372 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[SkpthmbeRj 



land, to resign at York his post as President of the British Association, and to Tisit his 

 noble relatives at Kilnwick and at Brighton. This done, he returns to Ireland ; and I 

 look forward with intense anxiety to witness its first severe trial, when all its various ap- 

 pointments shall bo completed, in the confidence that those who may then be present will 

 see with it wh;it man has never seen before. The diameter of the large metal is six feet, 

 and its focus 54 feet. Yet the immense mass is manageable by one man. Compared with 

 it, tbe working telescopes of Sir William Herschel, which in his hands conferred on as- 

 tronomy such inestimable service, and on himself astronomical immortality, were but 

 playthings. 



The Surface of the City of London. — During excavations for tbe sewers 

 in different parts of the city, information has been gained relative to the depth of artificial 

 ground above the natural surface. The following is the very eurious statement relating 

 thereto made by Mr. R. Kelsey in evidence before the " Commissioners for inquiring into 

 the state of large towns and populous districts:" — Thickness of made ground at Paul's 

 wharf up to St. Paul's Churchyard, 9 feet to 12 feet j^Watling-street, 11 feet to 12 feet 6 

 inches; Bread- street, 17 feet 6 inches j C heap side, tfee natural earth was not reached— 

 the cutting varied from 14 to 23 leet ; Gracechurch-street, 14 feet to 18 feet ; King Wil- 

 liam-street, 12 feet to 17 feet 6 inches : Princes-street, 10 feet to 33 feet G inches ; Moor- 

 gate-street, Ifi fret fi inches to 21 feet tl inches ; Fenchurch-street, 15 feet 6 inches to 17 

 feet 10 inches; Bishopsgate Within, 9 feet 6 inches to 16 feet; Fish-street-hill, 5 feet 

 6 inches to 18 feet 10 inches ; Eastcbeap, 12 feet to 15 feet ; Redcross-street, 7 feet to 

 9 feet; Barbican, 10 feet to 13 feet; Cannon-street, 9 feet throughout; Rosemary. lane, 

 S feet to 12 feet ; Water-lane, Fleet-street. 5 feet to 9 feet ; Cateaton-street and Lad-lane, 

 12 feet to 14 feet 2 inches; streets in Cloth-fair, 4 feet 6 inches to 12 feet Cinches ; streets 

 in St. Ann's, Blackfriars, 4 feet to 13 feet 3 inches. The plinth of Temple-bar is buried 

 in accumulation. The east end of Newgate-street was lowered about 12 inches when 

 the present Post-oflice was built. London-wall has in part been raised above 2 feet within 

 the last 25 years. Tbe Pavement and Little Moortields have been wholly re-arranged 

 within the last 10 years. All the improvements from London-bridge to London-wall have 

 largely altered the surface uf the main line, and of the adjacent streets. The north side 

 of what is termed Holborn-bridge, the north end of Farringdon-street, has been raised 

 about 2 feet. Such occurrences as these are distinctly noticeable in some way, but the in- 

 sensible alterations are equally great and curious; as, for instance, from levels taken in 

 1770 and 1842, it appears that in Bishopsgate-street Without, at Bishopsgate Church- 

 yird, the surface has risen 2 feet 2 inches in 72 years, but at Spital-square only 12 inches 

 in the same time. The result of this examination is confirmed by the depths of the sewers 

 as originally built and as they now measure. 



The Wflland Canal.— In cur last number we gave a brief statement of 

 the unprecedented and rapid increase of the trade of Lake Erie, and the small proportion 

 of it as yet secured for Canada, by the St. Lawrence. But we have no doubt that the 

 efforts now making, by the improvement of our water communications, to divert this 

 commerce into its natural channel, will ere long be crowned with success. Tlie enlarged 

 works connecting Lakes Erie and Ontario are in a state of great forwardness— those on 

 the feeder approaching nearly to completion. The steam-boat lock at Broad-creek, built 

 by M'Culloch, Clark, and Co., is now finished, except hanging the gates, and is considered 

 one of the best structures in the province; the piers at Port Maitland, the mouth of the 

 Grand River, are in a forward state, and within one month this important channel will be 

 opened— important, isasmuch as it will be an open outlet from Lake Erie, o4 miles west of 

