lOS 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



LMabch, 



MOTES OF THE MONTH. 



na the Basement Bed of the London Clay.—M the Geological Society, on 

 .. •. ! I I.„u^tn a Dnper was re.id on this subject by J. Prestwich, jun Esq. The pos.- 

 the -•*' i"'X, Ic clavforntation, above the chalk and below the London clay, has been 

 V°". «w» e«" she'?' It has, hc^wever, been recently held donbtlul how lar the d.stinc 

 ?"« , ,ip^, ,1 e London ond plastic clay series can be malntained.-and some even 

 """.rd the la te as merely subordinate beds of the former. The object of the paper ,s to 

 S that Ihriower English tertiaries form several distinct subdivisions, each inarked 

 bv different condions.iindicatlng anceint hydrographical and paheontological changes 

 ^f imTinrlnnce For this purpose very numerous sections were descr.bed.-exh.bi ing 

 ?h, n^o^Sn and characte? of ihe lower part of the London clay. This deposit is a 

 !,«rlXnogenoU8mLs, several hundred feet thick, of tough clay, of a predommating 

 Srown colour At its oitcrop it inevitably rests on a conglomerate bed of round flint 

 Debb es m^xed with yellow, green, or ferruginous sands in variable proport,ons,-whch 

 Fhe a utho" nimes the basement bed of the London clay. Except where denuded on the 

 chalk downs t"ts bed extends uninterruptedly from the Isle of Wight to Woodbridge in 

 Suffolk The materials composing it s^em to have been derived by denudation from the 

 Sor tertiar^s rata. This bed contains 30 known and S or 10 still undescnbed species 

 of te™BCea In the western part of the London district, the beds on which .t rests con- 

 tain no fos lis ; but at WooUvich, where it reposes on the fluviatile beds, six species of 

 the esUiary shells, found in the latter, also occur in the basement bed above and four of 

 Sem likewise iu the freshwater series in the Isle of Wight. In the easlern dist.ict a few 

 marTne spec es are also introduced from the inferior tertiary beds. After deducting these, 

 rereS" known species not fouud j" the lower deposits and const. ut.nga^Js- 



tinct and well-marked group. 



Some of the species are very numerous and | ersistent 

 - ■■ J- ^ '" •' ""* ■ whence 



hrough Ih^ who e'r^nleof ihe bed but othei^s die outwards towards the east, whenc, 

 the author infers that the sea became shallower in that direction. In Essex and Suffolk 

 also foss°s a e almost entirely wanting. From a table of the fossils it appeared that 

 tlie^iecles were chiefly those of the London day. It was, therefore, concluded that this 

 bed forms a well-marked geological horizon, dividing this formation from the older eocene 

 deoosits. . , 



The "^crew Propeller.— On Monday, 11th Feliruary last, a question of con- 

 siderable interest, in respect to steam navigation, was argued before the judicial com- 

 riillee at the Pr vy Counrfl Office, Whitehall. Lords Brougham, Campbell and Lang- 

 ^ale i)" Lushington, and Mr. Pemberton Leigh, being present. An application was 

 made by Sir Fredlrick Thesiger, on behalf of the patentees of the screw propeller, for an 

 Txtension of their patent, which expires in May next. The evidence went to prove, that 

 "o less than .10,000/. had been expended in building the Archimedes, and in defraying 

 other weighty charges, to establish the screw-propulsion principle; and it further 

 appeared^hal although no less than 32 ahips-of-war, and 100 mercantile steam-vessels 

 hKen constructed already upon this system, not more than two "'■hree had paid for 

 the oatent license. These evasions had been occasioned by the conflicting claims of hve 

 riiffeKnt patentees ; but, as these have now united in one association, it is expected that 

 aU who have adopted the use of the screw propeller will have to pay for their hcenses 

 A The Admiralty are interested, either directly or collaterally, in this question to the 

 amount of about -.'.-..OOOi., Sir John Jervis, the Attoioey-General, assisted by Mr. Crow- 

 dTQ.C opposed the application for an extension of Mr. Frank Petit Smih-spaterjt; 

 iut after examining Capts. Chappell and Cris^n, R.N., and Messrs. Brunei ""<» C-aUo- 

 way engineers, their lordships decided on granting an extension of five ye", to Mr. 

 ~ ■ ■ • - It upon certain conuitions; and there is now, therefore, a fai: 



Smith's patent upo 



of five years to Mr. 

 re, a fair prospect of 

 that'gen'tleman and his supporters recovering a portion, if not the whole, of the licensing 

 moneys to which they arc unquestionably entitled. 



Brass Rudder.— A Philailelpliia paper descrilies a large brass rudder, just 

 completed in that oily for Ihe steam-ship Columbia, of New York, 16 feet long, 3 feet 3 

 inches wide in the blade, and weighing neurly SOUO lb. 



