Mr Harford^s Improvement on Puddling Furnaces. ^9 
proposed, because we know that the ice-boat upon the great ca* 
nal before mentioned, with the power of a few horses, breaks the 
very solid ice of the canal, where it forms a firm compact sheet 
from bank to bank. 
I need not enter upon all the various advantages which will 
arise from the establishment of this steam-boat : they are obvious 
to every one who is acquainted with this district of country. At 
present I cannot give an exact account of the distance which will 
be saved in travelling by this route from Perth to Glasgow. 
The road, however, will be shortened at least from twelve to fif- 
teen miles, which is of great importance to travellers. 
According to my view, the steam-boat will ply summer and 
winter, from morning light till dusk ; the small boats and crew 
being always ready for crossing the river during the night, in 
case of emergency, or during the repairs of the engine in the 
day. 
I estimate the weekly expence of the steam-boat to be as fol- 
lows ; 
Engineer, 
Four boatmen 7 days, at 2s. 6d. 
No fireman. 
Total wages. 
Coals, 2 tons per day, at 6s., 
Tallow, oil, &c. per week, 
L. 1 10 
3 10 0 
L.4 11 0 
4 4 0 
15 0 
Expence per week, - - - L. 10 0 O’' 
3. Mr Harford’s Improvements on Puddling Furnaces. 
An that department of the manufacture of iron called ^ud^ 
dling, cast-irpn bottoms or floors have been generally employed, 
but as these bottoms decay rapidly, and as it has been found 
that the iron slag, scoria or sand, which are employed to defend 
these bottoms from injury, impart impurities to the iron, Mr Plar- 
ford has adopted the following mode of rendering , them durable, 
which he has secured by patent. He spreads over the cast-iron 
bottoms a quantity of charcoal, reduced to powder, which being 
a bad conductor of heat protects the cast-iron floors better than 
any other substance, from the intense heat which is required in 
these furnaces. This very simple contrivance is said to produce 
iron of a very superior quality. 
