favour, they are incapable of doing so; at any perienced foreman of shipwrights in the dock- 66 On referring to our engravings of the 12th instant., the reader will see that Messrs. Wood and Rogers, like Captain Kynaston, lower by the tackles, and release the boat only with the special apparatus. Whether this plan is or is not superior to Mr. Clifford's can hardly, we think, be settled. It appears certain that by Mr. Clifford's system a boat can really be got into the water in a briefer space of time than on either of the other systems; but all can do it in a minute or two, and that may be all that is necessary. For ourselves, we refuse to speak definitively upon this point for the very simple and safe reason that no speech of ours-or, indeed, of any one's can possibly be received as authoritative on such a subject. Some officers will always, doubtless, prefer to use the tackles in lowering; others will, as doubtless, prefer to dispense with them. It is properly their prerogative to decide the matter, and we willingly leave it to them. One thing we ask, and one thing we must insist upon, viz., that when so many reliable contrivances for saving life at sea are to be had, shipowners shall not allow the lives of the public to be sacrificed for the want of them with impunity. Assuming that our navy may be called away, and our coasts be left for a short period to their own resources, we obviously require, he says, some means of rendering speedy and efficient protection to our wealthy mercantile ports, by means that shall readily be created, but be comparatively inexpensive, comprising the means of a rapid and vigorous expansion, in case of war, and only available for a given locality. The question is, in fact, how are we to protect these rivers and harbours against an enemy's flying squadron? In addition to our present means, Captain Coles suggests the placing of numerous detached guns afloat on each river, in shallow water, where sca-going ships could neither run over nor board them. From the experience he had with the Lady Nancy, at Taganrog, and other ports in the Sea of Azoff, he feels convinced that nothing has been hitherto invented that can excel a raft for the purpose of floating guns into shallow waters. The cost of a raft is but trifling (£100 each), this in itself being a great recommendation; further, it is easily constructed, and possesses great strength, durability, and buoyancy; it also draws but little water, and being made of casks, comprises, as it were, so many water-tight compartments. From this last cause, combined with its lowness, and the small object it would present to an enemy, he believes it would be impossible to sink a raft. "I can testify," he says, "that rafts of such a "construction give a most steady platform, with "the great advantage.of ricochet firing, and the "concussion of the gun does not in any degree "affect the casks or the structure, which, if "damaged by shot, can easily be replaced or "repaired." vessel could escape. But boats will board them, it may be said. In reply to this objection Captain Coles says:-"The success of the "attacking vessels depends upon their speed. "To lower and man boats they must stop, "when the cross fire of these numerous rafts "would most likely prevent the boats leaving "their ships at all." It may again be said, they will tow their boats with the men in them already to make a dash. But, "they cannot "tow boats fast for fear of swamping them; 'besides, if they are hit and swamped with a "number of men in them, it would cause great "confusion, which would be increased every "moment she was stationary, by the cross fire on her." 66 So much for what may be called the theory of the subject. As to practice we are told by our gallant author that, having already tried and accomplished it, he will guarantee, with a gun's crew, four shipwrights, and a cooper, to put together in twelve hours a raft that will carry a gun of the heaviest calibre. He even gives us the very names and qualities of the materials required for the purpose: "All the materials that it requires is, 300 "fathoms of rope (rounding), 30 butts, or a greater number of smaller casks, in propor"tion; 14 fir poles, 45 feet; 24 poles, 20 feet, 66 or a greater number of smaller ones; and 100 "feet of 3-inch planking, 2 anchors, hawsers, warp lines, &c. Gun and carriage, with 100 rounds of ammunition, when she will only "draw two feet of water." His mode of putting a raft together is so secure, and at the same time so simple, that any sea-faring people could be taught, he believes, to construct them with great ease, and any one having seen a model, with a little explanation, would be able to build one. It may not be out of place here to explain how Captain Coles would make these rafts available, and organize them as a regular system of defence for our maritime ports and towns, and wherever there is shallow water. At such places, during peace, he would have established an officer and gun's crew of gunners, instructed in building these rafts. It would be their duty to build one or more, on which guns would be mounted, and to teach any number of volunteers who could be induced to learn the gun drill and to build the raft. With a little It may be said, If you want to float a number encouragement, all the population connected of guns, why not take up all the small steamers, with shipping, such as boatmen, piermen, lighters, barges, and other such craft? To lightermen, and shipwrights, would, it is these there are, Captain Coles considers, great thought, willingly give up a certain time to and manifest objections. They possess none of this for a slight remuneration at the expense the powers of endurance against shot that a raft of the town to be protected. By having a large has, besides being immeasurably more costly in number of these men taught and trained, you their construction; they are likewise less could man any number of guns, having in each buoyant, and consequently are less capable of an experienced gunner for captain. In case of navigating shoal water, and present a larger our shores being threatened, or any emergency CAPTAIN COWPER PHIPPS COLES, of Lady Nancy and more defined object to an enemy's guns. arising, swarms of those rafts would spring out raft reputation, has thrown a few thoughts to Further, as such vessels are not fitted for guns, of every river and creek, the Government gether into a printed paper with a view of aid-you would first have to fit them by strengthen- merely finding the guns and ammunition, of ing us in our present schemes for defending our ing their decks, shoring them up, &c.; the masts, which a store should be kept near a pier, coasts. As this officer takes a somewhat novel too, are badly placed and in the way of the gun. where each raft could arm as fast as it was view of the subject, and as he brings experience Such craft are also of different sizes, and there-built. The numerous tugs would then tow of his own to bear upon it, an abstract of his fore would each require different fittings, and them into position to the shallow waters of our views may be of service here. It is not invasion when complete, and the guns put in, the con- rivers, which "in a miraculously short space of to any extent of which we have to be appre-cussion of firing would start all the caulking, "time would be literally lined, as well as hensive, he thinks, but a flying squadron "thoroughly defended." These rafts being by of fast gun-boats, and ships of moderate and comparison almost inexpensive, and at every light draught of water, that could, after evading port at once offering a self-created defence, our our fleet either in a fog or by false intelligence, men would be organized and told off into regurun up any of our rivers, capture or burn our lar guns' crews, and with a little tact and shipping, and levy contributions upon helpless practice a healthy emulation would be evoked, towns, such as those upon the Thames, the strengthened, and perpetuated; so that in the Humber, the Mersey, Tyne, or Clyde. It may event of a war, we should have a most effective be replied-The forts will stop them. His anbody of floating coast artillerymen at all times swer is in these days of steam, when a vessel ready for service on their own coast. The pos can go ten knots, with three knots' tide in her session of such a force would give assured OUR RIVER DEFENCES. and so strain their timbers that you would at The cross fire of any number of rafts, when confidence to the country and discouragement | its whole extent the flocculent confervæ arrest to the designs of an enemy. So many considerations come in to check one's approbation of plans like this, that we do not think it wise to pronounce at once in favour of the adoption of these proposals to any great extent. But we are quite prepared to ask with Captain Coles,-Is it not at all events worth while to try a few of those rafts, to show what capabilities and powers they possess? If they fail, the expense is trifling; if they succeed, how cheaply we can augment our protection in case of war! THE PURIFICATION OF THE THE plan proposed by Mr. Hawkesley and The necessity both of filtration and aëration is strongly exemplified in the present condition of the lake in St. James's Park. The process there adopted is characterised by the Times writer, who so strongly repudiates Mr. Hawkesby's plan, as a "complete success." But surely this gentleman cannot himself have verified the condition of this piece of water, or the expressions "clear" and "limpid" must be intended as ironical. We leave the question of their applicability to any of our readers who have an opportunity of viewing the result of the experiment by which this lake has been rendered so completely artificial. Unless much wind or rain shall have intervened, they will find the greater part of it covered with a thick and apparently solid slime-a crust supporting multitudinous light bodies; while throughout the sun's rays before their warmth can be ab sorbed by the solid concrete below. Upon this Much stress is laid by the advocates of the THE MAIN DRAINAGE SCHEME. THE ground which we take in decrying the main drainage scheme is, we think, perfectly open to us. The greatest chemists in the world tell us that the soil must be replenished, either by the waste portions of human food, or by some substitute for it; and we know perfectly well that the use of guano, and other artificial modes of restoring the soil's energies, are very costly. We know further that no turning to the land that with which we mechanical impediments prevent us from reat present pollute our beautiful and noble river. Why then, we ask, with these facts before uswhy are we spending millions of pounds sterling the land of that which it so much needs, only on a scheme which is designed still to deprive to pour it into a river that refuses even to ab sorb it uselessly? 