82 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



quantity of water used upon the wheel with the full gate was 135 cubic 

 feet per second. 



Prof. Peirce remarked, that if, in the last of these experiments, the 

 wheels were removed and the water suffered to run through the guides 

 without obstruction, the head, which would be required to give a veloc- 

 ity of discharge equal to that actually observed, would be about 37^ 

 feet. 



ON THE USE OF AIR TOR THE PURPOSE OF CONVEYING MECHANICAL 



POWER. 



LT. HUNT, U. S. Engineer, read a paper at the American Association, 

 with the above title, of which the following is an abstract. He stated 

 that he was about to bring forward a new system of economy in the 

 use of a mechanical power which was now entirely lost. He exempli- 

 fied his meaning by citing the immense power which was lost at Roch- 

 ester, by the formation of the ground over which the Genesee river 

 flowed, and which, by his project, might be economically applied to 

 tubes to condense air, which might then be made to supersede steam, 

 as it would do away with the use of fuel to keep up the power which 

 was chiefly used in manufacturing. He stated that Pepin had proposed 

 the same project, though not as fully or on as large a scale as he thought 

 it might be applied. For all stationary power this was invaluable, 

 especially to localities where it was deemed advisable to establish manu- 

 factures. This principle was illustrated by the experiments made by 

 the atmospheric railways, in which it was shown that atmospheric 

 pressure might be applied for great distances. The principle was 

 established, as far as the railways were concerned, though it was true 

 the stockholders had to suffer some. It would also enable large central 

 establishments to be formed, to which, by means of exhaustion or com- 

 pression pipes, the power necessary for manufactures and machinery 

 might be conveyed in the same manner as gas or water itself. Thus the 

 space, attendance, risk and disagreeableness of steam generating would 

 be saved, while all required power would be purchased from the power 

 manufacturers, and distributed through air-wains, just as in gas or 

 water distribution. 



GAS COOKING APPARATUS. 



A COOKIXG-RAXGE, designed to be used with gas, has been constructed 

 by Mr. King, chief engineer of the gas works in Liverpool. It is 

 divided into three compartments, of different sizes, for roasting and 

 baking, being furnished with a damper to regulate the flow of air 

 through them. The burners are arranged inside the oven, at the bot- 

 toms, around the sides, back and front, with a dripping-pan occupying 

 the centre. The meat is hooked on to a sliding frame or carriage, 

 which, when pushed in, allows it to be suspended, surrounded by the 

 gas. On the top of the range arc eight spiral burners, in eight well- 

 holes, for boiling, stewing, frying, &c., any of which operations may 

 be performed with the same facility as on a hot plate, or over a char- 



