WEIGHING MACHINE AT THE BANK OF ENGLAND. 



87 



lives were lost. The hole, thirty- 

 eight feet deep, was closed with 

 bags of clay and hazel-rods, the 

 water pumped out, and the works 

 resumed in September. On Jan. 

 12, 1828, the river broke in a second 

 tune, and filled the tunnel in less 

 than ten minutes ; when the rush 

 of water brought with it a strong 

 current of air that put out the 

 lights ; six of the workmen were 

 lost. For some distance, Mr. Brunei, 

 junior, struggled in total darkness, 

 and the rush of the water carried 

 him up the shaft. The tunnel 

 was again cleared, and the part 

 completed found to be sound. Hun- 

 dreds of plans were proposed for its 

 completion ; the funds of the com- 

 pany were too low to proceed, and 

 above 5000 was raised by public 

 subscription. 



For seven years the work was 

 suspended ; but, by advances from 

 Government, it %vas resumed in 

 1835. On April 23, 1837, there 



;i third irruption of the river ; 

 a fourth on Nov. 2, 1837, with the 



of one life ; and, on March 6, 

 1838, the fifth and last irruption 

 took place. Thus, of the Tunnel 

 there were completed 



In 1836 117 feet. 



1837 28 



_ 1338 80 



1839 194 



1810 70 



Leaving only Oil lout to complete. 



Meanwhile, the tunnel works 

 proved a very attractive exhibition. 

 In 1838, they were visited by 23,000 

 persons, and, in 1839, by 34,000. 

 By January 1841, the tunnel was 

 completed from shore to shore 

 1140 feet, and Sir I. Brunei, on 

 August 13, was the first to pass 

 through. On March 25, 1843, the 

 tunnel was opened to the public, 

 with a demonstration of triumph. 



The cost of the work has been 

 nearly four times the sum at first 

 contemplated; the actual expense 

 being upwards of 600,000. 



WEIGHING MACHINE AT THE BANK 

 OF ENGLAND. 



The most interesting place con- 

 nected with the machinery of the 

 Bank of England is the weighing- 

 office, which was established a few 

 years ago. In consequence of a 

 proclamation concerning the gold 

 circulation, it became very desir- 

 able to obtain the most minute ac- 

 curacy, as coins of different weight 

 were plentifully offered. Many 

 complaints were made, that sove- 

 reigns which had been issued from 

 one office were refused at another ; 

 and though these assertions were 

 not, perhaps, always founded on 

 truth, yet it is indisputable that 

 the evil occasionally occurred. 

 Every effort was made by the di- 

 rectors to remedy this, some mil- 

 lions of sovereigns being weighed 

 separately, and the light coins di- 

 vided from those which were full 

 weight. Fortunately, the governor 

 for the time being (Mr. W. Cotton), 

 before whom the complaints prin- 

 cipally came, was attached to scien- 

 tific pursuits ; and he at once turned 

 his attention to discover the causes 

 which operated to prevent the at- 

 tainment of a just weight. In this 

 he was successful, and the result of 

 his inquiiy was a machine, remark- 

 able for an almost elegant simplicity. 

 About 80 or 100 light and heavy- 

 sovereigns are placed indiscrimi- 

 nately in a round tube ; as they 

 descend on the machinery beneath, 

 those which are light receive a 

 slight touch, which moves them, 

 into their proper receptacle ; while 

 those which are the legitimate 

 weight, pass into their appointed 

 place. The light coins are then 

 defaced by a sovereign-cutting ma- 

 chine, remarkable alike for iis Ac- 

 curacy and rapidity. By this 200 

 may be defaced in one minute ; and, 

 by the weighing machinery, 35,000 

 may be weighed in one day. 



An eminent member of the Royal 



