BREECH-LOAD-THE invention illustrated in the annexed engraving

Range at Wormwood Scrubbs. 577 bore rifle, wide end, as indicated by the arrows in fig. 2. The

THE PORTSMOUTH FORTIFICATIONS.

of the tract of land which stretches out into the sea

interested, and have seen him again now on his extension of the Riga-Dinaburg-Vitebsk railway WHILE public attention is being given to the return, hanging with him good hopes of a speedy to Orel, the south of Russia will be put in commuadvanced posts of the extensive fortifications accomplishment of his and my wishes for the foun-nication with the Baltic. There is also the inland of our dockyards and arsenals, it may be well to dation of a new European centre of engineering line completed as far as Voronej from Moscow, hint that there are remarkable points of deficiency, in this part of the world. We had, although old afterwards to be extended to the anthracite mines even in the provisions made for the ordinary land acquaintances, acted so far separately, but as he at Grushevka, which last are already in commudefences. Taking Portsmouth, for example, the has now done me the honour to take me into his nication with the river Volga by means of a short harbour to be defended is formed of the channel way confidence and to ask my assistance, I think I railway. Independently of the proposed branch between the Gosport Peninsula and Portsea Island, cannot do better than keep his scheme more im- lines, which from their situation may well be called a large flat tract inland of Gosport and Portsmouth being overflowed by the sea at every tide. Simi-mediately in view in the following (short descrip- mineral lines, it is proposed to lay another main larly, a river-like channel way exists between East- tion of the capabilities of the district generally, line from a point about 100 miles south of Kharkoff ney Point or Portsea Island and Gunnen Point, at the leaving the question of the exact locality an open to far-famed Sevastopol. south-west end of Hayling Island. Here also there one. The imaginary circle I have drawn incloses the is similarly a large tract of land overflowed twice a The proposition as now amended is-to construct whole of the southern coalfields, and cuts into the day. Again, between Eaststoko Point, on the in a favourable situation, not only large engineer-border of the northern. As the northern coalfield south-east of Hayling Island and the westerly point ing workshops, but also to connect them under is beyond the boundary line I have chosen, I will one and the same management with iron works for say but little about it, although it is far from being under the name of Selsea Bill, there is another the production of the raw material, and, as a neces- an unimportant one. The coal is inferior in quality channel way of the like character, by which the tide sary consequence, with coal and iron mining. to that of the southern field, whilst at the same also enters and overspreads another large tract with There are plenty of examples in Europe already of time I know by experience that the iron found water. These two tidal areas are well known as the profitable carrying out of such a scheme. I re- there makes very good castings. According to the Langston and Chichester harbours, and each communicates with the other in a wide waterway inquire to say nothing on that head; the only thing report of the latest investigations published last front of the village of Havant, where, if men-of-war to be considered is-Is there a suitable locality year, the northern coalfield is 114 British miles ships took up a position, they would be able to take for such an undertaking here? My opinion is, long by 80 miles wide, or about 9,120 square miles. both the Hilsea and Portsdown lines in flank. The that more than one can be found, and not only Within this boundary there are no fewer than 113 channel way of Langston Harbour is defended by that, but there will still be room enough and work known places favourable for mining; and four of Fort Cumberland, but no provision whatever for the enough for such a factory as I had the honour to the best known of them are estimated to contain defence of Chichester Harbour having been made, propose to you in my first letter, which factory a supply for 150 to 200 years, at the rate of 400,000 there is there an open way for an enemy's ships to might be situated and worked with profit at a con- tons annually. The price at present at the pit enter and attack Portsmouth from the east side, siderable distance from the mines, and nearer to mouth is about 4s. per ton. where the works are completely open. We, "Stand- the parts where its productions would be more ard," cannot help thinking that attention ought to be given to this matter whilst Hayling Island required. remains in its present condition; otherwise, with a probability of extensive buildings taking place there in the course of the next few years, the country will have to pay for the purchase of houses as well as of land, when the necessity for having a site for a fort for the defence of the entrance to Chichester Harbour is fully and properly understood.

Correspondence.

THE PRESENT CONDITION AND FUTURE
PROSPECTS OF MACHINE MANUFAC-
TURE IN RUSSIA.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE "MECHANICS' MAGAZINE."

If we take the map of Russia, and set one leg of a pair of compasses upon the spot occupied by the town of Kharkoff, setting the compasses to a radius of 370 British miles, then this radius will to the north reach to the extreme northern end of the rich agricultural government (or province) of Orel, inclosing at the same time the equally rich government of Koursk.

Sweeping round to the north-east we cut off part of the government of Tula, the Russian Sheffield, as also part of Tambov, inclosing the whole of the government of Voronej, with its rich stores of corn and oil. To the north-west we cut into the borders of the government of Kaluga, inclose the whole of the government of Poltava with a great part of that of Tchernigov, and join up to the borders of the government of Kiev. In a right line south from our starting point, we, with the same radius, cut into the sandbanks in the Sea of

iron ore.

SIR,--In carrying out my intention of endea-Asoph near the port of Berdiansk (for the removal of which said sandbanks, by the way, the future vouring to point out a locality in the south of Russia suitable for establishing an extensive en-factory may have to provide dredgers, so they may as well be included in the circle), whilst at the gine and machine factory, I have met with some same time we include the government of Tausidia, difficulties which prevent me from coming to a definite conclusion on the subject. Those difficul- along with that of Ekaterinoslav with its coalties, however, are happily of such a nature as to bearing strata. Sweeping to the south-east, we cause only pleasure by their contemplation; and inclose the whole of the territory of the Cossacks of the Don, with its vast beds of anthracite and they may be safely classed with those which come The same radius takes us in this direcunder the denomination of an embarrassment of riches. The fact of the matter is, that the im- tion across to the opposite shore of the Sea of mense mass of statistics relating to the mineral Asoph, fronting Taganrog and Rostov. To the wealth of the part of the country I have all along the government of Tausidia, with the greater part south-west we come again upon the greater part of referred to overwhelms me, and compels me to confess that my own unaided judgment is insuffi- of that of Kherson, sweeping to within twenty cient to decide upon a subject of so much import- miles of the ancient town of Kiev. ance where the choice of localities is so ample; For enterprising men with capital this is an imwhile, at the same time, I think that the chances mense field for labour; and commercial energy of mistake in that choice becomes much fewer. might easily square this circle, even by means of I have before me reports and statistics of the a circumscribed square to enlarge the area. The coal and iron basin of the Don and Donetz, written principal railways (not merely projected, but by scientific men of different nationalities, both actually being constructed) cutting into this circle official and non-official, from the year 1837 down are, firstly, the main line direct from St. Petersto the present time. Part of the substance of burg to the Sea of Asoph, passing through two these reports must be known in England already, coalfields in its course, namely, the northern or as I find the name of our own Murchison invari- Kaluga-Tula and the southern or Donetz basin. ably mentioned in the earlier ones as that of an (The Donetz is a river falling into the Don after authority upon the subject. There is also another a course of about 270 or 280 British miles, and difficulty at which I am very much pleased, and forming a sort of border to the coalfield; its rethat is that the crude proposition I made is be-peated attempts to cut into the hard strata of the ginning in other hands to assume more defi- coal basin induced geologists to call the coal disnite form, and that on a scale so extensive as to render the choice of a locality dependant upon other circumstances than those I had at first thought of. Since I had the honour of addressing you first on the subject of machine manufacturing in Russia, and in the interval between the writing of my first and second letters, I had the pleasure of having an interview with a nobleman largely connected with several branches of Russian industry, having influence with the Government, and particularly interested in the spread of iron manufactures. He had at that time, unknown to me, already broken the ice, and put himself in communication (by preference) with Englishmen, and that in a more definite manner than I was able to do. I saw him then on his way to St. Petersburg to meet the representative of the parties

a

trict by its name, the Donetski Kpaj). This main
line of railway after leaving Moscow passes
through the towns of Tula, Orel, Koursk, Kharkoff,
and many towns of smaller note, and will end,
after passing through the whole of the southern
future mining district, at Taganrog and Rostov.

From this main line there will be branches to
different places, the names of which are as yet un-
known to fame, but which in consequence of their
stores of mineral wealth are capable of becoming
great industrial centres. Communication with
Europe, through Poland, will be secured by the
line from Kiev joining into the main line at
Koursk. The main line will also communicate
with the Black Sea, by means of the line from
Kharkoff through Poltava and other important
towns, to Kiev and Odessa. In like manner, by the

The southern basin with which we have more immediately to do is more extensive, and the coal is of a better average quality. The coal seems to crop up to the surface in the government of Kharkoff, so that in many places coal is turned up by the plough, and they extend to within less than 60 miles from the shores of the Sea of Asoph. The northern or Kharkoff end of this field contains coal similar to that of the Tula-Kaluga field; whilst in the centre of the basin the best caking and steam coal is found, and at the southern extremity anthracite, containing, according to reported analysis, 98 per cent. of carbon. That part of the coalfield lying in the government of Ekaterinoslav is bounded by the rivers Dneiper, Don, and Donetz, and has a surface of over 10,000 square miles. Adjoining this in the territory of the Don Cossacks, and bordering on the Sea of Asoph, there are still 7,100 square miles under which lies the best coal and anthracite.

The now, in Russia at least, well known mines of Grushevka contain no fewer than 269 allotments, out of which, in 1866, 83, containing 93 pits or shafts, were being worked, and produced 150,152 tons of anthracite against 85,401 tons in 1865. The estimated quantity for the 42 square miles of this district alone is 24,000,000 of tons. In the 7,100 square miles of the territory of the Don Cossacks, reckoning only the upper seams and only those which are more than one assheen (2ft.4in.) thick, the estimated quantity is 700,000,000 of tons. The seams vary from 2ft. to 8ft. in thickness. In this black country there is much work yet to engineer. The 93 before-mentioned pits are, with be done for both the mining and mechanical one or two exceptions, mere holes, and in the district generally, until within the last two years, the black diamond was left in the depths of the mine undisturbed; as soon as the water grew troublesome, another hole was struck, and the former one abandoned. At the present time, however, at Grushevka three shafts are being, or have been, sunk deeper in the water-bearing strata, and eight steam engines, from 6 to 75-horse power, are either at work or are in the course of erection. The price of the coal averages from 5s. 6d. to 11s. per ton at the pit mouth, according to quality.

