The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-10-25 00:00:00

THE POLYTECHNIC SOCIETY.

The general monthly meeting of this society took place on
the evening of the 11th instant, at the Royal Institution;
John Grantham, Esq., the president, in the chain. The at-
tendance, both of members and visitors, was numerous,
and the proceedings of the evening of more than ordinary
interest.

ON THE PREVALENCE OF HARMONY IN THE SYSTEM OF

NATURE.

Mr. C. F. SALT, the secretary of the society, read an ad-
mirable and ingenious paper " On the Principles of Harmony
as prevailing in the System of Nature, and as exciting the
pleasing ideas of proportion and beauty, when applied to
works of art." The theory advocated by the lecturer was at
once curious and interesting. He explained the vibrations
of the stretched cord of a musical instrument, which are not,
as is usually supposed, equal over the whole, but divide
themselves into thirds, fourths, fifths. &c., over various
lengths of the string, the whole producing harmony, and
showing the disposition of the air itself, when so acted upon, to
produce, as in the ./Eolion harp,' a concord of sweet sounds."
The same proportions of chords that hid good in music, for
the production of harmony, he the❑ clearly demonstrated by
mathematical diagrams, to apply equally to the beautiful,
proportionate, and harmonious, in architecture, sculpture,
and even in landscape painting ; and, were applicable, also to
the harmony of the heavenly bodies, as had been maintained
to a certain extent by Sir Isaac Newton himself. In well
proportioned interior architecture the same theory held good,
as exemplified in the proportions of a fine apartment, which
he illustrated by a diagram of a room, the length, breadth,
and height of which, corresponded precisely, and in propor-
tionate gradation geometrically, with the musical notes which,
sounded together, produce harmony, and were capable of the
pleasing modulations. He showed the extraordinary coinci-
dence in whatever delights the eye or ear, by a number of
diagrams, &c., with comparative tables, and concluded by an
eloquent peroration on the harmony of the universe. He
was listened to throughout with profound attention ; and the
thanks of the society were awarded to him, by acclamation,
at the close.

MODEL AND DESCRIPTION OF A PLAN TO STOP THE
PROGRESS OF FIRE IN WAREHOUSES.
Mr. H. Green, of Leece's-street, being called on by the
chairman, then proceeded to describe a large model or ske-
leton of a warehouse, fitted up with apparatus of his invention
for the speedy extinguishment of any fire that might break
out in one or other of the stories, and which, as it excited
much interest, from the recent lamentable destruction of life
and property in the town, we shall endeavour briefly to ex-
plain. The principal object which the inventor sought to
attain was to render his apparatus self-acting, or, in other
words, so contrived that on the fire breaking out, aed reach-
ing a certain degree of heat only in any one room or story of
the building, the valves or cocks in that room would imme-
diately open, without any one being in attendance, and sub-
ject that apartment, or that potrion of it only which was
ignited, to a heavy shower, or rather deluge of water, which
could be stopped at any moment after the fire was discovered
to have existed, without unnecessary damage to the goods by
an inordinate quantity of water. To effect this his plan is,
without entering into details, as follows :—A large tank, to
contain G or 7 tons of water, left constantly filled, is fixed at
the top of the warehouse, either over or, to prevent the ac-
tion of frost, immediately under the roof. From the bottom
of this tank pipes for the conveyance of the water are placed
down the sides of the building interiorly, and ending in hori-
zontal pipes, one running longitudinally in each room, close to
the beams or ceiling above. These latter pipes may be either
fixed over the centre of each room or close to the wall ; and
from them diverge smaller branch pipes, fixed to the beams
or ceiling, crossing the room in parallel lines, and perforated
with holes. At the neck or bottom part of each descending
pipe, which is to supply those thus perforated, there is a cock
or tap, which is kept closed by a small bar-handle or lever,
with a weight at the end, hooked or tied up, in a horizontal
position, with a piece of soft mettle which will melt and fall
off when exposed to a temperature of 180 to 200 degrees ; and
the weight, being disengaged, falls to the perpendicular, and
thus instantaneously opens the tap. The water then imme-
diately rushes into the perforated pipes at the ceiling, and,
by the hydraulic pressure from the cistern, falls in jets pretty
equally over the whole surface or area of the room in
which they are fixed. Should the fire be discovered and
appear to be subdued, the communication with the tank may
be stopped to prevent unnecessary damage., by means of a rod or
handle outside of the warehouse, and accessible to the police-
officer or watchman. There is also, on the same principle, a
vertical perforated pipe crossing the top of the warehouse front
outside, which, in the event of the building being in danger
of ignition from the exterior by the burning of a building on
the opposite side of the street, will discharge a heavy down-
ward shower upon the walls. To facilitate the melting of the
soft metal that keeps the taps closed, a piece of string, satu-
rated in saltpetre and gunpowder, is attached to eac piece
of the metal, and may be left hanging down the wall, or be
laid on the top of the goods across or along the room. This
string, the inventor of the plan states, would speedily ignite
in the event of contact with flame or sparks, and the fire run-
ning up it to the valve, the soft metal hoop would more I
readily dissolve, and the water be let on. The same plan is,
of course, applicable to all the rooms down to, and including
the cellar. In the model, strings of the description stated
were attached to the tap handles, and these being ignited, the
metal gave way, and several of them were opened nearly si-
multaneously—fire being supposed to be in several rooms.
The immediate result was a deluge over each room, the ap-
pearance of which elicited much applause from the audience.
An interesting discussion ensued on the merits of the plan
to which, however, some serious practical objections were
started.
The CHAIRMAN was apprehensive that the complexity of
the apparatus and its consequent expense would be a bar to
its adoption, although it was certainly worthy of the serious
consideration of the mercantile community.
In reply to questions by Mr. Cunningham and others, Mr.
GREEN said, that he proposed the pipes to be of cast iron,
and that he thought damage to the goods by leakage might
certainly be avoided. It was suggested, that in removing
goods the strings might be accidentally pulled or broken, and
that a deluge might be the consequence when it was not
wanted. The inventor said, that even if the strings were
twisted or broken, the metal hooks had sufficient tenacity to
remain undisturbed.
Mr. ASHLlNi—the proposer of the admirable plan of ex-
tinguishing fires by having an immense tank of salt water
supplied from the river, by a steam-engine, and at such a
height in some locality in the outskirts as would send the
water many feet above the warehouses, which should have a
communicating pipe in each room,—was of opinion, that in
frosty weather the water in Mr. Green's descending pipes
would be frozen, and the whole apparatus be rendered un-
available. Another gentleman apprehended that severe frost
would freeze the water in an exposed tank, particularly if it
were mounted on the top of a high warehouse.
Mr. GREEN did not apprehend the freezing of the water in
the pipes, as they would be within the warehouse; and with
respect to the tank, it might be fixed under the roof. In
reply to Mr. Whitty, lie said he proposed that the perforated
pipes should be six feet apart, and the holes one inch in
diameter.
Mr. WHITTY said that a great body of water would be
required, otherwise it would soon be expended, and he was
of opinion that too much water could not be thrown into a
burning room. The contrivance was, however, very ingeni-
ous, and much superior to many he had seen.. He objected
to the mode of supplying the water from a tank, as not equal
to the plan of Mr. Ashlin ; but the mode of its distribution
was good, and perhaps an amalgamation of both plans would
be highly efficient, provided that, in place of the proposed
taps to let off by combustion, there were a cock at the back
of each warehouse room, which should be known to the fire-
police, and might be turned on and off as required.
A GENTLEMAN (we believe Mr. Smith) said that he had
some knowledge of pyrotechnics, and the proposed slow
matches or strings could by no means be depended upon, as
the slightest damp,would render them altogether ineffectual.
The CHAIRMAN said, the society was certainly much
obliged to Mr. Green for the exhibition of the model, and
hoped that with some modifications his plan would lead to
something beneficial to the public, as well as to himself. He
proposed that the thanks of the meeting should be awarded
to him,—which was agreed to.
MODEL AND DESCRIPTION OF A SPARE RUDDER.
The CHAIRMAN then produced a model of a spare rudder,
invented and made by Mr. R. Talbot, shipbuilder, of this
port, and explained its peculiar formation, the mode of
readily attaching it to the stern part of a ship that had lost
her regular rudder—an accident of frequent and dangerous
occurrence—and its peculiar adaptation for efficient service
under the most trying and perilous circumstances. The model
was scarcely shown ere its simplicity and utility were ac-
knowledged and highly approved by every nautical gentleman
present, as supplying, in every respect, an admirable substi.
tute for the usual ruder, when the ship has the misfortune to
lose it and to become unmanageable without some such ap-
pliance to keep her in such a position as to resist the action
of the waves in a storm, and afterwards to guide her in her
destined course. Many attempts have been made, and much
labour and ingenuity expended to arrive at this desideratum,
but we do not remember having seen any plan so prompt and
easy of application, and promising when once shipped (which
it can be, even in a gale, in two hours) so efficiently to sup-
ply the place of the ordinary rudder.
The CHAIRMAN prefaratory to explaining it, alluded to
several previous plans of temporary rudders, one of the first
of which was, he believed, the invention of Mr. Heron,
about 60 years ago. A seventy-four, on board of which that
gentleman was, lost her rudder at the " stormy Cape," but
was by his contrivance brought home in safety. The stock
of the rudder was formed of a spare topmast, to which other
spare spars and planks were bolted so as to attain the re-
quired width of helm. When put together, this was drawn
up to the ship's stern post, the heel of the topmast (now
forming the top of rudder) sent up through the rudder-case,
and the whole secured below by guys or ropes attached to the
fore or topmast part, and passed forward in diagonal lines,
so as at once to confine it to the stern post, and to act as
hinges or rudder irons. The square hole for the fid in the
topmast readily suggested itself for the insertion of the tiller ;
and the vessel, when all was secured, could be steered'with
tolerable precision, at least in moderate weather. A long
time was, however, necessarily occupied in preparing such a
rudder, and there was also much time required, as well as
much difficulty in shipping it—during which the ship might
be lost by getting into th trough of the sea, a position in
which, during a heavy gale, a vessel, unless unusually
strong, could not long withstand the terrific waves breaking
broadside over her. The present rudder had an evident ad-
vantage in this respect, as it was not only portable and ready
at all times, but was much more easily shipped. He then
described the rudder, of which the following is a brief ac-
count :
It is made of leather, sowed together so as to be double,
and of the same size and form as the main rudder, with
blocks or bars of wood running across it inside the
leather, in the wake of each rudder iron, and to which the
bands are fastened by bolts running through and firmly rivet-
ted. There are braces the same as on the stern-post, shipped
on, and fastened to the rudder irons. At the ends of each
of these braces there is a short length of chain, with a rope
attached. These chains and continuous ropes lead forward
on both sides of the ship, and brace the rudder close to the
stern-post. The lower bands or braces have a hinge on each
arm, made fast to a small check-line; so that when the
rudder is hauled forward by the ropes, the check-lines snap,
and the lower braces fit and accommodate theniselves in a
flat position on each side of the stern-post. The after-part
or back of the rudder has guy-ropes fasted to rings or bolts
in the manner of the usual rudder ropes, and these leading on
deck on each side become the steering ropes,—acting in place
of a tiller. The mode of shipping this rudder is very easy.
It is lowered over the tafrail, and the neck or top of it is
hauled up the rudder-case. The chains and ropes of the
braces on each side are passed forward, tightened and secured ;
as also the guy-ropes from the back of the rudder. The
weight of the bands or braces sinks the rudder immediately,
so that it may be readily secured in its place. The guy-
ropes from the back of the rudder, lead by blocks to the
capstan which becomes the wheel.
This rudder, adapted for a ship of 300 tons, can, from its
flexible nature, be packed into a chest five feet long by three
feet wide, and two-and-a-half deep,—with all its apparatus.
It is ready for shipping at any moment, and may be con-
sidered an integral part of the ship. The cost may be about
£25. Such a rudder may be made of strong canvas, or other
cloth material, in place of leather ; but the latter would,
doubtless, be found to be more durable both in use and for
preservation in case of emergency.
In reply to questions put by several of the members, Mr.
TALBOT furnished satisfactory explanations of the construe-
tion and mode of fixing of this rudder; and the invention
was admitted on all hands to be most important, from its
simplicity and apparent efficiency, as well as its portability
and ease of application.
The thanks of the meeting were voted to Mr. Talbot; and
the business of the evening being concluded, the members of
the committee and their friends retired to partake, as usual,
of tea and coffee.