522 eeport— 1879. 



sufficient to close it, while a high river -would re-open an entrance. He thought 

 the cost of the enterprise would paralyse the enterprise, and he would suggest an 

 alternative route parallel to the river San Juan, with a canal of very different 

 dimensions, and cost to, that at present contemplated. Starting from Monkey 

 Point, now called Pirn's Bay, forty miles north of Greytown, he would cut a canal 

 from the inner part of that hay down to the Rama river, a distance of some nine 

 miles. The Rama river itself carried deep water some twenty miles into the in- 

 terior, and the remaining seventy miles to the lake of Nicaragua would traverse 

 land offering no particular difficulty. From San Miguelito on Lake Nicaragua hy 

 way of Tipitapa to the northern shores of Lake Nicaragua there was nothing 

 which an engineer would consider a difficulty, and the remainder of the canal to 

 Port Realego could scarcely he said to afford any field for engineering skill. In 

 that scheme a deep water canal was not even contemplated. A depth of eight 

 feet would he amply sufficient, the vessels heing transported on pontoons, such as 

 had heen successfully used in the Victoria Dock for some years; whilst the 

 canal could always he deepened, if desirahle, out of profits. Such a plan would 

 considerably reduce the cost, while other advantages would he gained, such as 

 cleaning the ship's bottom while on the pontoon, which would effect a saving to 

 owners almost if not quite sufficient to pay the canal dues. The canal would not 

 cost more than ten millions. If England and America would join hands and each 

 guarantee 1^ per cent, on that amount, there would be a joint guarantee of 3 per 

 cent., an inducement sufficient for English investors alone to take up the sum in less 

 than a week. What was 1^ per cent, on ten millions ? 150,0002. a year ; a sum 

 annually wasted on any vote of the navy estimates exceeding one million. And 

 what did we get for our money ? A consolidation of the friendly feeling between 

 this country and the United States far more lasting and binding than could be 

 effected by any treaty between the two nations merely guaranteeing the neutrality 

 of the route. The representative of the American Government at the Paris con- 

 gress left no room for doubt as to the line of canal preferred by his Government, 

 and clearly and unmistakably pointed to Nicaragua as the best. He (Captain Pirn) 

 trusted the Government of this country would not for the sake of saving the 

 contribution of 150,000/. for a few years find themselves ultimately compelled to 

 purchase an interest in the new highway at any price which might then be de- 

 manded. He most earnestly hoped that the day would not be far distant when 

 we should see the completion of this great work of inter-oceanic canalisation 

 across Central America. He believed such an undertaking would give a beneficial 

 stimulus to the commerce of the United Kingdom, nay of the whole world, and 

 consequently could not fail to he a great and common boon to mankind. 



2. Cowper's Hot Blast Stoves. By E. A. Cowpee, C.E. 



Mr. Cowper described the improvements introduced in recent years for heating the 

 blast for blowing blast furnaces by a more perfect application of the regenerative sys- 

 tem, by which the waste gases from the top of the blast furnace, when in a state of 

 perfect combustion in the hot blast stove (during the time of heating it) were dis- 

 tributed in a more perfect manner than heretofore, so that the hot products of com- 

 bustion were caused to heat the whole area of the regenerator in an equal manner, the 

 result being a large increase in the power of the stove, as well as a saving of time 

 in the heating. By the improved combustion of the gases, a higher degree of 

 temperature was produced in practice and a higher temperature of blast was 

 realised, whilst the products of combustion finally left the stove at a lower 

 temperature, so that economy of gas followed as a consequence. Upwards of 110 

 stoves were now at work in England, France, Switzerland, and America, giving 

 perfect satisfaction and realising an economy in fuel of 20 to 30 per cent., whilst 

 20 per cent, more iron was made from the same plant, of furnace, blowing engine, 

 and boilers. 





