He suggests that governments should patronize inventors: Were it the good will and pleasure of her most sacred majestie to propound some liberal stipendie for all such of her ingenious subjects as shall bring forth any profitable or rare particular for the general good of his prince and country, I would hope to see a newe revolution of the first golden age."

He refers to Latin, French, and Italian authors who had written on "rare and profitable inventions ;" and mentions Albert Magnus, Alexis of Piedmont, Cardan, Mizaldus, Baptist Porta, Firovanto, and Wickerus. He apologizes "for introducing his volume in these flourishing, though unrewarded daies of skil and knowledge, when so many editions of excellent authors concerning the same subjects had been published." After observing that most of the foreign authors were untranslated-that much of his own treatise was new and fitted to the understandings of "rustical people, and plain clouted shooes," he asks why he should not give his country the fruits of his reading, study, and experiments. He anticipates from well-disposed readers a friendly plaudit, which was the most desired, or a free pardon for his temerity, being the least he could deserve.

....

The first volume or part contains 103 experiments, Worcester's "Century" consisted of just one hundred propositions-hence its name. Platte's book throws light on many things in Worcester's.

The first device relates to keeping fruits and flowers fresh after being gathered; this is the longest article in the book. At the close he tells us he has written a "conceyted booke of gardening," containing many new improvements, but declines publishing till he ascertains what reception his present book meets with; and intimates that if it should be no more favourably noticed than his " Apologie," (which he compares to the raven sent from the ark,) he will not give it to the public. "It is," he remarks, "all readie for the presse, and does only attende to see if Noah's pigeon (the present work) will returne with an olive branch, seeing his raven hath as yet brought nothing with her."

2. A Perspective Ring that will discover all the cards that are neare him that weareth it on his finger.-This was an invention of some French gambler; it consisted of a hemispherical crystal, or rather of a minute convex mirror, set in place of a gem. The wearer, by stretching out his arm (as if in

27

voluntarily), "leaning nowe and then on his elbow," and other movements, so as to bring the ring into a proper position, could read in it the hands of every player. Platte says the secret was little known in England, because native workmen could not set and "foyle the stone so artificially as it ought to bee." He published the cheat to guard young men from card playing, by showing them one of the "many sleights and cousonages dailie practised in gaming and dicing houses."

4. To Preserve Meat Fresh.-The fowl, or flesh, was to be parboiled in a strong brine, after which it would keep fresh for three or four weeks in the hottest weather. He recommends it to seamen who "are forced sometimes to vittaile themselves in climates where no flesh will last sweet four and twentie hours." He mentions a custom of parboiling fowls, &c., in brine, and then placing them in pots filled up with lard, and so preserved for a considerable time.

5. To keep Water fresh at Sea.-By adding a little "oyle of sulphur;" some preferred oil of vitriol. He mentions distilling salt water as then practised. Sir Francis Drake, with whom he was familiar, it seems tried various modes of keeping water fresh ; "and Captain Plat,* in whom Sir Francis Drake, for his good parts, did alwaies repose great trust," used to hang thick pieces of sheet lead in the centre of each cask; upon those the slimy matter collected, and was removed by drawing up the lead through the bunghole.

6. A Merchant's Compasse.-This was a mere indicator of wind; the rod of a vane was continued into a bed chamber, or other room, when an index and card on the ceiling enabled a merchant to ascertain at any time of the night the direction of the wind, and thus calculate the arrival of his ships. The device is inserted in several old collections. Schottus gives a figure of it in his Hydraulico Pneumatica, &c., page 321.

8. On Secret Writing.-One side of a letter was to be occupied with ordinary matters, and written with common ink; on the other side confidential subjects were to be written with milk. By holding the sheet to the fire the writing became legible. Gall water and a solution of copperas were also used as invisible inks, and cambric handkerchiefs, as substitutes for paper, a lady's ruff, or other white parts of female apparel. Another mode was to cut openings through any part of two sheets of paper; one was kept by the writer, and the other by the person addressed. When a secret was to be communicated, the writer laid his perfo

A relation of the author.

rated sheet over a blank one, and expressed his ideas on the open spaces only; then removing the perforated sheet, he filled up the spaces between the openings with ordinary matters, or with words at random. On receiving the letter, the person for whom it was designed laid over it his "key sheet," and read the important matter at once. Platte alludes to, but does not describe, the mode by which the Romans and Greeks sent orders to their generals, viz., by folding the paper round a short staff or baton, in a spiral direction, and then writing their directions upon it. On unfolding the sheet, the whole appeared in utter confusion.