66 In our number of the 12th of August, we devoted a column or two to the repetition of this question, and by doing so have brought down upon us the rebuke of a journal which, as it is perfect right to speak upon this or any other both temperately and ably conducted, has a great public question. It is the South London Local Journal-which circulates freely from Richmond to Woolwich, and from Southwark to Croydon, and even beyond these limits-that has, not undeftly, parried the blow aimed at the Board of Works. To show that he is not unfriendly to us in the main, our antagonist thus commences his remarks upon our article:"We regret to see that the mania against the "Board is not confined to the less influential "portions of the press. Our excellent contemporary, the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE, in its issue of last week, contains an article which inveighs against the Metropolitan Board without one word of qualification. The increasing reputation of this well-conducted Magazine, "gives peculiar weight to its advocacy or oppo"sition. The public principally owe to it some With regard to the filtering process it may be observed that the method to be adopted will "important reforms of recent date, and will be similar to that in use at the Glasgow Gor"probably be indebted to it for several more. "If this one organ had defended the upper bals Water-works, and other establishments of the same nature. The simplicity and efficacy "Board against its opponents, we should have of this method have been fully tested. "felt that public opinion was likely to receive a 66 salutary influence in an important quarter. water is discharged from the conduit on the top "But the editors of the Magazine in question of a compartment of gravel, through which, by". are fully equal to their contemporaries in the means of an aperture at the bottom, it passes "weight of their denunciation." After this into a well adjoining. The overflow from this flattering commencement, we were not, of course, then runs into coarse sand, and in a similar to be rebuked with bated breath. Hence, we manner into fine sand, before it is ultimately read :-" It discharged. In the case in point there will, for may sound very well for a convenience of cleansing, be two such filtering" for not utilizing the sewage, but the "scientific periodical to rail at the Board contrivances; and one or more of the stages of purification may probably be dispensed with. The The "science talks of the value of the sewage, no "Board in return may complain that while "practicable method has yet been devised by To remove the impression which appears to "which the value can be realised. The waters prevail that the water in the Serpentine approximates in its characters to that of the "of the sea may hold silver in solution, but by "what process are we to extract it at a comThames, it would suffice to examine compara-"mercial profit? The theory may be excellent, tively the deposits of lime on the margin of the "but where is the practical method? lake and on the banks of the river. That from "Metropolitan Board is not a conclave of enthe latter will be found soon to evolve its "gineers. All they can do is to take advantage noxious constituents; while the lime deposit "of the scientific talent of the day. But where from the Serpentine is wholly inoffensive. In "is the plan which provides for the accomplishboth cases the addition of lime is of very "ment of that which the foregoing extract dequestionable utility. In the Serpentine espe- "mands of the upper Board? We candidly cially, though it destroys the conferva, together" confess that we once advocated a plan different with the animalcules and the fishes, it cannot "from that of Mr. Bazalgette, but in so doing prevent their putrefaction, or remove its pro- we abstained from condemning the scheme ducts. When the plan of Mr. Hawkesley shall "of the upper Board. Our argument then have been carried out, we hope that these or- "amounted to this-that while Mr. Bazalgette's ganisms will be left to fulfil, under more favour- "plan might answer the purpose, there was a able conditions, their due purposes in the eco- "cheaper method which might be less complete, nomy of nature, and that the Serpentine, when "but which would be also less expensive, and restocked with fish, may afford, as of old, a "which would accomplish all that was really harmless amusement to the piscatorial enthu- required. No such moderate opposition will siasts of London, "satisfy the present temper of our contempo "raries in general and the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE in particular." Now, we are not in the least angry with our friendly contemporary for saying all this; but we desire, nevertheless, to show in a few words that he is scarcely fair to us in his observations. In the first place, although we claim the right to speak occasionally of an evil without pointing out in every case the remedy, it happens that in the article criticised we were not dumb on this head. We referred, for example, to what is going on at Paris. We stated that the intercepting sewers on either side of the Seine are already finished, and that arrangements are in progress for deodorising their contents, which are to be applied to the land, as they ought to be. We also referred to the plans of Mr. F. O. Ward and Mr. G. Coode; and we then contended, as we are prepared to contend again now, that it is not from want of knowledge that the Main Drainage Scheme is allowed to be carried into effect. In the next place we have been, and are, content with that "moderate opposition" for which our contemporary asks. Our position is precisely that which he confesses he once took, for we merely advocate plans different from that of Mr. Bazalgette without condemning the "scheme of the upper Board"-without condemning it, that is, in any other way than that of opposing the waste of agricultural material which it involves. And surely no intelligent writer can refuse to condemn the plan to this extent; certainly the able editor of the South London Local Journal cannot avoid so natural an act. We do not deny that Mr. Bazalgette's system will relieve London of most of the poisonous cloud which now rises visibly and tangibly from the foul stream that creeps through it. But we do lament that a mode of relief has been adopted which will do nothing towards the other great ends to which the finger of science has for a long period been pointing, and which, with our present expenditure, might certainly have been attained." WORKING MEN'S POETRY BY THE throughout how emphatically an every man's scenery described in it is plain English scenery, As an example of this high ideal character of man as man. The world will not believe a man repents: Manners are a great subject of the "Idylls, as always with this poet. He is a great worshipper of all that is high-minded, chivalrons, dignified, sweet, and graceful. His stately, heroic soul loathes the meannesses and paltrinesses of his time. He has not lived in vain, of the boarding-school and drawing-room; but if only for the beautiful manners he has taught us. But the manners he teaches are not those the natural, necessary outflowings of a high and beautiful mind :— "For manners are not idle, but the fruit "Then the great knight, the darling of the court, "in those days No knight of Arthur's noblest dealt in scorn; There is a great deal about poverty and riches in this book. No shame belongs to "honest "poverty" here. Perhaps the best thing in the book is the story of a house of broken fortunes which Geraint, a Knight of the Table Round, lights accidentally upon. Geraint rides up to this castle in decay : If this universality be the test of admission into the commonwealth of literature, then the writings of Tennyson take rank among the highest there. The choice of the subject of his Middle Ages-arose out of the Poet's excesnew Poem-the English Knighthood of the give manliness. Here is another child of nature, in an over-civilised time, sighing after the carlier, simpler, more primitive ages. Every stage of healthy development has doubtless its own virtues and beauties. Childhood is so uniquely beautiful that we would fain arrest its MACHINERY is the chief subject of these pages; growth and fix it as it is. The man smiles at a great subject; grand as Nature herself. The the follies of his youth, but what would he give first thought of the inventor of a machine is an to bring back the fulness of its energy and joy. inspiration, akin to the first thought of the It is so in the growth of the human race. Who Maker when He planned the organism of the does not exult at the achievements of civilisatree or the animal. The same subtle fore- tion-our noble human dwellings, enriched with thoughts, provisions, checks and counterchecks, the products of every zone; our rapid interthat entered into the construction of the animal communications of city with city, nation with organism enter into the construction of a ma-nation; our social refinements and charities; chine. The laws that enter into the working our social and civic organisms and liberties; of a machine are the laws that penetrate Nature's our accumulated wealth of things material and framework. The uses and ends of machinery things mental, contributed by the genius of are a farther development and extension of every place and time. But amidst all this Nature's aims and ends. The stroke of the gain, how much has been lost? Waited on hammer, the throb of the engine, the plash of everywhere and in everything, we lose our the steam-ship's paddlewheels, make music as energy. The policeman protects us at home, true as the beat of the heart, the murmur of the soldier abroad; and we are afraid of pain the ocean tides, or the song of the morning stars or the sight of blood, of risk or danger. But singing together for joy. what is worst of all, we are infinitely afraid of this thing we glory in-civilised society. Like a fly with a thousand eyes, each watches society on every side-what does it think of me?