New-York daily tribune., 1856-08-20

| knovleoge. The shASp edges appear Wen esI <hkd
Jy ,eceiv ig the 6uid in the same manner - d -
points frequently provided Along the SIDES Of Hsn cres
and the whole contoar sppesss well designed 70 Afford
great surisce and considerable strength with no
weight, and, We presume, moderate cost.
BURNING FLUID ExrLosross.--The great nsss 81
explosions ascribed TO burning fuid, campfsr,,
e", arc SIMPLY spR,ngs and subsequent ignitions 81
the eonoushoe liquids. II BY fright, bS collision E',n
| noor suoocniy opening IN ones face, by fsl or
otner"se, burning fuid or o,her hy drocsrbon poye5
over person AID iended, very serious burn s:Se
cor sequence, and it IS picca.usd a. an exoIoecr.
Explosions Of these fuics, rxther Of the vaoors
arsirg from them, do occur, but much moro r.rety
than is suppo.ed. There IN the Crystal PsIs;e
large epsiue driven entirely ty the eIplsivo er.. o5
the came or similar ms.risl The vspor viii net hu-n
when excluded from the sir. 1t has not IN ssell lke
guppowder, the elements necessary 20 complete ccu-
bustion but when uiDg. VITO ar tn certain propoy
ti,p il expodes with considerable violence. The n
terror OF lamp nearly npty may become thas eIro.
svely filed with vapor aid ar; the interior Of kegs
certainly have been thus filled several occasoxs.
Wire gauze other pateLt projections against eIpc-
s,ops aim 70 cut off thus c! accidents alone snd
do not diminish the danger of buns from accidentally
spill1s the fuid. II should neyer be used - gao
lamps 20 be carried in the hsLd; a. well carry osisd
gun fully cooked. Professor SlliGsn Is sad 20 havo
stated on occasion that coupcene and burning
fluids had occasontd more accIcents ;hansteam Ehis
may not be true, but 1t should always be used wna
care never poured with fam, It's vcnity, ara never
carried in glass or other fragile lamps.
SpoSr,yYous CoaBUsIios "A Committee Of ;Ae
Franklin Institute at Philadelphia have, in reporting
ON a case of spontaneous coubas;ion Of greasy raw-
dust, promulgated the fac. that Tot ouly are porcss
materials OF all kinds Liable, when oily, to take nfs
tie rapid oxy daton cf the fat but that con1-
paratively low temperature, such as that OF ''e:n
pipes used in heating buidDgs, l. suthcient ~ rednoe
wood to charcoal and that such CHARCOAL Is peeahas1
iIfammabe, and liable to Gu,te merely fton conop-
of the heat. Builders and insurance COM
panios may make note o! this, aud take care never
to let steam pipes come in permanent cotscs win
wood, and especially not in any place where fire csn-
not readily be discovered and eItiLguished.
Low PRySsURE vs. HIGH. - The Caledonia snd
We.tcrn Port, two propeller, formerly belonging 20
the Parker Vein Coal Company but now engaged
in the general transportation Of freight are both Law
inc the old high. pressure engines removed, and heL
place supp led by pressure or cordensins eDgnee.
This is the disposition in every where regard 20
economy of working can be made to Outweigh tho
obiec ions 10 the increased expense. But long Pc
Rod will probably elapse before any such consdsSa-
tous can induce the general adoption OF cordernng
er gines on Western nye-s, owing to the eiVeme
low cost of fuel at most wUodng places, and the ss'fs
average lifetime Of the boats.
ANOTHER Hor.AIR EsGISr-The John Far,o,
steamer some 100 feet In length has been lately n|eo
at the Faron Iron Works. with style Oh engines M.
vented by some Eastern MAI, 10 which po'''oo %
tho mover is to be derived fiom the expaa"
sion of the air in the furnace. Like the " Vampire
| bot.air ard steam locomotive noticed BY rs somc
months NO. ard which has sincc we believe, oe<n es"
tirey abandon, as his engine forces DO
air II TO the furnaces where supports tie oomous 90
under considerable pressure aud then is made to 40
in cylinder to give out lts power before escsp
ing to the chimney The boat and engine are knsned'
and ore now being experimental on but 30 lar WEI
very poor success
powypyr1 TuG BoAT.-The Levia.han, buried q
few months since in the lower bay hAd been connoefed
by many to be quite the most powerful tug stesns' N
the world and proved herself On eeverai oocsoe7 W
he one of the fastest Mr. Webb is now building, a.
his yard on the North River, seamer to supply hef
place. which will be prov ded by the Aiare Wots
with emo ines still m re- DO weiful The had s-rsle
engine, a inch cylinder by 10 feet stroke. The new
TUG will have two each i4.iuch) CYLINDERS, WITH tie
| same stroke. .
| Woop BEARINGS FOR SnArIs.--The superiority Of
wood bearings over those Cf brass to support the
screw shafts of propetrs at the after extremity les
now been fully established lot only by the Judgment
| OF epgireers in England who have lately eef'Iheo
strongly in their favor, but by careful experiment
| our own shops. We derstaud that all Of the su
figstes to be thus fitted, and !. 10 er-
pected that much Of the contiI ual trouble heretofore
arising from the rapid wearing away Of tiese bedr'pg'
will be avoided.
TIE STEAM FRIGATIs.--The Henimac, huih -
Boston, and the Mnnes0a, at Washington, are We Co
Heve, now considered finished. The Niagara, o. liz
port hos all her boilers and heavy machinery IN ans
will probably be completed about the middle Of o;'-
her. We ars not well informed with regard 10 tho
orwardne.s Of the remaining three but presume tkey
| will be ready for service before the Niagara.