AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 405 



breaks on the shore with the tumultuous crash and white silvery glitter of 

 live sea. 



Mr. Tillman called for the reading of an article in the American Jour- 

 nal of Science and Arts, for November last, relative to the claim of orifi- 

 nality in the inventions of Physionometer^ for accuracy in making moulds 

 from objects in relief, a great aid to statuaries ; also the screw propeller 

 and the reducer, a pantograph for the sculptor. Those are (in France.) 

 ascribed to Frederick Sauvage, a native of Boulogne, sur mer, in Septem- 

 ber, 1785. In 1811 he was employed to construct steamboats to run be- 

 tween Boulogne and London. He became discouraged and died insane in 

 1867. 



Several members — Stetson, Leonard and others, claimed for steam navi- 

 gation an American origin, and the condensation of steam by the methods 

 ascribed to Alexis Sauvage — the supply of distilled or pure water to pre- 

 vent incrustation, burning of the boiler, waste of fuel, and explosion of the 

 boilers. Stephen A. Gold, an American, constructed a steamboat for ocean 

 navigation, in which the steam was condensed in a hollow metal keel, with 

 perfect suQcess. 



Mr. Stetson stated that Pierson, of New York, made a condenser, still in 

 use, better than Hall's, of England, and it is now on the ship Adriatic, and 

 in some of our war vessels. 



Mr, R. Gr. Eunson explained the condensation and air pump as applied 

 to some western steamers. The air pump cannot be dispensed with, and 

 high steam can be more easily condensed than the low steam — 150 pounds 

 on a square inch than 50 pounds. 



Mr. Stetson. — It requires air pump to work it. In 1852, or '53, Joshua 

 Lowe tried it here on a stationary engine, but his valves necessarily worked 

 with such great rapidity, striking like sledge hammers, that they soon 

 ruined the machine. The atmospheric air always contained in water must 

 be pumped out, and some water with it. 



Mr. Eunson. — I use a hydrostatic pump. There can be no condensing 

 in high pressure engine without air pump. 



Mr. Seeley. — Common water always contains atmospheric air. A cubic 

 inch of water forms a a' cxibic foot of steaia or about 1728 times more vol- 

 ume. Is there an intermediate stage between them ? 



Mr. Cohen. — None. At the right moment of absorption of heat by wa- 

 ter, \i flashes into steam ! and in freezing, it also may be said to flash ijito 

 ice ! There is no intermediate state. 



The subject of the day: " Steam Fire Engines," was taken up. 

 Mr. Fisher explained the construction of the Lee and Larned engine, of 

 the principal parts of which he was the inventor. A steam carriage with 

 locomotive engine modified is the steam fire engine. The character of 

 boiler most suitable, was discussed. It is not yet satisfactorily developed, 

 but it can be made to do much greater work than any hand engine — to be 

 kept in readiness with its fire and steam — run faster to the fire than the 

 hand engine I — pour on a larger and steadier stream of water. Although 



