class passengers, for Rio Janeiro, Monte Video, and Valparaiso, calling at St. Nazaire, Lisbon, and St. Vincent. The contract with the Chilian Government is to perform the voyage, both out and home, in forty-two days, including all stoppages. At first the service is to be only once in two months, but in a short time, it is said, a new and splendid fleet of steamers of 2,500 tons will be ready, when the communication will be monthly, taking passengers from Liverpool, &c., to Rio Janeiro, Monte Video, and Valparaiso direct, and thus avoiding the annoyance of transshipment, &c., via Panama, for those bound for the West Coast.

MANUFACTURE OF STRIP IRON FOR
BOILER TUBES.

HITHERTO a difficulty has existed in the manu-
facture of tubes for locomotive, marine, or
other tubular boilers or tubes required to be flanged
or expanded, even when extra quality of iron is used,
to permit the operator without fracture to spread
the ends outward so as to form flanges, an opera-
tion essentially important for securing iron tubes to
such boilers. This hitherto difficulty or defect has
arisen from the fibrous course of the iron on the
outsides of the sheets or strips being entirely in its
lengthway direction. The object of the invention
we are about to describe, and which has just been
patented by Mr. R. H. Taunton, of the Star Tube
Works, Birmingham, is to overcome this defect.
This is effected by so arranging and building up
the pile of iron from which the finished strip or
sheet is rolled, that instead of the grain of the
finished tube being in its lengthway course, a suffi-
cient portion of the grain is distributed on both
sides in a transverse direction, or more or less
oblique. This permits the tube to be hammered,
beat, enlarged, and spread over into a flange with-
out splitting or cracking in its lengthway or other
direction under this operation, which has heretofore
been the obstacle to the general use of iron for
tubular flueways of boilers or tubes requiring to be
swaged, expanded, or flanged.

In practice the pile is made more or less compound, both in its composition and direction, being varied and arranged with a view that a strip or sheet rolled from it shall be of the desired length and breadth. But as this will be well understood by operators accustomed to the rolling of iron, we will confine our description to a pile of iron to be worked and finished into a strip. For all general purposes the following mode may be adopted :First, there is a piece of suitable quality of iron, the length and width of the pile required to be made, as shown in the accompanying engraving in section at fig. 1, marked A, and on that at right angles are FIG. Ъ

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES IN INDIA.

THE Committee of Weights and Measures have at

sumed in the furnace.

Imittee, and rendered them somewhat obtuse to the merits of the metrical system which it forcibly re- placed strips top and bottom, the strips being square on the edges, as at a, or more or less bevelled, as commends. This question apart, there can be no TH length finished their labours; but we (Friend doubt that, had the committee been inclined, they at b and c, or lapped, as at d; or they may underof India") can scarcely expect that their recom- might have profited considerably by the memo- lap in an angular or curved manner, as at e and f, mendations will be accepted as final, as they appear minute of dissent, some of the members evidently and bind the parts together before welding by the randum; for, judging from Colonel Strachey's which perhaps may be found preferable, as they tie to us to be open to serious objections, and are opposed to the views of an important minority. wanted instructions for their guidance. One of the operation of rolling. Fig. 2 represents a side view They will not introduce the metrical system; nor, members, a native of Jeypore, had no knowledge of a pile with a double layer of transverse strips fondly as they cling to home instructions, can they whatever of the metrical system; but had heard of above and below the main body B, the outer piece see their way to the unmodified introduction of the the English pound. Other members had just merely being laid over the joints of the inner layers, and English system. A seer of 21b. avoirdupois is heard of the metrical system; and it is more than the whole resting on the strip of wood C for more adopted as the unit with a series of multiples con- doubtful whether any single member had paid such conveniently placing the pile into the furnace for taining 1001b., a 2001b., and a 2,000lb. weight. The special attention to it as to give his opinion any heating preparatory to rolling, the wood being conunit of length is the yard with the mile, cubic, peculiar authority. or half yard, foot and inch; no divisions being proposed between the mile and the yard. The sole result of their deliberations on land measures seems to be the recommendation that the Government should adopt the acre. The unit for measures of capacity is to be the English quart, which contains 21lb. of water and about one seer of rice or mixed grain. From the resolution of the committee, Colonel Strachey has dissented, and with him Mr. Harrison and Colonel Hyde have concurred. Colonel Strachey system; and some time before the organization of the committee he drew up an elaborate memorandum for their guidance; and we fear that this premature memorandum of instructions, however excellent in itself, has touched up the amour propre of the com

is a keen and zealous advocate of the metrical

NEW OCEAN STEAM ROUTE.
THE Chilian Government, being desirous of

Tdi et communition with tingland, ouened
negotiations with the Pacific Steam Navigation
Company for the performance of a special mail
service, and a short time back the contract was
concluded. The first voyage under it has just
been inaugurated. On the 13th inst., the Pacific
Company, who for many years have successfully
carried on the mail service on the west coast of
South America, despatched from Liverpool their
steamer "Pacific," 2,000 tons and 500-horse
power, with accommodation for about 150 first-

The edges of the outer or transverse strips are represented as being rolled at about the same angle as at c (fig. 1), but they may be either of the other sections, as shown in that figure, or otherwise

varied as preferred or requise, or

layers may be placed directly at right angles with the main body B, or more or less oblique, reversing the obliquity of the outer row to that of the inner composed admits of being reheated and welded in ones. A strip rolled from a pile thus arranged and the ordinary way in which welded wrought-iron tubes are made, and subsequently enlarged or flanged without breaking or destroying the fibrous compactness of the iron at that part. This process has had several months' practical trial, and is found to answer admirably, the best results being obtained.

