1869,] Mechanical Science. 621 



and mechanical construction." The piece of mechanism is known 

 as the Aero-Steam Engine, and, as may be inferred from the name, 

 the motive-power is a mixture of air and steam. Before a very 

 decided opinion can be given regarding this invention, it will be 

 requisite to wait for the results of the experiments which are in 

 progress, or in prospect, by Professor Tyndall and others. 



Professor W. J. M, Eankine, C,E., F.R.S., read two reports 

 from committees of which he is a member. One was "On the 

 Laws governing the Flow and Action of Water containing Solid 

 Matter in Suspension," and the other was an " Interim Report 

 from the Committee on Agricultural Machinery," It was stated 

 that a full and satisfactory report on agricultural machinery would 

 be ready for next year's meeting. 



" On the Laws determining the Fracture of Materials when 

 Sudden Changes of Thickness take place," formed the subject of 

 a somewhat technical paper by Mr. F. J. BramweU, C.E, ; and 

 Admiral Sir Edward Belcher communicated a paper " On a Navi- 

 gable Floating Dock ; " but the chief point of interest at Friday's 

 sitting of the Section was the very elaborate paper " On the Chan- 

 nel Railway," giving an account of the method by which Mr. 

 J, F, Bateman, C.E,, and M. Revy, C.E,, Vienna, propose to 

 connect England and France, The paper was too long for us to 

 make anything hke an intelligible abstract of it. Suffice it to say 

 that Messrs, Bateman and Eevy's scheme embraces a cast-iron tube, 

 thirteen feet in internal diameter and four inches thick, with 

 additional strengthening in the way of ribs, flanges, and annular 

 discs or diaphragms, and that railway trains are to be worked through 

 this tube by pneumatic pressure. In an animated discussion which 

 followed the reading of the paper, Messrs, Bidder (father and son), 

 Vignoles, the President, and other gentlemen took part. 



At Monday's sitting no fewer than four reports were read from 

 committees, the reporters being Mr, L. E. Fletcher, C.E. ; Mr. C. 

 W. Merrifield, F.R.S. ; Professor Rankine, and Ur. R. B. Grantham, 

 C.E. ; and the reports being, respectively : on Boiler Explosions ; 

 on the State of Knowledge of Stability and Sea-going Qualities of 

 Ships ; on the Analysis and Reduction of Observations in the 

 Report of the Steamship Performance Committee, and on Sewage. 

 The following are the conclusions arrived at by the Boiler Ex- 

 plosion Committee: — 1. That a lamentable loss of life is annually 

 caused by steam-boiler exj)losions, which urgently calls for public 

 attention. 2. That these explosions, as a rule, are not accidental, 

 but may be prevented by the exercise of " common knowledge and 

 common care." 3. That the present investigations conducted by 

 Coroners with regard to steam-boiler explosions are eminently un- 

 satisfactory, and call for immediate improvement. 4. That Coroners 



