usually done at the dinner hour, when the steam is off. Accordingly, the engineer begins, at eleven o'clock, to fire less heavily; at twelve o'clock he opens the doors, as much to enable him to check the fire during the dinner-hour, as, at the same time, to clean his fire, that is, to draw out the cinders. When he has done this, and is preparing to start again at one o'clock, he has to get up his steam. If he were to throw a great mass of cold coals into his furnace when in this state, instead of raising the steam, it would put out his fire; the consequence is, he is obliged to throw on a few shovelfuls first. The common state of the fire then admits a sufficient supply of air through the bars to combine with the smoke; and the consequence is, if we admit air, by Mr. Williams's apparatus, through another part, we have a mass of air in that part, and that air, instead of burning the smoke, actually produces smoke; because it is essential, not only that the atmospheric air should mix with the gases, but that there should be, at the point of mixture, a sufficient degree of heat to ensure combustion; and if it go below that, the admission of air becomes a cause of the smoke. But I say this only exists while the fire is in this weak state; so that from about half-past eleven to half-past one, we do make a little smoke; at any other period of the day we make no smoke; and on that ground I say that at least threefourths of the smoke may be got rid of. (Applause.) I think it but due to Mr. Hall, having made so much mention of Mr. Williams's invention, to say that Mr. Hall appears to me to meet the objection of cooling down the furnace in some measure, because he employs hot air. He makes use of the steam after it has left the boiler to heat the air which he is about to admit into the furnace; and the consequence is, that he may admit air of a high temperature without the risk of cooling down the gases; and, as far as that goes, it appears to me to meet one objection which has applied to Mr. Williams's plan. Another objection, however, is raised to this, in consequence of heated air occupying more room than air in a cold state; but, with regard to that, it is a matter of experience on which I cannot speak."

ABSTRACTS OF SPECIFICATIONS OF ENGLISH

PATENTS RECENTLY ENROLLED.

JOSEPH CLISILD DANIELL, OF TIVERTON MILLS, GENT., for improvements in the manufacture of manure, or a composition to be used on land as a manure. Enrolment Office, April 7, 1842.

Mr. Daniell makes use of a vast variety of substances, as straw, chaff, husks, weeds,

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vegetable rubbish of every sort, asphalte, pitch, tar, graves, offal, carrion, &c. The hard and lumpy he grinds to powder, or reduces to powder by subjecting them to the action of some caustic alkali. The soft and liquid he mixes with the dry, or with fine earths. And each manure, when rendered fit for use is deposited in the ground with the seed, by means of a drilling machine, or scattered broad-cast fashion.

The patent of Mr. Daniell is for "a composition to be used on land as a manure," but his specification describes a great number of compositions, all made of very common materials, and made after modes, all more or less in common use. It is impossible that such a patent can stand good.

JOHN PETER Booth, LATE OF HATTONGARDEN, LONDON, BUT NOW OF CORK, FEATHER MERCHANT, for certain improvements in the manufacture of a substance, or compound fabric, which will be applicable to the making of quilts, coverlets, and wadding for purposes of clothing and furniture. -Rolls Chapel Office, April 19, 1842.

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These improvements are stated to consist in the application to quilts, coverlets and wadding, used for the purposes of clothing and furniture, of down, in the following manner-"The down may be obtained from any bird or animal, but I use in preference the down obtained from goose feathers. After the down has been properly dressed and prepared in any of the methods usually adopted for such purposes, I arrange it in a layer of a convenient thickness, and place it within a case or covering consisting of two sheets of any suitable material. When the down is properly placed and arranged in this case or covering, it is retained therein, and in its proper situation by stitching, or quilting. After the down is properly secured in the manner above described, within its inner case or covering, the quilt, coverlet or wadding thus produced, may be covered with any ornamental fabric, such as satin, silk, velvet, chintz, or other material, according to the purpose to which my improved wadding is intended to be applied."

The claim is, 1. To" the application of goose down under two covers, the under cover to be quilted, or otherwise secured, and the outer, or ornamental cover stitched or connected to the inner in any convenient manner, for the purpose of making quilts, coverlets, or similar articles of furniture."

2. "The application of down of every description, to be applied in the manner above explained, to every purpose of clothing where warmth is required, as an improved material for, or mode of wadding garments.".

