The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-12-17
ENQ UiRER- Q FFICE. Dee. II.
PERPETUAL MOTION.

unused ny thc Essays, which we have .cen
! III the Newspapers, on the celebrated Ma.
Gimme at Mr. Ee0heier. We admit The ten
Thousand utilities OF the discovery OF Per-
pctuai Mo,ion--we admit that il snch a
discovery is to be made, it is not to be ne
cessarily confined to the regions OF th,.
schools; but that the wreath might be re.
served tor Some self-taught philosopher. A
Rittenhouse or a Brndiey. We should be
happy u attempt to- aid 4 genius Of this
! sort, III opening his inventions and reapiIe.
from them those tr:umphs and profits to
which he would be justly entitled. And,
$50 ciannish and nationals ed are our feel
ings) W. -hould be proud to claim such a
gcnins for cur COMPREHENSIVE think too
We are upon orr guard against those pre-
JUDGES which We have inbibed from the
books and we pay great respect to the
dlsceinment ot The gentleman who has slept
forth as the principal advocate OF Mr.. Red
hefer.
In addition to these caveats to the reader,
we must still subjoin another---we have
neither seen the Original machine, nor a
model OF it; and the rough diagram, which
we have seen Oh it, was made by gentle
| man, who however intelligent, has not him
sell had an opportunity of seeing the ma
chine: the draft therefore NAV be defec-
tive, and no doubt is SO in some of the non
essentials OF the machinery but some who
have seen Mr.: RS machine itself, are of of
pinioa thats this draft exhibits the great
features and 0stensible principle OF the
whole.
With this reservation, we express our
souots, whether" the power of perpetu a |
motion has been accomplished" Tie best
way is to analyse the machine into its con-
| stituent parts, To seek the f,rimun, mobile
or, adapting the expression better to the
fact, the cause of continued motion. This
analysis leads us at once to simple point. 1t
| is thush resolving all combinations into
their elements, that we at last present
their principle in the SIMPLEST fcrn,.
-Nogy, the aurora tells us, that the ma
chine exhibits " the power of grauitation
applied to produce a herhetuat horizontal
actton.' Ho7o is this power applied, We
are told that thia power is produced by
the pressure of the weight of two CORES.
ponding boxes on a plane inclined in an an
gle of 45 degrees"
he rationale we understand it, then is
this. The weights firesS upon the inclined
planes, the planes against the levers touch
Ing the perpendicular shaft, the shaft moves
the Cap above to which it is firmly fixed.
and the Cap by it's four chains moves the
horizontal wheel on which the inclined
Planes rest. 1t is then the pressure on the
inclined plane which moves the rest of the
machinery.
Now, we conceive, the two inclined
planes operate alike ); they may give. (if
they give any twice the impulse to the
planes, but they do not materially vary
the original cause of motion.-One in
ciined plane is then the simplest element.
which arises from this analysis-and then
the plain question is this-can the pressure
| upon one inclined hIdne cause that plane to
move! Or to present the question in
still simpler shape. If the plane cannot move
| upon its rollers, it cannot move anv th;no.
else. Let us then dispense with the Other
parts OF the machinery; and disconnect the
plane from its levers, and shafts, and can
and chains. Can any weight pressing upon
| any inclined plane cause it to move on rho
smoothest c most polished horizontal nlane
of ice, or of glass 1t is a fact. we stromcr
~ suspect, that no inclined plane under smch
circumstances would move forzyard-
might tumble oUer, if the plane were co
formed as that the centre of gravity fen
without the oaSe-but it would not n0Ur ON.
in horizontal direction This results fror'
the laws of Mechanics, frcm that tbcorv of
inclined planes, which is deduced from the
resolution of forces. In this experiment we
suppose the weight to be attached to the
inclined plane by hook or nail or in arv
way yon please. In Mr.. Redhefer's m A.
chine, the weight is not, however attach
ed to the inclined plane; but to an arm,
which suspends it. causing it to come in
contact with the plane.-Now, how is this
weight so hung above and resting on an in
clined plane as to make the plane move in
a horizontal line
These are some of the difficulties which
suggest themselves on this Subjective
submit them to the Editor of the Aurora
who having seen the Machine, car inform
US how the weight is so applied to the
plane, rs to make the effects of its Dressnre
| different from what 1t would be, if the
weight were attached to the plane.
In the case of Il clock, gravitation pro-
duces hori zOntal motion, because the
! Weight descends and gives motion te a com.
piicated machinery of whcels.-But in the
case before us the weight reposes on the
Inclined Plane, and acts only by its p:es
sure ola the plane.
We ask also another question: Is it q
feet, that the weights and carriages must
be drawn mp and then let down on the
plane, before the plane and machinery can
beput in motion We ask this ouestion
| because 1t strikes til at once that a bod
which cannot move itself cannot imnart
motion to others. How can it be dsn,c,-
mated a SeI/-m2Uiag machine
| S.. AUGUSTINE.
We are pleased to see it surmised. that
our government are at last talsinr steps r,,r
the occupation of So. IUgusffie. No one
can look ut its sitnatiou in rerlrd to tbe
! Souihcrn states, without feeling the in,,o;.-