394 Progress im Science. [July, 
Hydraulic Boring Machine.—A novel invention by Mr. Theodore Allen, of 
the American Society of Civil Engineers, has recently been adopted by the 
Department of Docks of the City of New York, with a view to obtain a survey 
of the hard bottom of the Hudson and East rivers, adjacent to New York City. 
By Mr. Allen’s plan the boring rod is forced down by means of hydraulic pres- 
sure. Asa basis it was considered that a pressure of 1000 lbs. to the square 
inch upon the areaof the tube would be ample for all purposes, —that is, when 
a resisting of density sufficient to withstand that force was met with, it would 
more than suffice to sustain the weight upon the piles. The tube itself had to 
be of considerable area in order to bear this pressure when unsupported 
for some distance in the water or soft mud. A tube of 22 inches exterior 
diameter, and 1 inches interior diameter was deemed the smallest that could be 
used with safety. The length of sections of the tube was fixed at 8 feet, the 
weight of a section of this length being as great as could be conveniently 
handled. This tube was then secured or clamped to a cross head by a 
contrivance which, while securely holding the tube, permitted it to be turned 
round. At each end of the cross head a piston rod was attached, the pistons 
moving vertically within a cast-iron cylinder of 6 inches diameter, and having 
sufficient length to admit of a stroke or movement slightly greater than the 
length of each section of the tube. The pistons are packed with cup leather 
packing, and the cylinders are supplied by means of a fly-wheel pump, the pro- 
portions of which enable 50 lbs. pressure per square inch in the steam cylinder 
to exert a force of 500 Ibs. pressure per square inch in the pump barrel. 
In order to regulate the pressure upon the tubes an ordinary weighted lever 
valve is used, the raising of the lever informing the attendant that the 
requisite resistance has been obtained. During the test, before the acceptance 
of the apparatus, the safety-valve was set at 450 lbs. to the square inch, 
causing a total pressure on the tube of 23,850 lbs., or 3674 Ibs. to the square 
inch. 
ENGINEERING SOCIETIES. 
Institution of Civil Engineers.—Mr. Emerson Bainbridge read a paper on the 
5th of March last, “‘ On the Kind-Chaudron System of Sinking Shafts through 
Water-bearing Strata without the use of Pumping Machinery.” The author 
pointed out that the plan of sinking pits hitherto practised in this country con- 
sisted in dealing with the water by means of large pumping-engines, in leaving the 
bottoms of the pits dry enough to allow the sinkers to block the well, and in 
keeping back the water in the upper strata by metal rings, cast in segments about 
4 feet long, and connected by wooden joints, which were wedged tight, when all 
the tubbing was fixed. The evils of this system were :—1. The heavy first cost 
of the plant when special pumping machinery was used. 2. The expense of the 
wedging tubs, and the cost of fixing them. 3. The delay caused by the 
sinkers being compelled to work always in water. 4. The first high cost 
of the tubbing and of fixing it in the shaft, and the liability of the tubbing 
leaking in consequence of the numerous joints. In the application of the 
Kind-Chaudron system these evils were to a great extent avoided. This 
system consisted of a combination of Mr. Kind’s well-known apparatus 
for boring wells, with an ingenious device, invented by M. Chaudron, for fixing 
cylindrical tubbing under water in such a manner as to make it quite secure 
and water-tight. A comparison between the two systems showed, that whilst 
with the system of sinking by the aid of pumping machinery, the average cost 
per foot had amounted to £114 7s., and the rate of sinking to 8g feet per 
month, with the Chaudron system the average of all the pits was equal to 
£22'9 per foot, and the speed of sinking to 15°8 feet per month. 
On the r2th of March last Mr. J. H. Latham read a paper ‘On the Soon- 
kasala Canal of the Madras Irrigation and Canal Company.” This canal has 
recently been opened for its entire length from Soonkasala to Cuddapah, 
a distance of 190 miles. The objects of this canal are twofold; first, the con- 
tinuous irrigation throughout the year of large areas of country in the Bellary, 
Koonder, and Nellore Districts ; and the second purpose, apparently necessary 
to the success of the first, was a means of communication by canals, by 
which the produce of those areas could be sent to a market more cheaply than 
