Our Weekly Gossip.

AN American gentleman, Mr. Germain, of Buffalo, proposes to build a ship 4000 feet long, 73 feet broad, and having a long steadying fin 20 feet broad on each side of her. She is to be so sharp forward that she shall taper only 6 feet in 100. The fins are to be as deep as they are broad, and to taper off to nothing in the last 500 feet. The extreme end of the vessel is to be an upright wedge, with a sharp edge. Twenty-five feet of the aft end is jointed for a rudder. The fins moving continually in water, can be used for surface condensers, and having the air pumped out and the steam exhausting into a vacuum, the locomotive engine may be used with the advantages of a condensing engine. The bottom and side walls are double, with their outer and inner surfaces three feet apart, tied together once in three feet by iron walls, and braced diagonally with timbers. Each compartment is to be water tight. The decks are to be of iron. "Careful calculations show," he says, "that the greatest oceanic forces will not try the strength of the vessel in any way to exceed ten per cent. of its strength. A side wind of twenty three miles an hour will careen it less than two inches, and a tornado of one hundred miles an hour, striking the whole side with a force of fifty pounds to each square inch of surface, would careen the vessel only thirty-eight inches, or less than five degrees. If steel is used for its construction, it would give twenty-five acres of deck room. Compared with other vessels and their work, its expenses would be exceedingly moderate, and at the same time it might carry two hundred thousand horse-power. Its size, strength, and velocity would make it irresistible by crdinary vessels Cannon shot would glance unharmingly from its oblique sides; during its approach it would be directed with the precision of a rille, and its blow would divide the largest line-of-battle ships as easily as a broad axe would an apple." Where is the Great Eastern now?

of war.

The following suggests useful considerations, if it does no more:--

your

Patents for Inventions.

ABRIDGED SPECIFICATIONS OF PATENTS
THE abridged Specifications of Patents given below are
.nventions refer, in the following table. By the system of
classification adopted, the numerical and chronological
order of the specifications is preserved, and combined with
all the advantages of a division into classes. It should be
understood that these abridgements are prepared exclu-
sively for this Magazine from official copies supplied by the
Government, and are therefore the property of the proprie
tors of this Magazine. Other papers are hereby warned not
to produce them without acknowledgement :--
STEAM ENGINES, &c., 1047.

GENTLEMEN,-Although I highly appreciate the movement for promoting the object of educated good effected will fall far short of the present expec-classified, according to the subjects to which the respective female labour, I very much fear that in practice the tations of the benevolent promoters, and even of selves. There is at present a great amount of labour for females, but the competition and covetousness of manufacturers turns into a curse that which might be a blessing. Almost every department of present female labour was once well paid for, and those employed worked a reasonable number of hours, obtained good wages, and appeared, and were respect. able. But their want of moral courage is taken advantage of by their rapacious employers, and their wages are curtailed until hard work is little better than starvation. Poor girls now work at india-rubber goods for a penny an hour! These low wages generally lower the morals, and bring other evils in their train. In the town of Locle, in Switzerland, females who work at the finest parts of watches earn five franes a-day. An equal remuneration in London would be about 10s. a-day. Now, what English manufacturer would think of paying a female 103. a day, whatever the work? Instead of this I believe they will be ground down to a condition little better than the shirt-makers, their Swiss sisters will be injured, and then the cuckoo note will be repeated, "We want employment for females."

1 Cliffords Inn, Nov. 29, 1859.

T. MOY.

The standards which the Treasury were required to provide by the third section of Lord Redesdale's "Act for regulating measures used in sales of gas," have been duly deposited, says the Journal of Gas Lighting, in the office of the Comptroller of the Exchequer, No. 6 Old Palace Yard, Westminster.

66

They comprise a weight of 62·321 lbs. avoirdupois ; a bottle containing that weight of distilled water at a temperature of 62° Fahr., and a barometric pressure of 30 inches; and a king's cubic foot transferrer. The whole have been prepared under the direction of and verified by the Astronomer Royal, assisted by Professor W. Miller, of Cambridge. The weight is of brass, and has been made by Mr. L. Oertling, the wellWe do not remember to have said anything to pro- The cubic foot bottle is a copper cylinder with conical known balance-maker of Store-street, Bedford square. voke the following curious letter:

London, Nov. 25, 1859.

