Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-12-12
HYDRAULIC CEHzENTS.

NE r. EDITOR:-The improvements now dai,
I'VE ~ taxing place in the arts and sciences, bud
US naturally TO infer still greater results from the
spirit of enquiry that has takensuch deep root with
the people. We could indeed wish cur Govern
ment more disposed TO countcnance scientific men
and scientific pursuits-but so long az the Govern
ment is the creature, it will be also the instrument
Of the peoples will. Individual enter prise, there
fore, must and can accomplish in America, what
monarchical patronage has done in Europe. The
vast discoveries that are springing up daily in eve
ry part of our land, in the cultivation of the fine
and mechanical arts, forbid US to despair that our
beloved country will be other H. n foremost in the
race of scientific pursuits to accomplish which,
does it not bchoove every lover of his country and
it, system of Government, to show to the world
that man constitutes Il state, and what kings, priu.
ces, and mobiles can do III Europe, men can do
here,
We were led to these reflections by observing
the application. at the Cotoctin aque duct on the
Cbesupeake and Ohio Canal, of new and peculiar
kind OF Cement, patented by T. { CoYLE, of Bal
timore, Md. We were entirely s~cepiical of this
high Cement, and believed that human ingenuity
had exhausted itself,n vain without suggesting any
Improvement on the Clements used in our ase but
in this We were agreeably disappointed by seeing
the application of the Cement on the works refer
red to.
This new improvement bids fair to rcyolutionize
in a great measure the mechanic arts with the most
happy results to the world it is simple in its man
ufacture and application, and above all its cheap
ness, as the materials of which it is composed are
to be found every where.
We have seen the skeleton ofthe wall Of an aque-
duct formed with planks and The space filled with
stones aad Gement, and when the planks were re-
moved, and after the Cement became hard, the
whole walls and bottom of the aqueduct presented
The appearance of a dark marble basin, perfectly
clear and free from pores, with a beautiful high
polish, as tight as a bottle and as hard as IRON
thus making the wotk (Which had been construc-
ted with other Cement, but failed perfectly tight
and impcryious to water; besides, by this simple
process, the company have been saved the vast eX-
7ense of rebuilding, which soon must have taken
place, as the pressure of the water had washed the
old Cement away and left the pile Of stone a mere
skeleton, without any thing to bind together the
rock composing the structure. We have seen
whore the Cement was thrown promiscuously on
hard mountain rock which formed the arch Of the
work, and when the sledge or crowbar was applied,
the rock invariably broke before the Cement would
separate the bond which it formed with the stones.
We perceive from reading the pamphlet OF the
Patentee, containing certificates Of the important
value OF this Cement from the highest sources in
our country, proving that which we bad heretofore
believed impracticable, namely, the cementing of
stone work under water without the aid of Golfer
bdtllhf Ahs ~ CllGILtN III va SlilIttSt ldiiNt IlNt-
ginahle, but the reader must see it applied before
he can form any idea OF the important result ema-
mating from this Cement to our common country -
1t will, in our opinion, supersede the necessity of
dressed stone altogether; it will cement any kind
Of stone into one solid mass, and become as hard
as granite in twenty-lour hours; it can be moulded,
shaped, or formed into any wall, vessel, pier, OF
arch which may be required, or, if desired, the
Cement can be made as elastic as India rubber;
this may seem strange but il ia Notwithstanding
true, as hundreds have proved throughout the couu-
Try for the last two years. II seems to Us that Mr..
CoYLE has laid his Cement fairly before the public.
and in doing so, he has shewn the practical results
ola ripe and energetic mind, which could only have
been successful by energy of action aud U%ntiriug
zeal. This Cement is admirably ada ted TO al hy.
draulic purposes, such as ~fore,bays OF mills, water
tanks, wa,er.vorks, dams, piers, c%isterns, granary
floors, spring-houses troughs, rat-proot warehouse.
&c. &c. 1t will no doubt be found useful for many
other purposes that experience alone will suggest,
The subscribers, having purchased ofthe Paten-
tee the right for the State of Virginia, avail Them
selves of the present opportunity Of making known
to the citizens Of Virginia that they are nov manu-.
featuring the above Cement ~ the Point Of Rocks.
where any quantity can be furnished ,o order. We
will also sell the rights for Counties, Cities, Towns.
Districts, Farms or Buildings Applications to be
made to the subscribers living at The Point of
Rocks, Md. JOHN HAM,
PHILIP McGAUGHAN.
Or 10 WILLIAM c. CLARK,
Of Harpers-Ferry j Jefferson County, Va, who is our
general Agent for the State.
REFERENCES.
Gy-Artisans and Builders, who are not ncouain-
ted with the merits Of this Cement, are referred 10
the following gentlemen for furIher particulars, as
the subject has been before the Congress of the
United States, who have investigated the matter,
and consequently are enabled to arrive at correct
conclusions.
His Excellency, r. NJ. johnson; His Excellen.
cy, G.. Wolf, Philadelphia; His Excellency, Gen.
Hunt Washing'oni Cornelius McLane, Esq. Bal
timorei Or. Stewart, do. Hon. George c. Wash
Hon. Messrs. Mercer, Garland. Preston.
Wise. w 9. Johnson, TaIialerro. Thomas.