The notion of attempting, at this time of day, to establish a monopoly of the use of down for wadding is amusing. Is it to

make the thing more characteristic that the patentee declares his preference for goosedown? Will not down of gulls do as well? WILLIAM PALMER, OF SUTTON-STREET, CLERKENWELL, MANUFACTURER, for improvements in the manufacture of Candles. -Enrolment Office, May 9, 1842.

These improvements are four in number. The first relates to the wick, which is to be so prepared, as hereafter explained, at one portion of its surface that it may be introduced into the candle in a straight line, and yet have the property of turning out from the flame. If a wick be so prepared on one side, as to produce an inequality by causing it to be made more or less stiff, or more or less combustible, there will be a tendency in the wick to bend out from the flame. The most simple means by which such inequality can be produced is stated to be by impregnating one side of the wick with common paste or starch, which gives stiffness to, or reduces the combustibility of one portion of the surface of the wick, and so alters the uniformity of the wick, as to produce a preponderance in one direction. The claim under this head is, to "the mode of manufacturing candles by preparing the wicks by applying a suitable material or materials to one surface of a wick in order to cause it to bend out from the flame when burning."

The second improvement consists of a new instrument to facilitate the production of wicks into candles. This instrument is a long piece of wire, with a small nick at one end which carries the top of the cotton, or wick, the two ends of which are then brought down to the bottom of the instrument and there secured, first one and then the other by a clip provided for the purpose, and made by turning round the lower end of the wire. The instrument is to be withdrawn when the candle is made. When the improved wicks, before described, are used, the wire will be found very useful, it is said, to keep them separate. The claim is to "the mode of forming an instrument to hold wicks for candles, whereby the ends of the wicks are held by the clip as described."

The third improvement is in the construction of what are called "fence rings," and consists in perforating the rings with small holes or slits, whereby the tallow, or other material of which the candle may be made, is enabled to flow round the wick. The claim is to "the mode of making fence rings with an open upper surface."

The fourth improvement is a wick-carrier for hollow candles. It consists of a metal cone, into which a short wick, or wicks are placed, and there are slits, or openings at

the top of the holder, as in the fence rings. It will be evident that as the candle is consumed, the holder will slide down the hollow of the candle, the conical shape of the holder preventing the melted tallow, or other material from descending down below it. The claim is to "the mode of applying wickholders to candles as above described."

FREDERICK BROWN, OF LUTON, IROS. FOUNDER, for improvements in stores or fire-places.

One box or chamber is enclosed within another. The fuel is placed in the inner chamber, which is provided with fire-bars or a suitable grate at bottom. The atmospheric air to support combustion is “introduced from above and descends down amongst the fuel," while the products of combustion pass down between the bars, and then away by certain side passages to the chimney.

The claim is, to "the mode of placing the chamber having fire-bars, or suitable grate within another chamber, when the air for supporting combustion of the fuel in the (inner) chamber is caused to pass downwards, through and amongst the fuel, and the products of combustion pass between the fire-bars, or grating, as described."

We should have thought it would have been found a difficult matter thus to reverse the usual order of things; but we observe, that Mr. Loudon, in his lately published Supplement to his Encyclopædia of Architecture and Furniture, speaks well of this Luton stove, and Mr. Loudon is a good authority. Speaking of a range on this principle, he says, "There can be no doubt of the improvement effected in this range in the avoidance of smoke and dust, economy of fuel, &c., over the common range."

The notice taken in our recent review of "Books on Gas Lighting," of the successful substitution of earthen retorts for the more common ones of iron, has led to our being favoured with numerous enquiries for some further information respecting the mode of constructing and fitting them up. For the satisfaction therefore of the enquirers, and in the hope of promoting the more general adoption of what appears from every account to be a most useful invention, we extract from Mr. Clegg's Treatise the following additional details, as also the accompanying engravings (on a reduced scale); but we would advise parties desirous of erecting retorts on this plan, to apply for the professional aid of the inventor, Mr. J. Grafton (Gas Works, Cambridge,) or Mr. Clegg himself. Fig. 1 of the engravings is a longitudinal section of a set of these retorts, with the well-known hydraulic valve of Mr. Clegg, sen., attached; fig. 2, a transverse section through the line A. B.

Mr. Clegg's Description.