GENTLEMEN. It has been stated in a public company that you had in the MECHANICE MAGAZINE alluded to my inventions or system of telegraphing on the ocean or land by means of colours during the night or by day and that my Lords of the Admiralty had paid me for them before using them on her Majesty's ships of war. Now, as this statement has been made by the trickery and deceit of those creatures who abound about the Admiralty connected with the press, I beg to state that no payment has ever been made to me directly nor indirectly for this invention, nor any compensation whatever; and so far from doing that they in the most dishonest way have taken the advantage of all my inventions, because I was poor and unable to defend myself in a court of law, and done everything to keep me from being paid. They have also invariably aided one pirate after another, some from England, France, and America, to come forward to use my inventions for telegraphing by colours, under other names, in order to evade paying me for an invention and code of signals so useful and complete that they have become now universal throughout the whole world, both by steam and sailing vessels on the ocean and on all railways by land; and because I would not submit to the insolence of office, and be bullied by a naval captain, and give a share of the money I was entitled to receive for them. Ever since 1846 I have been kept out of my just claims by my Lord John Russell's Lords of Admiralty! These signal and telegraphs were brought out on the banks of the Clyde by the late Earl of Haddington and Sir R. Peel's Government in 1843. The trials at Portsmouth will be found in the Times and press of the day, and

ends terminating in tubes, the bottom one being
closed by a cock, and the upper one being open. It
has been manufactured by Messrs Ladd and Co., of
the Old Jury, the hydrometer makers to the Excise;
and the cubic foot transferrer has been made by
Messrs. Crossley and Co., of the Southwark Bridge
Road. It does not appear to be considered necessary
at present to prepare any standard multiples or deci-
mals of the cubic foot measure, but gas companies
and others can have the indices of their own testing
gasholders adjusted to the Exchequer standard, or
they can procure duplicates of the cubic foot trans
ferrer and adjust the indices themselves. They may,
by adopting either of these courses, ascertain at once
what metres do and what do not comply with the
tests prescribed by the Act, and thus mitigate to some
extent the inconveniences to which the further delay
in the appointment of inspectors under the Act is now
subjecting them."

A correspondent desires to offer the following
suggestion and observations:-

Clifton Cottage, Montague-road, Uxbridge,
November 24, 1859.
GENTLEMEN,-The observations of two correspon-

BOILERS AND THEIR FURNACES, &c., 1042, 1019.
ROADS AND VEHICLES, including railway plant and car-
riages, saddlery and harness, &c., 1018, 1034, 1046.
SHIPS AND BOATS, including their fittings, 1020, 1023, 1037.
CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL, including agricultural and hor-
ticultural implements and machines, 1027, 1041.
FOOD AND BEVERAGES, including apparatus for preparing
food for men and animals. None.
FIBROUS FABRICS, including machinery for treating fibres,
pulp, paper, &c., 1008, 1024, 1028, 1031, 1032, 1038, 1050.
BUILDINGS AND BUILDING MATERIALS, including sewers,
drain-pipes, brick and tile machines, &c., None.
LIGHTING, HEATING, AND VENTILA TING, 1009, 1021, 1052.
FURNITURE AND APPAREL, including household utensils,
time-keepers, jewellery, musical instruments, &c., 1007,
1013, 1014, 1015, 1019, 1035, 1043.

METALS, including apparatus for their manufacture None.
CHEMISTRY AND PHOTOGRAPHY, 1045.
ELECTRICAL APPARATUS. None.
WARFARE. None.

LETTER PRESS PRINTING, &c, None.

MISCELLANEOUS, 1010, 1011, 1012. 1016, 1017. 1019, 1020, 1022, 1025, 1026, 1023, 1030, 1033, 1036, 1039, 1040, 1048.

"Im

1007. E. LEWTHWAITE and G. AMBLER. provements in clocks, watches, chronometers, and other timekeepers." Dated April 21, 1859.

