f88 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



fSEPTEMDEn, 



a few months, nearly one-half has already been pot down. The blocks 

 are uniformly of large dimensions, some exceeding 10 tons weight. 



Sunderlinid Docks. — The extensive works now in profjress fur the for- 

 mation of the new docks at Sunderland are proceeding in the most rapid 

 and successful manner. Tlio sea has been most eflectivfiy banked ont of 

 the tidal basin, and nearly the whole length of the lar^e dock ; and there 

 is (he fullest confidence that this f;ij;dntic uudertakint; will be broni;hl to 

 a successful completion witliin tiie time lixed ; and, what is still more un- 

 usual, there is a well-grounded expectation that it will be finished 

 considerably within the estimated cost. The works begin to have a noble 

 appearance, and when finished will be a magnificent undertaking. A 

 duck of this magnitude, gained from the sea within the range of the tides, 

 is an enterprise now proved to be practicable, and a safe undertaking. 



lilasthifi- Rocks. — The Plymnutk Times observes: "The vast improvement 

 eflected in the mode of blasting liinestone rock in ihis purt, within the last 

 37 years, is almost surpassing belief. Last week, with a charge of 

 1 cvvt, of powder, placed in a iiule ia the rock, 18 feet deep, no less than 

 1,000 tons of limesione rock were blasted at one blast, and that, loo, 

 without any accident occurring to the man engaged in firing the rock. He 

 was six hours engaged in the operation, and was seven times pulled up 

 from the side of the hole to the top of the quarries, before the fire took 

 effect, and this huge blast was made.'* 



Openinf; of R>tiUvaifs.— The Chester and Holjhead Railway was, with 

 the exception of 3^ mUes adjoining the IMenai Straits, opened on Tuesday, 

 August 1st., throughout, for goods and passenger traflic. — The Leeds, 

 Dewsbury, and Manchester Railway, lessening the distance between the 

 former and latter town 10 miles, was opened for public trallic on the 4th of 

 August. — The opening of the Uuuen and Dieppe line took place on Satur- 

 day, July 29. — The Castlecary branch of the Caledonian Railway was 

 opened fnr public tradic on Monday, August 7, thus completing the direct 

 line between London, Perth, Dundee, Arbroath, and Montrose. The 

 express train from Dundee arrived at the Eustou-square. terminus in 15 

 hours, and from Arbroath in I5f hours. 



A Netc Tnrn-Tuble has been invented by Mr. Turiff, of the Vulcan 

 Foundry, Paisley. An engine and tender, weighing 3G tons, placed on 

 one of the turn-tables, can be turned by two men by means of two wheel- 

 pulleys, with comparative ease, in about a minute and a half, without any 

 jar. The great advantage of tliis invention of Mr. TurilT's is, that with 

 former turn-tables there were two frictions, while with this table there is 

 only one ; it is relieved by a powerful weight resting on the cetitre, which 

 contains four large bolts, that lift the table from Hit; side rails beneath. 

 The machinery is very simple, composed of massive beam^ of iron, and 

 can be worked by circular rollers, in cases of emergency. The turu-table 

 itself is 3G feet in diameter, weighs 25 tons, and sustains 51 tons revolving 

 weight. 



Indurated Gypsum. — It is known that calcined gypsum, after being 

 moistened with a solution of alum and again burnt, ac^^uires much greater 

 hardness and solidity. M. Kreating recommends for the same purpose a 

 folution of I lb. of borax in Ulb. of water, which is poured over the cal- 

 cined fragments of gypsum. They are then kept at a strong red heat for 

 six hours, ground to a powder and worked. The elFect is said to be still 

 better if a pound of tartar and twice the quantity of water are added to 

 the solution. — Liehig's Annalen* 



Suspension- bridge at Niagara Falls.— The Albany Journal states that 

 the foot-bridge at the Falls was to be ready for crossing on the 4th of 

 July : — " It consists of 10 cables ; the number of strands in each cable, 

 600; ultimate tension, 6,500 tons; capacity of the bridge, 500 tons; 