This district is no less rich in iron ore than it

is in coal. It would occupy too much of your space
to give anything but the merest sketch of the re-
searches of geologists and mineralogists of different
nations. They all agree in their statements as to
the immense quantity of ore, and also to its high
quality. The thickness of the layers varies in
some places from 9in. to 21in., and in others from
14in. to 3ft. The layers of ore extend in many
places in an unbroken line for many miles, and
are interspersed with layers of coal, limestones, and
schists. The ore lies in many parts, especially in
the ravines, at a depth of from only 14ft. to 28ft.
from the surface, whilst almost the only mining as yet
has been that of the aforesaid geologists.
is indeed one iron works in the district, belonging
to Government; but from a mistake in the choice
of a situation, caused I believe by the wish to
take advantage of water power, it is too far
from the mines connected with it, and its rate of
production has not as yet been very great.

There

The other subterranean products of this mine

of wealth are in connection with iron smelting, limestone and good fireclay, whilst for purposes connected with other manufactures are potter's clay, kaslin, gypsum, and the materials for good cement. There are also beds of the stone generally used here for millstones, also paving stones, and in some parts thick beds of roofing slate. Specimens of this slate were sent to the Paris Exhibition, along with specimens of the anthracite near which it was found. Limestones and sandstones for building purposes are also here, together with an inferior sort of marble. Clays of all sorts abound, suitable for brickmaking, both fire and common red and yellow, and chalk enough to score up the reckonings of all the miners and puddlers in the world for centuries to come.

TIDAL FLUSHING.

away-though only in.-as to arrest combustion, and thus produced another unexpected result.

This obstacle, however, is not insurmountable, although in consequence of this oversight the results produced by the thirteen bars of composition igniting on the testing day was less in impelling effect than was obtained in April last from three bars, which, during eight minutes, burnt uniformly from end to end throughout.

The development of adequate power to weight, therefore, still hangs upon a little further practical xperience for enabling us so to manufacture the composition as to depend with certainty upon its perfect action; but not possessing adequate means for its manufacture, I must still continue to grapple with such uncertainties as best I can, and hope to try it again in about three weeks, with, if possible, better results.-I am, Sir, yours, &c., W. QUARTERMAIN. Little Harcourt-street, Bryanston-square, July 7.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

SIR,-I am much obliged by your inserting my last letter, with your remarks. It is a dull race when one has to walk over the course. I will not rouse the ire of Father Thames any more-at least, at present-but let him quietly slumber in the depths of the muddy river. I did not enter fully into the matter, as it is not always advisable to show at first one's name, but now I will add more weight to the proposal. In the first place, I must ask, how much water the water companies supply for flushing, as I observed some time back that the engineer for our sanitary matters demanded more. Of course, we know how much the engines at the pumping stations (at least, so far as Deptford is concerned) pumps up; 100 tons per minute was the specified quantity at the time the designs were given in, and a variety of Lead ore, with a percentage of silver, is also to these were quite puzzling, I assure you, to the be found, whilst last, but not least, one of the different plans for doing so given in by the firm with Metropolitan Board of Works. There were three great necessaries of life, common salt, has formed which I was connected. Plain pumps were thought a staple article of commerce for more than a cen- of, and plain pumps carried the day. I may add I tury. The yearly quantity of this article supplied had seen thicker sewage than that of the metropolis by this district within the past thirty years has lifted by a water wheel connected to pumps as the varied from 5,000 to 16,700 tons. With the ex-machine, with sewage as the motive power. Indeed, ception of this salt, this immense treasure vault at old London Bridge, water was lifted from the river has been little more than peeped into by scientific for household purposes with a similar contrivance. men; the full opening up has been as yet un- Of course, for tidal rivers such a plan could be carried attainable, not having had, as in other countries, out for lifting large quantities of water to a moderate the assistance of the iron horse. The time of height, and a very effective machine constructed, the advertising and publishing departments should be adopening is, however, now near at hand; the iron having a floating pontoon for carrying the water-dressed to the publisher, Mr. R. Smiles, MECHANICS' MAGAwheel, with a contracted mill race and machinery ZINE Office, 166, Fleet-street, London. horse is on his way down south with the keys. ladder attached to the journal caps of the wheel, The first sod of the Kharkoff-Taganrog railway so that the pontoon would accommodate itself to the was cut three days ago, although work had been rise and fall of the tide. Such schemes are very commenced upon the line generally some time ancient; Bourne mentions a similar contrivance, before. The question now must be who will be having a screw as the propeller. However, for the first to ravish this almost virgin_treasure- great heights they are not at all applicable, unless Germans, Frenchmen, or Englishmen. Englishmen made very large. As the reservoir mentioned in ought to be the instruments of making this a black my last would merely collect the water as the tide country in reality, as, according to tradition, they flowed, and flush available situations at a lower level, of about 10 words. Woodcuts are charged at the same rate were, if not the first discoverers of its riches, at it may be advisable to provide a pumping engine as type. Special arrangements made for large advertiseleast to some of them was entrusted the task of 80 as to scour Highgate-hill if you like; it is simply ments. a matter of expense. And in all situations, where RECEIVED.-J. C.-W. R.-J. N.-J. H. R.-E. T. B.estimating their value, and that at a time when that towns use water for flushing taken from the water-W. H. D. J. F. H.-T.B.-J. F.-Messrs. R. and C.-J. W. value was not so well understood as it is at present. works, it may be advisable to have pumping stations-H. T. T.-J.G. W.-Messrs. E. G. and Co.-S. K. J. B. The remains of smelting furnaces have been found, of their own.-I am, Sir, yours, &c., said to have been used by Englishmen sent by July 4. Peter the Great to spy out the subterranean goodliness of the land.

