which the light boat will lose her way or be beaten back by each heavy sea as it strikes her, whilst the heavier boat will by her own inertia carry her way through or over the seas. In a life-boat height of bow and stern is also necessary to prevent the seas from breaking over and filling the boat; for, if sharpness of form be preserved quite up to the gunwale, the height of end will not check a boat's way so much as will a sea breaking into and halffilling her. Speed is not, however, alone necessary to enable a life-boat to force her way through the lines of breaking seas which form an almost impassable barrier between a lee shore and a wreck, it also adds greatly to her safety; for if she lose her way on meeting a very heavy broken sea or roll, she may not only be beaten back by it, but be thrown end over end or broadside to it, and be upset; but if she retain her way, she can be kept bow to the sea until it has passed her, when she will again gather additional speed in readiness to meet with impunity the succeeding wave. Judging, however, from the received reports of Mr. Peake's boats, the committee have no doubt that they are equal in speed and power to any, and superior to most that exist. 7. A seventh quality is stowage-room for passengers. It is of course desirable that a life-boat should have as large an amount as possible of stowage-room, as she might have to proceed to the wreck of an emigrant vessel, or other passenger ship, when it would be important that she should take on board a large number of persons so as to rescue the whole in as few trips as possible. The principal object in view will therefore be to distribute the airchambers, forming the extra buoyancy of the boat, in such a manner as to occupy no more than can be helped of any space which would be available for the stowage of passengers. Life-boats vary much in this respect. It is a requirement which has been especially studied in Mr. Peake's boats. 8. The eighth and last quality which we have to consider is strength. As a life-boat is liable to be thrown heavily on a beach by the sea, or to be knocked with violence against a vessel's side, or to come in contact with spars or broken wrecks floating in the water, she of necessity must be very strongly built in this respect, the committee consider that Mr. Peake's boats will bear comparison with any others. The annexed diagrams show the general form and the nature of the fittings and air-chambers of one of Mr. Peake's life-boats, 30 ft. in length, and 7 ft. 6 in. in breadth. The festooned lines in fig. 1 represent exterior life-lines attached round the entire length of the boat, to which persons in the water might cling until they could be got into the boat: the two central life-lines are festooned lower than the others to be used as stirrups, so that a person in the water could more readily, by stepping on them, get into the boat, which is a very difficult operation, for even a strong man to effect, with heavy, wet clothes about him. DECAY OF GUTTA PERCHA. In figs. 1 and 2, corresponding to the elevation and deck plans, the general exterior form of the boat is seen, The following observations on the state of the undershowing the sheer of gunwale, length of keel, and rake or slope of stem and stern-posts. The dark dotted lines ground wires of the British Electric Telegraph Comin fig. 1 also show the position and dimensions of the air-pany, are given from two reports of Mr. Edward Highton, to the Directors of that Company : chambers within-board and of the relieving tubes. A represents the deck. B, the relieving tubes (6 in. diameter). c, the side air-cases. D, the end air-chambers. Having understood that the wires south of Berkhampstead had failed in many parts, I went there yesterday,* with a view of endeavouring to ascertain the cause of such failure. I selected for examination a district commencing about a mile to the south of Berkhampstead. I In fig. 3, the exterior form of transverse sections at dif- selected a length where the wires passed near the roots ferent distances from stem to stern is shown. Fig. 4 represents a midship transverse section. A, represents sections of the side air-cases already des cribed. B, the relieving tubes, bored through solid massive chocks of wood, of the same depth as the space between the deck and the boat's floor. c, spaces beneath the deck, filled up over 6 ft. in length at the midship part of the boat with solid chocks of light wood, or boxes of cork, forming a portion of the ballast, as before described. of oak trees, and then near the roots of ash and Italian poplars, with only one oak tree among them. I found the wires and wooden boxing had failed, and had been renewed for several yards in passing every single oak tree, including the isolated one above-mentioned, and no where else. I had the earth removed from the wires at various places, and selected, in particular, those spots where the newly replaced wires and boxes joined the old wires and boxes. I found boxing laid down in March last in a state of decomposition-whilst old boxing, put down some D, a section of a tier below the deck, having a move-two or three years ago, and within seven yards of the able hatch or lid, in which the boat's cable is stowed, and into which all leakage beneath the deck is drained through small holes, with valves fixed in them. In some of the later boats, a small draining tier only is placed, same, was perfect. I have found wires perfectly good, and completely rotten within seven yards of each other. * September, 1856. This proved the action to be local. My attention was then directed to the probable cause of the decay. On opening the first part where the wires were decayed, I observed a remarkable peculiarity in the soil; I detected, at once, a whitish looking plant, resembling the spawn of the mushroom, or some other fungus, pervading the soil and filling every crevice; I found that it had utterly destroyed all the dead roots of the oak and plants in the edge. Its branches spread all over and around the wooden trough, covering it with a whiteness resembling a whitewash. I found wherever the plant touched the gutta percha wires, the gutta percha was rotten. I find that the wooden troughs laid down in March last in the vicinity of this plant, are more rotten than troughs within seven yards of the same (where is no trace of the plant), which have been down since the commencement. I anticipate the whole of the wires which have lately been laid down in those particular parts, will again decay in a short period of time. The breakage that must have taken place, and which is taking place, in spots over a length not exceeding one-third of a mile, is quite enough to stop all telegraphing between Manchester and London. On my first noticing this peculiar subterraneous plant, I thought it might be the the spawn of a certain fungus. I immediately searched for funguses under those oak trees; I found a yellowish green fungus luxuriantly growing under every single oak without exception, but not one under an ash or other tree. Whether the vegetable production I found be the spawn of that fungus or not, I cannot say. The facts observed to-day would almost warrant that conclusion. But, as a botanist, my impression at present is, that it is not so, but that it is an entirely different plant; whatever the plant may be, I cannot believe that any vegetable product, destitute of organic life, can resist its decomposing action. The plant possesses a powerful odour; after breaking soil a few inches deep, its scent can at once be detected. The presence of the plant and the decay of the wires I found coincident. The absence of the plant and a most perfect state of the wires, coincident also. Such are the results of my examinations of yesterday. With the permission of the Board I intend to pursue these investigations. I now beg to forward a sample of the fungus growing under every oak tree where the wires have failed: I send also a sample of the earth with the decomposing plant therein its peculiar scent will at once be apparent: I send also a specimen of the decayed boxing in the vicinity of that plant and I also send a portion of a root acted upon by that plant. In conclusion, I beg to say all the wires examined by me yesterday, were fully two feet deep. men who had opened the ground that there had not been any of the spawn-like appearance found there. On Tuesday last I examined the wires between Warwick and Birmingham; my attention was first directed to a place where the wires passed under a very large oak tree, the stem being sixteen feet in circumference at three feet from the ground, and the branches extending forty-five feet from the stem. The tree is known in the neighbourhood as Old Parr's Oak. The wires under this tree have decayed and have been renewed. I searched for the fruit of a fungus, and immediately found abundance of it, and apparently of the same identical kind as those under the trees near Berkhampstead where the wires had rotted. I then had the soil renewed and examined the new wires. I found the wooden lid of the testing box decayed, and covered with both dead and living mycellium of a fungus. I found on the gutta percha of the wires in the two feet which I opened two portions of the mycellium of a fungus, each in area about the size of a penny-piece, and also one under the lid of the test-box. I have the evidence of two of the Company's workmen, and also of a person living near the spot, that the ground when opened for