10. To Harden Leather, and make it more durable for Pump Suckers.-This device we have often met with; such early notices indicate an extensive use of common pumps. The leather was to be soaked in water in which iron filings had long lain, or in the water of grindstone troughs. "This," he observes, "has been found of good use by one of the pumpe-makers of our time." He thinks the reader may pump out of it other and better uses."

11. A Conceipted Chafing Dish, to keepe meat hote upon the table without coals.A double dish with a cavity for an iron heater. This seems to have been an old device, and to have given rise to several others of these Platte mentions "warming pinnes, or froes, which being put into thin cases, and those cases wrapped in linnen baggs, doe serve to heat bedds, and to cast one into a kindly sweat. The like device is used by others in conveying such iron pinns into hollow boxes of wood, first lined inwardly with metal, either to laye under their feete when they write, or studie, in cold weather, or in their coches to keep their feet warm."

12. How to Roste Meat more speedily.— Here we have the portable, or Dutch oven, of our kitchens. It was not an English device; this its name indicates, and Platte confirms. The particular improvement which gave rise to its present appellation is uncertain. It seems to have been made subsequent to the sixteenth century. This oven, like most of our culinary and kitchen apparatus, is not of modern origin; it is of classical antiquity,—the clybanus of the ancients, by whom it was made of pottery, iron, and bronze. The curfew in its general form and dimensions so much resembled the clybanus, that some antiquaries have deemed both to be one device.

The Dutch oven was made of earthenware and sheet-iron in Platte's time; whether it was first made of tin plate by British workmen, and at his suggestion, is doubtful. He describes it as made square, concave, or

cylindrical, and either made of tin plates, or of wood and lined with them, "for the reflexion of the heate that is gathered within will make great expedition" in the cooking. At each side was to be a slit "to let in the spitte." "I have heard of the like devise heretofore executed by an outlandish potter, in burnte clay, for the which he had his privilege [a patent], but his devise wanted a cover; it was exceeding heavie, very apt to be broken, and not so strong in reflexion as this metalline devise, especiallie if it be kept clean and bright.'

14. How to turne five Spittes at once by one hande, whereby also much fier is saved. -Four spits, or prongs, arranged round and united to a central one, to which the crank was attached. In old kitchens, when several joints were roasted at once, they were placed one above another on separate spits; hence fire-grates of great depth were required. The device obviated this, as well as the corresponding number of turnspits (boys). The source whence Platte drew the improvement was "Pope Pius the V, his Kitchen." Bartholomew Scappi, cook to the Pope, wrote a work on cookery, which he named the Kitchen.

(To be concluded in our next.)

RECENT AMERICAN PATENTS.

[Selected and abridged from Mr. Keller's Reports in the Franklin Journal.]

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE ENGINES. Gardner Barton, Jun.-This engine has two single acting cylinder pumps as usual, but instead of being permanent they are each connected at their lower end with a branch of the main pipe, by a cylindrical joint at right angles with the axis of the cylinder, the joint consisting of an arbor attached to the cylinder, and fitting in a corresponding cavity in the pipe, the two being provided with openings, or cavities, constituting the water-ways which are opened and closed by the vibrations of the cylinder. The upper ends of the piston rods are provided with a pin that slides in a groove made in a guide rod attached to, and vibrating with, the cylinders-the piston rods being also connected with the brake of the engine, by slides that can be moved along the arms of the brake, and secured at any point desired to regulate the capacity of the engine; for the farther the slides are removed from the axis of the brake, the greater will be the play of the piston, requiring, of course, an equivalent increase of power for working the engine.

Claim." What I claim is the combination and arrangement of the cylinders with the guides attached, and their agreement

with the slides, by means of which the capacity of the engine may be enlarged, or diminished, at pleasure. I do not claim the invention of vibrating cylinders, but I do claim the invention of the application of the vibrating cylinders to the purposes of pumps for fire engines, in the manner herein before described. I also claim the opening in the upper ends of the guides on which the connecting pins act; and I claim the opening through the arbor, and the corresponding openings, (in the pipes) serving for water passages.

