384 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



parks' telegraphic apparatus. 

 Mr. Johnson presented the following report, which was adopted. 

 To the Polytechnic Association of the American Institute: 



The committee to whom were referred certain alleged improve- 

 ments in the telegraphic art, respectfully report, that they have 

 examined the system presented by Mr. A. E. Parks of Brooklyn, 

 and find that its most important feature, is an alphabet which 

 chiefly differs from that of Prof. Morse and others, in being writ- 

 ten on two lines in such a way as to make the position of a 

 character on the upper or lower line an element of distinction, 

 thus enabling us to dispense with one-half of the ordinary char- 

 acters. The instrument employed by Mr. Park's is specially con- 

 trived for the use of his alphabet. 



Our opinion of the invention is favorable, and we take pleasure 

 in commending it to the Association. 



June 5, 1861. JOHN JOHxXSON, 



CHARLES A. SEELY, 

 P. H. VANDERWEYDE, 

 FRANK DIBBEN. 



DE BRAME'S revolving CANNON. 



Mr. Dibben stated that there was a gentleman present, Mr. De 

 Brame, who had invented a new revolving cannon. He had wit- 

 nessed experiments with it, several members of the Polytechnic 

 Association being present, and they had invited the inventor to 

 exhibit and explain his model to the Association to-night. 



At the invitation of the President, Mr. De Brame came forward 

 and explained his model : 



In the revolving cannon, my main object was to produce entire 

 coolness everywhere. Six chambers form the breech of the 

 cannon ; and after one has been discharged, and the cannon is 

 revolved, it is open at both ends, so that the gases which have 

 been in the chamber can escape by the draft or ventilation 

 through it. At the next turn, the chamber is left free to be 

 swabbed out by the gunner, &c. There are always four cham- 

 bers open to the air, so that each chamber is cooling through four 

 successive discharges before it is reloaded. The next thing to 

 be done is to secure ventilation of the barrel, which remains 

 fixed. To accomplish this I have hit upon a very strange 

 device. It occurred to me that the object of the barrel being 

 chiefly to give direction to the shot, it was not necessary for it 



