STEAM-BOILER EXPLOSIONS. pressure of about fifty-four pounds to the square inch; which, in our view, is more than twice the pressure that a prudent engineer would have carried upon them. It is believed, also, that the actual strength of these boilers, as compared with those which are usually constructed for steam of highpressure, will fully justify these conclusions. Reports have been in circulation, that the explosion of the New England was occasioned by racing; but, after careful investigation, we see no reason to connect this accident with any supposed competition with other steam-boats. As regards the bearing of our conclusion, we do not feel it necessary to attach any high degree of blame to those who were in the charge of the boat and engine at the time of the accident; and they may justly be exonerated from any charge of voluntary or wilful misconduct. Their leading error, or fault, seems to have been, too much confidence entertained by them in the security of the boilers, strengthened perhaps by too little acquaintance with the management of engines of this powerful k'nd; by which means they may have been led to disregard, or overlook, the rapid production of steam which is necessary to such engines. It seems necessary, in managing boats of this descrip tfon, to close the damper of the chimney, and to open the safety valve, immediately when a stop is made, and to continue these precautions so long as the detention shall exist. The Board of Examiners are fully and unanimously of the opinion that in the construction and management of this boat, the steam-boat company used their best endeavours for the accommodation of the public, and committed the navigation of it to persons of established reputation for prudence and skill in their profession. The proprietors of the New England appear to have spared no expense in procuring a safe and efficient steam-boat for the conveyance of passengers; and the disappointment and deep regret resulting from this sad catastrophe, is doubtless more largely shared by them than by the great mass of their fellow citizens. Perhaps one of the remote causes of the disaster may be found in their desire to satisfy the wishes and expectations of the public, in furnishing copper boilers for the New England as well as for the Oliver Ellsworth, after the failure of an iron boiler, which was formerly used in the last named boat. It may be presumed that copper boilers will be less likely to be preferred hereafter, especially for steam-boats, in which the late improvement of working the steam expansively has been adopted. The great practical object aimed at in this 88 inquiry is to promote, by any practicable means, the future safety of passengers travelling in steam-boats. It is not sufficient that the number of these accidents, as compared with the increased number of steam-boats, is gradually lessening, or that this mode of travelling is even now safer, on an average, than any which is afforded by the ordinary me. thod of conveyance. Much yet remains to be done by way of affording additional security. The great advantages which result from working steam expansively, are such as to preclude the idea that it will ever be abandoned, and it is beginning to be adopted in the British steam-boats. But we think that the owners of our steam boats are imperatively called upon to adopt a stronger form of boiler for engines of this description. Experience has shown that when the form of the boiler is perfectly cylindrical in all its principal parts, and of small diameter, that even a rent in the boiler, or an absolute deficiency of water, is but seldom attended with calamitous results; while the great range of strength beyond the ordinary pressure of steam which such boilers possess, precludes the accumulation of pressure to a dangerous point by any of the ordinary detentions or casualties. It is now known that circular flues can be constructed of a very small size with increasing safety and advantage, and we confidently expect that a combination of parts can be made upon the principles here recommended, which shall furnish steam sufficient for the supply of the largest engines; while the degree of safety shall be so much increased, as will reduce the hazard of travelling in steam-boats to an almost inappreciable ratio; and while our rivers shall be navigated by these wonderful vessels, one of the highest gifts of art and civilisation, and our plains be traversed by the unrivalled speed of the locomotive, it is hoped that we never may have occasion to lament such a melancholy disaster as that which has occasioned our present labours. B. SILLIMAN, Professor of Chemis- W. C. REDFIELD, Engineer, and DENISON OLMSTEAD, Professor of DANIEL COPELAND, Engineer, and JOHN F. LAWSON, Engineer of the THE LATE WILLIAM SYMINGTON AND STEAM-NAVIGATION. ence, West Strand, and also at Mr. John Frazer's, engineer, 103, Houndsditch. This fid can be fitted to a mast without striking or lowering the same, and is not liable to injury. When the mast is unfidded it may be placed in a small box in the top, and is always ready for use. I remain, sir, Your obedient servant, Old Broad-street, City. Description of the Fid. Fig. 1, the fid without any strain upon it. A A are two wedges divided down the centre, in which are mortices for the two taper screws BB to work in. It is obvious that by turning the screws the wedges will expand and raise the mast to the height required. Fig. 2, a mast fitted with the screw wedge fid. The screws are hove in a turn or two, so as to raise the mast. When the mast is to be struck, heave taught the mast-rope, heave back the screws a turn or two, the fid may then be withdrawn and the mast lowered. It may be refidded in a few minutes, when required. Vessels fitted with this fid must have their fid-holes of a greater depth than when fitted with the common fid. Fig.3 shows the fid in its expanded state P.S.