ship, constructed according to this invention; and fig. 2, is a transverse vertical section, taken in the line y, z, of fig. 1. a, is a covered passage, constructed of wood, iron, or other suitable material, and having an arched top, on account of the weight which it will have to sustain. The floor of the passage may either be made flat and level, or be furnished with rails or tram-plates for the carriages to travel upon; and, if desired, the passage may be made wide enough to allow two carriages to pass each other; or some particular part or parts only of the passage may be widened for that purpose. The carriage may either consist of a box, tub, or other receptacle, fitted with wheels, as shewn at figs. 1, and 2, or of a mere carriage-tram or frame mounted upon wheels, and on which a tub, box, or other receptacle, may be placed, for the purpose. of being conveyed along the passage to the foot of a shaft, and from thence taken out of the vessel. The materials of which the passage is formed must be capable of being removed, when it is not desired to use such covered passage. The bottom of the masts of the ship may either rest upon the top of the covered passage (as shewn), or be supported in the ordinary manner; but if the masts descend to the bottom of the vessel in the usual way, the covered passage must be made so as to allow carriages to pass along one or on both sides of each mast. In the top of the passage it will be requisite to provide hatches or openings at suitable intervals, for the purpose of allowing a portion of the cargo to fall into a box or other receptacle beneath; and these hatches or openings must be furnished with sliding covers, moved by levers or other convenient means. The sides of the covered passage may be constructed with hatches, capable of being opened in a similar manner to the hatches in the top of the passage; so that when the cargo ceases to run through the hatches in the top, access to the residue may be obtained through such hatches in the sides of the passage. b, c, are two vertical shafts, communicating with the covered passage, and rising to hatchways in the deck of the ship; they may be made of wood, iron, or any other suitable material, and must be sufficiently large to permit the passage upwards of the carriages or receptacles containing portions of the cargo.

VOL. XXXII,

C

In a small ship or vessel one shaft may be sufficient; but in a large ship it may be expedient to have two or more. The cargo is introduced into the hold of the ship through the ordinary hatches, and will fill the entire space in the hold, excepting those parts occupied by the covered passage and shaft or shafts; but, if thought desirable, the passage and shafts may also be filled with a portion of the cargo.

Figs. 3, and 4, exhibit the mode of applying this invention to a warehouse or similar depôt. a, fig. 3, is a covered passage, of sufficient size to admit a waggon or carriage; it passes from end to end of the warehouse, or nearly so, and is furnished with hatches, similar to the covered passages of the ship, figs. 1, and 2. The floor or bottom of the warehouse e, inclines upwards, in each direction, from the top of the covered passage, at an angle of about 45° with the horizon; so that when the hatches are opened, the goods in the warehouse or depôt may fall or slide down towards the open hatch. When the warchouse is too large to allow of the whole of its contents being conveniently delivered by means of a single covered passage, it may be constructed with two passages, as in fig. 4; and then there will be spaces g, under the inclined floors of the warehouse, which may be left vacant or used for any suitable purpose.

Fig. 5, exhibits another mode of constructing the interior of a warehouse with covered passages; wherein the floor or bottom of the warehouse is composed entirely of the arched covers of the passages a.

The patentec claims the mode or modes of constructing or fitting the interior parts of ships or other vessels, warehouses, and other depôts, hereinbefore described, for the purpose of facilitating the delivering or removing from such ships, vessels, warehouses, and depôts, of the cargoes or contents thereof.[Inrolled in the Rolls Chapel Office, December, 1847.]

To HENRY GILBERT, of the Marina, Saint Leonard's-onSea, surgeon, for improvements in apparatus for holding sacks, to facilitate the filling of them with corn or other materials.―[Scaled 27th May, 1847.]

IN filling sacks it has hitherto been the custom for one man

to hold the sack whilst another fills it, or else the sack has been suspended from hooks, fixed in a wall or post. Now the object of this invention is to produce an apparatus capable of holding open an empty sack, so that the same may be easily filled; and which apparatus may be readily moved from place to place.

In Plate I., fig. 1, is a front view, and fig. 2, a side elevation of the apparatus. It consists of two standards a, combined together by bars b, which are suitably bent for receiving the sack; and to the standards a, the diagonal frame c, ist attached by pins or axes d. The use of this frame is to support the standards a, in a position approaching more or less to the perpendicular; the standards a, and frame c, being kept at the required distance apart by means of the bent bar e, fastened at its ends to the standards a, and having notches on its under edge to receive the studs h, fixed upon the frame C. At the upper ends of the standards an elliptical frame f is fixed; and these ends also carry the axes or pins of two clamping bars g. The mouth or upper end of the sack is drawn through the frame f, (the clamping bars g, having been first raised into the position indicated by dotted lines,) and folded over the same; then the clamping bars g, are brought down to secure the sack; by which means the sack will be held open at the mouth, and suspended from the frame f [Inrolled in the Inrolment Office, November, 1847.]

