whom Mr. St. Croix, at the Adelaide Gallery, was for a time stopped; though, under advice, he has now resumed his exhibition. -Athenæum.

ATTEMPT TO STEER A BALLOON AGAINST THE WIND.

For some time past a workman named Eulriot has been making experiments in Paris to steer balloons, and he has long announced that his first essay would take place on Sunday the 20th ult., at the Champ-deMars. Many Parisian sceptics contended that his ascent would be confined to a monetary vol, and not an aerial one; but the promise to return the money in the event of the experiment not succeeding, at length excited the attention and curiosity of the public to a very great height. On approaching the Champ-de-Mars there were thousands of spectators at the exterior, but their ardour was damped at the entrance gate by the demand of twenty francs admission into the interior of the circle, where the balloon was filling, and five francs for the second places. The consequence was that the civil and military force considerably preponderated, for there was a battalion of light infantry, one of the line, a squadron of municipal cavalry, two commissaries of police, besides a host of police agents and sergens de ville, &c. One extraordinary preparation must not be omitted in this account. It was a litter covered with a mattress, in case Mr. Eulriot should tumble out on the Champ-de-Mars. Three o'clock was the hour announced for the ascent, at which period I arrived on the ground, and found a huge unwieldy machine, in the shape of what the Frenchmen called an immense ovoide, lying on its sides; bnt I thought the description of Prince Lichnowski, who was on the ground, the most graphic. He termed it a colossal German sausage with a net thrown over it. The car was, of course, the greatest novelty, as it was the means by which the huge machine was to be navigated. It consisted of a kind of chair or cabriolet seat, but without the wheels, in lieu of which were appended on each side, sails like those of windmills. Before and behind the car or chair were two machines like ships' poops. The secret of M. Eulriot was, that these flaps, paddles, or windmill sails, would act against the currents. What struck me instantly as highly dangerous was the descent, as the car, on touching the earth, must be broken to pieces, and its occupant thrown rudely out. I communicated my fears to the veteran Garnerin, who was, with his aeronautic daughter, rendering every assistance

to the new aspirant for clouded honours. M. Garnerin shrugged his shoulders, and did not seem at all to admire the contrivance, but M. Eulriot was confident, and all was got ready to start. The netting was attached to the hoop in the usual manner, and at halfpast four the ascending power was tested. The balloon was paraded over the heads of the spectators, M. Eulriot, without coat or hat, working hastily at his windlass. It rose, however, but a few feet, and would have touched some palings had it not been pushed off, and M. Garnerin called out to him to throw out ballast, which he did. The balloon then rose rapidly, and, as had been foreseen, in despite of the sails took the exact direction of the pilot balloon, which had been let off previously by Mdlle. Garnerin. Yet everything was in favour of the experiment; there was no sun, and scarcely a breath of wind; but it was evident the balloon dragged away the car, and not the car the balloon, as was expected by M. Eulriot. The strength of the mechanism was not sufficient to cope with the huge body propelled by the ascending power of the gas. Within five minutes, owing to a thick mist which prevailed, the balloon was out of sight, leaving the multitude below to descant learnedly upon the causes of the failure, and to discuss whether the admission money ought not to be reclaimed.-Times.

ROBERTS'S MODE OF RESHIPPING A

RUDDER AT SEA. [Communicated to the Society of Arts for Scotland, and published in the Edinb. New Phil. Journal, No. 53.]

Amongst the "dangers of the sea" a frequent and a most fearful accident is, the loss of the ship's rudder; when this occurs, she lies a helpless log at the mercy of the waves, liable to broach to, and be thrown on her beam ends, or have everything washed off her deck.

The loss of the rudder is an accident of which every seaman has a great dread, and if any method can be pointed out whereby he can in a few minutes remedy this misfortune, he will, I am sure, hail it as a great boon.

The apparatus necessary for this purpose is simple, and is also cheap, an advantage that will have great weight with ship

owners.

Before the ship leaves her dock, a hole must be bored in the heel of the stern post, of sufficient size to allow of two small ropes being rove through it; these ropes I would recommend should be of wire, such as I have used in my ship's lightning conductors; they

are made of copper wires laid up as a common hemp rope, are very flexible, can be rove through a small sheave, and possess great strength in a small compass. Let two ropes be rove through the hole in the heel of the stern post, and both parts of each rope be brought in board through the rudder case; being of a small size, they will offer but little obstruction to the ship's progress, or to prevent them from doing so in the slightest degree, a groove may be made in the sides of the stern post for the ropes to lie in. These ropes must, of course, be rove before the ship leaves the harbour, and at sea they must be overhauled or worked backwards and forwards occasionally (say once a-week) to keep all clear for running, should an accident to the rudder require their use.

