Progress of Invention. 143 



the constantly moving endless wire rope. If this element is connected 

 with the ascending portion of the wire rope the train ascends : if 

 with the descending portion, it descends, and exactly at the proper 

 speed : if it is connected with neither, the train remains stationary, 

 being prevented from descending by that part of the cable which 

 happens at the time to be aronnd the drum. The velocity with 

 which the wire rope moves is very great ; but this velocity is 

 changed into power, by the system of wheels and pinions in the 

 traction waggon ; the required fulcrum being supplied by the strong 

 cable. 



Novel use of Water Pressure. — Pew persons not familiar 

 with mechanics have any idea of the enormous loss of power which 

 occurs when the masses to be moved are large, and the velocity is 

 high. Priction is greatly diminished by lubricating substances, and 

 still more by friction rollers, but, with ponderous machinery the 

 application of the latter is rarely possible. A contrivance calculated 

 to supply the place of friction rollers, and even to surpass them in 

 efficiency, is coming into use in France. Water, to which a sufficient 

 pressure has been imparted by forcing air into the tank in which it 

 is contained, is made to flow out between the axle and the bearings 

 which sustain it — so as actually to keep the axle lifted out of contact 

 with the surfaces on which it rests. A water pressure of ten atmos- 

 pheres was found sufficient to effect this with a fly-wheel weighing 

 35,000 kilogrammes. When this wheel is first started, the bearings 

 are merely lubricated in the ordinary way : but the water is turned 

 on immediately, which causes a very great increase in the velocity 

 of rotation, without any change in the amount of moving power.. 

 In experiments which were made to ascertain the efficiency of the 

 principle, it was found that, with merely well greased bearings, the 

 co-efficient of friction was ten per cent., but that, when the water 

 pressure was used, it fell to 0"001, and was never more than - 003. 

 This arrangement is well suited to the bearing of screw propellers, 

 etc., where heavy weights are to be moved at high velocities ; and 

 to test its efficiency, the French Government has ordered it to be 

 applied to the propeller of the screw steam- tug, " Elorn." 



Use of ISTon-insulated Wire for Electro-Magnetism. — A com- 

 munication made by M. de Moncel to the French Academy of 

 Sciences, at its sitting on the 6th of January, has excited con- 

 siderable interest, and caused a large amount of controversy. 

 He announced that, in verifying some experiments of M. Carlier, 

 with regard to the use of non-insulated wire, which was described 

 in our last number, he not only ascertained the correctness of 

 M. Carlier's assertions, but arrived at results that filled him with 

 astonishment. He found that not only are helices made of non- 

 insulated wire capable of producing all the results attainable with 

 those in which insulated wire is employed, but that the power is 

 often doubled. He ascertained that, to effect this, it is only 

 necessary to separate the different layers of coils with paper, 

 and, if the bobbin is of metal, to insulate it. He considered the 

 increased power, obtained in this way, as due to the derivative 

 currents which pass across the coils at the points of contact, 