To PAUL GILBERT PRELIER, of Rue de Rivoli, Paris, in the kingdom of France, Gent., for improvements in the manufacture of dry sulphuric acid, and in the manufacture of smoking or Nordhausen sulphuric acid,-being a communication.—[Sealed 29th June, 1847.]

THE patentee commences his specification by stating that, in consequence of the great affinity of sulphuric acid for water, it is difficult to concentrate the acid, even to 66° Baumé ; therefore, in order to obtain dry sulphuric acid, he combines simple sulphates with a fresh proportion of acid for the purpose of forming bi-sulphates, which he decomposes by the

action of heat, and thus obtains dry sulphuric acid. The manufacture of dry acid naturally leads to the production of smoking or Nordhausen sulphuric acid, as the latter is formed by the addition of dry acid to sulphuric acid, which has been concentrated to 66°,-the specific gravity of the Nordhausen acid increasing with the quantity of dry acid added.

In carrying out the invention, the patentee prefers to employ 100 parts sulphate of soda, 2 parts sulphate of potash, and 2 parts sulphate of lime; but these proportions may be varied; and even if sulphate of soda alone be employed, dry sulphuric acid will be obtained. The mixture is put into freestone retorts, set in a suitable furnace; then, by means of a bent glass tube, the acid is introduced into the retorts, and heat is gradually applied. Shortly after the application of heat, drops of water will proceed from the retorts, then acidulated water, followed by acid at 40°, 50°, and 66°, and finally by acid which fumes or smokes. To enable the operator to judge correctly as to the progress of the operation, vessels containing water are placed to receive the drops of acid; and when each drop produces a sound resembling that which would result if a red-hot iron was immersed in the water, the acid that produces the noise is dry acid. Vessels, to receive the acid, are now placed below the retorts, and luted with clay; and the retorts are subjected to a strong heat, until the acid ceases to drop into the vessels. Dry acid is thus obtained; but if it be desired to obtain Nordhausen sulphuric acid, a quantity of acid, concentrated to 66°, must be introduced into the receiving vessels, when they are placed below the retorts; and, by the admission of the dry acid, the density of the acid in the receiver will be increased to 67°, 68°, and 69°, according to the quantity of dry acid that enters the receiver. By this means sulphuric acid is obtained perfectly clear, and never colored like the Nordhausen sulphuric acid, nor charged with earth or other foreign matters. -[Inrolled in the Inrolment Office, December, 1847.]

เ

To JAMES THOMAS JULLION, of Stratford, in the county of Essex, analytical chemist, for improvements in the manufacture of certain acids; also improvements in decomposing certain acids, and applying the products resulting therefrom to the production of certain chemical compounds. -[Sealed 22nd October, 1846.]

THE specification of this invention commences by reference to the drawing of the apparatus employed by the patentee in carrying out his improved processes.

In Plate I., the apparatus is shewn in vertical sectional elevation, the better to shew the interior construction of some of the parts. · a, is a decomposing vessel, set in a water-bath b, which is heated by steam; c, is a large stoppered opening for introducing the materials, and allowing of their withdrawal by a syphon; and d, is a small stoppered opening for introducing a thermometer to ascertain the temperature of the liquor. e, is a pipe for supplying atmospheric air or oxygen from a gas-holder or blast-pump; f, an air-tight cover to vessel; g, the exit-pipe, connected with the main h; j, is a vessel or tube, containing platinum or other contact substance ; k, is the furnace by which the vessel j, is heated; 7, is a diparm or refrigerating-pipe; m, m, m, part of a series of twonecked receivers for condensation; n, is a terminal dip-pipe; and o, exit-pipe for waste gases. The following is the mode of operating with this apparatus, in order to carry into effect the first part of the invention, which relates to improvements in the manufacture of certain acids:-In the first place, instead of using the ordinary jars or open vessels for the manufacture, for instance, of oxalic acid, the mother liquor is placed, together with the organic substance to be acted upon, in closed or covered vessels, formed of earthenware (which may be called decomposing vessels), capable of containing about one hundred gallons each, having the necessary pipes and openings, as shewn in the drawing. a, is a decomposing vessel, of which there may be several if required. These vessels are set in a water-bath 6, which is heated by steam, or in any other convenient manner. The materials to be operated upon are