AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 596 



as distinguished from simply bursting asunder from an over 

 pressure. 



Again, place two like vessels equally filled with water under 

 equal conditions of temperature, and so forth, one being insulated 

 and the other being provided with a good conductor from the 

 water to the earth, in equal times, a far greater amount of water 

 will have disappeared from the latter than from the former, and 

 since in this, as in most other ctises, the affinity increases with the 

 temperature, there would be a still greater difference if the water 

 in each vessel could be kept warm by some means not in connex- 

 ion with it, such as a reflector, for instance. 



In conclusion, I will remark that the laws which apply to va- 

 porization will equally apply, by their inversion, to condensation. 



As the absorption of electricity into the latent form, whether it 

 be directly or by the conversion of heat, is the cause of vaporiza- 

 tion and expansion in steam, so would the drawing oif, so to speak, 

 of this electricity, could it be effected, produce its sudden lique- 

 faction and condensation. 



Such means, for instance, as a brush of wire on the end of a 

 conductor negatively electrized by the action elsewhere of steam 

 itself, may yet be applied in the progress of knowledge, in lieu of 

 a jet of cold water, in the condenser of a steam engine. 



Mr. Storms illustrated his views as to the vertical tubular 

 boiler upon the black board. 



President Pell remarked : In the construction of cylindrical 

 'boilers, the joints universally run parallel to the axis of the 

 boiler, and in perpendicular planes ; or as it may be otherwise 

 expressed, at right angles to the length. 



This I am led to think is wrong, as they are without a shadow 

 of a doubt, subjected to a much greater strain than if they ran 

 round. I would therefore suggest the abandonment of longitu- 

 dinal jointing, as it is necessarily weak, and apt to burst under 

 a high pressure. Let the plates* extend around the boiler, as a 

 vine creeps up a tree, forming a screw. You perceive the jointing 

 will then be oblique to the strain, and will not probably require 

 more rivets or work than in the present disposition of plates, and 

 ^ will bear a high tension of steam, say 300 lbs. to the square inch. 



Mr. Pell illustrated on the blackboard his views of the form 

 of the boiler, of plates spirally wrought into a boiler. 



On motion of Mr. Pell, the thanks of the club were unani- 

 mously voted to Mr. Storms for the interesting paper and remarks 

 he had made. 



