mangle-cloth is sewn so as to form a loop or hem, and the rod P being passed through, it is placed in the groove RR; the one end of the rod being secured in a hole or socket, at one end of the roller B, and the other end of the rod with a screw at the other end of the roller. By this means the mangle-cloth is made to start true, and the trouble of adjusting the same avoided.

Before setting the machine to work, the linen, or other cloth Z is attached to the middle roller B, in the manner before mentioned, and brought over on table O, and on this cloth the articles to be mangled or calendered are laid; a winch I being now applied to the axis of the pinion H, and being turned, the roller B is made to revolve, the linen or other cloth Z, to wind itself together with the articles to be mangled or calendered placed thereon, upon the roller B, and the roller B, in consequence of the circular range of action given to it by the curved slots L L, to rise in these slots in proportion as its diameter is increased by the plies or laminations of the articles to be calendered or mangled, and of the linen or cloth Z, which by the counteraction of the rollers A and B, and the weight F, the articles which have been placed on the table O, and wound round the roller or cylinder B, are mangled or calendered to any degree ordinarily required.

FRENCH INVENTION OF GAS-
LIGHTING.

The French are determined to lose no time in putting in their claims to a far greater share in the invention and introduction of improvements in the useful arts than the rest of the world has hitherto been willing to give them credit for. It is now held-in France-as an established fact, that the steam-engine was brought to bear by Papin, although Newcomen and Watt are entitled to some consideration for their trouble in reviving it; and, now that Paris is, in some degree, lighted with gas instead of oil, it has been discovered that the brilliant novelty,--which, like most brilliant novelties, has been hailed with enthusiasm by our volatile neighbours-is an emanation of Gallic genius! Henceforth, we dull islanders must hide our dininished heads!

The proofs of this startling position advanced by the French journalists are almost too ludicrous for belief. After detailing some of the earlier English experiments on coal-gas, and especially those of Bishop Watson, the account goes on to give a description of a portable lamp, invented by a Monsieur Lebon, in 1785, the flame of which was to be supported by the combustion of the gas obtained from wood. In this grand object the inventor failed,-and voila the origin of lighting the street and shops of London and Paris by means of carburetted hydrogen conveyed through miles of iron pipes!!

It is true that the account candidly acknowledges the claims of Mr. Murdoch, to the invention of the present system of gas-lighting, and enters into a history of his exertions. In this the Frenchman is for awhile lost sight of, only to re-appear in the greater brillancy. Murdoch, we are told, met with such difficulties in his attempts to light the Soho factory, as to begin to think of giving them up altogether. This was happily prevented by the liberal patronage of Messrs. Boulton and Watt, seconded by the encouragement afforded by the reports which reached England of the experiments of M. Lebon! Risum teneatis, amici? We are gravely informed that Murdoch would have most probably given up the idea of applying coal-gas to the purposes of illumination on a large scale, and left the world to the comparative darkness of oil and candles, even after he had brought his invention towards perfection, had he not happened luckily to hear, just in the nick of time, --what?-that some twenty years before, a certain Frenchman had made an unsuccessful attempt to light a table lamp with a different kind of gas!

On the strength of the probability of this occurrence, it is now proposed that the name of Lebon, shall be inscribed among those of Murdoch, Winsor, Clegg, and the other non-Frenchmen who have hitherto run away with the whole credit of introducing gas to the world. It is impossible to imagine a richer or more laughable specimen of that egregious national vanity which prompts our 'crosschannel friends, like the "French falconers" of Shakspeare, to fly at every thing they sec.' We have never yet heard of their claiming the invention of

railways and locomotives as their own, but it is by no means unlikely that they will do so. We remember in our youthful days often gazing with wonder at a street exhibition in which a magic car ran several times round a table by means of clockwork concealed between its wheels. For this machine we were said to be indebted to French ingenuity;-and what is more probable than that a sight of it gave the first impulse to the inventive faculties of a Trevithick and a Stephenson? What, in fact, have these soi-disant inventors done but substitute steam for clockwork, and iron rails for a mahogany table? Railway locomotion is, in point of fact, as clearly of continental origin as the system of lighting by gas!

The " new light" is at length making considerable progress in France, although its benefits are hitherto confined almost exclusively to the capital, and even there they are enjoyed but in a limited degree. Long after London had fully availed itself of its advantages, the only place where it might be seen at Paris was at a house of entertainment whose proprietor expected to make his fortune by entitling himself to write up the attractive name of "cafe du gaz." His speculation, however, does not seem to have answered his anticipations, and his "gaz" we are told, now that the Parisians have an opportunity of comparing it with some of better quality, burned with a very dim flame. Mr. Winsor, to whom the credit of suggesting, at least, the lighting of the streets of London with gas is due, had the principal hand in introducing it to the Parisian public, and it is now making (for France) rapid strides to general use. A company has just been formed in the south of France, for lighting the principal towns, and has made proposals to the authorities of Marseilles and Toulouse, among others, for commencing the superior enlightenment of their ways forthwith. One of the stipulations they insist upon, sounds strangely enough to English ears, and would hardly be thought of by an English company. It is that the city shall not only contract to use their lights alone, granting the requisite permission to open the streets, to lay down the pipes, but also assign over a suitable site for the erection of the works, free of expense to the company! These terms it is expected will be gladly acceded to.

