408 Proceedings of the Society of Arts, 



liis Papers " On the Construction of Circular Signal Towers " — " On the 

 Effects of the Curvature of Riiilways" — and for his valuable *^ Essays on 

 Life Assurance." Read respectively on 15th April, and 27th May 1840 

 — and 18th December 1839 — 15th and 29th January, 12th February, and 

 11th March 1840. Printed in the Society's Transactions. — The Society's 

 Silver Medal, value Ton Sovereigns. (700, 723, & G76.) 



5. To Mr John Gilchrist, 14 Middle Arthur Place, Edinburgh, — for his 

 " Model and Description of Improvements in connection with his Substi- 

 tute for Door Springs ; for Doors opening either "vvay, particularly for 

 Double Doors " — which, though opening freely when pulled or pushed by 

 the hand, have no tendency to open by the force of the wind. Read and 

 exhibited 29th April 18-10.— The Society's Silver Medal, value Eight Sove- 

 reigns. (713.) 



6. To Mr John AVhite, pattern-drawer, 39 Clerk Street, Edinburgh, — 

 for his two communications, viz. : — " Outline of a plan for securing to the 

 Manufacturers of Scotland protection against Piracy of Patterns;" and 

 <^ Description and Drawing's of his new method of Manufacturing Persian 

 Rugs, by which a great saving in material and workmanship is effected." 

 Pioad and exhibited respectively on I3th November 1839, and 13th May 

 1840. — The Society's Silver Medal, value Eight Sovereigns. (669 & 718.) 



7. To Mr Daniel Macpherson, 24 Salisbury Street, Edinburgh, — for his 

 'Description, Drawing, and Model of a new method for Shutting Doors 

 which open either way, without the use of Spring?:, and requiring no addi- 

 tional space beyond what is necessary for the Door itself." Read and 

 exhibited 27th May 1840.— The Society's Silver Medal, value Five Sove- 

 reigns. (726.) 



Your Committee desire it to be understood that the models referred to 

 in Nos. 5 and 7 must be made to a scale, and to the satisfaction of the 

 Curator of the Museum. The special thanks of the Society are justly due 

 to all those gentlemen who have favoured it with communications, though 

 not competing for prizes. In conclusion, your Committee regret that they 

 have not been able to award the Keith Medal of Tv»^enty Sovereigns, nor 

 the Society's Gold Medal of same value, in consequence of there having 

 been no communications given in during this Session, which fall under the 

 terms of advertisement of these prizes. They also beg leave to remind the 

 Society, that, although the number of communications to which they have 

 attached honorary and pecuniary rewards is not so great as on some former 

 years, this arises, not on account of the communications in general being 

 less valuable, but because many of the most interesting of them were not 

 lodged in view to competition for prizes; and that while the general cha- 

 racter of the papers has been decidedly improving during the last ten years, 

 the past session has yielded to none in the interest it has excited both 

 amongst the members and the public in general, which is best testified by 

 the large increase of new members Avho have joined since last year. 



6. The Models, Drawings, &c. of Inventions, &c. (Session 1839-40) for 

 which the Prizes have been awarded, were exhibited* 



