The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-22 00:00:00

GINEERS.

198

TUESDAY, JUNE 19.—Joshua Field, Esq., President,
in the chair.

In the course of the evening, the Earl of Rosse, Pre-
sident of the Royal Society, was presented by Mr. Ben-
niereadwas to the President of the Institution, on his election as
an Hon
" On the Employment of High-
Pressure Steam, working expansively, in Marine En-
gines," by Mr. John Seaward, M. Inst. C.E.
,of a reply, by communication was described to be
to several the
eminenatothor, to some questions addressed
This
, engineering firms, by the Hon.
the substance
was when Secretary of the Admi-
H. L. Corry, ma.
found to furnish so much
estoeafmusing high-
pressure steam, This reply.and
so
or disaNvatr:tiZ to open the ques-
tionu sef useful
fi information, m
advantageati on
steam, and of cutting off the
portions of the stroke, that it was conceived itatvvvoautobles
advantageously produced at the institution, in order that
the subject should be fully discussed. Unfortunately,
the absence of the principal members at the floating of
the first tube of the Britannia Bridge frustrated the lat-
ter expectation, but the substance of the paper appeared
to be fully appreciated.
The argument was so continuous that it would be diffi-
cult to attempt to do more than to give a faint idea of
it, as the limits of this account would not suffice for an
abstract of it.
It first reviewed the mode of working marine en-
gines for some years past, and noticed the gradual
change that had occurred, particularly the tendency
to use high-pressure steam, instead of that of a
pressure of alyart four pounds above the atmosphere.
It then examined the system of cutting off the
steam at various parts of the stroke; and as, at the same
time, a remarkable augmentation had occurred in the
speed of the vessels, which was naturally attributed to
that cause, it inquired minutely into these several causes
and effects, as well as the considerable reduction in the
consumption of fuel which took place, enabling the ves-
sels, consequently, to make longer voyages, or to carry
less fuel for given distances.

In this examination, all the arguments for and against
the use of high steam, and the presumed gain or lois of
mechanical power in the use of the expansion principle

in the cylinder, were canvassed at length; and the paper
wound up with the replies of the author to the three
questions from the Admiralty, to this effect:—
" The highest pressure of steam that we have, in any
case, put upon a marine boiler of our own construction,
was about 16 pounds to the square inch; but we are not
inclined to repeat the experiment, as we feel assured that
wo can obtain equally good results with steam of a lower
pressure—from 10 to 12 lbs. is the usual pressure we
employ in the merchant service for engines and boilers of
comparative small power.

"The steam pressure at present employed in the ser-
vice is about 8 lb:. per square inch. We consider steam
of this pressure to be well adapted for the exigencies of
the service; we believe it calculated to secure all the
important advantages of power, economy of weight and
space, in a very eminent degree; these advantages will
in some respects be slightly increased by augmenting the
steam pressure to 10 or 121bs. to the square inch.
" We strongly recommend that the steam employed in
the navy should not be of greater pressure than 101bs.
per square inch, or in extreme cases 121bs. to the square
inch; any material increase to the latter pressure will
be attended with considerable risk, without any adequate
advantage."
In the discussion which ensued, these propositions
were to a certain extent concurred with, but with limi-
tations as to the introduction of other forms of boilers ;
and it was explained that the arguments of the paper
were only applicable to condensing engines working ex-
pansively, !and therefore left the question of the intro-
duction of the use of high-pressure non-condensino. en-
gines quite untouched and free for discussion at a future
period.
It was announced that the paper to be read at the
meeting of Tuesday, June 26th, was "On the Ratio be-
tween the Strength of Rails and the Weight and Speed of
Locomotive Engines," by Mr. G. W. Buck, M. Inst. C. E.,
when also, being the last of the session, the ballot for mem-
bers would take place.

CARRIAGE OF PARCELS BY

RAILWAY.

On Wednesday the following memorial from the mer.
chants of Liverpool was presented to the Railway Com.
missioners at the Board of Trade:—" That the whole-
sale houses of London and large towns and the carriers
have for some time been accustomed to pack together
small parcels going from one town into one package or
covering called smalls,' or packed parcels; that such
practice has tended to the increase and convenience of
trade, especially in books, drapery, &c., which trade would
not exist if each parcel had to be sent st parately, with a
separate charge for the carriage of each. Wholesale
houses have alsi been in the habit of collecting small
parcels for their customers, and many thousands of
packages sent by wholesale houses are made up of small
parcels going from one house to different traders in
one town. Such packages are sent to the coach-
office and paid for on their total weight, without
reference to their contents. The practice was never
objected to by stage-coach proprietors, &c., under
the old mode of conveyance. It was continued on the
railways until recently, aid on objections raised by the
railway companies it was decided by a court of law to
be legally and morally justifiable. The railway
companies have established a fixed rate for small
parcels, and endeavoured—first, to get all small
parcels sent through their hands exclusively, and
consequently to destroy all competition. 2. To get each
small parcel sent separately, whereby the full carriage
of each, instead of one charge on the total weight,
is realised; the effect of which on commerce has already
been to lessen the trading transactions between different
towns and between wholesale houses and dealers, as well
as to destroy the small trade. 3. They charge
as high for carrying a packed hamper as if each
small parcel therein was sent separately by their
railway ; thus endeavouring to get on six small
parcels of one pound each, packed into one cover, 24
same weight. It a
times as much as upon an ordinary hamper of the
packed parcel, containing one dozen
parcels, under the carriers' and traders' system, was con-
veyed by railway to Birmingham for 25., the public
would and did get their parcels for 6d. each, instead
of Is. 6d., which the railway company would charge
them, if sent separately. But if several small parcels
are put into one parcel, the pretence for charging
each separately is destroyed, and the hampers be-
come liable to pay only the weight of one parcel. Not
satisfied with these endeavours to impose, the North-
Western, in connexion with the Midland and other

companies, came to a resolution in 1848 to adopt-.tl
general system of heavy and excessive charges on those
parcels which, though illegal, would, owing to the
delay in obtaining a legal decision, stop the packing
trade and ruin competitors, and that, notwithstanding
the scale of charges in their train-bills, of so much per
mile per pound for all parcels, whether transmitted
by or to a carrier or other person, yet, treating them as
packed parcels, they charged at the rate of 41 per pound
per 100 miles, instead of Id., an excess over the regu-
lar published charge of 300 par cent, as regards Bir-
mingham, 6d. per pound as regards Sheffield, Bd.
per pound as regards Liverpool, and ls. per pound
as regards Ediaburgh, being at the respective rates
of 221. Bs., 331. 12a., 44/. 165., and 56/. per ton.
Packed parcels by luggage trains were also increased.
to the ordinary rates of passenger-trains, viz., Id. per lb.
to Birmingham, 91. 6s. Bd. per ton, or 10s. 4d. per cwt., in-
stead of a half-farthing per lb., or ls. 3d. per cwt., the or-
dinary rates for luggage goods. Wholesale houses and
traders must either contend against this system of exces-
sive overcharge and improper conduct, or must abandon
trade. Your memorialists complain that the railway com-
panies have established vexatious and unequal rates, as
against their competitors, the carriers of parcels; have
concealed their luggage-train bills, refused to publish or
make known their scale of charges for goods, and
charged carriers differently from other persons. They
are continually varying their rates of charge, so that
there is no check or test of their accuracy. They
refuse to carry parcels for the public unless
a written statement of the aames and addresses of
the parcels enclosed and of their contents be de-
livered to them. You are therefore requested to
inquiry to be made into the circum-
and into the conduct and proceedings of
sctaaunscees,an
railway companies regarding the carriage and charge
that a revision may be made of
of railway companies, and a vigi-
ltfahonretgposupervisionpc ahestablished in respect of the same, in
order that better protection may be afforded to wholesale
traders and carriers sending parcels by railway, and to
competition, with a view to the prevention of monopuly,
the safety of parcels and
gthoeodps.Ttection of traders, and

