158 
REPORT— 1854. 
and the blow struck will have much greater effect. Mechanical contrivances might 
be introduced for changing the shape and the directions of the penetrating point. 
Jt was suggested in the discussion that ensued, that a similar effect might be more 
readily produced by the employment of vulcanized india-rubber springs. Mr. 
Nasmyth observed that any clastic medium would answer the purpose; but air 
suggested itself as affording greater extent of spring. 
r. Nasmyth explained a plan for destroying ships by means of a marine 
or ar fixed at the bow of a strongly built vessel to be propelled by steam-power. 
He proposed to place in the how of the vessel, and projecting about 2 feet beyond 
i, a case large enough to contain about six hundredweight of gunpowder. A per¬ 
cussion ball was to be inserted at the back of the reservoir of gunpowder to explode 
at the instant that it struck against the ship to be destroyed. The mortar vessel 
blocks Of timber, eo strongly us to be able itself to resist the 
e . of the explosion, which would completely destroy the enemy’s ship. Such h 
“E"" r ™> p { ar ' " stated, could be amply manned by " three brave fellow*/' 
i Vv, ° U f X secured from danger by the strength of the ship and its recoil, and 
,, y ° n f ,c ^l > y |u K positions least exposed to injury, even should the explosion do 
damage to the parts nearest to it. 
. ■ n ff-*r,u TTU < C4Cn . IPI ! l lightning Conductor for Chimneys, which he con- 
nun ti 1 mo f e l ,e, *V ct ln *ulntion, and is therefore safer than those in common 
holdfast. C P ractlce is the conductor outside the chimney by metal 
damnaed’he *” eans ' durin g severe thunder-storms, chimneys are often 
brie k It?Hi points of attachment and displacing the 
metal ‘rod iVsusn,„ Hn i i Xlng • t J" i condllc t'J*' recommended bv Mr. Nasmyth, the 
on tho to , A SSK,*5° of the chimney by branching supports five,I 
”eveX?niured oSS? ?r ^ kind had P™»d efficient in storms which had 
usual manner An e Dno 'Khbourhood that were protected in the 
plan*. ’ An “perience of eighteen years had tested the superiority of the 
adopted rai,Wa y signals, which he considered might be 
engine-driver One n?*uf 0r offl : c . tin B communication between the guard ami the 
S whUtle fixeS . h T ' Vh,cU he * aid Wft ’ «* Chinese origin, consisted of a 
made a shrill Bound r *?°v 8tlck ' ^hich when thrown rapidly through the air, 
it from a pistol He ffu* •’ ^. Orton 8ai ‘ J » the best mean= of propulsion was to fire 
whS he Cd the whisM with great success ; for the engineer, 
the steam-whistle * * >aB6ln 8 ovcr h* 8 head, responded immediately by sounding 
Ughtning'conducmri ^ i ntr^erf faLl ” f ° r h ,i* °P ini,,n ' “W that be bad no ol.jccdo.i to 
duclor attached to tl.c- 0 r vil* "?„ WC , as °" tslde n f building*. The lightning con 
the column • he would I . \ k * pillar u fi * ed outside, to the great disfigurement of 
bad, unless'.SsreTe , ont int r‘ A " near the conductor.* 
Instance of damage d-me ij 2.1"' , eonduction to the ground. lie jnendoned 'bf 
nine having panned from ii. g,1,ho,t * c in consequence of part of die discharge of light 
a ‘l 16 ,,na ' ,ttrhcd ,ead « ,hC 
safely rnn l«d tetwJn tS!? 0 /' by ,W MechanW Section wM, how far they could 
ducontinuou* scries of such minir^ 1 n , SIr ucturc ; for if it were done partially, 
being di,placed by the elecmV l u fiUitc, ' in K i - ‘here would be great danger of the s‘ un - 
taken th.« they aSSim s,lch '“tenlng* are used, oft should be 
Some persons conreived that a ! ld /T ,t ' 1 tJ '. c earlh h Y “ continuous metallic condu • 
building by gin*. i,.,, -n ,‘ h 1 desirable to insulate the conductor from the wah , 
could be ?eS“cd frnm ^ A. distance to which the 
compared with the distance ihrnn^i^ Interposed insulator was altogether imigni 
clouds to the earth. On beta* afked wh* i! ' G ,ightnin * n " ,5t P®** in * discharge Iroi ^ 
copper rod, .Prof. Faraday JL m ** . whc,hcr « flat strip of copper was not better tbs _ 
substance and quality of the metal «»*ih" Pe ° f 1,10 c ' >nd,,ctor >* hmoatwial, provide 
/ meiui ore the santc.—[Note by Editob.] 