EXISTENCE OF THE MASTODON IN
CALIFORNIA.

By PROFESSOR B. SILLIMAN.*

DURING several visits to the gold regions of

-

I

do was to urge Mr. Hughes to use all diligence in may get a living by it, affords him no peculiar opporthe search and communicate to me by letter a full tunities for gratifying a wholesome ambition to notice of the facts as they should develope them- make a figure in the world. There are some other selves. On March 24, I had the pleasure of receiv-causes that lead promising young men to leave their ing from him the following letter, dated Jefferson-regular business, which are alluded to by a correspondent of a contemporary, who states that he can ville, February 22, 1868:Tuolumne County, California, in the summer recall eleven of as good workmen (finishers and of 1867, I obtained evidence leading to the con"In compliance with your desire that I should pattern makers) as the country could produce; all clusion that the mastodon, and perhaps the ele-write to you whenever I should reach the bones, of them were graduated mechanical draughtsmen. phant, existed prior to the great volcanic dis- have now to state that I have reached them at last, Of the number, but one (a pattern maker,) is followturbances and outpourings of lava which occurred and I regret very much that you were not here to ing his trade; three are in the Engineering Corps throughout the Sierra Nevada mountains pending examine them as they lay. The bones were very United States Navy, two are superintendents of or at the close of the epoch in which the deep- much decayed; indeed, so much so that I found mechanical establishments, one an engineer in the lying placers were produced. It is well known it impossible to obtain any of them whole, with merchant service, while four are following other that this epoch of volcanic activity has been re- the exception of four grinders, which I have in a pursuits; all of this has occurred within ten years, garded as marking the period of the Pliocene, very good state of preservation. The remains of and he ventures the assertion that the parsimony of dividing it from the Post-Pliocene and existing Table Mountain, and 4ft. above the ledge or their preference for inferior workmen, when they will this large animal were found 1,650ft. in under the work as cheap as possible regardless of quality, and employers, instigated by their desire to produce epoch, by a well-marked horizon. Among the animals whose remains have been found in this bottom slate, embedded in a stratum of sand, over-work for reduced wages, do more to compel firstancient auriferous detritus of California, preceding laying a deposit of gold-bearing gravel, and scat-class workmen to vacate their trades than any other the epoch of volcanic activity, are the rhinoceros, tered over a space 20ft. long by 10ft. or 12ft. wide. cause. an animal allied to the hippopotamus, an extinct A large portion of these bones were so soft that This criticism upon the heads of manufacturing species of horse, and a species allied to the camel, I could penetrate right into them with my fingers, and machinery establishments is possibly just in and resembling the Megalomeryx of Liedy. The while other pieces were a little harder, and looked many instances. They are very apt to make no remains of mastodon and elephant are found very interesting. Some of the cavities were lined difference in the remuneration of the different classes abundantly in the superficial detritus of the gold with yellow iron pyrites, and so bright, that when-in merit, we mean--of their employes, and the really region, over an extended area, but until now they first exposed to the light of the candles, they glitter meritorious receive no more tokens of approbation or appreciation than does the stupid and careless one. have never been certainly identified as occurring like diamonds. I have numerous fragments of Employers and master workmen who have a quick under the basalt, which covers the ancient gold different bones which bear handling very well when eye to detect merit ought to be as quick in showing drift and forms the highly characteristic ranges embedded in the same stratum of sand, and very that they lose many a valuable and promising young thoroughly dried. The two tusks lay together, their appreciation of it, and it is from a want of this known as 66 Table Mountains." much decayed also. I endeavoured to remove workman. A well-known railway manager, who them entire, or in medium sized pieces, so that I was a good mechanic as well, with a sharp eye to could put them together again, but I was unsuc- see a good workman, used to visit other machine cessful, and found that nothing would hold them shops for the purpose of picking out a few good men from each, and he succeeded in filling his own together. Both of the tusks were slightly curved, shops with first-class men, and keeping them, too, and large pieces of the points had been broken off, merely by showing that he appreciated them. Most apparently. Each tusk measured, as I found them, of the persons selected by him were in their minority 7ft. lin. in length, and if whole would probably at the time; but to show that he was judicious in have measured 10ft. They were not exactly round, his selection, it is only necessary to say that these measuring 3ft. from the end that enters the socket, shops have since furnished more master mechanics, and thorough ones, too, than can be credited to any 6in. in one diameter and 54in. in the other. "The grinders, as before mentioned, are in a very equal number of machine shops in the whole country. good state of preservation. One very bad feature in most of our machine shops The two posterior grinders each measure 6in. in length and 3in. is the interference and influence of the trade-unions. This interference is shown by attempted dictation as beneath the lip of the "rim rock" or margin of wide, and the two exterior measure each 4in. in the number of apprentices that shall be taken, and the old valley, aiming to come out in, or just length and 2 in. wide. The enamel on the pos- by demanding that all hands shall be paid the same beneath, the ancient channel or river bed. Under-terior ones is very perfect, but the exterior grinders rate of wages, irrespective of their merits as workmen. neath the basalt is a mass of stratified, almost are very much worn, apparently. I found it im- This dictation does not amount to much in some horizontal, generally thin-bedded, detrital matter, possible, because of their softness, to get the shops, but in others it is all-powerful. There is no alternating with clay and argillaceous zones, the dimensions of any of the other bones, which I re-way in which we can increase the quantity of skilled labour so well and so easily as by the apprentic thinly laminated beds containing often vegetable gretted very much. stems and impressions of leaves, indicating deposystem. It is so important that the larger machinists sition in quiet water, while other portions are made and manufacturers can well afford to unite and up of coarse gravelly masses, compacted often into support one monster school-shop, under able instrucfirm coherent "cement," as the miners call it. tors, for apprentices, and many other trades can do the same thing with profit. It would take but very From the ancient river bed to the top of the short time to make these school-shops self-supporting, basaltic capping of Table Mountain, is certainly and the graduating diploma would give every posnot less than 300ft., probably somewhat more. sessor an immediate position and high standing among the best workmen in the land.

