at the Northampton Meeting, 1847. 



359 



I: 'was resolved imanimously, 

 That in the opinion of this meeting the judges are chargeable with 

 great injustice towards the unsuccessful exhibitors of steam-engines in 

 awarding the prize of 50/., offered bj the Society for the best sieam- 

 engine, to the one which, of all those exhibited, they consider the least 

 enrirled to the prize ; and that bearing in mind the determination, so 

 emphatically expressed by the judges, to pay particular attenrion to the 

 prevention of danger, the consijmpcion of fuel, the pressure of steam, 

 strength and capacity of boiler, and to all points anecting the safety of 

 the public, this meeting are at a loss to account for so flagrant a viola- 

 tion of these principles as the award of the prize to an engine, which, it 

 is notorious, consumed nearly twice as much coal as some others exhi- 

 bited j was working at a pressure exceeding 80 lbs. per inch, and at a 

 speed of from 240 to 250 revolutions per minute. The resiiit of whicb 

 (as must be anricipated) was the partial destruction of the thrashing- 

 machine, at the imminent danser of all parties employed about it. 



2ndly. That this meeting are further of opinion that a deception has 

 been practised upon the judges in the entry of Mr. Cambridge's steam- 

 engine as one of four-horse power, whereas the capacity of the cylinder, 

 viz.. 6 inches, with a 12-inch stroke, are only equivalent (at a pressure 

 of steam that may be considered as safe in the hands of inexperienced 

 persons; to about three-horse poicer. That an erroneous impression is 

 thereby created as to the relative price of the engine ; and that, under 

 these circumstances, the engine is disqualified from competing, and 

 therefore not entitled to the prize. 



.Srdly. That this meering are much, disappointed that the disposal of 

 the prize for steam-engines has not been deputed to Mr. Parkes, or some 

 other practical competent engineer, and express their determinatioa 

 never to exhibit steam-engines at the future meetings of the Society 

 until such an arrangement shall be made as will ensure them an ample 

 trial and a proper adjudication. 



(Signed) TVii. Bloxsom. 



Barrett, Ashton, & Co. 



Rtland & Deax. 



David Ogg & Sox. 



Thos. Johxsox. 



The Council having taken this protest into consideration, de- 

 termined temporarily towitiahokl the prize awarded to jvlr. Cam- 

 bridge, and submitted to the judges two queries, as to the diameter 

 of the cylinder and lengtb of the stroke of the engine in question ; 

 to which they replied, tbat the diameter of the cylinder was 

 6 inches; the length of the stroke \'2\ inches. These measure- 

 ments were taken from an engine made by !Mr. Cambridge, aud 

 precisely similar in all respects to that exhibited bv him at Xorih- 

 ampton, in possession of Mr. Miles, of Lei2"h Court, near Bristol, 

 the working of which engine Messrs. Morton and Love privately 

 inspected on Monday the 13th of September, and forwarded to 

 Mr. [Miles the following report respecting its sreneral working, 

 and reasons for their judgment : — 



2 b2 



