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for market-gardening purposes, when the surface
is so full of town mannre that fresh soil upper-
most will be beneficial.
The cultivators and broadshares were also
severely tried by the state of the ground. The
competitors with these implements were Messrs.
Coleman, Clay, Hunt, and Pickering, Bentall, Under-
hill, and Millard. After the first round, four were
crippled; the race then lay between Mr. Bentall's
broadshare and Mr. Clay's lever cultivator. Under
the conditions, as regards stubbornness of the soil,
nothing could touch Bentall's broadshare. This im-
plement is fitted in a case of this kind, with a
narrow sharp point, while nearly the whole of the
cutting is done at the hind parts of the arms and
shoes of the implement. Comstock's rotary spade
was started on a trial, and as its principle of action
is the same as a wood-planing machine if it would
go, its disintegration of the soil would be more
perfect than any other method, for the soil behind
would be left in a finer state than the dust from a

f

orthwith proceeded with. The external protec- Postmaster-General, with the consent of the Trea-
tion will be similar to the old cable-an iron sheath-sury, to make special agreements for the trans-
ing protected with hemp and bituminous asphalte mission of certain classes of messages at reduced
compound. The contract for its manufacture has rates, but that any such special agreements should
been given to Mr. W. T. Henley, of North Wool- be laid upon the table of the House of Commons
wich, who manufactured the entire length of as soon as conveniently may be.
the original cable. We trust to give our readers
some details of this cable previous to its comple-
tion.

The south of Ireland cable from Wexford to near
Milford Haven has lately been broken, within a
short distance of the Welsh coast. The steamer
belonging to the Electric Telegraph Company is now
engaged in the repairs. We are daily expecting
to hear of communication being restored. This
cable being broken down, necessitates messages
via the Atlantic cable passing round the north
of Ireland, a much longer route, but we are not
aware of any great delay in consequence.
The announcement of a French concession for
an Atlantic cable has been the subject of some
correspondence, the previous concessionaires,
Messrs. Delessert and Blackmore, maintaining,
against the statements of the opposite parties,
that their concession is a perfectly valid and
binding contract. We trust to see the mattor
settled one way or another before long, as it may
otherwise interfere materially with the enter-
prise. Specifications for a cable are already out,
so that active steps are being taken. The follow-
ing are the principal points of the Reuter conces-
sion:-

The concession is for a period of twenty years.
Communication must be established before the
1st of September, 1869.

The line will be laid from Brest, and land at a point of the United States between Boston and New York.

The price of a message of twenty words must not be more than 100f.

The long pending action between Mr. Piggott and the Anglo-American Telegraph Company for infringement of his patent for working submarine cables, has been fixed for next week. We may, therefore, expect to hear some interesting details of submarine telegraphy, and know something at last of the method employed in working the Atlantic cables, a process that hitherto has been kept very secret.

3. That security should be taken for ensuring the secrecy of messages transmitted through the Post Office by making the violation of such secrecy punishable as a misdemeanour.

4. That the special circumstances at present attending the working of those submarine cables which the Postmaster-General may acquire, make it desirable that provision should be made for the working of them by leasing the same, in the first instance, to a company or companies, "but it may ultimately be found expedient that the Post Office should itself work such cables."

On Monday night last, in a committee of the whole House, a resolution was agreed to authorizing the application of moneys to the purchase of electric telegraphs. On Tuesday evening the bill passed through committee, and, with some verbal amendments, was ordered to be reported, which was done, and the bill so amended was read a third time on Wednesday evening.

NOTES ON RECENT SCIENTIFIC DIS-
COVERIES AND THEIR PRACTICAL
APPLICATIONS.

IMITATION PRECIOUS STONES-NURNBERG VIOLET-
THE ELECTROLYSIS OF WATER.

