THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



59 



the work of a farm, but an engine that might save a few 

 pounds of coal per day ; while from the delicacy of its adjust- 

 ments, its extreme complication, and number of parts, in- 

 creased number and slightness of tubes, and diminished water- 

 spalls rendered it much more likely to derangement. The 

 effect of this decision is, that the farmer says to the Royal 

 Society, " Gentlemen, let me know which is the best engine." 

 The Society answers, " So and so's is the most economical 

 engine ;" and therefore the prize one, and the unfortunate 

 farmer buys an engine from these makers which has nothing 

 in common with the prize engine except a boiler, a cylinder, 

 and travelling-wheels. For these considerations, therefore, it 

 is ttat we think that most of the observations made by the 

 different makers to the Royal Society miss the mark, and that 

 their attention should be directed to "ensure a supply of f.iir 

 commercial engines rather than to the details of the trials, 

 which we consider to have been performed with the greatest 

 care and exactitude by the judges. As a remedy for this 

 serious difficulty, we beg respectfully to suggest whether the 

 Royal Agricultural Society of England could not cause each 

 maker or exhibitor of engines to sigu a declaration to the effect 

 that he the exhibitor on his honour declares the engine entered 

 to be a bona fide, fair, commercial engine, that the evaporating 

 surface amounts to — feet per horse-power, that there is no 

 water-heater, nor extra expansion valve, and that he is ready 

 to supply an engine similar in every respect to any purchaser 

 at his catalogue price. On the other hand, if the Royal Agri- 

 cultural Society of England can prove that a false declaration 

 has been made, the Society after investigating the circum- 

 stances shall prohibit him from ever exhibiting at any of their 

 future shows. We do not think that the society should take upon 

 itself to lay down certain propositions for boilers or steam- 

 engines, as that would have the effect of preventing any further 

 improvements ; but we do think they should take every pos- 

 sible means of preventing a racing engine being entered ; and 

 we would further urge that in case of any departure by the 

 maker or makers from their ordinary engine, such improve- 

 ments should be described in their declaration, and they should 

 be able to add that for the future they mean to construct all 

 their commercial engines with isuch improvement or improve- 

 ments. We have said before that we have every confidence in 

 the correctness of the trials; we should, however, suggest that 

 the coal, of whatever description used, should be broken up in 

 lumps the size of walnuts, and screened free from dust, and 

 that it should be afterwards weighed out to the diiferent com- 

 petitors. 



Respecting the trial of steam-thrasher?, we have only one 

 observation to make, viz., that we should suggest the weighing 

 of the sheaves to be thrashed instead of counting them, 

 as it is well known that the same field very often varies 

 25 per cent, both in the length of the straw and in the quan- 

 tity of grain yielded ; and, after all, the surest test of the 

 working of a thra^hing-maciiine is the quantity of straw passed 

 through it in a given time, and clean thrashed, and not the 

 quantity of grain. We also think that the trials should last 

 during one-half hour for each machine. 



With respect to the other machinery trials, we think that 

 the general principles laid done by the Society are sufficiently 

 guarded to ensure a pretty accurate result. 



Hoping you will excuse the length of Jbis letter, and that 

 you will have the goodness to insert it in your next. 



We are, sir, yours respectfully, 

 Barrett, Exall, ai>d Andrewes. 



Kales Grove Iron Works, Reading, 

 Nov. 27, 1857. 



TO THE EDITOR OF THE ENGINEER. 



Sir, — Your agricultural contemporary, the Mar?i Lane 

 Express, is publishing a series of suggestions made to the 

 Royal Agricultural Society by a number of engineers and 

 implement-exhibitors at the Society's shows, for the future 

 conditions for trials of steam-engines, threshing-machines, 

 &c. ; from these suggestions have arisen the remarks which I 

 now beg to enclose you, and shall have pleasure iu seeing the 

 same in your scientific columns if you consider them worthy 

 of a place there. 



" Adjudication should be represented by points," say 

 Messrs. Ransomes and Sims, and say also Messrs. Garrett 

 and Sons, and Mr. B. Samuelson, iu their suggestions to the 

 R.A.S. relative to the forthcoming trials of steam-engines and 

 threshing-machines, at Chester, as published in the Mark-lane 

 Express of November 16th ; whilst Messr?. Brown and May, 

 John Gray and Co., and Tuxford and Sons, in their sug- 

 gestions leave out of consi ieration the question of points 

 altogether. Messrs. Ransomes and Sims, and ivlessrs. Garrett 

 and Sons, give certain divisions of points, each in the same 

 rotation, with the exception of the third one, which Messrs. 

 Garrett omit. This conformity of views gives evidence of 

 some previous conference or correspondence between those 

 two firms, and hence these points must not be set down as 

 hasty remarks, but as matured ideas leading to some desired 

 result — say, 



Ransomes and Garrett and 

 Sims. Sons. 



1. Durability to count. . 20 points.... 10 points. 



2. Simplicity . . . . 20 „ .... 10 „ 



3. Excellence of material 



and workmanship. . 20 „ ,... — „ 



4. Consumption of coal . 20 „ .... 8 ,, 



5. Portability .. .. 10 „ 6 „ 



6. Price per horse-power 10 „ .... 6 „ 



In reasoning upon this subject of points, we must first as- 

 certain if perfection or any proof positive cau be arrived at, 

 as the index to count from : if not, then the system is false, and 

 no satisfactory results can be obtained. With the threshing 

 machine, the straw may be so closely examined as to determine 

 whether it be threshed clean or not, whether it is clean shaken 

 or not, and what power has been absorbed in threshing a given 

 number of sheaves. These and other determinate results may 

 be obtained with the threshing machine, and are true standards 

 upon which to establish a system of points. But with the 

 steam-engine, what in a trial is to determine " durability"? 

 what " simplicity"? what " excellence of material and work- 

 manship"? Such as is sent out from the factory to the pur- 

 chaser, not that which is merely sent to the agricultural 

 shows ? — " Consumption of coal" can be determined, and the 

 power obtainable from a given quantity established; the judi- 

 cious arrangement of boiler and furnace can be proved by the 

 evaporation of a given quantity of water with a given quantity 

 of fuel, iu a given period of time. — " Portability," what is to 

 determine it? Shall simple lightness of construction, at the 

 hazard of explosion, be the guiding star here ? or is this to be 

 determmed as a quality in combination with something not 

 expressed ? And " price per horse power," is it not with en- 

 gines as with horses ? — whether worth £5 or worth £50, a 

 horse is still a horse ; or whether inferior or excellent, an engine 

 is an engine. But unfortunately, in the proposed points 

 the superior engine, because more costly to produce, would 

 lose its points ; while the inferior' engine, through its less 

 price, would count so many points towards a prize ! 



Here, then, we have amongst all these heads for points but 

 one that can be brought to a determinate result, and that is 

 " consumption of coal ;" and is it not upon this result iu 

 trials of steam-engines that awards should be made ? Is not 

 fuel the primum mobile of the steam-engine? and is not the most 

 economical use of it the great desideratum with practical en- 

 gineers ? Will not the excellency of results prove the excel- 

 lency of the mechanical combinations for producing these re- 

 sults ? And does not this simple, clear, and accurately-definable 

 test of fuel, close the door against all charlatanism, and spe- 

 cious reasoning under the cloak of " points ;" beneath which 

 garb, engines doing but inferior duty would be brought before 

 the world with first-class reputations ? B. C. E, 



Nov. mil, 1857. 



