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228

THE SILICA SOAP AND WASHING WITH PIPE-CLAY.

time that the ploughs have travelled five-and-a-half miles, and turned over a statute acre of land. This is, in truth, the prime distinguishing feature of the invention; it is the contrivance on which the genius of its author is more particuarly stamped, and which seems to be essential to the economical application of steam to husbandry; for it is evident, that were it requisite to impel the machine with a velocity equal to that of the ploughs, by dragging them with it, a great proportion of the power of the engines would be uselessly expended.

Another valuable property appertaining to the machine, and which conduces greatly to its economy as a bog cultivator is, that it requires no previous outlay in the formation of roads, no preparation of any kind further than a drain on each side of it. That a locomotive machine of such great dimensions and power could be so constructed as to travel on mere raw bog, was an excellence the more appreclated as it was unexpected by those persons who are conversant with the soft, unstable nature of bog. The Irish gentlemen present also pronounced Red Moss to be a fair specimen of the great mass of the flat, red, fibrous bogs of Ireland, and that neither the machine nor the ploughs would have any difficulties to encounter in that country which had not been already overcome on Red Moss, the field of experiment. The engines are capable of working up to fifty horses power, but the operations subsequent to ploughing will require a small force compared with that necessary for breaking up the surface of the bogs, to the depth and at the speed effected by these ploughs. The power consumed by each plough is estimated at about twelve horses, and the weight of the sod operated upon by the plough, from point to heel, is not less than three hundred pounds. The boiler is of unusually large dimensions for locomotive engines, being suited to the use of peat as fuel, so that the culture of a bog will be effected by the produce of its drains. At Red Moss, however, coals are so cheap, being found contiguous to and even under it, that they are used in preference to turf. Eight men are required for the management of the machine and the two ploughs, or at the rate, nearly, of one man per acre; but it must be understood that this number of men will only be required for the first heavy

process, and has no relation to any subsequent operations in the cultivation of bogs, nor to the application of the invention to the culture of hard land.

After passing a sufficient time on the Moss to witness the exhibition of the ploughs, and the various other functions and properties of the machine, the party expressed to Mr. Heathcoat the extreme pleasure they had received, and their earnest hope that he would extend the sphere of his exertions by applying the invention to the culture of stiff clay soils; and more especially to carry into effect those important operations of sub-soil ploughing and improved drainage recently introduced to the agricultural world by Mr. Smith, of Deanston. To effect these processes, great power is essential, and it was evident that Mr. Heathcoat's invention was equally well adapted to them, and would be attended with results no less important than those which will arise from its application to the reclamation and culture of bogs.Morning Chronicle.

THE SILICA SOAP, AND WASHING WITH

PIPE-CLAY.

Sir, I have just observed in your Magazine for last month an article from Dundee, relative to the use of pipe-clay as an auxiliary to soap. In corroboration of the facts stated therein, I beg leave to say, that I and some of my friends have for many years been in the habit of using a silicious clay or species of soapstone, both in solution with water and in combination with soap, and have found it to possess such valuable detergent qualities, as to effect a considerable saving in that article.

I am not aware whether pipe-clay, or a clay such as mine, be the better material; the former you know is highly aluminous, while the principal constituent of that on my land is silex, and differing, I should think, very little, if at all, from the pulp of flint; for the use of which, in the manufacture of soap, you noticed in a late Number that a patent had been obtained.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient servant,
I. S.

Dublin, June 20, 1836.

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Sir,-Inkstands upon the principle of the bird's water-fountain have long been in use, particularly as recipients for red ink. Although this form of inkstand possesses many advantages, still it is liable to several objections; from the particular conformation of the orifice, a very shallow body of ink is contained in the well: being entirely open, it is also constantly covered with a film of dust, which, as it subsides to the bottom, is continually being taken up by the pen, the remaining portion forming a dirty incrustation about the trough. From the shallowness of the well, fine pointed pens are also frequently injured by striking against the glass at the bottom in hasty dipping.

