NOTES AND NOTICES.

Davenport's Electro-Magnetic Railway Locomotive.-Mr. Davenport has at length gratified the curiosity of the English sceptics to a certain extent, by sending over a model of a locomotive engine, which is now exhibiting at the Adelaide Gallery, in the Lowther Arcade, worked on the same principle as his larger stationary engines. This carriage runs on a circular railway, and draws after it two other carriages, which move, by the aid of two small galvanic batteries, at the rate of about three miles an hour. The weight thus propelled is nearly 80 lb., and the carriage containing the apparatus is about one foot square. The manner in which the electromagnets are arranged, is kept a secret for the present; but the principle on which the application of the power depends is well known, and the chief superiority in Mr. Davenport's invention, consists in his having, by some peculiar contrivance, brought into exercise a greater amount of power within a given space and weight, than has been hitherto accomplished. Though we do not anticipate that Mr. Davenport's invention, as exhibited in the working model, would be found applicable on a large scale with any practical advantage; yet what he has accomplished is sufficient to show that important results may be expected from future improvements in the application of the same principle. We are informed by an American gentleman who has recently arrived in England, that he witnessed a two-horse power electro-magnetic engine, of Mr. Davenport's construction, employed in printing a newspaper in New York, and that it performed the work most satisfactorily. Whether or not, however, this was done at a cheaper rate than the same power might be obtained from steam, we are not able to ascertain. -Morning Herald.

Midland Counties' Railway.-The neighbourhood of Spondon, near Derby, has presented a busy scene for the last week. A diversion of the canal had to be made by the Railway Company, which could not be effected without stopping the navigation, for which there was a penalty of 21. per hour. The contractor, Mr. Mackenzie, taking advantage of a stoppage of the canal, mustered his forces from the other parts of the contract, and has succeeded in executing the diversion while the repairs of the canal were going on, to the astonishment of the natives. Between 200 and 300 men were employed in a very small space, and when all busily at work, presented a very animated spectacle. To induce the men to persevere and work an extra number of hours, Mr. Mackenzie supplied them with a substantial dinner of beef and ale, in addition to their wages, which was served and eaten on the works.-Railway Times.

Menai Bridge.-We have been assured of the truth of the following singular anecdote of Telford, the great architect of the bridge, whose monument, it has been well said, "hangs over the Menai Straits." A small cottage had been fitted up for his (Telford's) use, and on the day on which the hopes and expectations of his life were to be realized or blighted, when the first chain was to be fixed, connecting the two shores together-when thousands had assembled to witness the scene, and as the time approached, were watching in breathless silence, Telford, unable to bear it any longer, and utterly incapable, from agitation, to give any orders, retired to the little cottage, and there, with the blinds down awaited the result. At the appointed hour, slowly, but securely, the immense chain rose from the raft, and the bolt was fixed. A loud and long-continued huzza from the multitude told the event to the

happy Telford; and, when the narrator of this incident entered the cottage, Telford was on his knees, returning thanks to God for the fulfilment, thus far, of the grand scheme of his life.-Birmingham Paper.

Artesian Well.-The bore which has been going on for so long a period near Paris, has now reached the depth of 410 metres, (or about 1345 feet,) and the funds being exhausted, M. Elie de Beaumont has been requested to examine the matters lately brought up by the augur, and to say whether they afford any indication by which the thickness of the bed to be pierced, before arriving at the sand, may be gathered. M. de B. has accordingly given his opinion, that the bore has reached the lower beds of the chalk formation, and that the marls and gault which still intervene between the bore and stratum where the water will be found, will probably be less than 100 metres thick, (328 feet.) If M. de Beaumont's anticipation should prove correct, the well should have a depth of 1600 feet, at which depth, according to recent calculations, the water should have a temperature sufficiently high to furnish Paris with an abundant supply of hot water for baths, and for many other purposes.