the renewal of the wires was filled with a substance resembling the spawn of a fungus. I learn from three different witnesses that the ground about a mile from Berkhampstead where there are no trees, but close under a hedge composed of hawthorn, and a shrub commonly called dogwood, presented the same white-like appearance, and that the same appearance presented itself under every oak tree when the wires had decayed. There is, therefore, abundant evidence that where this spawn-like appearance is found in the ground, both the gutta percha and the wooden boxing have decayed, while under similar circumstancs the same kind of wires and boxes, when the spawn-like appearance was absent, had not decayed. Believing, therefore, this whitish appearance to be the mycellium of a fungus, my next inquiry was, if so, what its effect would be upon vegetable matter, such as wood and gutta percha. I referred to a work published only a few weeks ago, and under the article now alluded to, I find reference made to eleven English and foreign works in confirmation of the statement of the author. The author says:-"The decay of wood is often greatly accelerated by the growth of the mycellium of fungi, which seems to decompose the organic compounds in the wood, in the same manner that yeast does those in organic liquids. A general law prevails througout the fungi, that their nutrition depends exclusively upon the absorption and decomposition of organic compounds, therefore consisting of the performance of the operation of fermentation upon the organic matters upon which they feed." I am now, however, arranging a series of experiments, which after a short time will enable me to speak posi Since my last report I have carefully examined the spawn-like appearance which I found in the ground sur-tively upon the point. rounding the wires near Berkhampstead. I have applied to it microscopic power up to 500,000. The substance presents all the characteristics of the mycellium of a fungus, but of what particular fungus, by name, I have been unable to ascertain. I have arranged, however, with the Royal Horticultural Society, to have the case, with its concomitant facts, submitted through that Society to the most eminent authority on fungi in Europe. And next with reference to the decay of gutta percha in iron pipes- I have as yet examined but two places, viz., one at Knowle, near Birmingham, the other at Winslow, in Buckinghamshire; at Knowle, I found the wires had been renewed, but as the new ones were in good condition, I had little or no data for investigation; suffice it to say, I noticed there a remarkable peculiarity, which I found existing also at Winslow. I have again examined the wires near Berkhampstead. At Winslow, I ascertained that there were only 46 I found the wires passing under two oak trees at a parti-yards of iron piping, the wires passing through the rest cular spot had in no way been affected. I could find no of the town being in wooden troughs. I found the old trace of the fruit of a fungus in the soil around those two trees; around every other oak tree in the neighbourhood, under which the wires had decayed, I found abundance of the fruit of fungi, while around the two trees above mentioned, although in the same neighbourhood there was no fruit at all to be seen, and I was informed by the wires in a state of decay through the entire lengths of the iron pipings, with the exception of one inch at either end. The wires in the wooden boxing in the immediate neighbourhood, and up to the commencement of the iron pipes, as perfect as they were when first laid down. In one wire at Winslow the gutta percha was so de cayed and cracked that the internal copper wire was | Berlin, addressed to Dr. Bernstein, and forwarded by the visible. The decay of gutta percha in iron pipes appears at present to me to be produced by a cause entirely different from that under the oak trees alluded to. And although I have already formed my own opinion as to the cause of this decay, I would rather not express that opinion until I find it verified by further observations. latter to me, it appears that the first experiments made at the central station with such an instrument, were very favourable, and that the trial was repeated some days later on the Berlin-Stettin line by uniting two wires at Stettin, and joining one of the Berlin ends of the wire to two working keys or contact levers, the other end being joined to the Despatch Distributor, which trial was equally tents sent by two keys could be kept separate and delivered imprinted by the application of Morse's instrument, on two separate slips of paper. I also examined the wires near Solihull, which had re-successful; and proved, that despatches of various conplaced the old