-There is another screw fid, invented and patented by Messrs. Pearce and Gardner, of Liverpool, which, from the manner in which the screws are placed, would, I think, be liable to injure the worms, and thereby render it impossible to ship the mast, owing to the friction caused by the pitching of the vessel in a cross sea, or the backing or filling of the sails in light variable winds. THE LATE WILLIAM SYMINGTON AND THE INVENTION OF STEAM NAVIGATION. Sir, The relatives of the late Mr. Symington consider themselves as under weighty obligations for the kind, gene rous and manly way in which you have advocated his claims; and sincerely trust that the sense of justice and the love of truth manifested in your proceedings in this instance, will not only raise you individually in the estimation of the discerning portion of the public, but also enhance the value of your impartial, valuable, and widely circulated journal. 89 In reference to the article contained in your last number, on the subject of Mr. Symington's claims and Mr. Taylor's pretensions, I beg leave to direct your attention to the following statements, as they are not altogether correct, and as they require a little explanation : 1. That" it could not have been because Symington acquired by any pecuniary means an interest in the invention, that the patent for it was taken out in his name; for Symington was, notori ously and confessedly, a person without money.' 2. That the monied person in the business, or, at least, the person who procured from others the money to take out the patent, was Taylor." 3. That "he (Taylor) was also the person who introduced Symington to the influential patronage of Mr. Millar, of Dalswinton; and it seems to have been on these grounds-partly pecuniary considerations and partly gratitude-that Symington covenanted to assign to Taylor one-half of the fruits of his invention." I. That it could not have been because Symington acquired by any pecuniary means," &c. The truth is, that when Mr. Symington took out the patent for his steamengine-the same which he used in his steam-boat experiments in 1788—Mr. Gilbert Meason, the manager of the Wanlock Head Mining Company, in whose employment Symington was, supplied the necessary funds. Mr. Symington afterwards constructed an engine for that gentleman, for which engine, through motives of gratitude, he neither would nor did receive any premium during the whole term of years for which his invention was protected. So far, too, from Mr. Symington being "notoriously," or "confessedly," a person without money, he was, as may be seen by the following extract from a letter which he addressed to the editor of the Caledonian Mercury, in Sept. 1827, a person in easy circum-comparatively with Taylor, at least: It is not true," he says, that I had pecuniary difficulties to struggle with while making the experiments on Mr. Millar's boat; for, during all that time, I was in the service of the opulent Wanlock Head Mining Company." In another passage of the same letter, he says: "I admit that Mr. Millar furnished the boat, and defrayed the price of the ma stances 90 THE LATE WILLIAM GYMINGTON AND STEAM-NAVIGATION. chinery, at this time, 1788, and also of the second experiment at Carron, in 1789; but I decidedly and pointedly refuse, that Mr. Miliar ever remunerated me in any way for my personal trouble and expense; in fact, the experiments cost me more expense than they did Mr. Millar, to say nothing of my anxiety and devotion to carry them into full effect." It is, therefore, evident, that although Mr. Symington was not rich enough to introduce steam navigation unaided, yet that he was not 66 notoriously and confessedly a person without money." 66 II. That the monied person," &c. Instead of Taylor being a monied person, he was notoriously and confessedly poor. It is allowed, even by the accurate Chambers," as Mr. Ållan Cunningham calls him, that he accepted the humble situation of preceptor in the family of the late Patrick Millar, Esq., of Dalswinton, "because he had made the important discovery, that the andour of enthusiasm, however it may sustain the mind, will not support the body." Neither did Taylor procure any other person, who had money, to take out the patent; for, as already stated, the gentleman who actually advanced the money was Mr. Meason, Symington's employer and patron, II. "He also was the person who introduced," &c. Mr. Millar's visit to Mr. Meason's house to inspect Mr. Symington's steaincarriage model, was in consequence of having been informed by Taylor of the existence of such an invention. For the results of the conversation which took place between Messrs. Millar and Symington on that occasion (see No. 511 of the Mech. Mag, and my pamphlet, published last summer). Suffice it to say on the subject of Mr. Millar's "influential patronage," that Mr. Symington, as has been shown, declared, during Mr. Millar's life, that the experiments had cost him more than they did Mr. Millar-a declaration which was never contradicted; and that the late Mr. Joseph Stainton, manager of the Carron Company, made affidavit that the sum paid by Mr. Millar, for the construction of the machinery at Carron, amounted only to 363. 