GOVERNOR FOR REGULATING THE MOVE

MENTS OF MILL WHEELS, STEAM ENGINES, AND OTHER MACHINERY. Henry Burt.

Instead of the balls and arms thrown out by centrifugal force, or jointed wings opened by the resistance of the air, as the velocity of the machinery is increased, the present patentee employs a vertical shaft with spiral wings, (made in the manner of the screw propeller,) and so placed in a vessel filled with water, or other fluid, that the resistance of the fluid acting on the spiral vanes, or wings, by the increased motion of the machinery, causes the shaft and vanes to rise, and when the velocity is diminished, and the resistance thereby reduced below the gravitating force of the weight of the shaft and wings, or vanes, it descends, and by its connection with the throttle valve of an engine, gate of a mill, &c., the moving force of the machinery is either increased, or diminished.

Claim. "Having thus explained my invention, I shall claim the employment, as a governor, of a screw, or other analogous contrivance, as described, to revolve in water, or other fluid, and act therein, and in all respects substantially as set forth."

SAFETY BOXES FOR RAILROAD AXLES. Peter and William C. Allison.-This is for the purpose of giving additional strength to the parts of the axle inside of the wheels where they are most liable to break, and consists of divided boxes made in two parts, with flanches at the end and sides, the former to secure them by screw bolts, &c., to the wheels, and the latter to bolt the two halves together, embracing the axle which is grooved in the direction of the circumference to receive fillets on the inside of the boxes.

Claim.-"What I claim as my invention, is the construction and arrangement of the safety boxes on the axles of the car wheels, having tongues (fillets) inside said boxes, fitting into corresponding grooves in the peripheries of the axles in the manner and for the purpose set forth, and rods, or hooks, with screw nuts for securing the safety boxes to the car wheels, as above described, or whether constructed in any other manner substantially the same, and for a similar purpose."

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IMPROVEMENT IN THE STEAM ENGINE. Joseph Frost.-The patentee says, "I denominate my improved engine the reciprocating expansion engine, and I so denominate it because I use the same steam expansively in two, three, or more, cylinders in succession, each of larger capacity than that which precedes it. The first, or smallest, cylinder is to receive its supply of steam directly from the boiler, or generator, which is constructed and heated in the ordinary way. Alongside of this boiler I place steam receivers, or reservoirs, which I usually make cylindrical, and of the same length with the boiler; these I make capacious, say of half the diameter of the boiler, more or less; they are intended to receive the steam after it has acted in one cylinder on its way to that in which it is next to operate. These steam receivers I keep heated by causing the gaseous products of combustion to pass through flues below them, on their way to the chimney, instead of allowing them to pass directly thereto; the heat, therefore, which otherwise would be wasted, I employ to heat these receivers, and thus preserve and increase the elasticity of the steam during its passage from one cylinder to another. As the heat thus communicated to these steam receivers, will, in general, be sufficient not only to preserve the elasticity of the steam, but also, as above indicated, to augment it, I cause them to receive a small supply of water, which may be evaporated by this excess of heat, and thus operate in increasing the power of the engine without increasing the consumption of fuel."

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MODE OF RENDERING FABRICS WATER-PROOF. Thomas B. Rogers. The following is the specification, viz.: "My improvement consists in rendering cloth water-proof by saturating it with a material which is insoluble in water, but which admits of the free passage of air through its fibres-a feature in which it differs from fabrics rendered water-proof by means of caoutchouc and similar articles. The following is a description of the process which I employ:

"In a vat of suitable size I form a solution of sulphate of soda, or glauber salts, generally in the proportion of three quarters of a pound of the salts to a gallon of water, and in this I immerse the cloth; when it has become fully saturated, I convey it to another vat containing a solution of acetate, or sugar of lead, and permit it to remain there a sufficient time to enable a chemical re-action to take place between the solution of sulphate of soda with which the cloth was saturated before entering the second vat, and the solution of acetate of lead in this vat. The effect of this re-action is to make a

soluble acetate of soda, and in an insoluble acetate of lead-the former of which is dissolved in the yats, while the latter is precipitated among the fibres of the cloth, and forms the principal means by which I render the cloth water-proof. After taking the cloth out of this last vat I immerse it in another, containing a solution of sulphuric acid in the proportion of about sixteen drops to the gallon of water, for the purpose of rendering the lead in the fibres of the cloth a perfect sulphate. The cloth I afterwards pass through a solution of camphor in water, but which is not necessary to my invention, for the purpose of removing the unpleasant odour arising from the use of the acetate of lead.

