ters by filteration (A communication). Dec. 4; six months.

James Mayer, of Ashley-crescent, Saint Luke, gentleman, for an improved machine for cutting splints for matches. December 4; six months.

George Lowe, Engineer to the Chartered Gas Company, and John Kirkham, Engineer to the Imperial Gas Company, both of London, for improvements in the manufacture of gas for purposes of illumination. December 4; six months.

James Nasmith, of Patricroft, near Manchester, engineer, for certain improvements applicable to railway carriages. December 4; six months.

John Heaton Hall, of Doncaster, chemist, for improvements in preserving and rendering woollen and other fabrics and leather, waterproof. December 5; six months.

Harrold Potter, of Manchester, Esq., for certain improvements in printing calicoes, muslins, and other fabrics. December 9; six months.

Samuel White White, of Charlton Marshal, Dorset, Esq., for improvements in preventing persons from being drowned. December 9; six months.

Moses Poole, of Lincoln's-inn, gentleman, for improvements in the manufacture of caustic soda and carbonate of soda (being a communication). December 9; six months.

Thomas Richardson, of Newcastle, chemist, for a preparation of sulphate of lead applicable to some of the purposes for which carbonate of lead is now applied. December 9; six months.

John Leslie, of Conduit street, Hanover-square, tailor, for improvements in measuring the human frame (A communication). Dec. 9; six months.

John Juckes, of Shropshire, gentleman, for improvements in furnaces or fire places, for the better consuming of fuel. December 9; six months.

Pierre Frederic Gougy, of Tavistock-street, Westminster, watchmaker, for an improvement in clocks, watches, and other time keepers, December 11; six months.

Robert Hervey, of Manchester, drysalter, for certain improvements in the mode of preparing and purifying alum, alumina, aluminous mordants, and other aluminous combinations and solutions, and the application of such improvements to the purposes of manufacture. December 13; six months.

Robert Gill Ranson, of Ipswich, paper maker, and Samuel Millbourn, foreman to the said R. G. Ranson, for improvements in the manufacture of paper. December 13; six months.

Angier March Perkins, of Great Coram-street, for improvements in apparatus for transmitting heat by circulating water. December 16; six months.

Jacob Brazill, Governor of Trinity Ground, Deptford, for improvements in obtaining motive power. December 16; six months.

Henry Seymour Moore Vandeleur, of Kilrush, Ireland, for improvements in paving or covering roads and other ways. December 16; six months.

Samuel Walton Faxon, of Park Village East, Regent's-park, surgeon, for an apparatus to be applied to the chimnies of gas and other burners or lamps, to improve combustion. December 16; six months.

Mounier Japy and Constant Jouffroy Dumery, of George-yard, Lombard-street, gentlemen, for improvements in rotary engines, to be actuated by steam or water. December 16; six months.

David Morison, of Wilson-street, Finsbury, ink maker, for improvements in printing. December 16; six months.

David Naylor, of Copley Mill, Halifax, manufacturer, and John Crichton, jun., of Manchester, machine maker, for certain improvements in machinery for weaving single, double, and treble cloths by hand or power. December 16; six months.

George Wilson, of Salford, machinist and engineer, for certain improvements in steam whistles, adapted for locomotive engines and boilers, and other purposes. December 16; six months.

James William Thompson, of Turnstile-alley, Long-acre, upholsterer, for improvements in the

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construction of bedsteads, which improvements are particularly applicable to the use of invalids. December 16; six months.

William Newman, of Birmingham, brass founder, for certain improved mechanism for roller blinds, which it is intended to denominate Simcox and Company's patent blind furniture. December 16; six months.

John Robinson, of North Shields, engineer, for an improved steering apparatus. December 16; six months.

John Wood, of Burslam, Stafford, manufacturer of mineral colours, for a new method or process in the application and laying on of the substances used in the printing, colouring, tinting, and oinamenting of china, porcelain, earthenware, and other wares of the same description, by which such wares can be painted and ornamented with flowers and other devices in a much cheaper and more simple and expeditious manner than by any process now in use, and colours of all or any variety may be painted, shaded, mixed, and blended together in one of and the same design or pattern, and har dened or burnt into the substance of the aforesaid wares by a single process of firing or hardening in the enamelling kiln. December 16; two months.

Joseph Gibbs, of Kennington, engineer, for an improvement or improvements in the machinery for preparing fibrous substances for spinning, and in the mode of spinning certain fibrous substances. December 21; six months.

George Lindsay Young, of Hackney, gentleman, for an improved surface for paper mill or card board, vellum and parchment. December 21; six months.

