2S ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



RAILWAYS IN ENGLAND. 



THERE are now in England about 5,000 miles of railway worked 

 by nearly 2,000 locomotives, which in the course of a single year col- 

 lectively travel over more than 32,000,000 of miles, amounting in 

 three years to the distance from the earth to the sun. or as much as three 

 and a half times round the world per day ; and carrying in the course 

 of a single year not less than 60,000,000 passengers and 20,000,000 

 tons of goods. The rails upon these lines which exceed 24,000 

 miles in length, and would therefore gird the earth around with an 

 iron band, weighing about 701bs. per yard have been raised from 

 the mine, smelted, forged, and laid in the course of the last fifteen 

 years ; whilst in the construction of the ways 250,000,000 cubic 

 yards, or not less than 350,000,000 tons, of earth and rock have, in 

 tunnel, embankment, and cutting, been moved to greater or less dis- 

 tances. 



NOISELESS CARRIAGE-WHEELS AND HORSE-SHOES. 



IN the Mining Journal of July 22, 1848, we noticed the introduction 

 of some improvements in the construction of wheels for carriages, by 

 Mr. Andrew Smith, which were likely to prove of much value to the 

 public, as not only adding greatly to comfort in travelling over paved 

 streets, from their being perfectly noiseless, but from their combining 

 a much greater degree of safety. The principle consists in forming 

 the hoop or tire of two separate layers of galvanized iron, which are 

 riveted together, and regalvanized in the mass ; this division of parts 

 cutting off all vibrations when travelling over the roughest stones. 

 Mr. Smith has also applied the principle to springs, in which each 

 plate is galvanized separately, and can never rust. The axle is also 

 made to fit the axle-box with perfect exactness, by a lining of fusible 

 metal, and is itself lubricating, and not liable to heat ; the whole secures 

 a degree of quiet, ease, and safety hitherto unattained. We have been 

 led again to notice these ingenious improvements, from the fact that 

 the patentee, having produced a noiseless carriage, found that the 

 horses' feet made more noise than ever, and, seeking for a remedy, has 

 applied the same principle to the horse-shoe. This is effected in the 

 most simple manner, by making the shoes in two thicknesses of gal- 

 vanized metal, then riveting them together, and re-galvanizing. A 

 horse equipped in these pumps trots over the granite streets of London 

 as softly as if he was on a bowling green. London Mining Journal. 



IMPROVEMENT IN RAISING AND LOWERING CARRIAGE-TOPS. 



DR. J. L. ALLEN, of New Haven, Conn., has invented an improve- 

 ment, by the use of which a carriage-top can be raised, lowered, or 

 held at any desired elevation, as easily from the inside as the outside 

 of the carriage, and without the necessity of moving from the seat. 

 One brace only is used, of very nearly the same form as usual ; the 

 centre limb is hung upon a prop, which is hollow, and the bolt which 