wires which had decayed. The soil in which the wires had decayed was a stratum of blue marl, overlying red clay, but as the new wires and boxing were perfect, I had no data for the investigation of the cause of the decay of the previous wires. During my late experiments, I have not found any difficulty in completely destroying one of the most destructive fungi in Europe, without doing the slightest injury to the plant on which it was growing. In conclusion, I would observe that there appears to be a number of isolated spots, of a few yards in length, only where the gutta percha has decayed, while at each end of those particular spots, and in the intervening parts, the wires are as perfect as one could possibly wish them to be. I believe all the cases I have examined are attributable to causes which may be obviated by further scientific investigation. Home Eorrespondence. WESTMINSTER CLOCK AND BELL. SIR,-The tone of Mr. Denison's last letter relieves me from the task of continuing to notice his remarks. Hitherto I have replied to these letters at length, although from the first the tone has not been inviting; and while he has omitted to adduce proof in support of the assertions made, and resorted to epithet instead, I have given references and proof for the statements advanced. My last reply will, however, appear in the Mechanics' Magazine of March 14, and in future the remarks I have yet to make on the Westminster clock and bell will not be lengthened or drawn aside from the subject by any measure of unsupported abuse to which he may descend. I need only add that much time has been occupied,. and great care taken, to render my letters as accurate as possible, and that they do not contain any statement, from the first to the last, in which inaccuracy occurs, even through inadvertence. E. T. LOSEBY. 5, Fitzroy-terrace, Kentish Town, March 4, 1857. ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS. SIR-At the French Exposition of 1855, several newly invented instruments were shown, by which two electric messages could be sent at the same time by a single wire, in contrary directions. It was not known then that two persons may send from the same, or different stations despatches of various contents at the same time in the same direction by means of one wire, which further improvement has since been invented by Dr. A. Bernstein, in Berlin, who employs for this purpose an instrument named by him "Despatch Distributor." It is about a year since mention was made of this in some of the newspapers, but the manner of carrying out the invention only became known in May last, when the specification of Dr. Bernstein's patent, (taken out in this country, in the name of F. Duncker, on the 15th November, 1855,) was published, and a small apparatus shown at work to a few gentlemen, but it was taken back to Berlin, not being intended for actual work on long lines of wire. From communications I had a few days ago from Berlin, and from a letter written by Mr. Altgelt, the managing director of the Central Telegraph Station in A new instrument has since then been constructed for two messages in one direction, and so arranged that messages in the contrary direction, may also be sent. Mr. Altgelt was instructed by the general Direction of the Prussian telegraphs to examine and try this new apparatus, which was connected on the 10th October with the telegraph wires used in the town and at the central stations. The official report of Mr. Altgelt, was already then so favourable, that the general Direction of the telegraphs determined to have further trials made by connection with the government lines, which have since then repeatedly taken place, and Mr. Altgelt has certified his complete satisfaction, and that the few alterations previously required in the mechanical arrangements, particularly in the construction of the keys having been successfully accomplished by the inventor, the latest experiments have proved that the most correct printing of two messages by Morse's instruments may now be done, when in combination with Dr. Bernstein's Despatch Distributor, so that the adoption of the invention on the Prussian for the acquisition of it are now in progress. government lines is no longer doubtful, and negociations ble to submarine telegraphs, but in particular suitable Dr. Bernstein's invention is not only equally applicafor these, and as the advantage of doing double or more work in a given time, and saving the expenses of a number of wires, is very great, there appears to be every probability that the invention will ere long have to be the telegraph lines in other countries are able to despatch adopted in this country, if not sooner, at any rate when two or more messages by Dr. Bernstein's keys, which