering which has different electric properties to the core. Then the description of the drawings describes the cables . and nothing else, and that which is claimed is the method of giving a static charge to a cable, and the means by which this is accomplished, as is set MANUFACTURE OF CYLINDRICAL METAL there is fitted a rod E, and on the end of this rod forth, and the manner in which I construct my generators, and which are equally capable of being used either on land or sea, submerged in sea or other water, for telegraphs, and which may be used for other purposes."

CASES.

WHEN We consider the extensive demand in and by means of the rod E and dise Feise being re

and cans we must concede that their complete productrade and manufacture for cylindrical tin cases tion by machinery would be a boon to both manuUpon that state of things I cannot hesitate to facturers and the public, by economizing the cost of say that if the cables are totally different-and an article which is generally worthless after the totally different they are-there would not be a first use. The machine illustrated in our engraving case to try at the hearing of this cause, and, be- has been invented, and is in use, for this purpose sides that, as far as I can see, I cannot say that by Messrs. Henderson and Mackintosh, of Aberdeen. the discovery, always assuming that the cables are It bends sheets of tinned iron plate or other metal totally different, would be of the slightest use to solders them whilst on the cylinders. The metallic to the required shape on cylinders, and effectually the plaintiff. The only real point upon the cable plates are introduced between two rollers, the upper which at all struck me was this, that a portion of roller being acted upon by a spring, and the under the novelty connected with this cable is stated to roller round which the plates pass has a check or be the having a coating which has different electric groove upon its surface which forms the seam upon properties to the core. Now, if we turn to Mr. each plate. The lower roller moves in a hollowedLatimer Clark's affidavit-I do not propose to go out case with a clearance for the plates to pass free, through it all, but it has not been met in any way and as soon as the plate has the cylindrical form im-we find that Mr. Latimer Clark says most posi-parted to it the solder is applied by soldering bolts tively, and it is not denied, that from the very be- having an automatic parallel action. These bolts ginning of the making of cables, which long pre- in any given arc of their revolution, the solder pot are so formed that their points remain perpendicular ceded this patent, in all cases the coating had being placed in such contiguous position that on different electric properties to the core. In that being turned back the bolt dips sufficiently deep to state of things I want to know what there really lift the supply necessary for each seam. is to try at the hearing of this cause; and as to the This machine is specially applicable to the manuplaintiff having an opportunity of knowing exactly facture of cases whose seams require soldering, but what the cable is, it being, from the time it has it is equally applicable to the manufacture of cases been laid down, a thing as well known at Charing- with overlapping seams which require no soldering cross as any conceivable thing, and it being sworn, by simply modifying the form of check on the caseand not at all denied, that there has always been forming roller, the parts to be so bent having their used a single conductor extending from end to end, ends first bent over before being put into the machine in such a case as that, it being sworn that there so as to fit into a groove formed in the bending roller, are trade secrets-and I doubt not that there are of the cylinder for the purpose of imparting the into which they are compressed during the revolution trade secrets-I should be committing a gross in- cylindrical form. justice if, at the mere idle request, for it is nothing more, of this plaintiff I ordered an inspection of

In our engraving, fig. 1 is a side elevation; fig. 2 a vertical section; fig. 3 a vertical transverse section,

which projects into the interior of the forming roller A a metallic disc faced or not with wood F is fixed, turned to the interior of the roller by means of the pushed off the forming roller A, the disc being respiral spring a, the collar b preventing it going too far. The bearing of the top roller B is lined with an eccentric tubular bush G, which is turned by the lever H, so that the distance between the rollers may be regulated according to the thickness of the metal of which the cases are being made.

