4.

Sir, The new Post Office regulations have already engaged the attention and ability of many ingenious men, and as the result, a variety of machines for ascertaining the weight of letters previously to posting, are now before the public. It therefore seems necessary to assign a reason for introducing to your notice and that of the public, through the me dium of your widely-circulated Magazine, another letter balance. My object in designing the one now presented, was that there may be something in so necessary an article commemorative of the various improvements in the Post Office establishment.

I consider that the improvements made for the more speedy and safe con

veyance of letters by the mail coaches projected and carried into effect in 1784, by Mr. J. Palmer, were a great national benefit, and the uniform penny postage plan, by Mr. Rowland Hill, is likely to prove a great and lasting advantage to the commercial interest of this kingdom, and that the year in which it received the Royal Assent will be a memorable event in the history of Queen Victoria. You may readily perceive from these observations, that I am of opinion some public monument should be erected by which both the present and future generations may know to whom they are indebted for these arrangements. When I look at the various pillars in the country, and the splendid and appro

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ceive I have aimed at uniting utility, architectural correctness, and national record. I have chosen the tripod base, (see plan, fig. 2), as affording three tablets; on the front tablet I have placed the the name of ROWLAND HILL, and the day on which his plan of uniform postage was carried into operation; on the left, fig. 3, a mail coach, and J. PALMER, with the date when the first letters were sent (as projected by him) by mail coach; on the right tablet, fig. 4, a crown and VICTORIA, with the date on which the bill received her Majesty's sanction; the pillar is of the composite order; and the fasces, with which it is surmounted, is emblematic of the union of the people (for whose benefit the plans were projected); the rod balance is used as being of the most ancient kind; and to give it an English character, I add for its regulating weight, an acorn and oak leaf. Thus you will see, I have endeavoured to combine all the distinctive features that might be elaborately displayed in a nationl column.*

The mode of using this balance letter needs no instruction; I will only observe, that the pillar is suitable for every description of scale or balance, and may be made on a larger scale for public offices, to weigh from half an ounce to sixteen ounces.

In my design I have confined myself principally to the pillar and base, which may be adopted with any description of balance applied to it; and in fig. 5, I have shown one variation, which forms what I think is a very simple and complete plan of a letter weighing apparatus.

Hoping you will not consider I have been too explicit or tedious in the explanation of my design, and that you will consider it worthy a place in your publication.

I remain, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
S. KING.

Bath, Jan. 20, 1840.

SUBSTITUTE FOR HOG SKINS FOR SADDLE SEATS.

Sir,-It affords pleasure to every well constituted mind to give information to any portion of society to whom such disclosures may prove beneficial. Dur

A very happy idea, very cleverly carried out.ED. M. M.

ing my commercial travels in the leather trade for a long period in the time of the last war, I found the article of hog skins used for the purpose of covering saddle seats, to be very scarce and dear, so much so, as to compel many saddlers in some parts of England and Wales (especially the latter,) to have recourse to an article known by the name of facing skins, i. e., a particularly clear and good coloured tanned sheep leather, as the best and only substitute they could procure for hog's skin for saddle seats. Now every person acquainted with the difference in quality of the latter article compared with that of a pig's skin, is aware that the sheep's skin possesses a very slightly streaked grain surface, and is of a looseness of texture, which renders it a very inefficient substitute for an article the most marked in the peculiarity of its natural grain, of any of the whole animal creation. It therefore occurred to me, that the larger species of Greeland seals, of which great numbers were at that time tanned for shoemakers use, would, from its strength of texture, as well as from the marked beauty of its natural grain, answer the purpose better than any other leather for saddle seats, where hog skins could not be procured. I immediately found my anticipations realized, by my getting orders for the article extensively, in all parts, but being out of the leather trade now, I do not know any thing of the prices, nor of the supply of hog skins in the market; but I remember they sold about 36 years ago at a most exorbitant rate, besides being sometimes so scarce as not to be procured at any price. It sometimes occurs that the larger Greenland skins bear slight marks and scratches on the surface, owing to the predilection of these animals for fighting, but there are some, belonging no doubt to the civilian tribes which bear a beautiful unblemished face; but large seals are not used so much for shoes now as formerly, owing to the skin not taking the polish of "Day and Martin's brilliant jet."

Should any similarity on any of the above points occur at the present period, the above information may perhaps prove serviceable to some parties in the leather trade.

I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
ENORT SMITH.

Sir,-As you have favoured me by inserting my last communication on the subject of a letter balance in your number of the 4th instant, I, feel emboldened to offer one more plan, (the best of three or four which I have recently contrived). The annexed sketch is on a scale of half an inch to one inch.

A flat circular box of four inches diameter, and half an inch thick, is to be turned, so as to leave a space within, of rather more than a quarter of an inch in depth; within this box (say of mahogany) is to be placed a semi-ring weight, as thick as the space between the two sides of the box will admit of, and from

ths to half an inch in breadth. This being achieved, the whole is to be suspended on a small pivot or axis, and kept free from any friction of the arm C, and its opposite, by means of a small projecting shoulder. A fine cord of silk, or the like, is then to be attached to the wheel, or box, any where about A, and then brought round part of the circum

ference, in the direction of the small arrow, passing the point of contact of the wheel and the shaft D, down to the lower extremity of the shaft at B, where it is to be fixed.

This being done, it is evident, that a letter placed on the dish will force down the shaft and turn the wheel a certain distance according to its weight.

It is requisite that the arms, or rings through which the shaft moves, be quite smooth, and sufficiently large, and the shaft itself as true as possible, in order to avoid too much friction.

The idea of employing a semicircular weight, occurred to me from the consideration of a mercurial letter balance, which, though impracticable in itself, furnished the notion of having a fixed metal revolving on an axis, in place of the mercury in a bent tube.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
J. B.

Jan. 13, 1840.