would arrive in the greatest confusion unless a despatch distributor was here to receive and deliver them separately. The practicability has now been proved, and persons Central Station, where the apparatus constructed for two may convince themselves of the same at the Berlin messages is worked, but the same principle may be carried out for three, four, or more messages, by a single wire, which is fully explained in the Patent Specification. This, and the drawings belonging thereto, and the certificate of Mr. Altgelt, the managing director of the Central Telegraph Station in Berlin, I have deposited at my leather manufactory, No. 4, Lant-street, Borough, for the inspection of any one interested in telegraphic improvements; and, if further information is desired, letters left there, addressed for this purpose to Dr. Bernstein, or to Mr. Altgelt, for his practical opinion, will be forwarded by me to Berlin, and will, I have no doubt, meet with prompt replies. I am, &c. No. 5, Aberdeen-terrace, Blackheath, S.E. C. A. PRELLER. Proceedings of Institutions. LEWES.-The following lectures have been delivered at the Mechanics' Institution during the Autumn Session of 1856 :-Sept. 24, Rev. Dr. Booth, F.R.S., "On the most Effectual Means of Promoting the Education of the People;" Oct. 29, Mr. C. Balfour, "Poets of the People; " Oct. 16, Rev. John Barlow, F.R.S., V.P., and Sec. R.I., "Aluminium the Metal of Clay;" Oct. 23, R. W. Blencowe, Esq., M.A., " On Some of the Moral and Physical Changes that have taken place in the English People;" Nov. 6, Rev. W. de St. Croix, "The Motive Powers of Animals;" Nov. 20, Geo. Dawson, Esq., M.A., Admiral Sir J. Drake;" Nov. 24, Rev. W. H. Channing, U.S., "The Common Destiny of Great Britain and America" Dec. 4, Mr. John Cunningham, assisted by Miss Payne and Miss Cole," Musical Entertainment;" "Pneumatics." Dec. 18, Mr. Charles Aspull Wells, ROYSTON.-At the Institute, on the 10th Feb. and 3rd March, Robert Hunt, Esq., F.R.S., author of "The Poetry of Science," delivered two lectures, one entitled "Sermons in Stones," the other "Books in the Running Brooks." The former lecture embraced considerations of phenomena determining Rock Formation, &c.-the latter, Mr. Hunt's lectures Water and its physical condition. were most attentively listened to by audiences that appeared to enjoy the lucid expositions of scientific difficulties with which they were favoured by the lecturer. MEETINGS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. London Inst., 7. Rev. H. Christmas, "On the History and Chemical, 8. TUES. Royal Inst., 3. Prof. Huxley, "On the Principles of Natural History." Civil Engineers, 8. Discussion upon "High Speed Steam Linnæan, 8. I. Dr. Cobbold, "On a species of Medusa new Statistical, 8. Dr. Farr, "On the Pay of the Ministers of the WED. Royal Soc. Lit., 44. Society of Arts, 8. Dr. Letheby, "On the Economy of Food." THURS. Royal Inst., 3. Prof. Tyndall," On Sound." Royal Society Club, 6. Numismatic, 7. Antiquaries, 8. Philological, 8. Royal, 8. FRI. Royal Institution, 8. Mr. J. W. Brett, "On the Submarine Telegraph." SAT. Asiatic, 2. Par. No. Royal Institution, 3. Prof. Phillips, "On the Limits of Variation in the State of the Globe-internal Heat." Royal Botanic, 34. Medical, 8, PARLIAMENTARY REPORTS. SESSIONAL PRINTED PAPERS. Delivered on the 3rd March, 1857. 46. Incumbered Estates Court (Ireland)-Return. 41. East India (Territorial Revenues and Disbursements-Accounts. 32. Delivered on 4th March, 1857. 73. Revenue Departments-Estimates. Delivered on the 5th March, 1857. 69. Railway and Canal Bills-Report of the Board of Trade. 75. Railway and Canal Bills-Report of the General Committee (Groups). Wrecks and Casualties-Abstract of Returns. Delivered on the 6th March, 1857. 51. East India (Judicial Establishments, &c.)-Papers. 60. East India (Opium)-Returns. 72. Liverpool Port-Abstract of Receipt and Disbursement of Dock and Light Duties. Delivered on the 7th and 9th March, 1857. 19. Harbour, &c., Bills (14, North Level Drainage; 15, Wearmouth Bridge, Ferries, and Approaches; 16, Victoria (London) Docks; 17, Watchet Harbour Trust and Watchet Harbour)-Board of Trade Reports. 409. (Session, 1856). Railways (number and description of persons employed)-Return, Delivered the 10th March, 1857. 19. Harbour, &c., Bills (18, Ely Tidal Harbour and Railway)Board of Trade Report. 85. Silver Coinages (Calcutta, &c.)-Return. 90. Committals (Metropolis)-Abstract of Return. 91. Civil Services-A statement of the Estimates. 92. Revenue Departments-A statement of the Estimates. Railways of the United States-Report by Capt.Douglas Galton. Delivered the 11th March, 1857. 80. Swansea Cemetery-Correspondence. 84. Public Debt, &c.-Accounts. 95. Exchequer Bills-Account. 