To provide for inequalities in the thickness of the is placed on the top of the excentric bush G, the metal being used, a metallic or india-rubber spring e required amount of pressure being applied by the set screw d. The rollers are turned by the lever I and the pinions J, or by a cord passing round the pulley K, actuating the toothed wheel L; when the cord and pulley is not in use the wheel L is drawn out of gear with the pinions J by sliding the spindle back in the slot of the bracket M, shown more particularly at fig. 5. The lower or forming roller A is enclosed in jaws N fitted in the slides fon the sole means of a cord passing over the pulley O; one end plate. The jaws are pressed against the roller by

end to a weight or treadle; when the pressure i relieved the jaws are pushed open by the spiral springs e, figs. 3 and 4. The metallic plates are fed into the machine from the table Q, which is furnished with a ledge h on each side, one of which is grooved so that the plates may be prevented from twisting as they are drawn in by the rollers. The machine is supported in a ball-and-socket joint R provided with a pinching screw P, fig. 3, so that it can be turned into any convenient position for allowing the solder to run free upon and into the joint.

of the cord is attached to the bracket P, and the other

The mode of operating with the machine is as follows:-The sheet of metal is placed on the feed table Q, the end of it being inserted into a groove formed in the steel plate S of the forming roller A;

the machine is now turned by the handle I or the pulley K, and the case is formed in the annular space between the roller A and the jaws N. As the annular space is only sufficient to allow one thickness of metal to pass as soon as one revolution is performed and the lap of the joint arrives at the point the top or pressure roller B is released by turning the excentric tube, and the bent plate now being released from pressure springs from the lower roller and against the interior of the case, thus allowing the lap edge of the plate to leave the groove in the steel plate S as the roller passes a little further round, thus giving a solid part of the roller to the seam to be soldered. The bottom is now put on, and to permit of this being done conveniently the end of the canister is allowed to project a little beyond the rollers.

The side seam is soldered, the edge of the plate being held down by the spring or ductor 0 (figs. 3 and 6), which is screwed to the excentric bearing G. The jaws N are now released and pushed open; the top roller is also lifted by the excentric bush G turned by the lever H, figs. 2 and 5. The forming roller A is now perfectly free, and can be turned into any convenient position for soldering the bottom; when that is done the canister is pushed off the rollers by the disc F, being pushed out by the rod E. For some purposes it is preferred to fit the lid or cover of the canister inside, and when so fitted a crease is formed round the mouth of the case by a similar form of grooves and projections being given to the neck of the rollers, as shown at n, fig. 2. The jaws are now closed, and the feed roller B is brought back to its position by turning back the lever H until it comes in contact with the stop or set screw w, which is set in the arc T, fig. 5, to preserve the same space between the rollers while working with the same thickness of metal; another sheet of metal is now put in, and the operation proceeds as before.

The soldering of the cases may be done in the ordinary manner by hand bolts or by the apparatus shown in figs. 7 and 8, in which the bolt A is held in clips B carried upon the levers C, which can be turned round on their horizontal axes and applied to the canister, as shown dotted at fig. 8, the solder being held in the pot D. On fig. 2, the forming cylinder A is shown perforated, so that in soldering the heat may not be abstracted too rapidly from the solder, or the roller may be formed of or covered with wood. A steel plate is fitted on the top of one of the jaws, as the solder does not adhere so readily to steel. This apparatus is also applicable for making canisters in which the joints are not soldered, but the edges are made to clasp each other, convenient grooves being formed in the rollers to suit the form of joint.

Correspondence.

COATING PIPES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE "MECHANICS' MAGAZINE."
SIR-If you, or some of your correspondents,
would kindly give in the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE
some information on the process of coating metal
pipes with an alkaline silicate, so as to prevent cor-
rosion, it would much oblige.-I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
September 2.
A SUBSCRIBER.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

THE MECHANICS' MAGAZINE is sent post-free to subscribers of £1 18. 8d. yearly, or 10s. 10d. half-yearly payable in advance.

All literary communications should be addressed to the Editor of the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE. Letters relating to the advertising and publishing departments should be ad dressed to the publisher, Mr. R. Smiles, MECHANICS' MAGAZINE Office, 166, Fleet-street, London.

To insure insertion in the following number, advertisements should reach the office not later than 5 o'clock on Thursday evening.

We must absolutely decline attending to any communiwriter, not necessarily for insertion, but as a proof of good cations unaccompanied by the name and address of the

faith.-ED. M. M.

Advertisements are inserted in the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE at the rate of Gd. per line, or 5d. per line for 13 insertions, or 4d. per line for 26 insertions. Each line consists of about 10 words. Woodcuts are charged at the same rate as type. Special arrangements made for large advertiseMICA POWDER.-A correspon lent wishes to obtain the address of some person who will supply him with mica in powder. Perhaps some of our readers can supply the required information.

ments.

RECEIVED.-H. A. F.-W. J. C.-C. F. D.-J. A. I.— W. H. S.-J. W. S.-G. R. F.-J. I. S.-J. S.-W. A. B.T. F. P.-W. H. L.-R. J. E.-R. J. V.-S. B. F.-J. G. A. -C. A. N.-J. S.-G. J. H.-W. H. M.-T. R. C.-J. W. O. G. F. S.-R. T. S.-S. I. P.-F. J. B.-H. E. T.-W. J. W.W. S. and Co.-H. A. L.

AN elaborate report has arrived from the German eclipse expedition at Aden. The expedition has been a decided success. Six photographs were taken of the protuberances on the disc of the sun, only two of which were partially impaired by streaky clouds passing over the sky.

Habal, Military, and Gunnery Items. lina and Eastern Georgia is much damaged by heavy

A HOISTING and graving dock for repairing ships
was launched in the Tagus on Monday last.
THE Prussians have organized at Berlin an army
medical department, with a sanitary branch similar
to that which is located at Whitehall.

It is reported that the cotton crop in South Carorains. The rinderpest is spreading in the West and South.

The quantity of sovereigns issued from the Sydney Mint averages fully 35,000 a week, or nearly 1,800,000 a year, besides from 500,000 to 1,000,000 half-sovereigns.

A LADY informs the "Leamington Chronicle" that she has recently seen the humming bird in Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Warwickshire. The plumage was of a reddish brown, speckled upon the back with

white.

THE medical officers belonging to the Indian army are much aggrieved that no recognition of their special services in the Abyssinian campaign has been made, whilst their confreres in the Royal army have received fair and liberal honours. A RICH and extensive gold field, lately discovered THE Parsons' converted rifled 8-inch gun (ori-in Queensland, and known as Gympie's Creek, has ginally a cast-iron 68-pounder) has been fired during attracted many diggers, and the general rush made the past week at Shoeburyness with heavy charges from some of the worked out fields has left some of of 30lb. of powder and 150lb. projectiles, and has them wholly deserted. endured up to the present time thirty-one rounds without injury.

A SHOCK of earthquake was felt on the coast of New South Wales on June 18. The "Sydney WE ("Army and Navy Gazette ") are informed Morning Herald" says that the motion does not that the Thames Shipbuilding Company are to be appear to have been violent, or to have been perentrusted with the construction of an iron armour-ceived by a large proportion of the population. plated cupola ship for the defence of Bombay Harbour. This ship is, out of compliment to Lord Napier and his Abyssinian comrades, to be called the " Magdala."

IN consequence of the favourable reports made to the Admiralty of the working of Captain Scott's training gear, an order has been received at Chatham Dockyard, from Whitehall, directing that all guns of nine tons weight and upwards are to be fitted with Captain Scott's training gear, and guns of six and a-half tons weight with the rope winch gear. THERE is still a dearth of naval medical officers, and at the medical schools the unpopularity of the service increases. The recent case of Dr. Stirling, who was sent home" by the commodore at the Cape upon, it is believed, unjustifiable grounds, has tended to foster the disinclination on the part of the better class of medical men to become the servants of the Admiralty.

AT the annual dinner or "feast" given by the Master Cutler of Sheffield, on Thursday, September 3, Mr. E. J. Reed, Chief Constructor of the Navy, stated that when he first joined the Admiralty ne gun weighed more than 3 tons, while now the "Hercules," which is being constructed at Chatham, would carry an armament of guns weighing 18 tons; and Mr. Reed said that a maximum of 25 tons would shortly be reached.

OUR readers can now judge for themselves of the immense size of the roof of the Midland Railway station, as the whole of the girders are erected, and the majority of the vast structure is slated and glazed.

THE number of visitors to the Patent Office Museum, South Kensington, for the week ending September 5, was 7,035. Total number since the opening of the Museum, free daily (12th May, 1858), 1,381,774.

THE exceptional temperature has this year produced splendid fruit in places where it seldom ripens. At Chatel, in Switzerland, 3,500ft. above the level of the sea, where vines and peach trees scarcely ever yield, grapes and peaches have this year been abundant and delicious.

A TELEGRAM from Alexandria announces that the new line of railway between that city and Suez, via Azazich, was opened on Tuesday last, and that passengers by the next India mail will proceed by this route, which occupies only ten hours, including stoppages.

THE number of visitors to the South Kensington Museum during the week ending September 5, 1868, was-On Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, free, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., 19,320; on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (admission 6d.), from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m., 2,044; total-21,364. Average of correDURING the heavy wind which prevailed on Wed-sponding week in former years, 11,145. Total from nesday morning, the great Bermuda floating dock, the opening of the Museum-7,745,241. which was anchored at Saltpan Reach, about two miles from Sheerness, dragged her anchors for some distance. No particulars have as yet been received, the men sent not having returned. It is probable that the dock is securely anchored, but a number of men remained on board, the wind still continuing high.

SEVERAL gentlemen (says the "South London News") have recently determined on meeting the present railway difficulty by trying the experiment of journeying from the outlying districts to the outskirts of town by the aid of velocipedes, after the fashion recently adopted in the neighbourhood of Paris. One expert traveller has proved the possibility of outstripping the steam horse by gliding

The iron-clad ship "Sultan," 13, 5,226 tons,
1200-horse power (nominal), the latest of the broad-along at the rate of fifteen miles per hour.
side armour-plated ships designed by Mr. E. J. Reed,
C.B., is being pushed forward at Chatham Dockyard,
and although only commenced on the 1st ultimo, so
rapidly has she advanced under the operations of the
large number of mechanics and shipwrights em-
ployed on her, that in addition to her inner and
outer bottom getting well forward to completion, a
number of her broadside frames are already fitted in
place.

A GREAT gun of Mohammed, weighing nineteen
tons, presented to the Queen by the Sultan of
Turkey, has arrived at Woolwich, and has been
placed by artillerymen outside the Rotunda, Wool-
wich Common. It has been brought over in H.M.S.
"Terrible" by Captain Commerell, R.N., and is
accompanied by some stone shot weighing 6701b.
Her Majesty has sent, in acknowledgment of the
present of this ancient piece of ordnance, one of the
more modern wrought-iron guns of the Royal
Arsenal with shot, ammunition, and gun carriage
complete.

DURING the last month not fewer than 1,000 men

A MEETING of the Association of German Civil Engineers was held at Dusseldorf recently. The association numbers 1,500 members, of whom about 500 were present. Among the most important motions was one to the effect that a series of experiments on a very large scale should be undertaken with a view to the investigation of the whole subject of the bursting of boilers, and the means for its pre

vention.

IT is proposed, says the "New York Times," to use the word photogram in lieu of photograph. Telegram has now been firmly established in our language. Stereogram is another word which might be advantageously substituted for a "stereoscopic slide." We have done our part lately to bring into use the verb cabled, as applied to a message over the Atlantic cable. It is proper to say "it has been cabled," instead of "it has been telegraphed over the Atlantic cable."

A CONFERENCE of three local boards at Leamington has just decided to unite the three parishes for sewage purposes. The conference has further decided in favour of irrigation in consequence of the failure junctions against the pollution of the river by of the lime-deodorizing works and the threatened in

sewage outfall. 400 acres are said to be necessary for irrigation, and the works will cost about £40,000. Warwick has adopted irrigation on 100 acres, at a

have been discharged from the Woolwich dockyard
the result being a great depression of trade in the
and the several departments of the Royal Arsenal,
locality owing to the wages thus lost. At the close
of the Crimean war, when many thousands of artizans
were discharged, a committee of the leading inhabi-
tion of emigration, and a large number of workmen
tants was formed, and a fund raised for the promo-cost of £10,000.
and their families were sent out to Canada. It has
been suggested that a similar movement at the pre-
sent time would be productive of the most beneficial
results.

Miscellanea.

THE Great Eastern," it is expected, will shortly leave Liverpool for Sheerness.

A LARGE steamer has been successfully built and launched at Shanghae. She will be employed on the Yangtze.

THE Fell Railway over Mont Cenis is now perfectly restored to working order. On Saturday last the regular service of trains was resumed.

