1S19.1 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



•2<J 



errors in the old forms of needle instruments, es well as tlie several im- 

 prcivements which had been effected — first, by the introducion of his dia- 

 mond instrument, now working over all the commercial stations in Eng- 

 land, and producing an enormous decrease in the battery power; and, se- 

 condly, by his new form of helix, which further reduced the helical resist- 

 ance in the instrument, which was a point of considerable importance. 



In speaking of the chemical telegraph, recently improved by Mr. Bain, by 

 which communication had been effected between Liverpool, London, and 

 Manchester, he observed, that owing to the imperfections in the instrument 

 nsed, the powers of that improvement were not fully developed — great 

 resistance and want of rapid reciprocity, in cases of error, still existing. 

 With respect to insulation, be (Mr. Holmes) stated, that the application of 

 electricity to telegraphs was still very imperfect. The uncovered wires, ex- 

 tending over the lines in the country, were necessarily exposed to the inju- 

 rious influences of the atmosphere, arising from rains, fogs, deposition of 

 saline matter in the neighbourhood of the sea-coast, as well as the action of 

 decomposed vegetable matter. This existed to an extent that frequently 

 interrupted the communication, and rendered it necessary to clean the insu- 

 lators with soap and water. The street work in the metropolis was also 

 open to serious objection, being founded upon a fundaniental error — namely, 

 that of enclosing one conductor in another improperly protected. To re- 

 medy the defects, he (Mr. Holmes) exhibited a plan hy which it was pur- 

 posed to improve the insulation — the wires being enclosed in a noncon- 

 ducting substance from end to end, and illustrated the practical operation 

 of his theory by some very beautiful specimens of the improvements it 

 would effect. Mr. Holmes concluded, by briefly noticing (he derangement 

 the telegraph was liable to receive from lightning and the influence of mag- 

 netic storms; and the methods hitherto adopted were demonstrated to be 

 quite inadequate to counteract the eflfects of these phenomena. 



ROYAL SCOTTISH SOCIETY OF ARTS. 



Nov. 13, 1848: Annual General Meeting. — George Buchanan, Esq., 



C.E., F.R.S.E., President, in the Chair. 



The President, before proceeding with the business of the evening, 

 begged to congratulate the Society on their re-assembling for the commence- 

 inent of a new session, and on the prospect which their past experience 

 afforded that this session would not prove behind any of the others in the 

 importance of the subjects to be laid before them, and the discussions to 

 which they might lead. During the last session, various interesting commu- 

 nications had been received, and ingenious inventions, as the Prize List now 

 circulated among the members would show, and which, he trusted, would be 

 satisfactory to the inventors, and an encouragement to perseverance in the 

 field of improvement. From what he had seen of the proceedings of this 

 Society, the truly useful and practical nature of the subjects brought before 

 it, the free discussions with which they were canvassed at the meetings, and 

 their merits, farther investigated and sifted in the committees, and rewarded, 

 according to their abdity, with a liberal but impartial hand; and the oppor- 

 tunity afforded by the meetings of friendly intercourse among men of all 

 professions and parties, he was satisfied that this Society was eminently cal- 

 culated for promoting the great object of the "Improvement of the Useful 

 Arts;" and he had no doubt it would continue to flourish and maintain its 

 high character among the important institutions of this country. 



Notwithstanding the unexampled depression in the general business of 

 the country, and in every branch of industry and the arts, twenty-two new 

 members had been admitted during the session. Losses, however, he la- 

 mented to say, they had met with by death, of valuable and distinguished 

 members, of whom might be noticed — 



The Duke of Argyll, the Marquis of Bute, and the Earl of Moray, 

 noblemen whose station and character, and their great attention to agricul- 

 tural and othLT improvements in the useful arts, were of essential service in 

 promoting the interests and uiiholding the character of the Society; 



Sir George Mackenzie and Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, two most 

 eminent members, whose character and talents, and their great interests in, 

 and attention to, the matters of the Society, and whose valuable services, as 

 well when they presided over it as at other times, were too well known to 

 require any eulogy here; 



Sir Charles G. Stuart Menteith, of Closeburn, well known by his 

 great attention to the arts, and by various interesting communications to 

 the Society. 



Of the professional members, he could not avoid noticing the late eminent 

 Mr. Nixon, architect in this city for the Woods and Forests Commissioners, 

 and whose talents aud high character, during the period he had been in Scot- 

 land, had gained the esteem of all who had the pleasure of knowing him. 

 The Queen's Drive alone, which was entirely designed and executed by him, 

 will remain a monument of his taste and skill. The Society has also lost 

 Mr. Brookes, a young and promising engineer, cut off suddenly. Lastly, 

 among the associate members was the name of the celebrated Mr. Thom, of 

 Ascog, near Rothesay, whose magnificent improvements in hydraulic archi- 

 tecture, exemplified in the Shaws and other waterworks, and his ingenious 

 inventions of self-acting sluices, and plans for conducting and rendering 

 available the waters of different districts, have raised him among the distin- 

 guished engineers of the day. 



