NOTES BY THE EDITOE, 



ON THE 



PROGRESS OF SCIENCE FOR THE YEAR 1870. 



IN looking over the material collected during the year, which is 

 now embodied in the present volume, we find little that is new or 

 startling in the province of the mechanic arts. 



Both in this country and in England attention is fixed upon 

 more economical and safer processes in applying inventions. The 

 American manufacturer would do well to read the report on 

 steam-boiler legislation presented at the meeting of the British 

 Association. Among the names of the committee who presented 

 it we find those of Sir William Fairbairn and Sir Joseph Whit- 

 worth. From the report it appears that about 50 explosions 

 occur in Great Britain every year, killing about 75 persons and 

 injuring as many others. The committee are confirmed in their 

 opinion that explosions are not accidental, that they are not mys- 

 terious ; but that they arise from the simplest causes, and may be 

 prevented by the exercise of common knowledge and common 

 care. Boilers burst simply from weakness. Competent inspec- 

 tion is adequate to detect the weakness of the boiler in time to 

 prevent explosions, whether that weakness arise from rnalcon- 

 struction or defective condition, while it tends to stimulate attend- 

 ants to carefulness, and thus to diminish the number of those 

 explosions arising from oversight. 



The committee state that for every explosion due to the boiler- 

 minder in neglecting the water supply, etc., six are due to the 

 boiler-maker or boiler-owner from making or using bad boilers. 

 After discussing possible remedies the committee are convinced 

 that the government should enforce the periodical inspection of 

 all steam boilers. The numerous explosions of the year bring 



this subject home to us. 



Ill 



