The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-02 00:00:00

TRIAL OP STEAM FIRE ENGINES.

Of all the novelties which the Crystal Palace
Company has from time to time introduced for the some.
meet of its patrons, none ba+ perhaps been more original or
more likely to produce beneficial result' than the contest of
steam fire engines which commenced yesterday in the Palms
grounds. The superiority in every respect of the steam fire
engine over that worked by manual power, has directed at.
teatime to the various adaptations of steam machinery to
the purpose, with the view of determining se to the best
form of construction, and of encouraging further efforts at
improvement. A fund he. been satecrited for the
purpose of giving premiums to the exhibitors of each
steam fire engine' as prove moat efficient for the object for
which they are constructed, and the competition is now
proceeding under the mansgemeat of • committee, cossist.
mg of the Duke of Sutherland, the Earl of Outliner, Lord
Richard Crowenor, M.P., Messrs. J. G. nevoid. J. F. Bate-
man W. IL Browne, T. It. Crampton, W. M. Crosland, W.
Fairliairn, T. Ilawksley, J. E. M•Connell, H. Mande/ay, J.
Matthews, J. Neamyth, J. Penn, W. Smith, and Captain
E. IL Shaw.
The principal exhibitors are Messrs. Easton and Amos,
Mr. Merryweather, Messrs. Shand and Mason, Mews
Lee mid turned, of New York ; and Mews.
Amoskesg, Manes and Co., of Manchester N. H., U. S.
The engines produced for trial are divided into • mail
edam, consisting of those not exceeding 32 net., and • large
class consisting of those exceeding 30 cwt. and not erased-
ing 60 cwt., and the premiums offered amount to 250/. for
the best engine, end 1001. for the second best, in each clam
The chief points to which the committee direct their attm.
tion in addition to considerations of oast and weight, are
rapidity in raising and generating steam, facility of &awing
water, volume thrown, distance to which it can be projected
with the least amount of loss, and simplicity, awortibility,
and durability of part'.
The first trial yesterday was with five engines of
the large class, and the taste applied were to nicer.
Min the rapidity with which a praisers of 101 b.
on the square inch amid be obtained, and the accuracy as
well is rapidity with which • certain quantity of water
could be thrown upon a particular spot. were pre.
mired, consisting of =Tie hoods six feet in diameter, hav-
ing attached to each a shoot through which the water
was conducted into a tank capable of }wilding • thousand
gallons. The distance from the nozzle was 60 feet horizon-
tally and 40 feet vertically, giving a true distance of
about 72 feet, at an eagle of 34 degrees from the
horizon. The fires were lighted by signal,. and the
tint to show the preemie at which working was to
commence was an engine exhibited by Mr. Roberts, the time
occupied being 11 minute'. The first, however, to throw
water was Mr. Merryweather's engine, and the first
to fill its tank was the Sabrina, built by Messrs.
Fasten and Amos. Messrs. Shand sod Mason's engine
was third in the performance of its work, and the
Victoria, an American machine, was some minutes behind
all its competitor.. In the next trial, which was of engines
of 30 nwt. and under, and for which the horizontal
distance was shortened to 40 feet, the result was
more decided. Messrs. Shand and Mason's., a light,
compact, and cleverly arranged machine, wen the fort to
indicate the pressure of IC3 lbeto the square inch, and the
first to deliver the 1,000 gallons of water through the target ;
the next was an engine of Mr. Merryweather's ; and the last
the Alexandra, constructed by Messrs. Amoskesg, Mentz,
and Co. The American engine was behiodhand in getting
up the steam, but when it began to throw the water it kept
up a steady and w.:11-directed stream.
Further teats will be made in both daises at greater die-
tetics', with greater lengths of hose, and with nozzles of
various sines ; the engines will be workedl for • considerable
length of time, and the height at which each can project
water from the ground level will be tried. The hose was in
each cue yesterday directed from a rest, and it was opon
to exhibitors to employ any contrivance which might
wrist in giving a correct delivery of water, the desire of the
committee being to apply the whole of the test to the
engines, and me little as possible to the men.

WEATHER REPORT.-(THIS DAY.)

TRIIIIDAY, ILLY; II A.Y.

I ' 111 D. W. iT. 1 2.1 Q. I.l—.
-- —l I— --•
Nairn 0.84 671 2 W. ill 2 I 12 1
Absribisa 19.84 LSI 2 E.S.E. 2 6 13 2
Leith 1 9.81 60 3 8. ' 1 2 12 1
Shlel4o
Seerborowth '19.r8 63 6 B.W. $ 2 19 2
Greencastle 29 79 60 N. 2 4 14 0.27 1
Galway 'M.9163 N. 37j 20 0.361 2
Valenti& 30.00 59 N. 2
—9lO 5. 90 0.44 2
QUOMI 140•111 92 61 W.N.W.W. N.W. 4 9 120 0.111 4
Liverpool —.19.88 61 8.8.1 3• 3 112 0.07 2
Holyhead
' 4 I 18
0.13 2
Pembroke 29.93 68, W.S.W. I 4 4 19 0.17 1
Penzance 30.07 61 W. I 4 6 16 3
Brest 4016 01. B.W. 141 90 8
L'Oraent .. 35.16 63 S.W. 314 le 2
Rochefort 30.2366 N. W. . 3 2 16 4
etmou 44 30.06 12 W.S.W. 131 7 12 0.175
Weymouth ;30.0661 S.W. 4 4 12
Portsmouth 110.e6 67e B.W. 6 4 14
London '.30.05 a 118. W. 16 416 :1 83
Dover 30.00 44 W. iS , 1 20 3
Yarmouth '29.96 64 &W. 1413 16 b 2
Helder I / I
Uail 8. 6 3 16 e 4