 Buffalo, and above the barrier of ice which keeps that port closed for many days, and in 

 some years, weeks, in the spring. Owners of vessels, which can now pass through this 

 canal, may therefore prepare with confidence for the opening of this navigation early in 

 the ensuing year. In addition to the above, there is every prospect that the locks from 

 St. Catherine's to Thorold will be completed on the enlarged scale— 150 feet long by 26^ 

 feet wide— during the present fall. The contractors are making the most strenuous exer- 

 tions to effeut this object, and unless some unforeseen obstacle occurs, it will be accom- 

 plished. The four locks (Nos. 4 to 7) contracted for by Mr. Barnet, will be finished this 

 month as well as the two adjoining (Nos. 8 and 9) by Boyce, Courtwright, and Co.; 

 also one by Mr. Simmerman, and another by Sharp and Quinn ; and we hope in another 

 month, to announce the certainty of the entire line being completed, so as to insure the 

 opening of the whole route in the spring.^' St. Catherine's Journal.' 



Extraordinary Escape of an Iron Steamer from Damage. — A few 

 days since we mentioned the circumstance of the Pacha, Peninsular and Oriental Steam 

 Navigation Company's vessel, having been taken into dock at Portsmouth to be examined, 

 when nothing tbe matter having been discovered she was taken out again and proceeded 

 to Southampton. We have since learned the reason why she was so examined, and as 

 the fact of a ship of 70U tons burden falling nine feet without sustaining any material in- 

 jury is unparalleled, we give the following particulars :— Last month the Patha, the only 

 iron vessel belonging to the company, of 2l0 horse power, was hauled up at White's 

 building slip at Cowes, for the purpose of applying to her bottom a composition prepared 

 by the scientitic and talented superintendant of the company, to prevent the accumula- 

 tion of barnacles and seaweed, the successful operation of it on a small scale justifying 

 the speculation on a larger. The workmen left tbe vessel on the slip, under the impres- 

 sion that she was perfectly secure ; but a short time after they had departed, the vessel 

 slipped over on the larboard side, and fell nine feet off the slip, bringing the paddle wheel 

 in violent contact with the piles of the slipway, and bending and injuring the outer ring 

 and lower paddle arms, which of necessity were obliged to be cut away in order to free 

 the ship and enable her to be launched again. Next day the gutters were knocked out, 

 the parts injured were straightened, and a fir? having been lighted in the inside of the 

 vessel, an iron plate which had been bulged in by the paddle float, in the fall, was brought 

 to its proper shape, and patched on tbe inside. The vessel was then taken to Portsmouth 

 Dockyard, and inspected by the authorities, but they could discover neither twist nor de- 

 fect of any description, the form of the vessel being perfect in every respect. As a proof 

 that no derangement had taken pUce in the machinery, from the time of admitting the 

 water into the dry dock at Portsmouth, to that of her arrival at Southampton Dscks, in- 

 cluding the getting up the steam, the fires not being lighted until she was out of the basin, 

 was only two hours and 26 minutes, the distance steamed 22 miles. Every one who has 

 seen her, or heard of the affair, thinks it a most miraculous escape, and that if she had 

 been built of wood, she must have been crippled by such an accident. The whole expense 

 of repair was under ^25. She was built by Todd and Macgregor, of Glasgow. — " Dublin 

 Advertiser." 



New Steamers.— On Saturday, September 14, the twin steamers. Her Ma- 

 jesty and the Royal Consort, intended for the Fleetwood and Ardrossan station, started 

 for a trial trip down the Clyde to exhibit their sailing and seagoing qualities. After going 

 easily down to Greenock, the ships then commenced a friendly trial of speed, which was 

 kept up until they reached the lighthouse on the Little Cumbrae, and declared by Mr. 

 Dennie, the timekeeper, to be at a speed of upwards of 16 miles an hour. These vessels 

 are fully 600 tons' burden, are supplied with engines of 3#0-horse power, and are similar 

 in every respect in model and construction, with the exception that the paddle-floats of 

 Her Majesty are solid, while those of the Royal Consort are divided. It was the wish, 

 therefore, of the builders, Messrs. Todd and M'Gregor, to test the capabilities of the dif- 

 ferent paddles, Mr. Todd acting as chief engineer ou board the Consort, Mr. M'Gregor 

 filling the same situation on board Her Majesty; and the result is, that the solid float has 

 been found, in point of speed, to be superior to the divided one. It is scarcely possible 

 to describe tbe interest and excitement attaching to the race between these two beautiful 

 steam vessels ; for nearly three miles they were as near as may be " neck and neck :" but 

 Her Majesty, with the solid floats, gradually shot a-head. The weather was wild and 

 boisterous, and admiriibly fitted to test the capabilities of the boats as sea-going steamers. 

 They are each supplied with tubular boilers, direct self-acting engines, and fitted up with 

 five compartments ; and at the time of the highest speed we are informed by the engineers 

 that the pressure on the boiler was not more than six pounds to the square inch. Several 

 of the shareholders, with their wives and families, were on board the ships, and notwith- 

 stinding the perils of the "dark and stormy water," there was much hilarity and enjoy- 



ment. At 4 o'clock. Captain Wilson, late R.N., took the chair in Her Majesty, and Mr. 

 Smith, the manager of the Fleetwood station, officiated as croupier. Several good 

 speeches were delivered, and amongst many statements in favour of the iron boats, Mr. 

 M'Gregor stated that they were cheaply constructed, would not burn, would not take dry 

 rot, and while they were built in compartments would not sink. An agreeable party also 

 dined, under the presidency of Captain Ewing, in the Royal Consort. We look upon tbe 

 construction of these boats as adding another triumph to the ship-building capabilities of 

 the Clyde. — 'Glasgow Herald.' 



New Motive Power. — M. Selligues, who some short time since reported 

 to the " Academic des Sciences" a discovery of a motive power which he then thonght 

 would be a substitute for steam, and which consists of combining atmospheric air with 

 hydrogen gas, by which an explosion is produced when ignited, has, at a recent meetin g 

 of the Academy, made another communication, from which it now appears that the de- 

 tonating power ceases under pressure. This phenomenon has proved an obstacle to the 

 experiments of M. Selligues before the Committee appointed by the Academy. Notwith- 

 standing the <Iifficulties which have interposed themselves, M. Arago has convinced him - 

 self of the importance of the discovery, and has reported to the Academy that with so 

 small a quantity as 3 to 5 litres {G to 10 pints) of hydrogen gas, mixed with atmospheric 

 air, a weight of 1000 kilogrammes (= 2205 lb.) was rapidly raised to the height of 3 ft. 



LIST OP NEW PATENTS. 



GRANTED IN ENGLAND PROM AUGUST 29, TO SEPTEMBER 19, 1844. 



Sij: Montfis allowed for Enrolment, unless otherwise expressed. 



James Pillans Wilson, of Belmont, Vauxhall, gentleman, for " Improvements in treat- 

 ing fatty and oily matters, and in the manufacture of candles." — Sealed August 29. 



William Brunton, jun., of Poole, near Truro, civil engineer, for *' Improvements in the 

 manufacture of shovels for mining purposes." — August 2it. 



Francois Stanislas de Sussex, of Bethnal-green, chemist, and Alexander Robertson 

 Arrott, of Torrington-square, chemist, for " Improvements in the recovery of manganese 

 used in making bleaching powder." — August 29. 



Mark Freeman, of Sutton-common, for " Improvements in apparatus called ever -point- 

 ed pencils." — August 29. 



Moses Poole, of the Pitent-office, London, gentleman, for " Improvements in pumps." 

 (A communication.) — August 29. 



James Smith, of Queen-square, London, civil engineer, and William Gairdner Jolly, of 

 Endrick Bank, Scotland, for " certain Improvements in the form of tiles for draining, in 

 implements for manufacturing thereof, and in the modes of manufacture." — August 29. 



Frank Fielder, of Old-street, St. Luke's, for "certain Improvements in wire-work for 

 the manufacture of paper and the application thereof to such purposes." (A communi- 

 cation). — August 29. 



William Newton, of Chancery-lane, civil engineer, for *' Improvements in the means 

 or apparatus for preventing shocks or accidents on railways, or in lessening the dangerous 

 effects arising therefrom." (A communication.)— August 29. 