Let us now suppose the ship's rudder to be carried away. In general the rudder is only unshipped, and can be recovered by means of the rudder chains; when this is the case bring the rudder upon deck. But if the rudder is totally lost, make use of a spare one, which can be easily carried in separate pieces; or in default of this, rig up a rudder of spars and ropes on Captain Pakenham's, or on any other easier plan. Having your rudder upon deck, let a hole be bored through the heel, and in such a part as will correspond with the hole in the stern post when the rudder is in its proper position. Through the hole in the rudder work a grommet, either of rope or wire, but very strong, for this grommet must traverse freely in the hole. Now bring in over the quarter an end of each rope, rove through the stern post, and make both fast to the grommet in the heel of the rudder. Then drop a guy rope through the rudder case, and bring the end in over the quarter, and make it fast to the head of the rudder. All is now prepared. Heave your rudder overboard, haul upon the guy made fast to the rudder-head (this will lead it to the ruddercase), and rouse in the slack of the rudder-heel-ropes. Bring the rudder-head up the rudder-case, and, when high enough, haul taut and belay your heel-ropes. The rudder-head guy-rope, which should be a strong one, may be now made fast to a spar going across the deck, or a frame-work may be made above the rudder-head, to which the head-rope may be fixed; this is to support the weight of the rudder, and thus take off the strain from the heel-ropes. But in a two-decked ship, as in a ship of war, the head-rope may be fixed to a carline between the beams of the deck, immediately above the rudder-head. Every thing is now in its place, and the rudder is quite as secure, if not more so, than when the ship left her port. The great objection to all plans before

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suggested for reshipping a rudder is the difficulty of keeping the heel of the rudder down; this arises from several causes, viz., its own buoyancy, the ship's forward motion, and the action of the waves. All these causes combine to throw up the heel of the rudder, render it useless in steering the ship, and tear away the cumbrous apparatus of guys, &c., usually led under the bottom of the ship with the intention of keeping the heel of the rudder down. But by the method I have now suggested, the rudder will be maintained in a good position, and in perfect security.

My plan is, as I have before said, cheap and simple, and it will give me heartfelt satisfaction if this suggestion is ever found useful in a time of need.

MARTYN J. ROBERTS.

LIST OF IRISH PATENTS GRANTED IN

SEPTEMBER, 1839.

John Menar, for certain improved processes to be used in the printing, dying, or colouring of cotton, woollen, silk, or other cloths and yarns. Sept. 10.

Peter Lomax, for certain improvements in looms for weaving. September 3.

Job Cutler, for improvements in combinations of metals applicable to the making of tubes or pipes, and to other purposes, and in the method or methods of making tubes or pipes therefrom; which improved method or methods is, or are applicable to the making of tubes or pipes from certain other metals or combination of metals. September 4.

G. H. Palmer, for certain improvements in pad. dle-wheels for propelling ships' boats, or other vessels navigated by steam or other power. Sept. 4. C. A. Caldwell, for improvements in furnaces and apparatus for applying the heat of fuel. Sept. 19. Richard Beard, for improvements in printing calicoes and other fabrics. September 19.

NOTES AND NOTICES.

Artificial Granite Road.-A short time since a new pathway was laid down in that part of Bird Cage-walk near Storey's-gate. The material composing the pathway is a new invention, styled"artificial granite," and a "mineral, animal, and vegetable combination." The process adopted in laying it down is similar to that of the asphalte, the composition being poured out boiling hot upon the loose gravel, with which it amalgamates. A few minutes suffice to make the composition quite cold, and as hard as the hardest stone. The appearance of that part of the pathway already finished is that of a finely polished and black block of marble. It is said to be impervious to wet, will not be affected by the sun like the asphalte, and its durability is even greater than marble itself, which has been proved from the fact that a rough piece of marble or granite can be rubbed perfectly smooth on a block of this composition without apparently wearing the latter. Its hardness may be judged from the following test :-a block about five feet by three, and two inches in thickness, was struck for several minutes with heavy sledge hammers by the workmen, and it failed to break; whereas marble, granite, or any other stone, would have flown to pieces. This composition is the invention of M. d'Harcourt, a French gentleman, who is laying down the abovementioned pathway by order of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, who intend, should the experiment succeed, to have the whole length of Bird

Cage-walk done in a similar manner, as also the Parade in front of the new palace.-Engineers' and Surveyors' Magazine.

Whitelaw's Hydraulic Engine.-The advantages of this machine are said to be very great. In the first place, while, by the common water-wheel, in some circumstances, only a small portion of the water-power can be used, and under the most favourable circumstances not more than sixty-five per cent., it is calculated that, by this new machine, not less than ninety-five per cent. of the motive of the water is rendered available. Secondly, the most trifling rivulet, provided it have a good fall, can be taken advantage of by the new machine; and, thirdly, the expense of the improved Barker mill is not more than one-fifth of the expense of a water-wheel, to work in the same stream. We are informed that one of the new machines was to be put up on the Shaws Water, near Greenock, for about 300, to do the work of a water-wheel which would have cost, according to estimate, £1500. That these advantages are not imaginary, we are satisfied, first, from having seen one of the machines at work; and, secondly, from finding that the able author of the article on Hydrodynamics, in the new edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, gives his opinion in favour of the principle of reaction-"Though it has not yet," he says, "been adopted in practice, it appears from theory and from some detached experiments on a small scale, that a given quantity of water, falling through a given height, will produce greater effects by its reaction than by its impulse or its weight." Mr. Whitelaw's patent, so far as we are able to judge, has removed all obstacles to the full application of the principle. We have noticed this machine thus prominently, on account of the high opinion we entertain of its excellence, and because we have reason to believe that it will be found exceedingly useful to many of our readers. There are few of our country millers that have not often occasion to complain of a deficiency of water. A saving of thirty per cent. will be to them of great importance. Then there are in various places small streamlets that cannot be taken advantage of by the waterwheel, but which, by the new machine, might be turned to great account in driving both mills and thrashing-machines.-Aberdeen Herald.

Another Photogenic Process.-A new method of producing photogenic drawings was yesterday exhibited to a small circle of scientific persons. The drawings produced, which combine the minute exactness detailed in Daguerre's tables with the powerful contrast of the light and shadow of an original drawing, are effected by means of Indian ink. By this new process the plate on which the light is to act is placed in the camera obscura entirely biack, and the action of the light upon it destroys either partially or entirely the blackened surface, thus producing the various tints of a drawing from the most perfect white, through all the different degrees of shadow, to a jet black. The blackened plate is so sensibly affected by the rays of light, that objects illuminated only by the faint light of a common candle are depicted in all their detail as distinctly as if acted on by the brightest sunlight. Whilst putting the plates into the camera obscura the operator must only make use of a small lantern' with a coloured glass, in an otherwise perfectly darkened room, and the same precaution must be taken in fixing the images produced in the camera obscura. Unfortunately the preparation of these new photogenic plates is rather complicated, requiring the science of a chymist as well as the skilful hand of an artist, and the inventor (Dr. Schafhaeutl, of Munich) has not yet correctly ascertained how long these plates will remain sensible to the action of light. The Doctor hopes,

however, that they may be kept in that state for years, and there is nothing to prevent a most extensive use of this new method, as the process of generating and fixing these wonderful images is very short and simple. The inventor promises, as soon as he has simplified the mode of preparing the plates for this new method, to make it public through the medium of one of our scientific jour

nals.

The "Archimedes" Screw Steamer.-This vessel having been fitted with new boilers in place of those which burst some time ago, has lately resumed her experimental trips. From the various accounts of these trials which we have seen, it would appear that her average speed has been about eight miles an hour, with between 22 and 23 strokes per minute of the engine, each stroke producing 54rd revolutions of the screw, which is 5 ft. in diameter. The Archimedes had her three masts and rigging standing. The tremulous motion of the vessel, and the noise of the working of the cog wheels was very considerable. The pressure of the steam, and the sizes of the engines does not appear.

College for Civil Engineers.-The new school for instruction in civil engineering, now so important a profession, and becoming almost daily more so from the great and extensive national and public undertakings now in progress, is going on very favourably. The directors have taken Gordon-house, near Hampstead, a large establishment, which is fitting up for the reception of the college, which it is expected will be in active operation early in the spring. The Duke of Buccleuch, the president, has given a donation of 1,0001. towards its objects, and many presents have already been made to the library, and also models of machinery and specimens for the museum. The candidates for the appoint ments of professorships are numerous, including many of the first-rate talent, although few have been yet decided on.

Dye-Wood.-A method of extracting the colouring matter from wood has been lately employed by a M. Besseyre with much success. He first re. duces the woods to very small divisions, and then immediately places them in a closed vessel exposed to a current of steam. When the whole has attain. ed 80 degrees of heat, it is uncovered, and watered with several pints of cold water. By means of a tap below, the condensed liquid is drawn off, and thrown back upon the chips, and this operation is repeated until the dye has acquired sufficient strength; it is then subjected to evaporation over an open fire, and subsequently in a sand bath, and the extract becomes a mass, which is soluble in warm water.-Athenæum.

