MR. ELIJAH GALLOWAY'S NEW PATENT

PADDLE-WHEEL.

Mr. Elijah Galloway, the inventor of the paddle-wheel commonly known by the name of Morgan's Wheel, has taken out a patent for a new wheel, which, in a circular to the proprietors of steam-vessels, he says is free from the "intricate mechanism" of his former wheel, and "for simplicity, durability, and power, must be regarded as the most important improvement upon paddle-wheels hitherto effected." We can more readily give our assent to the first of these propositions than to the second. The "intricate mechanism" of Morgan's wheel is certainly its weak point; though perhaps the ob jection would have come with a better grace from any other person in the world than from him who invented it, and who sold it for a valuable consideration to the gentleman whose name it has acquired, from his long, persevering, and, as yet, but poorly-requited exertions to bring it into general use. But why we "must" needs regard this new offspring of Mr. Galloway's ingenuity as exceeding all that has gone before it for "simplicity, durability, and power"-except that we have his own modest authority for the fact we cannot see. The wheel is, in reality, no simpler than many other wheels; whether it is more durable or not, neither Mr. Galloway nor any one else can yet tell (for the thing is but three months old); and of its superior power there are no proofs. We are told, indeed, that wheels on this plan "have been fitted to the Rose (Sheerness) steampacket and the Monarch steam-vessel, and that in each case the improvement of the vessel in speed, reduction of swell and vibration, is so decisive and apparent, as to have fully established the great superiority of the invention." But by whom is all this certified? The captains of the vessels? No. The engineers? No. The owners? No. Some passengers, then, who have witnessed the performances of the new wheels? No. The only person who vouches for the vast improvement effected by Mr. E.Galloway's new wheels, is Mr. E. Galloway himself! We do not imagine the world in general will be disposed to pay much heed to such testimony as this; but, to prevent any mistakes as to its real value, we must take leave to crossexamine the witness a little.

You say, Mr. Galloway, that your

And is not the Monarch to which your paddle-wheels are applied, and the vessel which is known to all the world as the Monarch, one and the same? • N−n−0.

What! Do you mean to say that you did not intend the public should conclude that they were one and the same? I am not answerable for what the public may choose to conclude.

But you will, probably, allow yourself to be answerable for betraying the public into false conclusions by deceptive representations? When you speak, in your circular, of your paddle-wheels being fitted to "the Monarch steam-vessel," did you not expect that every one would conclude that the Monarch referred to, was the well-known vessel of that name? Did you not wish such to be the general inference? And did you not calculate on its making a strong impression on the minds of steam-vessel proprietors in favour of your wheel, that no sooner was it published to the world, than it was adopted in a vessel of such magnitude as the Monarch, and by a Company of such standing and experience as that to which it belongs?

No answer.

What, pray, may be the tonnage of your sham Monarch? Is it a tenth, or even a twentieth, of the size of the real Monarch? Is it any thing better, in short, than an old tow-boat of the humblest class, which you have fitted with your new wheels for the purpose of experiment?

All that has nothing to do with the merits of the wheels themselves.

Only this, Mr. Galloway, that it shows, that the increase of "speed" which you claim credit for, is not an increase in the rate of speed of the vessel

known to all the world as the Monarch, and other vessels of that first-rate class -but an increase in the speed of a vessel of which we know nothing, and most of us never heard before. It may, for aught that appears, be an increase in a snail's pace.

'But the Rose is a well-known vessel. Yes, well known for being one of the slowest steamers on the River; to improve the speed of such a vessel as that is no great boast ?

It matters nothing what the former speed may have been. If a very slow vessel has had her speed increased by substituting my new wheels for the common wheel, so must also a very fast one-that is, proportionally.

There you are right; but before we can allow your new wheels the credit of increasing the speed of the Rose, we must be certain that all other circumstances remain the same with respect to the vessel; as, for example, that the new wheels occupy precisely the same situation as the old, neither farther forwards nor farther aft-that no alteration whatever has taken place in the weight or position of the engines-that the vessel's bottom remains as before, &c.?

