MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 101 



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The ball rises on firing, is deflected on the gun, and if the gun is long it is 

 again deflected, and deep holes are made in the barrel owing to the softness 

 of the metal. Could not a thin lining of steel or wrought-iron be inserted into 

 the tube ? Mr. Fairbairn thought it was very difficult to form any gun that 

 differed in its parts. He would prefer to have a gun perfectly solid of steel, 

 if they pleased ; for he had seen excellent specimens of steel manufactures 

 from Prussia in the Great Exhibition, and well calculated for making field ar- 

 tillery. The artillery of the present time was much larger than it was hi 

 former times, and allowance must be made for that. Mr. Lawrie proposed to 

 have no vent all, but to fire in the manner in which rocks are blasted, by 

 means of galvanism. This would prevent wearing at the vent. He hoped 

 artillery would be brought to perfection, for as weapons had improved war 

 had decreased in brutality ; and he hoped there would be a good stand-up 

 fight for it, in order that they might have a lasting peace. A Member stated 

 that some hydrostatic presses had been made of cast-iron with a case of 

 wrought-iron. at Mr. Downie's works here, and had stood an immense pressure, 

 but they had not as yet tried it on guns. Mr. Fairbairn asked if the guu 

 made at Mr. Downie's had been cast in such a way as to cause an amalgama- 

 tion of the cast and wrought-iron. If that were the case, he had no doubt 

 it would secure great strength. He had a doubt, however, that there was a 

 difference of ductility which would cause separation. It had occurred to him 

 that they might be cast under extreme hydrostatic pressure. They had cast 

 them at Woolwich with nineteen feet of iron on the gun, but he did not as 

 yet know the result. Mr. Sykes Ward thought a gun could not explode so 

 readily if the powder did not impinge directly on the ball. 



In reference to the employment of large ordnance upon naval vessels, Lieut. 

 Maury in a recent published communication says : " These new big guns will 

 impart an entirely new feature to sea-fights. Hereafter, and when they are 

 properly appreciated hi the right quarters, we shall have no more such costly 

 things as the Pennsylvania, and other seventy-fours ; and in the result of 

 engagements that may follow, seamanship, maneuver, and position will be 

 matters of comparatively small importance. Marksmanship, and marksmanship 

 alone, is to decide the battle, when these big guns are brought into it. He 

 whose shot tells first will be almost sure to whip ; and the real practical ques- 

 tion now to be decided is as to the degree of marksmanship that is attainable 

 with these guns at long range, and when the aim is rendered most difficult in 

 consequence of the motion of both marksman and target by wind and sea." 



It is also worth}* of notice that in the recent naval operations in the Baltic 

 and Black Seas, the efficient vessels have been the small ships and steamers 

 armed with big guns, while the huge ships of one hundred and twenty guns 

 have been comparatively useless. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING-MACHIISrES. 



A large number of patents for improvements in sewing-machines have 

 been granted during the past year. The following are some of the most im- 

 portant : 



