THE

JOURNAL

OF THE

Franklin Institute,

DEVOTED TO

Science and the Mechanic Arts.

EDITED BY

PROF. HENRY MORTON, PH.D.,

ASSISTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATIONS.

THIRD SERIES.

VOL. LVIII.

WHOLE NUMBER 523.

July-December, 1869.

PHILADELPHIA:

PUBLISHED BY THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE AT THEIR HALL.

Gunpowder Pile-Driver.-On page 218 of our last volume, we gave a full description, with an illustration, of this remarkable machine; we now give the report of some experiments made under the direction of Chief Engineer Wood, of the U. S. N.

Philadelphia, June 15th, 1869. GENTLEMEN:-Having been present by invitation, at the shipyard of John W. Lynn, Esq., of this city, on the 14th inst., to witness the working and operation of Thomas Shaw's patent hammer for driving piles by the agency of gunpowder, and requested to report the action and details of the operation, we herewith briefly state the result to have been as follows: