300 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[Sept. 



COAL FIELDS OF CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. 

 {From the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society.) 



Tlie cc'al li?Ic1s of the United States ami the British possessions in Canada are beyond 

 all comparison the most extensive and most valuable of any at present known in the 

 world- end the geological position of these deposits of vegetable matter, as well as the 

 lonfiitions under which they occur, are matters of very considerable importance to the 

 juture interests of the continent of America. 



The great coal fieliis of the United States are the Appalachian, the Illinois, and the 

 Michigai : those of the Cnnadas are on t!ie eastern extreniitv of the colony, ami occupy a 

 great space in New Brunswick, Prince Edward's Island, Cape Bteton, &c. A large pro- 

 portion of the conl is anthracite. It is not easy to do justice to tliese formations by the 

 hasty sketch to which our limits necessarily confine us in this place j but some idea may 

 he formed of thi.*ir extent, when it is stated that the Appalachian coal fields extend fur a 

 distance of 7l'0 miles from north-east to south-west with a wiJth in some places amount- 

 ing to ISii miles j* that the Illinois basin is not much inferior in dimensions to the whole 

 of England ; that the Michigan cotil fields and the coal fields of Canada are also of very 

 cocsiderable dimensions; and that the thickness of the seams of fossil vegetable matter 

 in some instances exceeds even that of the Staffordshire coal, amounting at the Lehigh 

 summit mina (where the usually incerveuing shales and grit have thinned oul) to one 

 mass of fifty feet without any greater interpolated matter than two thin loyers of clay. In 

 some places this vast bed is quarried in ths open air; but in others, where the coal is ac- 

 i-essible to a degree scarcely to be imagined by strangers to the conditions of the country, 

 the time has not yet arrived when the value of its fuel is appreciated. 



* Its superficial area is calculated at 63,000 miles. 



Pkofessor Page's Magxp.to-K' 

 published in Silliman*3 Journal an ;i ■ 

 tlectric machine, doing away within;: 



^^ \rii-NE.— In 1838. Professor Page 

 I :; ! i\ived form of Saxton's mngneto- 

 . I etons, and furthermore rendering 



auseful instrument, byacunt, ,,;.. \ i .unducting these opposing currents 



into one channel or direction, which part oi ilie conuivance was called the unitress. The 

 current produced in this way was capable of perlorming ihe work, to a certain extent, of 

 the power developed by the galvanic battery; and the machine was found adequate to 

 furnishing of shocks for medical purposes, for exhibiting the decomposition of water, fur- 

 nishing the elements of oxygen and hydrogen at their respective poles, and producing de- 

 iinite electro-chemical results. The5e two last results could not be obtained without the 

 aid of the unitress. But, with this improvement, the instrument was still wanting in one 

 property of the galvanic battery — viz., that property which chemists call quantity, or that 

 power upon which depends its ability t3 magnetize, and also to heat platinum wires. This 

 last property has been given to the machine by the recent contrivance of Professor Page. 

 The machine, in its novel construction under his improvement, developed what is called 

 by way of distinction, the current or intensity, but had a very feeble magnetizing power. 

 By a peculia- contrivance of the cnils, (not to be made prblic until his rights are in some 

 way secured,) the current of quantity is obtained in its maximum, while at the same time, 

 the intensity is so much diminished that it gives scarcc-lv any shock, and decomposes 

 ieebly. It has teen successfully tried with the nugnetic'telegraph of Professor Morse, 

 and operates equally well with the battery. It affords, by simply turning a crank attached 

 to the machire, a constant current of galvanic electricity; and as there is no consumption 

 of material necessary to obtain this power, it will doubtless supersede the use of the gal- 

 vanic battery, which, in the event of constant employment, woubl be very expensive, from 

 the waste of zink, platinum, acids, mercury, and other materials used in its construction. 

 3t particularly recommends itself for magnetizing purposes, as it requires no knowledge 

 of chemistry to insure the result, being merely mechanical in its action, and is always 

 ready for action without previous preparation ; the turning of a crank being the only re 

 quisite, when the machine is in order. It is not liable to get out of order; docs not di- 

 minish perceptibly in power wlien in constant use, and actuallv gains power when stand- 

 ing at rest. It will ke particularly gratifying to the man of science, as it enables him to 

 have always at hand a constant power for liie investigation of its properties, without any 

 labour of preparation. We nutice among the beautiful results of this machine, that it 

 charges an electro-magnet so as to sustain a weightof one thousand pounds, and it ignites 

 to a white heat large platinum wires, and may be used successfully for blasting at a dis- 

 tance; and should government ever adopt any such system of defence as to need the gal- 

 ^•anic power, it must supersede the battery in that case. Professor Page demonstrates, 

 fey mathematical reasoning, that the new contrivance of the coils affords the very maxi- 

 mum of quantity to be obtained by magnetic excitation. — ' Report of American Commis- 

 sioner of Patents for 1S44. 



IsIST OP PJE^iy" PATSrffTS. 



GRANTED IX ENGLAND FROM JULV 25, TO AUGUST 22, 1845. 



Six Months allowed for Enrolment, unless otherwise erpresseil. 



Richard Archibald Bronman, of Fleet-street, London, gentleman, for " certain Improve- 

 ments in dyeing." (A communication,)— Sealed July 25. 



William Henry James, of Clem.ent's lane, London, civil engineer, for " certain Im- 

 provements in the manufacture of plates and vessels of metal, and other substances suit- 

 able for heating purposes, and in the means of heating the same."— July 25. 



James Stokoe, of Newton, in the county of Northumberland, millwright, for *• ce/tain 

 improvements in purifying the vapours arising from smelting and other furnaces, and in 

 recovering therefrom any useful matters which may hi intermixed tlierci\ith." — July 25. 



William Breynton, of the Inner Temple, esq., for "certain Improvements in rotatory 

 steam-en jines." — July 25. 



Alexander Wilson, of Glasgow, manager for Alexander Fletcher and Co., of the same 

 place, spinners, for " Improvements in spinning hemp and flax, and other fibrous mate- 

 rials," — July 2!}. 



John Henry Roberts, of Norfo'k Villa, Finchley road. Saint John's Wood, surgeon, 

 for " Improvements in si)irit lamps." — July 2D. 



George Beadon, of Battersea, Commander in the Royal Navy, for " Improvements in 

 propelling vessels and land carriages, in rsising and drawing off water for driving ma- 

 rfiinery, which means of raising and drawing off water are applicable to other useful pur- 

 poses.'"— July 2D. 



Sir Samuel Brown, of Blackheath, knight, captain in her Majesty's navy, for "Im- 

 provements in the formation of embankments for canals, docks, and sea walls, and in the 

 conveyance and propulsion of locomotive engines, and other carriages or bodies on canals 

 and other inland waters, and also on rail and other roads, and in propelling vessels on the 

 ocean and navigable rivers."— July 21). 



Caleb Bedells, of Leicester, manufacturer, for " Improvements in weaving."— July 29. 

 Ezra Coleman, of the City of Philadelphia, in the United States of America, for " Im- 

 provements app'icable to moving of locomotive engmes on inclined planes of railways." — 

 July 30, 



John Pattrineri, of Skinner-place, Size-lane. London, gentleman, for *' certain new and 

 improved modes of obtaining and applying motive powers."— July 30. 



Joseph Quick, of Sumner-street, Southwark, engineer, and Heniy Austin, of 10, Wal- 

 ferook, civil engineer, for " Improvements in the construction and working of atmospheric 

 railways."— July 31. 



William Cook, of King-street, Golden-square, coach-maker, for " an Improvement in 

 certain description of stoves."— July 31. 



-August 4. 



I, for " certain Improvements in the man 

 es and other minerals, and io obtaining ^ 



Pierre Armand, le Comte de Fontainemoreau, of Skinner-pl; 

 Imjjroved medicines or campounds, and for the application 

 vent, alleviate, ami cure certain diseases, also for the machinery for 

 said instruments." (Being a cominunicatf 



William Longmaid, of Plymouth, gentl-i 

 facture of chlorine, in treating sulphurouf 

 rious products therefrom."— August 4. 



Josaih Marshall Heath, of Winchester-buildings, iron-master, for " Improvements in 

 the manufacture of cast steel." — August 4. 



^\'illiam Young, of Paisley, manufacturer and dyer, and Archib^dd McNair, of the same 

 town, merchant, for "certain Improvements in the construction and means of manufac- 

 turing apparatus for condu-ting electricity." — August 4. 



Charles Henry Joseph Forret, of Lille, in France, but now of 17, Greit St. Helen's, 

 Bishopsgate, gentleman, for "anew and improved Archimedean screw, which he calls 

 Davaine's screw." (.\ communication.) — August 4. 



Alansou Abbe, of Great Russell-street, Bloomsbury. M.D., for "Improvements in ap- 

 paratus for preventii:g and alleviating spinal disorders." — August 4. 



William Eccles, and Henry Brierley, both of Walton-Ie- Dale, Lancaster, Fplnners, for 

 " Improvements in the machinery or apparatus used in spinning," — August 5. 



