184 REPORT—1863. 
state of the rainy season. In conclusion, Mr. Salmon remarked, “I have no hesi- 
tation in stating that, as far as my portion of the work is concerned, no real en- 
gineering difficulty exists, and I see no reason to think that the proposed railway 
would be an expensive one to make. I have gone largely into the question of 
labour, and I find that you can get as many men as you require—first-rate workmen 
—at the rate of 15 to 20 dollars per month, besides their food. These questions, 
however, cannot be entered into in a brief outline like the present one. In conclu- 
sion, it may be interesting to state that on my first expedition, with a gang of two 
Creoles and twelve Indians (total party fifteen), I cut through the dense jungle, 
20; miles, in 24 working days—ayerage per day rather more than Sths of a mile. 
On the second expedition, with a gang of eight Creoles and six Indians (total party 
fifteen), I also cut 224 miles in 201 working days—avyerage 1 mile and 5 chains per 
day,‘making a total of 425 miles in 44} working days—average of both expeditions 
rather more than 58 chains per day. 
Portable Machinery or Apparatus for Riveting, Chipping, S¢c., the invention 
of Mr. J. M‘Farlane Gray, of Liverpool. By W. Surru, C.E. 
The special feature in the instruments or apparatus under notice is as follows, 
viz., that whether used for riveting, caulking, chipping, or otherwise operating 
upon and treating metals or other substances, by means of a series of blows, the 
principle of the construction and action of the several varieties of instruments is 
the same. The piston, plunger, bolt, or striker traverses the cylinder inde endently 
of the “tool-head” or “tool-holder,” or of the operating tool, and through a 
greater distance, and moreover does not pass out of the steam-cylinder, but gives 
the blow, or series of blows, “ shuttle-like” within the cylinder upon the “ tool- 
holder ” or “ tool-head,” which is free to slide backward and forward within one end 
of the steam-cylinder; and the change of motion, or the rapidity of action, of the 
moving part or parts within the cylinder is effected by inside tappets, or the com- 
bined action of a tappet or tappets and asteam-piston valve. The outer form of such 
instruments, and the arrangement and combination of their parts, have of course to 
be varied to suit the special purpose for which they are intended to be used. 
In every case the cylinder is provided with a bolt, piston, or plunger, capable of 
traversing backward and forward upon the admission of steam in either direction. 
This moving part has sufficient weight to enable it to accumulate the vis viva due to 
almost the full pressure of the steam upon its end surface, or area, and by its 
impact to give out this force upon the rivet, or other surface operated upon, 
through the intervention of a “tool-head” or “ tool-holder.” 
For the admission of steam to the slide-valve chest of the cylinder, it is pre- 
ferred to used a small gridiron valve, which may be kept close by a spring, and is 
opened by means of pressure on a thumb-piece or lever. The gridiron slide-valves, 
having back and front sliding faces alike, are in equilibrium. A cock or any other 
suitable valve contrivance may, however, be substituted. 
The steam is conveyed from the boiler to the apparatus by means of a flexible 
pipe, or by metal tubing and flexible pipe combined. The exhaust-nozzle may be 
on the middle of the valve-chest cover, and have a short elbow or other form of 
pipe to direct the exhaust steam from the operator, and is under the control of the 
person using the apparatus ; but a stud or stop-pin may be inserted through the 
cylinder and the gland, to prevent the chipper or the tool-head being driven out; 
and also a spiral or other reacting spring should be introduced, for the purpose of 
overcoming the friction between the tool-head or holder and the gland and the 
stutting-box, and thus return the chipping or other tool, or the teol-head or tool- 
holder, after each blow, back to its normal position. 
The tool-head may be itself the operating tool, or it may be a socket to contain 
the tool required ; but, whatever its form may be, and whether brought back by a 
spring or not, its travel or motion backward and forward, or in and out, is in every 
case less than that of the piston, bolt, or striker, 
This apparatus, when designed as a “riveter,” is provided with suitable handles, 
for the purpose of holding and guiding the apparatus while it is in operation, and 
also with handles whereby to lift it from one position of the work to another. 
——. 
