AMEUICAN INSTITUTE. 375 



William J. Townsend, President; W. P, Giles, P. Rhodes, 

 Vice Presidents — and thirteen directors. 



We think of buying five acres of land to hold our fairs on. The 

 first part of this winter was very cold here, but this month has 

 been very spring-like, so much so that some of our farmers have 

 started the plow, and I have begun to make fence. We will 

 thank you for some Chinese sugar cane seeds and such other 

 seeds as you have. I like to try all new varieties. Our Club 

 will be glad to get some of your Transactions, and anything which 

 you think would be interesting to us. Make a bundle and send 

 hy express. 



I shall be very much pleased to have a visit from you. Write 

 me when, and I will meet you at the railroad. 



I remain yours, 



W. J. TOWNSEND. 



Mr. Newell of Eoston, requested permission to exhibit his pat- 

 ent safety lamp, which was granted — as farmers having no gas 

 lights, want a cheap and good poi table light. 



Mr. Newell explained his plan. - It is founded on the interest- 

 ing invention of Sir Humphrey Davy, for the use of coal miners, to 

 guard against these terrible explosions of fire damp. 



The openings in the cans and lamps are all covered with v\dre 

 gauze well electro typed with silver to prevent corrosion. The 

 gauze contains 40 meshes an inch in length and of course 1,600 

 on one square inch. Burning fluid, camphene, &c., pass readily 

 through, but flame cannot. Mr. Newell opened the door of the 

 stove having a bright coal fire, he put the nose of the can into it, 

 poured out enough to fill the stove with flame, and on withdraw- 

 ing the can, the nose of it had a very small flame momentarily on 

 the end of it. He exhibited the can emptied, and by applying 

 flame to a small hole near the bottom of it, the flame was drawn 

 and the cork forcibly expelled by a violent explosion caused by 

 the small amount of camphene remaining on its inner surface and 

 the air admitted through the hole. He filled a glass lamp while 

 burning, and there was no more explosion tlian if filled with whale 

 oil. 



Dr. Charles T. Jackson of Boston, being requested to express 

 his opinion of it, said that he was originally consulted on the sub- 

 ject by Mr. Newell — had fully examined it, every point and was 

 assured of its being truly a safety lamp. That about five hundred 

 thousand of these lamps have been sold and no instance of an ex- 

 plosion had come to his knowledge. 



