of

HEATONS' BRICK-MAKING MACHINE. "Dazzled with the splendid discoveries science-proud of the almost immeasurable distance at which we have left the man of former ages, in the application of mechanics to the purposes of life-still prouder of the discoverer of that leviathan of modern times, the power of steam -and elevated beyond measure at the rapid creation of wealth which has resulted from this union of individual talent and national industry, we forget, in our delirium of joy, to ask the important question, Whether morality, in the most extended signification of the word, has progressed in the ratio of scientific acquirement?"-R. DETROSIER.

Sir, I have already (at p. 248 of your 23d volume) had occasion to notice the improved method of tempering clay by rolling, introduced by Messrs. Heaton (brothers), of Birmingham; a practice which has since come into very extensive and successful operation.

Upon a recent visit to Birmingham, I had the pleasure of witnessing the operation of some excellent brick-making machinery, invented by the same ingenious mechanists.

Messrs. Heatons having a steam-engine in constant work, by which the clay was raised from the pit and tempered, found themselves much inconvenienced by the irregularity and uncertainty of their workmen, especially the moulders. The moulding of bricks by hand requires a certain degree of skilled labour, and is paid accordingly; and I doubt not most of your readers know pretty well the general character of workmen of this class-suffice it to say, that Messrs. Heaton created so much disappointment among their connexion, and sustained so much positive loss, through the caprice of the moulders, that they resolved upon calling in the further aid of machinery. The result has been, they have succeeded in producing a machine, exceedingly

to prevent the instruments rolling off the board.

June 4, 1836.

Yours, &c.,

JAMES HENNELL.

simple in its construction and operation, and admirably adapted for the purpose to which it is applied.

Mr. Babbage, in his Treatise on the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures, says, "Wherever it is required to produce a great multitude of things, all of exactly the same kind, the proper time has arrived for the construction of tools or machines by which they may be manufactured;" and the formation of bricks is certainly a legitimate object for the employment of machinery.

Messrs. Heatons' machine consists of a large horizontal wheel or revolving table, upon the upper surface of which a number of brass moulds are inserted at regular intervals. At the bottom of each mould is a species of carriage, having motion vertically within the mould; each carriage is supported by a rod, which terminates below in a small grooved wheel. These wheels run upon a circular iron railroad, which dips as it approaches the clay-hopper-the inclination being exactly equal to the thickness of a brick. At one point, beneath which the mould-table revolves, a hopper is placed, into which the tempered clay is led from the rollers. A female sits a short distance on the right of the hopper, and as the table rotates, she places a mouldboard in each of the moulds as they come before her. A small forcing-pump, situated between the female and the hopper, injects a quantity of water, sufficient to wet the mould and prevent adhesion of the clay. The table being connected with the steam-engine by a pall and ratchet, it is made to advance with an intermitting motion. When a mould comes under the hopper, the table stops,

and a plunger working in the hopper drives the clay forcibly into the mouldthe table then advances one step, and a knife-edge attached to the lower side of the hopper divides the clay, and smooths the upper surface of the brick. As the table continues to revolve, the small wheels ascend the inclined plane, and the bricks are pushed up out of the mould; a man, who is stationed on the left of the hopper, removes the bricks to the barrow, which when filled is wheeled away, and the bricks set to dry, and afterwards burnt, in the usual manner.

The table, force-pump, plunger, &c., are worked by the same steam-engine that tempers the clay; a crank working within a fork gives the required motion to the plunger, and the whole is so beautifully adjusted, that at every step a mould is brought beneath the hopper. At the moment of stopping, the plunger descends and fills the mould-the forcing-pump at the same time washing the mould next in succession.

Messrs. Heatons have effected a considerable saving, by dispensing with the sand hitherto so profusely used in brickmoulding, and which in their locality is very costly; to prevent the bricks from sticking, each of the mould-boards is covered with flannel, which effects the parting most conveniently-and as the durability of the mould-boards thus covered is very great, the expense becomes exceedingly trifling.

In a new table, which Messrs. Heatons are about putting up, they propose to employ a parallel double row of moulds, so that twice the quantity of bricks will be formed with the same number of motions, and in the same time as at present.

In carrying their determination into effect, Messrs. Heatons have been assailed with every species of insult and annoyance. They have been threatened -even with assassination; but all these threats have been disregarded, and all the obstacles so pertinaciously thrown in their way have been triumphantly surmounted, and machinery has now, in these works, effectively superseded the skilled labour of the idle and improvident.

It is much to be regretted, that this is not the only establishment, nor this the only manufacture, in which the ignorant blindness of the workmen to their own interests, causes much injury both to

themselves and their employers. There are at the present time several processes of art that might be most advantageously perfected in Birmingham, and other manufacturing towns, which are daily transmitted to London for completionthe punctuality with which work can be there executed being more than sufficient to compensate for the time and expense of carriage, as well as the higher prices charged in town for workmanship!

Oh! that the time had arrived when every artificer should be able to see how intimately his own interest was connected with, and in a great measure dependent upon, that of his employer.

Education's enlightening influence is truly making wide and rapid strides, and producing a great amelioration in the condition of the industrious classes.

The unprecedented increase of deposits in Saving-Banks, the spread of Benefit, and other societies of a similar useful character, throughout the country, may be cited as evidences of the extent of this amelioration; but there still remains an immense mass of the "old leaven," the existence of which continually grieves the eyes of the beholders. I remain, Sir, Yours respectfully, WM. BADDEley.

London, July 12, 1836.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE PHENOMENA OF

THE LATE SOLAR ECLIPSE, MAY 15, 1836, MADE AT SANDWICH, IN KENT. LAT. 51° 7′, N., LONG. 1° 18', E., SEVEN FEET ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE SEA.