An improvement in this form of inkstand has recently been introduced by Mr. Henry Stephens, in which he has retained all the advantages of the old fountain-inks, and obviated the objections to which they have been liable.

A sketch of one of Mr. Stephens' improved fountain-inks accompanies this paper, by which it will be seen, that the aperture for the pen is a perpendicular, and not a horizontal orifice, and instead of dipping into a shallow well, the pen is inserted obliquely into the body of the ink.

This inkstand was invented by Mr. Stephens for his new writing fluid, for which it is particularly adapted. This valuable substitute for ink possesses characters long held to be desirable by the writing world.

The numerous defects existing in the common writing inks, have been the subject of continual complaint from time immemorial, but which, since the genera

introduction of steel pens, have been felt so much, that many persons who would prefer metal pens, from the uniformity which they give to the text, have been compelled to abandon them from the difficulty they find in their use, owing to the decomposition and want of fluidity in the inks. Mr. Stephens, struck with the importance of the subject, turned his attention to the investigation of the matter, and after a great number of experiments continued for a long period of time, he has succeeded in producing one of the best inks ever submitted to the public. Mr. Stephens' writing fluid is remarkable for the ease with which it flows from and follows every stroke of the pen, for its bright and distinct blue colour when first written with, and the superior blackness which it afterwards invariably acquires.

Some doubts having arisen, or rather, insinuations having been industriously circulated, as to the durability of this ink, Mr. Stephens very justly observes-"The permanence of a colour depends very much upon the weakness or strength of the affinity of its combinations. If to any compound you introduce substances having a stronger affinity to either of the combined matters than the one with which it is united, you disturb the composition and alter its character. If any of the materials are easily affected by surrounding influences, combining with, or being attracted by them, the composition is more or less liable to change. To illustrate the force of the above statements, I need only advert to the composition of common ink, which is a combination of gallic acid with sulphate of iron. Interpose any substance which subtracts or

203 REPORT OF EXPERIMENTS ON THE EXPLOSIONS OF STEAM-BOILERS.

the head b, which was thrown off, had first struck against the iron furnace, which had deflected it outwards; this is shown by the indentation, bc, in the figure. This head was forced off all around in the line of rivets which attached the head to the boiler, the metal remaining between the rivets being less than the space occupied by them. The convex surface and the other head were thrown likewise against the furnace, and the head indented at de, overturning the furnace and carrying it 4 feet, as already stated. The boiler finally struck against the side of the bank of earth. The piston of the weighing-machine was somewhat bent in the experiment.

The circumstances of this experiment show that the steam rose quite gradually on account of leaks in the boiler, increasing, probably, more rapidly as the quantity of water diminished, the intensity of the fire meanwhile increasing. That at a certain period the tension within had attained about 11 atmospheres, when the boiler exploded violently.

The accompanying figure will serve to give an accurate idea of the appearance of this boiler after its rupture.

The cylinder of copper, before referred to, was next put in the place of the iron boiler, and the fire again kindled; the general arrangements being as before described. This boiler being longer than the former, would

not descend so far into the furnace, and an attempt to raise the steam sufficiently high to burst it failed: there was a considerable leak in the junction of the curved surface with one of the ends. When the water was nearly exhausted, the fire having passed its period" of greatest heat, the cylinder was removed and water again introduced, filling about three-fourths of its capacity. A new furnace was constructed of stones, allowing the boiler to rest more close'y upon the fuel, and affording a screen from the wind, which was blowing quite strongly. The part of the boiler in which the leak had been observed was turned downwards, but a similar escape was found for the steam in the part now uppermost. The tension of the steam appeared to increase very slowly, and the fire passed its best ar tion without effect; it was renewed, and as the water became lower the tension of the steam increased considerably. As before, nothing remarkable occurred previous to the instant of explosion, and the members of the Committee employed in the experiments were engaged in observing the boiler at the instant it exploded. A dense cloud of smoke and flame, capped by steam, rose from the. pit; the stones and combustibles were widely scattered, and the boiler was thrown, in a single mass, about 15 feet from the furnace. The noise attending this explosion was like that from the firing of an 8-inch mortar.

