munication by the quickest means at the lowest cost, and for this purpose the telegraph alone will answer. There can be no more striking example of the public desire for quick facilities of communication than is shown in the avidity with which they have taken advantage of the quick-delivery system instituted by the post-office a few years ago. Every such letter is an evidence that the writer is willing to pay 10 cents in order to expedite the delivery of his letter half an hour. If these letters could be telegraphed for, say, 15 cents, or 3 cents more than the ordinary and extra postage, no one can doubt that nearly all would go that way."

THE SCHEFFLER-KURTH ROTARY SNOW-SHOVEL.

At the stated meeting of September 18th, Dr. Robert Grimshaw made some remarks upon the introduction of American rotary snow-shovels in Europe, especially in Germany, illlustrating them on the screen by a photographic view taken on one of two trials made in the latter part of last winter, on the Prussian Military Railway at Mahlow, near Berlin. (See accompanying illustration.)

The speaker explained that the use of rotary snow-shovels in Central Europe had not been demanded at all for commercial reasons, nor (by reason of the usually moderate snowfall) for military purposes. But the severe snows of last winter, blockading so thoroughly so many of the railways of Europe, caused apprehension in military circles, lest future snowfalls should prevent the rapid transportation of troops and materials of war from one strategic point to another; hence, the German Government looked into the matter for military rather than for commercial reasons.

It being found impossible to get any regular railway to make a trial of the Scheffler-Kurth shovel at its own cost, or even at the builders' expense, the use of a section of Government military railway (which is distinct in management and purpose from other regular governmental railways) was obtained and a snow-heap built thereon, 600 meters in length and from 21⁄2 to 41⁄2 meters high. To build this it was necessary to haul some twenty train-loads of snow from the streets of Berlin, in addition to what could be obtained in the neighborhood. The compacted mass as presented for removal by the shovel, was composed of partly-frozen slush, and had a specific gravity of 0'750. The results of the first test (made under conditions much more severe than ever met with in actual railway service) were but partially successful, by reason of the too rapid advance of the train, due to nervousness and inexperience of the engine-runners; but a second trial, two days later, with a snow-heap of similar compactness and height, and 1,000 meters in length, demonstrated most satisfactorily the superiority and efficiency of the American system of snow removal.

The machine tried on this occasion has a twin-cylinder, single-expansion, double-acting vertical engine of 800 horse-power, driving a shaft 10 inches in diameter, at the forward end of which is a rotary shovel 10 feet in diameter and having twelve blades fastened firmly to a pointed hub at the end of the shaft, and to a peripheral wrought-iron ring. Across this latter there is a

strong diametral breaker-bar, in advance of the blades, and serving to cut the snow when frozen, thus relieving the blades. This shovel rotates in an adjustable cylindrical boiler-iron case, open in front, and having in its periphery a side outlet, the position of which can be so changed by partial rotation of the case (effected through clutch-gearing, by the main engines) as to throw the snow in a continuous stream either to the right or to the left of the track, and at any desired angle from horizontal to vertical. This obviates the necessity of reversing the engine, as is done in most American rotary snow-shovels. In addition to its partial rotation, the case may be slightly raised at switches and crossings. The entire machinery is mounted in a specially constructed box-car. Steam for the twin engines is furnished by a spiral copper pipe from a locomotive directly coupled the to rear of the shovelcar; and the exhaust passes through a similar spiral pipe to the smoke-box of this locomotive. This latter could, if sufficiently powerful, have given the necessary advance to the shovel-car; although, on this occasion, a second locomotive was employed for pushing.

Two of these machines have been in successful operation for two winters on the Government railways in Hungary.

THE KÖPCKE SPRING RAIL-JOINT.

At the same meeting, Dr. Robert Grimshaw also described a spring railjoint, the invention of Prof. Dr. Köpcke, of Dresden.

The invention is designed to give both vertical and lateral stiffness to the joint, while permitting lengthwise expansion of the rails. To make it in an ordinary T-rail, two lengthwise saw-kerfs are made in the web for about one foot at each end separating the web from the head and the flange respectively. The head is then entirely removed by a cross cut for about the same length, the web bent inwards at right angles and the flange bent downwards, also at right angles. These bent portions may then be united to corresponding portions of a similarly-treated rail, by bolts or rivets; suitably spaced holes having been punched before the bending. A fish-plate may be used on the outside of the rails if desired.

PROSPECTIVE INCREASE IN THE CONSUMPTION OF IRON.

In an article recently published in the Engineering Magazine, Mr. Edward Atkinson ventures the prediction that from the present time until 1900, the consumption of iron in this country may be expeeted to increase, not only in the present ratio to the increase of population, but also in an accumulated ratio corresponding to the increase per capita, which was developed between 1877 and 1889. Assuming, as he does, that the consumption per capita will rise only from 300 to 400 pounds, "then the 80,000,000 people who will occupy this country in the year 1900 may require, in addition to our present supply, not less than 7,000,000 gross tons.

Making the assumption that the demand of Great Britain, France Germany, and Belgium shall increase only twenty per cent., that increase will create a demand in 1900 for 2,000,000 tons in addition to their present con

sumption. If the consumption of the rest of Europe, of Asia, of Africa, of South and Central America and of Australia shall increase from eleven or twelve pounds per capita to twenty-two or twenty-four pounds, this, in addition to their present supply of 60,000,000 tons, will require 6,000,000 tons

more.

He, thereupon, summarizes the results of these prospective increases in the demand for iron, showing, on the basis of his assumptions, that the world's prospective demand for iron in 1900 will be not less than 40,000,000 tons.

TIN-PLATE PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES.

W.

The report of special agent Ira Ayer, of the Treasury Department, on the condition of the tin-plate business in the United States, exhibits a substantial growth of the industry. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1895, the production in the United States of commercial tin- and terne-plates was 193,801,073 pounds, against 139,223,467 pounds during the previous fiscal year, showing an increased production of 39 per cent. Of the production for the year, 160,576,934 pounds, or about 83 per cent., were made from sheets rolled in the United States, against about 62 per cent. for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1894. The quantity of sheets of American manufacture used during the last fiscal year was 31,253,467 pounds in excess of the entire production of commercial tin- and terne-plates during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1894. The production for the year, distributed according to weight and kind of plates, was as follows:

The production of black plates in the United States during the fiscal year, by quarters, was as follows: