1868. ] Engineering—Civil and Mechanical. 239 
important district of Bellary. This bridge is 2,800 feet long, 
or a little over half-a-mile; the end girders are supported on 
masonry piers, and in the centre on wrought-iron screw piles. 
Liver Improvements and Canals.—In order to avoid any disas- 
trous flooding of the River Irwell, Mr. Hawksley, C.E., recommends 
the construction, at a cost of 120,000/., of a tunnel, 2 miles long 
and 10 yards in diameter, for the purpose of carrying off the 
superfluous water. 
The works for improving the Godavery have made such pro- 
gress that it is anticipated the river will be open for navigation as 
far as the second barrier, 225 miles from the sea, before the next 
monsoon. Works have been commenced for the construction of a 
new canal from the Sutlej; it will leave the left bank of the river 
near Roopur, and, passing southwards, will irrigate the arid parts 
of Puttiala, Ferozepore, and Sirsa. The Grand Canal, in China, 
which has been gradually drying up since 1857, has now become 
utterly impassable, vessels drawing a few inches only being unable 
to find water to float them. A project for a canal for the irrigation 
of Lombardy by water, from the Lago Maggiore, has recently been 
brought forward. 
Mechanical.—A series of experiments have recently been carried 
out in London on a new form of furnace invented by Mr. T. J. Leigh. 
This furnace is applicable for puddling, steel-melting, or other pur- 
poses for which an intense heat is required, and it is adapted for 
burning slack coal as fuel, which is instantaneously converted into 
gas as it is fed in, and a perfect combustion and very intense heat 
are obtained. Crop ends of steel rails placed in the furnace are 
reduced to a perfect fluid state in 25 minutes, and wrought-iron is 
also readily melted. The Russian Government are making great 
efforts to develop the mechanical industry of that empire. The 
construction of a bridge proposed to be thrown across the Boug, on 
the Warsaw and Terespol Railway, has been let to a Russian house. 
The Russian Government also intends to order a quantity of plant 
—including locomotives and tenders—from four works on its terri- 
tories ; and it is further rumoured that the Government is disposed, 
where necessary, to stimulate Russian mechanical industry by direct 
pecuniary advances. We have already alluded to a consignment of 
spinning machinery from Belgium having recently been received at 
a cotton mill in Preston. As another instance of the successful 
competition of foreign manufacturers with our own, it may be 
stated that Alexander, of Barcelona, is now making marine engines 
of several hundred horse-power for a Liverpool firm. 