2

1

The lovers of the sublime science of astronomy may congratulate themselves on the favourable and almost unparalleled opportunity which occurred, as far as

284

sun. In

to public notice, I will merely remark, that all the observations and experiments were conducted with the greatest possible attention to accuracy, and that I am eminently indebted to the prompt and unremitting efforts of my assistant on the occasion, Mr. F. M. Duncan, whose ser vices were as indispensable as they proved effective, during the whole period of ob scuration. The most favourable disposition of atmosphere had for several days preceded the eclipse; and at the moment of its occurrence, the sky was perfectly cloudless and uniformly translucent. Allowing for the difference of longitude, the calculations given in White's "Ephemeris," and several other almanacs, were

found in strict accordance with observaz tion.

At the commencement of the eclipse, the barometer stood at thirty inches se venty-two hundredths, continuing sta tionary until about twenty minutes before the termination; when the mercury had sunk three hundredths of an inch, gentle breezes prevailing from the E. N. E. The following table exhibits the decrease of light and heat, as shown by the photometer and thermometer during the progress of the phenomenon up to the moment of the greatest obscuration. The former instrument is constructed upon the supposition of the usual quantum of light in a bright day being represented by 500s and the figures in the table exhibit the o decrease the thermometer is graduated? to the usual scale of Fahrenheit; and at the moment of contact between the twom luminaries, stood at 70o 1h. 57m. 15s)/zna b938) .froit 630679

Photometer.

Thermometer.

470

Hence it will be seen, that by the disappearance of the digits eclipsed, 10m. 1-third on the sun's north limb, the light diminished in the proportion of 42 parts in 47, as shown by the photometer from the commencement, while a diminution of 14° degrees of heat is exhibited by the thermometer.

By a remarkable coincidence, one of the finest groupes of solar spots which has appeared for a long time, occupied a great portion of the sun's disc during the whole continuance of the moon's transit, and remained visible with very slight variation during eleven succeeding days. The prefixed sketch, made during the progress of the moon's body across the solar disc presents, as far as outline and relative position are concerned, an accurate representation of these solar maculæ, which assumed an unusually welldefined and striking appearance. The

1

group commenced near the sun's equator, and forming a semi-circular arrangement, terminated near the edge of the western limb.

The occultation of the first spot oc, curred at 2b. 36m. 20s., and occupied 55s.; the immersion of the second spot was completed in 30 sec., the third in 25 sec., and the fourth required 58 sec. from the moment of contact, until it had entirely vanished behind the moon's body; several other spots of minor consideration appeared scattered over the disc of the solar atmosphere. At 3h. 20m, a fine telescopic view of the planets, Venus and Jupiter, presented, and Aldebaran was faintly discernible. At the time of the greatest obscuration, the solar spectrum received upon a white surface from a large prism apparatus erected in the open air, represented the primary colours but imperfectly, the red ray appearing to

66

W. H. WEEKES.

BRITISH MUSEUM.

The long expected Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the affairs of this establishment, was presented to the House on the 14th instant, and as it is only as yete printed among the Votes, and will not appear with the Evidence for some months, we think our readers will be anxious to see the results of this protracted and much-talked-of investigation. Although more might have been granted to the public, the recommendations of the Committee, if properly acted upon, cannot fail of being beneficial. We find that the salaries of the officers, &c., although they now amount to eleven thousand pounds a-year, are to be increased; that the Trustees are acquitted of all blame; that the establishment enjoys a high reputation in the world of science," a fact with which we were hitherto unacquainted, and that the "talents, good conduct, and general and scientific acquirements of the officers are universally admitted; about which, we believe, great difference of opinion exists. But there is no mention of an evening reading-room, nor of a "classed catalogue of the MSS. and printed books," two objects so earnestly desired by the public, and so pertinaciously opposed by the officers of the Museum; but the evidence in favour of which, given by many talented individuals, is, in our minds, conclusive. The proposed alterations are in unison with many of Mr. Millard's suggestions, cf whose plan we gave some account in a recent Number of the Mechanics' Magazine; but we regret to find no notice in these resolutions of a gentleman who has so essentially contributed to the improvement of our National Museum, who we know has been very harshly treated by the Trustees, and has been subjected to much un

1. That the great accessions which have s been made of late to the collections of the British Museum, and the increasing interest taken in them by the public, render it expedient to revise the establishment of the Institution, with a view to place it upon a scale more commensurate with, and better adapted to, the present state and future prospects of the Museum.

2. That this Committee do not recommend any interference with the family Trustees, who hold their offices under Acts of Parlia ment, being of the nature of national com pacts.

3. That though the number of official Trustees may appear unnecessarily large, and though practically most of them rarely, if ever attend, yet no inconvenience has been alleged to have arisen from the number; and the Committee are aware that there may be some advantage in retaining in the hands of Government a certain influence over the affairs of the Museum, which may be exercised on special occasions; yet if any Act of the Legislature should ultimately be found necessary, a reduction in the number of this class of Trustees might not be unadvisable.

4. That, with regard to the existing elected Trustees, the Committee think it very desirable that the Trustees should take steps to ascertain, whether some of those whose attendance has been the most infrequent, might not be willing to resign their Trusteeships;→→→ That, in future, it be understood, that any Trustee hereafter to be elected, not giving personal attendance at the Museum for a period to be fixed, is expected to resign his Trusteeship; being, however, re-eligible upon any future vacancy.

5. That in filling up vacancies it would be desirable that the electing Trustees should not in future lose sight of the fact, that an opportunity is thus afforded them of occasionally conferring a mark of distinction upon men of eminence in literature, science, and art.

6. That the extension of the collections which has taken place, and the still greater extension which may be looked for, render a further division of departments necessary; and that at the head of each department there be placed a Keeper, who shall be responsible for the arrangement, proper con