Although I have confined myself in this brief sketch to a description of one particular district, it must not be thought that the mineral wealth of Russia is confined within the boundaries of the imaginary circle I have drawn; on the contrary, the northern coalfield might, by deep mining,

JOHN G. WINTON.

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NOTICE TO PUBLISHERS.-We have to acknowledge which have been kept out by press of other matter, but the receipt of several books sent for review, notices of which will shortly appear.

We learn that the British frigate "Chanticleer " is blockading Mazatlan, in Mexico, for an insult to the British flag.

SIR ROBERT NAPIER is about to be raised to the peerage, under the title of Baron Napier of Magdala. He will be gazetted in a few days.

AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY'S EXHIBITION.
terested in the subject of air navigation, I shall feel
SIR,-Knowing that many of your readers are in-
obliged if you will allow me to explain, for the
gratification of those who almost daily attended at
the Crystal Palace to witness the experiments, the Habal, Military, and Gunnery Items.
cause of failure of my attempts to generate power in
iny exhibit, the "Chrysalis," on the testing day.
Many inquired of me, what pressure or power
could be produced in the generator? To which I fre-
quently replied, that I must leave to the composi-
tion to decide; from which many inferred that it had
not ever been tried in any way. Allow me to state
that, although this was the first provision for ex-
perimenting on a greater scale than at any former
trial, it is, nevertheless, the tenth experiment with
this engine. Twenty-four bars of composition were
prepared for this experiment; three bars-or nine
ounces-is the greatest quantity that has ever at any
previous experiment been tried, all of which have
suggested some modification in manufacturing the
composition or in the arrangement for its combustion.
The present constituents of the composition are
selected from more than 300 experimental results, ex-
tending over the last eight years, originating in
my inability, after nine years' fruitless attempts to
render gunpowder and gun cotton subservient to the
same purposes for developing power.

yield a better quality of coal, and it is supposed
to dip at a great depth under Moscow and some
of the other northern governments, as it has
been found to make its appearance again in the
government of Archangel. There is then the
eastern or Ural system, and the still richer western
or Polish, where coal seams have been found from
35ft. to 42ft., and in one instance even 49ft. in
thickness, made up of layers of different qualities
of coal, divided by very thin layers of clay. Then
we have in Siberia the Tomsk field, estimated at
170 miles long and 70 broad, and coal of an
inferior quality, but still usable, at the foot of the
Caucasus. Amongst other projected railways,
first on the list stands one to connect the frontiers
of Siberia with the interior of Russia. Railway
communication has commenced in the Caucasus
with the opening of the Poti and Tiflis railway, and
Kharkoff is looked upon as the future central
station for direct communication with the Caucasus.
All these places may, at a future time, become The cause of failure is solely attributable to my
seats of manufactures, but in the part of the anxiety to secure a perfectly dry and crystalized
country to which I have more immediately mass in time and in good condition for the testing
directed attention, everything is favourable to day. Under my present difficult hand process of
enterprise; even at present, the climate is whole-manufacture, the composition requires from fourteen
some, and peace and plenty reign around. Some to twenty days to dry and crystalize. I manufac-
difficulty would be experienced at first in getting
together workmen, but when once found and
settled, the real Russian likes to remain in ona
place if he finds himself at home, and generally
likes to stick to a good master. There is one
thing, however, although trades unions and general
strikes are unknown here, still the workmen taken
singly are very independent, and firm in their
demands; the being thrown out of work does not
seem to frighten them much-they can be led easier
than they can be driven.

My description of the wealth of the country is written without the wish to exaggerate; the investigations I have referred to have been carried out by independent men at different times, and the discoveries of each confirms the truth of those of the others, whilst the result of their accumulated labours shows that the sum total of the mineral treasures is more likely to have been under than over estimated.—I am, Sir, yours, &c., Kharkoff, June 5. ALEXANDER CAMERON.

THE members of the United Service Club purpose to give an entertainment to General Sir Robert Napier on Saturday next.

Two new vessels on the stocks were totally destroyed by fire in Mr. Petrie's building yard at Montrose on Wednesday night week; one was a vessel of 450 tons, nearly planked, and the other of about 160 tons, nearly framed.

