Proceedings of the Polytechnic Association. 899 



required dip, but no feathering ; and hence it is claimed there is a 

 loss from back-water. The nnmber of inventions patented would 

 show the vast amount of experiments tried ; and still, withall, the 

 paddle-wheel remains unchanged. We learn more from a failure 

 than a success, and our failures have taught us that the original 

 paddle-wheel is, so far, the best. What is wanted is a large area of 

 paddle to avoid the slip, but with this plan there is a v^ery large 

 amount of friction, and it is not very practical to take hold of a laro-e 

 amount of water. In 1853 a steamer was made in JSTew York with 

 very expensive machinery, the plan of which was to take water in at 

 the bow and let it out at the stern ; and when the day of trial came 

 it was found that the vessel would not tighten her hawser, though 

 there was considerable commotion in tlie water, so of course it was 

 not deemed proper to loosen the hawser to try it any further. 



The Importance of the Erie Canal. 

 The Hon. William J. McAlpine, the distinguished engineer, next 

 addressed the meeting ; he said : There are few persons who appre- 

 ciate the extent of the traffic on the Erie canal. If all the freight 

 which is transported from the west and carried by all the trunk lines 

 of railroad to tide water, were added together the traffic of the Erie 

 canal would exceed them all during its season of navigation. We can 

 hardly realize the immense business of the canals. The object of 

 bringing this subject before the Polytechnic Association is to arouse 

 such public attention to it as may lead to extending its focilities, and 

 possibly to the adoption of steam on the canals. During the active 

 season there are more than 150 canal boats going into Albany from the 

 west every day. Most of these boats average from 160 to ITO tons, 

 while some of the railroads do not average more than fifty tons. The 

 canal brings eight to nine times as much freight as all the trunk lines 

 together. Railroad trains make a great noise and bustle, like some 

 people in the world, while the slow and silent canal boat excites 

 scarcely any notice. Xo railroads, except coal roads, have been made 

 with reference to economical transportation. Local interests have 

 swerved them from their true direction. The grade out of Albany is 

 200 feet to the mile. There are no railroads located with reference 

 to economy of transportation. And in reference to cheap transporta- 

 tion, it is a rule on railroads that every freight train, when within 

 half an hour of a passenger train, shall switch off on a side track and 

 there wait for it, hence the cost is twice as much as it ought to be, as 