Bishop's Rock Lighthouse.— \Ve are sorry to have an unfavourable account 

 of Mr Walker's new lighthouse, described in Mr. Cubitt's address (see '■ Journal,' 

 D .?') as being built on the Bishop's Rock, near the Scilly Islands, with six hollow cast- 

 Pron columns. The "West Briton" of February 15th says, "The massive pillars and 

 apparatus erected during the last three summers at a vast expense, were entirely washed 

 _?.•: .".. T...,j.,. „i„i,r fihe Kih\ A St. Agnes pilot-cutter had since been out to the 



The pillars are 



away on Tuesday night (the Bth;. - „ . 



rock and the pilots are of opinion, the rock IS quite safe and sound 



broken off some at the base, others at two, three, four, and hve feet from the touiidation, 



evidently proving that the pillars were not sufficiently strong ; the sea w.is breaking over 



the rock at the time the pilot-cutter passed. It was consequently impossible to land. 



Great Railroad Rope.— A rope for the Columbia Railroad, west of the 

 Schuvlkill river. Pa, has been manufactured for the inclined plane, by Messrs. J. Whet- 

 ham ind Son, Philadelphia. It required I-l tons of hemp for its construction, and it was 

 6000 feet long, inches round, and weighed when completed, 2.'..000 lbs. This rope was 

 made In less than 10 days, and the manufacturers have given a guarantee that the rope 

 shouH transport 80,000 cars over the plane, which, we understand, is about the average 

 service performed by two previous ropes furnished by their manufactory. 



Brett's Electric Telegraph.— The concession signed by Louis Napoleon 

 and the Minister of the Interior, M. Dufauie, granting to Messrs. J. Brett, Toche, and 

 Co the right to establish an electric telegraph line between France and England, by a 

 submarine communication across the Channel, has been authorised. The Company pro. 

 DOse to establish, by means of the electric telegraph, an instant communication between 

 the two countries. The patentee guarantees tliat this telegraph shall, by the aid ot a 

 single wire and of two persons only (the one stationed in France and the other in Eng- 

 land) be capable of printing In clear Roman type (on paper), 100 messages of 16 words 

 each, including addresses and signatures, all ready for delivery in one hundred conseeu- 

 tive minutes. 



Manufacture rf Ice.— Sir J. F. \V. Herschell, in reference to the system of 

 making Ice by the expansion of highly compressed air (previously reduced to the ordiuaiy 

 temperature), in a letter to the ' Alhenieum', says;— An old steam-boiler buried some 20 

 or ;iO feet underground inivell rammed earlh, and furnished with a condensing pump 

 (worked iibovearouniH, and one eduction pipe opening by a stop cock through a rose into 

 Water, would In all probability supply ice. ' ad libitum', for the use of a family in the 

 country— the condensation being performed over night. 



LIST OF NEW PATENTS. 



GRANTED IN ENGLAND FROM JANUARY 24, TO FEBRUARY 23, 1850. 



Sir Months allowed for Enrolment, unless otherwise expressed. 



John Dalton, of Hollingworth, Chester, calico-printer, for certain Improvements in 

 ond a]ipllcable to, machinery or apparatus for bleaching, dyeing, printing, and fiuiBhing 

 textile and other fabrics; and in the engraving of copper rollers, 

 bodies. — January 26. 



and other metallic 



Edwin Heycock, of Leeds, York, merchant, for certain improvements in the finishing, 

 and dressing of woollen cloths.— January 26. 



Thomas Richardson, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, chemist, for improvements in the ma- 

 nufacture of Epsoji aud other magnesian salts ; also alum, and sulphateof ammonia. — 

 January 26. 



Wincelas le Baron de Traux de Wardin, ot Liege, Belgium, for certain improvements 

 in looms for weaving linen, woollen, and cotton cloths ; and In machines for preparing 

 the yarns for such cloths, before entering the loom ; and in a machine for finishing grey 

 and bleached linen cloths.— January 26. 



Thomas Schofleld, of Combrook, Hulme, near Manchester, fustian dyer and finisher, 

 and Henry Horabin, of Royton, near Oldham, fustian cutler, for improvements in ma. 

 chinery for cutting fustians and certain other fabrics, to produce a piled surlace.— Janu- 

 ary 26. . 

 Thomas Berger, of Hackney, gentleman, for improvements in the roanufacturs o t 

 starch.- January 26. 



Richard Roberts, of Manchester, engineer, for improvements in the manufacture of 

 certain textile fabrics, in machinery for weaving plain, figured, and terry or looped 

 fabrics, and inmachlnery or apparatus for cutting velvets and other fabrics. -January ij. 

 Donald Beatson, of Green-street, Stepney, Middlesex, mariner, for certain improve- 

 ments in instruments for taking, measuring, and computing angles.— January iV. 



Ewald Riepe, of Finsbury-square, Middlesex, merchant, for improvements In the ma- 

 nufacture of steel,— January 2'J. 



Joel Spiller, of Battersea, Surrey, engineer, for improvements in cleaning and grinding 

 wheat. — January 29. 



John Mason, of Rochdale, and Mark Smith, of Heyivood, Lancaster, machine makers, 

 for certain improvements in machinery or apparatus for preparing, spinning, and weaving 

 cotton and other textile materials j and also improvements in the method of preparing 

 yarns or threads, and in the machinery or apparatus employed for such purposes.— 

 January 29. 



