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THE CIVIL ENGIXIEli AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[March, 



" On a Xew Code of Signals and Me Conslruolion of the Si^al Lamps." — 

 By Mr. Rettir, and illustrated by models and experiments. I!y the simple 

 use of a pair of slidfs attached to an ordinary lantern, a comtiination of sig- 

 nals is effected, ly which the loss of life and property by the collision of 

 steam boats and sailin\; vessels, might be simply and cheaply avoided. 



February J— William Pole, Esq., F.U.S., Vice-President in the Chair. 



The foUowini; papers were read: — 



The first communication was " On the Theory of the Comfruc/ion of Vk 

 Portland Vase'' Uy ilns P. Exsell. — .Vliss Ensell considers the Portland 

 Vase to have been constructed in the following manner. A jar of blue glass 

 was formed in the usual way by the glass blower, and its whole surface 

 roughened — it was then encloied in a mould similar to those used for the for- 

 mation of alabaster relievos ; the jar and mould were then exposed to the 

 action of one of the petrifying springs of Italy, and thus a clear transparent 

 substance wa» deposited on the vase, in such proportions as to form the 

 figures in that beautifully white semi-transparent material, wliich is exhibited 

 in the Portland Vase. She then gave various details for the practical carry- 

 ing out of the operation, and suggested the propriety of undertaking a series 

 of experiments, with a view to constructing vases of a similar di'scription. 



Mr. Doubleday, the gentleman who was charged with the restoration of the 

 Portland Vase, and which is now under his care, having examined its struc- 

 ture most minutely, proceeded to give the following account of tlie manner 

 in which it had been formed. The base is of blue glass and has been made 

 in the usual manner by the glass-blower, the white figures are also of glass 

 and perfectly united with the base. The blue jar having been formed, was 

 dipped into a pot of white metal, and so the lower part of it becauie entirely 

 covered with a uniform coating of white glass. The material to work upon, 

 •which is thus described is in all respects similar to the cameo, an. I has been 

 operated on iu the same manner. Mith some talent and considerable artis- 

 tic skill, by a process like that of gem engraving or cameo cutting, the white 

 glass has been cut away in different forms, and various thicknesses by tlie 

 artist; he considered that not less than 3 or 4 years of continuous labour 

 would be required in order to produce such a work of art. — Several other 

 gentlemen then joined in the discussion, the result of which was to establish 

 the fact that we possess in this country both materials, mechanical means, 

 and artists capable of executing similar works to the Portland Vase, and that 

 those works, if executed, would necessarily, from the length of time and 

 skill required to execute them be the most rare and most costly that art can 

 produce. 



" On a Xew Theory of the Formation of Meteoric Stones." Cy .Arthur 

 Wall, Esq. He considered they were derived from subterranean origin ; he 

 showed by analysis that abundance of materials and means arc presented for 

 the formation of those meteors in the bowels of the earth, and their descent 

 from the atmosphere without going into the planetary spheres to seek for 

 their cause. 



February IS. — E. Speer, Esq. in the Chair. 



The discussion on the Portland Va\e was resumed. 



Mr. Doubleday, of tlie British Museum, who has repaired the Portland 

 Vase in a manner so admirable that the fractures are scarcely visible, pre- 

 sented a number of specimens of ancient manufactures in glas'i. illustrative 

 of the theory which l.e ileduced on the true principles of its cousUnc'iiin. 

 Sir. .Vpsley I'ellatt, who was present, exhibited to the socicly, through 

 Blr. Illashfield, a very beautiful model of the Vase, it being one "of the ori- 

 ginal and most perfect copies made by Wedgwood. He ex|ilaincil fully to 

 the meeting, as a practical manufacturer of slass, the exact process by 

 which he conceived that that vase was originally formed. He explained 

 how such objects of art might be constructed at the present day, and the 

 diliiculties which stood in the way of their couslructioii. Mr. Christie, of 

 tlie ^'auxhall Glass-works, explained another mode in which the two co- 

 lours of classes might have been originally united. 



" On Hiiihriiy Lucomotinn, tcitli reference t<i the effects of Centrifugal 

 and Centripetal Forces." Hy iMr. C. H. OIrcenhow. He proposes for the 

 purpose of increasing the safely of railway trains to suspend the bodies of 

 the carriages upon an horizontal a\is, in such a manner that Ihe centre of 

 gravity being equal, shall equipoise the centrifugal force. He gives to the 

 rails the form of a hollow circular tube, and to the flanges of the wheels 

 a corresponding form, by which he conceives that the forces tending to 

 throw the train oil' the line would be counteracted. The wheels also are so 

 constructed that the spokes form a straight line passing between the rails 

 and the centre of gravity of the body ; all these arrangements are designed 

 by him to give increased safety and stability to the railway trains. A long 

 discussion ensued, in which many practical engineers and scientilic gen- 

 tlemen took an active part. It was maintained by some of them that no 

 increased stability was given by pennitting the centre of gravity to oscil- 

 late, but on the contrary it would thereby be considerably weakened, 

 and; that the wheels would not adjust themselves to the partial 

 variations and irregularities in the condition of the railway ; that 

 there would be attrition between the rails and the flanges of the wheels 

 and that of the circular form of rail being of cast iron would not be safe. 

 lo these allegations .'Mr. (ireenhow gave various replies, and the discus- 

 sion was prolonged to a late hour when it was adjourned. 



