552 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[N JVEMBEB, 



Railways. — The railway system in England has nearly reached 5000 miles 



In leneth. tinfi the averape t-ost of constnictioii hos been very much rediicwd, thereture a 

 diminiijhed Iruftic per mile may be expected. It appears on a comparison of results that 

 the mileage tniffic has nut fnllt-n below the estiinut« rate, and that there is not the least 

 ground for doubting the traffic resources of the country^ or despairing of the extension of 

 the ruilivay system. 



Locomotion v. Stationary Engine power. — We understand that the altera- 

 tion in the working of the London and Blackwati Railway, by the substitutioQ of 1ol-o> 

 motives for the rope, has resulted in a saving of ftO per cent, in the working expeosfS, 

 the cost of the ro)ie having been Is. lUd. per mile, and tiie locomotives about 1 M. On 

 the Bow branch, nhich, as our readers ure aware, is being worked by one of Messrs. 

 England's new engines, the working expenses amount only t'l about fourpence per mile. 



Proposed Great Railway Bridge at Cologne. — We have much pleasure, 

 says the ' Manchester Guardian,* in noticing, as one of the fruits of the recent vi?it of 

 his excellency the Prussian ambassador to this town and neighbourhood, that our distin- 

 guished townsman, Mr William Fairbairn, C.E., has been invited by the Prussian 

 Government to offer his advice and assistance in connection with a most important 

 work, which is about to be undertaken in Rhenieh Prussia. It has been determined that 

 ths Rhine is no longer to be a btirrier to an uninterrupted railway cummnnication 

 between the shores of the German Ocean and the great cities of central Germany; and 

 the neighbourhood of Cologne has been selected as the fittest site for effecting this 

 junction. On the invitation of his excellency Chevalier Bunsen, Mr. Fairbairn has 

 prepared plans and calculations for this important bridge, and lias been called to Berlin 

 to submit his design to his Majesty the King of Prussia and the authorities. The 

 Rhine is at present, as is well known, crossed only by floating bridges, and it has, 

 indeed, hitherto been considered an impossibility to erect permanent structures, which 

 should be able to withstand the destructive powers of the enormous masses of ice which 

 are brought down from the region of the Alps by this mighty stream. It is known that 

 the Romans had two passages across the river, constructed, however, of wood, aiid con. 

 tequently liable to great damage and deterioration; but since their age alt attempts to 

 erect massive bridges have tailed. 



Fall of a Railway Viaduct at Preston. — During the last nine or ten 

 months some hundreds of men have been employed in the construction of a viaduct in 

 the Kibble Valley, forming part of the Preston extension of the East Lancashiie Uait< 

 way— a branch by which it is intended to form a connection with the main line at Los- 

 tock junction (some two or three miles from Preston), so as to render the company 

 indepeu'lent of the North Union. Ihe viaduct is intended to consist of b'l arche'^, alto- 

 gether about 6iK> yards in length. The arches (whith are built upon piles) are con- 

 structed of brick, with stone springers. In consequence of the wetness of the weather, 

 the bricklayers were not at work at the time of the occurrence. The only m*^n engaged 

 at the time of the full were soma half dozen, who were making preparations for the 

 resumption of work by the bricklayers. The whole of the centres, with the exception of 

 three seta, had been removed, for the ereciion of other arches. Of the three remaining 

 in, two sets had been "slacltened," preparatory to removal. 



Telegraphs. — England is now one of the worst provided countries in the 

 world for electric telegraphs. Although In this country so much genius has been 

 devoted to the establishment of the telegraph system, as much is charged to convey a 

 message yO miles here as to convey one IttOO miles in the United States ; yet suih is the 

 state of legislation, no new company can be started here to afford etticient telegraphic 

 communication. If this state of affairs be long allowed, the commercial interests of the 

 country wilt suffer. 



