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The accompanying engravings represent the sort of steam-engine which Mr. Perkins had lately on trial at the St. Catharine's Docks, and which differs considerably in its principle and details from the other engines, with designs of which Mr. P. has favoured the public. Steam at an enormously high pressure (1400 lbs. to the inch) is used, but on the plan of acting, expansivelysomewhat, after the mode followed by Mr. Woolff several years ago.

Two steam cylinders, a and b, are placed by the side of each other; the area of the larger cylinder being eight times that of the smaller one, and a communication is formed between the two by a small pipe (see fig. 1). Steam at the above-mentioned pressure is admitted into the small cylinder, acts upon the underside of its piston, and is cut off after the piston has travelled oneeighth part of its upward stroke, carrying with it, also, the piston of the large cylinder. When the small piston arrives at the top of its cylinder, the steam passes immediately through the small communicating pipe, and enters the top of the large cylinder, where it now exerts its expansive force upon the top of this piston, and forces the two pistons downwards, escaping through lateral apertures at the bottom of the cylinder into a condensing vessel. In this last vessel, a portion of the steam is condensed by a jet of water being thrown in; the remaining portion is blown off. The pistons are connected to cranks above them, and placed at acute angles with respect to each other; thus acting nearly at the same time, for reasons to be afterwards explained. It will be observed that the engine is, in fact, what may be termed a single stroke engine, but that the same steam is allowed to act upon two pistons, thus effecting, with great force, a downward stroke, without which the momentum of the fly would have

to accomplish it, as in Mr. Perkins's first modification.

Of the actual power of this engine, subtle nature of the steam used nothing is accurately known, The seems to be the principal cause that prevents its general introduction, it being impossible for the utmost nicety of workmanship to prevent its escape. The extreme violence of its action is also a great drawback. In the engine that was employed at the St. Catharine's Docks, the steam (to use a technical term) ran through her; and, indeed, the action was so violent as to loosen and break the screws, &c. &c.

the

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the engine; fig. 2 the side elevation; the letters refer to similar parts in each. a is the large cylinder; small cylinder; c safety valve to large cylinder; d safety valve and weight to small cylinder; ee the piston rods; ff connecting rods; h an eccentric; i jointed rod to the same; g a crank, which works the rod k of the forcing pump in; n injection cock and cold water pipe for condenser v; o steam pipe; 7 throttle valve; y a pipe leading from it into the steam valve u; x a strong steel spring for closing the valve; q fly-wheel; r weight to safety valve c.

Fig. 2. w valve box and escape pipe for uncondensed steam. The steam from the pipe o enters the throttle valve 1, and, passing through the tube y and the valve u, enters the lower end of the small cylinder b, &c. as before described. By the arrangement mentioned, of having the cranks set at an acute angle to each other, sufficient time is allowed for the admission of steam to the small cylinder, and the discharge of it into the other. The injection cock and pipe is shown at n, and is worked by a cord attached to it, and passed round the cam on the main shaft. The piston rods e e are furnished with guide frames and anti-friction wheels, which, being jointed to the connecting rods, allow the latter to turn with the revolution of the cranks, and produce upon the piston rods a parallel motion. To determine and regulate the quantity of steam to be

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AUTOMATON COUNTER.

Sir, So long ago as January, 1817, I submitted to the Commis. sioners of Stamps the propriety of having self-registering dies, which might tend to prevent any attempt at fraud; and I at the same time transmitted to them a model of one, which I conceived would effectually answer the purpose, and thus save many thousands annually to the Revenue. After keeping the model for some time, the Commissioners returned it to me, stating that it had been shown to many practical men, all of whom had given it as their opinion that it could not be used with any benefit. (What if the stampers themselves were among those practical men who were consulted!)

Conceiving that its rejection might possibly be owing to the circumstance of my having omitted to attach a lock to the registering machinery, thus leaving it open, as some might suppose, to be tampered with by those interested in falsifying its indications, I constructed a new model, with such a safeguard as would place it beyond the reach of all improper interference. I forwarded this improved model, however, not to the Commissioners of the Stamps, but to their superiors, the Lords of the Treasury, under the impression, that as the invention had not been in any respect prejudged at the Treasury Board, it had the fairest chance of receiving there an impartial consideration.