FROM the Pontifical military almanack it appears that in the Papal army there are 8 generals, 24 chaplains, and 704 officers, thus divided as to nationalities-464 Italians, 129 French, 59 Swiss, 19 Germans, 20 Belgians, 9 Dutchmen, and 4 English.

A WAR OFFICE return shows that since January 1, 1864, four major-generals and seventeen colonels of the Royal Artillery have retired on £600 a-year; and also one major-general and ten colonels of the Royal Engineers. The ages of these officers varied from forty-eight to seventy-four.

A MELANCHOLY accident has taken place on board the "Valeureuse," one of the vessels of the Mediterranean squadron of evolution, just after its arrival at Bona. In gun practice, one of the breechloading pieces went wrong, killing three of the men and wounding as many more.

tured a quantity on the 24th and 25th of May, and
afterwards, being desirous of testing it earlier than
at first anticipated, I endeavoured to hasten the
process of crystalization by drying it before an open
fire; the result was, it expanded more than when
allowed to dry slowly, so that I could not force it SEVERAL experiments, says "Voss's Gazette,"
into the tubes. This oversight necessitated its re- have been lately made in the polygon of Berlin, with
moulding, and the time thus wasted reduced the re- the famous mi aill use cannon exhibitod in our
maining days preceding the day of trial at the arsenal. This piece, as has been shown, produces
Crystal Palace (which was then announced for a certain effect at a distance of less than 500 paces,
June 20) to ten or eleven days. Being fully certain but beyond that limit the direction of the projectiles
that I could not rely upon its fitness for combustion can scarcely be calculated, even approximately.
by that time if I prepared it as formerly, I decided Our infantry would, therefore, have no difficulty,
upon moulding it in a much drier state than 1 had with their needle-rifles, in triumphing over artillery
previously done. For this purpose, I made it into a which can only do real damage at a distance within
thin cake, and then filling the mould by ten of 500 paces.
twelve successive layers, subjected it to the utmost,
though trifling, pressure I could command. This
produced uniformly the finest and most compact bar
of composition I ever obtained; but unfortunately
the successive layers did not unite, so that when the
first division had undergone combustion the gaseous
matter forced (as in gunpowder the grains of a
charge do not all ignite) the adjoining layer so far

WE understand that Messrs. Allen and Co. have in the press, and will shortly publish, an account of the Duke of Edinburgh's visit to the Cape and Australian colonies, illustrated by sketches taken We believe that a very graphic during the cruise. and interesting account of the elephant hunt at the Cape has been contributed for the work by his Roya Highness himself.

A SEAMAN named John Brown, belonging to her Majesty's ship "Duke of Wellington," was visiting Wombwell's menagerie at Portsmouth on Thursday week, in company with several of his shipmates, and, by way of bravado, said he would show them that he was not afraid of the lions. He accordingly thrust his right hand through the bars of the lions' cage, when one of the animals sprang forward and seized it in his mouth. The hand was so severely lacerated that the surgeon found it necessary to amputate the limb.

A PARLIAMENTARY return shows that in the season 1867-8, 3,113 tierces of beef were cured at the Deptford Victualling-yard for the use of the Royal Navy, the average cost of which per tierce of 3041b. was £9 5s. 8d., including package, salt, and labour. The average price of old beef sold during the same season was £3 5s. 44d. for 304lb. Preserved boiled beef has been prepared for the use of the Navy for two seasons only, and 1,042,7821b. were so prepared during the season above quoted, at an average cost of 10.35d. per lb. including the canister, wooden case, labour, paint, and commission or salary for superin

tendence.

THE international yacht race from Havre round Cherbourg Breakwater and back will be held under the auspices of the Havre Regatta Society on Tuesday, the 21st inst. The prize will be £100 and a gold medal, and there will be no entrance fees nor any time allowance. Entries will close on Friday evening, the 17th inst., and must be made to L. Mandrot, Esq., 23, Quai d'Orleans, Havre. The Havre races will be at the interesting old town of Harfleur on the 19th and 20th, the yacht race on the 21st, a bullfight (in all probability) on the 23rd, and the annual Havre regatta on the 26th and 27th of July, on the latter of which days there will be the usual race for yachts of all nations over a course of 14 miles for £120 and a gold medal.

THE total strength of the army in British India during the year 1866, consisted of 66,814 Europeans and 117,095 natives. The staff and staff corps consisted of 1,366 Europeans; the engineers, sappers, and miners, of 373 Europeans and 2,794 natives; the artillery, horse and foot, of 12,299 Europeans and 1,891 natives; the cavalry, of 6,050 Europeans 18,779 natives; the infantry, of 45,916 Europeans and 93,631 natives; and the invalids, veterans, and warrant officers, of 810 Europeans; the medical establishment being included in each arm of the service. Of these total numbers 38,992 Europeans and 43,394 natives were stationed in Bengal, 14,184 Europeans and 46,435 natives in Madras, and 13,638 Europeans and 27,266 natives in Bombay; those stationed in the North-west Provinces and Punjab being included in the presidency of Bengal.