NEWS received from the German North Pole Expedition, dated the 19th of July, when the steamer "Germania" had reached 80.30 North lat., states that the expedition had proceeded with the explorers 100 miles N.E. of Bear Island, where the expedition arrived on July 5, whilst the Swedish expedition reached there only on the 22nd of the same month, and remained until the 27th. The "Germania" having taken in fresh water proceeded thence in a northerly direction. The weather was fine.

SOME men were engaged blasting in the Dorking Greystone Lime Company's quarries at Betchworth a few days ago, and had retired to shelter themselves behind a truck while the fuse went off. The man who lighted the fuse had a small piece left in his hand; this he threw away, and unfortunately it fell into a barrel of gunpowder which was standing close by. A tremendous explosion followed, and

he men who were in close proximity to the barrel were fearfully burnt, two very dangerously, and one man had his eye blown out. They were speedily removed to their respective houses, where they received medical attention.

THREE of the largest rope cables ever manufactured, each 101 fathoms in length, were completed by the hands employed in the ropery at Chatham Dockyard, on Saturday last. The cables are intended to be used in towing the monster floating iron dock "Bermuda," now in the Medway, out to Bermuda. Each of the cables is 26in. in circumference, and together with the shackles and equipment complete, weighs seven tons. The largest rope cables now in use in the Royal Navy are 194in. in circumference. Notwithstanding their enormous size, the cables were manufactured by means of the ordinary machinery in use in the ropery at Chatham Dockyard, the whole operation being completed without a hitch of any kind.

547 W. and J. COOKE. Improvements in the manufacture
of finished irons. Dated February 19, 1868.
This invention relates to certain improvements in the
manufacture of finished irons for spring iron, puddled
steel rails, slabs, tyres, and all kinds of merchant irons.
The patentees make use of an ordinary cupola, to which
is attached a refinery with tuyeres for blowing cold or hot
air. The cupola is charged with coke or charcoal, or both
combined, and crude iron, and on applying the blast the
crude iron becomes molten; it then passes into the refinery
in its molten state, the refinery is filled with charcoal, the
free oxygen passes through the tuyeres, and, coming in
contact with the molten iron, recarbonizes it, and destroys
the silicon phosphorus and sulphur; the molten iron is
then conveyed into the puddling furnaces and made into
finished iron.-Patent completed.

548 E. W. YOUNG.

Improvements in the construction of
bridges. Dated February 19, 1868.
This invention has reference to a former patent dated
March 7, 1865 (No. 633), and is not described apart from
the drawings.-Patent completed.

549 J. J. KING. Improvements in sewing machines. Dated
February 19, 1868.
This invention is not described apart from the drawings.

550 W. H. STEEL. Improvements in hand saws for culling
dovetails and other purposes. Dated February 19, 1868.
The patentee claims the improved construction of hand-
saws for cutting dovetails, and for other purposes, in
which part of the blade plates are turned up or project
sideways at suitable angles to the main portion of the
blades, on which angular or projecting part ordinary saw
teeth are formed, for the purposes substantially as
described.-Patent completed.

THE traffic receipts of the railways in the United Kingdom for the week ending August 29, amounted-Patent completed. on 13,350 miles to £832,706, and for the corresponding week of last year, on 13,008 miles, to £822,245, showing an increase of 342 miles, and of £9,761 in the receipts. The gross receipts on the fourteen principal lines amounted in the aggregate, on 9,672 miles, to £696,892, and for the corresponding week of 1867, on 9,394 miles, to £684,180, showing an increase of 278 miles, and of £12,712 in the receipts. The traffic receipts on fifty-two other lines amounted, on 3,678 miles, to £135,814, and for the corresponding week of last year, on 3,614 miles, to £138,765, showing an increase of sixty-four miles, but a decrease of £2,951 on the receipts. The traffic receipts of the week, as compared with those of the previous one ended August 22, exhibit an increase of £5,952.

Patents for Subentions.

ABRIDGED SPECIFICATIONS OF

PATENTS.

THE Abridged Specifications of Patents given below are classified, according to the subject to which the respective inventions refer, in the following table. By the system of classification adopted, the numerical and chronological order of the specifications is preserved and combined with all the advantages of a division into classes. It should be understood that these abridgments are prepared exclusively for this Magazine from official copies supplied by the Government, and are, therefore, the property of the Proprietors of this Magazine. Other papers are hereby warned not to produce them without an acknowledg

ment:

BOILERS AND FURNACES-567, 579, 594, 649, 657

BUILDINGS AND BUILDING MATERIALS-585, 604, 636, 640
CHEMISTRY AND PHOTOGRAPHY-565, 596, 610, 619, 648,
662, 668

CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL, including agricultural imple-
ments and machines-580, 586, 635
ELECTRICAL APPARATUS-599, 647
FIBROUS FABRICS, including machinery for treating fibre,
pulp, paper, &c.—583, 584, 609, 612, 618, 620, 626, 652, 659
FOOD AND BEVERAGES, including the apparatus for pre-
paring food for men and animals-590, 656
FURNITURE AND APPAREL, including household utensils,
time-keepers, jewellery, musical instruments, &c-
562, 564, 654
GENERAL MACHINERY-558, 563, 573, 575, 581, 592, 600,
602, 605, 607, 608, 613, 622, 623, 629, 623, 634, 643, 644, 645,
650, 658, 661

LIGHTING, HEATING, AND VENTILATI NG-611

574, 579,.

551 W. EDWARDS. Improvements in roughening the shoes ruary 19, 1868.

of horses and other beasts of draught and burden. Dated Feb

This invention consists in applying to the shoes of horses and other beasts of draught and burden studs or teeth of steel, steel iron, or iron, so attached as to be readily fixed or removed without the employment of nails

or screws.-Patent abandoned.

552 R. P. FAUCHEUX. Improvements in reels or bobbins, and in means or apparatus to be applied thereto. Dated February 19, 1868.

This invention has for its object improvements in reels or bobbins, and in means or apparatus to be applied thereto, and relates to the application of means whereby the thread or yarn may be unwound, and any desired length removed, from the reel or bobbin whilst the thread or yarn left thereon is securely held from unwinding, except when tension is purposely applied thereto.-Patent

abandoned.

553 W. R. LAKE. An improved process of seasoning and preserving wood. (A communication.) Dated February 19, 1868.

This invention consists, chiefly, in treating the wood with a boiling solution of borax in water, which easily and effectually dissolves and removes all those perishable which, on the contrary, becomes harder, impregnable to substances without injuriously affecting the wood fibre, water, vermin proof, perfectly indifferent to the moisture or dryness of the atmosphere, and almost incombustible. -Patent completed.

554 G. P. DODGE. Improvements in the manufacture of india-rubber valves, valve seals, and other similar articles Dated February 19, 1868.

This invention relates more especially to valves for steam engines and pumps, and consists in manufacturing such valves or sheets from which the same are to be cut of india-rubber with an interior web of elastic woven fabric.-Patent abandoned,

555 G. P. DODGE. Improvements in packing for the stuffing boxes of steam engines, and for other like purposes. Dated February 19. 1868.

the machine substantially as described. Second, arranging
the parts in such manner that the shuttle carrier and the
thread tightener both receive motion by means of con-
necting rods or links and levers from one reciprocating
pin or joint. Third, arranging the parts in such manner
that the feed plate may receive both its vertical and hori-
zontal motions from inclines on the shuttle carrier, as
described. Fourth, constructing the shuttle carrier as
described.-Patent completed.

uncoupling railway carriages and vehicles.
559 J. LORD. Improvements in apparatus for coupling and
Dated Feb-
ruary 19, 1868.

At the end of a railway carriage or vehicle the inventor fixes a socket bearing to receive a rod or shaft hereafter called the "coupling rod," which is made to project beyond the end of the carriage or vehicle, such rod having a wheel or handle for the purpose hereafter mentioned. The head of this coupling rod is made with a screw screwing into the same, the said head being provided with arms having hooks at the ends thereof, one hook being turned the reverse way to the other. These hooks take into staples eyes or corresponding hooks fixed on the end of the carriage or vehicle which is to be brought opposite to the said coupling rod arrangement. In order to couple two carriages or vehicles, their ends are to be brought acting on the wheel or handle, for uncoupling the hooks together, and then by turning the coupling rod head, by thereon, can be made to hook into the eyes or hooks aforesaid, and the same will be thereby coupled. To uncouple, it will be necessary to turn the wheel or handle aforesaid, and this will cause the coupling rod head to unscrew, and unscrewing turns the hooks out of the staples, eyes, or hooks aforesaid. The turning of the wheel brings the buffers close "home," which secures the carriages.-Patent abandoned.