-of my house, furniture, dress, manners? what of my opinions, about the mind within me and Turn thy wild wheel thro' sunshine, storm, and cloud; Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel and lower the proud; the eternity behind and before me? Thus are Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate. energy, self-reliance, self-help, and daring forfeited for our civilisation. This thought preys With that wild wheel we go not up or down; "Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel with smile or frown; like a sickness upon our noblest men. This Our hoard is little, but our hearts are great. drove the great Goethe to reproduce the rude,«Smile and we smile, the lords of many lands; self-helping "Goetz with the Iron Hand," and Frown and we smile, the lords of our own hands; this we fancy has led our Tennyson to "The For man is man and master of his fate. Knights of the Table Round." This will not sound as rhapsody to those who have really thought about human activities and human civilisation. But great as machinery is, surely the man working the machine is greater. We conceive that especially he, the manual labourer, the mechanic, ought to be a subject of prominent interest in these pages; and that if at any time we dwell on what is peculiar to his condition, and especially on what helps him to realise his manhood, as apart from and superior to his condition, our readers will thank and not blame us. Reading the other day-as thousands of the best in England and elsewhere have been doing -Tennyson's "Idylls of the King," and feeling The language of this book is the pure, crisp "There musing sat the hoary-headed Earl, While waiting in the castle court, the voice of It chanced the song that Enid sang was one Of Fortune and her wheel, and Enid sang: 666 "Turn, turn thy wheel above the staring crowd; We dare not comment on this song, sung thus amidst ruined fortunes. To us it is as wild and grand as the old Greek legend of Prometheus on his rock. It utters for us the one grand distinction between the little and great, the noble and the ignoble, the worldlings and the religious of mankind. Geraint, entering the decayed hall, found the azed mother in "dim brocade," and near her Enid, "in faded silk," looking out (says the poet in one of the purest outbreaks of the imaginative power) from amidst this ruined house, and aged, faded parents, "like a blossom vermeil-white, That lightly breaks a faded flower-sheath." She discharges for Geraint the services that look strange to us in a lady. But she knew that whatsoever is fit for human hands to do can never degrade the hands of any doer of it, be they a lady's or a servant's. She took Geraint's charger to the stall, and gave him corn; went to the town to buy flesh and wine; "And then, because their hall must also serve "Here, by God's grace, is the one voice for me.'' And Geraint wishes Enid to go with him to Arthur's court in the faded silk she wore when he saw her. And Guinevere, Arthur's Queen, who had said to him, "And did her honour as the prince's bride, And clothed her for her bridals like the sun." THE GREAT EASTERN. 20 or 30 per cent. more silk, but in which ordinary unpolished cotton was used. On the 8th of this month the plaintiff' and his attorney inspected under a judge's order, the defendant's mill at Middleton. Two machines were first shown to them, identical in principle with the plaintiff's, and the only difference in detail being that there were, instead of one, two sets of rollers on which the thread was spread, and that teazles were used instead of brushes. Afterwards several other machines were shown by the defendant, in which brushes like those of the plaintiff were used. Notice had been given by the defendant of three or four patents for the same invention as the plaintiff's, but these, it was contended, were essentially different. For the plaintiff, Mr. Fothergill, the engineer, and several other witnesses were called, by whose evidence it appeared that the chief merit of the plaintiff's machine was its high velocity and great friction applied to the thread, which thereby became very compact and bright, and greatly resembled silk. fittings should be subject to the approbation of Law Case. FRMEN'S PATENT FOR POLISHING COTTON THREADS. CIVIL COURT.-(Before Mr. Justice HILL and ERMEN v. LIDDLE. Mr. Wilde, Q.C., Mr. Webster, and Mr. Theodore "But ere you wed with any, bring your bride, Is a speech made at the general meeting of the shareholders of the Great Ship Company, Mr. Jackson, M.P., made the following remarks respecting the recent completion of this noble vessel "Bearing in mind," he said, that "Mr. Scott Russell had the completion of the great engine in his hands, and that no other man could have finished it, they were therefore in his hands, but they sent for Mr. Russell and, after great doubts and great deliberation, it was agreed that he should have the work, on condition that the contract should be taken in block; that the pattern card should be the Cunard line packets and the Royal Mail Company's vessels, that the ship should be fitted for 500 passengers only at first, and that the internal was produced, but it appeared to have been only Whether the plaintiff was the true and first in- The jury, without retiring from the box, gave a verdict for the plaintiff, thus establishing the validity of the