Proceedings, &c, for 1885. 157 



The President announced that Dr. M'Gillivray's paper on " The 

 Classification of Polyzoa" was not completed, and therefore called 

 on the Secretary to read Mr. Lockhart Morton's paper on "An 

 Apparatus for Obtainiog Force from the Flow of the Tides," Mr. 

 Morton not being a member of the Society. 



The Secretary (Mr, Sutherland) read the paper, and the Presi- 

 dent then requested Mr. Morton to explain the model of his 

 apparatus, and to address the meeting in elucidation of his views. 



Mr. Ellery said that he thought the proposal feasible. There 

 is no doubt immense power in tidal rise and fall, to both of 

 which Mr. Morton's apparatus was adapted by the shifting clutch 

 by which the action was made reversible. He mentioned another 

 invention of Mr. D'Ebro's for utilising wave motion, which had 

 been successfully brought into practice. 



Mr. White doubted whether the scheme could be made to pay. 

 Machines for utilising tide action were common on the Rhine some 

 years ago, but had since been quite superseded by the use of coal, 

 which was much cheaper and more convenient. Such inventions 

 might be useful when the supply of coal becomes exhausted. 



Mr. Marks said that the force utilised, being both vertical and 

 horizontal, must be intermittent, and the different height of tides 

 at different times would require further appliances to secure 

 uniformity of power. Experiments were very desirable. 



Mr. Sutherland admitted the force of Mr. White's remarks, but 

 thought it probable that new natural forces will develop when the 

 necessity arises. One great advantage of steam power is that it 

 is available anywhere in our towns. While that is the case no 

 one will go to a distant tide apparatus. lb certainly might be 

 transmitted by means of electricity, which would alter the 

 case. 



Mr. White was surprised when he found that the water power 

 of Niagara was so little utilised. The great convenience of steam 

 power gives it most important advantages. 



Mr. Selby said the cost of conveying the power is the difficulty. 

 It had, however, been done ; 40-horse power was said to have 

 been actually transmitted 25 miles, being equal to 80-horse power 

 at the driving end. 



Mr. M'Lean said he had never seen a clutch applied like Mr. 

 Morton's. 



The President said the subject was important as well as interest- 

 ing. Machinery power can be concentrated so much more than 

 animal power. Animal power for engines is now quite superseded, 

 and wind is very uncertain ; streams dry up, also \ and the tides 

 are too distant from where the force is wanted. Nothing can 

 compete with coal for cheapness and convenience. 



Mr. Morton explained that he had provided for the vertical and 

 horizontal force of tidal motion. He gave reasons for thinking 



