682 
HANCOCK’S STEAM CARRIAGE. 
At the Benuington furnace, a kiln of simi- 
lar form was constructed of brick, above the 
level of the ground, and covered by a perma- 
nent dome of brick. In the wall a door was 
left for the introduction of the wood, and this 
was subsequently bricked U(). Vents were 
formed by leaving bricks loose in the wall, 
and when the process was complete, the fire 
was extinguished by means of water. An 
unexpected benefit was found to arise from 
the latter operation ; for the coal, becoming 
charged with aqueous vapour, was as fit for 
immediate use, as that which had been pre- 
pared for several months. 
It is estimated that the product of kilns of 
this kind in France, is about 25 per cent 
more than in a coal-pit. "i he experiment at 
the West Point Foundry was more advanta- 
geous, the product having 50 per cent more 
than was obtained in tbe usual method. In 
France the main object w'as the pyrolignous 
acid, which at West Point was neglected ; 
and this difference in the object will account 
for the difference in the results. The mode 
of placing the wood was also different ; 
the French using that which has been descri- 
bed above, while at the West Point it was 
placed vertically. 
In the pine forests of Sweden, an appara- 
tus better suited to the collection of the tur- 
pentine that kind of wood furnishes, has been 
invented by Schwartz. '1 his kiln is composed 
of a vault, built of brick or silicious stone 
laid in a mixture of clay and sand. Common 
mortar must not be used, as it would not 
only be effected by the heat, but would be 
completely destroyed by the pyrolignous acid. 
The vault is closed at each end by a vertical 
wall of the same kind of masonry. The floor 
of the kiln is of earth, and has the figure of 
two planes slightly inclined, and meeting in a 
gutter in the middle of the longer sides of the 
vault. In each end wall are two fire places, 
and in one of them are four openings for in- 
troducing the wood and withdrawing the char- 
coal. The smoke and vapour are carried off 
by flues of cast iron at the level of the ground, 
and proceeding from the middle of the larger 
sides of the vault ; these rainate in channels 
where the vapour is condensed, and which 
convey the smoke to two vertical chimneys. 
A section of this kiln is represented in 
fig. 6. 
The advantage of this arranament is, that 
no air can enter the kiln without passing 
through the fire-places which are kept full 
of burning fuel ; and that the fuel w’hich is 
best suited for this purpose (small branches 
and twigs), is useless in making charcoal. In 
placing the wood, the pieces are laid parallel 
to the largest sides of the vault, and in such 
manner as to leave as little space as possible 
except in the neighbourhood of the flues, which 
must be kept free for the escape of smoke 
and vapour. Two days are sufficient to con- 
vert the wood into charcoal, and the end of 
the process is known by the appearance of the 
blue flame of carburetted hydrogen at the 
chimneys. The whole of the openings are 
then closed, and luted with clay. 
At the end of two days, two holes, left for 
the purpose in the arch of the vault, but 
which have during the process been carefully 
closed, are opened, and water thrown in to 
cool the charcoal ; these holes are then closed 
again. At the end of three or four days more, 
one of the doors in the end wall is opened, 
and more water thrown in ; but the charcoal 
will not be ready to be removed, until all the 
external parts of the apparatus have become 
as cold as the surrounding air. 
This kind of furnace has been much used 
in Europe, and the quantity of charcoal 
obtained is one -third more than is obtained 
from coal-pits. The turpentine and acetic 
acid are also saved, which in other cases are 
lost. There can be no doubt that it might 
be introduced to advantage in those parts of 
our country where iron is manufactured by 
means of charcoal prepared from pine wood. 
In using kilns of either description, it be- 
comes a matter of calculation whether it be 
cheaper to manufacture the charcoal in the 
woods in the usual nanner, or to carry the 
wood to the kiln. Thd weight of the charcoal 
to be transported will be only seventeen parts 
of that of the wood ; while the charcoal ob- 
tained by the kilns will be certainly one-third 
more than that procured from the pits. It 
must therefore appear that the value of the 
additional charcoal shall be at least equiva- 
lent to the cost of transporting the wood to 
the kiln. It is also to be remarked, that 
charcoal prepared on the spot where it is to 
be used is better than that which has here 
been handled and carried over rough roads, 
and that all waste is avoided.— MecAvmcs’ 
Magazine. 
MR. HANCOCK’S STEAM-CARRIAGE 
AUTOMATON,” AND STATEMENT 
OF HIS LATE I'RAFFIC BETWEEN 
THE BANK AND PADDINGTON. 
On our frontpage* we present our readers 
with an engraving of the “ Automaton,” the 
last steam -carriage built by Mr. Hancock. 
One or other of this gentleman’s carriage.^ 
have been travelling, without intermission, 
since the 1 Ith of May last. I hat steam-loco- 
motion on common roads is both practicable 
and safe to the passengers and the public, he 
has proved ; it remains for him to show(which 
it will be seen by the following letter, contain- 
ing a statement of his late performances, he 
promises shortly to do), that his travelling has 
been economical, so as to return a fair profit to 
any capitalist who may embark his money in 
a speculation of the kind. 
Mr. Hancock is now the only engineer 
witha steam-carriage on any road. Sir Charles 
Dance, Colonel Maceroni. Dr. Church, 
Messrs. Ogle, Summers, Squire, Russel, 
Redmund, Hea.tou, Maudsley, Frazer, and 
a host of others— where are they? Echo an- 
swers — “ Where !” Strange to say, however , 
we see steam-carriage companies advertised, - 
whose engineers have either never yet built a 
♦ See plate viii, fig'. 7. 
