, 1860-02-07

Aeo, ano las now IN constant opeFotlon, sell |
winding clock, which determines the time with
unfaillng accuracy, continuing a constant mo-
t'on by itself, never requiring to be wound up,
and which will perpetuate ITS movements so
long es its component parts exist" As this
would be nothing more nor less than perpetual
statement of this kind to prove the truth Of the
existence Of such an instrument.As
MONSTER GuS.-A monster gnn has been cast
upon new principle. On the SQth OF Decem-
Der last, at the Fort Pitt Iron Works, in Fitch.
burg, Mass, Was cast gun weighing 4s,V0u
pounds. haring bore of fifteen inches diame-
Ter, and twelve and half feet in length. II
will project ball of four hundred and twenty
one pounds . distance Of fre or SIX miles, aud |
with toierably accurate range offour miles No |
gun approaching in size or weight has ever be- |
lore been cast. This gun was cast on the "hol- |
the Wntertown Arsenal, whose theory is that |
the greatest strength is secured to the gun by
casting it hollow and cooling it from the core.
10 secure this desideratum, during the process |
oil casting water was kept passing through the |
core barrel at the rate Of SIX and half cubic |
teet per minute, and after the gun WIS cast the
outside was kept hot for q des rabfe length of
time. This plan Of Major Rodman has the en-
dorscmeut Of high authority in the British army,
and Of the present and late United States Secte-
taries OF War.
ErpEcr OF WArEE on LEAD P1pE-It has
generally been supposed that pure soft water
acts rapidly Oh Lead, aud converts it into an
oxyd when exposed 10 the atmosphere and, on
the other hand. it is generally supposed that
hard water, which contains neutral salts in solu-
ton, does not become fmpreguated with lead in
passing through pipes-the pure water being
held to be dangerous to use with lead pipes,
while the impure water is considered safe. 4
writer in one pf the English magazines asserts,
that observation aud experiment have led him
10 coaelnue that certain pure, soft waters do not
act upon lead-while certain hard waters, which
are regarded as most protective, do act chelni.
cal'y upon it; and, therefore. it must be danger
Gus to use for conveying such water for domestic
purposes. This writer states that be has made
numerous careful experiments on large scale,
and from these be has drawn his conclusions.
Coal O1l.-Very few new enterprises hare
gained ground SO rapidly as the Manufacture Of
coal oil. one o: the best and cheapest illunina-
ting substances IN existence. Two years ago
there were but Two or three establishments for
It's production in the country, and those were
| capable OF manufacturing IN inferior article
onlY. Now the actnnl outlay in equipments il
| eight millions Of dollars, from which there is a
requiring the consumption of $4,000 bushels OF
the best Camel coal. The chemicals used in
+ purifying the crude oil amount in yate to g. 900
| per day, and the oil itself sums up total OF
about s.. .000, 900 per year. These results are
unprecedented in the history Of mechanical dis
/ <o'~AAeop 0AA AAAAOk 1uk ptotE ClAEE eUllQEuk-
ly successful or eminent'y disastrous. AS the
process of'nanufacture isyet in its infnucy, and
endless experiments and improvements are, as
IN all new Inventions, necessary, the latter con-
tingency is tue more probable.
WisAss' SrEAaER--The Winans' steamer,
which has attracted goad deal Of attention III
mechanical circles, has had another trial, and
produced tile most satisfactory results. This
boat is constructed on an entlreIv novel plan.
its shape being plain cylinder, sixteen feet il.
diameter, with cone.shaped ends, or raher,
with ends constructed from q peculiar u,athe-
matical calculation, tho results Of Which are
known as the paralleic spindle, the curves OF
which are 30 constructed us 10 meet and eyade
water resistance to the highest advantage. The
pfopelh1e power IS new III derice, being u
oroaa ~heet corresponding 10 SIZE with the d.
:laeie1 VI tnc 1os1, ana SO plaeed as to revolve
na.s,., ~ sus Sanie olrecnon as oIanafy propeller
sSiGso' ~ 4s, however ioeateo IN me centre
VI .ns pea', ss thouga 1he Dody OF the boat
"els GoI ~ two, anu Tue t"o parts separated far
euougn ~ aalil& tne "hee!, anu form close
watei jol1t ~ 'hc edees: ~ The circumference
" 1n's "ncel .ne urHihs ihs are placed at
anG'es oest ca'eutaIeo 10 eeono1n1zc the power
aad reslsta1ee. Attne late trial, one revolution
a. 1ne wneel psolel!ed't Tie boat sixty five feet,
.ho "h'le eneouhtcf1ng scTcIe storm the mo-
11oh was haroiy peTcephbie- The Invention is
prononntedh a, &c L. SUCCESS, but many improvements
afc 9e' ~ pe n'aae.
MATER GAs.-Waterg gus has lately been made
which is said to answer the highest expectn,
ftol's.- Experiments conducted ut Wilmington
nGar inllaoeipnta, produced quality OF gas,
WHICH, apon ee,ns introduced into the stree:
NUNS, if5htso the town IN brilliant manner,
anu SEEMED 70 estaollsh beyond Il doubt ti1.
prae'1neabl'lty ; Of the iave"t1on. The philadel
Ehia 1rt<s says that the gas was thrice as bril-
liant anu thrlce as pure Us any TINT had been
known 10 efsah frGm tlo coal reiorts. The in
seat'on IS that o. frot. Sanders, nnd Is peculiar