The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-27 00:00:00

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INSTITUT [ON OF CIVIL -.ld
GINEERS, JUNE 9, 16, AND 23.

(Sir JOHN RENNIE, President, in the, hair.),,
The discussion upon the paper by Mr. Ha
" the resistance to railway trains at varioussiveloTattett77,
was continued throughout the two former of theas ,11.1 s
evenings, and assumed so wide a field, that it would be
difficult in our limits, and without the aid of diagrams,
to give an adequate idea of the opinions of the several
speakers.
The chief point in discussion was, the statement by
one party, that the resistance to a passenger train weigh-
ing about 30 tons, at a velocity of 60 miles per hour,
would be upwards of 501bs. per ton, whilst it was con-
tended by another party, that it had been demonstrated
to be not more than 181bs. per ton. This latter assump-
tion was, however, qualified by a statement, that although
such a result had been obtained, under particular cir-
cumstances, and had elsewhere been used as the basis of
an argument in the examination into the merits of the
broad and narrow gauges, yet it was not meant to con-
tend for its absolute accuracy under all circumstances.
The experiments by the committee appointed by the
British Association, and those by Mr. Scott Russell, and
by Mr. Stephenson, were adduced on the other hand, as
confirming in a remarkable degree the results obtained
by Mr. Harding and given in the paper.
The resistance on railways being analysed, was con-
tended to be composed of the friction of the wheels and
axles which remained constant at all velocities, and the
frontage resistance which increased as the square of the
velocity.
But there was also shown to exist a large remainder
of resistance, which it was important to consider the
constitution of. It appeared that this remainder in-
creased in the direct ratio of the velocity, and not at the
squares. The term " concussion " had been used to
designate this cause of the expenditure of power, as it
passage of a train, a motion
wasre
se
mc obnl
ne ng d e d
thatt h aot
f,
was communicated to the
ian
wt he e
comparatively inelastic earth. This vibratory action
must be caused by an expenditure of power, and it was
contended that the striking of the flans of the wheels
against the rails, the flexure of light rails, insecure
chairs and fastenings, unstable sleepers, the action of
the springs, and even the motion of the passengers in
the carriages,
_all absorbed power, causing resistances,
and it was argued that the remainder soughtivoald be
found in these circumstances, which had not been gene-
rally considered by experiments. This element orre-
sistance also increased directly as the velocity, and not
as the square. The effect of the lateral resistance of
even a light side wind upon a long train was-shown to
be excessive, and it was stated that it had been given in
evidence that on several occasions seven engines had
been required to arrive at a moderate speed with a train
of 100 tons in a gale of wind acting laterally.
The experiments on the resistance to trains descend-
ing inclined plains by their own gravity, as tried for the
British Association, were quoted as being still the most
conclusive record. It was, however, shown, that the
atmospheric system afforded the best opportunity for
testing absolutely the resistance, as by observing accu-
rately the vacuum in front of the piston, shown by dm
barometer, and the velocity of the train, its positive
weight being known, the air being presumed to enter
behind the piston at the atmospheric pressure, and al-
lowing 100Ibs. for the friction of the piston, a most per-
fect dynamometer existed, and all the attendant circum-
stances being stated, accurate results might be arrived
at ; it was therefore suggested, that as such great dis-
crepancy of opinion existed on the subject of resistance
(oaring between 181 b. and 721 b. per ton), an application
should be made by the institution to the Croydon
Railway Company, for permission to try a series of ex-
periments to settle the question on certain basis ; and
that this investigation should be restricted simply to the
scientific inquiries as to resistance, and not touching at
all upon the commercial or the comparative value of the
locomotive and atmospheric system of traction, they
being foreign to the views of the institution.
It appeared generally admitted, that the method of
computing resistances, from the quantity of water used
as steam, in a locomotive engine drawing a certain load
at a given speed, under a pressure indicated in the
boiler, was liable to error, as so many circumstances
must be taken into consideration. Indicator diagrams
were exhibited and reasoned upon, but it was shown
that the present knowledge of the action of steam in the
cylinder of a locomotive engine was very limited ; and
that no positive reliance could be placed on the results
obtained, except as a check against error in the other
and better method of observation. Still the subject of
the action of steam in a locomotive was one of such
great interest, that its discussion must always lead to
useful results. It was shown that Mr. Hawksley's for-
mula, for computing the velocity of the passage of fluids
in pipes, might be advantageously applied to this subject
also; and by its application he contended that a speed of
sixty miles per hour could not be maintained upon a
railway without great expense.
The first paper read was a description by Mr. Bidder,
M. Inst. C. E., of his swing bridge over the Wincum, at
Norwich. The bridge was described as covering, by
two spans of 45 feet each, 85 feet of the river and a
portion of the land on the Norwich side. It was so
constructed, that turning upon a centre pin, fixed upon
piles, the two sides opened simultaneously,thus balancing
each other, and giving great facility for opening and
shutting it for the uses of the navigation and the rail-
way traffic. The whole structure, the details of which
were elaborately given with the methud of building it,
was of cast and wrought iron. It weighed 347 tons,
and was manufactured by Messrs. 11. and M. D. Grissell,
from Mr. Bidder's designs. The paper was illustrated
by a very complete model, presented by Messrs. Grissell,
and by a beautiful set of' drawings by Messrs. Cheffins.
A paper was read " On the stability of arches, with
practical methods for determining the proper form of
ther sections," by G. Snell, Assoc, Inst. C.E. This
paper consisted of four sections, with an appendix : the
first section treated of the general conditions of stability
in arches ; the second discussed the conditions of sta-
bility in an arch composed of infinite strength to resist
compression. The arch being similar and similarly
loaded on either side the crown, and one of the points
of rupture therefore being assumed to be at the crown.
The third section showed how the results of the invess

