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Scientific Intelligence. A413 
these features will be less objectionable ; accordingly it is only 
in this form of application, and in those cases of marine naviga- 
tion in which speed is likely to be sacrificed to economy of fuel, 
that the caloric engine may be confidently expected to achieve a 
decided triumph over the condensing steam engine. 
Although this discussion has brought us to the conclusion that 
hew motor is not likely to equal the extravagant expectations 
Which are so widely entertained with regard to its capabilities, 
still it must be freely conceded that the invention of a new en- 
gine in respect to which a just claim to superiority over the steam 
engine can be asserted, in any particular, is a great achievement, 
and that the ingenuity and mechanical skill displayed in the in- 
Yention and construction of the Caloric Engine cannot be too 
highly extolled, 
OO 
SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 
I. CorRESPONDENCE. 
Correspondence of M. J. Nicklés, dated Paris, January 9, 1853. 
*ompanying drawings received by me from M. Silbermann. 
Figure l represents the rule of steel (a, a’) plunged in a bath of 
melting ice, by which it is thus kept at an unvarying length; 4, 0’, are 
the dry points, for marking the length upon the bar under experiment ; 
mains to complete the description, which I can readily do with the ac- 
ber 
Paratus, fig. 2, contrived M. Silbermann for comparing the meter 
Sent to the United States Wich the Governmental Standard. The fol- 
). Dg are explanations of this apparatus, which may obviously be ap- 
“to the study of dilatations in general. 
‘The base of this Comparator’ consists of two rules aa’, bb’, of 
the same breadth and nearly of the same length; they are placed one 
The lower rule, 52’, is of bronze, the upper a a’, (upon which the meter 
nc trial is placed,) of platinum. Each is 30 millimeters in breadth. 
Their other dimensions are as follows : 
Length. 
jmm-}2 
"se 7 00 
Thickness. 
Platinum rule, gnm-50 
Bronze « 