AMERICAN PATENTS. 

 (From the .\mericaa Franklin Journal.) 



" Improvement in the CoupUny and Stuffing Box for shafts, spcciallf in- 

 tended for submerged propellers for Ships." By R. F. Loper, Philadel- 

 phia. Oct. 9, 1845. 



The outer tube of the stuffing box, instead of being permanent, is tapped 

 into a metallic casing surrounding it so as to admit of screwing it over the 

 lapped or other joint of the shaft, so that when this tube is drawn in, the 

 two shafts can be seuarated, and if desired, the propeller drawn out of the 

 water, and when screwed out, passes over and prevents the two shafts from 

 being separated. 



"Improvement in the Current Voter Wheel." Bv J. D. Robinson, Illi- 

 nois. Oct. -24, 184 5. 



The buckets are each composed of several narrow strips attached to 

 chains hinged to a cylinder, so formed as to permit them to fold in one di- 

 rection, but not to go beyond a line radiating from the centre of the cylin- 

 der to which they are jointed — when acted upon by the current, these 

 buckets are thrown open, but so soon as they begin to make back water 

 they fold on the periphery of the cylinder, and prevent undue resistance. 



'- Improvements in Tide Mills." By John Gerard Ross, New York. 

 Nov. 9, 1845. 



The wheel is placed in a rnce, at one end of wliich there is a fde gate 

 hinged to a wall beyond the end of the race and shutting against either side 

 of the race ; and at the other end of the race there are two current gates, 

 one termed the "inner current gate," and the other the " outer current 

 gate ;" these are hinged to the ciuN of the race way wall, and shut against 

 a pier placed beyond the eml, and in a line with the middle cf the width of 

 the race way. The current in passing along opens the " current gate." and 

 after acting on the wheel, jiasses out through the " outer current gate," and 

 on the return tide the pressure of water closes this " outer current gate," 

 whiclt causes the current to pass around to that side of the tide gate oppo- 

 site to that at which it entered on the rise of the tide, throws it against the 

 opposite side of the race-way, acts on the same side of the wheel as on the 

 rise of the tide, and passes out through the " iniier "current gate." The 

 dam walls are formed with pits, open at the sides for the free ingress and 

 egress of the water to act on floating caissons which sustain the wheel and 

 always keep it at the required elevation. The shaft of the -wheel (or 

 wheels) is connected with the frame-work of the mill by bars radiating 

 from the axis of a cog wheel, into which work the cogs of the master 

 wheel. ' 



" Improvements in the Meaju of Removing Mud, Sand Bars, ^'c. from the 

 Beds of Rivers, ifc. Bv De.nnis Vermilion, Washington, U. C. Nov. 

 9, lS-15. 



A mass of logs are put together in the form of a boat, to be moved down 

 by the current, tide, or otherwise, and which from its great weight and 

 strength will acquire great momentum. Iron breakers sharpened at the 

 lower end, jiass obliquely through apertures in the mass, and extend down 

 to the depth required to act on the obstruction to be removed. At the 

 stern there is suspended a drag rake, connected with the boat by means of 

 two arms that slide freely in apertures in the ends of a cylinder which is 

 hung on appropriate journals ; and for the purpose of raising thii rake, cords 

 extend from it to a windlass on the boat. The operation of the apparatus 

 is this — the boat being put in motion by the current, or otherwise, is di- 

 rected towards the sand bank, or other obstruction, and the breakers and 

 rake having been set to the required depth, the breakers cut up and loosen 

 the sand, mud, iiic, which is then raked into deeper water. 



"Improvements in Horizontal Wind Mills." By Daniel Dennet. 

 Nov. 13, 1813. 



The wing or vanes of this are jointed to radial arms, and are suspended 

 by cords to vibrating levers that pass through, and are jointed to, the shaft 

 above the arms to which the wings or vanes are jointed, so that by this 

 arrangement the moment one vane begins to make " back wind," (as it is 

 termed,) it is blown down, and by its connection with the one oa the oppo- 

 site side of the shaft draws it up to catch the wind. 



" Improvements in JValer TTheels." By John L. Smith. Dec. 10, 1845. 



Two of these wheels are put on a horizontal shaft, one on each side of 

 the trunk or tunnel through which the water is applied to the wheel, the 

 face towards the tunnel being open for that purpose. The apertures or 

 issues for the water extend from the shaft to the outer rim, which is scol- 

 loped for that purpose, and are formed by the forward edge of one bucket, 

 and the back edge of the other, these being placed diagonally for this pur- 

 pose. And to the back edge of each of these buckets there is a flanch 

 radial in its length, and parallel with the shaft in the direction of its width, 

 which extends to the inner face of the wheel, or to the floor. 