patent. Lloyd's, attended on Saturday at the Underwriters'Captain George A. Halstead, R.N., Secretary at offices, in the Royal Exchange, and witnessed a trial of Mr. Ward's Ocean Marine Telegraph, recently tested at Woolwich Dockyard, and ordered to be adopted in the Royal Navy. The experiments, which were highly satisfactory, were terminated by the inventor announcing to the meeting his having received the satisfactory information from America, since his arrival in this country, that the Ocean Signal Telegraph, as then exhibited, had been approved by the New York Chamber of Commerce, and, consequently, adopted by the American navy exclusively. Portland, near Weymouth, on her trial trip, about The Great Eastern Steamship is expected to leave the 8th proximo, and will return to Holyhead. Firstclass passengers only will be taken. Tickets, £6, £8, and £10, according to cabin, including provisions, are being issued at the offices of the Great Ship Company, King William-street. The ship is appointed to leave Holyheal, for Portland, U. S., on the 15th September. occasion also. Passage-money (including steward's First class passengers only will be taken on this fee and provisions) £18 to £25; state cabins extra. Return tickets will be granted on liberal terms. [AUGUST 26, 1859. LAYING-OFF; OR, THE GEOMETRY OF SHIPBUILDING. No. VII. STERN TIMBERS. WE have seen that the cant timbers extend downwards to the deadwood, which being an integral part of the mass of timber running throughout the length of the ship, and forming, as it were, its backbone, offers a firm foundation for them, and is capable of receiving good bolt fastening through their heels. A considerable opening is left between these timbers at the heads or upper ends, but the length of the surface of the ship is so much reduced below, that it is necessary, in order to allow them all to run down to the bearding line, not only to bring their sides in contact with each other at their heels, but to narrow them considerably. By this means a heeling can be obtained on the deadwood and apron for all the timbers in the fore cant body. But the number and direction of the timbers required to form the stern make it impossible to do this in the after body. The cant timbers are therefore worked as far aft as is convenient, and the remainder of the stern is formed in another way by what are called stern timbers. In the old square-sterned ships, the interval between the last cant timber and the stern-post was framed, below the load water-line, by means of horizontal cross timbers called transoms, and beneath them by short vertical chocks. The aftermost cant timber, to which the arms of all the transoms were attached, was called the fashiontimber. Resting upon the upper or wing-transom, and against the after-side of the fashion-timber there was another timber which extended up to the gunwale of the ship and formed the angle between the stern and the quarter; this was the outer stern timber, and was known as the side counter timber. The space between it and the fashion-timber was occupied by short vertical timbers stepping upon the side of the former timber; and the stern itself was framed by timbers with straight sides stepping on the wing transom and extending up to the gunwale. Under this system of construction all the external planking of the sides and bottom terminated in rabbets at the side counter timber and the wing transom. The main characteristic of the modern elliptical sterns is the continuance of the planking of the sides quite round the stern, so that there is in them nothing corresponding to the side counter timber. All the timbers abaft the last cant timber which runs up from the deadwood to the gunwale, are called stern timbers. They differ from the cant timbers in this important particular, that whereas the latter are always vertical, the stern timbers are always inclined inwards at the head, so that the planes of their sides never cut the sheer plane in vertical lines as those of the cants do. The amount of this inclination is determined by that of the sides of the ship called the "tumble home;" the necessity for it arises from a regard to the appearance of the stern windows or lights when viewed from aft. If, while the sides of the ship are seen to incline inwards as they rise, the lights were vertical, and the upper ones as broad as those below, the effect would be very disagreeable. All the timbers framing these lights are therefore made to incline more and more as they leave the middle line (where they are upright), until they reach the sides where they have the "tumble home" of that portion of the side. By graduating the inclination in this way all the sight lines of the timbers, and therefore the sides of the lights, appear to be directed to one point above the stern. At the base of the stern there is a curved line called the knuckle, formed by the intersection of the upper portion of the stern and the buttock. At this line the after-ends of the plank of bottom terminate, all the plank above it being bent round the curve. It is generally situated at the height of one of the decks, and its projection in the body plan coincides with that of the upper surface of the beams on that deck. Its horizontal projection is not strictly elliptical, but |