steam-ship in her Majesty's navy, and that a new one, is the Gorgon, with a tonnage of 1150. The Gorgon is constructed to carry 20 days' coal, a crew of 150, and 1000 men besides, and stores for six months. Her engines are only of the same power with those of the Sirius. The largest American steam-ship we have heard of is the Natchez, now or lately on the stocks at New York, and intended to ply as a packet between that city and the southern port whose name she bears; her tonnage is 900. The Wilberforce and the Victoria, Hull packets, were considered to be at the head of the old order of boats; the former a little exceeding 200 feet in length, with paddle-wheels 24 feet in diameter, and engines second only to those used in the American scheme. There may be a farther comparison with the Bristol boat by stating that her length is about 240 feet; that each paddle-shaft, after turning, weighs 6 tons, and the intermediate shalf 4 tons, with diameters of 18 and 174 inches; that her cylinders are 734 inches in diameter the Gorgon's being 64 inchesand nearly rivalling the size of the hugest ever used in the most extensive operations of the Cornish mines; and she has four boilers, rated to weigh, with the water in them, 180 tons-bordering on a stowageroom capable of containing in iron boxes nearly 900 tons of coal; and that her two marine engines are stated to have a 225 horse-power each. To imagine, in a word, the appearance this vessel makes in the river among the myriad crafts which encircle her, one must conceive a large man-of-war of 80 guns, with the unwieldly protuberances we have mentioned at the sides, a steam apparatus of the total weight of 470 tons, a great black funnel, and volumes of smoke in due proportion; and withal, for the plan is amphibious, a complete sailing machinery-for emergencies of fair winds or accidents to machinery,--including four rather low masts, rigged somewhat in schooner style, and able to add considerably on occasion to the boat's speed. It appears that this ship is much the largest, on the whole, ever built. The fore-cabin is 46 feet long; an ample engine-room is left in the centre; and this separates the former from a state-cabin of 82 feet in length and 34 in extreme breadth, taken up, except in the centre, with berths (like the fore-cabin) at the sides, including, above and below, and fore and aft, 128 sleeping-places for one class of passengers, besides which there are 20 for servants. the very costly and elegant fittings-up of this grand saloon we can add nothing to the plentiful details furnished by the daily papers. Affixed to the frame-work of the engine is an index, by which the number of strokes performed by the machinery, and the rate of

Of

their performance, is shown with the greatest accuracy, and which, it is stated, without requiring to be again wound up, will mark as many strokes as suffice for the whole voyage to New York. She is expected to make her passage out, under average circumstances, in fifteen days, and the return-voyage in twelve.

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The cabin fare, we may mention, is 35 guineas out, and 30 returning, which includes bedding, provisions, and wines. This is the same as the fare of the Liners out. It is the same on board the Sirius, we see ; bnt provision is made, by that boat, for a second class of passengers, in an inferior cabin, of the old régime, at twenty guineas; and for steerage passengers, like the Liners, at eight. The Sirius also expect to make her passage in fifteen days, from Cork.

But we are not yet done with the steamers. We promised to give a summary of all that is proposed by the various parties, and we have not yet named the greatest of all the lions by far, we mean the Victoria, now on the stocks at Limehouse. This extraordinary ship is the project and property of the British and American Steam Navigation Company. Their plan, as first announced, was, to build a line, composed of two British and two American steam-ships, of great size each, as sufficient to keep up a communication twice a month to and from New York; the reason for uniting the two classes being, of course, that British ships, by treaty of commerce are not permitted to take foreign goods to the United States-they must be shipped in American bottoms; while, on the other hand, American ships are not permitted to bring foreign goods to England except for exportation only. By the union of both, all descriptions of goods are secured. These four were expected to make as many passages to and fro as eight sailing-packets would. More were to be added as required. The tonnage proposed was 1,200, and the horse power 300; and the ships were estimated to cost 40,0007. each. The annual expense of such a vessel was rated at 18,4807., including fuel out and home for six voyages, or for 42,000 miles. This calculation, which we think worth preserving, is exclusive of the charges incident to freight. These, with the profit also on freight, are contingent. Set down this at 400 tons measurement goods, with certain prices, and 60, 80, and 100 passengers, of three different classes, and we have 4,6001. receipts on freight. The expenses on the same being rated at 2,5207., the net freight out and home is made to amount to 3,8807., or above 50 per cent. per annum on prime cost; or 30 per cent. with a net of 1,2007. and 8007. out and home. We subjoin, for reference, the following items of the annual expense of the floating establishment :---

Commander 3007. ; first mate, 100%. ; second mate, 80%. third mate, 607.; surgeon, 1007.; twenty-five seamen and apprentices, 6007.; ten firemen, at 60s., 3607.; one engineer at 150%., one at 1007., and one at 80%., 3307.; one carpenter, 50%.; oil, tallow, and tow for engines, and other small stores, 1,000.

