The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-11 00:00:00

COMPRESSED AIR LOCOMOTIVE
(From the Manchester Courier.)
A competitor for the supremacy which steam has so
long and justly held in this country, as the means of
expeditious travelling, and for most manufacturing pur-
poses, was, during last week, introduced to the notice
of the Manchester public, among whom, it is scarcely
needful to add, are many men fully competent to inves-
tigate and give judgment upon the merits or the new
candidate for popular lave= and support. The con-
ception of condensed air as a motive power recommends
itself at once to the judgment of the merest tyro is
science ; but though the conception has always been an
palpably correct, a practical development of it has
never until the present time been produced which was
competent to the end the theorist hoped to attain. A
Mr. Arthur Parsey, whose name, though but littleknown
to fame as yet perhaps, must soon, if his adaptation of
the pneumatic principle be found efficient, take rank
with that of Watt, and others of our giants in science,
has produced a machine in which the difficulty of ap-
plying the power economically and with regularity has
been overcome, and that in the most simple manner.
Mr. Parsey has patented his engine, and a company is
formed for the purpose of obtaining from him the benefit
of the patent right of his invention in Great Britain
and its colonies by means of licenses for its use.
Under the auspices of this company a working model
was sent down to Manchester, and exhibited in the Ex-
change ante-room, Mr. Parsey and his son attending to
give all necessary information respecting it. We saw
the model, and were much pleased with it and its in-
ventor, whc displayed an anxiety to give the fullest
details respecting the working, without thrusting the
interest of the company, with which of course his own le
bound up, upon the notice of his visitors.
When we entered the room the engine was traversing
a miniature railroad with great and noiseless speed. The
simple carriage does not differ from that of the common
locomotive in form, so that the engine can work on any
established line; unlike the atmospheric mode of pro-
pulsion, which requires an expensive line of tube in ad-
ditiont the ordinary rails. At each end of this carriage
an egg-shaped receiver, for holding the condensed air
power
iihstpolaacelad. Fromrgeoyli these reservoirs
nder,calledar soeivthere,ar, con-
ductedaindisfron
it into two smaller cylinders, where it works two pistons,
which act by means of cranks upon the driving wheels in
the ordinary manner. The regulating of the power is
effected by a simple expedient: a piston is let into the
large receiver, and supported upon it is a spiral spring,
which is connected with a nicely-regulated valve in the
pipe, which admits the air into the receiver. This spring
is adjusted to the admission of a certain power, and no
sooner does the air in the receiver exceed that power
than the spring closes the valve, and, of course, shuts up
or diminishes the passage for air, returning to its original
place as the power is expanded.
After the examination of the machine comes the ques-
tion, in what particular is it superior to the steam Jow-
-1 motive ? The great expenses of steam-engines may be
comprised under the general heads—cost of coestrue-
Lion, cost of maintenance in proper working order,
and the production of propelling power. On all these
Mr. Parsey claims a great superiority. The engines
can be built at a decreased cost, say one-fourth of the
whole. The wear and tear will not be anything in
comparison with that of a steam-engine. Oae greaS
destroying agent in the steam-engine is the heat neces-
sary to generate the power, and the heat of that power
when generated ; in the air-engine there is no action
beyond that upon the pistons of a body nearly of the
same temperature as the atmosphere, while the ZS-
chinery is certainly not more complex than in the com-
mon locomotive. The stoker and his coke and fire will
be dispensed with altogether, and with him will dis-
appear all the annoyances of heat, smoke, dirty tenders
black chimney, specks of coke, and the hundred little
things which teach railway travellers how to make a
virtue of necessity. The condensation of air will be
carried on at stations on the line, certainly not more
numerous than at present required for coke and
water. Eight pounds of coal in a stationary en-
gine, at 9s. a ton, will produce, it is asserted, the same
amount of power as 601bs. of coke, at 20s. a ton, in a
steam locomotive. The air, when condensed, can be
kept ready "bottled for use," and " warranted not to
deteriorate in quality by age." Then as to the facility
for moving upon a line.'Tte engine will be lighter than
the locomotive by a ton or two perhaps, the advantage
gained by the removal of boilers, fire-boxes, chimneYs'
&c., being lost in the weight of metal for the receiversA
the tender also will be absent. But as the engine el'
require to be made up to the same weight as the loeo'
motive in order that the wheels may bite on the rails, It
is proposed to carry the requisite weight in goods, or 111
reserve bottles of air, over the receivers, thus renderint
that weight pecuniarily valuable. A train can be starts"
with greater facility. For a locomotive to get up steal
requires a long time; an air engine can be charged an
ready for starting in a few minutes ; when the steall2,l,
1
up in the locomotive it must be blown off and wanr;
if the train be not ready for starting—in the air-engle„
the communication has only to be shut off fromtiel
reservoirs, and the power remains ready in undininisba
volume, for use when wanted. The risk of explosion'_.
of boilers is avoided, for the reservoirs only
taining air of a low temperature are not exposed
the expansive power which weakens steam generate'.
:
after they attain a certain temperature. This is shoe"'
by the circumstance, that the small. Pd b
co ef i vheirs
minodwohliecnhgMinre.
hPaavrr
byeekneespusb
subjected
eteaiGrr
ttf
ooa for the g
eweigh
of of 1,2001b5. to the square inch, and are capable of a'id,
taining a pressure of 2,000, while with steam they vOil•
not sustain more than 400. Besides this, the power
gradually and equally diminishing with each stroke °
the pistons, The rate of travelling, it is said, will be
great a hiaoadasd.ireTaThthiraetsyfawmoiiitllhietisetshaenfoirhooscotuomrpopitisinvtfi.xaetdT,
equal to anything yet attained by steam, and with*s
roadhe with
/71:140!
sabiodotm,
advantages,
ac,e
no
wotuafrhgseteehns
common
Lions ar e
t huSttesdoevdsfa.
at narotthaiaogs
stationary
asp claimedrr;)ac,
iueliwniaga
;y n,to
ofoopyrtaehrrbatlittcr
the
poaclassstParseparticipates
stem-engines
y's lay re:
aoFeenanglfinill4
with this addition, that where water or wind power on;
be applied fur the condensation of air, there will be n"
entire saving of fuel for steam.
rift
%Vithoutgiving an opinion upon the comparative Ineo
of the two methods of propulsion, we can only say i„-d
there is in this new engine something really deservinero.
the candid inquiry of all who are interested in the Pie
gress of the arts and sciences, and the well-being of
I country generally. •
Ls

THE BASHFUL JUROR.
A SCENE IN THE BEVERLEY COURT-HoHsE.';qo
laughable scene occurred in the Sessions Court, at 'ed
verley, on Wednesday last. A man had been chsrgea
with stealing an axe, and, the chairman having sutrn-j
up, the jury " laid their wise heads together,'' 1113;i;
from the earnest and energetic manner in which ttot
consultations were continued, it seemed quite evident 'oel
there was some knotty point in the case, which vv°o,,a
not very speedily be settled. The foreman aPPe,B,;si•
particularly resolute and vehement. After some Cy"
derable time had elapsed,
The Chairman said,—Gentlemen, if you have, „el
doubts in your mind respecting the verdict you su°4",
give, the better course would be for you to retire till
room, whore you can confer together more conveniel
than in open Court,
A A'
Here the jury, after a moment's conference, sat..,er
Clerk of the Peace—Have you considered you'iobo f
dict, gentlemen ? Do you find the prisoner, Jo
G or not guilty ?
No reply was made to this question, for the foret
despite the angry glances of his eleven brethren, r 0 d
lutely buried his lace in his hands, and maintained
dogged -,iience. g"'
The Chairman—Have you come to a decision, J.
tlemen? A juror—Ees, zur: we be all o't same n3%30
The Chairman—Then why does not your fore lie
return the verdict? Is he ill? Juror—Naay, zur;
be nean ill—nobbut stunt loike.—(Laughter.) CSI
The Chairman—lf you have come to a verdict, r
let us have it.
Here the nearest neighbours of the obstinate fore-Tv/
vigorously shook him, saying, " Speyk up, man, 5P
up!" amidst the loud laughter of the Court. not
Foreman—Neay, neay, lads, it's o'na use; lye roe
goin' to say a word about it to all them gentlefolks•
no orator.—(Loud laughter.) or r"
The Chairman—What is your verdict? A •
Not guiChlt, Sir. 1)f
The yairman—The verdict must be delivere
your foreman.
Foreman (with
o' tha
oneino
desperateind tetiffaotr th) —e
iWsnrteli
you've getten it.--(Renewed laughter, amid which air
clerk recorded the verdict, and the prisoner wi's
charged.)—Hull Packet. uilltYl
say it,

ON THE EMPLOY MENT OF )0
,411-
MONIACO-MAGNESIAN PHOSPHATE
MANURE. BY M. BOUSSINGAULT. cif
Ammoniaco-magnesian phosphate contains the, the
meets which appear to be the most necessary
L'°" Prof
development of plants ; it also possesses one of "'ea °
perties belonging to gypsum, viz , a very slight deg-
solubility.
On the Ist of May last the author put a qtls--*eili,;
arable earth into stone vessels, capable of eehedi i 0""
about nine square feet. These vessels were divideoesiel
two series ; sixteen grammes of aminoniaco-Enagsch °e
phosphates were added to the earth contained in
the first series, and in all the vessels a quantity
or Indian corn, which had already germinate' deo
planted. All the vessels were placed out in the,the
air, and watered with an equal quantity of Water
requisite. hove ce
During the first fifteen days after raising 11 eossot
ground, all the plants presented the same 2111 y 014
„
and vigour ;it was only after the twenty-nu" eriae"t
a difference was perceived, and which was subs "
continued, t et. ,esr
,c 0
On the 25th of July the sprouts of the first., torag;
which had been treated with the phosphate, *ead rise
as high and three times as quick as those which h
from the unprepared earth. al di
e
Oa the 25th of August these proportions we
ent ; the blade of the first being half as long lib
tbase„e
twice as thick, as the second. erne ; bri-
All the blades were in ear at the same 11. ore t
which had been treated with the double salt 'hers ofithe
ears, two perfect and one imperfect ; and the °!'n of to-
one perfect and one imperfect ear. The go!i., Pr
first weighed more than that of the second,

portion of two and a quarter to ono.
foe
0.- I
bile . 0
CURIOUS DISCOVERY.—On Wednesday, Iv viciolt,er
men were engaged in removing a hedge in the cogs of
Wt eeler's-street, Birmingham, they discovered oot*s
plates, evidently constructed for forging I/. and lredto Poo
the Bank of England, of date 1814. There apPer°,,ed °
been a quantity of what are believed to be I°lerigtila to
placed between the plates ; but owing to 01 redoc_ek
Df
time they have been concealed, they were sinnsio J3o'
powcieri The plates have been forwarded t
gngland.