This relates, 1, to the escapement, and consists in dispensing with the pallet-wheel now used, and substituting in lieu thereof a piece which is called a propeller, which may be either of metal or stone, formed with one or more very short arins, pins, or radii, which act upon the pallet as a dead beat or otherwise. By this improvement the patentees avoid to a great extent the variation in time caused by the change of ternperature expanding and contracting the pallet-wheel. It relates, 2, to the fusee, and consists in having the driver or first motion wheel formed with inverted cogs or teeth in addition to the cogs or teeth now thereon, such said wheel to be loose upon the axis or spindle of the fusee, and gearing with a small pinion working on a stud attached to the fusee, which gears with another pinion fixed on the axis or spindle of the fusee. By the above means power or continuous action is maintained whilst winding up the timekeeper. Patent completed.

1008. E. CLARK. Improvements in sewing machinery." (A communication.) Dated April 21, 1859.

This consists, 1, in a method of securing two or more needles in the needle carrier. 2. In sewing compound seams by the use in combination with two or more needles, of one or more tongues of metal attached to the bed of the machine, and one for each space between every two needles. Also in combining with the said tongue or tongues a concave bed piece, the object of the bed piece being to give support to the cloth on both sides. 3. In uniting compound seams, by combining with two or more eve pointed needles a vibrating thread carrier. 4. In guiding the cloth to the needle in forming seams when one or both pieces of cloth is or are lapped or folded over to make a flat seam by the use of two guide plates suitably arranged. 5. In guiding the cloth to the needle in sewing hems by attaching the tube guide for holding the hem to the bar of the presser foot by a yielding arm having sufficient space between the upper surface of the presser and the hem guide for the passage of the cloth. 6. In operating the instru tent completed. ment which feeds in the cloth by a single lever. Pa

dents in your last number upon ships' chain cables have suggested to me the desirability for some elastic medium between the straining points of the cable. Of its practicability I do not pretend to judge-whether it would be feasible to pass the cable over or round a suspended pulley of proper dimensions. The bottom pulley being of solid iron, and sufficient weight to overcome the average strain, yielding only to a sudden or heavy one, that would be dangerous to the integrity of the cable. Perhaps the mention of the subject might bring forward a practical plan. I have also seen a paragraph in last week's Builder, describing But when the Whigs caine into power in 1848 they motion in the water, which corresponds exactly with an improved propeller upon the principle of a duck's not only set their own creatures to carry out my plans and inventions, to the ruin of myself and family, allow of several fans working at the same time, which one I have been endeavouring to mature so as to though they know I was promised by Sir R. Peel's would be necessary to obtain an even motion for the Government pay and place to carry them out. Trust-vessel; these might be arranged either along the ing you will insert and counteract any such false keel, at the bows, or the stern, vertically or horizon-tain a certain substance, and after getting cool is thea statement as to my being paid, which I have reason to expect from your well-known wish to protect in-tally, and would doubtless with proper fans obtain a good hold of, and exert great power in, the water. I am, Gentlemen, your very obedient servant, W. A. BENDELOW.

in documents laid before the House of Commons.

ventora.

I am, Sir, yours obediently,
R. RETTIE, C.E.

The inventor of all the coloured signal tele-
graphs by sea or land for night and day now
in use throughout the world."

The screw steamer City of Baltimore, on her last voyage from New York, encountered the full force of the late storm without any material injury.

1009. G. ROBERTS and J. BRIDGES. Improve21, 1859. ments in the manufacture of candles." Dated April

Here the wick is first dipped into the hollow to obdipped into a composition of tallow, resin, and pitch, or resin and tallow, or pitch and tallow, in the proportion of about eight parts of tallow to two or more parts of the other material. When cool, it is again dipped into the tallow, and giving layer for layer as required, until the size is obtained, in variably keeping a layer of tallow on the outside surface. These can

dles can be burnt with plaited or common wicks. Patent completed.

1010. T. S. TRUSS. 66

Improvements in the con struction of pipes, and in the mode of joining the same." Dated April 21, 1859.

The patentee claims the making of an expansive or contractile joint by which pipes for the transmission of gas, water, steam, or other fluid are to be secured together by means of a compressing or nut-coupling strap, in two or more parts, with packing material upon, between, or around the ends of the pipes embraced by the strap. Also, the making of the junctions of coupling straps with recesses and corresponding projections or loose blocks. Also, the making of pipes with flanges at or adjoining their ends to be used with, or operated upon by a compressing or nutcoupling strap with packing material upon, between, or around the same, and embraced by the strap. Patent completed.

1859.

1011. J. H. PEPPER. Improvements in apparatus for showing stereoscopic pictures." Dated April 21, This consists in so combining apparatus that the two stereoscopic pictures shall be thrown side by side on to a screen or surface by lanterns having suitable lenses, so that when seen by several persons through different lenses (having focal powers according to their several distances from the screen or surface) each person shall see the two projected pictures as one largely magnified stereoscopic picture. Patent abandoned.

1012. H. KEACH and G. H. FARRINGTON. "Improved advertising circulars." Dated April 23, 1859. Here, a sheet of card, paper, or other material, being folded in one or more folds, covering each other, or in the manner of a tailor's pattern book, the inventors draw or print on each side of the various folds subjects or pictures, which may be embossed or not. They then cut out or perforate by dies, stamps, or otherwise pieces of the folds in different shapes and sizes, which admitting some portion of the underfold to sight, produces a scenic effect, developing a different scene or picture as each flap is unfolded.

Patent abandoned.

1014. C. MANSEL. "A folding travelling case." Dated April 23, 1859. This consists of a strip or longitudinal wrapper of oilskin, leather, &c., provided with a transverse arrangement of pockets or envelopes, of forms suitable for the reception of articles, together with bands of elastic material secured to the wrapper so as to retain the smaller articles in their places upon the folding of the case, to which also an extensible action is given for rendering the case adjustable to the contents or variable capacity of the same, straps or buckles being used for securing the case when folded. Patent completed.

1015. J. EDWARDS. "Improvements in the manufacture of buttons." Dated April 23, 1859. This relates to an improved method of forming the holes in "sewn through" buttons. A hollow well is formed in the centre of the button leaving a projection or other stop round the button on the inside; into this hollow well a bar of iron is inserted and forced down to the bottom, thereby forming the holes by which the button is sewn on to the garment.

Patent abandoned.

1016. J. ARMSTRONG. "Improvements in drying and preserving timber." Dated April 23, 1859. The timber to be dried and preserved is placed in a suitable chamber, and is subjected to the direct and immediate action of steam, which both dries the timber and opens its pores for the reception of the creosote or other preservative. Patent abandoned. 1017. J. GILLIES. "Improvements in branding or marking wood for casks, barrels, and other purposes." Dated April 23, 1859.

The apparatus here used consists of an open cast iron frame, on the platform or table of which is placed an open-topped elliptical case of cast iron, perforated all round for the admission of air, and for the escape of the products of combustion. Within this case there are one or more vertical gas burners, adjustable as to height. Each burner consists of an inner cylindrical shell closed at the top, and perforated all round the lower part for the escape of the gas. This inner cylinder is surrounded by an outer and larger cylinder, also perforated, the flame rising up between the two cylinders. The flame plays directly upon the lower plain surface of the branding die plate of metal, the upper working face of which is cut or cast with the necessary names or devices in relief. The platform framing also carries a bracket pillar piece, the over

| hanging eye of which has a large nut in it for the
reception of a vertical screw spindle terminating at
its lower end in a horizontal pressure plate. The top
of the screw spindle has a horizontal wheel or weighted
arm upon it, so that the arrangement resembles that
adopted in fly or punching presses. Each piece of
wood to be branded is laid flat down upon the operat-
ing face of the branding die-plate on the open top of
the gas-burner box, and the attendant then screws
down the pressure plate by turning the wheel or
actuating over-head arm. In this way the wood is
pressed hard down upon the heated branding plate,
the pressure being kept up for a longer or shorter
time. Patent completed.

1018. J. ANGUS. "Improvements in saddles."
Dated April 23, 1859.

ployed for carting purposes.
This relates more particularly to those saddles em-
In cart saddles the
trough of the saddle-tree is composed of four pieces of
metal, the bottom of the trough being made up of two
pieces of wrought iron, forming a but point at the
centre or crown of the arch. These two bottom pieces
piece of wood correspondingly curved, and they are so
rolled or shaped as to be thinned off at the contiguous
junction ends whilst they increase in thickness to the
usual external end plate pieces for the play of the
chain or back band. The sides of the trough are
formed of two parallel flanged or vertical edge pieces
which are riveted through the main wood bottom by
transverse rivets from side to side. The upper edges
of these two side or flange pieces are turned over with
a moulding or head cover, and the forward flange is
thickened at each end on the inner side to resist the
forward frictional pressure of the chain or back band
tions included. Patent completed.
on going down hill or backing. There are modifica-

of metal are riveted to the convex side of an under

1019. W. DICKS and W. HOPWELL.

"Improvements in machinery for making screws and applying them in fixing the soles of boots and shoes." Dated April 23, 1859.

1021. P. F. MUTEL and L. H. BLANCHARD. "Improvements in gas burners." Dated April 23, 1859. The inventors introduce and fix on argand burners a plate, and in this plate at the required distances apart small tubes of iron, or any other suitable metal or material, and of the required diameter and length, according to the size of the burner, through which tubes the gas issues from the burner. Patent aban doned.

1022. P. L. M. DEBAIN. "Improvements in making heat subservient for producing motive power." Dated April 23, 1859.

This consists in arrangements by which the heat obtained by causing compressed air to be injected, and burned on a burner, or fire-place situate in the interior of a suitable vessel, serves for evolving steam or other elastic vapour from water, or other suitable liquid or solution contained in a boiler in which this burned air is allowed to enter, by which arrangement consequently the evolution of steam or vapour, and the concentration of the solution or liquid, are obtained simultaneously, while the steam or vapour is further caused to act on the elastic diaphragm, with which is provided a motive power transmitting vessel. Patent abandoned.

1023. W. GIBSON. 66

Improvements in steering apparatus." Dated April 23, 1859. This invention was described and illustrated at page 24, No. 28, vol. 2, of the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE (New Series). Patent completed.

1024. R. A. BROOMAN. “An improvement in the manufacture of woollen cloth." (A communication.) Dated April 23, 1859.

This consists in incorporating woollen waste, or the shearings produced in the shearing mill, with cloth, after the same has been woven, and during the fulling thereof. The fulling bath may be composed of a mixture of soap and water, and of woollen shearings, and while being filled the cloth becomes furnished with the woollen particles. Patent completed.

1025. J. MARSHALL, jun. "Improvements in filtering and depurating fluids." Dated April 23, 1859. This invention is not described in detail apart from the drawings. Patent completed.

proved apparatus for raising or lifting and lowering 1026. W. MOXON, and J. J. BENNETT. "Im. heavy bodies." Dated April 23, 1859.

This consists in so arranging the apparatus em. ployed for effecting the above operations, that two or more weights may be simultaneously lifted by the same motive agent. The invention is not fully described apart from the drawings. Patent completed. 1027. F. C. MAGUIRE. "Certain improvements in the utilization of sewage manure." Dated April 23,

1859.

through a tube which receives rotating motion from
Here the wire or metal rod is fed into the machine
the main or shaft of the machine by the aid of a suit-
able train of wheels interposed between the main or
driving shaft and the tube, provision being made for
length of screw produced by means of change-wheels.
changing the speed of the tube, and consequently the
The main or driving shaft is put in motion by a
treadle, or by hand, or by other power. The wire as
it leaves the tube passes between two rollers placed
at the front of the tube, and such rollers hold the
times between a pair of screw dies or cutters fixed or
wire securely. The forward end of the wire is at all
held in front of rollers, so that as the wire is caused
to rotate a screw will be cut thereon, and the end will
be caused to protrude more and more through and
beyond the dies or cutters. In order that the act of
cause of its entering into the sole of a boot or shoe,
making or cutting a screw or the wire may be the
there is a proper table or platform used, on the boot
or shoe is held up to the die or cutter in such manner
that the screw as it protrudes beyond the dies or
cutters is caused to enter into the sole. When the
proper length of screw has been cut, and has entered
the screw flush with the outer surface of the sole. In
the sole, it is cut off by a suitable cutter, which cuts
order that the motion of the tube and rollers may be
stayed whilst the cut is being effected, and the sole
bouring screws in the sole, provision is made to stop
moved a distance equal to that between the neigh-
the formation of the screw for a time by means of a
cam and interposed mechanism whilst the cut isning, doubling, and manufacturing cotton, and other
'Improvements in spin-
being made, and so soon as the cut has been made and
fibrous materials." Dated April 25, 1859.
the sole is again in a proper position to receive
another screw, the gearing communicating to the
tube and apparatus holding the wire, are brought
into action till the proper length of screw has been
again made and screwed into the sole, and another cut
by the cutting apparatus is required to be performed.
Patent completed.

1020. P. L. M. DEBAIN. 66
Improved means for
transmitting motive power to ships' pumps, and other
arrangements by which the displacement of fluids is
effectuated." Dated April 23, 1859.

This consists in providing a vessel in the form of a
hollow sphere, in the interior of which is situated a
diaphragm formed of any suitable elastic material,
which diaphragm receives on one of its surfaces the
impetus of steam, vapour, or other motive power, and
by its opposite surface transmits this impetus to the
water or other liquid to be acted upon, and which
latter at the required moment, and by means of proper
valves, cocks, &c., is permitted to come in a proper
situation for being acted upon by one of the surfaces
of the diaphragm, whereas the action of the steam or
other prime motor on the opposite surface of the

This consists in raising by steam or other power the operations of machinery, to allow such sewage to sewage to reservoirs of sufficient height and space for traverse the various lines of railway or roading in, through, or along stone, earthenware, or such other pipes or channels as may be most convenient and economical for the purposes required, with inclosed receptacles at the various railway stations throughout the three kingdoms or depôts on the various roadways to allow of it being carried away from such stations or depôts in manure distributers, or taken in pipes to any farm, homestead, hamlet, village, or town laid within fructification. Patent abandoned. the three kingdoms for the purposes of irrigation and

1028. W. STEVENSON.

66

This consists in so arranging throstle spinning frames that the present indirect drag upon the bobbin may be done away with, the winding-on action being effected by a special movement for the purpose. Fatent completed.

1029. W. P. BALFERN and M. McKAY. "The

manufacture of sweet-ligged soft soap." Dated April 25, 1859.

For the manufacture of this kind of soap the inventors first prepare caustic leys by mixing 100 parts of American potash with 80 parts of lime and a sutficiency of water, and boiling the same until it becomes completely caustic. They then pour into the soap from 200 parts of the prepared leys, at 18° Beame, and bring it to the boiling point, when they add 14 parts of tallow. This being dissolved and the liquor boiled for 15 minutes, they add 14 parts of oleine obtained from palm oil, in the manufacture of candles or otherwise. After a further boiling of 15 minutes they add 28 parts more of oleine, and so continue to add and boil until 100 parts of oleine have been incorporated and saponified. Patent abandoned.

1030. J. HIGGIN. "Improvements in treating

2520. C. Mackenzie. Improvements in machinery or apparatus for cutting and dressing staves for casks, barrels, and other wooden vessels.

2522. F. Pichler and H. J. Wigley. The arrangement and construction of wheeled carriages or other vehicles or machines, in such manner that the occupant or occupants thereof may propel the same by alternating the weight of the person or persons riding. 2524. G. T. Bousfeld. Improvements in machinery for grinding and polishing sheets of plate and other glass. (A communication.)

2526. W. Mannix. Improvements in the manufac. Dated Nov. 7, 1859.

2523. A. L. Dowie. Improvements in effecting communications or signalling between distant or distinct parts of railway trains.

2530. G. Pacey. A rein handle and holder applicable for riding or driving, either for single, double, or

THE MECHANICS' MAGAZINE.

PATENTS ON WHICH THE THIRD YEAR'S STAMP
DUTY HAS BEEN PAID.
2767. J. Roberts, J.

2546. J. Hamer. An improved material for insu-
lating the wires of electric telegraphs, for lining arti-anufacture of hose or flexible pipe. (A communica- Dale, and J. D. Pritchard.

2566. A. Jacquelain. Improvements in the manuacture of carbon and in apparatus employed therein.munication.)

2782. J. Broadley.
2788. C. E. Heinke.
2789. J. Orr.
2793. H. Bongleux.
2798. A. V. Newton.
2800. J. Brown and J.
Adin.

THE

MECHANICS' MAGAZINE.

-

LONDON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1859.

THE TRIAL OF PATENT CASES.