560 L. B. JOSEPH. Improvements in carriage and other wheels and tyres. Dated February 19, 1868.

The invention consists in constructing wheels with supporting pieces between, or at the spokes or radii proceeding therefrom, to the felloes, ring, or internal periphery, or periphery of the wheel, at such an angle or curve as will insure the desired strength and lightness or solidity of construction. Tyres of wheels the patentee constructs of improved formation, that is, instead of the tyre being wholly of a flat or rounded surface, the central line of the surface is raised, or is rounded up whilst each he secures the advantage of the use of a curved raised or side of the central line is depressed or left flat, whereby narrow tyre when running on a hard road, and of a flat or broader tyre when running on a soft road; and, furscrewing or securing the tyre to the felloe ring of inther, this construction of tyre presents great facilities for ternal periphery of the wheel.-Patent completed.

561 M. HENRY. Improvements in the manufacture of nails, and in machinery or apparatus employed in the said manufac ture. (A communication.) Dated February 19, 1868.

This invention relates to the manufacture of nails with niture and saddlery. In manufacturing nails according to rounded convex or shaped heads, such as are used in furthis invention, the metal blank from which the head is to be made has a recess or cavity made therein, into which the shank engages. A machine is constructed, according to this invention, to cut out the blank for the head to form the recess therein to cut the shank to the proper length and shape its point, and to force the shank into the head, or the head on to the shank, and thus "head" the nail, or unite the head and shank. The details of the invention are voluminous.-Patent completed.

lets, and miniature brooches. Dated February 19, 1868.
562 W. MYERS. Improvements in lockets, miniature brace-

This invention consists in the application to lockets, miniature bracelets, and miniature brooches, of a fastening closing by a spring, but requiring a key to open it, the object of the invention being to prevent the opening of the locket, bracelet, or brooch, excepting by the owner or other person to whom the key may have been entrusted. -Patent abandoned.

Certain

563 P. BAUER, J. JOHNSON, and W. JONES. improvements in apparatus to be employed for lubricating revolving shafts or artes. Dated February 20, 1868.

This invention relates to elastic packing consisting of india-rubber combined with fibrous material, either with or without an elastic core, which packing is usually manufactured by rolling or twisting hemp, jute, or other fibrous material or woven fabric into ropes or strands of suitable diameter. The inventor forms the improved packing substantially in the manner above described, but instead of finishing off at the exterior of such ropes or strands with the hemp, jute, or other cheap material forming the body of the packing, he puts on over the same a coating of good sound cotton canvas or duck. By this means he obtains all the advantages of a steam pack-pheries of the rollers are in contact with the revolving ing made entirely of cotton, canvas, or duck at a costnot greatly exceeding that of ordinary packing formed. entirely of hemp, jute, or other similarly cheap material.

METALS, including apparatus for their manufacture
MISCELLANEOUS 561, 567, 569, 571, 572, 578, 582, 588, 591,
593, 597, 598, 601, 603, 606, 615, 616, 617, 621, 624, 625, 627,
628, 631, 632, 637, 638, 641, 642, 646, 651, 653 660, 663, 665,-Patent abandoned.
667, 669

ROADS AND VEHICLES, including railway plant and car-
riages, saddlery, and harness, &c.-559, 560, 568, 570
SHIPS AND BOATS, including their fittings-595, 644
STEAM ENGINES-577, 587
WARFARE-639, 655

