412 
Report on the Exhibition of Imjilemcnts 
accompanying tabular statement, it will be proper to mention that 
we commenced by trying all the thrashing-machines by horse- 
power, allowing the exhibitors the management of their own 
machines, but from the irregular manner in which sets of horses 
draw when they are ill assorted and unused to work together, and 
especially from some sets being much superior to others, we were 
anxious to try steam-power, and all those machines which thrashed 
clean at the first trial were allowed, if they wished it, to have a 
second trial by steam. At the second trial, however, we were 
still unable to ascertain the power required to drive the several 
machines; but subsequently, tlie consulting engineer applied an 
instrument to the working engine which registered the amount 
of power required in each case. The results of these successive 
trials are shown in the tabular statements, Nos. 1, 2, 3. 
Having thus obtained both the time and the power required 
by each machine to do the same amount of work, our decision 
was made without difficulty. The points to which we espe- 
cially attended during the trial were, 1st, Quality of work ; 
2nd, Power required ; 3rd, Time ; which we have arranged 
in the order of their importance. There are, however, other 
considerations, such as mechanical arrangement, strength, and 
good workmanship, which cannot be given in a tabular form. 
In this part of the examination we were assisted by Mr. Amos, the 
consulting engineer ; and after giving every attention in our power 
to all the above-mentioned points, we decided in favour of 
Mr. Garrett's machine. We wish to mention that Mr. Hornsby 
was unfortunate in tlie last trial. The sheaves of wheat which we 
had been using up to that time were finished before his machine 
was tried, and we were obliged to use sheaves grown in another 
field and larger than those used in the trials of all the other 
machines.'' 
Tiie foregoing tabular statement, together with the Judges' 
remarks would, untler ordinary circumstances, have sufficiently 
indicated the comparative merits of the respective machines; but 
as Mr. Cambridge has inserted letters in the public papers calhng 
in quesli(m the correctness of the Judges' award, it will, perhaps, 
be satisfactory to him to know the exact grounds on which their 
decision was made. In the two first trials, it will be observed 
that his machine thrashed 50 sheaves in 'imin. 20 sec, and 
100 sheaves in 4 min. I'isec, whereas the prize machine took 
3 min. 30 sec. to thrash 50, and 5 min. 9 sec. to thrash 100 
sheaves ; and though it was very observable that Cambridge's 
machine took much more draught, still, in the absence of any 
means of registering the power required, it was doubtful whether 
the irreat raj)idity with which it got through its work ought not to 
entitle it to the prize. When the force-resister however was 
