128 RqiurL of the House oj' Commons, on Slcam- Duals. 



<1efects to be I'cmoved. The numerous companies that liave 

 been formeJ in so many parts of the United Kingdom, have 

 estabUshed an extent of competition which necessarily excites 

 all the science of the country, to seize on every opportunity 

 of making every thing better than it lias been made before; 

 and as the confidence of the public in steam-boats leads to tlie 

 general use of them, there is that fair reward for enterprising 

 undertakings which will effectually sustain the general spirit 

 Avhich prevails amongst all the most scientific engineers, sea- 

 men and ship-builders, to invent further improvements. 



It appears from the evidence, that attempts are now making 

 by very ingenious individuals to remove some of those defects, 

 which have been described to belong to the engines now in use. 



Mr. Brunei is engaged on a plan for making the engine more 

 compact and more simple, and at the same time stronger ; and 

 to enable it, by certain mechanical combinations, to adapt and 

 accommodate itself to all the exigencies and to all the pertur- 

 bations incident to its peculiar services, 



Mr. Galloway and Mr. Perkins feel confident that high 

 pressure boilers may be so contrived as to be used with tlic 

 gi'eatest advantage. Mr. Perkuis, in his answers to the cir- 

 cular queries, gives such sti'ong evidence in favour of them, 

 from the actual use of them in 150 American steam-boats, as 

 to go far towards removing the prevailing objections to them. 



Mr. Donkin is of opinion that a rotary furnace, on Mr. 

 Brunton's principle, may be applied to steam-vessels. This 

 would be so very valuable an improvement, that j'our Com- 

 mittee beg the attention of the House to Mr. Donkin's evidence 

 on the subject : "Q. Are you of opinion that this apparatus may 

 be applied to engines on board ships ? — A. Yes, I think, with 

 very great advantage ; it probably would require a little varia- 

 tion in its construction. — Q. What are the genei'al advantages 

 of this plan? — A. The general advantages are oeconomy of 

 fuel and labour, and greater safety to vessels.^ — Q. In what 

 wa)'^ do you consider it would contribute to greater safety? — 

 A. Because it prevents the continual operation of feeding the 

 fire by hand, whi( h recjuires the fire-doors to be opened every 

 five or ten minutes; and the frequent stirring of the fire occa- 

 sions a great deal of the ignited coals to liill through the grate 

 and up/)n the floor, whereas in this apparatus the coals are 

 supplied by the machine itself, the fire-doors need not be 

 opened except about twice or three times a day. — Q. Does the 

 fire produced by this apparatus act more regularly or power- 

 fully than the fire supplied in the ordinary way ? — A. Yes, it 

 does; small portions of coals are introduced on a revolving 

 fire-place at certain intervals, so that the fire is regularly sup- 

 plied ; 



