1820.] lioi/al Academi/ of Sciences. 221 



displayed talents that deserve encouragement. They add, that 

 in the Description des Machines de Serviere, there may be seen 

 an account of an apparatus constructed in the house of M.Lenoir, 

 Faubourg Saint Antoine, in which may easily be perceived a 

 close resemblance to the machines of Conte, and Messrs. 

 Lacroix and Peulvay. 



Notice relative to Iron Rai/waj/s ; by M. Gallois. — Committee, 

 Messrs. de Prony and Girard, Secretary. 



It has long been the custom in some parts of Germany to 

 make, for the purpose of working mines, roads, or carriageways, 

 formed of longitudinal pieces of wood, on which were drawn, 

 through the galleries, carts, appropriated to that sort of convey- 

 ance. Since then a plan has been invented in England of 

 substituting for these pieces of wood, roads, or ways, made of 

 cast iron. M. Gallois has undertaken to describe them more 

 fully than has hitherto been done, and to estimate their advan- 

 tages as compared with those of common roads and navigable 

 canals. 



It is in the neighbourhood of Newcastle that iron railways are 

 particularly numerous. According to the author, an extent of 

 28 square miles on the surface of the earth presents a series of 

 76 miles of them ; while the interior of the coal mines contains 

 them to as large an amount. Five or six waggons, made 

 entirely of iron, fastened to each other in regular succession, 

 descend these roads without any other mover than their own 

 weight. By means of a pulley, or wheel, a certain number of 

 carriages in descending occasion a certain number of others to 

 mount, in order to unload, or to take in a load at the summit of 

 the inchned plane they traverse. The principal object M. Gallois 

 appears to have in view consists in displaying the advantages 

 the iron railways, so frequently to be met with in England, have 

 over common roads and navigable canals. We are naturally led 

 to believe that, excepting in very peculiar circumstances, there 

 will always be a great saving of power in conveyances by water, 

 for this simple reason, that the whole weight of the burden so 

 transported is supported by the stream, while the inclined plane 

 upon which the carnage runs supports only a part of its weight. 

 On the other hand, it cannot be denied that many situations in 

 which it would be quite impossible to open a canal, might admit 

 of the establishment of railways of wood or of iron. To diffuse 

 the knowledge of their construction is supplying our industry 

 v.ilh new sources of employment. But previously to their 

 employment, it would be necessary to render the casting of iron 

 less expensive. This important object has particularly fixed the 

 attention of M. Le Gallois. His notice on iron railways is one of 

 the most useful r(;sults of the researches in which he has been 

 engaged during his stay in England ; and, in our opinion, the 

 Academy ought to encourage its publication. 



Methods uf caliiu'^ out Garments ; one by M. Beck, tailor at 