The distance from London to New York is about 3,000 nautical, or 3,500 English miles; and the speed of the vessels is taken from an average of the Dundee and Perth ships, Dublin and Liverpool post-office packets, Clyde and Liverpool, vessels, and Mediterranean packets: their averages giving a mean speed of ten statute miles per hour in all weathers. At this rate, the average passage will be from fourteen to fifteen days to New York; and, allowing for prevailing eastward and current winds, about eleven to twelve days home. The fuel is taken at the rate of 9lbs. per horse-power the hour. The quantity each vessel is supposed to take is for twenty days' consumption, or about 500 tons.

This

Such was the plan. On further reflection, it was so far altered, that the Company, increasing their capital from half a million to a whole one, at the same time concluded to concentrate their efforts, at present, on one grand ship, to be built in this port-and hence the origin of the Victoria. mammoth craft is truly the naval curiosity of the age: her tonnage is stated at over 1,800, nearly 500 more than that of her Bristol rival. Her length on the water-line is 230 feet, the length of keel exceeding, we suppose, that of any existing man-of-war; extreme length, 253; 40 feet breadth of beam, and 27 feet depth of hold; whole breadth, including paddle-boxes, 69; displacement, 2740 tons; draught, when laden, 16 feet; cylinders, 78 inches diameter; paddle-wheel, 30 do. ; with two engines of 250 horse-power each. The calculation is, that this vessel may take 500 passengers of various classes-which is painly relied on for her chief business and support-together with 1000 tons of measurement goods, (which we consider rather a liberal scheme, considering that we have twenty-five days' fuel on board.) The cost of the Victoria, by the way is rated at 100,0007., which alone indicates sufficiently the power put into her. Her sailing apparatus is as unprecedented as her steam and her size; but all this is nothing, so long as Victoria sits at the gates of Limehouse, and the experiment remains untried. This ship will be afloat, we hear, in a few weeks, and ready for sea in the course of the summer. One of the boats talked of as meant for American commerce, is an iron one,launched lately at Birkenhead, 213 feet long, and divided below into six compartments on the

new plan. Another is the Liverpool, built by Sir John Tobin, of 1,040 tons measurement, with engines of 460 horse-power, rated to cost 48,000l.-rivalling the Bristol boat in some respects, and in her length, which is 240 feet, coming between her and the Victoria. We should here name also the Columbus, a small experimental boat, on the quicksilver plan, propelled by Howard's patent vapour engines, and announced to earry fifty days' fuel at the same immersion as a common steam-vessel, of equal power and tonnage, can carry twelve days' fuel. This modest candidate for the contest has been fitted up in this port-making, certainly, very little noise about it-and has already gone round, by stages, to Liverpool, trying herself on the way, with the view, it is now said, of going directly out to New York. The papers state, that she will attend one of the regular Liners. *

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Thus far England. We are permitted, active as Jonathan usually is, to establish the steam navigation-if we can-as we did that of the sailing-packets. That the Americans, unlike us, universally and implicitly believe in the practicability (we do not say the policy or present continuance) of this scheme-that they take the rival of the Sirius and her train, as a mere matter of course-nobody, who knowns anything of their habits and notions on such subjects, can for a moment doubt. Nearly half a century ago, and twenty years before Fulton manufactured his first boats, Fitch, of Philadelphia,-who, by the way, preceded him in one sense, and who then made a boat that ran eight miles an hour on the Delaware,Fitch, in 1790, boldly predicted the future and early navigation of the Atlantic by steam. This prophecy was in a well-known letter addressed to the astronomer Rittenhouse. He was called crazy, to be sure; but that also was a matter of course. The idea, still, was forced on the national mind, and doing and seeing what they have since, they could not but adopt it as they do. Among the rest, let us not forget it, in our willingness to meet the opponents of the theory of this project, on their own ground-they have seen this same thing done! We have not lately observed any notice of the fact, but we take it to be well authenticated, that a steam-ship arrived at Liverpool, in 1819, directly from the United States, believe from Savannah; and, that a boat was some years ago built in New Orleans, (possibly the same,) for the Emperor of Russia, and sent out to him. It is quite recently, if we mistake not, that the Royal William went out to Halifax-which point, Dr. Lardner allows, if we understand him rightly, is within the potential reach of a

we

once.