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
i HOSPITAL.—On Wednesday
lat the London Tavern, where
ed on the occasion. The party
the anniversary. dinner n aid of the funds of this valu-
ablesiedprrageladebe, and among those present were
was highly respectable. Sir
Jamesta hb oo uugit nh sGot
noi
Graham
oaugtht
aolem,
ens
rt tookpys
raessl
—Sir Edward Ryan, Lord Brougham, Baron de Golds-
mid,, Honourable R. Den-
man, thMer.SolE. Gold
id,
Right Hon. E. Strutt,
J. Hayward, M.P., Cornewall Lewis, M.P., Professors
Arnott, Quain, Murphy, and Walsh; Mr. Wood, Mr.
H. Warburton, My. J. E. Blunt, Mr. Bagshaw, Mr.
Gilbert, and Mr. Bishop. The Chairman, in proposing
percoesnptit
and to the rapid progress which it had
made in fifteen years, having during that time relieved
reroryigitno the University Hospital, adverted to its
no less than 250,000 pour patients. The expense
incurred in administering that relief,amounted to 75,0001.
half of which had been contributed by the professors
from the fees of medical students. The building was
capable of containing 200 beds ; but from want of
funds no more than 130 had been put up, and that
number had, owing to the same cause, been re-
duced to 100. He quoted, as an instance of the
benefits which the hospital had conferred, the case of
General Beni, who some time ago selected it for the
performance on him of a serious operation, rendered
necessary by the effect of a gun-shot wound from
which he was then suffering. From the success which
attended that operation, General Bem had since
been enabled to take a very distinguished part in
the affairs of Europe. The Chairman commended
highly the method adopted in the election
of the officers of the institution, which was free from
favouritism, and which made the result of each election
to depend on merit alone. Lord Brougham, who proposed
the Chairman's health, in doing so drew a comparison
between the mode of electing officers to charities
generally, and that of canvassing for directorships
in the East India Company. His Lordship went into a
long and rather amusing digression on that point, and
returning at length to the subject which had induced him
to rise, spoke of his Right Hon. Friend the Chairman
in highly eulogistic terms. Sir James Graham having
acknowledged the toast, proposed the health of Lord
Brougham as President of the London University. To
this his Lordship responded, and the usual routine of
toasts on similar occasions closed the proceedings. Dur-
ing the evening the secretary announced subscriptions to
the amount of 1,4021., a sum which it is hoped will help
the institution over the interval till October next, when
he fees of students again become payable.
i The dinner,
and all the arrangements connected with t were unex-
ceptionable. Mr. Higgs was toastmaster.
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS FOR THE CITY OF LON-
DON, &c.—The following notice has been issued by the
overseers of the different parishes in the city of London
and Westminster, the metropolitan boroughs of the Tower
Hamlets, Finsbury, Marylebone, Lambeth, Southwark,
Greenwich, and the counties of Middlesex,
in the ye-
dlesex, Kent, Surrey,
Essex, &c., respecting the registration of voters
turn of Members to Parliament—" We hereby give
notice that no person will be entitled to have his name
inserted in any list of voters for this city or borough
now about to be made, in respect of the occupation of
premises of the clear annual value of 101, whether
situate wholly or in part within the parish of —,
unless he shall 'pay on or before the 20th day
of July next all the poor-rates and assessed taxes
(schedule B, No. 2) which have become payable from
him in respect of such premises during the twelve
calendar months next before the sth day of January
List past, and will be incapable of being upon the
next register of voters for this city or borough."
(Signed by the overseers.) "Notice is hereby given
that all persons entitled to vote in the election of
knight or knights of the shire for the county of —,
&e., in respect of any property situate wholly or in part
within the parish of —, who are not upon the register of
voters now in force, and who are desirous of having their
names inserted in tho register of voters about to be made of
the said county of —, are also requested to send in their
names on or before the 20th day of July with their name
and surname in fall, their place of abode, and the par-
ticulars of their qualification, which must be legibly
written according to the form set forth. Any person
who is upon the present register may also make his
claim if he thinks fit, but it is not necessary he should
do so if ho has the same qualification and place of abode
now described in the register."
Mr. Macready will commence an engagement at
the Theatre Royal, in this town, on, Monday week.—
Liverpool Courier,

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LuRDS, June 21.
Their Lorthhips asspmbltA ar, (wk.
GRAND JURY CEizi (IRELAND) BILL.
On the motion of the Marquis of CLANRIOARDE,
this Bill was passed through Committee.
HIGHWAYS RETURNS BILL.
The Earl of ST. GERMANS request, d tho postpone-
of the third reading of thin Bill for a fow days.
The Earl of GRANVILLE consented to postpone it
for a weak.

OATHS AND AFFIRMATIONS.
Lord DENMAN presented several petitions in favour
of the substitutiOn of affirmations for oaths in judicial
proceedings. Among others, was a petition from Mrs.
Watson, a member of the Church of England, who,
having, at the Exeter Assizes, refused, from conscien-
tious objections, to take an oath, had been committed by
the j udge.

- SHEEP-STEALING (IRELAND) BILL.
On the motion of the Earl of GLENGALL this Bil
(with amendments) passed through Committee.
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE (IRELAND