After which it is scoured with warm water and soap to remove the excess of acid, and any of the materials, or ingredients referred to, that may remain on its surface. I have mentioned sulphate of soda as one of the articles used in this process; this I employ only for the purpose of decomposing the sugar of lead as stated, and as there are several other sulphates which will produce the same effect, I do not intend to limit myself to the use of this, but to employ any of the others should I find it expedient to do so.

"What I claim as my invention, therefore, and desire to secure by letters patent, is the mode of rendering fabrics water-proof by passing them through successive solutions of sulphate of soda, or its equivalent acetate of lead, and sulphuric acid, as herein set forth."

IMPROVEMENT IN FISH NETS. John Carr, Jackson Shannon, and William Carr.

-The patentees say,- "The nature of our invention consists in dividing a cylindrical net into different compartments, and furnishing each with a bait bag, the bait being suited to the different kinds of fish, and the large fish being prevented from entering the compartments of the smaller ones.'

Claim.-"What we claim as new is the combination of a series of compartments in the manner and for the purpose described. We also claim the combination therewith of the bait bags, as specified."

The different compartments are separated by diaphragms of net work and funnels, the meshes in each succeeding one being smaller, so as to admit the kind of fish to be caught in the second compartment to pass through the first division, those to be caught in the third to pass through the second division, and so on.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPECTACLES. Christopher H. Smith.-The bows of these spectacles are without glasses, and to the main frame are attached, by swivel joints, two sets of different kinds of glasses; either or

both of which can be brought to cover the open apertures or bows, and by means of the swivel joint the glasses can be turned so as to have either set let into the bows, and the other at the sides or over them, and thus the colours or focal powers may be changed at pleasure.

Claim." What I claim as my invention is combining the glasses with each other and with the main frame, by means of the hinge and swivel joint arrangement described, which admits of the glasses being changed, and at the same time adapted to the vacant apertures, all as set forth.'

IMPROVEMENT IN ELLIPTICAL CARRIAGE SPRINGS. David E. Edwards.-Claim."I shall not confine myself to the method described of confining the ends of the plates; but I claim as novel, and of my invention, inserting between the main lower and upper plates of an elliptic spring, a double curved spring, or one forged into the shape of an oge curve, or approaching to that of the letter S, so as to divide it into two springs, and increase its rigidity, at the same time superseding the use of most, if not all the ordinary back plates; the whole being substantially as above described."

THE PADDLE-WHEEL AND SCREW.

The Royal Yacht Tender "Fairy." We quote the following from a Portsmouth article in the Morning Herald of Thursday.

"This splendid little screw-propelled yacht, has arrived at Portsmouth, from the River Thames, and in her passage thither has established a very high character for herself as a sea boat, and has afforded another proof of the excellent practical working of the screw propeller. She had her compasses adjusted at Greenhithe, and left at 1.38 p.m. on Tuesday, the tide being about three-quarters flood at the time. At two o'clock she was abreast Gravesend; at 3.31, abreast the Nore light; 4.23, Herne Bay; 5.12, Margate; and at Dover, at 7.1. She stopped there four minutes, while Mr. Knight, the pilot, left the vessel, and then proceeded. She was off Dungeness at 8.44; Beachy, Head, 12.18; and entered Portsmouth Harbour yesterday morning at 38 minutes past seven; thereby performing the distance from Gravesend to Dover pier in exactly five hours; and the total distance from Greenhithe to Portsmouth, in 18 hours, including stoppage at Dover. From the North Foreland to Portsmouth, she encountered a head wind, which blew half a gale, and it increased when off Beachy, and thence to the westward. After rounding the South Foreland she met a heavy sea, that appeared suffi