steam-ship starting from Valentia, at the western side of Ireland. * * * The practicability of steam will be established at Its speed and its certainty will induce interests, enough for its maintenance, to a greater or less extent, to support it. All correspondence will be conveyed by it; all mercantile travel, and some goods, Most passengers may be shy of it for a timemany for a long time (as some are of railroads still); accidents will happen, of course: still the scheme will go on to maturity. Of its influence on the other and far greater interests than yet alluded to, we cannot now speak. This is a theme not to be hastily treated. It is one, too, which may be deferred awhile. All eyes now are turned on the" commencement of the end." We may yet discuss, with improved data, the end of such a beginning.

NOTES AND NOTICES.

A Claimant to Dr. Arnott's Stove.-Sir,-Having read your pithy observations on Dr. Arnott's Thermometer Stove, &c., and his disinclination to take out a patent, inasmuch as he desires it to be widely known that the whole world may participate in the advantages it offers, allow me to observe, that Dr. Arnott ought to be just before is generous, for be it known to the Doctor that I hold a patent for burning combustible bodies for heating retorts in airtight chambers, kilns, ovens, &c. &c., admitting air by the ash pit to keep up any required or given heat; this being the principle of Dr. Arnott's Stove, 1 am surprised at his presuming to assume an invention not his own. My patent was taken out in the spring of 1833, and if the original drawings and specifications of this patent are of any service in your valuable work, you can have the loan of them at any time. By inserting this you will correct a misrepresentation, and do justice to an individual who wishes for nothing more than fair play. I am, Mr. Editor, your constant reader, J. I.Kennington-lane, March 15, 1838.

[We shall be obliged to J. I. for an inspection of his specification and drawing.--ED. M. M.]

Dr. Franklin's Printing Press. A lecture on self-education, was last week delivered at the London Mechanics' Institution, by Mr. Thatcher, of Boston, U. S., in the course of which, as might be supposed. allusions were made to that eminent countryman of the lecturer's, who may be called the great modern realization and model, practical and personal, of the philosophy of "making the most and best of one's self." After the lecture, we learned from Mr. Thatcher, that his researches after traces of Franklin's doing's in London have brought to light a relic, which few of our readers have either heard of or seen. The relic we refer to is the identical press which Franklin worked when with Mr. Watts, of Lincoln's Inn Fields. It is now the property of a member of the craft, and may be seen at Mr. Harrild's, Distaff-lane, Friday-street, who has also a complete, accurate, and well-authenticated pedigree of this precious machine. The tradition is still preserved among the trade, that when Franklin was here again in 1768, as the agent

of Massachusetts, he visited his old master, who still continued the business at the same place, sought out the press, which was still doing duty too, called the workmen together, and gave them, over a good noggin of porter, an account of the article, and a few words of comment in "poor Richard's" usual manner, which made a great impression. It is no longer used; but, though clumsy and rough, does not differ so much from common presses as might be supposed,-it being now 110 years since the philosopher pulled at it himself. We may add, as a proper postscript to this reminiscence, Mr. Thatcher's statement, that a "composingstick" of Franklin's was, within a year or two, sold by auction. It was authenticated clearly, and brought a high price.-Athenæum.

Steam Navigation in India.-The use of steamvessels has been found by experience so well adapted to the navigation of the rivers of Hindostan, that the supply is, for the present at least, greatly inadequate to the demand. On a recent occasion, when the company announced the intended dispatch of a steamer up the Hoogly, the competition among the merchants for freighting her was so great, that it was seriously proposed to determine precedence by lottery, it being evident that only a small proportion could be accommodated! Strong representations have been sent home of the necessity for immediately placing a greatly-increased number of steamers on this service, and the greatest anxiety is evinced for the accomplishment of the object. The company have at length given orders that the experiment should be tried of building a steam-ship at Bombay, the expense of which, from the cheapness of labour and materials, is expected to be much less than that of a similar vessel built in England. Her machinery will be made by artificers sent for the purpose from home, and she is directed to be made on the model of the Berenice, who has proved herself, by the voyage out, to be one of the best steamers afloat.

