160 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[May 



"hundred millionth parts ; it is rare that this richness passes 7 ten inillionths. 

 The revolulione, therefore, which the Rhine. occasions, at times, in the 

 contents of its bed changes the amount of gold from 1 to 70. The parti- 

 cles of gold are always very small, 17 to 22 making only a kilogramme. 

 Compared with the sand of rivers worked in Siberia and Chili for gold, the 

 former are r> times, the latter 1 times richer than those of the I?hine. The 

 ffold of the IJhine sand seems to be derived from the tertiary formation, and, 

 in the first instance, from the schistous crystalline rocks of the Alps, as is 

 the case with most other rivers which descend from these mountains. 



J. L V. 



STEAM NAVIGATION. 



Three steam vessels of war. the Sidoyi, the Odin, and the Termai^ant, m 



course of construction at Deptford Dockyard, are on the eve of being launched. The 

 Sidon steam frigate is constructed on a plan of Sir Charles Napier's, and appears a rer^* 

 fine looking vessel, very stronglv put together. Although only two feet longer, and two 

 feet broader than the Odin sleain vessel building in the same yard, the Sidon is intended 

 to carry 40(i tons more c( als than that vessel. She was jjlaced on blocks on the LMth of 

 June, \Mb, and in exactly 10 months will be ready to enter her future element. All the 

 parts of her machinery above water mark are to be constructed of malleable iron, and of 

 ifreat power to resist injury during actual warfare : and every beam across her decks has 

 been secured with strong iron kneedbolts to the powerful timbers of her sides.— The 

 Odin steam frigate was designed by Ulr. Fincham, master-shipwiight at Portsmouth 

 Dockyard, and the whole of her frame is put together, and she will soon he ready for 

 launching. She was placed on the blocks on the 19th of Febniarr, 184.>.— The Terma- 

 Kant steam-frigate, constructing from a design by Mr. White, builder at Cowes, is a ves- 

 sel of the same length as the Odin, designed by Mr. Finchnm ; but 3 feet fi inches greater 

 dimensions in htr extreme breadth, and will have engines of GOO liorse power.— The fol- 

 lowing are the dimensions of the three vessels ;— „ _, 



The Sldon. The Odin. The Termagant. 



Length between perpendiculars 210 ft. in. L'Ogft. in. 208 ft. 3 in. 



Ditto of keel for tonnage . . 18.^ n \B:i 6i 181 M 



Breadth extreme . . . . 37 u 37 40 6 



Ditto for tonnage .... 3« 6 .^6 6 40 U 



Ditto moulded .. .. 3.i 10 35 10 39 4 



Depth in bold .... 27 U 24 2 , J': ^ 



Burden in tons 1.323 1,.V.>6 l.MO 



Horsepower 560 500 600 



Launch of Two Iron Steam Ships, at Liverpool.— The Diamond — 

 This vessel was launched from the yard of Messrs. P. Cato and Co., south end of the 

 Brunswick Dock, and the second of two fine iron steamers built by them for the City of 

 Dublin Company, to run between Dublin and London. She is the sister-ship of *' The 

 Emerald," (and from the same moulds). She is to be propelled (in addition to sails) by 

 the screw, with engines on the direct action principle. The model fas of the Emerald) 

 ■■was furnished bv Mr. John Grantham, C.E., and is well adapted for the donble object of 

 ■considerable stowage and rapidity of propulsinn. The vessel is lap jointed, or " clincher- 

 iuilt," in her upper-works, as well as below the water-line, a plan which, in vessels of 

 her comparatively small burthen, is more expensive than the flush joint, but is not only 

 ■stronger, but quite as pleasing to the eye, if the workmanship be equal to that in ques- 

 tion. The Diamond is built in the most faithful manner in every point, and does equal 

 credit to the spirited owners in the outlay, and to Mr. Cato and those under him. — The 

 Antelope— her model, by Mr. Grantham, is fine, and, though sham at the extremities, of 

 Buch rotundity and swell in the body, without *'a lump" in any part, that she promises 

 to carry and to sail well. She is the property of Messrs. M 'Tear and Co., who have 

 spared no expense in her construction, and the builders, Messrs. Hodgson and Son, have 

 <lone ample justice to her in every respect. This vessel will have, in addition to sails, 

 auxiliary propelling steam-power by two engines of 50-horse each, turning a screw of 12 

 feet diameter, on the direct action principle, patented by Mr. Grantham. The engines 

 are by Messrs. Fawcett, Prestou, and Co. She is the first of an intended line of 8 vessels 

 of the same class, to run between this port and Rio de Janeiro, and more intimately to 

 connect this rountrv and the Brazils in bonds of amity and commerce, the present pas- 