How long are we to continue to adjust the rights of patentees by means of incompetent tribunals? It is notoriously true that a dozen men taken hap-hazard, even when dignified with the name of a "special jury," cannot possibly decide with satisfaction upon the difficult mechanical, chemical, and other scientific questions which are continually claiming settlement in our law courts. Why then does not the Legislature provide other means for settling the rival claims of inventors and manufacturers?

so forth.

by the conflicting testimony they could scarcely | which Mr. Fairbairn followed up by his letter
arrive at any conclusion. The Lord Chief Jus--the one fact which touched Mr. Cobden's
tice said it was very difficult to decide between tenderness in this matter-was the pressure of
conflicting evidence in ordinary cases, but necessity under which the Cort family, all of
especially so when the subject-matter was not whom are very aged people, are labouring.
within their cognizance. A verdict was then Immediate and liberal relief was the prime
taken for the plaintiff, with the damages in the thing to be obtained. From our own intimate
declaration subject to a reference. Mr. Knowles knowledge of the case, we can assert that at
said that all parties ought to be obliged to his least £100 or £150 was most urgently re-
Lordship for making the suggestion. He was quired by Mr. Richard Cort, a man of 76 years
certain that this case could not have been satis- of age, in order to meet liabilities incurred in
factorily tried in any other way, and few patent prosecuting the case on behalf of his sisters and
cases could be satisfactorily disposed of by a himself. With these facts before them, then, the
jury. The conversation was then concluded by Committee is formed, and £260 are, we are
the Lord Chief Justice remarking that one officially told, at once subscribed. Here, then,
mind conversant with the subject is infinitely are the means of present and immediate relief
at once secured; and the family will, of course,
better than twelve or thirteen who are not.
These remarks, by one of our youngest and at once get the blessing of it. So every one
ablest judges, must not be lost sight of. The would surely think; but not so think the
evil complained of will not be easily remedied; Committee! They give Mr. Richard Cort
but a remedy must nevertheless be sought. £30-which cannot have repaid him the
The difficulty to be overcome is manifestly that expenses incurred in soliciting the
of securing professional ability free from per- mentioned above-and put the remainder
away in a bank! We do not see one
word about the immediate relief of the
family, even to the extent of paying what little
debts they have incurred in endeavouring to
secure justice for themselves; and as little do
we hear about the relief of their pressing per-

sonal bias.

sums

THE CORT TESTIMONIAL FUND. WHEN statesmen and others failed to deal even justly by the family of Henry Cort, Mr. William Fairbairn, the eminent engineer, wrote last summer to the Times, offering the hand-sonal wants. What we do hear is, that "when some sum of £100 as a first subscription to a the subscription list is completed "—and this new Cort Testimonial Fund. About the same may not occur for months, or even years; intime the facts of the case came to the know- deed months have already passed-then the ledge of Mr. Cobden, M.P., and Mr. Bazley, of annuities," or something of that sort, for sun raised "shall be invested in the purchase M.P., and these gentlemen at once spontane "the comfort of the declining years of the surously offered to aid the movement for the relief ❝vivors." Really this is too cruel! Declining of the family in every possible way. A committee was subsequently formed, having Mr. years! Why the people are all between 70 Fairbairn for its chairman, and Messrs. R. and 80 now; to talk about their declining Declining Cobden, T. Bazley, J. A. Turner, Ivie Mackie, years is almost to mock them. for its members. This committee appointed for; and to tell them that by and bye they J. Whitworth, B. Hick, J. Penn, and J. Boyd days!-declining hours!-declining minutes, we had almost said, are all they have to look Mr. David Morris, of Market-place, Manchester, its Secretary, and several hand-shall have annuities purchased for them, and some subscriptions were speedily obtained. meantime to lock £230 (which have been given Mr. Bazley added £50 to Mr. Fairbairn's to them) up in a bank, is really to insult and £100; and Mr. Joseph Whitworth and wound thein to the quick. Messrs. B. Hick and Co. each did the same at Mr. Cort's personal solicitation. All this was done many weeks since.