 Dumber of strands in the ferry cable, 37 ; diameter of the rable, ^ths of 

 an inch; height of stone tower, 68 ft. 1 in.; height of wood tower for 

 ferry, 50 feet; base of tower, 20 square feet; size at the lop, 11 square 

 feet ; span of the bridge, 800 feet ; whole weight of the bridge, 650 tons ; 

 height from the water, 230 feet; depth of water under the bridge, 250 

 feet. This suspension bridge is the most sublime work of art on ihe 

 continent. It makes the head dizzy to look at it, and yet it is traversed 

 with as much security as any other bridge of the same width. We were 

 present while the workmen were engaged in hanging the planks over the 

 fearful chasm. It looked like a work of peril, but it was prosecuted with 

 entire safety. Not an accident has happened siuce the first cord was car- 

 ried across the river at the tail of a kite. It is impossible to give the 

 reader a clear idea of the grandeur of the work. Imagine a footbridge 

 SOO feel in length, hung in the air, at the height of 230 feet, over a vast 

 body of water rushing through a narrow gorge at the rate of 30 miles an 

 hour. If you are below it, it looks like a strip of paper suspended by a 

 jobweb." 



Nature's Gas Works. — " An immense volume of natural gas, sufficient 

 for the supply of a city, was discovered a few days since, near Detroit, 

 Michigan, by the Messrs. Granger, while boring a 4-inch shaft for water. 

 At a depth of 70 feet they struck a vein or cavity, from which issued a 

 violent current of air, which threw up stones as large as hens* eggs, 10 or 

 15 feet high, accompanied by a volpme of water, rising 10 or 12 feet. On 

 applying a light to the air, it burnt furiously, the flame rising 20 feet. It 

 is proposed to conduct this gas in pipes to Detroit, and light that city with 

 H/' — New York Sun. [Very much like a romance.] 



LIST OF NE^V PATENTS, 



GRANTED IN ENGLAND FROM JuLY 20, TO ACGUST 22, 1848. 



Sijp Months allowed yor Enrolment, unless otherwise expreued. 



Chevalier Alexandre Edouani le Molt, of Contluit-street, Middlesex, for certain " Ira- 

 provementa in appamtus for lighting by electricity, parts of which may be made UM ot In 

 other applications of electricity." — Sealed July HO, 



Djivid Napier, and James Murdoch Napier, of York-road, Lambeth, engineers, for 

 '* Improvements in mariner's compasses, ulso in baroraeteis, and in csrtaia other m«a- 

 Buring instruments." — July 20. 



William Thonips, ol Cheapside, London, merchant, for " Improvements In the manu- 

 facture of stays, boots, and shoes, also in fastening and connecting fabrics and garments." 

 — Jnly'J'i. 



John King, foreman to Messrs. Shears and Sods, Banksida, and Henry Medharst, 

 operative engineer to the said Messrs. Shears and Eons, for " Improvements in gts 

 meters."— July 20 



Chailes Hancock, of Brompton, Middlesex, gentleman, for " Improvements in appara- 

 tus tr machinery for giving shape and cunli^uration to plastic substances."— July 'dit. 



John Grist, of the New North. road, Middlesex, engineer, for " Improvementa in ftir- 

 naces and lire-places."— July 2'J. 



James Ilobertson, of Great Howard-street, Liverpool, Lancashire, cooper, for *• Im- 

 provements in the manufacture ui casks and other wooden vessels, and in machinery tor 

 cutting wood for those purposes."— July '2'J. 



George Walter Pratt, of the city of Uochester, state of New York, in the United States 

 of America, gentleman, for " Improvements in the manufacture of prjuting-ink.'*—juiy 



Richard Abbey, of Slough, Buckingham, brewer, for " Improvements In preserving 

 fermented and other liquids and matters in vessels." — July L'U. 



Edward Gribben Wilson, of Bury, Lancashire, tin-plate worker, for ** certain Improve- 

 ments in the coiistruciiun of tin drums or rollers used in the machinery for drawing, 

 spinning, doivling, twisting, and throwing cotton, wool, silk, flax, and other librous sub- 

 stances." — Augubt 1. 



Dune n Mackenzie, of Goodman's Fields, manufacturer, for " certain Improvements in 

 Jacquard machinery for figuring fabrics and tissues generally, and apparatus for trans- 

 Hiissiun of designs to said Jacquard machinery, parts of which are applicable to playing 

 musical uistruinetits, composing printing types, and other like purposes." (A communi- 

 cations—August 5. 



David Newton, of Macclesfield, Chester, merchant, for " certain Improvements In the 

 appliciition of glass and glazed surfaces to uauticai, architectural, and other similar pur* 

 pwses."— August 7. 