 ■Bflge, by sailing vessels alone, being generally long and tedious The Antelope has a finely 

 designed billet-head and appropriate decor.-\tions. executed by Mr. Robertson. The trail- 

 boards, gilded on a white ground, represent, in relief, the antelope pursued by the tiger, 

 and the foliated ornaments around are rich and chaste, giving the vessel a peculiarly light 

 and " go-ahead" appearance. The quarter-galleries are of a corresponding design, and 

 enriched with quivers, bows, and other emblems of the chase ; and the stern carving also 

 assimilates— the whole having a peculiarly new and elegant appearance. We learn that 

 in place of drawing so much water as was expected, she drew two inches less than was 

 calculated, thus showing a superior degree of buoyancy.— The following are the dimen- 

 sions of the two vessels : — 



The Antelope. The Diamond. 



Length overall .. .. 190 ft. in. .. 145 ft. in. 



ofkeel .. .. ItiS 



„ between perpendiculars 175 



Breadth of beam . . . . 26 4 . . 21 



Depth of hold .. ..17 .. 13 6 



Burthen in tons . . 600 . . 300; 



Diameter of screw . . .... 12 



Horse power .. .. 100 ., .. 60 



Telegraphic Commiinication BEXUEts France and England. — 



Amidst the many wonderful inventions of modern days, wherein the faculties ef man have 

 overcome difficulties apparently insurmountable, and made the very elements themselves 

 oubservient to his jtower and use, there are none more wonderlul than that now about to 

 be carried out by the establishment of sub-marine telegraphs, by which an instantaneous 

 communication will be trtected between the coasts of England and France. The British 

 Government, by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and the French Government, 

 by the Minister of the Interior, have granted permission to two gentlemen, the projectors 

 of the sub-marine telegragh, to lay it down from coast to coast. The site selected is from 

 Cape Grisnez, or from Cape Blancnez, on the French side, to the South Foreland, on the 

 English coast. The soundings between these headlands are gradual, varying from seven 

 fathoms n<-ar the shore on either side, to a maximum of 37 fathoms in raid-channel. The 

 Ixirds of the Admiralty have also granted permission to the same gentlemen to lay down 

 a sub-marine telegraph between Dublin and Holyhead, which is to be carried on from the 

 latter place to Liverpool and Lordon. The sub-marine telegraph across the English 

 <'hannel will, however, be the one first laid down ; the materi.ils for this are already un- 

 dergoing the process of insulation, and are in that state of forwardness which will enable 

 the projector! to have th«m completed and placed in position, so that a telegraphic com- 



munication can be transmitted across the Channel about the first week in Jun#. When 

 this is completed, an electric telegraph will be established from the coast to Paris, and 

 thence to Marseilles. This telegraph throughout France will be immediately under the 

 direction of the French Government, as, according to the law of Itf-'C, all telegraphic 

 communications through that country are under the absolute control and superintendente 

 of the Minister of the-Interior. Upon the completion of the submarine telegraph across 

 the Enghsh Channel, it is stated that a similar one, on a most gigantic scale, will be at- 

 tempted to be formed, under the immediate sanction and patronage of the French Ad- 

 ministration ; this is no less than that of connecting the shores of Africa with those of 

 Europe by the same instrumentality, thus opening a airect and lightning like communi- 

 cation between Marse'lles and Algeria. It has been doubted by several scientific men 

 whether this is practicable, and, indeed, whether even the project between the coasts of 

 France and England can be accomplished; but il has been proved by experiments, the 

 meat satisfactory in their results, that not only can it be effected, but effected without any 

 considerable difficulty. — * Globe.' 



The *' LrsAR Corrector." — Invented by Captain Andrew Thompson, 



consists of an instrument, the principle of which depends upon the minute variation of 

 small spherical triangles. It is formed by the third part of a circle of brass, having ac 

 index similar to a sextant, on which is set the apparent distance. The index bar and left 

 limb are graduated, and furnished with moveable slides for performing what is termed 

 " Laying off" the apparent altitudes; onr of the' slides being graduated also to a scale 

 proportioned to the radius of the instrument, shows at the point of intersection, a number 

 of minutes and seconds, which is the correction required; and thvn, by the help cf a 

 brief table, or by working a rule-of-three sum, the true distance is at once obtained. The 

 great advantage of this instrument is its simplicity, and the little time — which, by the 

 use of it, is required to work a lunar observation; in fact, the time required scarcely ex- 

 ceeds that required to find the latitude by a meridian altitude of the sun. At Messrs. 

 Spencers, in the Blinories, the invention may be seen. 



