272 INQUIRY INTO THE STRENGTH AND 
Now if we reduce the distance, 3 feet between 
the supports, to 4 feet 6 inches, we shall then 
have— 
BAGS. one! csiss clit 1 
Reynolds...... 503.7 fa as the breaking weight. ~ 
EVO s = esate ote 579.3 
These experiments indicate a greater degree 
of strength than we have been able to obtain ; 
our strongest iron is considerably weaker than 
those experimented upon by Banks, and some- 
what stronger than the results of Rennie indi- 
cate. Reynolds’s iron approaches nearest to 
the mean—though it is somewhat in excess—it 
is rather stronger than the lower numbers, and 
may be considered equal to our Butterley speci- 
mens. Under all the circumstances, the diffe - 
rences are not great, if we except the variable 
results obtained by Rondelet from experiments 
upon the French irons. It may be presumed, 
too, that authors, when intending to make ex- 
periments upon a single iron, would generally 
choose a strong one. 
In closing this research, to which I have 
devoted much time and attention, it is not my 
intention to offer any observations tending to 
