312 Steam Engines.—Voltaic Action, 
the health of a most venerable and distinguished friend to 
science—Sir Joseph Banks, the President of the Royal Society, 
who in vouth had endeavoured to extend the limits of human 
knowledge, amongst difficulties and dangers; who, in his ad- 
vanced age, was the patron of every useful object ; and who, 
through his whole life, had devoted his fortune and his time to 
the purposes of science. 
Mr. Robinson gave “ The Members for the County of Dur- 
ham.”—Mr. Lambton returned thanks. 
At ten o’clock Mr. Lambton and Sir H. Davy took their leave 
amidst the enthusiastic applauses of the meeting, when Mr. Wm. 
Lamb took the chair, and harmony and conviviality were kept 
up till a late hour. Never was there a more agreeable meeting, 
and as the object of it was one of convivial benevolence, so the 
effect of it was universal hilarity. 
~ STEAM ENGINES {N CORNWALL. 
From the Monthly Report for September, it appears that du- 
ring that month the following was the work performed by the 
engines reported, with each bushel of coals. 
Water lifted 1 foot high| Load per square 
with each bushel. inch in cylinder. 
23 common engines averaged 23,099,400 various. 
Woolf’s at Wheal Vor .- 38,894,222 15°5 lib. 
Ditto Wh. Abraham* .. 40,310,194 16°S 
Ditto CED, sac -- 26,138,822 4°53 
Ditto Wh. Unityt sel... 29075019 13-1 
Dalcouth engine .. »- 48,031,945 11+2 
Wheal Abraham ditto .-  9895128,397 10°3 
United Mines ditto.. -- . 30,716,538 }- 18-1 
Wheal Chance ditto e+ 38,832,427 15-1 
VOLTAIC ACTION, SAFETY-FURNACE, ETC. 
To Mr. Tilloch. 
Sirk,—~Having ascertained the influence of atmospheric air in 
increasing the intensity of the Voltaic action, J was next desirous, 
in following up the views of M. Dessaignes, to ascertain the ef- 
fect of an exalted temperature. For this purpose the plates 
were heated highly in a sand-bath and plunged into the acid 
medium in the porcelain cells. By this means I ignited with 
the three porcelain troughs adverted to, still preserving the same 
diluted acid, eleven inches and a half of platinum wire. The 
experiments with charcoal and metallic lamine were propor- 
tionally brilliant. I next raised the temperature of the acid so- 
lution up to 130° F. and obtained results nearly as_ striking. 
* Has had considerable lets this month to repair boilers. 
+ Working part of this month without the aid of the smalt cylinder. W 
? e 