Pryce Buckley Williams, of Llegodig, North W'ales, for "certain Improvements in the 

 manufacture of artificial stone." — August 29. 



Jean Albert Palmaert, of Brussels, in the kingdom of Belgium, colonel of staff, for 

 " Improvements in the means of economizing and applying heat obtained from known 

 processes." (A communication.) — August 29. 



Hipolyte Auguste Richard, of Skinner's- place, Sise-lane, gentleman, for '*A certain 

 improved apparatus for heating and lighting." — September 5. 



Robert William Sieviere, of Henrietta. street. Cavendish-square, gentleman, for "cer- 

 ttun Improvements in looms for weaving, and in the mode or method of producing plain 

 or figured goods or fabrics." — September 5. 



James Pillans Wilson, of Belmont, Vauxhall, gentleman, for " Improvements in treat- 

 ing fatty and oily matters, and in the manufacture of candles." — September 9. 



George Bucknall Picken, of Crosby-row, Wandsworth, linendraper, for " Improvements 

 in umbrellas and parasols." — September 12. 



Martin Cawood, of Leeds, iron-founder, and W'illlara Pritchard. the elder, of Hurley, 

 near Leeds, for *' Improvements in power looms." — September 12. 



John Chanter, of London, civil engineer, and George Lodge, of Leeds, engineer, for 

 " Improvements in furnaces, fire-bars, hot-air generators, and flues." — September 12. 



Alfred Simpson, oi Farnham-place, Gravel-line, Southwark, hat manufacturer, for *' Im- 

 provements in the manufacture of hats." — September 12. 



Charles Wearg Clark, of Westbourne-grove, Paddington, surveyor, and James Reed, of 

 Hamworthy, Dorsetshire, brick and tile maker, for " Improvements in the manufacture 

 of bricks and tiles for chimneys and fines and for other uses." — September 12. 



James Power, of Threadneedle-street, London, merchant, for " Improvements in the 

 manufacture of candles and soap, and in treating a certain vegetable matter for aach 

 manufactures and for other uses."— September 12. 



William Newton, of Chanct'ry-lane, civil engineer, for '* certain Improvements in treat- 

 ing and preparing oil or fatty matters." (A communication.) — September 12. 



James Vibart, of Chilliswood House, near Taunton, Somerset, lieutenant in the reyal 

 navy', for "certain Iniprovements in the means of obtaining and applying power for work- 

 ing or driving thrashing machines, mills, chaff-cutters, and other machines or appara- 

 tus." — September 12. 



Henry Cooper, of Royton, Lancaster, cotton-manufacturer, for "certain Improvements 

 in machinery or apparatus to be used for doubling cotton, worsted, and other fibrous ma- 

 terials." — September 12. 



Elias Robison Handcock, of Rathmoyle House, Ireland, for " certain Improvements in 

 mechanism applicable to a method of propelling vessels on the water." — September 12. 



Webster Flockton, of the Spa-road, Bermondsey, turpentine distiller, for " certain Im- 

 provements in machinery or apparatus for sweeping or cleansing streets, roads, or ways.*' 

 —September 12. 



Robert Ferguson and John Clark, of Glasgow, Lanark, for " Improvements in printing 

 and calendering. — September 14. 



Christopher Vaux, of Frederick- street, Gray's-inn road, gentleman, for *' Improve- 

 ments in apparatus for bathing." — September 19. 



William Birkmyre, of Mill Brook, chemist, for "certain improvements in the manufac- 

 ture of potash and soda, alums, sulphuric acid, and sulphate of soda."— September 19. 



James Francis Pinel, of Skinner's-place, Sise-lane, chemist, for " certain Improvements 

 in the modes of treating farinaceous substances." — September 19. 



Michael Fitch, of Chelmsford, gentleman, for "an Improved substance for preventing 

 decomposition in provisions, and for the method of manufacturing the same ; and of con- 

 densing and applying a certain gas or fume to certain perishable articles."— September 19. 

 Antoine Vieyres, of Pall-mall, watchmaker, for " Improvements in the manufacture of 

 cut nails." — September 19. 



William Newton, of Chancery-lane, civil engineer, for " Improvements in machinery to 

 he employed in the manuCacturing of nails, rivets, screws, and pins." — A communica- 

 tion. — September 19. 