Samuel Thnrnton, of Birmingham, merchant, and James Edward M'Connell, of Wol- 

 verton, Buckinghamshire, engineer, lor *' Improvements in steam-engines, and In the 

 means of retarding engines and carriages on railways, and in connecting railway carriages 

 or wagons together ; also improvements in etfecting a communication between on£ part 

 of a railway train and another, by signals or otherwise." — August 7. 



John Medcalfe, of Little Bolton, Lancaster, machine maker, and Robert Halliwell, of 

 the same place, mechanic, for "certain machinery or apparatus for preparing and spin- 

 ning cotton and other fibrous substances." — August 8. 



Moses Poole, of London, gentleman, fur " Improvements in the manufacture of casks 

 and other simiUr vessels of wood," (A communication.) — August S. 



Samuel Lees, of the firm of Hannah Lees and Sons, of Park-bridge, Lancaster, Iron- 

 manufacturer, for "certain Improvements in the manufacture of malleablu iron." — 

 August 8. 



Joshua Couch, of Harleston, Northamptonshire, agricultural Implement maker, for 



" Improvements in sackholders."— August lu. 



William Thomas Henley, of Clerkenvvell, philosophical instrument maker, and David 

 George Foster, of CUrkenwell, atoresuiil, metal merchant, for "certain Improvemects In 

 telegiaphic communication, and in apparatus connected therewith, parts of which im- 

 provements are also applicable to the moving of other machines and machinery."— 

 August 10. 



Samuel George Hewitt, of Buchanan-street, Glasgow, N.B., engineer, for " Improve- 

 meiUs in the consttuction ot certain parts ot railways." — August 11. 



John Varley, of Bury, Lancaster, engineer, for "certain Improvements In steam-en- 

 gines." — August 14. 



James Henderson, of Surrey Canal Dock, millwright, for " Improvements In machinery 

 for cleansing and polishing rice, pearl barley, and other grain and seed."— August l-i. 



Joseph Simpson, of Manchester, civil engineer, and James Alfred Shipton, of the same 

 place, engineer, for " certain improvements in steam-engines." — August 14. 



Edwin Thomas Truman, of the Haymarket, London, dentist, for an " Improved method 

 methods of constructing and fixing ariifitial teeth and gumsj and of supplying deficiencies 

 in the mouth." — August 15. 



James Warren, of Montague-terrace, Mile-end-road, Middlesex, gentleman, and Wll- 

 loughby Theobald Monzani, of bt. James's-terrace, Blue Anchor-road, Bermondsey, gen- 

 tleman, for " Improvements in the construction ot bridges, aqueducts, and roofings." — 

 August lit. 



Thomas Delarue, of Bunhill-row, Middlesex, manufacturer, for "Improvements In 

 producing ornamental surfaces to paper and other substances." — August 15. 



William Galloway and John Galloway, of Knott-Mill Iron- Works, Hulme, In tti 

 borough of Manchester, and county ot Lancashire, engineers, for "certain ImprovenuuU 

 in steam-engines." — August 17. 



Moses Hayin Picciotto, of Finsbury-square, London, merchant, for " a method or me- 

 thods of puriiyingand decolorising certain gums."— August 17. 



Thomas Richardson, oi Newcastle-upon-Tyne, chemist, for "Improvements In the con- 

 densation of metallic lumes, and iu the manufacture of white lead.'* — August 21. 



William Young, of Queen-street, Cheapside, lamp manufacturer, for " Improvement« 

 in closing spirit and other cans or vessels." — August 21. 



Isaac Taylor, of Stanford Rivers, Essex, gentleman, for " Improvements In prepartng 

 and engravmg surfaces, also in the construction ot cylinders adapted for engraving, and 

 also in machinery lor printing and ornamenting surfaces." — August 21. 



Richard Shaw, of Gold's Green, West Bromwich, in the county of Stafford, raltway-lmr 

 finisher, for "Improvements lu the manufacture ot iron into tyre-bars, rouud-twra, 

 square bars, and fiat-bars, T-iron, angle-iron, and trough-iron." — August 21. 



John Bethell, of Parliament-street, Westminster, gentleman, for " Improvements In 

 preserving animal and vegetable substances, and also stone, chalk, and plaster, from 

 decay." — August 2t. 



Alexander Angus Croll, of the Gas works, Tottenham, for " Improvements In t&« 

 manufacture of gas, and in apparatus to be used in transmitting gas." — August 22. 



Atonzo Buonaparte Woodcock, of Manchester, lor " Improvements In steam -engloefl, 

 and in apparatus for raising, forcing, and conveying water and other fluids."— AugUAi 23, 



