294 mao REPORT—1843. 
The pecuniary grant of the Association has not been exhausted ; and it 
would be desirable to continue the balance as a new grant. 
D. BREWSTER. 
St. Leonard’s College, St. Andrew’s, 
_ August 12, 1843. 
Consumption of Fuel and prevention of Smoke. 
In reference to the Report of the Committee, consisting of Mr. Houldsworth, 
Mr. Hodgkinson, Mr. Buck and myself, relative to the consumption of fuel 
and prevention of smoke, I have to state, that owing to a press of business, 
which required nearly the whole of my attention, I have not been able to de- 
vote much time to this inquiry. I believe my friend Mr. Hodgkinson has 
been similarly situated, in consequence of his inquiries into the laws which 
appear to regulate the elasticity of bodies. Mr. Houldsworth has, however, 
been pursuing his investigations on the intensity of heat in the flues and fur- 
naces of boilers; and I entertain hopes that your Committee will be enabled to 
lay before the British Association, at their next meeting, a full and compre- 
hensive report on this important subject. 
Wo. FAIRBAIRN. 
London, August 16, 1843. 
Internal Changes in the Constitution of Metals. 
ALTHoUuGH little has yet been done by your Committee appointed to conduct 
the “ Experiments to ascertain whether or what changes take place in the in- 
ternal constitution of metals when exposed to continual vibration and concus- 
sion, as in the case of axles of locomotive engines and other machinery,” I have 
the satisfaction to report that a considerable quantity of information has been 
received and materials collected for these objects. In this stage of the inquiry 
it would be improper to anticipate results, which, from investigations now in 
progress, will probably be found different from those which appeared to re- 
ceive the sanction of the Mechanical Section at the last meeting. Under all 
the circumstances your Committee respectfully pray for a renewal of the grant 
of 150/., no part of which has as yet been expended. 
' Wo. FAIRBAIRN. 

London, August 16, 1843, 
Mr. Lucas (a member of the Committee) had tried several experiments 
with a view to the elucidation of this question, and he exhibited different 
specimens of bar-iron which show the conditions it assumed when manufac- 
tured under different circumstances. 
Tron of the first quality, and which breaks with a fine fibrous texture, be- 
comes by cold swagging changed into a crystalline texture, and consequently 
brittle. It is again restored by annealing to its first fibrous state. It has 
been found by experiments that mere concussion without any hammering 
suffices to produce the same crystalline structure. 
Notice of Researches on Asphyxia. 
68 Torrington Square, London, 8th August, 1843. 
Sir,—On the part of Mr. Erichsen and myself, appointed at the last meet- 
ing of the British Association to conduct an experimental inquiry on the sub- 
ject of Asphyxia, I beg to say that we have proceeded a certain length with 
our inquiry, but that, from various causes, it is not sufficiently advanced to 
enable us to give in our report at the ensuing meeting; we therefore crave 