The Lords of the Treasury, after taking the opinion of Mr. Hoblin, Vice President of the Society of Arts, on the invention, were pleased to refer it to the Commissioners of Stamps, for theirs; and the Commissioners thought fit, without once calling me before them, or even in specting the improvement I had made in the plan, to reiterate the opinion they originally pronounced.

In order to ascertain the precise terms of the Report made by the Commissioners of Stamps to the Treasury, I applied to the Duke of

Wellington, who, with his usual condescension, informed me, by a polite note, dated May 12, 1828, that the Commissioners of Stamps had reported, "that the contrivance of the Memorialist could not be used, in their department, with any beneficial effect;" and His Grace gave me to understand (in substance, though not in words), that I must first persuade the Commissioners to the contrary, before my project could be entertained.

In the hope that the Commissibners might still be open to a conviction of the merits of the invention, and to justify, at the same time, my perseverance in pressing it on the attention of government, I now took the liberty of transmitting to them the opinions of several eminent men of science, to whom I had submitted the model for examination, and who all agreed in bearing witness to its great utility. The Commissioners replied, by letter of the 15th July last, that " whatever, in the opinion of scientific persons, may be the efficacy of the instrument for its intended purpose, the Board are of opinion that such an instrument is not needed in their department."

It will be at once observed, that there is a considerable difference between this last opinion of the Commissioners of Stamps, and that which they communicated to the Treasury. Formerly, they affirmed that the contrivance" could not be used, with any beneficial effect, in their department;" now they content themselves with asserting that it "is not needed." As this very much narrowed the ground of dispute between the Commissioners and me, and as the utility of the invention seemed to be admitted by them, provided only it were needed, I have thought it proper to apply again to the Lords of the Treasury, and to offer to prove to them, by the most satisfactory evidence, that for the want of such a check as that I have devised, and wish to have introduced, the most serious frauds are constantly occurring in the issues of stamps, and that, by the adoption

of it, nothing of the kind could ever occur. I have referred, in particular, to the evidence given before a Committee of the House of Commons, by the Solicitor to the Stamp Office, Mr. Sykes, wherein he states that a person employed by him had detected a stamper who stole from the office fifty-two ten shilling receipt stamps in one day, and that he was repeatedly told that all the men did that which this stamper did!!! (There are nearly one hundred men in this department of the Stamp Office.) I trust that facts like these will have their due weight, and that I shall shortly have it in my power to inform you that the Lords of the Treasury have at length sanctioned the adoption of the remedial plan which I have proposed to them, or, at least, only rejected it in order to make room for something better. I am, Sir, Yours, &c.

JOHN REILLY. 15, Finsbury-pl., Finsbury-sq. August 21, 1828.

"Royal Institution of Great Britain,
Albemarle-street, July 9, 1828.
"To Mr. J. Reilly.

"Sir,-Having examined the construction and mechanism of your counting die for striking stamps upon paper, card, or leather, I have no hesitation in stating my opinion, that it is admirably calculated for the purpose you propose, namely, preventing fraud, which it will do with. out any fear of error or derangement, and without any detriment to the appearance of the stamp, as the striking pin may be made much smaller than you have made it. I am likewise of opinion that it may be made of sufficient strength to possess great durability; and I consider it greatly superior to any other contrivance that I have seen for the

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The other testimonials are from Dr. Birkbeck, Mr. Partington, and Mr. Chubb (the celebrated lock manufacturer), and all to the same effect. Dr. Birkbeck states, with honest warmth, "that nothing but a determination to allow the present practice to be continued, can, by any possibility, oppose the introduction" of Mr. Reilly's invention "into the public service."

We have, also, seen and examined the Automaton Counter itself (an indebted to Mr. Partington), and appropriate name, for which it is fully concur in all that we have now quoted in praise of it. Our readers will themselves be competent to form a judgment of its merits, when we mention that it is constructed on the same principle as the gas meters and self-registering toll-gates, of which last those on Waterloo and Southwark Bridges are familiar examples. Although the principle is not new, there is, however, both great novelty and ingenuity in Mr. Reilly's application of it.

Into a small hole in the die, there works a pin, which obtrudes a very little beyond the surface of it, -so little, as not to be perceptible till pointed out; and this pin is connected with a train of wheels similar to those of a watch; so that, as often as the die is struck, the pin, being forced upwards, imparts one movement to the clockwork, the