538 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



should be within hearing, it will catch his hand like a trap as a 

 trap doth a fox, and though far from maiming him, yet leaveth a 

 mark as will discover him; and the lock will show what money 

 he hath taken out of the box to a farthing, and how many times 

 he hath opened it since the owner hath been at it." 



Stansbury, of the United States, made a lock of great merit 

 many years ago. A flat circular steel plate turned on its centre 

 pin by the key, which also commanded certain steel pins to arrest 

 and secure the plate from moving until the key is used. 



Mr. Butler exhibited a door of full size with his lock affixed. 

 Its operation was tried and the lock examined and criticised and 

 remained an object of great merit. 



Mr. Meigs deemed it proper to say, that our inventors should 

 not confine their views to the narrow limit of banks and treasuries, 

 but remember the millions of chambers and closets, &c. which are 

 used by the whole people to secure their several little treasures ; 

 and who are willing to pay the scientific lock-smith well for fur- 

 nishing them each a lock of confidence. 



Question adopted for the next meeting " steam boilers." 



The Club adjourned. 



H. MEIGS, Secretary. 



July Sth, 1856. 

 Present — Messrs. Backus, Breisach, Butler, Birdseye, Akin, of 

 Berkshire, Tioga Co., N. Y., Montgomery, Stetson, Tillman, Lowe, 

 Leonard, Veeder, Chambers, Larned, and others — 40 members in 



all. 



Samuel D. Backus in the Chair. Henry Meigs, Secretary. 



The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. 



The Secretary read the following extracts from the works of 

 science received by the Institute by the last steamers from 

 Europe, (viz :) 



[Practical Mechanics' Journal. London, June, 1856.] 



LIGHTNING PROJECTILES. 



Mr. Andrew Smith has been successful in developing the elec- 

 tric fluid so as to have now invented lightning projectiles. Ex- 

 perimental analysis has shown that the essential ingredient in 



