390 
The following communication was then made to the 
Society : — 
ON THE USE OF WIRE ROPE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR HEMPEN 
ROPE ON RAILWAYS AND IN MINING BY CHARLES 
MORTON, ESQ., WHITWOOD COLLIERY, WAKEFIELD. 
It is peculiarly the business of the members of a Poly- 
technic Society to investigate the merits and failings of new 
inventions in mechanical science, and to publish the results of 
their inquiries. In pursuance of this object, I propose, on 
the present occasion, to lay before you such facts and in- 
formation as have come to my knowledge relative to the 
application of icire ropes to railway and mining purposes ; 
with a view of enabling the members to draw their own con- 
clusions as to their utility and economy when compared with 
hempen ropes. 
In order that I may do this as briefly and concisely as 
possible, I shall, in the first place, give an outline of the 
recommendatory statements published by certain patentees, 
setting forth the superiority of their ropes over the hempen 
ones, as regards lightness, strength, economy, and durability. 
In the next place, I intend to furnish you with a detail of 
some practical trials and experiments, instituted by different 
persons at different places, with a view of testing the accuracy 
of the assertions made by these patentees. And lastly, I 
shall venture to offer to your consideration a few reflections 
and suggestions which have naturally sprung up in my own 
mind during my short, and I fear somewhat imperfect, ex- 
amination of the subject. 
The first information that we have concerning the use of 
wire ropes, comes from the continent of Europe ; and we 
learn that about ten years ago, round ropes, composed of 
twisted iron wire, were introduced into the silver mines of the 
Hartz mountains as a substitute for flat hempen ropes — 
These commonly consisted of three strands, each strand con- 
