The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-14 00:00:00

INSTITIJIION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

On Tuesday (Sir William Cubits, Pre-ident, in the
chair) the business of the evening was commenced b 5
the announcement of the dates of the ordinary meet-
ings of the session ; of the appointment of December
23d for the annual general meeting, fur the election
of the president, council and officers; and of the 25th
May, 1852, for the President's Conversazione.
The paper read was, "An Investigation of the
Strains upon the Diagonal, of Lattice-beams, with
the resulting Formulae," by Mr. W. T. Doyne,
Assoc. Inst. C.E., and Professor W. B. Blood.
The experiments detailed in the paper were made
on a model twelve feet in length, so constructed that
the diagonals in compression, which were strips of
mahogany let into the top and bottom, but not
fastened to them, and the ties, which were of hoop-
iron chains, must of necessity take their respective
bearing and strain, and by the substitution of a dy-
namometer for any one of the ties, the strain on it
could be accurately measured.
The results of the investigation which were given
in a table, showing a remarkable coincidence between
the strains as measured and calculated, were, that for
a parallel beam, of one span, supported at each end
and loaded at the centre, the strains throughout the
diagonals were uniform, and the horizontal strains
were greatest at the centre, decreasing uniformly at
the points of support.
For a similar beam, uniformly loaded over its en-
tire length, the strains on the diagonals commenced at
the centre, increasing uniformly to the points of sup-
port, while the horizontal strains decreased from the
centre to the ends, in the ratio of the ordinates of a
parabola.
These results were arrived at by different methods
of reasoning, and the formulae derived from them were
stated to be applicable to the more complex form of a
closely intersected lattice, taking into consideration
the increased number of triangulations.
The paper then proceeded to show, that the same
reasoning might be applied to beams with solid sides,
and their proportions calculated accordingly.
As a practical illustration of this principle the
author exhibited a drawing of the Glyn Taff viaduct,
constructed by him, for the Aberdare Iron Company,
in which the main bay, over the river Taff, was 140
feet span, and the weight of iron work 53 tons. This
bridge was capable of carrying a constant load of 73
tons, and the weight necessary to break it was calcu-
lated at 359 tons.

In an appendix, the formulae were extended to the
cases of beams fixed at one end only ; and also to those
having several points of support; in the latter case, it
appeared, that the greatest possible strain due to a
moving load upon the diagonals, at the centre, was
only one-fourth that at the points of support, where
the bridge was of one span only, and when there was
more than one span, that a portion of the value of
continuity was lost in the case of a moving load in
consequence of the point of contrary flexure changing
its position.
The paper was illustrated by diagrams, and the
experiments upon the model were explained by the
author.
The President recalled to those gentlemen who
had been recently elected, the engagement entered
into on their election, to present original communi-
cations, books, &c., in order to promote the interest
of the meetings, or increase the library.
The meeting was adjourned to Tuesday evening,
November 18th, when the following paper will he
read :—" Description of a new Metallic Manometer,
and other Instruments for meaauriug Pressures and
Temperatures," by M. Eugene Bourdon, of Paris.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
BRISTOL, Nov. 13.
STOCK EXCHANGE. - There was an improved feeling ex-
hibited in the share market to-day, and a good business
was transacted. Great Western Stock was done at 842—
Midland, 4934 Taff Vale, New Shares, 15-16 p.
LIVERPOOL, Nov. 13.
STOCK Exe,HAimis,.— The share market has been very
good to-day, and there has been a strong demand for Leeds,
Midlands, and other speculative)stocks. The transactions
were as follow :—Caledonian, I reference, 6 74,—Lancashire
d Y
Newrk
' 57—London and North-Western, 11514
Ditto, and Yorkshire,
c. p.—Ditto, Fifths, 2 3-16 c. p.—
i
Blanchester,oSheffield,e and Lincolnshire, 8014—Ditto, Pre-
a h s
Quarters,
Pre-
ference, 12—Midland, So—North Staffordshire, 7 15-16 dis.
—South. Eastern and Dover, 195 E—York and North Mid-
land, 2014.
MANCHESTER, Nov. 13.
and prices had an upward tendency. The
STOCK EXCHANGX.—We have had a very active market
sac
ttio-ndsay'tran -
o were as follow : Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire
Junction, 1074, dis.—East Lancashire, Quarters, 1544
Lancashire and Yorkshire, 5634—Leeds Northern, 12 11-16
—London and North-Western, 115—Ditto, New Quarters,
2 11-16 n. p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 301/2
--Manchester and Lincoln Union, 3 dis.—North Stafford-
shire, 7 15-16 dis.—South-Eastern and Dover, 19 9-16.

A CALIFORNIAN'S CLOTHING.—A poor Califor-
nian's clothing and living are thus graphically described:—
His pantaloons are made out of rag carpet, while his over-
coat consists of a cellar door, with straps on each side for
armholes. He feeds oil artificial spawn—fog sweetened with
molasses, ,

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