544 R. BLEZARD. Improvements in machines for cleaning wheat and other grain. Dated February 19, 1868. The object of this invention is to provide a machine by which wheat and other grain can be thoroughly cleaned and freed from extraneous matter at one operation. The patentee employs two main parts, the one surrounding the other, and causes them by power applied in any convenient manner to rotate in opposite directions, the grain to be cleaned being passed between them. The inner part consists of a solid or hollow inverted cone or a cylinder piece of any other form fitted with beaters on, its periphery or sides mounted on a shaft supported in a step or other bearing; the other or outer part consists of a screen or cage of wirework or perforated metal, also supported in a step or other bearings. Screws or other mechanism to move one or both of the said parts are provided, so that the distance apart can be increased or decreased at pleasure. By moving them further from or nearer to each other, the rubbing or cleaning action on the grain will be lessened or augmented. The grain in its passage through the machine is alternately thrown outwards and inwards by the motion of the surfaces of the parts which, as abovementioned, rotate in opposite directions; this action thoroughly cleans it and separates the extraneous matter which is projected through the meshes or openings in the screen or cage and so separated from the grain.-Patent completed.

556 F. H. RENAULT. An improved combined umbrella and
walking stick. Dated February 19, 1868.

This invention is not described apart from the drawings.
-Patent abandoned.

557 J. G. JONES. Improvements in machinery for exhaust-
ing air, suitable to be used for ventilating mines, and for other
similar purposes. Dated February 19, 1868.

This invention relates to the lubrication of shafts, axles, slightly inclined bearings, by means of bowls, rollers, or spindles, or rollers, which revolve in horizontal or dises kept in contact with the shaft or axle by springs. The improvements consist in mounting two or more with the shaft, so that the uppermost portion of the perimetallic rollers or bowls on one spindle or, rod parallel

shaft, and the opposite or lowest part of their peripheries are immersed in oil or lubricant contained in a chamber in the bottom part of the bearing, journal, or axle-box, the bowls being kept in constant contact with the revolving shaft by means of springs applied to the bearings or rod supporting the shaft carrying the bowls, whereby constant lubrication of the rotating shaft is effected.Pateut completed.

564 J. M. KILNER. Compartment bedsteads, and improvements in field quarters for troops. Dated February 20, 1868. This invention is not described apart from the drawings. -Patent completed.

565 W. WELDON. Improvements relating primarily to the manufacture of chlorine by means of regenerated oxides of manganese, but partly applicable also to other purposes, being imoxidation of oxides of manganese recovered therefrom, in the treatment of a lye product of the decomposition of those residues, in the separation of sulphuric acid and other impurities from the hydrochloric acid employed, and in apparatus and arrangements for some of these purposes. Dated February 20, 1868. The specifleation of this invention is too elaborate (it comprises thirty-six pages) to be quoted here at sufficient length for an intelligible abstract.-Patent completed.

Here the patentee constructs a casing which is mounted on a central axis, and around the axis on one or on both sides are apertures for the passage into the casing of the air from the mine or other place to be exhausted. The casing has two or more hollow arms formed upon it which spring from the central portion of the casing approxi-provements in the decomposition of chlorine residues, in the permately in a radial direction opposite to that in which the casing is driven; the end of the arm is open and forms the exit for the exhaust air from the mine or other place. On the leading or convex side of each arm there is formed a hood to take in air; it has a wide open mouth which receives the air standing in its course as the hood is carried round with the other parts of the casing. From the mouth the air passage in the hood gradually diminished in area in passing outwards along the arm until at some distance from the outer end of the arm the hood opens into the exhaust air passage in the arm, and the air taken in by the hood consequently enters this passage, and acts as a blast to urge forward the current of air issuing from the mine or other place through the arm. When the apparatus is required to work under varying conditions, it is desirable that the plate which separates the exhaust air passage in the arm from the blast passage in the hood should be made adjustable.-Patent completed.

558 W. S. GUINNESS. Improvements in sewing machines.
Dated February 19, 1868.
The patentee claims, first, the general arrangement of

566 P. N. GOUX. Improvements in collecting and in disinfecting human excreta, and converting the same into manure, also in the apparatus or means employed therein. Dated February 20, 1868.

This invention is not described apart from the drawings. -Patent completed.

567 J. H. JOHNSON. Improved means for increasing the draught in steam boiler and other furnaces or fireplaces. (A communication.) Dated February 20, 1868.

This invention relates to certain means for increasing the draught in steam boiler and other furnaces or fireplaces, and consists in the employment of tapered or expanded smoke tubes or passages, the diameter of which