Henry Francis Richardson, of Ironmonger-lane, gentleman, for improvements in omnibuses. Dec. 21; six months.

John Cutts, of Manchester, machine maker, and Thomas Spencer, of the same place, mechanic, for certain improvements in the machinery or apparatus for making wire cards for carding cotton, silk, wool, and other fibrous substances. December 21 six months.

;

Lawrence Wood Fletcher, of Chorlton-uponMedlock, Manchester, for an improvement or improvements in the manufacture of woollen and other cloths or fabrics, and in the application of such cloths or fabrics to various useful purposes. December 23; six months.

Thomas Firmstone, of Newcastle, coal master, for improvements in the manufacture of salt. December 24; six months.

Alexander MacRae, of the London Coffee House, Ludgate-hill, for improvements in machinery for ploughing, harrowing, and other agricultural purposes, to be worked by steam or other power. December 24; six months.

Thomas Hardeman Clarke, of Birmingham, cabinet maker, for certain improved fastenings for window sashes, tables, and such like purposes. Dec. 24; six months.

LIST OF SCOTCH PATENTS GRANTED BETWEEN THE 22nd OF NOVEMBER AND THE 22nd OF DECEMBER, 1839.

Thomas Kerr, Esq., of Forecrofts, Dunse, Berwick, for a new and improved mortar or cement for building and other purposes. Sealed 23d of November, 1839; four months to specify.

William Miller, of Clitheroe, Lancaster, engineer, for certain improvements in grates used in steamengine or other furnaces or fire-places. Dec. 5.

John Swindells, of Manchester, Lancaster, manufacturing chemist, for certain improvements in the manufacture of Prussian blue, prussiate of potash, and prussiate of soda. December 5.

Francois Vonillon, of Princes-street, Hanoversquare, Middlesex, silk-mercer, (a communication

from a certain foreigner residing abroad) for improvements in the manufacture of ornamental woven fabrics. December 6.

George Lowe, engineer to the Chartered Gas Company, and John Kirkham, engineer to the Imperial Gas Company, both of London, for improvements in the manufacture of gas for purposes

of illumination. December 6.

John Juckes, of Shropshire, gentleman, for improvements in furnaces and fire places, for the better consuming of fuel. December 12.

Moses Poole, of Lincoln's-inn, Middlesex, gentleman, (a communication from a certain foreigner residing abroad,) for improvements in looms for weaving. December 12.

Charles Dod, of 21, Craven-street, Strand, Middlesex, gentleman, (a communication by a certain forelgner residing abroad,) for certain improvements in the construction of railways and tram roads, and in the carriages to be used thereon and otherwise. December 18.

Charles Cowan, of Penicuick, Edinburgh, paper manufacturer, and Adam Ramage, of Valleyfield, in the same county, paper maker, for improvements in machinery used in the manufacture of paper. December 19.

William Palmer, of Sutton-street, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, lampmaker, for improvements in lamps and in the manufacture of candles. December 21. John Sutton, of John-street, Roupell-street, Lambeth, Surrey, machinist, for improvements in obtaining power. - December 21.

Ambrose Bowden Johns, of Plymouth, in the county of Devon, artist, for improvements in colouring or painting walls and other surfaces, and preparing materials used for that purpose. Dec. 21.

Antonio James Mayer, of Ashley-crescent, St. Luke, Middlesex, gentleman, for an improved machine for cutting splints for matches. Dec. 21.

IRISH PATENTS GRANTED IN
NOVEMBER, 1839.

T. N. Raper, for improvements in rendering fabrics and leather waterproof.

H. Zander, for improvements in steam engines, steam boilers, or condensors.

Samuel Hall, for improvements in steam engines, and in propelling.

NOTES AND NOTICES.

Provincial Exhibition of Arts and Manufactures.-Exhibitions of the useful arts bid fair to become at least as common in England as those of the fine arts have hitherto been. The approaching exhibition at Birmingham is expected to be the most splendid ever known, but other towns of less manufacturing importance are not far behind. Leeds has had a very successful one of the same description, and Preston is about to follow the example. At Edinburgh preparations have been made for a very extensive exhibition of productions of manufactures and the useful arts, models of machinery, &c., during the Christmas holidays, the prices of admission to which will be reduced to half (Sixpence) in the evenings of each day, and Schools and Mechanics' Institutions admitted on still easier terms. It is proposed that it shall only be open for one week, but this is surely inefficient for such an acquaintance as is desirable with objects so much more adapted for minute and lengthened examination than the generality of pictures and statues. It is not, indeed, too much to hope that in a few years every town of large population

may be able to boast of a permanent exhibition of the same species as the Adelaide Gallery and the Polytechnic Institution in the metropolis.

