On the comparative Strength of Chain Cables. 459 



Experiment 3. "A 12 inch hempen cable was attached to a 

 length of chain-cables on Messrs. Brunton and Company's prin- 

 ciple, of the respective diameters I of an inch, 1 inch, 1|, 1|, 

 1|, 1|, and 1| in diameter, in order to determine which sized 

 chain was equal in strength to the hempen cable. A strain of 

 28 tons broke the | chain. The hempen cable was measured 

 after a strain of 25 tons, had been applied; it h*ad stretched 12 

 inches in 10 feet. The hempen cable was broken by a strain of 

 30 tons." 



Experiment 4. "A 24 inch hempen cable was attached to a 

 H inch iron cable of Capt. Brown's, and a 1| inch iron cable of 

 Messrs. Brunton and Company's manufacture. After a strain of 

 30 tons the cable measured 22 inches: when 76 tons had been 

 applied, it was reduced in circumference : the cable was broken 

 in the nip at 91 tons." 



Experiment 3. ''A length of Capt. Brown's twisted chain of 

 1| inch, that he had supplied to Deptford yard, was attached 

 to one of U inch manufactured by Messrs. Brunton and Com- 

 pany. The link of Capt. Brown's was broken by a strain of 64 

 tons. It was again tried, and another link broke at 70 tons. 

 The iron was found to be of a bad quality." 



" After the first experiment, Capt. Brown doubted the accu- 

 racy of the results given by the hydraulic engine, [the testing 

 machine is made on the ingenious principle of Mr. Bramah's hy- 

 draulic press] imagining that the strain was nearly one-hah" more 

 than the balances indicated: but the truth of the twgxne appears 

 to have been proved by the strain on the 12 inch hempen cable; 

 as it bore, according to that machine, about 2 tons more than 

 was expected." 



IVilnesi. — " I have also the trials of the hempen cables with 

 Mr. Brunton's, made in order to ascertain what they would bear, 

 and thereby to be better able to apportion the chain cables to be 

 substituted for them." 



Mr. Solicitor General (for the defendants).—" We do not 

 mean to offer any evidence tliat these chains are not stronger 

 than Brown's twisted chains." 



Mr. Scarlett. — " What are the experiments as to the hempen 

 cables?" 



The witness attended previously at Messrs. Brunton^and Com- 

 pany's manufactory, between the 23d of May and tlie 17th of June 

 1816, to see that the ropes were properly stretched, without any 

 member of the board; but the trial took place on the 17th of 

 June. Present: 



r Sir H. Peake. 

 Commissioners.-? J. Tucker. 

 (^ P. Fraser. 



Experiment 1, "A 14 inch cable was tried against chains of 

 U u 2 1> 