Near Jamestown, a village in Tuolumne County, extensive explorations have been made during the past fourteen years in the deep-lying gold detritus, by tunnels driven in beneath the basaltic capping, at a level low enough to open the bed of the ancient rivers, in the channels of which rests the goldbearing gravel. These tunnels are from a few hundred feet in length to 3,000ft. or more ("New York tunnel" 3,500ft.), and they are from 200ft. to 300ft. below the nearly level surface of the basalt. They are driven as nearly as possible at right angles to the supposed course of the ancient stream, and in order to drain off the water by gravity, the grade commences often 150ft. or more

It is beneath this mass of matter, partly aqueous and partly volcanic in its origin, that the remains of mastodon herein mentioned have been found. My attention was first called to them by discovering the portion of an os illium in the collection of A. B. Preston, Esq., local judge of Jamestown, which he assured me had been found in driving the so-called Humbug Tunnel under Table Mountain, at a point 1,500ft. in from its mouth. Associated with it was the point of a tusk, which I also secured. Both these specimens are now in the collection of the Peabody Museum at Yale. Although I obtained the plainest possible testimony of eye witnesses to the fact that these bones were taken from beneath the basalt, I should not venture to mention the fact in support of the opinion that the mastodon existed in the Pliocene period, without farther and more satisfactory evidence.

This I was fortunate enough to obtain from Mr. D. T. Hughes, now engaged in exploring a tunnel upon the south-west side of the same mountain, which was formerly known as the Maine Boy's Tunnel, but now called after Mr. Hughes.

Mr. Hughes informed me, that at a point about

"Enclosed you will find a rough sketch of three
of the teeth (with portions of the jaw attached).
The two grinders you see together are in the same
position as when I dug them out. The sketches are
not drawn to an exact scale, but will convey an idea
is the side view of the posterior grinder."
of the grinders as they are. The other drawing

*

*

*

From Mr. Hughes' description and the accompanying drawings there is no room to doubt that the bones discovered are those of the mastodon, and it appears probable that nearly the entire skeleton of a full-sized animal was entombed in the sands resting immediately upon the ancient auriferous gravel beneath the Table Mountains, and of course anterior in age to the period of volcanic activity and overflows of lava, which have hitherto been considered as marking the close of the Pliocene era, a catastrophe which appears to have exterminated the other members of the Pliocene fauna. If the mastodon survived the catastrophe which exterminated the hippopotamus, rhinoceros, tapir, &c., and continued through the remains to be proved that man was his companion Post-Pliocene, to the appearance of man, it yet prior to the dawn of the existing epoch.

WE

to

as we believe, with success.

In the great industrial

The attempt on the part of the trade-unions to keep the number of skilled workmen "conveniently small," by dictating about the number of apprentices, ought to be resisted at all hazards, and other methods failing, the one we have pointed out can be tried, battle between this and foreign countries, we welcome every sober and intelligent foreign workman with open arms and good wages, and the sooner this country shows that in manufacturing capacity it is the equal of others, the better it will be for the working men of both. The attempt to exclude apprentices, or foreign skilled workmen, from our machine shops, foundries, iron and steel works, and other manufacturing establishments, is very foolish, almost suicidal in fact. It may be annoying for a time, but it never force can supply, and no obstructions ought to be can be successful. The needs of the country are vastly greater than the present skilled mechanical

placed in the way of increasing it easily and naturally. The attempt to do so will unite at once the manufacturing capital of the country, and ship-loads of well-skilled and experienced mechanics would be THE SKILLED LABOUR OF AMERICA. brought to our shores. We counsel our best meERE it not for the continued emigration from to dictate what wages they shall receive or who chanics to keep clear of all organizations that attempt 1,600ft. in the tunnel named, bones existed, other countries, the skilled labour of the United shall be their fellow-workmen. These organizations believed by him to be those of mastodon or ele- States would fall far below what is needed, and in are worse than useless to workmen, they are posiphant, and which had been uncovered some time machine shop and shows more than ordinary talent vicious in moral effects. The moment a man becomes fact it does so now. A young man who enters a tively hurtful; dwarfing to the mental capacity and since, but were at the time of my visit inaccessible, and application for the business, often thinks, and the mere tool of a society, without obeying his own owing to the falling in of that portion of the work. really finds that he can make more money imme-intelligent will, he loses his self-respect and personal I immediately visited the place, and made all the diately in some other business, and so he leaves just independence, and his enforced idleness, in conseexamination possible at the time, but could not as he is becoming valuable to his employer, the quence of strikes, soon leads him into bad habits then nor on a later occasion gain access to the machine shop losing a skilful pair of hands and a and consequent penury. bones. At my request, explorations were resumed good head, which if the owner had continued to "American Railway in the direction likely to uncover them, and I made employ in the machinery department would soon arrangements to return to the locality whenever have placed him in a position of opulence and influthe miners should again reach these interesting effects of which his after life will reveal to him more by Mr. W. A. Gibbs, of Gillwell-park, Sewardstone, ence. The young man has made a mistake, the THE essay upon harvesting corn in wet weather, remains, but up to the date of my leaving Cali- fully. The ambition to better himself pecuniarily Essex, for which the gold medal of the Society of fornia (January, 1868), I was advised that this for the present, and perhaps the lack of gentility in Arts, and a prize of fifty guineas were awarded, point had not yet been reached, and all I could mechanical employment, causes many a talented will shortly be published by Messrs. Bell and Daldy, young mechanic to leave a business that he is York-street, Covent-garden, publishers to the Sopeculiarily adapted to, for one where, though heciety of Arts.

