376 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



to use springs as flexible as those of the best common carnages. 

 But all former steam carriages and locomotives have been con- 

 stitutionally unable to use springs of much flexibility, or to last 

 long with stiff springs ; and it was agreed that unless good 

 springs could be used, steam carriages could not endure high 

 speed ; and the English have given up fast carriages, and are 

 now at work on engines to run at four or five miles per hour. 



There is one exception to this : Mr. Rickett, who has built 

 carriages for the Marquis of Staftbrd, and the Earl of Caithness. 

 But I observe in his labors evidence that he is bafiled by the old 

 difficulties. Here are engravings of those carriages. That of 

 Lord Stafford has chain gearing, that of Lord Caithness has 

 spur gear. 



Mr. F. stated that there were various projects for traction 

 engines before the public besides his own, and as they were 

 important for military transportation, he asked that a committee 

 should be appointed to examine and report upon the subject. 



The Chair appointed Messrs. Dibben, Stetson, Rowell, Butler 

 and Churchill as the committee. 



ICE AND METHODS OF KEFRIGERATION. 



Mr. Seely. — The field of invention in this direction has not 

 been well explored. A practical system of refrigeration would 

 be of immense service to health and bodily comfort. I believe 

 the time will come, in a climate a little warmer than this, when 

 refrigerating apparatus will be as common as stoves, and will 

 be considered almost as great a necessity. If we put a piece of 

 ice in the centre of a room, it seems to throw out cold in every 

 direction. We have only to enclose this in something ornamental 

 and it will be neater and handier than a stove. The products 

 of the combustion of coal are a great nuisance ; but from the 

 consumption of ice we have only water, which may be used in 

 cooking or washing. Ice is cheap enough in New York city to 

 be used so practically now. Ice is cheaper than coal. It costs 

 but two or three dollars, while coal costs five to seven per ton. 

 The management of the ice would be extremely simple. The 

 cooling apparatus should be put in the garret, for cold air comes 

 down. And there would be less waste of the cold air than of 

 heated air. 



Several methods have been proposed of producing ice artifici- 

 ally in summer. 



Thus : Water is exposed in India in shallow vessels upon a 



