148 ON THE ENGINEERING MANUFACTURES 



Several of the firms previously mentioned have extensively supplied 

 steam cranes of various powers — Messrs. Thompson and Co. alone having 

 made upwards of 200. 



Messrs. Morrison and Co. are noted for their large steam hammers 

 which they have extensively supplied to the Government, the Elswick 

 Engine Works, and other large establishments, and they have them in 

 their own works of 15 to 20 tons weight together with two steam cranes 

 capable of lifting 50 tons each: 



Although not quite finished, yet on account of its excessive magni- 

 tude it is of some interest to note here that Messrs. Morrison and Co. 

 are now engaged in completing a monster steam hammer for the Russian 

 Government. The forging for the hammer piston is 40 tons, and the 

 enlarged part of the same is 6 feet 6 inches diameter, finished size. The 

 total weight of this hammer, when completed, will be about 550 tons ; 

 the bed alone being 240 tons, and will be cast in three pieces, in its final 

 resting place. It is believed this will be considerably the largest steam 

 hammer in the world. 



The application of steam power to underground haulage has been 

 successfully introduced by Messrs. Thos. Murray and Co., of Chester-le- 

 street, the steam being conveyed to engines underground, from boilers 

 placed above the surface. In this case there are a pair of 18-inch 

 cylinders and 34'eet stroke, working four drums, all on separate shafts* 

 for drawing on a plane and incline. 



Messrs. Murray and Co. have lately erected two 200 high-pressure 

 condensing engines for winding at Ryhope New Winning, the cylinders 

 are 68 inches diameter and 7-feet stroke. These engines can deliver 

 2,000 tons per day, from a depth of 300 fathoms. Also at North Seaton 

 a winding and pumping engine, cylinder, 60 inches diameter and 7-feet 

 stroke, fitted with the first hollow plate iron beam. 



Messrs. Losh, Wilson and Bell were early in the field in the con- 

 struction of steam engines for mills, collieries, and iron works. This 

 firm erected a large pumping engine about thirty years ago for Friars 

 Goose. Also at later dates a large pumping engine for the North Seaton 

 Colliery — diameter of cylinder 76 inches, and 8 feet stroke ; 60 inch 

 double cylinder high pressure engine for the Burradon Colliery, and 

 many engines for blast-furnaces and winding, having steam cylinders of 

 38, 40 and 42 inches diameter. At the present time this firm is largely 

 engaged in the manufacture of surface condensers for mill and other 

 steam engines, in connexion with Mr. J. F. Spencer, the patentee of 

 certain improvements in their application to existing and new engines. 

 This short and limited notice of such an important subject as the 

 development of stationary steam engineering can only serve to indicate 

 in a very limited degree the engineering capabilities of the district. 



Locomotive Engineering. — To this district belongs the undoubted 

 honour of being the birth-place of the locomotive, and this fact must 

 ever be recorded, when the names of Trevethick and Stephenson 



