CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 241 



OILS FOR LUBRICATION. 



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The procurement of a suitable oil or substace for the lubrication of mechan- 

 ism, is a subject of great importance. All pieces of machinery, the works of 

 man, are nothing less than inanimate bodies, imitations of the works of the 

 Creator, as displayed in the animate creation ; and as is proved by practical 

 experience, the nearer the imitation of the one to the other, the nearer perfec- 

 tion is arrived at. Xature supplies all animals with a lubricating medium 

 between the solid parts of the joints, as well as the internal passages of the 

 body, to facilitate the motion of solids and fluids, and the outer covering of 

 animals is furnished with the same oily substance in quantity and quality 

 according to the density of the element in which they move, and the velocity 

 they maintain. Mnrine animals are striking instances of this. Every animate 

 beiug possesses the fullest facility of motion with the least muscular exertion, 

 thus all mechanism designed for motion must be governed by the same laws, 

 and its economy can only be maintained on the same principles of giving 

 facility to motion, which can only be done by the purity and chemical proper- 

 ties contained in the oil or substance employed for lubrication. This theory 

 is most beautifully developed in that class of mechanism connected with our 

 cotton manufacture. The competition to which this business has been sub- 

 ject has brought such an amount of science to bear upon its economy as is 

 not to be met with in any other class. Science has brought every portion of 

 the mechanism of the cotton-mill under the strict laws of motion and force, 

 and the most scrutinizing tests are employed for ascertaining the facilitating 

 or the retarding influence any new oil may offer previous to its application. 

 By this course of study such an immense amount of motion is obtained from a 

 given power, and with a wearing of the parts so immeasurably small, that it 

 can only be equaled by motion hi the natural bod}-. The power or force 

 necessary to give to the spindle a revolution of three thousand per minute is 

 so infinitely small that it can scarcely be calculated. With the vast number 

 of separate bodies in motion, some of them moving with great rapidity, the 

 freedom from accidents, and the security to life and property in those estab- 

 lishments, is surprising. Cotton manufacturers consume the largest propor- 

 tion of the sperm oil imported, for which they pay a high price a matter, 

 however, of secondary importance, when the increase of power thereby pro- 

 duced is taken into consideration. This is the only class of mechanism upon 

 which artificial power has been properly developed, with the exception, per- 

 haps, of private carriages, where the power of the horse has been greatly 

 economized by the use of patent axles, giving stability and facility of motion, 

 and preventing the destructive influence of oscillation ; thus lighter carnages 

 and cattle are employed, and the speed has been increased, with greater 

 security and at less cost. It is now considered economical to purchase the 

 most expensive oils for the axles even of town-carts. E ail way and marine 

 machinery suffer greatly from friction, and its inseparable companion, oscilla- 

 tion. The laws that govern motion in the manufactory are precisely those 

 which raicrht to govern motion on tho mil. but these two great interests 



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