66 THE cient to smother the little yacht, but she shipped nothing but spray, which, as she cut through the waves, was occasionally dashed over the funnel top, and, through her not having any ports, the water was sometimes three or four inches deep all over the deck, the scuppers being insufficient to carry it off. The Fairy, however, was as stiff as a little frigate, and although once or twice, off Herne Bay, there was a disagreeable beam sea, she evinced no disposition to roll, nor to turn bottom up, as a certain sage of the Navy Office predicted she would. She is considered to steer as easy as a four-oared gig, even in a heavy sea. A single spoke of the wheel is sufficient for every purpose. On no occasion did the Fairy go less than 9 knots an hour through the water, and her maximum speed in running to Margate was upwards of 13 knots by Massey's log From Margate to the Downs she hoisted her canvas, when she stood up under her sails very well, going 13 miles and 3-10ths, and with the exception of putting out the pilot, there was not the slightest occasion to stop the vessel throughout the trip, which circumstance considered with the great velocity at which her machinery works, cannot fail to impress every one with the degree of accuracy in its arrangement. The propeller,

which on the average makes 13,200 revolutions per hour, cannot have made less than 237,600 during the run from Greenhithe to Portsmouth. At the latter place she is considered a most complete and beautiful vessel, and her fittings splendid in the extreme, reflecting credit on all parties engaged in her design and construction."

The preceding account commences with the starting from Greenhithe, but from another article in the same journal, the principal statements in which we subjoin, it appears that before she reached that point some incidents occurred, which it is equally due to truth to place on record.

The

"The Fairy started from off Blackwall Pier shortly before eleven o'clock. Meteor, paddle-wheel iron steamer, constructed by Messrs. Miller, Ravenhill, and Co., with upwards of 300 passengers on board, was getting ready at the same time, for Gravesend. The Fairy had evidently waited for the Meteor, in order to make a trial of speed, as the Royal yacht had some time before cast off her hawser and was hanging on to the buoy. As soon as the Meteor got into the stream the Fairy followed her at a distance of three or four times her own length, and in the run to a little below Bugsby's Hole, that is, about half way to Woolwich, the Meteor doubled her distance from the Royal yacht. The latter then stopped, and so did the Meteor; and in the next short run-namely, to the point opposite Woolwich

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Dockyard, the Meteor left her in the same manner, in other words, at the rate of a mile and a half per hour, at the least.

"This trial with the Fairy is of more im. portance than a mere matter of rivalry between iron-ship constructors and enginemakers; it is of interest to science, as it tends to show that, for river navigation, the paddle-wheel is calculated to give a higher rate of speed than the screw; though it may, perhaps, be otherwise at sea in rough weather."

We are not aware that any material exception can be taken to the fairness of this trial on account of any difference in point of tonnage or steam power between the two vessels. The Meteor is 170 feet in length, and 18 in breadth; the Fairy, 145 ft. and 21.2 ft. The former draws 4 ft. 5 in.; the latter, 4 ft. 9 in. The cylinders of the Meteor are 37 inches in diameter-stroke, 3 feet; the cylinders of the Fairy, 42 inches -stroke, the same. The Meteor, therefore, though it is the larger and (perhaps) betterproportioned vessel of the two, and presents a less midship area of resistance than her rival, is decidedly her inferior in point of steam power.

We happened (being townward bound) to pass the Fairy during her voyage to Portsmouth, and must cordially subscribe to all that has been said in commendation of her external appearance. We never saw a more beautiful vessel-one which seemed to be at once so buoyant and so steady.

The "Water Lily."

[From a correspondent.]

The Water Lily left Blackwall at 37 min. past 1, on the afternoon of Thursday the 3rd inst., and performed the passage to Portsmouth Harbour in 17 hours 11 min., having had to encounter a strong head wind all the way from the North Foreland; her average speed during this trip being something over 14 miles an hour.

The following day the vessel went from Portsmouth to Swannage Bay, and back again, a distance of 94 miles, in rather less than 6 hours; her average speed on this occasion being 14 miles an hour.

On the 8th July, the Water Lily started from Portsmouth for a trip round the Isle of Wight, and performed the passage (including a run up to the Southampton Docks) and back again to Portsmouth, in 7 hours, having had a strong tide against her nearly all the way.

The vessel on every occasion proved herself an excellent sea-ship, having been exposed to some very strong winds and heavy seas, and is remarkably stiff under canvas, seeming as if she would sooner tear her masts out of her than list over beyond a