Effects of Prussic Acid Counteracted.-A numerous body of gentlemen of this town, consisting of members of the medical and legal professions, were last week invited to attend a series of experiments of a physiological and chemical nature, illustrative of the important subject of forensic medicine, by John Robinson, M. D., which afforded much instruction and the greatest satisfaction to the audience. The most important feature of these demonstrations, was the Doctor's method of resuscitation from the effects of hydrocyanic acid, of which we will give a brief outline. Two strong rabbits being selected for experiment, four drops of powerful hydrocyanic acid were applied to the tongue of of each-the effects were instantly apparent-the animals were for some minutes motionless, and apparently dead, when Dr. Robinson administered his restorative, cold water poured from an eminence over the occiput and spine, (the temperature of the water being previously lowered by nitrate of potass and common salt.) The effect was magical; for by this resuscitative process it was remarked that each animal in turn skipped about the floor as if in the enjoyment of good health and spirits. We need scarcely remark, that such facts as we now record, cannot be too prominently placed before the public. -Sunderland Paper.

The Victoria Boiler Explosion.-The lengthened inquest into the cause of this melancholy event has at length been brought to a close, the jury having returned the following verdict," They consider that the death of Andrew Brown was accidentally occasioned by the explosion of the boiler on board the Victoria steam-vessel, on the 14th of June last. The jury consider that the construction of the boilers was unsafe, the water spaces too small, and the plates too thin. The jury further consider, that the engineers having no immediate controul over the safety-valve in the engine-room is highly reprehensible, and the jury levy a deodand of 1,5007. upon the boiler and steam-engine of the Victoria." shall next week publish a double number with the whole of the evidence taken before the coroner, and engravings of the boilers.

We

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constantly be kept filled with oil, which, together with the therein accumulated steam, will counteract the steam which might escape between the round wedges and the side abutments. The sides and the piston are made of steel, but the tightening wedges of soft cast-iron. The inventer claims as new all the moveable parts in the engine, and especially the method by which the tightening parts extend themselves by degrees as they wear away, and move independent of the position of the axle, in case of not being perfectly rectangular to the side abut

by the use of such infernal machines as have been employed on board the Victoria in place of steam-boilers.

I should like to know how it happened that, at the beginning of the inquiry, the coroner had no power to call for the opinions of such persons as could assist the jury in coming to a correct opinion that is, according to his own declaration as reported in the papers -and that afterwards, when it was found the jury were determined to have such opinions, the coroner discovered he could call before him such persons as Mr. Seaward, Mr. Field, &c. Did not the coroner at first know the extent of his own authority, and the duties of his office? or did he afterwards stretch his authority? or is there an error in the reports?

Yours, &c. &c.

S. Y., an Engineer.

London, August 20, 1838.

This protracted investigation having been at length brought to a close, we, at the request of numerous correspondents, now publish a complete account of the proceedings-more particularly as regards the evidence upon the construction and management of the boilers and engine. We have abstained from publishing any parts of the proceedings hitherto, as the newspapers of the day gave them sufficient publicity, but as the melancholy event will be a black letter day in the history of steam navigation, we judged that by bringing all the evidence together we should enable our readers the better to form a correct opinion upon the subject, as well as furnishing a record for after reference. The conversations, discussions, and wranglings between the coroner, jury, counsel, and witnesses, we have altogether omitted; the repetitions of various witnesses as to the circumstances of the collision and explosion; and also the oft-repeated descriptions of the boilers, which are rendered unnecessary by the evidence being prefaced by engravings and descriptions from the drawings of Mr. Ewart, the engineer appointed

by government to examine them, and for which we are partially indebted to our cotemporary, the Civil Engineer and Architects' Journal.

We take the opportunity of referring to the following letters from correspondents which have appeared in our pages upon the subject of this explosion; viz., by Scrutator, p. 188, No 776; by "N. S.," p. 264, No. 780; by Mr. C. G. Jarvis, engineer, p. 276, No. 781; by "S. Y., an engineer," p. 309, No. 783; by "N. S.," p. 325, No. 784-and by "S. Y.," in our present Number.

Description of the Engravings of the Victoria Boilers. Fig. 1.-Longitudinal section of the wing boiler, exhibiting the ruptures.

Fig. 2.-Plan, showing the exterior of two adjoining boilers; the interior of the third, the upper half being removed; the fire flue of the fourth (the collapsed one), the upper half of the other case being removed.

Fig. 3.-Elevation; the left hand boiler is shown with the fire doors removed; the second, with them in their places; the third, at a section behind them, exhibiting the bridge of the furnace; the fourth with the bridge and bars removed.