Proceedings of the British Association. 585 



was, that factories have no special influence in producing scrofulous 

 disease, or its peculiar manifestation, consumption. 



Dr. Alison, in a few brief remarks ; confirmed generally the accuracy 

 of Mr. Noble's views. 



Section G. — MECHANICAL SCIENCE. 



Prof. Willis, President, in the chair. After a few preliminary obser- 

 vations by the President, Prof. Willis, and Sir J. Robison — 



Prof. Vignoles read the Report of the Committee on Railway Sections. 

 He stated that a grant had been made by the Association of 200/., for 

 the purpose of obtaining profiles and sections of railways. Labour 

 directed by science, and supported by commercial enterprise, laid bare 

 the structure of highly interesting mineral districts in the deep chasms 

 of railway cuttings ; and to obtain accurate representations of these from 

 actual observation and measurement, before they were soiled over and 

 covered with vegetation, was the object of the Committee ; and they 

 offered these drawings as a valuable record of geology to the philoso- 

 pher, and a guide to the practical engineer. Every method had been 

 pursued which could ensure accuracy ; and the drawings (which were 

 enumerated) were to be deposited by order of the British Association 

 in the Museum of Economic Geology, to serve as a permanent re- 

 ference. In conclusion, he expressed a hope that after another year's 

 trial of the great utility of these profiles and sections, the subject 

 would be taken up by government, and carried out in the Geological 

 Survey of Great Britain, now conducted by Sir H. De la Beche in 

 conjunction with the Trigonometrical Survey under Col. Colby. 



Mr. Bateman observed, that a report and drawings on the same 

 subject were in preparation of the Manchester and Liverpool Railway. 

 — Prof. Willis suggested that it would be desirable that all plans and 

 drawings of this description should be laid down on the same scale, by 

 which means greater facility of reference and comparison would be 

 obtained. 



Mr. Bateman read a paper ' On a new Self-acting Weir and Scouring . 

 Sluice,' of his invention. He remarked, that the great objections to 

 fixed weirs and dams were, that by causing a partial stagnation in the 

 water above them, they allowed the bed of the stream to be silted 

 up by the deposition of mud, gravel, &c, whereas the proposed weir 

 would adjust itself to the various changes in the condition of the 

 stream, and prevent any filling up of the channel by making the stream 

 clear itself. Mr. Bateman 's weir is composed of two leaves turning 

 horizontally on pivots, which are placed below the centres of the 



4 F 