Telegraph Posts. — Mr. H. G. Hall, of Kirkersville, Ohio, has patented in 

 America an improvement in posts for telegraphs, which consists in "preventing the 

 posts supporting magnetic telegraph wires from rotting at the tturlace of the ground, by 

 firming 'on their lower ends shanks or tenons, and inserting the same into sockets, 

 tormed in cast iron shoes, made flnring anrl sharp on their upper or concave ends, to 

 allow them to be driven into shoulders on the posts, which are of greater diameter than 

 the shnes, in order to overhang and protect them, nnd prevent the water getting into the 

 shoes at the joints, said sockets or cavities being made of greater depth than the length 

 of the tenons, in order to leave spaces between their bottoms and the ends of the tenoi.s. 

 after the shoes are driven on the same, and thus allow them to be driven farther on when 

 required." 



The French Navy. — The Minister of France has made his report on the 

 present state of the French Na»y, and very great Improvements are to be made !n (he 

 steamers, the machinery of many of them being of u description that would be of Vf ry 

 little service In case of being called suddenly to sea. It appears that several English en- 

 gineers have received orders, and entered into contracts for supplyini? new boilers, and 

 the requisite machinery, to be constructed in Frjince, but the material to be allo>ved being 

 imported from England. A great alteration is likewise about to be made in the import 

 duty of English coals In France — to be the same impost as those from Belgium. 



Hydraulic Machines, — -Monsieur A. de Caligny has applied to hydraulic 

 engines, worked by a small fall of water at a low speed, the cylindrical valves used in the 

 Cornish engine. We are not able to speak aa to the oriffinulity or utility of this appli- 

 cation. 



Chain Links for Cables, i(c, — Some experiments have been tried on the 



premises of Messrs. Brown and L«nnoi, Mill-wall, Stepney, to test the power of links 

 for mooring chains, cables, and other purposes, formed on the principle of Mr. Price, of 

 Lower Islington, a gentleman already known among scientilic men as the inventor of ini- 

 proren>ents in anchors. The object of the inventor is to lessen the expense and weight 

 of chains as at present constructed, by doing away with the stud or cross-bar of the link, 

 and making the link with straight or parallel sides, and not of the prest-nt oval t>hiipe: his 

 jirinciple being that the fibre of the iron being kept straight, it will sustain or resist a 

 much greater weight or strain than when force is exerted agidfist it transversely. The 

 Itst was completely satisfactoiy ; a link of iron, ^ Inch in diameter, with parallel sides 'A 

 inches in length, and 2^ laches in breadth, without a stud, not breuking till a strain of 18 

 Ions was put on it, being HJ tons beyond the governmant prooT. This invention is worthy 

 the notice of nautical men, and those who require chains for other purposes. 



NeualVs Patent IndiaRubber Springs for Rigging. — A patent has been 

 secured by Mr. Newall, the wire-rope manufacturer, for a new description of spring, 

 intended lor the purpose of forming an elastic support from the ship's side, for setting 

 up the rigging. It consists of a long box, formed of iron plates, leinc square iu the 

 ineide, into which are Inserted square blocks of India-rub'^er, having between them thin 

 plates of sheet- iron. T here la a regulating screw by which the rigging can be strained to 

 any deprte of tightness, and whatever strain is Imposed on the rigging uftei wards from 

 winds, lurching of the vessel, or other cause, the India rubber spring, by its reaction 

 pulls the rope in its place when the strain is removed. 



Asphalte of Seyssel. — The results of the experiments, made by direction 



of tlie Hon. Board ot Ordnance on tlie embrasures of Plymouth citadel, for testint? the 

 stren^-th of buildings cemented with asphalte, have been highly satisfactory. In the 

 course of last year several experiments were made on the old batteries, and on new ones 

 tonstiucted in brickwork, bedded and jointed in fluid asphalte. The (dd embrasure of 

 lubble masonry was considerably shattered by the firing six times of a ."i^-poundt r gun, 

 with charges of 101b. of powder each. The experiment was repeated on the asphalte 

 battery, and no effect wan observable. By the aid of this valuable material, the bomb- 

 proof buildings on the southern rimparts, which were uninhabitable for a centuiy, have, 

 since June, imti, been converted, under the orders of the englnetrs, into barracks, 

 where about -lOU men ure uow lodged iu dry quarters. 



LIST OF NSW PATENTS. 



GRANTED IN ENGLAND FROM SEPTEMBER 20, TO OCTOBER 18, 1849. 



Si^ Months allowed for Enrolment^ unless otherwise expressed, 



James Higgins, of Salford, Lancastsr, machine m iker, and Thomas Schofield Whit- 

 worth, of Sdit'ord aforesaid, mechanic, for certain iniprovementa in machinery for pre- 

 paring, spinning, and doubling cotton, wool, tliix, silk, and siuular filirous materials, — 

 September 24. 



The uiiove patent being opposed by caveat at the Great Seal, was not sualed till October 

 'Jnd, but bears date the 24th September, the day it would have been sealed had no oppo- 

 sition been entered. 



John Meadows, of Princes-street, Coventry-street, Middlesex, carver and gilder, for 

 improvements in veneering.— September 2/. 



John Marriott HIashtiBid, of Milhv<tll, Poplar, Middesex, roman cement manufacturer, 

 for improvements in the manufacture of manure. — September 27. 



William Browne, of St. Austell, Cornwall, mine agent, and Kichard Rowe Veale. of 

 St. Culumb Major, Cornwall, for improvements in preparing tor puiverizHtion fltnl-stone, 

 china-stone, ori*8, n.inetals, tpas, sands, earths, and other substances. — September '27. 



Nicholas Doran Maillard, of Edward street, Portland-place, engineer, for improvments 

 in obtaining motive power for giving motion to machinery, and in propelling vessels,— 

 September '27. 



William Boggett, of St. Martin's lane, Middlesex, gentleman, lor Improvements In 

 heating and evaporating fluids.— September 27. 



William Edward Newton, of Chancery-lane, civil engineer, for improvements In the 

 manufacture ot knobs for doors, articles of furniture, or other purposes; and in connect- 

 ing metallic attachments to articles made of g>ass or other analogous materials. (A com. 

 munication.)~September '27. 



William Jamieson, of Ashton-under- Lyne, Lancaster, machine maker, for certain im- 

 provements in looms for w* aving. — October 4. 



Charles Atwood, ot Tow-lane Iron Works, near Darlington, Durham, esq., for an im- 

 provement or impiovenients in the manuf.icture of iron. (A communication.) — October 5. 



William Edward Newton, of Ch;incery-I«ne, civil engineer, tor improvements in ma- 

 chintry for planing, tongueing, and grooving boards or planks. (A lommunicatioD.) — 

 October 6. 



Alfred Vincent Newlon, of Chancery. lane, mechanical drauphisman, for improvements 

 in the manufacture of pipes or tubes. (A communication.}— October 5. 



Henry V\'atson, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, brassfuunoer, for improvements in valves or 

 cocks.— Octi'ber 12. 



Robert Larkin, of Ardwick, Lancaster, machinist, and William Henry Rhodes, of 

 Openshaw, Lancaster, mechanic, lor certain improvements in maLhinery for preparing, 

 spinning, doubling, and weaving cotton and other fibrous substances. — October 12. 



Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, of South-street, Finsbury, lor improve- 

 ments in spinning fibrous substances. (A commnnicaiion.)— October 12. 



Joseph Lowe, of Saltord, Lancaster, surveyor, for certain improvements in grates Of 

 grids applicable to sewers, drains, and other similar purposes. — October 12. 



Michael Titch, of Chelmsford, Essex, patent salt manufacturer, for imjirovements in 

 baking bread, biscuits, and other matters, which improvements are applicable for drying 

 goods. — October 12. 



Cornelius Bonell, of Kempsey, Worcester, engineer, for cer'ain improvements In rotary 

 engines, to be vvorked by steam or other means, and also in the construction of carriages, 

 vessels, or other vehicles to be worked or propelled by the said improvements in rotary 

 engines or other motive power, and for the machinery to be connected therewith.— Octo- 

 ber 12. 