7 “American Journal of Arts and Sciences."

Times."

Legal Intelligence.

VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT.
July 20.

(Before Vice-Chancellor Sir R. MALINS.)

GREENWOOD v. RIPLEY.

who are the well-known manufacturers of ma

the merits of such a cable, according to the resulta of actual practical use. We were informed that it stated no less. Captain Rowett states no more, and, was not in practical use, and in our report wo as far as we are concerned, here the matter can end. -ED. M. M.]

upon the technicalities of the case I will reserve [We gladly afford Captain Rowett the oppor-
my opinion. I am afraid, if I defer it till Monday tunity of explaining his meaning, although it in no
morning next, that will be too late for you to pre-way affects our position. We were invited to
pare for
your trial at Leeds. I think it would be witness trials with and hear particulars of a certain
well even now to make up your mind.
make of submarine cable. We wished to ascertain
If you
attempt to go to Leeds, I am perfectly satisfied
that the plaintiffs will stop you. I am perfectly
satisfied that in a case like this there are abundant
means of preventing the trial taking place at Leeds
when there are no pleas yet delivered to say that
when the declaration has been delivered; and
such a case shall be forced on and tried at Leeds,
also suggested that they will apply for the ex-
I am certain is impracticable. Besides this, it is
amination of witnesses in America, for which a
commission must be issued; and, therefore, even
now, rather than this pressure, I would suggest to
you that you had better let the cause be heard or
let the motion stand over, and if, upon the whole
of the case, you are entitled to it, then in the month
of November you can try the action. But, if that
is not acceded to, on Monday morning I will give
my opinion upon the subject.

Correspondence.

SEWAGE CHEMICALLY TREATED. SIR,-May I be allowed to offer a few remai on the recent sewage experiments by Mr. Lenk at Tottenham. It seems that the cost for chemicals, by the process, is estimated at 1s. 9d. per heal annually. I do not know how many people visi the metropolis yearly, but I will say 28. is required per head annually; and taking the population at 3,126,635, much within the mark I think, we would have £312,663. I hope the chemicals used-up coal pits begin to look up, as they will are as plentiful as the money. If so, then the form a grand tank, the preparation being injected along with the sewage, similar to that liquid fuel scheme, sprayed and distributed along with the nuisance. We shall arrive at something by and by, and the lucky chemist will make a large fortune.-I am, Sir, yours, &c., July 14. JOHN G. WINTON.

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

THIS was a motion for an injunction to restrain an action brought by the defendant, General Ripley (originally an officer in the Confederate army), for damages alleged to have been sustained by him in consequence of the conduct of the plaintiffs, chinery for military and other purposes at Leeds. The facts are these:-In June, 1863, Mr. Burton (also an officer in the Confederate army) came to this country and entered into a verbal contract with the plaintiffs, Mossrs. Greenwood and Batley (employing, as it was said, 1,000 workmen), to supply the then Confederate Government with machinery for the manufacture of Enfield rifles, to the value of £54,413 5s., which was subsequently matured between the plaintiffs, a Major Huso, and Mr. Prioleau, a member of the wellknown firm of Frazer, Trenholm, and Co., merchants, of Liverpool, who were to have £10 per cent. commission on the transaction. The machinery was, to a great extent, supplied and paid OCEAN TELEGRAPHY. for, and some sent to Bermuda and elsewhere, "MECHANICS' MAGAZINE." but before it could be used as intended the Con- TO THE EDITOR OF THE federate Government collapsed, and it was returned SIR,-If Mr. Rowett is correct when he states, to the plaintiffs, a balance being due to them, but "The two cables laid by the Atlantic Company are a part of the machinery under the original con- my patent cables, and no one but myself has laid tract being incomplete and some not begun. claim to their authorship," I can understand why he Goneral Ripley came to England and became the should feel himself aggrieved, for there can be no purchasor of the machinery for £20,000, and had doubt that the person who first suggested the form contracted, as it was alleged, in writing" (two deserved, at least, honourable mention. But let us of the outer coverings of the present Atlantic cable documents forming the contract) to sell it to Peter go into facts, and see whether Mr. Rowett is the inPritchard, Congreve rocket, &c., manufacturer.jured person he supposes himself to be. In 1852, The plaintiffs had sold some of it piecemeal, and an ordinary hempen rope, containing two insulated disputes arose, ending in the action by General copper wires, was laid across the Irish Channel Ripley, now sought to be restrained, wherein the from Portpatrick to Donaghadee; but it proved a damages were laid at £100,000. It appeared that complete failure, and soon became part and parcel of Messrs. Frazer and Co. had failed, and there were the waifs and strays of the channel. During the claims between them and the United States, who latter end of 1855, and the principal part of 1856, I were defendants. The plaintiffs having no legal Samuel Statham in experimenting, with a view to was engaged with the late much-lamented Mr. defence filed this bill, on the ground that the con- obtain a light and suitable cable for an Atlantic teleduct of the parties had disentitled them to any graph, and among many specimens made reliof at law, whereas the defendants denied that several hemp-covered, and some of the same descrip- M. A. E.-R. H. T.-W. R.-S. A. D.-G. S. N.-Messrs there was any equity to restrain the action, and tion as the present Atlantic cables-that is to say, D. and B.-J. K.-J. B. T.-W. W. K.-C. W.-E. J. S.-insisted that the machinery had been, in fact, the outer covering was composed of iron wires, each F. M.-J. N.-G. E. P.—T. F.—B. H.—F.L.—J. R.—J. T. B. paid for, and there was no right of retention. of which was separately covered with hemp. The-S. O. and Co.-J. H.-W. T. F.-E. C. R.-S. W. and Mr. Glasse, Q.C., and Mr. Higgins appeared for breaking strain of some of these specimens was pub-S. K. M.-W. S.-C. E.-W. R.-A. S.-G. and B.-K. I. the plaintiff; Mr. J. Pearson, Q.C., Mr. H. Sheb-licly tried in September, 1856, at Messrs. Brown, beare, and Mr. Benjamin (of the Common Law Lennox, and Co.'s, in the presence of many gentleBar) for the defendants. men interested in ocean telegraphy. In 1858, endeavours to lay hemp-covered cables in the Mediter-Rabal, Military, and Gunnery Item: Atlantic was laid from Algiers to Toulon. ranean failed; in 1860, a cable similar to the present