Bricks. — Return of the duties paid upoD bricks iu the several excise 

 collections in England from 1839 to 1P4.^ inclusive. The total amount collected in 18S3 

 was 4.Vj,6t>4/. ; and in 1C45, 656,415/. The amoiint in 1^.'^9, in the London district, was 

 2.^,yll/. ; in the Manchester district, 34.7yi/. ; and in the RochestT district, '2A,IT3L In 

 lH4.i, in the London district, ;il, 267/. ; the Manchester district, 44, 2W/. ; and in the Ro- 

 chester district, 44,6-14/. Including the metropolis there are 56 separate collections: in 

 five of which, during the last year, the amount received was less than bOOl. 



LIST or NEVir PATENTS. 



(From Messrs. Robertson's List.) 



BRANTED IX ENGLAND FROM MARCH 31, 1846, TO APRIL 25, 1846. 



Six Months allowed for Enrolment, unless otherwise expressed, 



William Henry Moggridge, of 13, Old Burlington-street, Middlesex, dentist, for " cer- 

 tain improvements in the plates or pieces for the roofs and gums of th« mouth, for 

 attaching thereto artificial teeth."— Sealed March 31. 



John Ainslie, of Alperton, Middlesex, brick and tile manufacturer, for "certain im- 

 provements in the arrangements for the manufacture of bricks, tiles, and other similar 

 articles from clay and other plastic substances, and in the machinery' or apparatus for the 

 manufacture of bricks." — March 31. 



William Spiby, of Carrington, Nottingham, engineer, for " improvements in the con- 

 struction of furnaces used for heating water and other fluids." — April 1. 



Harold Potter, of Darwen, Lancaster, paper manufacturer and stainer, for "improve- 

 ments in printing or staining paper." — April I. 



Henry Crossley, of King William-street, London, engineer, for " certain improvements 

 in the manufacture of sugar, and in the machinery and apparatus employed therein."— 

 April 3. 



Ferdinand Charles Warlick, of Deptford, Kent, gent., 'for "improvements in the manu- 

 facture of fuel." — April 7, 



William Thomson, of Kilmarnock, North Britain, manufacturer and fur merchant, for 

 " improvements in machinety for operating upon wool and other fibrous material, intend- 

 ed to be wrought into felted fabrics." — April 7. 



George Lewis, of High Cross-street, Leicester, locksmith, for "improvements in the 

 constructioR of shutters and blinds for windows aud doors, and in the construction of 

 doors." — April 7. 



James Allingham, of Dublin, gent., and James William M'Ganley, clerk, of Dublin, 

 aforesaid, for " certain Improvements in steam engines." — April 7. 



Joseph Hunt, of Brixton, Surrey, chemist, for " imjtrovements iu the manufacture of 

 soda." — April ;i. 



Joseph Bunnett, of Daptford, engineer, for "certain improvements in water-closets, 

 part of which improvements is applicable to other usetul purposes." — April l.'>. 



Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau, of New Broad-street, London, for "an 

 Improved mode of constructing certain paits of the harness of horses and other beasts of 

 burden." A communication. — April 15. 



Simeon Hyde, of the Strand, merchant, for "improvements in refri gir at ors."— April 1-j- 

 William Tutin Haycraft, of Greenwich, doctor of medicine, for " improvtments in 

 steam engines." — April 1.^. 



Charles May, of Ipswich, Suffolk, civil engineer, for " improvements in machinery for 

 punching, riveting, and shearing metal plates." — April 15. 



Henry Mandeville Meade, of New Vork, America, pent., for "improvements in pre- 

 paring food for animals when Indian corn is used." A communication. — April 15. 



Elijah Galloway, of Buckinghant-slrset, Strand, engineer, for "improvements in loco- 

 motive engines." — April 18. 



Joseph Clinton Robertson, of Fleet-street, civil engineer, fer "certain improvements 

 in the manufacture of pins." A communication.— April IS. 



John Gillett, of Brailes, of the firm of Ward, Colbourne. and Gillett, of Stratford on 

 Avon, and Brailes, near Shipston on Stour, Warwick, agricultural implement makers, 

 for " an improved machine or machines, for cutting, slicing, and otherwise dividing hay. 

 straw, turnips, and other vegetable substances."— April IS. 



Peter Bishop, of Birmingham, manufacturer, for " a certain improvement, or improve- 

 ments, in the manufacture of bayonets. " — April 21. 



William Heward Bell, of Edmondsley, near Chester le Street, Durham, for "improve, 

 ments in working coal in coal mines." — April 21. 



Arthur Philip Perceval, of East Horsley, Surrey, clerk, for " improvements in communi- 

 cating between places separated by water." — April 2.^. 



William Ashby, of Croyden, Surrey, millwright, for " certain improvements in the manu- 

 facture of fiour." — April 2fc. 



George Philcox. of High-street, Southwark, watch-maker, for " improvements in the- 

 constrtiction of chronometers and other time-keepers."— April 23. 