The first idea of adopting fire-clay as a substitute for metal in the construction of retorts occurred to Mr. Grafton in the year 1820, when he took out a patent for the invention; the first of them erected in this kingdom was at the manufactory of Messrs. Butcher, in Wolverhampton. This retort was of the square form, but it was soon after altered to the oven, or D-shape, which form has been adopted ever since, as shown in the engravings; large numbers have been put up under his direction in different parts of this kingdom and in several towns on the continent.

The reader will fully understand their plan of construction from the engravings, which require no description, except that I may remark, that the bottom is exposed directly to the heat of the fire, and is slightly "cambered," or curved upwards, to enable it with more certainty to retain its form. The cement with which the parts of the oven are jointed is a composition which Mr. Grafton has been at much pains to render perfect, but he has not favoured me with the materials of which it is formed. It seems to be an excellent substance, and when the interior is coated with it, becomes vitrified and quite gas-tight under considerable pres

sure.

During the first seven years after their introduction, great prejudice and opposition from interested bodies existed against this

plan; and to such an extent did this proceed, that in one of the principal gas works of the metropolis, where six of the largest ovens of this description were set up at a great cost, a plot was almost simultaneously laid for their destruction, which soon produced the effect desired by the contrivers. The same fate attended two of the retorts erected at Montpelier, where they were wilfully destroyed. It is but justice to add, that the directors of both companies afforded Mr. Grafton every advantage and facility for a fair trial, and in the first instance, offered a large reward for the discovery of the persons who had designed and occasioned the loss. I mention this as an example out of many, to show that new inventions, however valuable, which profess to make great changes, rarely meet with encouragement in the first instance. As a further proof of this remark, I may notice the long time lost before the immense advantages offered by the meter to gas companies were acknowledged or appreciated. At Manchester, one of the most enlightened towns in the kingdom for me. chanical and chemical science, this valuable instrument was for a long time expressly forbidden to be used, although five years afterwards the directors were compelled to acknowledge that the great success of the Manchester works was chiefly attributable to the meter.

In England and Scotland the fire clay retort has superseded the use of metal in no less than forty towns; in some instances it has lasted for the extraordinary period of twelve years; while, during this time, at all other works where the invention is not yet used, it may be asserted that iron retorts have been renewed as many times. The oven, or D-shaped retorts are found to be the most advantageous, being made with a capacity to carbonize 1 cwt. of coal every hour. They can be constructed either to be heated by coke ovens, or coke furnaces, or by the burning of tar; with coke ovens they are more durable.

One practical point must be observed, that clay retorts of small dimensions are less economical than those of larger size, owing to the great per centage of fuel required to keep them at a proper temperature for decomposing the coal. The advantage of using the latter description of distilling vessel is simply a question of profit and loss; or, whether it was cheaper to burn iron or coal, The material of which they are formed is a non-conductor of heat, consequently, the absorption of caloric is less rapid; and although they retain their heat when a fresh charge is introduced better than iron retorts,

yet not sufficiently to bring down the quantity of fuel as low as that required for metal. Notwithstanding this, even small clay retorts are preferred in many places, particularly in Scotland. Mr. James Reid, of the Montrose Gas Works, has favoured me with the following description of the earthen retorts:

"We have had clay retorts in operation for the last three years, and from the great difference in price compared with that of iron retorts of the same size, and from the immense superiority over metal in working them, we have entirely given up the use of the latter. I tried the retorts in the shape of an ellipsis in the D and circular form, and find the cylindrical to be the best adapted for carbonizing the coal effectually. The size I find best adapted to all purposes, is 8 feet long, 14 inches diameter, and 4 inches thick such a retort costs at Inverkatling, or Clakmannan 21. 68.; the pillars, or co

lumns for supporting them are 68. each, and each retort finished costs 31. 4s. The mouthpieces are cast metal, and fastened to the end of the retorts by bolts and flanches, as in the ordinary description, and jointed with fire-clay and iron cement. The retorts are made in two lengths, and are jointed by a body of fire-clay well diluted with water. The most economical plan for erecting them is to set them three under one arch, heated by one fire. Their only drawback is, that when the heat is let down, they contract unevenly on cooling, and are liable to leak when again required for distillation; they generally last two years."

Clay retorts have been used some years by Mr. Eunson, of Wolverhampton, with suc cess, the cost of material for setting an oven being under 21. The retorts are circular, and made in joints of 32 inches long. In several places these retorts are made at the works.