were

Now, Sir, with these facts on record, and con

Mr. Glasse, Q.C., was heard in reply. The Vice-Chancellor said that he should not finally dispose of this case till Monday next, involving as it did questions of the most difficult sidering that Mr. Rowett's patent was not taken out naturo. Mr. Benjamin's argument was one of the until 1858, I cannot see that he has any cause for ablest he had ever heard, but he must express complaint. I have been, and still am, under the imhis conviction that, on the evidence and corro- pression that my late friend Mr. Statham was the spondence, this action was a most unrighteous first to suggest the combination of hemp and iron one, although whether this Court could restrain it for the outer protection of submarine cables, and no was another question. The plaintiffs, most eminent one more than myself regrets that he was not spared to witness such a successful completion of the work manufacturers of machinery; General Ripley, a gallant soldier, so well known in connection within which he took so great an interest.—I am, Sir, Charleston, and all parties, up to a certain point appeared to have acted with perfect fairness. But unfortunately a change of views then occurred, and the contract with Mr. Pritchard was so improb

able that his Honour could not believe it was

entered into with any bona fide intention. His Honour concluded his remarks in the following words:-Nothing will satisfy these enger defendants in equity, the plaintiffs-at-law, but that they must go on, and harass these gentlemen, in this most vexatious action, in order to see what they may extract from them by the verdict of a jury at Leeds. Now, I am by no means certain, although these are the interests of the parties, that the principle of this Court will enable me to stop this action. It is certainly not the duty of the Court to stop all inequitable actions, because I am fully alive to the fact that any man has a right to try his hand at law. However clearly this Court may be of opinion that the action was inequitable and unjust, there is no right in this Court to stay it. The plaintiff-at-law has a right to run the risk of being nonsuited, and the

circumstance that he must be nonsuited is not a

ground in this Court upon which an action can be stopped; there must be found some material grounds for the interference of a court of equity. Under these circumstances, with reference to the merits of the case, I may be considered as having disposed of it by what I have already said, but

Yours, &c.,
July 20.

WILLOUGHBY SMITH.

All literary communications should be addressed to the

Editor of the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE. Letters relating to the advertising and publishing departments should be eddressed to the publisher, Mr. R. Smiles, MECHANICS' MAGA

ZINE Office, 166, Fleet-street, London.

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

We must absolutely decline attending to any communiwriter, not necessarily for insertion, but as a proof of good faith.-ED. M. M.

cations unaccompanied by the name and address of the

Advertisements are inserted in the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE at the rate of 6d. per line, or 5d. per line for 13 insertions, or 4d. per line for 26 insertions. Each line consists Woodcuts are charged at the same rate of about 10 words. as type. Special arrangements made for large advertisements.

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-W. H. H.-S. and E. R. and Co.-J. M.-E. D. H.

THE Madrid journals consider it probable that West Indian mail steamers, instead of St. Thomas, Porto Rico will be made the port of call for the in which case the Governor of the island would make the port free.

THE iron gun carriage intended to fire over para pets on the projected barbette system will, as soon as the inventor, Captain Moncrieff, is able to be present, be put to a severe test at Shoeburynes it has undergone a trial at Woolwich with appare: *

success.

A remarkable score of twelve consecutive bull' eyes at 200yds. has been made by Captain Turner at Wimbledon, of the 3rd Manchester Volunteer. with a common Enfield rifle. It is said to be th most extraordinary result ever attained with this weapon..

THE extreme heat caused by the furnaces at work in the Shell Foundry Department of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, during the present hot weather, has induced the authorities to try the experiment of working by night instead of by day. The thermometer in the building rises to 110deg., although a free current of air has been established.

the footnote you have appended to my letter on
SIR,-Pray permit me to say a word in reply to
the above subject, in your last publication, as to
what passed at the meeting on my deep sea tele-
graph cable on the 2nd inst. It is true you said,
Can you point to any examples of the practical
application of that cable?" viz., the cable made of
manilla, which I then held in my hand, and which
I was endeavouring to recommend. My answer
was "No; and the chairman, as well as myself,
regretted I was obliged to answer you in the nega-
tive. I fear, however, you attached too much naval officer in command of her Majesty's ships on
meaning to the fact. The difference between the the Australian station should be better enabled to
cable I was recommending and the last cable laid to maintain the dignity of his position, the Legislature
America is simply this. An iron wire was placed of New South Wales has, says the "Army and
in each strand of the Atlantic cable, and I was Navy Gazette," awarded to Commodore Rowley
reasoning on the impropriety of using iron wire Lambert, C.B., a sum of £500 per annum.
in the strands at all, and regretted they had not
used the hemp, pure and simple, because it would
have been cheaper and better in every sense.

