96 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



IMab 



LoHS of Lives in Minf^.t. — A correspondent suggests, with rpcarrl to tlie 

 rociMit lamentiible colliery iictidents, a mode whereby similar ciisiiiiUiea may be .naterially 

 prevented. From ex|)erimeiils just made with fe'iilta pcrcha tubing;, he finds that its 

 power of conducting Bound is so extraordinary, that a conversation may be distinctly 

 carried on at the distance of even three-quarters of a mfh>. If, therefore, this tubing be 

 carried down the shaft to the various workhigsof the mine, and the extremities furnished 

 with a month-piece and whistle, an instant communication, in case of danger, may be 

 made between evary part of the mine and the men at the mouth of the shaft. 



Launch of tho Vulcan Sfeam-Frif/ate. — This vessel, huilt of iron, hy Mr. 

 ivr«re, of Oifiiard Wharf. Bliickivall, was launched on the 27th of January last. The 

 following are the dimensions: — 



ft. in. 



Length between perpeudlculars '2'1\) t) 



Length of keel for tonnage 19''> 43 



Breiidth for tonnage 41 (■' 



Depth In bold 26 



Burden in tons, 1,747 1.V94. 

 The Vulcan was constructed lo (arry engines of "Oil-horse power, by Messrs. George and 

 Sir J. Rennie, and to carry the foll'>wing armament :— On the m:^i^ declc, eight 32- 

 pounder guns of o(j cwt each, '.i ft. G in. long, and two fiS Dounder guns 112 cwt. each, 

 10 ft. 10 in. long. On the upper derk. two iS.inch guns G5 c»vt. eacli, H ft. din. long, 

 and two .S2-pounfie)-H of 2> cwt. each, fJ feet lon^. She has sir.ce been reduced to have 

 only engines of 350. horse pt wer, and converted int J a troop-ship, capable of carrying at 

 least 1,000 troops with every convenience for them. She has excellent room bptwixt 

 decks, and when fitted vith her screw-propeller, which will occupy about two months in 

 completion, will add a splendid troop-ship to the navy. Mr. Bellamy, master attendant 

 al Woolwich Dockyard, was on board during the launch, and the Vulcan was navigated 

 round under his directions, towed by the Monkey, to the Kast India docks, where her 

 engines will be put on boird. Her draught wns II feet on launching, but when her 

 .Htores are on board and complete tor service she will draw about Id feet. 



Thames Steamboats. — Several experimental trips have been made with 

 the new iron steamboat, the Emmet, of the Janus or double-headed build, and intended 

 for the hallpenny passenger trade, in company with the Ant and the Bee. The engines 

 are made by Messrs. W. Joyce and Co., of the Greenwich Iron- works, and are nominally 

 of 20-horse power each ; but their actual power, as given by the indicator card, is H8 

 horses. The whole of the engines, as well as the framework, is of wrought-iron. With 

 regard to the performance on Fridiiy, the VJl\\ ult., the Emmet started, with tide, from 

 Blackwall at ten minutes to one o'clock, and arrived off the Town Pier, Gr-ivesend, at 

 two o'clock, thus accompliBliiug the entire distance in one hour and ten minutes, or at 

 the rate of 17 miles an hour. On her reiurn, she ran a race with the Brunswick, and 

 from Erith tu Blackwall ran with her. the p:iddle-boxes not one foot asunder the whole 

 of the distance. At another experiment, she ran against the tiile about 14 miles an hour. 



Steamboats for America. — Twu new vessels, which will surpass all the 

 others in s'ze and splendour, are about being laid down by the British and North Ameri- 

 can Company, to replace the Acadia and Britannia, which have been sold. 



War Steamers for Gerinany. — The steam-ships Acadia and Britannia, 

 so celebrated in the British and North American Company's mail service between Liver- 

 pool and the United states, have recently been purchased from that company by one of 

 the German governments. They are now in the Coburg Dock, Liverpnol, undergoing 

 the neces*ary alterations to their being converted into efficient war-steamers. The pas- 

 sengers' saloon, on the main deck, has been cleared off, so that they will be flush tore 

 and aft. Their armament will be of the heaviest description. 



The Tides in the German Ocean. — A striking example occurs to us of the 

 happy connection of theory witli observation, iu the prediction that there must exist a 

 BiJOt in the German Ocean — the central point of an area of rotation, pioduced by the 

 meeting and mutual action of two opposite tides — where no rise or fall of tide whatever 

 could occur: a prediction actually veritied by Captain Hewitt in 1839, without any prior 

 knowledge that such a point had been supposed to exist. This is one among the many 

 triumphs of like kind achieved by modern science. 



To Split Paper. — Procure two rollers or cylinders of glass or amber, 

 resin, or metallic amalgum ; slrongly excite them by the well-known means, so as to pro- 

 duce the attraction of cohesion, and then with pressure pass the paper between the 

 rollers. One half will adhere to the under roller, and the other to the upper roller, and 

 the split will be perfect. Cease the excitution and remove each part. 



