ing a workman, the latter a Student of Natural Philosophy. As the term is now understood, some of the members of both Institutions, I am afraid, would look proud were they termed artificers. I should think enough has been said to prove that Professor Anderson is entitled to the honour which W. G. has assigned him, and that Dr. Birkbeck and his friends have gratuitously assumed them; but I have still a few words to say to B. regarding his honorary patron and his claims. Among the artificers who attended the Class in the College, was a Mr. Smith, a gun-maker, who complained to the Professor's operator that he had little time to change his dress after his labour was over, and suggested the propriety of having a Class where they could appear without such transformation. This idea was communicated to Mr. Anderson, and met with his approval. His Will embodied this approval, by establishing the Class where no Mathematical reasoning should be used; and, if this was not the first establishment of a Mechanics' Class, I should be obliged to B. to tell me what it was. Mr. Anderson's operator, who is still in town, and can prove what I have said, mentioned this to Dr. Garnet, and the matter was taken into consideration by the Trustees before Dr. Birkbeck came among them, and Dr. Garnet mentioned it to him; so that Dr. Birkbeck has, to say the least of it, great presumption in taking any merit whatever to himself in the matter. So much for the opinion of his two aged friends, Black and Robertson. While Dr. Garnet was Professor, the Classes were well attended by the public, including mechanics, who paid the fee then demanded without hesitation; but, when he went to the Royal Institution, (the idea of which had been taken from Anderson's,) and Dr. B. came in his place, the mechanics of Glasgow found that his abilities were not such as to induce them to pay the former fee. The Classes, of course, fell off; and, in order to recruit them, he had recourse to the expedient of giving gratis Lectures-but even this could not court popularity, and he at last gave it up as not worth the attention he had bestowed on it. B. asks why this Class was not begun sooner, if contemplated in the Will, and he will find an answer to this in the clause formerly quoted; but I would ask him why is the Mechanical Drawing Class, in his Institution, which was to have been conducted by Mr. Warren, not yet established? The answer to the former is much easier than to the latter. B. tells us, very gravely, that the words" Manufacturers and Artificers" were commented on, but "the Class agreed, with the Committee, that nothing in the Will gave the slightest countenance to the notion that Professor Anderson contemplated the Mechanics' Class," from which admission it is evident, that, whatever Messrs. Warren & Co. affirmed, was agreed to by the Class, however absurd it might be. Indeed the absurdity of the whole business, at that time, is evident from what they say was laid before the Directors and agreed to by them-an assertion which carries its refutation on its very face. The following is one of the articles; and, because (they say) the Directors agreed to it, and afterwards denied it, they found it necessary to secede-" That the apparatus already belonging to, or that may yet be purchased by the Class, and the present Library, or what books may yet be purchased, shall be secured to the Mechanics of Glasgow for ever; and, should they at any time find it necessary to withdraw from the Institution, they may remove them to any other place they think proper." Now, I beg the reader to observe, that all the property of the Institution already belongs to the public at large, and is managed by the Trustees for them. How, then, could they give the property of the public to a few mechanics? The idea was ridiculous in the extreme. The property is secured to the mechanics as well as to the other divisions of the public, but can never be removed from Anderson's Institution. So much for the demands 416 THE GLASGOW MECHANICS' MAGAZINE. COLOMBIA. MISCELLANIES. Institutions for Knowledge.-In Colombia, the population of which is reckoned at four millions of inhabitants, there are eighteen journals, forty new schools of mutual instruction, ten colleges, one in each of the chief places of the ten departments of the Republic, and three Universities, at Bogota, Caraccas, and Quito. There are taught in the schools all the sciences cultivated in Europe, except political economy and the mechanic and industrious arts. The French lanquage is there particularly cultivated: the public library of Bogota, which is composed of 14,000 choice volumes, contains a great number of French works. red, green, yellow, blue, &c. It seems to have been occasioned by a sudden burst of sulphuretted hydrogen, which was inflamed by the approach of a lighted torch. The liberation of the gas is attributed by some to the operations of the workmen who were looking after salt, but the explanation seems doubtful.-Révue Encyclopédique. German method of making Flowers grow in Winter." We saw off such a branch in any tree as will answer our purpose, and then lay it for an hour or two in a running stream, if we can find one: the object of this is to get the ice from the bark, and soften the buds. It is afterwards carried into one of our warm rooms, and fixed upright in a wooden box, or tub, containing water. Fresh burnt lime is then added to the water, and allowed to remain in it about twelve hours, when it is removed, and fresh water added, with which a small quantity of vitriol is mixed to prevent its putrefying. In the course of some hours the blossoms begin to make their appearance, and afterwards the leaves. If more lime be added, the process is quickened; while, if it be not used at all, the process is retarded; and the leaves appear before the blossoms." Preservation of Vegetables.-Vegetables may be preserved all the winter, particularly French beans; by filling a middle-sized stewpan with young peas, for instance, into which must be put two or three tablespoonsful of sugar, and the stewpan then set over a brisk charcoal fire. When the heat begins to act, stir up the peas two or three times; then, as soon as they begin to yield water, pour them out into a dish to drain. Spread them out on paper in an airy place, not exposed to the sun, and turn them frequently, so as to dry rapidly. Guard them from moisture, and you may have them green at Christmas. New Monthly Magazine. NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. M. N.-S.-J. P.-A. B.-Vinarius.-Tyro.-J. T.-&c. have been received. Communications from intelligent Mechanics will be very acceptable, in whatever style they may be written, if they contain a full account of the invention or improvement, which is the subject of their notice. Published every Saturday, by W. R. M'PHUN, 155, Trongate, Glasgow, to whom Communications (post paid) must be addressed; may be had also of STEUART & PANTON, Cheapside, London; and EDWARD WEST & Co. Edinburgh. CURLL, PRINTER. MECHANICS' MAGAZINE, CONDUCTED BY A Committee of Civil Engineers and Practical Mechanics. Their progress on the road to Science; blinds and busty borilai Saturday, 22d January, 1825.m Price 3d. 24 IMPROVED DRAG FOR LOWERING GOODS. ON Lord Lonsdale's property, near Whitehaven, we saw a very excellent drag, which was used there for lowering coal waggons, on an inclined plane, from the coal-hill to the wharf, where the coals were shipped. The angle of depression seemed to us to be about 35°, and from six to seven waggons, each containing 20 cwt., were generally lowered at a time. We have given a section of this machine in fig. 1 of the Plate. I, I, is the section, of a shaft on which the several wheels and drums are fixed, which is supported and turns on axis at I, I. A, is a drag-wheel, which is clasped by a brake in order to retard the motion of the shaft. B, B, are two drum-wheels, on which the ropes are coiled, to which the waggons are attached; the full waggons being lowered by the one, and the empty ones pulled up by the other alternately. C, is a fly-wheel, which regulates the motion of the shaft. G, is a crank, to which is attached piston-rod, having a joint at F, which, by the motion of the crank, works the piston in the cylinder E. H, H, are two cocks, by which the air can be admitted or expelled to or from the upper or lower parts of the cylinder. In lowering the full waggons, notwithstanding they are counterpoised by the empty waggons ascending, so great is the inclination of the plane, and the consequent velocity with which the waggons would descend, that a drag is absolutely necessary to retard their motion. For this purpose, the wheel A was used; but, although a run of water was made to fall on it, to prevent it taking fire, it was in constant danger of doing so from the great friction, and was besides inadequate for the purpose. In consequence of this the cylinder and piston E was used, which has been found to be a most effectual drag, and to lower the waggons with the greatest ease and security. The manner in which this cylinder acts as a drag, is very easily explained. It is air-tight, of course, and when the cocks at H, H, are shut, it is evident the piston will remain fixed without the possibility of moving; and, consequently, it will prevent the crank from moving, or the shaft from turning round. If, however, the two cocks be opened, the air is expelled from the upper part of the cylinder, and the piston is gradually drawn up by the crank: it is then pushed down, and the air expelled from the bottom of the cylinder. The motion of the cranks thus alternately raises and depresses the piston, and the resistance of the air in the cylinder, which is thus slowly expelled, alternately from above and from below, effectually retards the rotatory motion of the shaft. The velocity evidently depends on the diameter of the cocks; and it can, consequently, be regulated by the degree in which they are opened. This forms an exceedingly simple and effectual drag, and might be most advantageously used in lowering weights from wharfs and warehouses. We would propose as an improvement, however, that instead of the drag wheel A, another wheel and piston should be used at the end I; and that the crank to which it is attached should be fixed at right angles to the crank, G. It is evident that when the crank is perpendicular to the piston-rod, it moves through a certain space without giving any material motion to the piston, and this of course occurrs twice in one revolution. beginning, therefore, to give motion to the rod, a sudden impulse is given to the whole machine, by the im In mediate action of the piston: and were it not for the drag-wheel, it (the machine) would be liable to be broken, and the waggons would be allowed to move with their full ve locity. Were the additional cylin der and piston used, however, which we suggest, the two cranks acting at right angles to one another would make a uniform motion, and entirely prevent this. IMPROVED SELF-ACTING PUMP. [AT the request of some of our country readers, we have given this plan of a Self-acting Pump. We do not know if it is exactly the one they mean, but it is decidedly the best we have seen. If they find any difficulty in the application of it, we shall be very glad to give them our advice on the subject, provided they write us particularly as to the manner in which they wish to use such a pump, and the situation in which they mean to use it.] Description of an Improved Self- A, fig. 2, is a cistern filled by C, a cistern to which water is required to be raised. D, a metal (water-proof) box, 12 inches square and 4 inches deep, placed within A, and near the top of it. E, a pipe of half-inch bore, leading from the top of A to the bottom of F. F, a metal box, similar to D. G, a pipe of half-inch bore, leading from the top of F to the top of D, the upper part of it being above the level of B. H, a pipe of half-inch bore, leading from the bottom of D to the bottom of C, and made as long as from R to S. I, a valve (opening upwards) at the mouth of the pipe H. K, a valve (opening upwards) at the bottom of D. L, a valve (opening upwards) at the bottom of F. M, a pipe which takes the overflowing water of E to N, a small light pan, which, if filled with water, bears down O. O, a lever, which, when pressed down by N, opens the valve L. P, a pin, to which is fastened a piece of chain, having at its end a flat piece of leather, which, when N is pressed down, leaves it, and opens a hole at Q. Q, a hole in the bottom of N, which must be made of a proper size, for the purpose of letting the water escape from N, in the same time that is required for D to be filled with water through K. Mode in which the Pump operates. The vessels D and F being full of air, the water of A runs into E, expels the air from F, through G and D, to I, and fills E, F, and G, to the level of B. It then runs over at R into the pipe M, fills N, which is borne down by the weight of water, and opens L and Q, as above described; the vessel F then empties itself at L, is filled with air from D, through G, and D is filled with water through K. In the same time, N is emptied through Q, and returns to its place, allowing L to shut, and leaving F and G full of air. The water continues running through E, expels the air from F, through G, into D, which air expels the water from D, through H, up to C, until F and G are filled with water, and D with air, when the machine is found in the same state as at first, F and G being filled to the level of B. |