The cables laid demonstrate clearly that even with the damaging iron wire in the centre of the strands it had been manageable, and was doing its intended work, and had thus proved indisputably that the pure and simple hemp cable was the right one, and this was all I intended to convey to the meeting. I shall be glad if you think this a sufficient explanation to your readers.--I am, Sir, yours, &c.

9, Bush-lane, July 21.

W. ROWETT.

As a proof of good will, and a desire that the

THE Court of Lieutenancy recently appointed his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh honorary colonel of the 1st London Artillery Volunteer Corps, and Lord Napier of Magdala honorary colonel of the 3rd London Volunteer Corps; an the Queen's approval of those appointments havin been received, the Court yesterday signed t commissions of his Royal Highness and of Lo Napier.

THE annual return of December, 1867, shows i Great Britaiu 699 Light Horse Volunteers enrolle 507 efficient and 192 non-efficient; 35,508 Artillery Volunteers, 30,611 efficient and 4,897 non-efficient

5,511 Engineer Volunteers, 4,715 efficient and 796 non-efficient; 394 Mounted Rifles, 272 efficient and 122 non-efficient; and 145,752 Rifle Volunteers, 119,111 efficient and 26,641 non-efficient. The total is 187,864 enrolled; 155,216 efficient and 32,648 non-efficient. 90,588 of the number had earned the

extra 108.

ON Thursday week the last remnants of the Paris Exhibition of 1867 were carted away, and in the course of the day the ground was given up to the authorities. Not a trace now remains of the vast building or its surroundings, which attracted so much attention a year ago, and the Champ de Mars has resumed its old desolate aspect.

sumption of fuel should be pronounced the champion boiler.

THE Melbourne sheep aud bullock farmers are looking with some favour on the establishment of a meat preserving company, under the impression that by this means they may get rid of their surplus meat on better terms than by merely boiling it down for tallow. For the present, Mr. Ritchie's mode of tinning meat is the one to be carried out. £50,000 is to be the nominal capital, but it is not intended to confine operations to this mode; the company holds itself open to any, and Mr. Mort's would be preferred (says the "Sydney Mail"), were the experiments a little further advanced.

THE Adjutant-General, Lord William Paulet, has OUR agricultural friends should not trim away issued the following General Order relative to in- the trees from their ponds; they are particularly structors at the Royal Military College, by his Royal useful in protecting the water from evaporation. Highness the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief: In the summer of 1864 a calculation was made, -Commanding officers will send to this department, which showed that in 40 days the evaporation of an not later than the 31st inst., the applications of such unprotected pond containing about 14,000 gallons of officers as feel themselves qualified for the situation water was 9,000 gallons,- as much, in fact, as would of instructor at the Royal Military College, Sand- have supplied a flock of 500 sheep for the time. AN exhibition of machines, apparatus, animals for hurst, in military drawing and surveying. The A BILL has been filed against the Atlantic Tele-breeding, agricultural produce, dried meats and officer appointed will receive a salary of £350 per gragh Company by Captain William Rowett, who vegetables, timber, textile fibres, liquors of all kinds, annum, inclusive of all pay, half-pay, and any mili-states that the two cables successfully laid in 1866 and models for farm and rustic buildings, is antary allowance whatever; £50 will be deducted are infringements of a patent taken out by him in nounced to open at Santiago, the capital of the rewhen he is provided with quarters. Applications 1858, and he asks the Court to grant an injunction public of Chili, on the 15th of September in the prefor the instructorship are to be accompanied by against the continued use of the cables-to order an sent year, and all the world is invited to contribute. specimens of drawing, and by a sketch of two square account to be taken of past profits-and award him There are to be five classes of medals, one grand miles of any ground the candidate may select. In damages. medal of honour, and others of gold, silver and every case the candidate must certify that the drawbronze. Applications are to be made, before the ing produced is his own unaided work. 10th of August, to MM. Germain and Hermanos, commissioners, Paris and Havre, or to the Chilian consuls.

ON the 8th inst., the wife of the Hon. W. P.
Bouverie, eldest son of Viscount Folkestone, gave
birth to a son and heir at the family seat, Coleshill
House. The venerable Earl Radnor, Viscount
Folkestone, his son the Hon. W. P. Bouverie, and
the infant son of the latter represents father, son,
grandson, and great grandson in a direct line.
ON Tuesday morning the woodwork of a bridge
carrying the Great Eastern Railway over a road at
Beccles, Suffolk, was destroyed by fire. A spark
from an engine is supposed to have ignited the
parched grass along the line, and the flames then
spread to the bridge, which was rapidly destroyed.
Prompt arrangements were successfully made to pre-
vent any serious interruption of the traffic.