A paper on Cast and Wrought Iron Bfidges, by Mr. Buchanan, the Pre- 

 sident, was read, which is given in another part of the Journal, p. 13, and 

 also in vol. xi., p. 1^3 and 133. 



Repoi't of the Committee appointed to award Prizes for Communications 

 during Session 1847-8. 



The committee awarded the following Prizes : — 



1. To George Buchanan, Esq., for his "Description of a Marine Hy- 

 drometer, for ascertaining on the spot the comparative Saltness or Freshness 

 of Sea and River water." (See Journal, vol. xi., p. 91.) — The Honorary 

 Silver Medal. 



2. To Andrew Fyfe, M.D., for his communication "On the Value of 

 Gases from ditt'erent Coals, and the price of Light in different places ; also a 

 new mode of estimating the Consumpt of Gases, &c., and of estimating 

 Illuminating Power." (See Journal, vol. xi., p. 181.) — The Honorary 

 Silver Medal. 



3. To J. Stewart Hepburn, Esq., of Colqulialzie, for bis "Description 

 and Drawing of an Improved Railway Break." (See Journal, vol. xi., 

 0. 32.) — ^The Honorary Silver Medal. 



4. To Thomas Stevenson, Esq., C.E., for his "Description, Drawing, 

 and Model of a Portable CotiFerdam, successfully used by him in Marine 

 Works." (See Journal, vol. xi., p. 62, and 231.) — The Honorary Silver 

 Medal. 



Note. — Though unknown to Mr. Stevenson, the committee find that a 

 portable cofferdam, with double walings, had been previously used in 

 engineering works by the late Mr. Smith, of Montrose, which was put 

 together on dry ground, and then floated to its place. But the commit- 

 tee consider that iMr. Stevenson's cofferdam differs from it, and possesses 

 certain advantages, from its greater portabiliiy, and more ready adaptation 

 to an irregular bottom. 



Silver Medals were awarded — 



5. To Mr. .John M'Dowall, for his "Description and Working Model 

 of a New Machine or Screw Pump lor Lifting Water." 



6. To Mr. Robert Montgomery, for "a Self-acting Safety-Break for 

 Railway Carriages." 



7. To Mr. William Kemp, Manager of the Gasworks at Galashiels, for 

 his communication "On Ecouomising Fuel in Gasworks." {See Journal, 

 vol. xi., p. 153 ) 



8. To Mr. Frederick Schenck, for his communication, "On the Pro- 

 gress and Position of Lithography in Scotland, and, in particular, his method 

 of preserving Correct Register in Colour Printing." 



9. To Mr. Daniel Erskine, for his " Description of a New Ball-Cock 

 and Nose-Cock, for Cisterns and other purposes." (See Journal, vol. xi., 

 p. 185.) 



10. To Mr. James RnBB,for his "Description and Model of a Stop. Cock 

 for Corrosive Fluids." (See Journal, vol. xi., p. 185.) 



11. To Mr. John Kolee Milne, for his "Description and Model of an 

 Overarch Suspension Bridge." — It being understood that it is recom- 

 mended in its present form not for Railway Bridges, but for Foot Bridges 

 and others of comparatively small span. (See Journal, vol. xi., p. 32.) 



A variety of other prizes were also awarded. 



Nov. 27.— John Cay, Esq., F.R.S.E., President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read ; — 



1. " Description, with two Drawings, of an Hydraulic Doctc. especialhj 

 adapted for places wtiere Diere is little or no rise and /all of tfie Tide.^' By 

 Mr. James Scott. 



This dock is built of boiler-plate iron, with a cavity in the bottom and 

 round the sides, capable of being filled with water, which sinks the dock, 

 and the ship is floated inio it; the water is then pumped out, when the dock 

 rises, bearing the ship with it, and that part underneath the ship being left 

 perfectly dry, the ship-carpenter can have access to every part of the ship's 

 bottom for all necessary repairs, without having recourse to the dangerous 

 process of " heaving down." The inventor states that a ship is much less 

 liable to he strained in such a floating dock, than by being hauled up a long 

 and irregular inclined plane, as the present slips are found in practice to be 

 when laid down in places where there is little or no rise aud fall of tide, and 

 where there is frequently an irregular coral bottom. 



2. " Description of an Electric Clock, on an improved principle." By Mr. 

 J. Blackie. — This clock was stated to he an improvement upon Mr. Bain's 

 electric clock, both in the mode of adjusting the permanent magnets, and 

 in the mode of breaking and re-establishing the circuit; the break being less 

 liable to oxidise. It was also stated that the electric current acted to greater 

 advantage on the coil of the pendulum. Mr. Blackie also claimed as new 

 the simple train of the movement, which consists of very few wheels; and 

 he also claimed a delicate method of adjusting the length of the pendulum. 



3. " Description of an improved Balance or Equilibrium Valve fur Loco- 

 motives, S^-c." — The object of this valve is to extinguish the friction usually 

 attendant on the use of the common slide-valve in locomotive engines, and 

 which is the result of the pressure of the steam acting upon the back or 