Francis Edward Colegrave, ofBrighton, gentleman, for improvements in saddles: parts 

 of which improvements are also applicable to the standing rigging and other furniture of 

 ships or vessels, and to the connecting links or chains of railway carriages, and other pur- 

 poses, where tension combined with a certain degree of elasticity are required. — 

 January 2y. 



James Templeton of Glasgow, manufacturer, for certain improvements in manufactar. 

 ing figured fabrics, principally designed lor the production of carpeting.— January '29. 



William Edward Newlon, of Chancery.lane, civil-engineer, for improvements in machi. 

 nery or apparatus for making hat bodies, and other similar articles. (A communication./ 

 — January 29. 



Thomas Berry, of Salford. Lancaster, silk, worsted, and piece dyer and finisher, and 

 Nathan Ramsden, of Salford, in the said county, calendarman and finisher, for certain 

 improvements in the construction of machines for glazing, embossing, and finishing woven 

 fabrics and paper.— January 31. 



Albert Dummler, of Mark. lane, London, for improvements in obtaining fibres from 

 textile plants. — January 31. 



Etienne Joseph Hanon Valck, Belgium, miUer, for improvements in grinding. — 

 January 31. 



Edward Highton, of Clarence-villa, Regent's park, Middlesex, engineer, for improve- 

 ments in electric telegraphs, and in making telegraphic communications.- February /. 



Charles Atherton, member of the Institution of Civil Engineers of London, for an 

 improved apparatus or machinery for regulating the admission of steam to the cylinders 

 of steam-engines. — February 7. 



Thomas Auchterlonie, of Glasgow, North Britain, manufacturer and ca'.ico printer, for 

 improvements in the production of ornamental fabrics.— February 7. 



Edward Ormerod, of Manchester, mechanical engineer, and Joseph Shepherd, of 

 Charlton-upon. Medlock, in the same county, mechanical engineer, for improvements in, 

 or applicable to, apparatus for changing the position of carnages on radways. — 

 February 7. 



Louis Jean Jacques, Viscount de Serionne, of Paris, gentleman, for certain improve- 

 ments in the manufactureof buttons, and in the apparatus and machinery used therem . 

 — February 9. 



Bryan Uonkin, the younger, of Bermondsey, Surrey, civil engineer, and Barnard Wil- 

 liam Farey.of Old Kent-road, Surrey, civil engineer, for improvements in steam-engines; 

 and an improved fluid meter. — February 9. 



Read HoUiday, of Huddersfield, for improvements in lamps.— Feb. 11. 

 William Blinkliorn, of Sutton, Lancaster, glass manufacturer, for certain improve- 

 ments in machinery, to be used in the manufactureof glass.- February U. 



James Webster, of Leicester, engineer, for improvements in the production of gas for 

 the purposes of light.— February 12. 



John Mackintosh, of Betners-street, Oxford-street, civil engineer, for improvements 

 in obtaining power in the floating of bodies; and in conveying flmds.-Feb. 12. 



Thomas Whiffen, of Pig's.quay, Bridewell Precinct, accountant, for improvements in 

 machinery for registering the delivery of goods.— February 21, 



John Steven Woolrich, of Wednesbury, Stafford, chemist, John James Russell, of 

 Handsworth, in the same county, and Thomas Henry Russell, of W ednesbury aforesaid 

 patent lube manufacturers, lor improvements in obtaining cadmium and other metalsand 

 products from ores or matters containing them.— February 21. 



Alfred Vircent Newton, of Chancery-lane, Middlesex, mechanical draughtsman, for 

 improvements in separating and asserting solid materials or substances of different spe- 

 cific gravities. (A communication.)— February 21. 



John Slack, of Manchester, Lancaster, manager, for certain improvements in the manu- 

 facture of textile goods or fabrics, and in certain machinery or apparatus connected there- 

 with.- February 21. 



Alexand r Hediard, of Paris, France, gentleman, for certain Improvements in propel- 

 ling. — February 21. 



George Holworthy Palmer, of Westbourne-villas, Harrow-road, Middlesex, civil engi. 

 neer and Joshua Horton, of the ,5:ina steam-engine boiler and gasometer manufactory, 

 SmethwiGk, near Birmingham, Slafford, tor improvements in the arrangement and con- 

 struction oi gas-holders. — Februaiy 21. 



William Corraack, of King street, Dunstan road, Haggerston, Middlesex, chemist, for 

 improvements in purifying gas; also applicable in obtaining or separating certain pro- 

 ducts or materials from gas- water, and other simil .- Uuids.— February -). 



William Mayo, of the firm of Mayo and WarminKton,Silver.street. Wood-street, Cheap- 

 side, manufucliirers of mineral aerated waters, for improvements in co inecling tubes and 

 pipe's, and other surfaces of glass and earthenware.— February 21. 



John Scoffern, of Essex-street, Middlesex, It. B., for improvements in the manufac. 

 ture and refining of sugar, and In ihe tre.. nent and use of matters obtained m such 

 manufacture, and in the construction of valves used In such and other maoulaclures.— 

 February 21. 