Sir, I believe there is no place in the world apparently so well protected against the spread of conflagrations, as the metropolis of London; while at the same time, there is not another place, whose protection depends upon, and is really effected by, such very slender means. Numerically considered, fire-engines are so abundant, as to afford nearly one for every street but the bulk of this number consists of parish-engines, which have not only dwindled down from their original importance and utility, into proverbial inefficiency-but the term has become synonymous with all that is importent, ridiculous, and useless. The inimitable" Boz," in his "sketches" says, we never saw a parish-engine at a regular fire but once. It came up in gallant style-three miles and a half an hour at least; there was a plentiful supply of water, and it was first upon the spot. Bang went the pumps--the people cheered-the beadle perspired profusely; but it was unfortunately discovered, just as they were going to put the fire out, that nobody understood the process by which the engine was filled with water; and that eighteen boys and a man, had exhausted themselves in pumping for twenty minutes, without producing the slightest effect!" It will most likely be imagined, by persons whose acquaintance with these matters is of necessity very limited, that this is a burlesque by our facetious friend, but it is no such thing. Scarcely a week passes in this metropolis without the rehearsal of some such absurdity, and it has been my lot to witness many scenes of this description, even more abominably ridiculous than that which has been so graphically depicted by " Boz."

Parish engine-keepers are often called a set of blundering old women; one of the city parishes, however, is actually furnished with an engineer of the true feminine gender! As parish affairs generally are managed by old women, it cannot be matter of surprise, that, from sympathy" our ladye" should be permitted to hold so honourable and impor.. tant an employment-or that she should be exempt from displacement-unless the buxom widow should deem it expedient to her worldly comfort to induct

some good man and true," into her hydraulic office.

Again, parish-engines are not only badly manned, but also very imperfectly furnished with snch appurtenances as are requisite for efficient service. They are also most irregularly located; in one short street (Lombard-street, City,) there are nine fire-engines, and in the turnings out of it eight more: making in all seventeen, within a few square yards, while there are many spots of at least three times the extent, and containing above ten times the amount of property, without a single engine, for their pro

tection.

Notwithstanding the proximity of the above engines to the Royal Exchange, at the late fire one of the smallest only was brought out, and that one, as a matter of course was not worked! A glance at these facts strongly suggests the propriety of reform-any change must be for the better. Now that the organization of a new day and night police, in the city, is under consideration, a favourable opportunity is offered for adding to their other duties, that of a fire-police.

This might be accomplished with far less difficulty, and at a much smaller expense, than is generally imagined. On handing over to the police committee, all the present fire-engines of the city parishes, it would be found, that the proceeds from the sale of the least useful, would suffice to put the remainder (an ample number) into an efficient working state. The equipment of every engine should be made unform and complete, and in every respect adequate to the preservation of life, and the protection of property; the subsequent expenses necessary for maintaining such a condition would be but trifling-very much under the annual sum at present uselessly expended upon this object.

The engines would require to be stationed with discrimination, with one man on duty day and night at each engine-house to be relieved at stated intervals. Periodical drilling, under experienced instructors, would soon bring the whole force into a condition to be eminently useful. An extra gratuity to each man employed at a fire would take off much of the irksomeness of such an employment. Special rewards for extraordinary exertion, would stimulate the

men to discharge their duties with skill and alacrity.

It is truely a most disgraceful circumstance, that engines are continually brought to fires by policemen and others, and there suffered to stand unemployed for want of the moderate share of knowledge needful to set them to work-yet such is a frequent occurrence, even in London A.D. 1838! Should the citizens have the good sense properly to appreciate these remarks, and adopt the suggestions I have thrown out, incalculable benefits would result. I am confident the advantages of a well disciplined system of this kind would in a very short time be so striking apparent, as to induce-nay, almost compel-the commissioners of the metropolitan police to adopt similar measures. The result of this would ultimately be, to establish such a well organized protection against both fire and thieves, as would materially abridge the depredations of the one-and limit the destructive influences of the other. I have occasion to know, that this state of things was fully contemplated by Sir Robert Peel, when the metropolitan police force was first established, and only delayed, in consequence of the great outcry every where raised against the expenses of this force at its formation.

As the government have again expressed their fixed determination not to forego the duty on fire-insurance, it might be as well to endeavour to get them to appropriate some portion of the immense revenue thus derived, towards defraying the expenses of a fire-police. All the protection now, afforded, is at the expense of the insured, and this would be but an extension of the principle. The more equitable method, however, would be, by means of a universal rate levied upon all property, whether insured or not.

I remain, Sir,

Your's respectfully,
WM. BADDELEY.

London, March 27, 1838.

FIRE ON BOARD THE GREAT WESTERN

STEAM - SHIP-MERRY WEATHER'S

PORTABLE FIRE-ENGINE.

Sir, It is a source of considerable satisfaction to me, to observe that the proprietors of steam vessels are at length