AN ingenious application of the principle of the velocipede to water-locomotion may now be seen on the Lake of Enguien, near Paris. The form of this new species of naval construction, says " Galignani," is that of the twin ship tried some years back on the Thames, the motive power being placed in the middle instead of on each side, as in ordinary paddle steamers. A pair of hollow water-tight pontoons, about 12ft. long, 10in. wide in the thickest part, and tapered to a point at each end, are fastened together about 20in. apart by transverse bars near the extremities. In the centre is placed the seat, rising about 2ft. above the water, and supported by iron rods. In front is the paddle wheel, about 3ft. in IT is expected that the harvest will be got in diameter and 8in. broad, provided with sixteen floats, throughout France by the end of July, and in the the axle turning on stout iron uprights, and the first days of August an accurate estimate of it may rotary motion being obtained from cranks worked by be formed. In the meantime, the "Echo Agricole the feet. This little vessel is steered by rudders at announces that even now there is no doubt that the each of the sterns, and moved by lines. The pon-yield will be sufficient; that nearly everywhere the toons being made of thin mahogany planks, the wheat is good; and that the present year may be whole construction is very light, and glides along classed among the good ordinary years. with astonishing rapidity. This water velocipede, having been built as a first experiment, is no doubt susceptible of improvement in some of its details, but the principle may be already pronounced a complete success. The inventor is M. Thierry, an architect, of Paris.

Miscellanea.

JOSEPH SIMPSON, employed at Messrs. R. Wight and Son's Ironworks, Seaham Harbour, met his death on Monday by the fall of a large set of shears. Deceased, with other men, was breaking old metal in the yard of the works with the aid of a large iron ball worked from the top of the shears by a pulley and a chain, when the shears gave way and fell on Simpson, killing him on the spot.

THE visitors to the South Kensington Museum during the week ending July 18, 1868, were-On Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday (free), from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., 23,849; on Wednesday, Thursday, and UPWARDS of 300 hogsheads of pilchards were Friday (admission 6d.), from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m., caught on the Cornish coast during the past week, 2,632; National Portrait Exhibition, by payment, which was the first week of the season. 1,734; total-28,215. Average of corresponding THE footway of the Northern Thames Embank-week in former years, 10,995. Total from the openment will be formally thrown open to the public on ing of the Museum-7,558,253. the 30th July next by the Board of Works.

THE Committee of the Liverpool Water Supply have resolved to spend £50,000 to improve the communication between Liverpool and the reservoirs at Rivington.

STEPS are being taken for repairing the pier at Madras without loss of time, and there is some talk of erecting a suspension bridge across the gap in the pier till it is fully repaired.

THE number of visitors to the Patent Office Museum, South Kensington, for the week ending July 18, were 7,082; total number since the opening of the Museum, free daily (May 12, 1858), 1,336,340. A ST. PETERSBURG letter of the 13th says:"For the last ten days no one would suppose that this capital is situated in the 60th degree of latitude, as we have the temperature of Senegal or Cayenne in our dusty streets."

DURING last week new carriages were put on the Northern Railway at Brussels, which can be used by passengers as cabinets des toilet for each sex. This is purely gratuitous, and is very thankfully received by the public.

THE new theatre which is to be built on the site of the Strand Music Hall is to be called "The Gaiety Theatre." The Music Hall, which was built only a few years since, is in course of rapid demolition.

THE total amount of fees received in the superior. courts of law during the year ended 31st March, 1868, was £114,316 8s. 1d.; and the total payments in the year for salaries, pensions, compensations, &c., exclusive of the salaries of the judges, £98,070

14s. 2d.

IT is said that the "Siamese twins," Chang and Eng, now living in North Carolina, have resolved to risk the surgical operation necessary to divide the ligature that binds them together, and that they will go to Paris for the purpose of submitting to the experiment.

THE large sum of £9,750 was awarded by consent on Saturday last, at the Lewes Assizes, against the Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company, as damages to the widow and children of Mr. Howard, a barrister, who was killed in a collision on that company's line in August last.

A CURIOUS thing is the attempt to revive "Americanism," or "Know-Nothingism," in Massachusetts (where it took its rise in 1855). New "KnowNothing" societies, pledged to keep naturalized citizens from office, have been formed; the old system of secret oaths, and mumbo-jumbo passwords, skulls and coffins, is modified to make union with the "order" a matter of less difficulty than formerly.

IN a debate in the House of Representatives at Washington on the 1st inst., on the Bill appropriating 7,000,000 dollars for the purchase of Alaska, Mr. Stevens (of Pennsylvania), arguing that the acquisition would prove very valuable, maintained that the wealth of the waters is almost incredible. He stated that a few years since two schooners passing into Behring Straits found the herrings packed one upon the other, from the bottom of the ocean to the top, so firmly that not one of them could move. One of the captains attempted to run them down, and ran his vessel upon them and broke its back. Some mem bers laughed, but Mr. Stevens assured the House that last year he saw one of the captains, and learnt

that this was an actual fact.

FROM the official prize sheet, it appears that the two most successful competitors at the grand show at Leicester, were Fowlers, of Leeds, and Howard,

of Bedford. The Leeds firm sent no less than
300 tons of steam-ploughing machinery. Messrs.
Howard, it seems, were unable to complete their
big engines in time, and only sent a single set, for
which, however, they received the first prize in the
class for steam-ploughing apparatus adapted for
The Bedford firm have
farms of moderate size.
had more than their usual share of success, carrying
off ten first prizes. Messrs. Fowler took over £200
in prizes, as well as the handsome service of plate
offered by the Viceroy. Owing to the hard state of
the ground, the merit due to the successful com-
petitors is considerably enhanced.

Patents for Inventions.

