NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



327 



ilTal)anics' Pcpartment, ^rts, $^t. 



BRIDGING THE NILE, 



A French engineer is constructing a strong, 

 beautiful edifice across the river, where the water 

 IS both deep and swift. The arches are of large 

 brick. 



This is the first bridge, it is believed, ever built 

 over the Nile. It was commenced by Mohammed 

 Ali some years since, and a fear is entertained that 

 it never will be finished. The diving bell is an 

 extraordinary machine, in which sixty men are at 

 once sunk to the river-bed to drive piles, lay the 

 foundation stones, &c. The water at the lowest 

 point is thirty feet deep, and the mud thirty more 

 below that, down through which the foundation of 

 the pillar is sunk, in iron boxes, till its weight 

 lodges on the bottom. The whole length of the 

 piers for receiving the enormous arches is ninety 

 feet. Last season 25,000 men were employed, at 

 present only 2,000, the Pacha having used up all 

 his funds in building and furnishing costly palaces 

 in all directions. Every three months the gover- 

 nor of a district is called upon for a certain number 

 of villagers to this public work. 



nificant for improving or patenting, but they are 

 the kind of patents that pay best, and these im- 

 provements on the scissors and thimble are very 

 valuable, indeed they are exceedingly useful. 

 While we wear coats and pants, we respect the 

 genius that does not overlook improving the instru- 

 ments which make them. The ladies, too, will 

 bless Mr. Marsden for his improved thimble. 



LIBRARIES FOR OPERATIVES. 



In manufacturing establishments where no ac- 

 cess to a public library is enjoyed, could money be 

 better expended by the proprietors, than by es- 

 tablishing a well selected library? Good books, 

 with the current magazines and newspapers of the 

 day, would furnish mental food which would be 

 literally devoured by our numerous operatives, 

 whose means do not give them access to these 

 sources of instruction and amusement. How many 

 journeymen and apprentices would be saved from 

 the contaminating influences of the dram-shop by a 

 good library] Let every foundry and machine 

 shop have its library; and let it be considered as 

 necessary to their success, as the motive power 

 which propels their bellows, lathes and spindles. 



ANOTHER TRIUMPH OF NEWARK 

 MANUFACTURE S. 



Mr. H. C. Jones, of this city, says the Newark 

 Advertiser, the merits of whose famous locks are 

 acknowledged throughout the country, has received 

 a very gratifying letter from Mr. S. C. Her- 

 ring, of New York, who, it will be remembered, 

 took out one of his salamander safes to the World's 

 Fair, on which he placed one of Mr. Jones' locks. 

 In the safe, it appears, he placed a £200 note, 

 ($1000) which he ofl"ered as a reward to any one 

 who should pick the lock with the keys — the offer 

 to remain open for thirty days. Forty-five days 

 elapsed, but the money remained in the safe, al- 

 though repeated trials were daily made to open it. 

 No further demonstration, it appears to us, is ne- 

 cessary, to prove the entire safety of this lock 

 against the most expert burglar. 



To Harden Steel Without Springing. — Let 

 it be heated as uniformly as possible, and dip it 

 perpendicularly and slowly into the water, so that 

 it may chill regularly on all sides at the same time, 

 and near the surface of the water. If dipped 

 obliquely, the under side will chill first, and as it 

 contracts will draw the upper side, which is still 

 soft. When chilled in that condition it is thrown 

 out of shape. The lowest heat at which steel will 

 harden is always the best, as by raising the heat 

 above that point you only open the pores, rendering 

 it more brittle without getting it any harder. 



These facts are derived from experience in mak- 

 ing small tools, &c., in my business. I am a watch- 

 maker. — Scientific American. 



£ai)ics' Pffiartnicut. 



IMPROVEMENT IN T2IIMBLES AND 



SCISSORS. 



We learn by the London Patent Journal that a 

 Mr. Charles Marsden, of London, has taken out a 

 patent for an improvement in thimbles and scissors, 

 which is worthy of attention. He makes his thim- 

 bles ventilating, so as to permit the free escape of 

 perspiration. There is a metal lining within the 

 large cylinder of the thimble, and this is perforated 

 and attached by metal points to the outside one; 

 this allows the perspiration to pass out of tlie thim- 

 ble. 



In cutting with scissors, it is necessary, in order 

 to keep the cutting edges in contact, to give them 

 a side twist, which not only inflicts injury on the 

 fingers but precludes the use of them with both 

 hands. One of the bowl arms, with a verticlc pro- 

 jecting arm which presses on the other arm, gives 

 a permanent side pressure to the blades, ensuring 

 proper contact of the cutting edges witiiout effint 

 of the user; this also ensures a good cuttiiig edge 

 from end to end of the blades. Small instruments 

 are liable to be overlooked now-a-davs as too insig 



THE FAMILY ALTAR AND ITS INFLU- 

 ENCES. 



At no time does the family below present to my 

 mind so faithful and striking a type of the family 

 above as when with one accord they have met in 

 one place, to offer united praise to the flither of 

 mercies. True it is with this, as every illustra- 

 tion of life in that better country, much imperfec- 

 tion is mingled. A large share of devotional exer- 

 cises consist of confession of sin, and supplication 

 for strength against time of temptation ; besides 

 which wandering thoughts and the jaded spirits 

 too often mar our worship and render our solemn 

 service vain. Yet, nevertheless, the family has 

 been repeatedly used by God himself as an em- 

 blem of his triumphant church ; and scarcely could 

 one have been selected which would appeal so for- 

 cibly, because so sweetly, to the hearts of all men 

 in all ages. 



The residence of my father was inland, and re- 

 mote from facilities for acquiring education. Af- 

 ter mature reflection my parents consented that I 

 should follow the bent of my own inclination, and 

 seek such advantages in a distant city. 