Miscellanea.

THE Minister of the Interior at Brussels has very properly prohibited the use of nitro-glycerine in

Belgium.

THE curators of the Edinburgh University have elected Sir Alexander Grant Principal, by four to three against Sir James Simpson.

THE United Kingdom Railway Officers and Servants' Association have just received a donation of twenty-five guineas from the Merchant Taylors' Company.

THE death is announced of the French African THROUGH the instrumentality of the Society of traveller, Lieutenant Le Saint, in exploring the Arts, the following tablets have been fixed on houses country about the White Nile. He had already over-formerly occupied by Lord Byron, 16, Holles-street, come many difficulties, and reached Abou-Kouka, Cavendish-square, now occupied by Messrs. Boosey within some sixty leagues north of Gondokoro, and Co.; his Imperial Majesty Napoleon III., 3A, when he fell a victim, at the age of thirty-five, to King-street, St. James's, now occupied by Madame the insalubrity of the climate. Berti. Leave has been obtained to affix similar tablets on the former residences of Benjamin Franklin, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Lord Nelson, and James Barry, but the progress in fixing these and others has been delayed by experiments in the manufacturing, which Messrs. Minton, Hollins, and Co., have been making.

THE new dog law empowering the destruction of
stray and ownerless animals is likely to prove ad-
vantageous in some degree to the farmer. One
agriculturist has secured the carcases of 600 of these
doomed quadrupeds-the produce of two days'
slaughter-which he had conveyed into the country
by railway, to be used as manure. The weight
of this consignment was over four tons.
THE visitors to the South Kensington Museum
during the week ending July 4, 1868, were-On
Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday (free), from 10 a.m.
to 10 p.m., 14,755; on Wednesday, Thursday, and
Friday (admission 6d.), from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m., 3,806.
National Portrait Exhibition, by payment, 2,089;
total-20,650. Average of corresponding week in
former years, 11,486; total from the opening of the
Museum, 7,495,553.

As is known, a scientific commission has been charged by the Minister of Public Instruction in France to proceed to the extreme East, to study the solar eclipse of August 18 next. The "Moniteur announces that the place of observation selected by France in the peninsula of Malacca has been explored and prepared with care, and that the King of Siam has manifested the intention of being present at the labours of the commission. Independently of this expedition, the Academy of Sciences has nominated an astronomer for the same purpose, to go to Masulipatam to act in concert with others sent from England.

IN connection with the British Chess Association, there will be a grand gathering of chess players in London, to commence November 23 next, when their AT a meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, fifty-guinea challenge cup, now held by Mr. De Vere, held on Tuesday last, many beautiful specimens were and other prizes, will be competed for. As means are brought together, besides numerous lobelias, pelarbeing taken for greatly extending the association, angoniums, and orchids, some varieties of croton, a additional honorary secretary-F. H. Deacon, Esq., splendid new form of polystichum angulare, and a the well-known blindfold player-has been ap-metallic closed puya, &c., were well worth attention. pointed. Amongst the most beautiful objects, perhaps, were noble specimens of dendrobium Macarthi, from Messrs. Veitch. Mr. W. Wilson Saunders, F.R.S., presided, and the following candidates were elected fellows, viz. :-Alexander Price Haig, Miss Margaret Haig, Geo. Hanbury, Charles Jacomb, Sir Arundell Neave, Bart., Mrs. Verner, Francis Tully Wollaston, &c. A meeting of the trustees of the Lindley library was also held, and valuable donations of books announced from J. Russell Reeves, M. Vilmorin, and M. Van Houtte, as well as a cheque for fifteen guineas from Alfred Davis, F.R.H.S.

LARGE quantities of albumen, or the white of eggs, and also of yolk, are imported into Southampton from Normandy. The albumen is used by calico dressers, and the yolk is used in the manufacture of gloves. The price of prepared white of eggs was two guineas per lb. not long since. This arose from the waste it suffered during the process of preparation. This waste amounted to as much as 85 per cent.

ON Monday, a man named Edwin Wetherall, a la-
bourer in the employ of Mr. Paul, of Ilminster, met
with his death under the following circumstances.
In the evening of the above day, as Wetherall
was in the field haymaking, he was stung in the
throat by a wasp. He complained of great pain
and his throat swelled alarmingly. Dr. Mules was
at once set for, but death from apoplexy resulted
shortly afterwards.

IT is stated that the contest between the Erie
and New York Central Railways, in the persons of
Messrs. Drew and Vanberbilt, has resulted in the
latter gentleman obtaining control of the Erie. The
large amount of shares held by Mr. Drew are to be
sacrificed to his opponent, who is to exercise voting
power in respect of them at the forthcoming election
of directors, and a Board will be appointed favorable
to the views of Mr. Vanderbilt.
WE read in the "Italie "
of Florence that the
sculptor Giovanni Bastianni has just died of typhus
fever at the age of 38. His name being celebrated
in a brief space of time, in consequence of the famous
bust made by him in terra cotta of Benivieni, which
was bought for a small sum by a Florence antiquary,
and then sold for 13,000 francs at a sale by auction
in Paris, and is at present placed in the Louvre. The
authenticity of this bust is still disputed.

