PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 653 



these balls could fall 30 feet and not explode ; so that they could 

 be handled and used with safety. These shots could be fired on 

 the water, instead of at the side of the ship, just under its steel- 

 clad sides; and the vessel thus destroyed. As regards the effect 

 of heavy ordnance, he had seen a 12-inch shot fired from the 

 " Peace-Maker," now at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a distance of 

 658 yards, on a dead level, and it went clear through a ship, 

 making a hole on the other side big enough to drive a horse and 

 cart through. 



Adjourned to Wednesday evening, April 3d. 



American Institute, Polytechnic Association, ? 

 Jpril 3, 1861. I 



John P. Yeeder in the chair. 



water wheel. 

 I. D. Seely, of Western New York, exhibited a model of a water 

 wheel recently invented and patented by himself, which he term- 

 ed a "cylinder wheel," combining radial buckets and scroll dis- 

 charge. In inventing this wheel, he attempted to overcome four 

 difficulties, one or more of which he had found to exist in every 

 other wheel that he had known, and the result was that he had 

 secured in this wheel the following advantages : — 



1. Ability to run under water or with back water. 



2. Great reduction in the cost, as compared with the turbine 

 wheel. 



3. Adaptability to small operations, such as churning. 



4. Saving the centrifugal force of the water. 



The wheel is intended to ba made of cast iron. The inventor 

 had only tested practically one made of wood, 18 inches in diame- 

 ter. He had used a turbine wheel that claimed to use 78 per 

 cent, of the water, which carried a 2 foot cross-cut circular saw 

 under 15 feet of water, By substituting his own wheel, he has 

 added a 14-inch slitting saw, and could run them both. 

 explosive kerosene oil. 



C. A. Seely referred to an account of a recent explosion of a 

 kerosene lamp. An expiation of the cause had been suggested, 

 namely, the addition of cheap alcohol. This might be so in this 

 particular instance, but alcohol is no cheaper than kerosene. 

 The more probable cause was this : from petroleum a varety of 

 oils are distilled, difiering in volatility; some volatilizing at 600°, 

 and others at zero. He had at his laboratory oil which would 