Peter Francis Maire, of Mark-lane, merchant, for " Improvements in combining iron 

 and other materials for the purpose of constructing bridges, roois, arches, floors, and other 

 similar structures." (A communication.)— August 5. 



Francis Taylor, of Romsey, Hants, surgeon, for " Improvements in giving alarm incase 

 of fire and in extinguishing fire." (A communicwtlon.)— August 6. 



Frederick Bankart, of Chnmplon-park, Denmark-hill, Surrey, gentleman, for *' certain 

 Improvements In treating certain metallic ores and refining the products therefrom." — 

 August 7. 



John Evans, of Kensington, gentleman, for " a new perazotic product and its applica- 

 tion to the arts." (A communication.) — August 7, 



Dalrymple Crawford, of Stratford-on-Avon, Warwick, for 

 chine." — August 7. 



Henry Smith, of Liverpool, engineer, for " Improvements 

 for railways, and in sjirings for railway aud other carriages, j 

 carriages."— August 7. 



Henry Emanuel, of Pond-street, Hampstead, gentleman, for "Improvements 

 spheric railways." — August 7. 



George Brown, of Caperthorne, Chester-land, agent, for "a new se^d and manure drill 

 plough." — August 9. 



Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, of Skinner's-place, Size-lane, for " certain 

 Improvements in apparatus for raising and supporting vessels nndottier floating or sunken 

 bodies, and its application for the better preservation of life and property."— August 9. 



Frank Hills, of Deptford, m.anufacturing chemist, for " Improvements in purifying gas 

 for illumination and obtaining a valuable product in the process."— Au.ust 9. 



Charles Searle, of Bath, doctor of medicine, for " Improvements in stoves."— Aug. 9. 



Peter Higson, of Clifton, Lancaster, mining engineer, for " certain Improvements in 

 machinery or apparatus for connecting and disconnecting the steam engine, or other mo- 

 tive ijower, with or from the load or other matter to be driven or moved." — August 9. 



William Newton, of Chancery lare, civil engineer, for " Improved modifications and 

 novel applications of known machinery and processes to the purpose of cleaning, soften- 

 ing, dividing, and preparing flax, hemp, and other vegetable fibrous materials." (A com- 

 munication. )— August 14. 



Thomas Henry Russell, of Wednesbury, Stafford, tube manufacturer, for "Improve- 

 ments in the manufacture of welded iron tubes."— August 14. 



Hypolite Louis Francois Salembier, of Mincing-lane, merchant, for " Improvements in 

 the manufacture and refining of sugar." (A communication.)— August 14. 



Henry Pearse and William Dimsdale Child, both of Finsbury-place, South, for "Im- 

 provements in the mfinufacture of sugar." (A communication.)— August 21. 



Thomas Oxley, of Westminster-road, civil engineer, for " certain Improvements in con- 

 structing and propelling vessels, and in the machinery connected therewith."— August 22 . 



k Improved dibbling ma 



1 atmo- 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Can any of our correspout^euts give us information as to the dimensions 

 and construction of the Suspension Bridge which has lately fallen at Calcutta ? 



"A Suhscriber, New York." — There is a very full account of the architec- 

 ture of St. Paul's Cathedral, by Mr. G^ilt, in Britton and Pugln's Illustra- 

 tions of the Public Buildings* of Loudon. Taylor, High llolborn, 1845. 

 2 vols. 8vo. 



" Marcus." Declined. — The pathetic passages are dismal, and the facetious 

 parts incoherent ; the whole letter irresistibly reminds us of Collins' Descrip- 

 tion of Despair. 



** I was sad by fits, by start 'twas wild." 



There are three things which should find no place in this journal — flip- 

 pancy, which is not wit — dogmatism, which is not proof — magniloqence, 

 which is not eloquence. 



Mr. Rooke's paper on the Harbour of Reftige is accepted, with thanks. 



ERRATA. P. 242. 



Column 1, line 43, for *' support E D C," read " support B A C 



. . „ '^-W/sec C— A./ tan b tan ■c+ 1\ , „ 



line 47, for R= -— I Iread R = 



2 \ tan c / 



(sec c— V tan b tan f'+ 1 \ - 

 tan c / 



line 49, for 



2 tanc 



(a/ tan c + cot c — \^ tan b cot c)~ read 



2 tan c "^ ***" ^ "^ ^^^ ^ '~ '^^ ^^^ ^ "*" ^^^ ^)^-l 



line 53, for " C = b" read" c = 5." 



,. -^ i- tan c tan if- 1 , tan c'tan i + 1 



lineoD, for : read 