tigations in the second section might be applied to actual
practice, or to the case of an arch of limited strength
to resist compression, which was actually the
condition of the strongest material, and which
greatly affected the results of the problems in the
former sections based on the hypothetical conditions
of infinite strength of material. This seetion showed
how the form of section of an arch might be designed
according to the strength of the material of whieh the
arch was to be composed ; but in this section, as in the
second, the arch was supposed to be similar, and similarly
loaded on either side. The crown and one point of
rupture was assumed to be at the crown. The fourth
section investigated the conditions of stability of an
arch, either similar or not similar, or similarly or not
similarly loaded on either side of the crown of the arch,
and the various points of failure were determined with-
out the assumption of one of them. By means of this
problem the proper form of section might be designed
for an arch, to he subjected to any number of pressure
acting in any position and direction. Thus the effect ot•
men walking over a vaulted ceiling, or any other press
sure, in vertical directions, might be counteracted by the,
particular form of section arrived at by the application,
of the method described in this section.
The author followed the principles of Professote
Moseley, and applied them tote proof of a tentative
process, which was advanced by MM. Lauri and Chas
yrou, and proved by an abstruse process, requiring the;
Led of the infinitesimal analysis on principles entirely
different from those of Professor Moseley. The investi.
gation and problems in this paper did not require the
application of Algebraical analysis, either in their proof
or practical application ; no more than a knowledge of
the first laws of statics and the leading principles of
geometry was required, either to work the problems or
to understand the problems on which they were founded.
The appendix contained some observations on methods
of inding the centres of gravity without algebraic cal-
culation • and the paper was illustrated by a complete
series of large diagrams, which rendered the problems
very clear.
'the papers announced for reading on the meeting of
June 30, on which day the ballot was announced to take
i
place, were 745, " On the effect produced by the deep
London
oonf the
btasheinm,,,etbryopoFlirse,doenriokwa
Bsruaippthly of
Braithwaite M.
water ininthst.e,
C.E., and a " Description of the Iron Gates
for the Docks
at Sevastopol," by W. Shears, Assoc. Inst., C.E.

MELANCHOLY
_
Last evening, Mr. G. J. Mills, the Depaty Coroner for th i
fifteen of
assembled
mthoset respectable
woci ntl_
Western Division of suICIDE.
middiesex, and a pip' consisting of
No 3, itee%
rof incoonducting ane' inquiry into'
the for ihe purpose leo9housefhtegerisiourns the vicinztys
attending the death of Ml('
nine years, who committed suicide yeits
P. Davis, lied fiftY-the above establishment, of which hit
the melancholy
teeday mormng, at
was resident. .
daughter of
circumstances
miss Mary Davis, deceased, said that be
father had always been a man of very cheerful spirits, aol
had certainly never given vent to any expression that might,
lead to a conjecture that he contemplated self-destruction.
Latterly, however, he had been exceedingly desponding
which she (witness) attributed to his misfortunes in linsi:
ness, and which, she regretted to say, had been considerably
aggravated by a circumstance that occurred recently.
The CORONER—WiII you tell us what that was ?
Witness—Sir, a few weeks ago he was robbed of a large
sum of money by one of his chief clerks, who absconded, an(
the affair, I know, weighed heavily on his mind, as he fre-
quently spoke about it. On Thursday evening he seemed
much depressed, and retired to rest at an unusually early
hour, and on being called about half-past eight the next
(Friday) morning, the lamentable event was diSecriered.
The CORONER—By whom ? Witness—The man ser-
vent, sir.
It then appeared that the footman, on knocking at his
master's dressing-room door, received no answer ; and,
when he opened it, saw the deceased lying prostrate on the
floor, weltering in his blood from a wound in his throat.
There was also a razor lying by his side. :.r. Barber, the
surgeon, of Orange-street, was immediately called in, but
life was totally extinct. The wound extended. about seven
inches in length, and had separated the jugular vein.
Several other witnesses were examined as to the state of
:--.
deceased's mind ; and the jury, after an inquiry that had
lasted several hours, recorded the subjoined Verdict
" That the deceased gentleman destroyed himself; while is a
state of temporary insanity, brought on by his misfortunes
in business, but more particularly his having been robbed
by a confidential clerk."

A MANIAC IN CHURCH.—During the service at Folk.
stone Church ott Sunday evening, the congregation were thrown into a.
state of consternation, by a young woman suddenly leaving her Mut
and, rushing to the communion table, made an attack upon thil
tablets. She then appreaehed the baptismal font, and before an), ond
could prevent her, took off the marble cover, and threw it Wit'n yip
lence to the ground, shivering it to atoms. Her violenckt, was
witt
which had been stopped, was then resumed, !die alarmgrgTrheeeaattseaseirvillaocceuil:atyvesunemodedouedbt
in of e
jheecrthiginsanheirtyfr.
omSevtehrale
spacersordiaseam,
among the female portion of the congregation was Very gr eat,
of them fainting. The young woman was conveyed hp
me to llr
friends, who stated that she was subject to fits.—Kentislt f observer.
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