150 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
Tlie power-loom combines within itself many important im- 
provements in twills and figure-weaving’. The revolving shuttle- 
box, and the changes that may be effected in colour and form, 
cause a close run between it and the Jacquard ; and many of 
the beautiful fabrics in cotton, wool, alpacas, and mixed goods, 
are woven by these looms, and that with a degree of despatch 
equivalent to nearly forty yards of cloth per loom per diem. 
To this department of machinery the contributions have been 
large and successful, and pattern looms from almost every 
district distinguished for a particular manufacture have been 
exhibited. 
The same degree of progress is observable in flax machinery 
as in cotton ; and the screw-gill machinery first introduced by 
the late Sir Peter Fairbairn is strikingly exemplified in the 
Exhibition. A whole train of this machinery, consisting of 
heckling, carding, roving, and spinning, is exhibited by different 
makers ; and judging from the superior workmanship and 
adaptation of the machines to the various processes, we should 
infer, that in flax the same progressive improvement exists as in 
that of cotton or any other description of manufacture. The 
same may be said of the long wool, alpaca, and mohair manufac- 
ture ; but it is much to be regretted that samples from the 
great works of Saltaire have not been exhibited. The Exhibi- 
tion has not been well represented in short- wool machinery ; 
but several specimens from Leeds and the West of England are 
to be seen, exhibiting improvements on the old system of 
manufacture. From Belgium there are, however, some very 
good machines, together with several ingenious contrivances 
for the preparatory process, and for the ultimate finish given to 
the cloth. In the manufacture of woollen cloth, the Belgians 
are not behind, if they are not in advance of the manufacturers 
of this country. 
Locomotive Machinery ancl Railway Plant . — Of all the changes 
effected by steam, that of locomotive travelling on a road of 
iron is the most wonderful, and this country has reason to be 
proud that it has cradled and nursed this Herculean machine 
from infancy to maturity. It is not the invention of one indi- 
vidual, but the labour of many; and none have done more for 
insuring its efficiency than the two Stephensons, father and 
son ; not that the late George Stephenson had any extraordi- 
nary inventive powers, but he possessed a keen sense of obser- 
vation, and an indomitable perseverance in every pursuit in 
which he was engaged ; and hence followed Iris great success as 
a railway engineer. It is curious to trace the early beginnings 
and history of this machine from the time of Trevethiek and 
Blenkinsop (as given by Mr. Smiles in his interesting work, 
“ The Lives of the Engineers”), to its final completion in its 