DENDING the discovery of the means of pro

planing and rabbeting machine. But as it will not go through soil unless it be first broken up and sifted to take out the stones, there is an end of the matter. The land thus prepared by previous implements presented a fair field of large hard lumps for the clodcrushers and rollers. The competitors were Cambridge, of Bristol; Woods and Cocks, of Stowmarket; Amies and Barford, of Peterbrough; Hunt and Pickering, of Leicester; the Reading Ironworks Company, the Beverley Iron and Waggon Company, Croskill and Son, Ashby and Jeffery, of Stamford; Lewis, of Shrewsbury; Coleman and Morton, of Chelmsford; Boby, of Bury St. Edmunds; J. Coultas, of Grantham; J. James, of Cheltenham, and other makers, were in competition. The lighter implements could ducing artificially real precious stones-that not touch the hardened clods, so there was a selecis, of forming by art stones having the exact tion of three implements for the final trial and chemical composition and appearance of those distribution of prizes. These were the serrated self-cleaning clod-crusher of the Beverley Comformed by nature-and the arrival of the day prepany, the clod-crusher of Croskill and Sons, Camdicted by Alphonse Karr, when a chemist shall bridge's notched-wheel and press-wheel roller, present to the Academy of Sciences a diamond as and Amies' and Barford's Cambridge roller, with large as a hen's egg, and apologise for the smallscrapers and solid wrought-iron steerage frame, ness of the specimen, the many vain will have to instead of shafts. The first was awarded to the indulge their vanity by the display of sham jewels. Beverley Company's clod-crusher. The next was an extraordinary roller, made by Messrs. Amies It is right to say, however, that, thanks to the and Barford, of Peterborough. The work done by researches of Ebelmen, Deville, Troost, and others, this implement was very effective, and nothing In noticing the arrival of the "Narva" at Key small rubies and amethysts have been produced, but the regular serrations in the Beverley Com-West with the Cuba cable, we remarked that "we and even microscopic diamonds have been made. pany's implements could have put the Peter- are daily expecting to hear news of the successful But while we have to wait for larger productions borough roller in the second place. Messrs. Cross-laying of the cable." We regret to state that the kill and Sons were awarded the third prize. At news received has been of an adverse character, it is well to have the imitations as exact and the trial of heavy and light rollers the competitors and that the cable is not yet laid. The following beautiful as possible, therefore we copy from were the following manufacturers:-The Beverley is from New York:-"The Narva, scrow "Elsner" a receipt for a hard foundation glass, Company Hunt and Pickering, Croskill and Sons, steamer, engaged in paying out the new telegraph and the proportions of colouring agents necessary Lewis, Boby, Page, Holmes, Amies and Barford, cable to Havana, arrived on the 4th inst. to to give this glass the appropriate tints of the stones. and Woods and Cocksedge. The first prize was within ten miles of the Moro, but getting into a Elsner takes 45.7grms. of pure quartz, 22.8grms. awarded to Amies and Barford, the second to the strong curront, was carried fifteen miles from of puro and dry carbonate of soda, 76grms. of Beverley Company, and a high commendation was Chorrera, the place for landing shore end of cable, borax, 3-4grms. of nitre, and 11.8grms. of minium. given to Amies and Barford. which was all paid out within three miles of the These ingredients reduced to a fine powder, and shore, and the end fastened to a buoy. Owing well mixed, are brought to perfect fusion in a to the depth of the water the buoy could not Hessian crucible over a charcoal fire. To colour be anchored, and was drifting to the seaward." this mass, in order to imitate various precious El Moro is the easterly point of the entrance of stones, the following must be added:-For sapthe harbour of Havana, from which the Chorrera, phires, 0-106grms. of carbonate of cobalt; for the landing-place, is about four miles distant west-emeralds, 0.53grms. of oxide of iron; for amethysts, ward. A few days before, we heard privately that, in paying out the cable, they had been carried out HE European Telegraph Conference sitting at of their course and came to the end of the cable Vienna, have all but concluded their labours, about ten miles from Havana, where they buoyed having only to hold a final sitting, at which the the end on the 4th, and, on coming to it the next revised international telegraph convention will be day, found that the buoy had disappeared. Which signed. This is the first conference at which the wait patiently for further details. is the correct account we cannot say, but must At present, it English Government has been represented, and is evident that the Gulf Stream has thrown them now that we have become, as a state, party to the out of their course, and made them run short of convention, many telegraphic difficulties will dis- cable before arriving at their destination. Whether In accordance with the wish expressed the end is lost and is irrecoverable is uncertain, by the conference, we learn from Benv, that the but we trust, for the sake of telegraphic enterprise, that the communication may yet be completed. Swiss Foderal Council has consented to undertake The present casualty will be a lesson to those who, the establishment of an International Telegraph in spite of the experience of last year, ridiculed the idea of any difficulty in crossing the Gulf Stream, and contemplated saving an amount of cable equal to that which is now short. On receiving more authentic and particular intelligence, we will bring the matter again before our readers.

We shall resume our remarks upon the Leicester Show in our next number, when we purpose illustrating some other machines, which want of space obliges us to omit in our present issue.

ELECTRICITY AND TELEGRAPHY.

THE

appear.

Office in Switzerland.

We regret to announce that another break has occurred in the Persian Gulf cable; the fault this time is between Gwadur and Kurrachee, but owing to there being an alternative land line, communication has not been interrupted.

We lately alluded to the determination to have 500 miles of cable manufactured for the Persian Gulf, to act as an alternative line for that portion where interruptions more frequently occurred; the great success attending the insulated wire, known Hooper's compound," has, as we have already stated, determined the authorities upon using this material, and the manufacture of the cable will be

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The Select Committeo on the "Electric Tele

graphs" Bill have concluded their labours, and,
having gone through and amended the bill, have
presented it with the following special report on the
several matters which they were specially in-
structed to inquire into, and they are of opinion:-
1. That it is not desirable that the transmission
of messages for the public should become a legal
monopoly in the Post Office.

2. That it should be left to the discretion of the

0-265 of carbonate of manganese; for topaz, 1-59grms. of oxide of uranium. In all cases the fusion must be perfect, or a clear glass will not be obtained. Cutting greatly improves the appearance of these imitations.

A patent has been taken out in France for a solid violet pigment, under the name of "Nurnberg violet," which is insoluble in water, and unaffected by acids. It is not precisely a novelty, but the directions given probably give rise to a finer colour than those given several years ago by Barreswil. The inventor takes oxido of manganese or chlorine residue and fuses it with phosphoric acid. The result is a violet mass, which he dissolves in ammonia or carbonate of ammonia, and then evaporates the solution until it becomes a pasty mass and ceases to swell up. The beauty of the colour is said to depend upon the proportion of phosphoric acid in the compound, and the inventor does not say how much is to be employed. He gives, however, an analysis of his product, which may serve as a guide to an experimenter:Ammonia, 6-21; oxide of manganese, 28:39; phosphoric acid, 53-89; water, 10-75. If this colour is bright and permanent, it will prove a valuable addition to our stock of pigments.

A curious, and, if correct, important paper on the electrolysis of water has been published by M. Bourgouin. Pure water, he states, is never decomposed by electrolysis, whatever the strength of the battery employed, or however long the

attempt may be persevered in.

MESSAGE No. III.

mental in achieving its final triumph. Your courte"The Duke of Argyll to his Excellency the Go-sies to one American citizen we claim as compliments vernor-General of Cuba, Havanna. to and evidence of friendly regard for all. The telegraph, which is bringing all peoples within the reach of friendly voices, is doing more for universal peace than diplomacy, and rapidly making democrats of all. Health and long life to your Grace, and a cordial greeting to your guest and his friends."

"As president of a banquet, attended by upwards of 300 gentlemen, to do honour to Mr. Cyrus Field, of New York, for his eminent services in assisting the promotion of the Atlantic Telegraph, I invite you to join in the compliment offered to him this day, and to ask you, while drinking his health and happiness, to add to the good old Spanish congratulation, "May he live a thousand years.'

Sulphuric acid or an alkali is always added to enable, it is said, the water to conduct electricity. M. Bourgouin's experiments, however, go to show that these bodies perform a more important part than mere conducting agents. When potash was employed, he observed that the amount of hydrogen disengaged was always proportional to the amount of potassium carried to the negative pole, and his opinion is that it is a hydrate of potassium K HO2 which is decomposed. Similarly, in the case of water acidulated with sulphuric acid, he believes that a hydrate S H3 06 is the body electrolysed," and that the excess of water takes no further part in the action than to continually replace that removed from the compound named. The author's views we do not expect to be left unchallenged, and we shall probably hear a good deal on the subject.

(Sent from Willis' Rooms, at 7.38 p.m.)

ANSWER.