Mineral Oil. — In a cnal-pit, near Alfreton, belongins: to Mr. Oakes of 

 Reddinga, a valuable spring of a mineral oil, as naphtha, has ra;ide its appearance. The 

 quantity varies accordinv to the fall of the roof of coal from I.^pO lo .30 gallons daily. 

 The pit !n which the spring occurs is said to be the deepest in that part of the country. 

 Some years since a large spring of salt water, or nearly saturated brine, appeared in this 

 ])it, and has continued to flow uninterruptedly ; latterly, the mineral oil has accompanied 

 the salt spring. The oil as it issues is of a dark tarry colour; l)ut, by distillation, yi«lds 

 Ural a very volatile llijuid, which is found to be a good substitute for chloroform as an 

 agent for acting on the nerves ol sensation ; and, secondly, a nearly colourless oil, which 

 possesses very high illuminating powers, and possessing the advantage that it will not 

 linrn without a wick, thus rendering it free from the objection which lias been found to 

 attach itself to the use ot camphine. As a final product of the distillation, abundance 

 of solid paraffin is obtained ; this substance being described by Heiciienbach as invalu- 

 able for machinery, from its anti-frlctional properties, and its unchanging charact r 

 when expose^l to air. It is understood that n house in Manchester has contracted lor 

 this mineral oil. with a viaw of introducing it for the purpose of house illumination. A 

 similar spring is recorded to have occurred about a century since, near Birmingham. 

 They are common in Persia and in Italy, fllilan is illuminated with the product of a 

 Similar spiing. U e luive been infurmeil rhnt a chemical examination of the varioii-' oils 

 of wliich the IJerbj-shire spring consists is being made in the laboratory of the Museum 

 of Practicul Geology. 



LIST OF NCW PATBNTS, 



GRANTED IN ENGLAND FROM JANUARY 26, TO FEBRUARY 22, 1349. 



Six Months allowed for Enrolmenty unless othertoise expressed, 



Pierre Frederick Gougy, of Paris, in the Uepublic of France, genfeman, for improve- 

 ments in apparatus an I machinery for lilting and moving heavy bodies, aud for raiaing or 

 tiiaplaciiig fluids, — Scaled Jan, 27- 



Richard Archibald Brooinan, of Fleet-street, City of London, for certain improvements 

 ill the mamilactnre o( artilicial liml)s. (A communication J— Jon .27. 



James Green Gibson, of Ardwick, near Rlanchester, machinist, for certain Improve- 

 ments in machines used for preparing to he S|,uii and spinning cotton, and other rtbrous 

 substances, and for preparing to be woven and weaving such substances when suun — 

 .iaa. 27. 



Kwaid Riepe, of Ftnsbury-square, Middlesex, merchant, for improvements in the ma- 



n-jfacture of soup. — Jau, 30. 



Alexander Wilkins, brewer, and William Stacey, engineer, of Bradford, Wilts, for a 

 certain Imjjrovenient or improvements applicable to the lieating and boiling of liijulds of 

 any kind or description. — Jan. 30. 



Samuel Wellman Wright, of Chalford, Gloucester, civil engineer, for certain improve- 

 ments in preparing various tibrous substances, for spinning, and In machinery or appara- 

 tus connected therewith. — Jan. i^}, 



William Kenworthy, of Blackburn, Lancashire, cotton-spinner, for certain improve- 

 ments in power-looms for weaving. — Jan ',i\. 



Henry Bessemer, of Baxter-house, Old St. Pancras-road, ftliddlesex, engineer, for cer- 

 t;iin improvements in the manufacture of gla^s, aud in apparatus connected therewith. — 

 Jnn. 31. 



Jean Adolphe Carti^ron, of Paris, In the Republic of France, now of the Haymarket, 

 Middlesex, chemist, for certain improvements in dyeing. — Feb. b. 



John Brown, late of Bond-street, now of Great Portland-streit. Middlesex, gentleman, 

 for improvements iu constructing and rigging vessels : and improvemeats iu atmospheric 

 and other railways. — Feb. G. 



Edmund George Pinchbeck, of Fleet-street, in the city of London, for improvements in 

 certain parts of steam-engines. — Feb. t5. 



Tho I. as Snowdon, of Noel-street, Middlesex, engineer, f »r improvements in machineiy 

 for monldmg and pressing artilicial fuel and bricks. — Feb. 6 . 



Joseph Harrison, machine maker, William Harrison, cotton manufacturer, and John 

 Oddie, assi^t^nt manager, all of Blackburn, Lancashire, for certain improvements in and 

 applicable to looms for weaving. — Feb. 6. 



Henry Fisher, of UphoUand, Lancashire, gentleman, for improvements in cok« ovens, 

 and in machinery and apparatus for working the same, or cunnected therewith; and a 

 mode or modes of applying certain portions of coke, or the residual products of coke, lo 

 heating and lighting. — Feb. S. 



Lawrence Hill, junior, of Motherwell Iron Works, near Hamilton, Lanarkshire, civil 

 engineer, for iuiprovemeuts in the manufacture of iron, aud in the machinery for produ- 

 cing the same. — Feb. 8. 



Henry Headley Parish, of Eaton-place, Middlesex, gentleman, for improvements in 

 safety and other lamps, and in gas-burners. — Feb. 8. 



