The North-Carolinian., 1848-07-15
From the Scientific American.
ARTS, MANUFACTURES AND MA
CHINERY

From the Scientific American
ARTS, MANUFACTURES AND MA
CHINERY.
Ererting forces 100 large for human po,cer
-HydrauLc Press-RiUeting boilers
Wetiing Bank Note Paper-Regisfering
Machines--.Machin for ascertaining
the vigilance Of a Walchmo'a.
1t requires some skill and a considera-
bic apparatus to enable many men to exert
their whole force at given point, and
when this number amounts to hundreds
and thousands additional difficulties pre-
sent themselves. If ten thousand men
were hired to act simultaneously, it would
be exceedingly difficult to discover whether
each exerted his whole force, and conse-
quently, to be assured that each man. exert
ed the force for which he was paid. And
if still larger bodies of men or animals were
necessary, not only would the difficulty Of
directing them become much greater, but
the expense would increase from the ne
cessity of transporting food for their sub
sistence.
In all our Manufactures numerous in
stances occur of the application of the pow
er of steam to overcome resistances which
it would require far greater expense to
surmouut by means of animal labor. The
twisting of the largest cables, the rolling,
hammering, and cutting large masses of
iron, the draining of mines, all require
enormous eXertions of physical force con-
tinued for considerable periods of time.
Other means are had recourse to when the
force required is great, and the space
through which it is to act is small. The
Hydraulic Press of Bramah can, by the
exertion of one man, produce a pressure
Of fifteen hundred atmospheres, and with
such an instrument cylinder of wrought
iron three inches thick has been burst. In
riveting together the iron plates out of
which steam engine boilers are made, it is
necessary to produce as close a joint as
possible. This is accomplished by using
the rivets red hot; and while they are in
that state the two plates of iron are rivet-
ted together. and the contraction which
the rivet undergoes in cooling draws them
together with force which is limited only
by the tenacity of the iron of which the
rivet itself is made.
1t is not alone in the greater operations
Of the engineer or the manufacturer, that
those vast powers which man has called
into action, in availing himself of the gen
cy of steam are fully developed. Where
ever the individual operation, demanding
little force for its own performance. is t.
be multiplied In almost endless repitition
the same giant arm that twists the larges
cable, that spins from the cotton plant ar
''almost gossamer thread.'' Obedient tt
the hand which called into action its resist
less powers, it contends with the ocear
and the storm, and rides triumphan
through dangers and difficulties unattempt
ed by the older modes of navigation. L
is the same engine that, in its more regu
lated action weaves the canvas it may on
day supersede, and, with almost fairy fin
gers, entwines the meshes of the most deli
cate fabric that adorns the female form.
The process Of printing on silver pape
which is necessary fer bank notes, is al
tended with some Inconvenience, from tn
necessity of damp;ng the paper rreyiousI
to taking the impression. 1t was difficul
to do this uniformly; aud in the old pre-
cess OF dipping parcel of several sheet
together into vessel of water, the out
side sheets, getting much more wet thai
the others, were very apt to be torn 4
method has been adopted at the Bank O