From Lersundi, Havanna, July 1, to Senor Duque de Argyll, Willis' Rooms, London. "Uno gasteso mi felicitacion y mi voto a la felicitacion y a brindis de v e pronunciado en este memente en honor de ma Cyrus por sus emenates serveces prestados para el establicimento del telegrafo Atlantico y el saludor a esa honorable concurrencia pido al ciclo que conserve a tan ylustre varon y que vipan v v muchos anos.' (Received at Willis' Rooms, at 1.7 a.m., July 2.) MESSAGE NO. IV.

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THE LAST TELEGRAPHIC BANQUET.
UR best exertions have always been cheer-"The Duke of Argyll to his Excellency the Governor

OUR

of Victoria, Vancouver's Island. fully and willingly given to the promotion of "I am president of a banquet of upwards of 300 the Atlantic cable scheme. Our pages testify that English gentlemen, met to pay a homage of respect we never lacked faith in the enterprise even in its to Mr. Cyrus Field, of New York, for his exertions darkest and most gloomy moments. Our antici- in promoting the laying of the Atlantic Cable. Its pations and predictions of ultimate success have success enables the Old World now to talk to the been fully and signally fulfilled, and those whose New, and we shall be gratified to find that English enterprising spirit carried it on through evil re- colonists, divided from us by thousands of miles, are port and good report are now reaping their richly-ready to join in so worthy a compliment to an Amerimerited reward. The last closing scene of im-can citizen, and ask you to drink his good health." (Sent from Willis' Rooms, at 7 p.m.) portance in the history of the Atlantic telegraph is, probably, the dinner which was given about three weeks since to Mr. Cyrus W. Field, at Willis's Rooms. We, therefore, need no apology for appending the details of the telegraphic proceedings at the banquet. We give the messages sent and received, and the times at which they started and arrived, which are points of scientific interest, as illustrating the rapidity of communication.

MESSAGE No. I.

"The Duke of Argyll to his Excellency Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, Washington.

"I am now surrounded by upwards of 300 gentlemen and many ladies, who have assembled to do honour to Mr. Cyrus Field for his acknowledged exertions in promoting telegraphic communication between the New and Old Worlds. It bids fair for the kindly influences of the Atlantic cable that its success should have brought together so friendly a gathering; and, in asking you to join our toast of Long life, health, and happiness to your most worthy countryman,' let me add a Highlander's wish that England and America may always be found in peace and in war shoulder to shoulder.'"

(Sent from Willis' Rooms at 7.27 p.m.)
ANSWER.

ANSWER.

"From Frederick Seymour, Gov. Victoria, June 28 (via Valencia), San Juan Island, July 1, to his Grace the Duke of Argyll.

the toast, "Cyrus Field "will be received. We owe "Columbia joins heartily in the cheers with which much to the telegraph. Three days' news from England, instantaneous communication with gold mines six hundred miles distant-thus police force virtually doubled. Weather fine here. Mines and farms flourishing. Wages high. Revenue improving. Your son Lord George with us, and well."

(Received at Willis' Rooms at 8.26 p.m.)

MESSAGE No. V.

(Received at Willis' Rooms at 11.19 p.m.) «From Tal. P. Shaffner, New York, July 1, to Cyrus W. Field, London.

"I fought against your enterprise many years; you succeeded, and I honour you on the achievement. You deserve more glory than Columbus." (Received at Willis' Rooms at 7.15 p.m.)

66

From Samuel F. B. Morse, July 1, 1.10 p.m., to his Grace the Duke of Argyll, Willis' Rooms. "Greeting to all met to perform an act of national justice. May this Divine attribute ever be the comthe nations of the entire world in the bonds of peace. panion of the telegraph in its true mission of binding Special greeting to Cooke and Wheatstone, to Sir Charles Bright, to Whitehouse."

(Received at Willis' Rooms at 8.11 p.m.) "From S. E. Musgrove, July 1, to the Duke of Argyll.

"I join with pleasure in toasting my friend, Mr. Field, whose name is so indissolubly associated with the work which joins three provinces still more closely to Great Britain, and I sincerely wish him prosperity in all his undertakings."

(Received at Willis' Rooms at 9.2 p.m.)

H. Haight, San Francisco, California, July 1, to Cyrus W. Field, Esq., at the Banquet, London. "The Governor of California presents his compliments and congratulations."

(Time received not noted). "From George L. Woods, Governor of Oregon, Salem, July 1, to Cyrus W. Field, Esq. benefactor, and offer you their hand across the water "The people of Oregon salute you as the world's which you have rendered to mankind. as a token of their high appreciation of the services Let our kindest wishes in your behalf be our representatives at your meeting."

(Time received not noted.)

"The Duke of Argyll to his Excellency the Go- THE MILITARY MONUMENT AT QUINCY. vernor of Newfoundland.

“I am surrounded by upwards of 300 gentlemen and many ladies to do honour to Mr. Cyrus W. Field, of New York, for his well-known services in promoting the Atlantic Telegraph. I ask you to join in drinking his health and happiness, and that every prosperity may attend him in all his important pursuits.' (Sent from Willis' Rooms at 7.48 p.m.) No answer.

MESSAGE No. VI.

"The Duke of Argyll to Miss Mary Grace Field and Brothers, New York.

"W. H. Seward to his Grace the Duke of Argyll, "I have upwards of 300 gentlemen around me to London. do honour to your worthy father for all his past "Your salutation to the President from the ban-labours in connection with the Atlantic cable, and, in queting hall at Willis' has been received. The din- asking you to join us in drinking his health, let me ner hour here has not arrived yet; it is only five offer you my congratulations in being blessed with o'clock; the sun is yet two hours high. When the so excellent a father, and also to express the hope dinner hour arrives the President will accompany that his example may inspirit all his children to folyour pledge of honour to our distinguished country- low in the good path he has hitherto led them." man, Cyrus W. Field, and will cordially correspond to your Highland aspiration for perpetual friendship between the two nations."

(Received at Willis' Rooms at 11.26 p.m.)
MESSAGE No. II.

"The Duke of Argyll to his Excellency Lord Monck, Governor-General of Canada.

"I am now presiding over a banquet of upwards of 300 gentlemen and many ladies to do honour to Mr. Cyrus Field, of New York, for his devotion to the interests of Atlantic telegraphy. It is a good omen of the influence which the submarine cable between the Old and New World can exercise in our offering this homage of respect to a most worthy American, and I shall be glad to find you reciprocate the sentiment from the table of the Governor of the

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"From Governor-General Monck, Quebec, July 1, the Duke of Argyll, Chairman of the dinner to Cyrus Field.

(Sent from Willis' Rooms at 7.52 p.m.)
ANSWER.

"Grace Field (4.5 p.m. New York time) to the Duke of Argyll, London.

"I thank you most sincerely for the kind words you have spoken of my father, causing me to feel that we are friends, although our acquaintance is thus made across the sea and in a moment of time."

(Received at Willis' Rooms at 9.16 p.m.) In addition to the foregoing the following miscellaneous messages were received from the first American promoters of Atlantic telegraphy, and other gentlemen:

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"From Peter Cooper, President, New York, July 1, 1868, to the Duke of Argyll, Willis' Rooms, London. The directors of the New York, Newfoundland, and London Telegraph Company are rejoiced that the services of their associate, Cyrus W. Field, are recog; nized in England as they have long been recognized in America. They beg leave to join in congratulating him, and they trust that his highest claims to the gratitude of the world will be found to consist in the establishing of a communication which shall bind together the nations in universal and perpetual peace."

(Received at Willis' Rooms at 8.20 p.m.) "From William Orton, President, July 1, to the Duke of Argyll, London.

A MONUMENT has recently been erected by

the citizens of Quincy, Massachusetts, in honour of the soldiers from that town who fell in the Rebellion. It was designed by Mr. Chester R. Mitchell, of Quincy, now deceased, and is stated to be one of the most beautiful obelisks ever dedicated in Massachusetts to the memory of the slain. It has been erected at a cost of 4,360 dollars, is 34ft. 3in. high, and rests on a foundation 9ft. square. The bottom base is 8ft. square, and the second 6ft. Upon the side there is an inscription on a raised band, "1868." The third base is 5ft. square. Resting on this is the die, 4žít. square, having a heavy circular overhanging mould, with tablets of bronze inserted in panels on each face, with inscriptions in raised letters. This die supports a smaller one, with very graceful overhanging mouldings, and on the front face in raised letters are the words:-"In honour of our

patriot soldiers." On the opposite is an anchor cut in bold relief. On the right is the familiar shield overhanging two crossed muskets; on the left side is represented two cannon and two naked swords, most appropriate designs, and very happily blended in position, representing both army and navy. Above this is the shaft, clean and smooth, except the front, on which is a large raised shield, with the raised letters "U.S." This shaft is 14ft. high. Next comes the base of the capital, forming by its lower band the necking of the shaft. The ornamentation of this stone consists of three large raised stars on each face. This is surmounted by the capital, which is pyramidical in shape, with slightly concave sides, capped with triangular sides, ornamented with large stars and a ball, the whole constituting a chaste, symmetrical, and most beautiful monument, and will for ever stand as an honour to the town and as a fitting memorial to the men who died for their country.