James Banister, of Birmingham, manufacturer, for a certain improvement or certain 

 improvements in tubes ror locomotive and other boilers.— October 1'2. 



George Alois Kingeison, of Essex-street, S rand, Jliddlt-sex, chemist, for a composi- 

 tion or preparation for destroying vermin.— October 12. 



Charles Rowley, ot Newliallstret, Birmingham, button manufacturer, for certaim im- 

 provements iu apparatus (or weaving, and in articles to be attached to dresses.— Octo- 

 ber 12. 



John Torkington, of Pury, Lancaster, railway contractor, for certain improvements In 

 the eonstnjctiun of chaiia for railways. — October 12. 



John Chri-tophers, of Heavitree, Uevon, formerly merchant and ship owner, for im- 

 provements in naval architecture.— Oi tober 12. 



Tliomas Lightfoot, of Broad Oak, Lancaster, chemist, for improvements in printing 

 cotton f.nbrics.— October 12. 



William Steilman Gillett, of Willon-streel, Grosvenor place, Esq., for improvements 

 In packing pistons, stulfing-boxes, slides, ami other parts of machinery, and iu forming 

 b-iirinps, and in making cylinders and other forms of metal.— October 12. 



Conrad William Tinzel, ot Bristol, su> ar refiner, fur improvements in the processes and 

 machinery employed in, and applicable to, the manufacture of sngur. — October 12. 



John Riercer, of Oakenham, Lancaster, gentleman, and.Wiliiam Blythe, of Holland 

 Bank, Lancaster, manufacturing cliemist, for improvements in certain matvriuls to bo 

 used in the j^rocess of dyeing and printiiig. — October 12, 



Jules le Bastier, of Paris, gentleman, for certain improvements in machinery or appa* 

 ratus tor piinting. — October 12. 



Joseph Johnson, of Huddersfield, York, bricklayer, and Joel Cliffe, of the same ptac«, 

 ironfounder, for improvements iu furnaces or in the mcdus of consuming smoke. — Octo- 

 ber 12. 



John Debell Tuckett, of Plymouth, Devon, merchant, for a new and improved method 

 of preparing a manure called '* snperpbosiihate of lime," without using any acids in the 

 decomposition of the various substances of which the manures now in use. and for which 

 patents have been obtained, called " superphosphate of time," by the a|)plicalion of arti- 

 ficial itgency, by which more than double the quantity ot a true superphosphate of lima 

 can be produced beyond that tor which any patent has hitherto he< n griinted ; that the 

 s^.me may be applied in the production of all kinds of crops, more particularly wbeaCt 

 barley, oats, turnips, and other vegetables.— October 18. 



Thomas 0awson, of Melton-street, Euston-square, machinist, for Improvements ia 

 cutting and shaping garments, and other articles or dress for the human body. — Octo- 

 ber 18. 



Gforge Shove, of Deplford, Kent, for improTements in manufacturing ornamented 

 surfaces when glass and other substances are used. (A communication.) — October 18, 



Joseph Stovel, of Suffolk-place, Pali-KIall East, Middlesex, tailor, for improvements in 

 coats; part of which improvements are applicable to sleeves of other garments. — Octo- 

 ber 18. 



David Hulett, of Holborn, Middlesex, gas engineer, and John Birch Paddon. of Lam- 

 beth, gas engineer, for improvements in gas-nieters and gas- regulators.— October IH. 



Etham Campbell, of New York, In the United stales ot America, philosophical, prac- 

 tical, and experimental engineer, and a citizen of ihe said United States, for certain new 

 and useful improvements in the means of generating and applying motive power, and in 

 propelling vessels.— Octolier IH. 



William \\ yatt, ol Wiiterloo cottage. Oldswinford, pump maker, for Improvements in 

 coaling the suiiaces of pumps, pipes, cisterns, and other articles of iron.— October IH. 



CharlfS Fellon Kirlin>:in, ot Argjle sitcet, Middlestx, gentleman, lor spinning or 

 twisting cotton, wool, or ulbei Ubrous substances.- October \ti. 



