326 Proceedings of the British Association for 1850. 



The President, Dr Robinson, in taking the chair, offered 

 a few observations explanatory of the objects of the Section. 

 These wore in fact the application of science to human pur- 

 poses. The Section was formerly in connection with Mathe- 

 matics and Physics ; in consequence, however, of the vast 

 advances of our mechanical progress, it was found necessary 

 to separate them, and to devote an entire section of the As- 

 sociation to the development of mechanical science. 



Mr Scott Russell read a communication from Thomas B. 

 Dogson of the Brazils, who had constructed several vessels 

 in the wave principle ; the results thus furnished showed an 

 advantage over the common build of seven to eight in speed ; 

 while in a sailing vessel, the Titania of 100 tons, constructed 

 in England on the same principle, the great power in with- 

 standing a storm had been satisfactorily established. 



The President, while he expressed the pleasure which he 

 had in finding these wave principles carried out on the Con- 

 tinent, regretted that the great amount of information offered 

 to the Admiralty on this subject in Mr Russell's reports 

 had not yet been accepted. It certainly would save much 

 fruitless expenditure. 



Mr Stokes then read a communication from Homersham 

 Cox, Esq., on the Hyperbolic Law of the Elasticity of Cast- 

 iron. The paper went into great detail on this interesting 

 question. 



Mr Ruthven's communication on his new mode of propel- 

 ling steam-vessels was then read by Mr David Stevenson. 

 The paper was illustrated by a large model. This led to a 

 desultory conversation on the principle, some contending 

 that there would be a great loss of power, as much as 30 

 per cent., while Mr Ruthven contended that so far as his 

 experiments went, they only indicated a loss of 15 per cent. 



Mr Macpherson read a communication on a method of 

 preventing the bursting of W9.ter-pipes during frost. The 

 only method he regarded as effectual was that of emptying 

 the pipe. This he proposed to do by causing the expansion 

 .consequent upon freezing, to work a linn so as to shut the 

 service pipe and open the waste-pipe. 



Several members expressed their opinion as favourable to 



