340 
workiman, may be used for this ren 
of compressing metal from a_ fluid 
state into any practicable degree of 
consistency, closeness, or solidity, in 
suitable moulds with their pistons and 
moving-plugs, with more or less effect 
as the nature and extent of the opera- 
tion requires. The application of any 
of the well-known mechanical powers, 
the screw, the wedge, the levér, the 
rack and pinion, the hydro-mechanical 
press, or simple weights, may be 
brought to act either separately or 
uniledly on the pistons or moving- - 
‘plugs, in the iron or other suitable 
moulds; and one or more of which 
powers must, however, be either jointly 
or separately applied to the pistons or 
plugs of every mould, before my im- 
proved method and process of casting 
‘can be effectually used and employed. 
Founders and others who are engaged 
in the making and working metallic 
substances, which are to be cast into 
‘Proceedings of Public Societies. 
[Nov. 1, 
forms or bodies by the ordinary means 
of casting metallic substances, know 
the great difficulty and uncertainty 
constantly experienced in procuring 
sound bodies on their external sur- 
faces, much less through the whole 
material or mass of which any cast 
body may be composed. His im- 
provement in the method of casting 
metallic substances not unly obviates 
and removes these great general im- 
perfections in metal casting, but in- 
sures soundness of surface and close- 
ness of texture; and it will be found to 
be of great value and advantage m 
the making of cannon and ordnance, 
of plates and ingots, for rolling: or 
otherwise, of cylinders, cones, bars, 
and various other articles; and of such 
shapes and dimensions, and of such 
metallic substances, as can advantage- 
ously be constructed and made; by the 
application and use of this improved 
method of casting metals, 
PROCEEDINGS OF PUBLIC SOCIETIES. 
<I 
Report of the SELECT COMMITTEE of 
the HOUSE of COMMONS, appointed to 
inquire into the State of the Roads 
from London to Holyhead, Sc. and into 
the Regulations for conveying his 
Majesty’s Mail between London and 
Dubhn, &ce. §e. 
1, FORM OF STEAM-VESSELS. 
ORS Rocerssays, “In building 
a steam-boat, she ought to have a 
fine entrance, and her bow to flear off, 
not to shove any water before her; she 
should have a good line of bearing, and 
her transom pretty square, and not too 
high; the transom being square and 
low, and fine under, soas to give her a 
right line of bearing, will stop her 
pitching and rolling, and make her easy 
on the sea, and add to her speed.” 
Captain Townley, who has been com- 
manding steam-boats, since 1819, be- 
tween Dublinand Liverpool,says, “‘As 
to form, a steam-vessel should have an 
extreme fine entrance below, rise well 
forward, and flam off, so as to let her 
fall easy into the’sea, and throw it off 
when steaming head. to wind; she 
should have but little rise of floor, so 
as to be pretty flat under the engines, 
and run off as clean as possible abaft; 
J approye of giving them a good deal 
cf rake forward.” Captain J. Hamil- 
ton, of the Arrow Post-office Dover 
packet, recommends for wet harbours 
“‘a vessel with a rising floor about 
three inches hollow, to prevent her 
rolling; fair -and easy curved water- 
lines; the stem to rake well, which 
makes her easy going head.to sea; the 
stern-post to stand square to the keel, 
and to draw from seven feet nine 
inches to eight feet water.” Mr. John 
Scott, ship-builder at Greenock, says, 
“T have continued to make the fore 
body of my vessels very fine, with a 
good entry, which I have always found 
made the vessel sail faster, and easier 
impelled.” Messrs. Maudslay and 
Field say, “‘The form of a steam-ves-+ 
sel under water should be that of the 
fastest schooner, bold at the bows, the 
whole vessel rising but little out of the, 
water; the sponcings, or projecting 
work on the sides, added to the proper 
body of the vessel, and rising from the 
water-line at an angle no where ex- 
ceeding forty degrees from the perpen- 
dicular of the side; the bulwarks, 
wheel-cases, and all the exterior of the 
vessel, smooth and free from projec- 
tions that would hold the wind.” 
Messrs. J. and C. Wood, say, “The 
vessel should be formed with a fine en- 
trance and run; sharp raking bow, 
both below and above ; abroad transom 
not too high placed; a good rise in 
the floor, limited by the draugbt of 
water, and the occasion of taking the 
ground.” 
: 2. Strength, 
