596 
that the mere adhesion between the smooth wheels and 
smooth rails was completely insufficient to prevent 
slipping. 
In the year 1812 William Hedley was viewer at the 
Wylam Colliery, and in order to reduce the working 
expenses he endeavoured to construct an engine to haul 
the coal waggons from the colliery to the river, and to do 
it cheaper than by horse haulage. At this time he had 
a knowledge of what others had done in this direction, 
but was forcibly impressed with the idea that the weight 
of an engine was sufficient for the purpose of enabling it 
to draw a train of loaded waggons. After having made 
successful experiments to prove the idea correct, he set 
to work and constructed his first engine, which, when 
completed, did not prove a success owing to shortness 
of steam, and a second one was made. The second 
one, the well-known “ Puffing Billy,” was put to work in 
May, 1813, and was a complete success. This may be 
safely called the first practical and efficient locomotive 
ever constructed. It had a return-tube boiler of wrought 
iron, vertical cylinders, and was placed on four wheels. 
Very soon after the engine commenced to work the 
exhaust steam was turned into the chimney to create a 
blast on the fire. This engine worked nearly continuously 
until 1862, when it was bought, and has now found an 
honourable resting-place in South Kensington Museum. 
Puffing Billy was put to work in 1813, nearly a year 
before Stephenson’s first engine was tried at Killingworth 
in 1814, thus proving without doubt that William Hedley 
was the first man to construct the first practically suc- 
cessful locomotive engine, and the first economical substi- 
tute for animal power. 
It should not be thought that our author claims for 
Hedley the fame of being the first to develop the railways. 
Puffing Billy was at work sixteen years before the cele- 
brated Rainhill contest took place, and ten years before 
locomotives were allowed to work the goods traffic on the 
Stockton and Darlington Railway. 
Stephenson’s success may be dated from the Rain- 
hill contest in 1829; and he was one of the first 
men to bring the present railway system forward and 
develop it. At the same time William James must not 
be forgotten ; he surveyed the Manchester and Liverpool 
Railway before Stephenson was placed in charge of the 
Railway Works, and had it not been for a difference of 
opinion on certain technical points, William James would 
have been the engineer of the line until open for traffic. 
Again, William James went to see Stephenson’s engine, 
before Stephenson came to Liverpool, finding him an 
intelligent working man and the engine a success, he 
brought Stephenson to Liverpool, where he eventually 
commenced his successful career. 
The author is to be congratulated on having proved his 
case, and in the preface he truly says: “ Without William 
Hedley, George Stephenson might have lived in vain. 
It was William Hedley who gave the locomotive its life 
and power, and made the work of other men possible.” 
The book is very interesting, and is useful as a book 
of reference, the appendix containing extracts from the 
opinions of many writers, and letters from men able to 
give information on the subject. This little book will 
prove useful to all who wish to know the facts concerning 
William Hedley and his inventions. TN ey oles 
NATURE 
[ Oct. 22, 1885 
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 
[ The Editor does not hold himself responsiblefor opinions expressed 
by his correspondents. Neither can he undertake to return, 
or to correspond with the writers of, rejected manuscripts. 
No notice is taken of anonymous communications. 
[The Editor urgently requests correspondents to keep their letters 
as short as possible. The pressure on his space ts so great 
that it is impossible otherwise to insure the appearance even 
of communications containing interesting and novel facts. 
Shotfiring in Mines 
FOR some time past I have been conducting a series of shot- 
firing experiments at Dowlais and elsewhere on behalf of the 
Royal Commission on Accidents in Mines. Towards the end 
of August last Prof. C. G. Kreischer, of Freiberg in Saxony, 
visited me at Cardiff for the purpose of conferring with me on 
the coal-dust question. The experiments at Dowlais have a 
direct bearing on that subject, so, after pointing out to Prof. 
Kreischer the perfectly private nature of the investigation and 
the delicate position in which I would be placed were the results 
allowed to transpire through any channel other than the Royal 
Commission, and having received his assurance that such a con- 
tingency was impossible as far as he was concerned, I asked 
him to accompany me to Dowlais, so that he might witness some 
of the experiments on August 28 and September 1. 
On the second (?) day Prof. Kreischer asked my permission to 
write to his friends in Germany, suggesting that they might make 
a few similar experiments privately in an apparatus that had 
been set up at Zwickau, at the expense of the Saxon Govern- 
ment, for the purpose of conducting a series of experiments with 
coal-dust. He again assured me that no publication of results 
would take place until after those obtained here were made 
known, and offered, if I had the least doubt as to the integrity 
of his friends, not to put it in their power to anticipate our 
results by not writing to them at all. 
I did not feel justified in resisting such an appeal to my trust- 
fulness, and agreed to his proposal. 
A few days ago I received the following letter, which I shall 
be glad if you will kindly publish, along with my answer. 
Sir F. A. Abel is the inventor of the dynamite water-cartridge, 
and not myself, as might be inferred from the article in 
Glickauf. W. GALLOWAY 
Freiburg, October 2, 1885 
HOCHGEEHRTER FREUND.—Es war mir unméglich wieder 
nach Cardiff zuriickzukehren da wir uns zu lange im Durham- 
reviere aufgehalten hatten und die Zeit meiner zulassigen Bleibens 
in England sich allzusehr dem Ende zuneigte. Leider bin ich 
dadurch um das Vergniigen gekommen noch einmal mit Ihnen ~ 
persOnlich verkehren zu k6nnen, doch hoffe ich, dass wir uns bald 
einmal wieder sehen, vielleicht in Zwickau. 
Die Schiessversuche mit Wasserbesatz und Pulver. der 
Versuchsstrecke haben sowohl in Zwickau als auch in 
Neunkirchen zu guten Resultaten in so fern geftihrt als die 
Gasen nicht entziindet wurden. Versuche mit Pulver und 
Wasserbesatz in der Plauitzer Kohle ergeben aber in so fern 
keine guten Resultate, als die Schiisse nicht werfen. 
Leider hat Assesser Nonne, welcher den Versuchen beiwohnte, 
ganz gegen unsere Verabredung sogleich die Resultatej dieser 
ersten Versuche in einer kurzen Notiz im Giickauf veroffent 
licht, jedoch ohne ihre Prioritat zu nah zu treten, da Sie besonders 
darin erwahnt sind. Ich hatte ausdriicklich vor jeder Publica- 
tion gewarnt ehe die Ihrige nicht erschienen sei, ein ordinarer 
Character kimmert sich aber um so etwas nicht. 
Bei spaterer Veroffentlichung der Zwickauer Versuche kann 
eventuel darauf Bezug genommen werden. 
Nochmals fiir alle Liebe und Freundschaft, die sie mir so 
vielfaltig erwiesen haben bestens dankend, 
Verbleibe ich mit herzlichem Gliickauf, 
Thr, 
Ergebenster, 
C. G,. KREISCHER 
Herrn Bergingenieur Galloway, Cardiff 
Cardiff, October 9, 1885 
DEAR PROFESSOR KREISCHER,—I have received your letter 
of the 2nd inst. I observe that the friends to whom you sent a 
description of the shot-firing experiments have violated the con- 
ditions under which I gave you permission to make your com- 
munication to them by already publishing their results, as if 
ee di 