We think there are signs that a change for the better in this respect is approaching. The judges are getting disgusted with the trouble occasioned by the present arrangement, and the annoyance of one judge would lead to reform sooner than the injury of a thousand patentees. Men who have not been slow to accept the duties and the fees pertaining to the patent system, both at the bar and as Her Majesty's Law Officers, do not hesitate to denounce the present mode of trying patent causes when they get seated upon the Bench. We have a notable example of this sort of thing in the case of the present Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench. Sir Alexander Cockburn derived not a few emoluments from patent law cases, both as an advocate and as an Attorney-General; but Lord Chief Justice Cockburn is, notwithstanding, greatly indisposed to sit idle for days on the Queen's Bench at Westminster while "special juries" are vainly endeavouring to master the mysteries of chinery, compositions for protecting iron, and gas apparatus, permanent ways, Jacquard maWe have had an example of the impatience of his Lordship during the present week, at the sitting at Nisi Prius. An action was brought by Messrs. Crossley, carpet manufacturers at Halifax, to recover £2,000 from Mr. Talbot, a carpet manufacturer at Kidderminster, as royalty for the use of their patents in connexion with the Jacquard loom. The royalty Thus far we have nothing but admiration to was secured by a deed between the parties, express in reference to the proceedings of this and the defendant, by plea, denied that in Committee. But a week or two since ive remaking his carpets he had used any of the ceived an official circular which fills us with plaintiffs' inventions, or any part thereof. surprise, and, as old advocates of the Cort case, Before the case commenced, the Lord Chief we may even say with pain. This circular runs Justice said there was another patent case in as follows:-" At a meeting of the Committee, the day's paper, and he really could not take "held 7th November, 1859, in the Town Hall, up the whole time of the sittings in trying "Manchester, the Mayor in the chair; the patent cases. The case was then proceeded | " 'Secretary reported that the sum of £210 had with, but Mr. Atherton, the plaintiffs' counsel, "been paid into the bank of Sir B. Heywood had not concluded the opening, when his Lord-" and Co., and that £30 had been withdrawn ship suggested that it was a matter which"and paid on account to Mr. Richard Cort. might be much better settled by some scientific "The total subscriptions to this date were person from an inspection of the machinery" reported as amounting to the sum of £260. than by an inquiry in court, which would "Resolved-That a circular be prepared, and occupy two or three days. Mr. Knowles, the "signed by Mr. Fairbairn, as Chairman of the defendant's counsel, said he quite concurred "Committee, appealing to all interested in the with his Lordship. At the end of two or three subject of iron manufacture, for co-operadays the jury would not have arrived at the "tion and assistance to the CORT FUND, and knowledge necessary to commence the investi-"that Mr. D. Morris, Secretary, issue such gation. The Lord Chief Justice then remarked "circular, accompanied by blank forms for that these patent cases were nuisances. Lay-"subscriptions forthwith, so as to complete men, perfectly unacquainted with the points"the labours of the Committee as early as which they were called upon to determine, "". 'possible.' 'That when the subscription list were not, he said, in such an advantageous "is completed, the sum raised shall be position at the end of several days as a scien-"invested in the purchase of annuities, or tific person would be in as many minutes. A "some other form of securing the comfort of juryinan said he could confirm his Lordship's "the declining years of the survivors of the view. He had served upon a jury in the Court "CORT FAMILY." of Exchequer in a very similar case, and he believed that half of the jury were so confused

666

Now, the very ground of this Committee's formation-the very basis of the Times' appeal,

Let us not be misunderstood. We give Mr. Fairbairn ample credit for meaning and purposing well. The whole thing of which we comtime we cannot help pointing it out and askplain is doubtless an oversight. At the same ing to have it at once corrected. Matters cannot stand as they now are a single week after this the Manchester Committee. announcement without bringing odium upon

LIFE OR DEATH IN COAL MINES.

IN 1857 the Lundhill Colliery exploded, and blew 189 men into the next world. The accident arose from the absence of efficient safety lamps, the value of which was well understood at the time. Three months ago, during an excursion to Yorkshire, we descended this same colliery, and found in it an abundance of safety lamps of the right kind. The costly steed was stolen, and then the door was shut! We note this fact on commencing a few remarks on this subject, because it indicates that some of the worst colliery accidents even of the present day are preventable; and this fact is a light which will greatly help to guide us aright in what we have to say.

Mr. P. H. Holland, an Inspector of Burials under the Home Office, was officially called upon to report upon the safest method of burying the numerous victims of the great explosion at Lundhill. Two months elapsed before any of the bodies could be removed, and at the end of five months some still remained in the mine. Of course the removal and burial of so large a number of putrid corpses required the most