THE amounts of gold, silver, and copper moneys coined at the Royal Mint in each of the years 1853-67 were as follows:-In 1853, £11,952,391 in gold, £701,544 in silver, and £10,190 in copper. In 1854 the amounts coined in each metal were £4,152,183, £140,480, and £61,538 respectively; in 1855, £9,008,663, £195,510, and £41,091; in 1856, £6,002,114, £462,528, and £11,418; in 1857, £4,959,860, £373,230, and £6,720; in 1858, £1,231,023, £445,896, and £13,440; in 1859, £2,649,509, £647,064, and £8,512; in 1860, £3,121,709, £218,403, and £37,990; in 1861, £8,190,170, £209,484, and £273,578; in 1862, £7,836,413, £148,518, and £352,800; in 1863, £6,997,212, £161,172, and £151,648; in 1864, £9,535,597, £535,194, and £18,069; in 1865, £2,367,614, £501,732, and £57,493; in 1866, £5,076,676, £493,416, and £50,624; in 1867, £496,397, £193,842, and £33,301. The total amount of moneys coined in 1853 was £12,664,125; last year, 1867, the total amount coined was only £723,540.

AT the end of the year 1866, 3,452 miles of railway were open for traffic in India. During the year these railways conveyed a total of 10,120,910 passengers, the PROFESSOR FRANCESCHI has published some receipts for which amounted to £1,278,580. The receipts further researches on the curious properties of san- for goods traffic were £3,328,656, and the total receipt tonine, the vegetable base of artemisia santonica. amounted to £4,607,236, £2,056,411 being derived This substance, which is itself white, when taken from those in Bengal and the North-west Frovinces, THE French Academy of Sciences at its last internally causes objects to appear as if tinged with £476,667 from the presidency of Madras, £1,930,723 sitting nominated M. Kummer, a Berlin mathemati-yellow. The professor thinks that the phenomenon from that of Bombay, £53,166 from Scinde, and cian, as foreign associate in the place of Sir David is attributable to the santonine imparting a yellow £90,269 from railways in the Punjab. The total of Brewster, deceased. tint to the humours of the eye, having itself under-working expenses during the year amounted to gone a chemical colouring process through contact £2,225,995, so that the net receipts amounted to with the serum of the blood. £2,381,241. Receipts for goods traffic include tenance are included under the head of working extelegraphs and sundries, and the charges for mainpenses. The total capital paid up to the end of the same year amounted to £64,483,834, and the total interest to £18,929,576 sterling.

THE number of visitors to the Patent Office Musuem, for the week ending July 4, were 4,213; total number since the opening of the Museum, free

daily (May 12, 1858), 1,321,302.

IT is now understood that Mr. Gladstone will not preside, as had been anticipated, over the economic science section of the Norwich meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. Mr. Goschen, M.P., will probably be present.

THE bridge across the Dee at Kirkcudbright was thrown open to public traffic on Wednesday. This work was undertaken and completed chiefly by the munificence of Mr. Murray Stewart, of Broughton, and Mr. M'Lellan, of St. Mark's.

A TERRIBLE catastrophe has occurred in the French department of the Nievre; the village of Asnan has been destroyed by fire. As many as 130 houses were utterly consumed, and with them all the furniture, linen, and provisions, and the corn, hay, and straw in the homesteads adjoining.

cently instituted some experiments of the tensile
THE U.S. navy department at Washington re-
strength of cast steel, and one lot made by Messrs.
Park, Brother and Co., of the Black Diamond Steel
Works, of Pittsburgh, stood the rather remarkable
tensile strain of 242,100lb. to the square inch. This
steel was made for the new railway bridge across
the Mississippi river at St. Louis, and the tests
instituted at the request of the bridge
were

company.

Ar the general monthly meeting of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, on Tuesday last, Sir H. Holland, F.R.S., in the chair, Mr. John Glas Sandeman was elected a member of the Royal Institution. The managers announced that in conformity with the deed of endowment, they had appointed Mr. William Odling, M.B., F.R.S., Fullerian Professor of Chymistry, in the room of the late Professor Faraday. AT the meeting of the committee of the News-The presents received since the last meeting were paper Press Fund, held at the offices in Cecil-street, laid on the table, and the thanks of the members Strand, on Saturday last, sixteen new members returned for the same. were admitted and two grants made for the relief of

members. The annual general meeting was ap

pointed to take place on Friday, the 31st inst.

THE Astley Cooper Prize of £300 has been awarded to Dr. Braidwood, of Birkenhead, for his essay on pycemia. A prize of £50 is offered to members of the University of Oxford for an essay on the comparative longevity of different species of lower animals and the longevity of man in different states of civilization.

Patents for Inventions.

ABRIDGED SPECIFICATIONS OF
PATENTS.

