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LXXIX. Remarks on Mr. J. Taylor's Paper on the Explosion 

 of Steam-Boilers. By An Engineer. 



To the Editors of the Philosophical Magazine and Annals of 

 Philosophy. 

 Gentlemen, 

 T HAVE experienced much gratification in reading in your 

 ■^ Number for February a paper by Mr. John Taylor On 

 the explosion of steam-boilers. The public are indebted to 

 him for bringing forward a subject of so much interest and 

 importance ; and I am glad to observe that he has set an ex- 

 ample which I hope to see followed, — that of discussing practi- 

 cal subjects in a scientific Journal. 



Having been professionally engaged in the application of 

 high-pressure and common steam in all its branches, the sub- 

 ject of steam-boilers and the accidents to which they are liable 

 have of course occupied my attention. 



I have accordingly availed myself of every opportunity af- 

 forded me, of personally examining or inquiring into the cir- 

 cumstances which have attended such explosions of steam- 

 boilers as happen to have come to my knowledge. The result 

 of my inquiries has generally been, that these accidents have 

 originated either from the carelessness or ignorance of the 

 persons attending the boilers, or from the bad construction of 

 the boilers themselves. 



The extreme difficulty of obtaining any thing like informa- 

 tion to be relied upon on these occasions, must have been felt 

 by all those who have endeavoui'ed to acquire it. It has too 

 often happened, that the only person or persons competent to 

 give such information, have lost their lives by the effect of the 

 explosion ; and where this lamentable result does not take 

 place, it is too much to expect that men will confess their care- 

 lessness when a loss of situation would be the inevitable con- 

 sequence. Hence it arises that, in order to divert attention 

 from themselves and conceal their neglect, they invent a won- 

 derful tale of the explosion being preceded or accompanied 

 by something extraordinary; such as a flash of flame, a rum- 

 bling noise, &c. &c. — tales which I have often heard repeated. 

 Even where there exists no intention of deceiving, the love of 

 the marvellous (so common to the lower classes), or the agita- 

 tion ])roduced by terror, will cause them to magnify the most 

 trivial occurrence into something out of the conunon. 



Having expressed an opinion that these accidents are al- 

 ways attributable to neglect, or the originally bad construction 

 of the boilers, I shall proceed to inquire how far one or other 

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