Richard Pannell Forlong, of Bristol, button manufacturer, for improvements in castors 

 for furniture — Feb. 8. 



William Wilcocks Sleigh, of Stamford Brook House. Chiswick, Middlesex, doctor of 

 medicine, for a means of preventing injuries to persons aud property, from the sudden 

 stoppage of railivay carriages. — Feb. 8. 



James Webster, of Basford, Nottingham, engineer, for certain improvements in appa- 

 ratus tor manutacturing gas. — Feb. 8 



John Taylor, of Parliament-street, Westminster, architect, for an improved mode of 

 constructing and fencing walls.— Feb, 8. 



Joseph Barnes, of Church Lancaster, for an improved apparatus for bleaching, dyeing, 

 cleaning, and steaming iiuimul, vegetable, or flt)rous substances, either in a raw or manu- 

 factured state.— Feb. 8. 



Robert Brown, of Sadler's-wells, Middlesex, engineer, for improvements in machinery 

 for perforating, sewing, stitching, pegging, and riveting. —Feb. 8. 



William Tooth, of Broad-street, Lambeth, engineer, for improvements in water-closets 

 and in chimney-pieces, in machinery for the preiiaraiion of clays, and iu the manufacture 

 of earthenware articles. — Feb. 8. 



Thomas Charles Clarkson, of Bennett-street, Southwark, manufacturer, for certain im- 

 provements in the manufacture and application of leather, and certain vegetable sub- 

 stances to be used in combination with leather, india-rubber, canvas, silk, cotton, wool, or 

 other fibrous substances, in the manufacture ot certain waterproof articles.— Feb. 8. 



John Giblett, of Trowbridge, Wilts, gentleman, for improvements in the manufacture 

 of woollen cloth. — Feb. 10. 



George Edmnnd Donistborpe, of Leeds, manufacturer, and James Milnes, of Bradford, 

 Yorkshire, tor improvements in the apparatus used for stopping steam engines and other 

 first movers. — Feb. HI. 



Jnrvis Palmer, of Camberwell Surrey, merchant, for improvements in matches, lighters, 

 and similar articles for igniting combustible bodies ; in the mode or modes of manutac- 

 turing the same, and in machinery applicable thereto; also in match or other boxes, and 

 in machinery for manufacturing the same. — Feb. IL'. 



William Harris, of Battersea, Surrey, shoemaker, for a new or improved mode of pre- 

 paring leather. — Feb. \2. 



William Brewer, of Malcolm. place, Clapham, Surrey, and John Smith, of Southville, 

 South Lambeth, Surrey, manufacturers, for certain improvements in the manufacture of 

 paper and card-bourd; and in producing water- marks thereon ; aud also In apparatus aud 

 machinery to be used for such purposes. — Feb. 12. 



Christopher Nickels, of York-road, Lambeth, Surrey, for improvements in the manu- 

 facture of woollen and other fabrics. — Feb" 12. 



Edivurd Newton, of Chancery-lane, civil engineer, for improvements m engines and ap- 

 paratus principally designed for pumping water. — Feb. 12. 



Matthew Townsend, and David Moulden, both of Leicester, framework-knitters, for 

 improvements in machinery fur the manufacture of 1 oped labrics.— Feb. 13. 



Edward Newton, of Chancery-lane, civil en^^ineer, for improvements in machinery for 

 hulling and polishing rice and other grain or seeds. (A communication.) — Feb. 13, 



Edward Lord, of Todmorden, Lancaster, machinist, for certain improvements in ma- 

 chinery or apparatus applicable to the preparation of cotton and other Ubroua substances. 

 —Feb. 13. 



Achille Chaudois, of Faubourg du Temps, Paris, manufacturing chemist, for improve- 

 ments in extracting and preparing tiie colouring matters tor orchil. — Feb' 1-1. 



William Chambers Day, of Birmingham, Warwick, iron-founder, for improvements in 

 machinery for weighing. — Fee. 1-4. 



Hnpli Lee Pattinson, of Washington-house, Gateshead, Unrham, chemical manufac- 

 turer, fjr improvements in manutacturing a ctr-rlain compound or compounds <if lead, aud 

 the application of a certain compound or coini)ouuds ot lead lo various uselul purposes. 

 — Feb. 14. 



Richard Ford Sturges, of Birmingbnm, M'arwick, britannia-ware manufacturer, for im- 

 provements in the manufacture of catulleslicks and l.mip pillars. — Feb. 14. 



John Erwood, of Hoxtoo. fliiddlesex, paper-hanging manutacturer, for improvements 

 in the manufacture of paper hangings. — Feb. l.""*. 



Charles Thomas Pearce, of Park-road, Regent's-park, gentleman, for improvements in 

 apparatus for obtaining light by electric agency. — Feb. iU. 



Charles Frederick Whltworth, of Hull, t'entloman, for improvements in preventing ac- 

 cidents on railways.- Feb. 17. 



John Bottomley, of Bradford, Yorkshire, manufacturer, for improvements in machinery 

 for weaving. — Feb. 22. 