THE Abridged Specifications of Patents given below are
classifled, according to the subject to which the respective
inventions refer, in the following table. By the system
of classification adopted, the numerical and chronological
all the advantages of a division into classes. It should be
order of the specificatious is preserved and combined with
understood that these abridgments are prepared exclu-
sively 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:

ACCORDING to a return just published, the quantity
of coal exported from the United Kingdom during
the year 1867 amounted to 10,052,759 tons; of cin-BOILERS AND FURNACES-3663
ders, 343,326; of culm, 19,693; and of patent fuel,
150,051. The quantity of coal brought into London
in 1866 was 6,003,089 tons; whereas in 1867 it was
6,329,550. The quantities of patent fuel brought
into London during the same period show a large
increase in the consumption, for while in 1866 it was
only 8,616 tons, in 1867 it amounted to 29,730 tons.

BUILDINGS AND BUILDING MATERIALS-3620
CHEMISTRY AND PHOTOGRAPHY-3649, 3657, 3664
CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL, including agricultural imple-
ELECTRICAL APPARATUS-3608, 3609
ments and machines-None.
FIBROUS FABRICS, including machinery for treating fibre,
pulp, paper, &c.-3612, 3618, 3621, 3622, 3634, 3635, 3643,
3644, 3645, 3665, 3668, 3669, 3672, 3674, 3679

3616 J. KERR. Improvements in breech-loading firearms. Dated December 19, 1867. class of breech-loading firearms constructed with a sliding This invention relates to certain improvements in that plug or plunger, and known as piston and cylinder breechloading guns, and consists, first, in applying to that construction of gun the ordinary gunlock and hammer, so Here the brushes used are of the rotary description, that all wet or dirt is prevented from getting into the but instead of forming the surfaces at right angles with action. In the improved arrangement no slots or holes Here the chimney top is provided with a loose cap, the the sides, the inventor makes them somewhat in the form for the lock action are required to be made in the cylinder lower edge of which extends somewhat below the upper of an acute angle, and the surfaces are slightly rounded. or in the plug or plunger. Second, this invention relates edge of the chimney top, and this cap is supported by a He mounts these brushes, with the smaller diameter to improvements in the striking pin of "central-fire" fire-shaft, spindle, or arms, so that the effect of the wind blowdownwards, upon a vertical shaft at convenient distances arms of the before-mentioned construction, whereby a ing in any given direction against the side of the cap will apart, and in this manner he has proved by experience direct action in the sliding pin is obtained by the ordinary be to force that side of the cap against the chimney top, that a much greater area of brush surface can be pro-pin in one or more parts. When constructed in one part, hammer and side lock, and consists in constructing the and so protect the latter from any undue action of the duced upon the boot at one instant of time than by any the entire pin works obliquely through the bolt, but when at the other side between the upper edge of the chimney wind, and thus permit the uninterrupted exit of the smoke top and the lower edge of the cap.-Patent abandoned.

other means.-Patent abandoned.

3607 W. A. HUBBARD. Improved proportional compasses and dividers. Dated December 19, 1867. This invention consists of a series of levers of equal length crossing one another in pairs in the centre of their length, thus X where they are connected by a rivet screw, pin, or other suitable pivot. A sufficient number of these levers in pairs, varying according to the particular purpose for which the instrument may be required, are connected at their ends by pivots after the manner of the letter X, repeated thus XXXXX. The pivots which now form three rows are all perpendicular to the plane of the instrument, and allow of the series of levers being closed together or pulled out at pleasure. By this arrangement, whatever may be the distance at which two neighbouring pivots may be set, all the other pivots will stand at that distance from those next to them in the same row. The pivots in one or more row or rows terminate in, or have attached to them, points, pencils, pens, dotting wheels or other like apparatus for measuring and marking off distances and tracing lines.-Patent abandoned.

3608 J. S. GISBORNE. Improvements in electric telegraphs. Dated December 19, 1867.

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

3609 L. M. BECKER. Improvements in the arrangement of lectric telegraph and other wires, and the apparatus employed

two parts are employed, one works horizontally in the plug
or bolt, and the other obliquely, and bears at its lower end
against the end of the horizontal pin, so that by the im-
pact of the hammer on the oblique pin, the firing of the
gun is effected. This invention relates, third, to cartridge
extractors employed with the above-mentioned class of
gun, whereby the extractor remains stationary whilst
turning the breech or bolt for the purpose of locking or
unlocking the same. This is effected by forming the ex-
tractor with a ring or cross-piece, which is free to turn
on the closing plug or bolt, the extractor being prevented
from turning with the plug by a recess or channel formed
in the cylinder in which the plug slides, by which arrange-
ment the necessity for cutting a recess in the rear of the
barrel for the traverse of a fixed extractor turning with
the plug is obviated.-Patent completed.

3617 J. SIMMONS. The purpose of producing an optical
illusion of apparently beheading or otherwise dismembering a
human being. Dated December 19, 1867.
Here the illusion is performed without the aid or use of
plate glass, chemicals, chair, table, or any other of the
means or appliances hitherto used or employed. A picture
or other representation of a cavern is placed at the back
entering the cavern, a piece of loose rock falls on his head,
of the stage, as a back ground, and while the performer is
and to all appearance crushes it and severs it from the
body. This appearance is produced by instantaneously
inserting the head into a cap or box without the assist-