412 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Mr. Stetson spoke of the present uncertainty in the Steam Fire Engine, 

 compared with the hand engines. Our experience in them is, however, 

 narrow. I believe, however, in their ultimate success. 



Mr. Edgerly. — They burst their hose in consequence of the suddenness 

 with which they force the water, notwithstanding their air chambers, which 

 are unequal to the power of steam, yet manageable in hand engines. 



Mr. Leonard. — Lee & Larned's Steam Fire Engine has air chambers, 

 "but it appears to me that they are not large enough to give the requisite 

 elasticity. 



Mr. Edgerly. — Fire companies are prejudiced against them, as tending 

 to supplant our volunteer system by paid companies, as in New Orleans, 

 St. Louis and Philadelphia. Our firemen's fund of $100,000 will suiFer. 

 The steam power, propelling the engines to fires through our crowded 

 streets, is very objectionable. It must be done by men or horses, or by 

 hand. 



The subject of the evening being called up, the Chairman said that he 

 would open the subject. 



The Telescope is derived from the Greek words r?;/l?/, distant; oKOTieco, 

 I look at ; and is an optical instrument used for the purpose of viewing 

 distant objects. 



I intend this evening to trace human progress and intelligence, as far as 

 this great invention is concerned, from the commencement to the present 

 time. It was no doubt invented by Baptista Porta, but did not, in his 

 hands, assume sufiicient maturity to be usefully applied for celestial and 

 terrestrial examinations. It has, however, been ascribed by Descartes to 

 James Metius, a citizen of Alkmaer, in Holland ; by Huygens, to John 

 Jeppersey ; by Prof. Moll, after thoroughly examining the official papers 

 in the archives at the Hague, to Jacob Adriaancy, on the 17th of October, 

 1608, with whom the art died. In 1609, the renowned Gallileo invented a 

 telescope that magnified three times ; he increased the power in subsequent 

 trials, and in 1610 observed the satellites of Jupiter. 



Sir Isaac Newton, in the year 1671, discovered and made the reflecting 

 telescope ; its speculum was two inches and three-tenths in diameter, its 

 focal length six inches, and it magnified 38 times. It is now in possession 

 of the Koyal Society of England. When I saw it the eye-glass was gone, 

 and it looked as if it had passed through the wars. 



The next telescope was constructed by Hadley, in 1723, the speculum of 

 which was 6 inches, its focal length 63 inches, and magnified 230 times. 

 It is also owned by the Royal Society, and is in a dilapidated condition. 



Short succeeded Hadley, and greatly excelled him ; but when he died, 

 destroyed his tools, and all that he had made, that posterity might not be 

 aided by the knowledge he had acquired. He made short work of it. 



Next came the immortal Herschel, whose unhampered thought made a 

 bold attempt to explore the extent of God's works, but his great reflector 

 only enabled him to see a mere speck, space being infinite. Were the 



