The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-21 00:00:00

LYSTITUTIOX OP CIVIL EXGINEERS.

At the last meeting of this society, Joseph Locke
Esq., M.P.. vice-president, in the chair.
The first paper read was "On the Caloric En-
gine," by Mr. C. Manby, M. Inst. C.E. (secretary.)
At meetings of the Socidt4 d'Encouragement pour
l'lndustrie Nationale on the 26th January, 1852,
and of the Acaddmic des Sciences, on the 2d Fe-
bruary of the same year, M. Galy-Cazalat entered upon
an examination of the principle of Ericsson's caloric
engine, assuming it to be composed of parts analogous
to a non-condensing steam-engine. After describing
these component parts and their several uses and rela-
tive bearings, he gaVe the following quotation from
Ericsson's English Patent of December 26, 1850.
" The invention consists in producing motive power
by the application of caloric to atmospheric air, or
other permanent gases, or fluids, susceptible of con-
siderable expansion, by the increase of temperature—
the mode of applying the caloric being such, that
after having caused the expansion, or dilitation which pro-
duces the motive power, the caloric is transferred to cer-
tain metallic substances, and again re-transferred from
these substances to the acting medium, at certain in-
tervals, or at each successive stroke of the motive en-
gine ; the principal supply of caloric being thereby ren-
dered independent of combustion, or consumption of
fuel accordingly, whilst in the steam-engine the caloric
is constantly wasted, by being passed into the con-
denser, or by being carried off into the atmosphere.
In the improved engine the caloric is employed over
and over again, enabling me to dispense with the
employment of combustibles, excepting for the pur-
pose of restoring the heat lost by the expansion
of the acting medium, and that lost by radiation
also for the purpose of making good the small
deficiency unavoidable in the transfer of the caloric."
These passages would have led to the idea of a perpetual
motion, but that the well-known law governing the
elastic force of gases at various temperatures demon-
strated the erroneous principle on which the presumed
economy of the caloric engine was based. It was con-
tended that if the degree of elastic force of a gas was
directly proportioned to the amount of caloric combined
with it, a certain mechanical power must be exerted to
abstract that caloric from the gas, and no filter could re-
tain any portion, without opposing such 'a degree of
resistance as would destroy the economy. Arguing upon
the generally received dimensions of Ericsson's engine, it
was demonstrated, in order to arrive even at a less
amount of economy of fuel than had been claimed for
the machine, it was requisite that the air, leaving the
cylinder, should traverse the meshes of the metallic web
in the " regenerator," without cooling by expansion, or
in other words, preserving the elastic force of two at-
mospheres' primarily possessed by it, in the working
cylinder. But this force, being reduced to the sum of
the resistances of the atmosphere and of the " regene-
rator," the sensible heat was reduced by the amount
employed in expanding the air, without being usefully
transmitted to the metallic web. The result was that
the escaping air carried off almost all its latent heat,
expanding into nearly twice its previous volume, the
Insignificant portion of sensible heat imparted to
the- metallic web being proportioned to the weight
and bulk of the metal, and corresponding with the
diminution of the volume of air. It was argued,
also, that in practice the caloric engine would be
more simple and economical if the " regenerator" was
suppressed, and a greater extent of heating surface was
given to the air vessels ; as the surface was now so
small, that two-thirds of the fuel were uselessly con-
sumed, therefore that any present apparent economy
could only be made on one-third of the fuel effectively
employed.

Quotations were given, from a letter addressed by M.
Regnault to Colonel Sabine, Treas. Royal Society (dated
April, 1853), in which he stated that he was about to
publish, immediately, a series of elaborate experimental
researches on various subjects connected with the
effects of heat on elastic fluids, the results of which
would solve many questions long in dispute, and by
means of which engineers might accurately calculate the
effect of a given amount of fuel, in whatever way it was
applied. M. Regnault communicated, in anticipation,
that he had arrived at the number 0.237 for the specific
heat of air at constant pressure, and at 0.475 for that
of steam under atmospheric elasticity, the specific heat
of water being taken in each case as unity.
The next paper read was "On the Principle of the
Caloric or Hot Air Engine," by Mr. J. Leslie, M. Inst.
C.E. The main objects of the author were to show
that the "regenerator," or, as he contended it should
be called, the " economiser," was based on the cor-
rect principle of the rapid equalisation of temperature
of two bodies of unequal temperature, when brought
into contact, and that it was practically produc-
tive of economy of fuel ; that the date of the produc-
tion of Stirling's air engine was antecedent to that of
Ericsson ; and that the former was decidedly superior to
the latter, in the general arrangement, in the details of
construction, and in the general efficiency. If it was
admitted that the wire gauze, or thin plates, did absorb
the heat, in the passage of the air in one direction, and
give it out again on its return, it was contended at
some length that there must be economy of heat, unless
the mechanical power required to drive the air through
and between the metallic webs in the regenerator was
greater than the advantage to be derived from the al-
ternate heating and cooling. It was contended, that the
required force was, in reality, very insignificant—that it
did not increase in proportion as the density of the air
was augmented—and that by the removal of the regene-
rator the air engine would lose its power and its eco-
nomy. That Stirling's air engine, at Dundee, did act
efficiently, for some years, 'and was only at last aban-
doned from the difficulty of preventing the bottoms of
the air vessels from being destroyed by the direct action
of the fire. The apparatus called " Jeffrey's Respira-
tor " was instanced as an analogous application of the
alternate heating "and cooling of air, in its passage
between metallic surfaces. It was contended that to
Dr. Stirling was due the merit of the invention of the
economising process, on which the air engine was
based, whilst to his brother—Mr. James Stirling—
(M. Instft. C. E.), must be conceded the practical
reduction of the bulk of the engine, by using compressed
air, the latter improvement having been patented in
1827, and with other ameliorations in 1840 ; that Stir-
ling's engine was more compact than Ericsson's, and
occupied less space, owing to the use of air compressed
to seven or ten atmospheres, which increased the power
of the machine directly in the ratio of the density of the
air ; and that, in Stirling's engine, the working cylinder
being a separate apparatus, connected only with the cool
end of the air vessels, it never became heated to such an
extent as to occasion the difficulty of lubricating which
had proved so prejudicial in Ericsson's and other engines.
Ericsson's new engine was next examined, and was
shown to be the primitive air engine, with the addition
of Stirling's respirator (or regenerator), and it was
argued, that while (theoretically) it was somewhat supe-
rior, it must (practically) be considered as much inferior
to Stirling's engine, in consequence of the heated
working cylinder, the low working pressure, which
was shown not to exceed 1-1-lbs. average pressure, upon
the up and down stroke of the working piston, and the
utter inadequacy of heating surface, which was limited
to the bottom area of the working cylinder and the pas-
sage leading to the regenerator.
The president's conversuzione was announced to be
held on Tuesday, May 31, and members requested to
co-operate, in sending models, &c., for exhibition.

METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS ON 1853.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The new year was ushered in with blustering
wind and rain, which continued the greater part of the
month, with thunder on the sth and 11th ; the last four
days the atmosphere became colder; the temperature on
the whole was above the average.—February : The
winter winds set in from the N.E. with great severity ;
heavy falls of snow on the east coast on the 11th, 12th,
17th, 23d, 24th, and 27th, the air acting with inclement
force, the wind at times blowing a gale, which occa-
sioned much damage to the shipping.—March was
changeable ; from the sth to 11th thick hazy weather,
with a thaw; the 11th to 13th was mostly fair and clear;
then a return of cold N.B. wind, with frost and snow
Showers until the end of the month.—April was very
changeable, wind shifting continually ; thunder on the
7th ; then cold and squally, wind N.W. to N.E. ;
heavy thunder-storm passed over Norfolk ; the next day
our coast was visited by one of the heaviest gales from
the N.E. to N.N.E. (moon being in Perigee 24th day)
that has been witnessed this season—the wind blowing
at times a perfect hurricane, very unusual at so late a
period ; much damage was done to the shipping in our
locality, and losz of some lives.—May (the present
month) will be cold and winterly ; the 7th and Bth were
stormy, with hail and very keen wind ; the 15th to 18th
will be cold and blustering ; the nights are still frosty,
the current of the wind moving rapidly at times from
the pole towards the equator ; 25th, 28th, rain, with
thunder in places. This cold weather will remain until
the 2d of June. The sun is fast advancing to its gi eat-
est boreal limit ; its right ascension from the first point
of Aries is 47 deg. 24 min., and its northern declination
17 deg. 40 min. The atmosphere is continually full of
cold aqueous vapour, which prevents the rays of the sun
from rarifying the lower surface, in consequence of which
vegetation progresses very slowly. This is the coldest
spring for fifty years past.—ln June we may look for an
increase of temperature ; on the Bth to 14thi thunder ;
on the 19th, in places ; then very warm for a time ;
some cool breezes about 28th.—July often hot and
sultry ; about Bth, the heat almost equal to Jamaica or
Bengal ; local thunder-storms, with large hail ; about
19th to 22d, from the 24th to the 28th, hot, evening
summer lightning.—August often hot, with thunder and
lightning at times ; from the 10th to the 13th, the 16th
to the 20th, very hot, fine for the harvest, the thermo-
meter ranging up to 80 deg. of heat, lofty cirrus clouds
denoting electricity.—ln September there will be sud-
den changes, rain, with thunder in places.
I remain, your obedient servant,
W. SALTER.
.Lowestoft, May 10, 1853.

PULPIT ELOCUTION.—The synod of Moray have
adopted an overture to the General Assembly, recom-
mending to the attention of the church "a correct elo-
cution and impressive delivery as important auxiliaries
to the nunistrations of tho pulpit."—Glasgow Chronicle.

SCOTCH COLLEGE IN SPAIN.—A vessel sailed from
Greenock on Monday, for Santander, with fourteen
lads, on their way to the Scotch College, which has
existed since the times•of our Reformation, in the ancient
but now decayed city of Valladolid, in ,the interior of
Spain. The young men, one of whom belongs to Greenock,
and the others to,Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ste., are under
charge of a priest. The superiors and professors In this
college are all. Scotchmen, and the lads are intended to
be trained as priests of the Church of Rome.—Greenock
Advertiser.

FROM TILE LONDON GAZETTE of YESTERDAY.

LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, MAY 2.
Notice is hereby given, that her Majesty's birthday will
be celebrated on Tuesday the 24th instant.
Notice is hereby given, that her Majesty will hold draw-
ing-rooms, at St. James's Palace, on the following days, at
2 o'clock :

Thursday, 2d June next.
Tuesday, 14th June next.
Thursday, 23d June next.
REGULATIONS TO BE OBSERVED AT THE QUEEN'S DRAW-