The boiler was rent as shown in the accompanying figure, giving way in an irregular

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Mechanics' Magazine,

MUSEUM, REGISTER, JOURNAL, AND GAZETTE.

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226

CURTIS'S SAFETY RAILWAY-CARRIAGE.

CURTIS'S SAFETY RAILWAY-CARRIAGE. Sir,-Thanking you for your notice of my safety-break (published in No. 670), I have now to request the additional favour of your introduction to the public of the safety-carriages invented and constructed by me for the London and Greenwich Railway Company. A train of six of these are now upon the line; and the whole establishment of the carriages of the Company are in the course of being altered to the same plan. The alteration, it will be seen, consists principally in the carriage, which is inverted or suspended. The frame lies within four inches of the rail when loaded, which is sufficient to clear all the projections at the crossings; while in the event of the axle of the wheels breaking, the frame drops upon the rail and becomes a sledge, the friction of which, even when empty, will be sufficient to pull up the engine. In the event, again, of the wheel running off the rail, the frame, which projects eight inches beyond the wheel, falls upon it, and the same result follows, namely, that the friction stops the train; joggles are fixed to the front and side Tails of the frame which act as flanges, and thus hold the frame on the rail. Another valuable feature of this arrangement is, that at each end of the line, or at each stopping-place, supplemental side-rails will be fixed, which will be moveable; so that in the event of the train not stopping with the necessary precision-whether from the rails being wet, or from the engine running away with the train, or from any other cause-the carriages will run upon the side-rails, being supported by the frame and not upon the wheels. I have tried this with a single carriage, and have found it an admirable and perfect means of bringing it to a stand. The position of this siderail is shown by the dotted line z in fig. 1. Another feature of some importance connected with this train is the mode of Connecting the carriages; there is but one buffer, and that to the leading carriage, a draught-spring being affixed to the engine, and both connected together by an inflexible rod. By this arrangement all tremor and vibration is avoided; there is neither collision nor jar in starting, stopping, or moderating the velo. city; there is, besides, decidedly less noise than in the old carriages; and,

moreover, the carriages being connected by inflexible bars throughout, this supplies the means of carrying ten more passengers upon the same carriages, viz. outside, between each carriage. I find, from the reduced height, that the train loads and unloads in less than half the time required upon the old system. It is further important to observe, that all the old carriages and bodies, of whatever construction, may be altered to the new mode at a very trifling cost.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the carriages now upon the line. a, the body; b, suspended carriage; c, steps; de, outside seats; f, door; the interior is fitted up in the usual omnibus style.

Fig. 2. Section of an improved carriage upon the same system, consisting of five bodies. a, a coach-body; bc, chariot-bodies, the flooring being at once upon the frame ten inches from the ground; de, either outside seats, or raised bodies above the wheel; the floor of the same height as in the present carriages. For a long journey, such as from London to York or Birmingham, I should recommend the bodies, de, to be converted into holds for luggage, placing thus the heaviest load immediately over the wheels; and thus the roof may be either converted into a deck for outside passengers, or a roof may be added, and it will become an omnibus-body or secondclass coach. In this arrangement it will be perceived that the springs are placed over the axle, a method to be recommended in all cases where practicable.

I may observe, that the engines start with the load without the least difficulty, notwithstanding the whole weight is put in motion at the same moment. I mention this merely to meet any objection which may suggest itself on that head. Fig. 3 is an elevation of fig. 2. I remain, Sir, Your obedient servant, W. J. CURTIS.

11, Grange-road, Bermondsey, June 15, 1836.

APPLICATION OF STEAM TO AGRICULTURE.

Sir,-Some incorrect statements having appeared in several provincial papers, relative to a recent exhibition near Bolton-le-Moors, of the application of steam to bog cultivation, as invented by Mr.

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