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 FROM Ecuador we learn that two severe shocks of classification adopted, the numerical and chronological of earthquake were experienced in the northern pro- order of the specificatious is preserved and combined with vinces on the 17th inst., at one o'clock in the after- all the advantages of a division into classes. It should be noon and eleven o'clock at night. At Ambato and understood that these abridgments are prepared excluin the canton of Pillaro much property was de-sively for this Magazine from official copies supplied by the Government, and are, therefore, the property of the stroyed. The church of Mocha was thrown down, Proprietors of this Magazine. Other papers are hereby and five persons were buried in the ruins. It is warned not to produce them without an acknowledg supposed to have originated in an eruption of one of the volcanoes of the eastern Cordillera, Tunguragua, or Sangar.

ment:

BOILERS AND FURNACES-44, 112

BUILDINGS AND BUILDING MATERIALS-88

109

paring food for men and animals-65, 86, 95

AT a meeting of the representatives of the various CHEMISTRY AND PHOTOGRAPHY-39, 48, 83, 85, 96, 105 public bodies and learned and scientific societies in CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL, including agricultural implements and machines-89 Edinburgh, held yesterday week, the Lord Provost ELECTRICAL APPARATUS-None. presiding, a committee was appointed to take the re- FIBROUS FABRICS, including machinery for treating fibre, meet in that city in 1869. Sir George Harvey, Pro-FOOD AND BEVERAGES, including the apparatus for prepulp, paper, &c.-41, 42, 43, 67, 76, 80, 81, 82, 94, 103, 107, quisite steps for inviting the British Association to fessor Christison, Professor Balfour, Professor Spence, Professor Duns, Sheriff Maitland Heriot, and others, took part in the proceedings. THE official gauge of literature is its weight, and viewed by this dull and prosaic test it would appear that the demand for English books abroad is extending. In 1853 they were exported to the extent of 32,781cwt.; in 1860 the total had risen to 35,128cwt., and in subsequent years they were as follows:-1861, 30,863cwt.; 1862, 27,726cwt.; 1863, 32,892cwt.; 1864, 34,087cwt.; 1865, 39,528cwt.; 1866, 48,581ewt.; and 1867, 49,906cwt.

Ir has been suggested that at the Exhibition of the American Institute next fall, all patent steam boilers be tested, to ascertain which boiler burning the least amount of fuel will produce the most power. The proper way to test them would be to have a tank full of water in which a propeller wheel of coarse pitch connected to a forty-horse engine is arranged to work. The boiler that gets the greatest number of turns out of the wheel with the least con

FURNITURE AND APPAREL, including household utensils,
time-keepers, jewellery, musical instruments, &c-
63, 69, 91, 100, 101
GENERAL MACHINERY-38, 55, 60, 61, 62, 72, 73, 74, 90, 98,

99, 102

METALS, including apparatus for their manufacture-59,

LIGHTING, HEATING, AND VENTILATING-53

64, 68
MISCELLANEOUS-40, 45, 46, 49, 51, 52, 56, 57, 58, 66, 75, 77,
78, 84, 87, 92, 93, 97, 104, 110, 111, 113, 114

ROADS AND VEHICLES, including railway plant and car-
riages, saddlery, and harness, &c.-47
STEAM ENGINES-108
SHIPS AND BOATS, including their fittings-54, 79, 106
WARFARE-70

33 W. H. ATKINSON. Improvements in the preparation and use of compositions for cleansing and sweetening casks and other vessels, such compositions being also applicable to other purposes. Dated January 4, 1868.

No. 1," he heats 20lb. of common soda, and 3lb. of In preparing what the patentes terms "Composition hydrate of potash together in an iron pot or other

liquid from the container will flow into a glass cylinder, in which the quantity can be measured by the graduated The patentee claims, first, the combination of a firebrick scale marked thereon; by then turning the plug until the combustion chamber or furnace, with an air-heating cham- lateral or side opening is downwards, the measured liquid ber or flue in communication therewith, constructed above in the cylinder or tap meter will flow out into the rethe arch of the said combustion chamber, and with a per-ceiving vessel.-Patent abandoned. forated fireclay heat director or accumulator disposed in or under the vessel to be heated, the whole being arranged and operating substantially in the manner described. Second, the combination of a feed hopper with a vertical or nearly vertical stepgrate and horizontal deadplate, situate outside accumulator situate in the flue or flues of such generator, a steam generator or boiler with a fireclay heat director or substantially as described.-Patent completed.

49 C. HUTCHINSON. An improved liquid meter tap. Dated January 7, 1868. The object of this invention is to produce a tap by which small quantities of wine, spirits, or other liquids, Here the bottom of the box is formed of wire netting may be measured as they are drawn from the conthe portions at the point of crossing being twisted together, taining vessel, and thus to dispense with the necessity for thus forming a pin or holder for the bobbin at right angles first drawing the liquid into separate measures, and to to the net or bottom of the box. The inventor thus combines lightness, durability, and a free air space, which save the waste and inconvenience consequent therefrom. allow of double the number of bobbins being put in the with a horizontal plug-way, with a top, bottom, and side For this purpose the inventor forms the body of the tap same size of creel. The lightness of the bottom also lessens the liability to breakage, and, owing to its not openings therein, and fits the same with a three-way retaining the heat, it does not burn the wooden sides plug. Underneath the plug-way, where he makes the of the box, as is the case with the heavy iron bottom.-opening a small funnel-shaped cone; in this cone he fixes bottom opening, he places the bib, and above the top a glass cylinder, which is made with a dome-shaped top, with a small perforation therein for the ingress and egress of air. The glass cylinder is graduated by marks to indicate the quantities to be measured thereby. By turning the plug till the third or lateral opening is upwards, the