Many a little makes a mickle".-So important is the manufacture of that apparently insignificant article, the pin, that in some years, pins to the value of £20,000, or (at least) three hundred million in number, have been sent to the metropolis, from Gloucester alone, within the twelvemonth! Gloucestershire is still the chief seat of the trade, the largest pin factory in the world being that of Messrs. Tayler, andCo., near Stroud, where almost the whole of the requisite operations are performed by patent machinery.

India Rubber in the Army.-Caoutchouc is being daily applied to more and more useful purposes, abroad as well as at home. In the East Indies it has been put in requisition as a material, in lieu of leather, for the soldiers' belts and other accoutrements,an use for which itwould seem particularlywell adapted, as the article is to be had in abundance in India, it is probable that it will be found as preferable on the score of economy as in other, and even more essential respects.

Our engraver, Mr.W. C.Walker, has a vacancy for an apprentice. Cards of Address may be obtained from our publisher.

Mechanics' Magazine, Complete sets. The proprietor of the Mechanics' Magazine has now effected the repurchase of the earlier portions of the stock of this journal from the parties who were possessed of the same in the right of his first publishers; and he is now able to supply several complete sets of the work. Price, twenty-seven volumes, half-cloth, £11 78.

MESSRS. HERAPATH AND COX'S NEW

PROCESS OF TANNING.

We have now the pleasure of laying before our readers, the first complete and authentic account yet published of this singularly valuable improvement in the art of tanning. Like most great inventions, it is of a very simple description -so simple, that, as usual, the wonder with most people will be, "how it should not have been found out long ago!" No trick of chemical magic is this-producing by some newly found out substance, or newly contrived combination of substances, a rapidity of transformation from the raw to the manufactured state, and an excellence of quality in the manufactured article, unheard of-unwitnessed before. It is simply a more judicious method of manipulation, by means of which the natural affinities of the tannin and gelatine for each other, are brought more quickly, fully and uninterruptedly into play, than by any of the processes heretofore in use. It is withal a method, the machinery requisite for which, is extremely cheap, easy of construction, and capable of universal application-to old tan pits as well as new. The general results are, that the hides and skins are converted into leather in one fourth of the time ordinarily required—that the tanner canof course derive from the sameamount of capital embarked in his business four times his former profit, or a like profit from one-fourth the capital-that the leather in point of resistance to moisture, (the grand criterion) is better than the best leathers hitherto known in the market, in the proportion, of at least ten to one and that the weight of leather produced from any given weight of hides or skins is so much greater than usual (owing to there being less waste of the constituent elements, tannin and gelatine)—that the increase is of itself nearly sufficient to defray all the cost of the new process. We would willingly dwell on the philosophy of the system by which such immense practical benefits have been realized-for it is, after all, to philosophy alone, or more properly speaking, to theory applied to practice, that we are indebted for this new process, which leaves all other processes so far behind it; but this we leave to Mr. Herapath himself (Mr. William He

rapath) who in his reply to Mr. Chaplin, inserted in another part of this day's Magazine,has accounted most clearly and satisfactorily for the great superiority of the new method over all others.

as

After the butts have undergone the usual preparatory processes, such unhairing, rounding, fleshing, and graining, the patentees take as many as a pit will conveniently hold, the number varying according to the size of the pit, and attach them to one another by means of ligatures of strong twine or some other suitable material, either endwise or sidewise, taking care in the former case to join the hides butt to butt and shoulder to shoulder, and in the latter to join the butt side of each hide to the shoulder side of that next to it, so that the band formed may be as nearly straight and even as the shape of the butts will allow. They then connect the said band of butts with a system of rollers such as represented in figures, 1 and 2. Figure 1 as a front view with the side of the tan-pit removed for the sake of greater clearness, and fig. 2 a transverse section of the saine through the line A B of fig. 1. DD is a roller of wood supported by standards F F, which roller stretches across the top of the pit containing the tanning liquid. To one end of the axis of this roller there is affixed a cog wheel G, into which the pinion H on the shaft of the speed I is geared, which pinion is connected by a drum and strap in the usual way with a steamengine or other moving power. The standards F F support also at top two weighted levers LL, from which levers there is suspended a second roller E of smaller dimensions than D; by adjusting the weights on which levers according to the degree of pressure required, the roller E is made to press with more or less force on the under roller D, and to derive a rotary motion therefrom. The patentees state, that they find the proportion of ten to six, a convenient one between the two rollers, but that they do not confine themselves to that or any other rate of proportion. One end of the band of butts being brought over the under roller D, is fastened to the last of the butts, at the other end of the series, by ligatures in like manner as before directed, so as to form of the whole one endless band or belt. Α