Supply of Water to Sydney.-Recent accounts from New South Wales inform us that a proposal for establishing a company for the efficient supply of water to the town of Sydney had just been brought forward. It is proposed to convey the water by canal from Cook's river to a reservoir in a central part of the Metropolis," and distribute it from thence by pipes to the houses of the inhabitants. The Company propose to make an offer to Government for the pipes already partially laid down by them; and, in fact, to complete by private enterprise a scheme which the Government had already begun for the same purpose, but had left unfinished. No doubt seems to be entertained of the success of the speculation, especially as the inhabitants of Sydney, in common with the whole colony, had just been suffering from a drought of several months continuance, which "serious inconvenience, both personal and pecuniary," it was presumed would be obviated by the measures in contemplation.

The Leet Jury.-Sir,-I beg to send you the following facts:-A few days since, having purchased at a most respectable firm, a four-gallon copper measure, although it had been regularly corrected and stamped at the Westminster office, I thought it advisable to try it myself; and as such found it to be six cubical inches too large. I then took it back to the firm, when it was proved with a new twogallon measure, which had been also sent home, from the same office, duly stamped as correct. By this trial the four-gallon measure was found to be rather more than the six cubical inches too large: consequently, one of these two measures must have been incorrect; for if the four-gallon was right, it necessarily follows that the two gallon was too small, and vice versa. Now, Sir, if such inaccuracies as these are allowed to pass from the above responsible office, but bearing the guarantee of the official stamp for correctness, does it not appear highly desirable for the protection of the public and of the fair tradesman, that the said office should adopt some better method of doing the business and exonerate the respectable and unsuspecting tradesman from the liability to unmerited censure from the Leet Jury?-From your obedient servant, W. C., a Practical Man.-Westminster, December 7, 1839.

The New Solar System.-Sir,-Mr. W. W. Heath's idea of the solar system moving about some remote object (mentioned in No. 853,) is not new, but was considered so by Dr. Herschell from small apparent changes of some fixed stars favourable to moving toward Orion. Mr. Heath speaks of the times and with the squares of the distances; though, from a well-known law, the mean velocities of bodies about a common centre of gravity, vary inversely as the square roots of their distances from that centre, and not as squares. I request the favour of those who write on subjects of this nature, first to read "Newton's Principia."-I am, Sir, &c., W. SHIRES, Teacher of Mathematics.

Simple Mode of Purifying Water.-It is not as generally known as it ought to be, that pounded alum possesses the property of purifying water. A large table-spoonful of pulverized alum, sprinkled into a hogshead of water (the water stirred round at the time,) will, after the lapse of a few hours, by precipitating to the bottom the impure particles, so purify it, that it will be found to possess nearly all the freshness and clearness of the finest spring water. A pailful, containing four gallons, may be purified by a single teaspoonful.-Leeds Advertiser

GROUNSELL'S IMPROVED CORN AND

MANURE DRILLING MACHINE. [Patent dated 12th June; Specification inrolled 12th Dec., 1839.]

Figure 1, front page, is a side view of part of an ordinary drilling machine, having the improvements applied thereto. The object of the improvements is to drill corn, grain, pulse, and manure, at intervals, and not in a continuous stream; the intervals or distances apart of such drilling can be varied at pleasure. The first part of the invention relates to the application of valves, and apparatus to work them at intervals. On one of the wheels of the drilling machine (of which z z is a part) is attached the circular ring a, in order to carry a series of studs bb; and according to the distance such studs are set apart, so will be the closer or wider sowing or drilling of corn, grain, pulse, and manure. If the several holes formed in the ring a, be tapped with suitable female screws, and the end of each stud b be screwed, the studs may be set closer or farther apart, according to the desire of the person enploying the machine. c is an axis turning in suitable bearings in front of the machine; d is a projecting arm affixed to the axis c; on the lower end of the arm da curved prolongation is hinged in such manner, that it may be lifted upwards, and will not be so acted on by the studs b, as to move the valves in the event of backing the machine; but when the machine is drawn forwards, each stud will strike against the projection d, and by this means cause the axis c to move partly round, and in doing so to open the valve or slide, and let out the grain and manure in the following manner :e is one of a number of arms according to the number of drills affixed to the axis c, as is shown in the figure; each arm has a chain ƒ affixed thereto; these chains f are also attached to the hooks g; h is another axis below the machine which moves in bearings h'; to this axis is affixed arms, one of which is shown at i. The number of such arms will depend on the number of the drills used in the same machine. These levers or arms i are supported at their outer ends by chains i', by which the depth of the lower end of the drill is permitted to enter the ground will be regulated. The

