PREFACE. been; and to doubt that it will still be honoured with your patronage, would be to suppose that science has no longer its charms, its revelations no longer their utility.' The present Volume will, it is confidently believed, be found inferior to none of its predecessors in sterling worth. It is, like all of them, particularly remarkable for the great variety of talent displayed in its pages. Most other periodical works have their contributors in particular walks of life; but the MECHANICS' MAGAZINE may be emphatically said to be the journal of all classes. The following classification of the contributors to the present Volume will serve to place this fact in a more striking point of view than it has yet appeared. It cannot, of course, lay claim to perfect correctness, but the Editor's means of information are such as enable him to offer it as a very near approximation to the truth. The total number of articles, exclusive of those extracted from other journals, and most of those classed under the heads of "Inquiries," "Miscellaneous," and "Minor Correspondence," is Three Hundred and Fifty-two. Of these there have been contributed by PROFESSORS OF LEARNED INSTITUTIONS ... 21 MEN OF SCIENCE AND LETTERS (UNATTACHED)..... 30 CLERGYMEN .... PHYSICIANS.. SURGEONS LAWYERS MILITARY OFFICERS NAVAL OFFICERS..... ENGINEERS.. ARCHITECTS AND BUILDERS. LAND AGENTS AND SURVEYORS MERCHANTS........ MANUFACTURERS 3 5 6 7 5 13 11 9 26. 3 10 WORKING MECHANICS.. NON-COMMISSIONED MILITARY OFFICERS NAVAL WARRANT OFFICERS AND SEAMEN... THE EDITOR.. 26 1 COMMERCIAL 7 69 29 INDIVIDUALS, WHOSE DESIGNATIONS ARE UNKNOWN It may be safely questioned, whether there is any other instance of so many persons of so many different classes of society being brought thus to co-operate together for their mutual improvement; the learned instructing the unlearned, the theorist assisting the practical man, and the practical man the theorist; and most of them prefering, manifestly, to every consideration of self-interest or ambition, the pure satisfaction which arises from the consciousness of doing good to their fellow-men. 115, Fleet Street, 22nd August, 1829. J. C. R. POSTSCRIPT. THE Editor embraces the opportunity which the conclusion of this Volume affords, of announcing a slight alteration which is intended to be made in the mode of publication, in order to remedy an inconvenience, much complained of by country subscribers. From the calendar and lunar months not coinciding, it happens four several times in the course of each year that the Monthly Part of the MAGAZINE does not include the latest Number published. For example, Part LXXIX. concluding the present Volume, published on the 31st of August, does not include No. 316, published on the 29th of August. In order to obviate this objection, a supplementary, or intercalary Number, will be published every three months; and the Part for the month in which it appears will consist of six Numbers instead of four. The first extra Number and Part under this arrangement will be published on the 31st of October. NEW PATENTS. Continued from the 10th of March (see No. 298,) to the 14th of July, 1829. J. W. Wayte, of Drury-lane, for certain improvements in printing-machines. 19th of March. Specification to be enrolled in 6 months. Maddeley, of Yardley, Worcester, for a machine for detecting and detaining depredators and trespassers, which he denominates The Human Snare. 28th of March. 2 months. Josias Lambert, of Liverpool-street, London, for improvements in the smelting and other processes in making bariron. 30th of March. 4 months. Prior, of Albany road, Camberwell, for improvements in the machinery for securing, supporting, and striking topmasts. 11th of April. 6 months. Captain John Lihou, of Guernsey, for an improved method of constructing the pintles for hanging rudders. 14th of April. 6 months. H. R. Palmer, Esq., of the Londondocks, for improvements in the construction of warehouses and similar buildings. 28th of April. 2 months. Benjamin Cook, of Birmingham, for an improved method of making metallic cylinders for calico-printing. 23rd of April. 6 months. James Wright, of Newcastle-uponTyne, for improvements in condensing the gases produced by the decomposition of muriate of soda, &c. 28th of April. 6 months. Peter Pickering, of Dantzic, and William Pickering, of Liverpool, for an engine to be worked by fluids or gases. 28th of April. 6 months. John Davis, of Leman-street, Middlesex, for improvements in the condensing apparatus used for boiling sugar in vacuo. 28th of April. 6 months. George W. Lee, of Newgate-street, London, for improvements in the machinery for spinning cotton and other fibrous substances. 2nd of May. 6 months. Henry Bock, of Ludgate-hill, for improvements in machinery for embroidering and ornamenting cloths, &c. 2nd of May. 6 months. James Dutton, of Wootten-underEdge, Gloucester, for an improvement in propelling vessels. 19th of May. 6 months. Elijah Galloway, of King-street, Southwark, for certain improvements in steam engines, and in machinery for propelling vessels, which improvements are applicable to other purposes. 2nd of July. 6 months. Jacob Perkins, of Fleet-street, London, engineer, for certain improvements in machinery for propelling steam-vessels. 2nd of July. 6 months. Thomas Kilby, of Wakefield, clerk, and Hugh Ford Bacon, of Leeds, gentleman, for a new or improved gaslamp, or burner. 2nd of July. 6 months. Robert Crabtree, of Halesworth, Suffolk, gentleman, for a machine, or apparatus for propelling carriages, vessels, and locomotive bodies. 4th of July. 6 months. Margaret Knowles, of Lavender-hill, Battersea, spinster, for an improvement in axletrees, for, and mode of applying the same to carriages. 4th of July. 6 months. William North, of Guildford-place, Kennington, surveyor, for an improved method of constructing and forming ceilings and partitions for dwellinghouses, warehouses, workshops, or other buildings, in order to render the same more secure against fire. 4th of July. 2 months. George King Sculthorpe, of Robert-> street, Chelsea, gentleman, for certain improvements on axles or axletrees, and coach and other springs. 4th of July. 6 months. Joseph Cliseld Daniell, of Limpley Stoke, Wilts, clothier, for certain improvements in machinery, applicable to dressing woollen cloth. Sth of July. 6 months. William Ramsbottom, of Manchester, journeyman shape-maker, for certain improvements in power-looms for weaving cloth. 8th of July. 6 months William Leeson, of Birmingham, in consequence of a communication made to him by his late partner, William Taft, of the same place, deceased, for certain improvements in, or additions to, harness and saddlery, part or parts of which improvements or additions are applicable to other purposes. 8th of July. 6 months. NEW PATENTS, &c. Moses Poole, of Lincoln's-inn, gentleman, in consequence of a communication made to him by a certain foreigner residing abroad, for certain improvements in the apparatus for raising or generating steam, and currents of air, and for the application thereof to locomotive engines and other purposes. 8th of July. 6 months. Thomas Salmon, of Stokeferry, maltster, for an improved malt-kiln. 9th of July. 6 months. James Chesterman, of Sheffield, mechanic, for certain improvements on machines, or apparatus, for measuring land and other purposes. 14th of July 6 months. |