"218 Mr. R. H. M. Bosanquet on the 



should justify the confidence of the College. I then sent in 

 an application to the Government-Grant Committee ; the ap- 

 plication resulted in a grant of £152. I propose now to give 

 a slight account of the progress of the various arrangements. 

 Gas and Water. — It was found that it would be necessary 

 to have a direct gas-supply, independent of the general supply 

 of the college. The water-supply was brought in through the 

 same route. The gas-main was laid through the concrete of 

 the floor as far as the meter; and incidentally it was thus 

 learned how hard that concrete is. The gas-main is 1^ inch 

 in diameter throughout. Subsequent experience has shown 

 that it might have been somewhat larger with advantage. The 

 laying of these pipes occupied nearly two months, and was a 

 most severe trial to the patience of the neighbours. The meter 

 is a 50-light meter. It is placed in the porch. The main 

 running to it nowhere appears above the floor until just before 

 it reaches the meter, a most necessary precaution in case of 

 accidents. A 50-light meter is supposed to be able to pass 

 300 cubic feet of gas per hour ; it will pass somewhat more 

 without difficulty. 



The water-supply is only an inch pipe. I considered the 

 possibility of employing a water-engine; and if the Oxford 

 water-works had been conducted in the modern fashion, so 

 that a fair pressure could have been reasonably depended upon, 

 I should have unhesitatingly preferred the water-engine as a 

 source of power; but under the existing circumstances the 

 water-service is not available for these purposes. The inch 

 pipe already available was therefore thought sufficient. The 

 details of the water-arrangements are hardly worth dwelling 

 on, though they are elaborate and took a long time to carry 

 out. 



Steam-engine and Boiler. — Though the hot-air engine men- 

 tioned im my original paper would have been sufficient for 

 some purposes, yet it possesses very small power; and with 

 the improved site I determined to employ a steam-engine. 

 The gas-engine is far more economical than a steam-engine 

 for small powers; and if I had had a second room, I should 

 certainly have employed a gas-engine. As I was situated, 

 having only the one room at my disposal, I was obliged to 

 seek for some mechanism that should be as nearly as possible 

 noiseless. I selected a steam-engine mainly on this ground — 

 a Willan's engine, which, although intended primarily as a 

 high-speed engine for steam-launches, yet runs very smoothly 

 at low speeds. The boiler, with the engine, feed-pump, and 

 a surface condenser, are all bolted down to a cast-iron base- 

 plate, which rests on the floor; and there is little vibration. 