Non-Adhesive Caoutchouc-In the Report of the Committee on the late exhibition of Domestic Manufactures, held at the Frank. Inst., Philadel., it is observed "these articles (gum elastic goods) manufactured at Roxbury near Boston, recommend themselves strongly to favourable notice. They consist of gum elastic attenuated into thin sheets, and these sheets, in some specimens, cemented apparently by simple pressure to the printed surface of calicoes, chintzes, engravings, maps, &c. and in others made themselves the ground upon which various coloured patterns are imprinted. The peculiar merit of these goods is their retaining, in a perfect degree, all the original qualities of the gum elastic; its elasticity, its toughness, freedom from odour, and absence of all adhesiveness; the latter feature giving to this manufacture a decided superiority over any other preparation of the gum hitherto attempted. The attention of the Committee was particularly attracted to the beauty and evenness of texture of a shawl, consisting wholly of the gum elastic, upon which a very tasteful pattern has been impressed.

SIMPLE AND ECONOMICAL STOVES FOR WARMING AND COOKING.

Sir,-During last winter, in some parts of the country, Arnott's stoves were in such requisition, that it was a difficult matter to procure one in any reasonable time after an order was given; and as the time of the year is again fast approaching when artificial heat is needful, I have thought that it might be of advantage to some of your many readers to exhibit in your pages some modes of warming that I have adopted at different periods, and which in practice I have found effective, with a very moderate supply of fuel, and much cheaper at first cost than Arnott's, or any other stoves that I have seen. They are likewise of such a construction that any country blacksmith or tinman may make the iron work.

Several years ago the locality of my employment was three miles from my residence, and in such a situation, that I found it requisite occasionally myself to cook a meal. The fire I made use of was produced from wood, burned in a garden pot, having a small iron grating resting on the inclined sides about three inches from the bottom, the hole being plugged up with clay. Half a dozen holes were cut through the sides immediately under the grating to admit air to the fire. The space between and the bottom received the ashes, which were easily emptied by turning the pot upside down. When the weather became cold I turned this into a close stove, by setting the furnace pot into another not quite so inclined in the sides, and an old sheet-iron cement cask. This arrangement is shown in fig. 1. a is a pot cemented with plaster to a stone slate, having a hole b corresponding with that of the pot, to admit air to supply the furnace pot c. dd is the iron cask turned mouth downwards over the furnace, having a little sand strewed around the mouth at e, to retain the hot air in the cylinder. At fis an opening in the stone to conduct the heated gases, &c., to the upright flue g. When I wanted to heat my small office longer than twelve hours, I inverted a pot h over the furnace, and filled it up with fuel through the hole in the bottom, which was enlarged to about two and a half inches diameter. When fully charged with coke it would give off sufficient heat for twenty-four hours.

At present I have the stove in use represented at fig. 2. The iron cylinder a rests in a groove cut in the stone base b, having a little sand to make an air-tight joint. The furnace c, fig. 3, made of sheet iron, rests in a similar groove filled with sand. The ash-pan d is of sheet iron, made about an inch less in diameter than the furnace cylinder, to admit air through the holes under the grating that supports the fuel. The air enters by a hole in the floor at the other end of the room, and passes under the floor, thus doing away with any draft toward the stove. The stone base has a hole drilled from the front to admit a strong wire having the outer end turned into a ring e. The other end being split to receive a piece of sheet iron cut exactly to the diameter of the air-hole in the stone. The ring and the circular plate are on the same plane, so that by turning the ring to any angle, the opening of the circular valve is indicated. The wire and plate are shown larger, below at A. Over the furnace is the pan of a garden pot suspended from the top; this is to prevent the radiation of the fire from over-heating the top of the cylinder a. The knob f is partly of wood, to be used to lift the cylinder, should it be necessary to supply fuel during any part of the day while the stove is hot. The passage g leading to the flue h is cut in the stone. Where stone is not convenient a sheet iron base might be made (as at a, fig. and 5), having a sand channel formed, as shown at fig. 6, and with a small iron pipe to convey the heated gases, &c., to the flue. The furnace c might be made of cast iron, cast with a small projection for the grating to rest upon, and with a similar one outside for a stop to rest upon the fixed ring of sheet iron a. If a continuous heat for twenty-four hours should be required, a garden pot with the hole enlarged may be inverted, which would assist materially in keeping up a clear combustion of the fuel. The pot should be hooped with iron to prevent its falling to pieces in case the heat should crack it. A stove of this description could be made to sell at a profit at half the lowest price of Arnott's stove.

Those who understand the nature of close stoves will see the propriety of using coke, house cinders, anthracite coal, or charcoal; for, where coal is used