230 [Assembly 



elastic steam only, the working-gear or the boiler are often broken 

 and scattered to the winds as so many rotten sticks. 



This explosive element sets all calculation at defiance, and it is 

 certain, therefore, that there does exist within the boiler and cylinder, 

 at certain times, a power far exceeding the resistance offered by the 

 enormous strength of the boiler and working-gear. 



Much of the mysterious operations of this explosive power, seem 

 to have originated in supposing that explosions of steam boilers and 

 breaking of the working-gear, were an exception to other explosive 

 phenomena. 



By a careful comparison of the explosive effects of phenomena 

 from powder, lightning, inflammable and other explosive matter, it 

 will be seen that the same explosive element is alike prevalent in 

 each. For example, the bursting of cannon and guns. It is a well 

 known fact, that if the muzzle be barely held under water or closed 

 with a cork, and fired with only an ordinary charge of powder, the 

 bursting seldom or ever fails, although the cohesive strength of the 

 breach may be tv^^enty times the estimated strength required for a 

 regular charge of powder. The explosive eflfects from lightning and 

 inflammable gas, break and scatter every opposing resistance. 



In steam boilers the safety valve and steam guage seem to indicate 

 with sufficient precision, the variations in the strength of elastic 

 steam, but neither safety valve nor steam guage are of any value to 

 indicate the presence of this explosive element. 



One of the most scientific works of the present time, recently 

 published by Mr. Oliver Smith, a member of the American Institute, 

 in pages 57, '8 and '9, mentions the explosions of steam boilers, and 

 says: " the elasticity of steam will have very naturally some, though 

 comparatively speaking, very little effect in this case." 



Also Mr. John "Wilson, a scientific engineer of this city, has 

 recently published a pamphlet on the causes and effects of explosions 

 in steam boilers. In this work the author fully investigates the 

 explosive element of powder, lightning, gas and explosive matter, 

 and concludes that the effect and phenomena are alike in each. 

 In England and other parts of Europe, scientific investigations on 

 this subject have arrived at the same conclusions. But perhaps the 

 most apparent resemblance which obtains between the explosions of 

 steam boilers and the explosions of electric fire, firearms when dis- 



