442 Report on the Trials of Implements at Oxford. 
lation. The admirable report, which is, we venture to saj, quite 
unique, goes so thoroughly into the subject, that we feel com- 
ment on our part would be superfluous. Nevertheless, we must 
call particular attention to the importance of ascertaining the 
ev aporation of water in each experiment, and making the same 
a material element in the calculation. The object of the Society 
is to find out the best engine ; and, to do this, we must eliminate 
all sources of error. The comparative skill of the driver is a 
point that must be ascertained. All that is necessary is to have 
a graduated water-tank, and note the quantity consumed. It will 
be seen in the report that a difference of from 10 to 11 per cent, 
of effective force from a given quantity of fuel resulted from 
driving. This being so, it would be interesting to the public, 
and encouraging to the men, if the Society were to offer prizes 
for the best driving. In the case of engines worked from the 
Society's boiler, the quantity of water consumed would be the 
test, but if separate trials were considered necessary, there would 
be no great difficulty in carrying them out, the materials required 
being an engine and boiler, a friction-break, and a given quantity 
of fuel. At Oxford, vertical engines and boilers combined com- 
peted with horizontals. The former are somewhat new ; they 
can be built considerably cheaper than horizontal engines, or 
engines with separate boilers; they occupy much less area, which 
may be an advantage in some cases, but they burn considerably 
more fuel, and do less work. We gather from the trials that a 
good horizontal engine, i. e. a portable engine, deprived of its 
wheels and put on a bed-frame, will consume 4 lbs. of coal per 
horse-power. A good vertical engine took 6 lbs. of coal for the 
same results, whilst others varied from 8 to 27 lbs. 
The question of cost is of minor importance as compared with 
durability and efficiency ; hence we think the vertical engines 
and boiler, though suited to particular situations, are not so 
worthy of recommendation as the horizontal engine. Should, 
however, the public continue to support the manufacture of 
vertical engines, it will be well to give them a separate class, 
as, except on the score of price, they cannot compete with good 
horizontal engines. At Oxford the restrictions were few, and 
great latitude was allowed in details. This is, to a certain ex- 
tent, wise, but an opportunity is thereby afforded — which, in one 
or two instances, was taken advantage of — to run with parts 
admirably adapted for racing, but not of sufficient substance for 
ordinary wear and tear. Thus we think that tubes, firebars, 6cc., 
cylinders, water-space over fire-box, &c., should be of specific 
dimensions. Only a limited quantity of oil should be allowed 
during an experiment. Formerly it was much more the case 
than now to prepare an engine specially for trial, and thus 