36. Bills-Industrial Schools (amended). Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. Dated 12th February, 1857. 409. William Bridges Adams, 1, Adam-street, Adelphi-Improvements in buildings and other structures. Dated 16th February, 1857. 446. Jean Marie Letestu-Improvements in signals. 448, William Edward Newton, 66, Chancery-lane-Improved machinery for manufacturing nuts and washers. (A communication.) 450. Thomas Newcomb, 10, Cowley-place, Commercial-road-Improvements in machinery for manufacturing nails. 452. Joseph Quick, junr., and Alexander Fraser, Sumner-street, Southwark-Improvements in apparatus for regulating the drawing off and the supply of water and other fluids. 453. Alexander Parkes, 8, Bath-road, Birmingham-Improvements in the manufacture of nails. 454. John Henry Johnson, 47, Lincoln's-inn-fields-Improvements in machinery or apparatus for the manufacture of pasteboard. (A communication.) Dated 17th February, 1857. 456. Thomas Ball, 3, Hyde-street, Bloomsbury-An improved portable oven for baking bread and other articles of food, in the camp, the field, or the house. 458. Charles Cowper, 20, Southampton buildings, Chancery-laneImprovements in making drains, and in machinery for that purpose. (A communication.) 460. William Burslem and John Burslem, Cheadle, Cheshire-An improved picker to be used in power looms for weaving. 462. Thomas Withnall, Manchester-Improvements in the manufacture of copper, brass, or other metallic rollers or cylinders. 464. Harby Barber, Belgrave, Leicestershire-Improvements in knitting machinery. 466. Augustus Kaltwasser, 5, Grove-street, Camden-town-An improvement in the action of horizontal pianofortes. 468. Robert Barlow Cooley, Nottingham-An improvement in the manufacture of knitted fabrics.. 470. John Naylor, Winterton, near Brigg, Lincolnshire-Improvements in horse hoes. 474. Robert Best, Birmingham-An improvement or improvements in illumination. 475. John Rylands, Warrington-Improvements in annealing wire. 476. Julien Blanc, 59, Rue St. Louis, Batignolles, near Paris-Im provements in making bread and biscuits. (A communication.) 478. John Moule, Seabright-place, Hackney-road-Improved apparatus to be used for burning pyrotechnic compositions or preparations for producing artificial lights of various colours. 479. David Cheetham, Rochdale-Improvements in machinery or apparatus for preparing, spinning, and reeling cotton and other fibrous materials. 480. Samuel Dyer, Bristol-Certain improvements in ships' windlasses, capstans, bumpkins, gins, and cranes. 481. Louis Léon Faucher, 5, Petite Rue Taranne, Paris-Improvements in apparatus for the manufacture of type and other articles used in letter press printing. Dated 19th February, 1857. 484. David Lloyd Price, Beaufort, Brecknockshire-Improvements in electrical apparatus for giving signals, and appliances connected therewith. 485. William Halsall and William Hayhurst, Bury, LancashireAn improved self-acting "temple," to be employed in power looms for weaving. 486. James Abernethy, Westminster-An improved mode of constructing breakwaters in deep water. 487. James Crook, Winckworth-place, Hoxton-Improvements in looms for weaving elastic and other fabrics. 488. Thomas Clayton, Manchester-Improvements in machinery or apparatus for ornamenting and embossing wood, leather, paper, and other similar articles. 489. William Clark, 53, Chancery-lane-Improvements in the manufacture of sheet glass. (A communication.) 490. James Lord, 2, Brierly-street, Rochdale, and William Soothill, Stock-road, Rochdale-Improvements in steam boilers for the more effectual consumption of smoke, whereby a great saving of coal will be effected. 491. Henry Young Darracott Scott, Brompton Barracks, near Chatham-An improved manufacture of cement. 492. Peter Cato and Joseph Betteley, Liverpool-Improvements in the masts, yards, and spars for ships or sailing vessels. Dated 20th February, 1857. 493. William Oakes, Stockton-on-Tees, Durham-Improvements in the manufacture of iron. 495. Edward Edwards, Abenbury-forge, Wrexham-Improvements in the manufacture of chains for cables and other purposes. 496. John Grist, Islington-Improvements in mash tuns and in apparatus to be employed therewith, which apparatus is also applicable to the heating and keeping up of a continuous circulation of liquids in any vessel to which it may be connected. 497. Richard Archibald Brooman, 166, Fleet-street-Improvements in steam digging apparatus suitable for draining and excavating purposes, parts of which are applicable to reaping. (A communication.) 499. John Combe, Leeds-Improvements in the construction and driving of power looms in the formation of shuttles, and in the winding and arrangements of weft, parts of which improvements are applicable to other purposes. 