"In the name of the people of the dominion of Canada I desire to express our hearty sympathy Ir is some consolation to find that although we with the compliment which you are paying to Mr. want rain sadly in England there is no lack of it in Cyrus Field. It is especially fit and appropriate India. In Madras rain has been falling every daythat I should be able to do so by means of that such a season has not, in fact, been known for many mighty instrument with which his name is inseparyears. Bengal has also been visited by a most ably connected, but the success of which, and the "The Western Union Telegraph Company re-unusual and severe fall of rain. The fall was consequent advantages to humanity and the progress spectfully ask permission to so far participate in your almost continuous for ten days. The whole country of civilization, are mainly due to the self-reliance, festivities as to add their hundred thousand miles of is under water, and the shallow streams having their enterprise, and energy of your distinguished guest." wire to that which is represented, as a grateful tribute rise in the Beerbhoom hills are in flood. What (Received at Willis' Rooms at 8.3 p.m.) of the telegraph to one who has been mainly instru- might not be done for India with proper irrigation?

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GARRARD'S MOWING MACHINE. BY MESSRS E. R. AND F. TURNER, IPSWICH.

BLAKE'S NEW STONE CRUSHER.

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GARRARD'S MOWING MACHINE. THE accompanying engraving shows a

new

Garrard, and made by Messrs. Turner, of Ipswich, the chief features of which consist in supporting the finger bar at each end, and, by suitable contrivances, allowing the cutting parts to conform themselves to inequalities of the ground with greater facility than has hitherto been the case. Fig. 1 shows a plan view, and fig. 2 a longitudinal section; figs. 5 and 6 show portions separately, in order that their construction may be better understood. In each of these views the same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur. a a a is the main or draft framing, which is affixed to brackets b b1 and formed to receive the axis of the main wheels c c. These brackets b b' b3, or there may be others applied for the same purpose, descend, as shown, below the axle, and the brackets bb' support by the axes d of the rear end of the frame e, while the bracket ba, by an axis d, supports the bearing arm e'; the bearing frame e and the bearing arm el at their other ends support the finger bar f The object of the bearing frame e and the arm e' being thus capable of moving on axes dd, or it may be other suitable joints, is to admit of the finger bar frising or falling with the undulations of the ground, or for the depth of its action to be otherwise regulated. The fore end of the bearing frame e is formed to receive a bearing wheel g, the bearing arm e' has a shoe or sledge h (fig. 5), but they may both be fitted with either wheels, or shoes, or sledges. The object of these fore ends of the bearing frame e and of the arm el being thus provided with supporting shoes, is to aid them at those parts in following the surface of the ground when the apparatus is in use.

