224 EIGHTH REPORT — 1838. 



mile post it was curved with a radius of 2700 yards. Beyond 

 the hist point the line was straight. 



The following experiments, which were conducted by the re- 

 porter, assisted by Mr. Edward Woods, were made on tlie south 

 Jine of rails of this incline. The line was laid with parallel 

 rails on stone blocks. The weight of the rails was 50 pounds 

 per yard, and they had been three years laid. The experiments 

 were made with four first-class carriages, weighing each, when 

 unloaded, 3 tons 16 cwt. Each carriage was supported on two 

 pair of 3 -feet wheels. Each pair of wheels with their axle 

 weighed 8 cwt. 



During the experiments a wind of moderate force blew down 

 the plane. The velocity of the wind was not ascertained. The 

 weather was fair, and the rails clean and dry. 



The gross M'eight of the four carriages in the first and second 

 experiments was 15"6 tons. After the second experiment a 

 weight was added by placing iron chains in the carriages, which 

 rendered the gross weight of the train 18*05 tons, which was 

 estimated to be equivalent to their weight when transporting 42 

 passengers. 



The total frontage presented by the foremost carriage was 

 62 square feet, including the vertical cross section of the wheels. 

 The cross section of all the carriages was the same, and the di- 

 stance between the carriages when coupled was 3 feet 10 inches. 

 They were coupled by the patent couplings of Mr. Booth. 



The train was placed on the sunniiit level of the Liverpool 

 and Manchester Railway, at about half a mile from the post 0, 

 which marked the commencement of the plane. It was drawn 

 by an engine so as to give it a considerable speed. On ap- 

 pi'oaching the stake the engine was detached, and the train 

 was allowed to descend by gravity only, the engine proceeding 

 doAvn the plane so much faster as to be considerably in advance 

 of the train. 



The results of the experiments are given in the following table. 

 The first column in each experiment gives the time of passing 

 each successive stake, as taken down, without any reduction for 

 errors of observation, however apparent. In the second column 

 the differences, or the times of passing over each successive hun- 

 dred yards, are given. In the third column these differences are 

 averaged, so as in some degree to obliterate the errors of the ob- 

 served times of passing the successive stakes. At the foot of the 

 table the mean time of moving over a hundred yards taken from 

 the entire time of descending the plane is given. 