500. Frederick Charles Jeune, Gresham-street-An improved manufacture of artificial leather. 501. Joseph Glover and John Bold, junr., Liverpool-Improvements consisting of extended uses of photography as applied to dials, tablets, and pictures. 502. Wilhelm Zipser and Johann Peter Klein, Biala, Galicia, Austria-Improved machinery or apparatus to be used in the manufacture of woollen cloth. 506. John Elce and Samuel Hartley, Manchester-Improvements in machinery for moulding. 507. Joseph Fielding, Ashton-under-Lyne-An improved apparatus applicable to steam-pipes or cylinders used for heating and drying, which said apparatus may be similarly employed wherever steam is used for such purposes. 508. John Whitehead, Preston-Improvements in boilers. 509. Francis Hay Thomson, Glasgow-Improvements in the manufacture of iron. 510. John Henry Johnson, 47, Lincoln's- inn-fields-Improvements in spinning machines. (A communication.) 511. John Barber, Manchester-Improvements in compound printing maundrills. 512. John Middleton, Hyde, Cheshire, and William Stent, Fairfield, near Manchester-Improvements in railway chairs, and in the joining of rails for railways. 514. John Turner, Syresham, Northamptonshire-Improvements in the process of manufacturing bread, and in the component parts of the same. 514. Victor Touche, 14, Rathbone-place, Oxford-street-Improvements in the manufacture of paper from bass or bast. 515. John Williams, Wigginton, Oxfordshire-Improvements in common road vehicles. 516. Michael Grouse, 549, Oxford-street-An improved apparatus for giving stability to life boats and other boats. 521. William Footman, 24, Rodney-street, Pentonville-Further utilizing the illuminating properties of gas, by improvements in burners and shades or reflectors. 523. Joseph James Bannister, Southwark-An improved watch and property protector pocket. 525. Francis Coniliane La Croix, New York-An improvement in reducing and reefing the topsails of vessels. 527. James Edward Shearman, Pimlico-Improvements in saddles and collars for horses and other animals. 529. William Edward Newton, 66, Chancery-lane-An improved furnace for locomotive and other boilers. (A communication.) 531. Jacques Henri Marie Maissiat, Paris-Improvements in dibbling machinery for depositing grain and manure. 533. Laurent Laurot, 22, Rue Fontaine St. George's, Paris-Separating the different solid fatty (acides gras) acids from the liquid fatty ones. 535. John Milnes, Sutton Mill, Kildwick, Yorkshire, and William Thompson, Sutton Mill-Improvements in looms for weaving. Dated 24th February, 1857. 537. Richard Archibald Brooman, 166, Fleet-street-Improvements in under skirts or petticoats. (A communication.) 539. Joseph Betteley, Liverpool-Improvements in machinery for lifting and working anchors, cables, and other weights on shipboard. 541. Alexander Parkes, Birmingham-Improvements in separating tin from tin-plate scrap, and tin or zinc from other surfaces of iron. 543. John Henry Johnson, 47, Lincoln's-inn-fields-Improvements in fastenings for dress and other purposes. (A communication.) 545. Alexander Mitchell, Peterhead, N.B.-Improvements in harpoon guns. Dated 25th February, 1857. 547. William Wood, Monkhill-house, near Pontefract, YorkshireImprovements in machinery or apparatus used in the manufacture of carpets and other pile fabrics. 549. James Fenton, Low Moor, near Bradford-An improved method of connecting the feed pipes of locomotive engines and tenders. 551. Laurent Piaud, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris-Improvements in ventilating and preventing inundations in coal mines. 553. Louis Emile Ossian Degrand, Paris-Certain improved lenticular glasses for lighting and reflecting or refracting. 555. John Henry Johnson, 47, Lincoln's-inn fields-Improvements in apparatus or instruments for measuring distances and elevations. (A communication.) 557. Moses Haym Picciotto, 8, Crosby-square-Improvements in preparing flax, hemp, and other fibrous substances. 559. Auguste Godet, Capne. de Marines, Bordeaux-Improvements in reefing sails. WEEKLY LIST OF PATENTS SEALED. 2085. Paul Rapsey Hodge. 2103. George Tomlinson Bous- 2105. William Smith. 2388. Alfred Vincent Newton. March 10th. 2158. Alexander Rowand. 2176. Antoine Andraud. 2179. Carl Heinrich Schroder. 2200. Archibald Templeton and John Lawson. 2241. Victor Frederic Prost. Antoine 2242. Robert Brown. 2256. Marius Pellen. 2285, Thomas Arthur Dillon and John Gray, M.D. 2288. William Gostwyck Gard. 2315. Peter Armand le Comte de Fontainemoreau. 2524. William Brodie. 2694. Andrew Symington. 2761. William Ed. Newton. 2781. George Salt. 2782. James Broadley. 3051. Benjamin Goodfellow. 3091. William Armand Gilbee. 3. William Rigby. 15. Joseph House. |