by the aid of a wooden apparatus roughly im- taken up by the inventors of one of our best provised for the purpose. The fluid was then petroleum furnaces, and that the results are likely allowed to settle, and the action of the essence M. to be successful. If this proves to be the case a was at once apparent, a peculiar agitation taking very important advance will have been effected in place, caused by the chemicals combining with steam navigation, and great credit will be due to the impurities and precipitating them to the bottom those who are instrumental in bringing it about. of the tank. In about ten minutes, and at intervals But our object is not now so much to point out the afterwards, bottles were plunged into the deepest advantages of using liquid fuel as to place before portion of the fluid, and on being brought to our readers particulars of the most recent applithe surface and examined, the transformation cation of the principle of the petroleum furnace. was apparent, the fluid being perfectly transparent, This has just been patented by Mr. Dorsett, of though slightly tinged with blue In half an No. 12, London-street, Fenchurch-street, and we hour the whole body of the sewage was in a witnessed its working yesterday week at the works very advanced state of purification. So far as of the Patent Fuel Company, Deptford Green. could be judged by the eye and by the sense of The principle differs from all others with which smell, the fluid was perfectly fit to be discharged we are acquainted in that the fuel is used in a into the river. It was stated that the tank not boiling condition, its vapour being utilized under having been constructed for the alum process was the steam boiler. To this end Mr. Dorsett has a too shallow, and that with a deeper tank the small vertical auxiliary boiler which is placed same results could be produced with a smaller beside the furnace proper, and which is filled with admixture of chemicals and in a shorter space creosote. A fire is started under the small boiler of time. with a shovelful of live coal, and when the vapour begins to rise it is conveyed by a down pipe from the top of the boiler into the furnace, and continues the work the coal fire commenced. Another pipe from the top of the small boiler is carried into the furnace of the steam boiler, which it traverses and returns to the furnace door. The pipe inside the furnace is perforated at wide distances, and through these perforations the gas issues and is burned beneath the steam boiler. In the present instance no opinion could be formed of the value of the invention for steam purposes, inasmuch as the boilers to which it was applied were haystack boilers, and were used for the distillation of coaltar, one of the products of which-creosote-being the material used. Mr. Dorsett, however, informed us that he was about to apply the arrangements on board a large river steamer, when an opportunity will offer of testing its merits in a direction to which the public are looking with much interest. As at present utilized, however, it is a decided success, the combustion appearing to be practically perfect and the work done highly satisfactory. The economical advantages are very apparent when we state that 120 gallons of creosote, at one penny per gallon, will do the work of 2 tons of Welsh steam coal at 17s. 6d. per ton. Of course, as the principle comes into general adoption, there can be but little doubt that the prices of liquid fuel, for which there is now little or no demand, will go up. But there will always remain a good margin in its favour, which will be increased by the many other advantages it presents to both our Royal and our mercantile marine.

Some comparative experiments were then made with alum and lime with the view of contrasting the action of the former with that of the latter. The results lead to the inference that the alum process had the advantage in regard to the time necessary for the operation, the clearness of the water, and the absence of smell. The question, however, will soon receive further elucidation by a rigid chemical test, an eminent authority being about to analyze the solid residuum and the effluent water. Concerning the solid portion, it is expected that this will prove a really valuable manure, while the fluid will be such as may be safely discharged into the open stream. Professor Wohler, of the University of Gottingen, one of the most eminent living chemists, certifies that upon examination he does not find that the purifying The bearing frame e and the bearing arm e' are essence contains anything beyond what is stated. attached to one end of a chain i (fig. 2), the other He farther states that he made experiments with end of which is attached to a pulley, and this the Tottenham sewage, the results of which coinpulley j is applied on an axis or shaft jl, which is cide with those obtained in the above trials, and supported so as to be capable of revolving in bear- were altogether most satisfactory. His opinion is ings, and it is provided with a crank handle 3 by that the deposit would be very valuable as manure. which it may be readily caused to revolve, or parMr. Lenk's purifying fluid is also applicable to tially so, and thereby give motion to the pulley; the purification of water in general. Under orto raise or lower the bearing frame e and the bear- dinary conditions it is used in the proportion of ing arm e', the finger bar and parts connected twelve to twenty drops to a quart of water. But therewith, and thereby regulate the depth of their where the water is exceedingly bad, the proportion operation, or to raise them out of operation when of fluid must be increased to thirty drops to the required. The finger bar f and the knife bar k quart. Where a large and continuous supply of carried thereby are placed, as shown, to operate in purified water is required, a simple appafront of the wheels cl c2, and so as slightly to pro-ratus is fitted to the inner end of the tap ject over or beyond the wheel c. Reciprocating of the tank or reservoir. It consists of a motion is imparted to the knife bar k by a con- short length of pipe, which fits the conical necting rod 1, one end of which is by pin joint extremity of the tap; the pipe is furnished with connected at 2 to one end of the knife bar, whilst funnel, the open part of which is protected the other end of this rod 7 is by pin joint con- by a disc somewhat larger than the funnel. This nected to a crank stud l' affixed to one end of the arrangement prevents any portion of the impuriaxis m, which is supported with capability of re-ties in the water from entering the funnel and volving in bearings carried by the frame e, and at being carried through the tap, for, as the sediment its other eud this axis m has applied to it a is deposited, it sinks down below the mouth of the bevelled tooth pinion m1, the teeth of which gear funnel. We may add that Mr. F. Leunig, of 68, into the teeth of a bevelled tooth n, which is Upper Thames-street, is the patentee of this procapable of turning on the axis d. This bevelled cess for Great Britain. toothed pinion n is, by preference, connected to We cannot better conclude our notice of this its axis d so as to be caused to revolve with that invention than by giving the certificate of one of axis by a clutch connection o, and the axis d the most celebrated analysts of the day-Dr. has motion given to it in the revolution of Letheby-who says:-"I beg to state that I have the wheel c by the teeth of a wheel c affixed made experiments with the preparation employed to the wheel c gearing with the teeth of a by Mr. Lenk in purifying water, and I find that pinion caffixed on the axis d. The sup- the sulphate of alumina contained in it has the porting shoe to the frame e is placed in front power of precipitating much of the organic matter of the crank motion above referred to, so as in common waters; and that when it fails to to protect it from being interfered with by the cut grass or other material. This frame e is connected to the bearing arm e' by the finger bar f. In the arrangement shown by figs. 1 and 2, one of the main wheels only is used as a driving wheel, namely, the wheel which carries the toothed wheels. The main axle c in this case does not

