216 



FAR M E R S ' REGISTER. 



[No. 4 



with a loaded train of 150 tons. The operative 

 engineer, whether through a desire of dif>y)Iaying 

 the engine's movements, or through negfcct, for- 

 got to apply the break at the commencement of 

 the slope; vvlieu lialf-way down, the velocity be- 

 came so great, that he requested the breaks to be 

 applied, but on doing so, they were instantly burn- 

 ed. The train went down at a tremendous speed, 

 although the supply of steam had been cut off. 

 When the train had been slopped, it was found 

 that the wheels ot" one ol' the wagons which re- 

 volved "'ith the axis, had been broken, and yet, 

 notwithstanding this accidental drag, the speed 

 amounted to at least fifty miles. It was object ion- 

 aijle to have any slope exceeding 1 in 250, for 

 whcnti'ie excessive natural powers cA' gravitation 

 were resorted to, control over its movements was 

 impossible. The concFasion to be anived at, al- 

 though it ajjpears paradoxical, is, that you may 

 construct two rail roads, say of 100 miles in length, 

 one level, the other going over mountains, and yet 

 the two rail roads may be worl<ed by the same 

 mechanical power. Suppose in the one you as- 

 cend 1 in 250, and descend in the same ratio, a 

 pull of eigiiteen pounds to the ton is required only 

 fifty miles, and on the other half you descend by 

 inertion. On the level road, a pull of nine jjounds 

 to the ton is required, from the entire distance ol 

 miles, and thus the extent of exertion is equalized. 

 It was not, however; to be forgotten, that they 

 should have a regaixl to the power used. If the 

 power to be used was that of animals, then it 

 might happen that the hilly road would be better 

 than the^evel; tor nothing was better understood 

 than that a dead and unvarying pull upon the same 

 set of muscles, would have the eflect of causing: 

 the labour to be more severe, while a varying puil 

 would alternately give quiescence and exercise to 

 the muscles. If the tine was so disposed as to 

 throw the whole ascent in one spot, the advantage 

 would be gained of having the rest ol the road 

 nearly level. But the cost of attaining this advan- 

 tage should not be forgotten. Steeps of this de- 

 scription requireil an increased power, and the en- 

 gines capable of working on the general line of 

 road would not he capable of exerting an increas- 

 ed force. There were only two ways of" ascend- 

 ing sudden ascents, one by the agency of an addi- 

 tional engine, and the other by having the whole 

 train pulled up by means of a rope. The addi- 

 tional engine would occasion much additional ex- 

 pense, for the supply of them would always be 

 preserved, and the men should be paid their wa- 

 ges whether wanted or not. The use of the rope 

 would occasion an enormous waste of power; and 

 he mentioned the ins-tance of a place, where on 

 ascent of 1 foot in 106 occurred. The rope was 

 five miles long, and its weight was 60,000 pounds. 

 Dr. Lardner next referred to one point on which 

 he seemed to consider that engines generally 

 were at variance with what was correct. He con- 

 tended, that the heat of the fire is directly propor- 

 tional to the quantity of the steam allowed to es- 

 cape in a definite time into the liue, and conse- 

 quently that half the number of blasts of steam 

 projected into the chimney in an engine going up 

 a hill, would have the same effect in exciting-^the 

 fire as double the numberof blasts of half the con- 

 densation, when the engine was running on a lev- 

 el plane. 



From llie Baltimore Americaa. 

 TKADE OF THE UIVITKD STATES 



The annual statement of the Commerce and 

 Navigation of the United States lor the year end- 

 ing SOth September, 1835, lately laid before Con- 

 gress, presents the following general results. They 

 are derived from that document by the Washington 

 correspondent of the New York Journal of Com- 

 merce. 



The imports during the year, (ending 30lli Sepk 

 last,) amounted, in value, to ,f 149,895,742, oi 

 which there was imported in American vessefe 

 .$135,288,865, and in fcreign vessels #14,606,877. 

 The exports during the same year amounted to 

 ,f 121,693,577, of which ig 101, 189,082 were of do^ , 

 meslic, and §(20,504,495 of foreign articles. Of 

 the domestic articles, .$79,022,746 were exported 

 in American vessels^ and $22,166,3.36 in foreign 

 vessels. Of the foreign articles, ,$15,112,445 were 

 exported in American vessels, and $5,392,050 m 

 foreign vessel's. Of American shipping 1,352,853 

 tons entered, and 1,400,517 cleared from the ports 

 of the United States. Of foreign shipping 641, 

 310 tons entered, and 630,824 cleared. 



The n-reatest imports in any previoua yea^r, 

 were in 181G, at the close of the war, when they 

 amounted to $147,103,000— being .$2,792,742 less 

 than fast year: and the greatest exports in 1807, 

 when they amounted to $108,843,150, or $12,- 

 850,427 less than last year. Of the exports iw 

 1807, only $48,699,592 consisted of domestic ar- 

 ticles, whceas last vear the domestic export.? 

 amounted to $101,189,082. [The year in every 

 case unless otherwise specified, ends SOth of Sep- 

 tember.] In 1834 the imports amounted to .$126,- 

 521,332, being $23,374,410 less than in 1835; anti 

 the domestic exports to $81,024,162 or $20,164,- 

 920 less than 1835. 



The tonnage which entered the ports of the 

 United States in the year ending SOth Sept. 1835, 

 was 1.993,963 tons, as stated above, being a great- 

 er amount by 351,241 than entered during the 

 previous year. Of this increase, 277,983 Ions 

 were American shipping, and 73,258 tons foreign 

 shipping. Showing a comparative gain in favor 

 of American. The same remarks, with some 

 slight variations, are applicable to clearances. 



The statement of actual tonnage owned in th« 

 United States, indicates a corresponding increase. 

 The returns lor the year ending December 1834, 

 show a greater amount than in any former year. 



From tiie N"cw Eiiglaiul Farmei;. 



PREairUM ON DRAINING AND CULTIVATING 

 SWAMPY LAND. 



At the late annual meeting of the Agricultural 

 Society, JMr. William Clark, Jr. of Northampton', 

 presented his claiu), and obtained the Society's 

 highest premium, oti'cred "on the greatest quantity 

 of land reclaimed and crops therefrom, accompa- 

 nied with a written description of the manage- 

 ment, condition and worth of the land, before and 

 since reclaimed." The Executive Committee 

 have the ;)rivilegc of presenting a detailed ac- 

 count thereof, and would be very happy for the 

 opportunity of oxiiibiling many other similar ex- 

 periments made by our enterprising liuniery. JVlr. 

 Clark also obtained the Society^s highest pretui- 



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