10s. 10d., which sum, by-the-bye, Taylor represented Mr. Mil lar as deeming excessive. Having endeavoured to set you right on these points, I shall now proceed to throw a little light on Mr. Symington's letter to Taylor, a document to which so much importance is attached by Cham bers. It refers, it will be observed, to a As "former agreement;" but no such agreement has ever been produced, though often asked for, and the rela tives of Mr. Symington have every rea son to believe that it never existed. to the letter quoted, too, their conviction is, that generosity and friendship practised upon by artifice and cunning, were the sources from which it originated. Be that as it may, I am prepared to prove that the transaction, as detailed by Chambers, is a discreditable fiction, got up for a treacherous and most unfair purpose. I hesitate not to pledge myself to the public, that if any further provocation be given, by insulting the memory of my relative, I will lay open such a scene of deception, practised by Taylor and his representatives, as will increase the sympathy felt for the misfortunes of Mr. Symington, cover with disgrace the name of Taylor, and for ever silence and put to shame his short-sighted supporters. In your enumeration of the causes of the slow acknowledgment of Mr. Symington's claims, no slight knowledge of the human mind is evinced, and I perceive it has been your wish to deal leniently with the Messrs. Chambers; but how far these gentlemen are entitled to leniency is questionable. Their mo.. tives are best known to themselves; but, to every well-constituted mind it must appear irreconcilable with honourable dealing, to calumniate the character of an individual sleeping in the dust, and refuse to examine the proofs which clearly point out that he has been treated with injustice. The Messrs. Chambers cannot deny that they were informed that their Biographical Sketch of Taylor was incorrect. A letter to that effect was sent to them twelve months ago, containing a few questions, which, to this day, remain unanswered; and, besides this letter, my pamphlet was offered to one of the Messrs. Chambers, by a respectable gentleman, a resident in Edinburgh, with a request, assuredly not made by me, that he would re-consider the subject. What was the answer? Why, that he "would not again stir up the matter." And this, forsooth, is editorial justice on the north of the Tweed. FISHERMAN'S LAMP. Before concluding, it may not be amiss to point out what seems to have been the animus which actuated the parties concerned in these transactions, Mr. Symington, young, unsuspicious, confiding, generous, and just, moved by the enthusiasm appertaining to genius, looked forward to fame, fortune, and success, from the prosecution of his plans. Mr. Millar, well-intentioned, but versatile and visionary, indulged in idle, unprofitable dreams, and, it is not at all improbable that, like other men of weak minds, he was easily prejudiced against the deserving, and made the dupe of the designing. Taylor-cunning, but not wise seems not on any occasion to have let slip an opportunity of enhancing his own importance in the eyes of those who would be imposed upon by pretence, Servility and cupidity were prominent traits in his character, and he does not appear to have deemed it necessary that truth should be resorted to on every occasion. From the former arose his fitness for the honourable duty of espionage, when he had succeeded in exciting sus picion in the mind of Mr. Millar against Mr. Symington, while the latter was em ployed at Carron in constructing the machinery for the boat fitted up in 1788. And to the latter we may ascribe the many unfair practices and mendacious stories by which he sought to bolster up his most unfounded pretensions. I am, sir, with much respect, 74, Bishopsgate-street Within, FISHERMAN'S LAMP. Sir, The following sketch represents a plan for giving more effect to an artifice familiar to the fishermen of most countries. Torch-light is commonly used by fishermen as a lure; the figure accordingly represents a lamp intended to burn some feet under water, and to serve the purpose more effectually. B is a strong glass globe containing a lamp, connected with 2 tubes, one about 8, the other about 10 feet long. Y Y the longer one passes from the top of the lamp to take off the impure air; its top has a cover after the " Sir, I should be much obliged to o. M to inform me, through the medium of your useful periodical, whether he has tried, and found to succeed, the fisher man's lamp, mentioned in your last Num, ber as having been contrived by him.. The idea of having such a lamp con structed, occurred to me about nine months ago, and indeed such an idea would naturally present itself to any one who is familiar with the fact that fish are at tracted by light, and who is devoted to |