revolve, and both of the main wheels c c are free to turn on it.

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66 Le Prince

STEAM FIRE ENGINE FOR MULHOUSE. HE town of Mulhouse, in the east of France, works, has just been supplied with one of Messrs. celebrated for its large cotton mills and print Merryweather and Son's light steam fire engines, of the same pattern as the engine Imperial," one of the engines for which this firm were awarded the first prize gold medal at the late Paris Exhibition. The official trials of this engine, which has a horizontal steam cylinder Gin. diameter, and a direct double-acting pump 54in. diameter, with a long stroke of 18in., were made at Mulhouse a few days since, the results obtained being highly satisfactory, and remarkable for the quick raising of steam. Lighting the fires with cold water in the boiler, 100lb. pressure of steam throw down the vegetable matter of marsh and menced pumping, and steadily maintained its was raised in 74 minutes, when the engine compeat water, the astringent nature of the prepara-pressure, to the astonishment of the spectators, tion has, no doubt, a tendency to prevent the amongst whom were M. Koechlin Dollfus, chief of usually unwholesome effect of such waters. It has also the power of checking the putrefaction of well-known locomotive builder, with several of his the Sapeurs Pompiers, and M. Andre Koechlin, the waters charged with organic manner; and, in staff. Jets of lin. and 14in. diameter were projected these respects, I consider the preparation valuable. vertically, the former reaching quite 140ft. high; Signed) H. LETHEBY." two and four jets were also delivered at once, as well as playing through 60ft. of hose, and lifting water from a depth of 20ft. The fire brigade of Mulhouse is reckoned second to none in France; it is entirely on the volunteer system, consisting fire engines. The water supply is from canals and small rivers running through the town, so that the steam fire engines will be much employed in pumping water through long lines of hose.

DORSETT'S PETROLEUM FURNACE.
HE question of using petroleum as a fuel for

LENK'S PROCESS OF PURIFYING SEWAGE.
OME experiments have recently been carried
but at Tottenham, with a new process of
purifying sewage, which is the invention of Mr. far as its practical adoption by the public is con-
Lenk, of Dresden. The process consists in mixing cerned. Several methods of effecting the object
with the sewage a preparation of sulphate of alumina have been invented, and have been-and we be-
and alum, which precipitates all the organic matter
it contains. Upon the occasion in question, a
tank measuring about 50ft. in length by 20ft. in
breadth, was filled with 26,000 gallons of sewage,
very black in appearance, and extremely offensive
in smell. Forty-six gallons of the purifying essence
were then sprinkled over the surface of the fluid by
means of a hydropult, and afterwards stirred in

lieve are still-used by their respective inventors
with success. But we are not aware that the ap-
plication of the principle extends beyond their
own boilers. The more important aspect of the
question is that which relates to the adoption of
the system in steamships where space is an object,
in which respect petroleum offers great advan-
tages over coal. We believe this matter is being

THE great Mowkee-Mullee viaduct on the Bhoro Ghaut of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway, which fell in bodily last year, has been replaced by an iron structure; direct railway communication between Poona and Bombay will now be restored.

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