stems of the hooks g are attached by pin joints to the arms i, and to the stems g are attached the connecting rods_j, which connecting rods each embrace its respective drill, and they are attached to the levers k, which at their lower end carry the valves or slides which close the drill; the levers k each move on a fulcrum at 7 affixed to the arms i. When the studs b act on the lower end of the projection of the arm d, the valves or slides will be opened, and allow of the seed and manure to pass, and again close, till the next stud b strikes the arm d. The closing of the valves or slides is assisted by the weights l' on the upper parts of the levers k. AA represents the coulter pipes; they are carried by the arms or levers i, and are of the ordinary construction.

It will be seen that the machine is arranged for drilling manure at the same time as the seed, the seed being supplied in the usual manner through the funnels and tubes mm, and the manure through the funnels and tubes nn, which are as usual suspended on chains to allow of considerable play. Variations may be made in the details, by which the slides and valves are acted on, in order to open and close them so as to sow at intervals, the valves or slides being suitably arranged to close the drill when shut, and allow of the grain, corn, pulse, and manure passing freely, when open.

Fig. 2.

The second part of the invention relates to the mode of supplying the manure to the tins.

In the ordinary construction for drilling manure, the projecting arms o o fig. 2 on the shaft p are spoons or hollow ladles, which, in the revolution of the axis p, take up a quantity of the manure, and effected without increasing the quantity of the area of floats immersed.

Sir. As one who has devoted much time and attention to making experiments upon various propellers, with a view to the improvement of the means of carrying on navigation by steam, I trust I may be allowed to offer the following observations upon the article, "Comparative experiments on propellers of different kinds," inserted in the last number (No. 854) of your very valuable periodical. My object in making these observations is to show that, however the results, as given in the communication, may warrant the conclusions drawn from them, these results have been obtained under such conditions of experiment as to render the conclusions of no value whatever, in the way of comparison of the useful effects of the different propellers with which the experiments were made. I hope that in offering my reasons for my difference in opinion from the author of the article in question, I shall stand excused from any desire to set up my views in absolute opposition to those of one with so high a name as Rennie; but rather, that my motive will be considered to be, a desire to show that in the ardour of experimenting, circumstances may be sometimes disregarded, which more coolly weighed, would be deemed altogether destructive of confidence in conclusions deduced from the results of experiments.

I may, perhaps, begin by stating that trapezium-shaped floats are no novelty to me, having experimented with them five or six years ago, and since discarded them, from a perfect conviction that

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when they were tried under equal conditions with rectangular floats, they were less efficient.

The first table, in the article in your last number, consists of the results of two sets of experiments with the different floats, immersed in two different degrees. From the table above, it is not easy to imagine the measures of the floats, though, from the conclusions drawn from the results, these may pretty well be defined, as well as the manner of placing the floats upon the two wheels. From the conclusions we learn, that the area of the trapezium float was half that of the rectangular float, while the trapezium float was one-third of the breadth of the rectangular float. Now, if the acute and obtuse angles of the trapezium floats were placed at the same distance from the centre of the wheel, as the inner and outer edges of the rectangular floats were, it is not easy to conceive that a trapezium, formed within the space occupied by a rectangular figure, and of half the area, and revolving in the same circle of action, could receive a resistance equal to that given in the table. We are, therefore, driven to conclude that, while the inner edges of the rectangular floats, and one of the angles of the trapezium floats, were placed at the same distance from the centre of the wheel, the other angle of the trapezium float, from the greater radius of this float, projected far beyond the outer edges of the rectangular floats, and, as a consequence, operated through a larger circle of action, in the same manner as would the rectangular floats of a larger wheel; and thus, the trapezium floats were resisted by the water, through an arc of a larger circle. Indeed, we are warranted in assuming thus much, by the third table of experiments, in which the greater comparative resisting action of the trapezium floats, is obtained by this manner of placing the floats upon the wheels.

There appears to be some mistake in stating the area of floats immersed in the first table; for we find, upon examination, that while the resistance of the rectangular floats is doubled, the area of floats immersed remains precisely the same, and this remark may apply, in a mitigated degree, also to the trapezium floats. I have much difficulty in imagining, how the immersion of the floats of a wheel, to double the extent, can be

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