I can remove all doubts on these points. The wheels

Perhaps you can, Mr. Galloway, and quite as satisfactory as you have removed other doubts belonging to the case; but as we cannot consider you a competent witness in your own cause-standing alone, especially, as you do-we shall not trouble you further for the present. When you can bring forward the Captain of the Rose, or any of his people, to speak in your behalf, we shall be glad to hear

them.'

receive them. Their respective positions will be seen by reference to the annexed engraving, where ab represent a paddle entering the water. It will be there seen that the dotted line ed (which is the cycloidal curve generated by the point a of the paddle, whilst the vessel is in motion) passes through the centre of each of these bars, and that the lowest bar only encounters a resistance at entering, the other bars following in its wake or path. The series of bars, therefore, enter the water with as little loss from oblique action (to which the common paddle is liable to a considerable extent), as if it were a solid float entering edgewise. All concussion or vibration is got rid of, and the paddle only commences to act on the water when it is completely immersed; it then gradually reaches the point of deepest immersion, where the bars present their flat surfaces at right angles to the line of the vessel's motion; and their propelling resistance, therefore, corresponds with that of one uniform surface equal to the sum of their areas. The paddles then gradually rise out of the water, and quit it in the position shown at ef. Here the cycloidal curve would not be the direction in which a point would pass through the water; for by the retrogression of the paddle the fluid acquires a backward motion, whereas the paddle enters it whilst in a siate of rest. The curve, therefore, which would be described through the moving fluid, approximates very nearly to the curves gggg. Hence the bars of the paddles tra verse this curve, and leave the water edgewise, without lifting more than a slight adhering spray."

THE BRITISH IRON MARKET.

We extract the following valuable and interesting information on this head from a letter dated "London, Oct. 9, 1835," addressed to the American Railroad Journal by Mr. Gerard Ralston, of the house of Messrs. A. and G. Ralston, of Phila delphia, who has been for some time in this country engaged in making purchases for the American market. Mr. G. Ralston, at the close of the same letter, requests the attention of the American sientific public to the doubts thrown by some correspondents of the London Mechanics' Magazine (Fanqui and Mr. Thorold), on the reported performances of the Lexington steam-boat, in order that the same may be forthwith removed and the "character of his countrymen vindicated." "People," he says, in this country (England) think we are rather disposed to shoot with the long bow,? and it is desirable to correct this opinion

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so injurious to our national character." We sincerely wish we could plead guilty" to this national impeachment; and beg to assure Mr. Ralston, that few things could give us more pleasure than to be aiding in the smallest degree in setting the archery of his countrymen in a fairer light before the world. Should we meet in the American journals with any reply on the subject of the Lexington, it shall be immediately transferred to our columns.-ED. M. M.

"As your readers are much interested in railway iron, I will communicate the most recent information on the subject of common iron, the demand for which, of course, regulates the price of the other. On the 25th of August last, the iron-masters of Wales had a meeting at Cardiff, and ascertained, from mutual inquiries, that there had been a diminution of the stock of iron (Welch only), since the commencement of this year up to that time, of the large quantity of 45,000 tons, notwithstanding the manufacture was going on more extensively than usual. This fact induced them to advance the price of No. 2 bars, from 5l. 10s. per ton to 6l. per ton.

Since then orders have come in on the most extensive scale, and, on the 9th of September, ult., they were induced to advance the price to 67. 10s. per ton; and again, on the 30th of September, ult., they announced a further rise of 10s. per ton, making 77. per ton free on board at Cardiff and Newport. The Staffordshire, Shropshire, and other midland county iron-masters, have advanced in an equal proportion. Some of the largest iron-masters have recently informed me, that so great is the demand, that all the establishments in Wales have already, orders for execution to keep them busy during the remainder of this year; and as orders continue to come in from all quarters, principally from the Mediterranean, Holland, Germany, the United States, and also for exportation to the East Indies and China, whilst the home demand, for railway and other purposes, is for an extraordinary amount, there is every prospect of another advance of 10s. per ton, before the expiration of many weeks. I am told by experienced persons, that the demand now is greater for iron than was ever before known, excepting during the bubble year, 1825, when the demand was altogether of a speculative character; now the demand ap pears to be, exclusively and bona fide, for immediate consumption.

I

"To show you how this affects railway iron, I will communicate a few particulars of my own transactions, within a few months. contracted, on the last of March last, on behalt of a Railway Company, in the State of New York, for about 1,000 tons of iron,

and paid 71. 4s. per ton for edge-rail (being No 3 iron, and when manufactured into rails ought to be 40s. per ton higher than common No. 2 bars). Early in May I contracted, in behalf of a New Jersey Company, for about 1,600 tons of edge-rails, at 71. 6s. per ton. Last month, September, after iron had advanced 11. per ton, I made a contract for 2,000 tons of edge-rails, for a Delaware Company, at 81. 5s. per ton; and a few days after, for 1,300 tons of edge-rails, for a Pennsylvania Company, at 81. per ton, but the pattern is less difficult to roll than that for the Delaware Company. I have also contracted for several thousand tons of chairs, pins, wedges, flat bars, &c., but it is unnecessary to give their prices, because they are regulated also by the price of No. 2 common bars.

"To enable your readers to judge what would be the price of to-day, if I were now in the market, I should think the March, May, and September contracts could not be done under 81. 15s. per ton; and that for the Delaware Company (being difficult to manufacture) not under 91. per ton. From this you will see, that those Companies who sent their orders early have reason to congratulate themselves, that they have been executed before the great advance in iron was effected. As the great railway from London to Liverpool (220 miles) may want some 20,000 or 25.000 tons of very heavy rails (60lbs. per yard) in the spring, and as the Southampton (75 miles), Western (120 miles), and many other minor railways, will want large quantities during the summer of next year, I should not be surprised if edge-rails should be advanced to 11. per ton by the 1st of May next, and iron will continue high during the whole of next year. I may be mistaken, but having had some experience in this trade, from having bought and exported to the United States (my brother and myself) upwards of 40,000 tons of railway iron, within a few years, I think I have some acquaintance with the iron-market of this country. If the French Government should imitate the wise example of our American Government, and allow railway iron to be imported free of duty, as it is now reported to be their intention, I have no doubt this will give an impetus to the construction of railroads in that country, which will still further advance the price of iron. All countries throughout the world must get their railway iron in England, where it is manufactured with such economy, such rapidity,* and so perfectly,

"I once had 1,800 tons of edge-rails, of 40lbs. per yard, manufactured and shipped within four months from the time the order left America. It was for the State of Pennsylvania; the order left Philadelphia on the 6 h of May, and all the iron was on ship-board, on its way to Philadelphia, before the 1st of September following. This extraordinary dispatch was accomplished by one house

that it is useless to pretend to compete with this branch of industry."

REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON ACCIDENTS IN MINES.

Your Committee have called before them witnesses connected with all the great mining districts of the kingdom. They have also examined plans, diagrams, and a great variety of lamps. To the evidence which accompanies this Report, your Committee solicit the attention of the House. Your Committee have had ample opportunity of multiplying proofs of the calamities which have occurred in the mines of this kingdom by sudden explosions of fire-damp, foul air, or sulphur, all which terms are locally applied to carburetted hydrogen gas, so copi ously evolved in many of those mines. Few collieries are entirely free from fire-damp, but in many the quantity emitted is so large, that in spite of skill and unremitting attention, the risk is constant and imminent. Having alluded to the nature and cause of the accidents which have taken place, your Committee proceed to report upon the extent

of the mischief which has resulted to property and human life. The amount of damage sustained by these explosions is described by several witnesses to have been great, and, when estimated in connexion with losses arising from interrupted trade, enormous; it is, nevertheless, rather with reference to the cause and interests of humanity than in a pecuniary point of view that this injury has assumed its just importance. Your Committee have failed in obtaining accurate information as to the number of lives lost within a limited period. Many documents, however, have been produced, from which much correct information on this portion of their inquiry has been derived. In the course of the last session, certain returns were made by the clerks of the peace of inquests held by the coroners on parties who had met with untimely deaths in the mines of England and Wales. These returns were very defective: from some counties the required information could not be obtained; in others, the nature of the accidents reported was not mentioned. They gave a total of 954 persons who had perished during the last twenty-five years. The following is a summary:

Many of the counties and divisions of counties, from which no returns have been received, are those wherein your Committee have reason to belive catastrophes have occurred, which would have materially swelled the catalogue. The counties of Durham and

in Wales, who had their regular business orders to attend to, besides the execution of this contract. The whole of France could not execute this order in four months! But I would not promise equal dispatch now, for all the iron-masters are so busy, and have such an abundance of orders, that much more time than usual must now be allowed to them."

Northumberland, it will be observed, are omitted. As respects these, the most important of all, the exertions of an able and indefatigable collector have supplied the deficiency. Mr. John Sykes, of Newcastle, in his published "Local Records" of those counties, presented the public with a list of accidents from an early period. The general correctness of that list has been proved; it was revised and amended by Mr. Buddle, who affixed an asterisk opposite the names of the colleries which came under his personal notice at the times named. Those melancholy de