we have met together to honour, owes his claims to the gratitude of society to his scientific labours, and as he was one of the most illustrious fellows of that institution, for the promotion of natural knowledge, over which I have the honor to preside, I consider it as a duty incumbent on me to endeavour to set forth his peculiar and exalted merits, which live in the recollection of his contemporaries, and will transmit his name with immortal glory to posterity. Those who consider James Watt only as a great practical mechanic, form a very erroneous idea of his character; he was equally distinguished as a natural philosopher and a chemist; and his inventions demonstrate his profound knowledge of those sciences, and that peculiar characteristic of genius, the union of them for practical application. The steamengine, before his time, was a rude machine, the result of simple experiments on the compression of the atmosphere and the condensation of steam. Mr. Watt's improvements were not produced by accidental circumstances, or by a single ingenious thought; they were founded on a series of delicate and refined experiments. He was obliged to bring all the mechanical powers, and all the resources of his own fertile mind into play; he had to convert rectilineal into rotary motion, and to invent parallel motion; after years of immeuse labour, he obtained what he wished, and at last placed the machine entirely under the power of the mechanic, and gave perfection to a series of combinations, unrivalled for the genius and sagacity displayed in their invention, and for the new power they have given to civilized man. Upon the nature of this power I can hardly venture to speak; so extensive and magnificent a subject demands a more experienced and able orator. What is written on the monument of another illustrious and kindred philosopher, applies to Watt,

"Monumentum si queris, circumspice."

Look around the metropolis, our cities and our towns, our dock yards and our manufactories; examine the cavities below the surface, and the works above; contemplate our rivers and our canals, and the seas which surround our shores, and every where will be found records of the eternal benefits conferred on us by this great man. Our mines are drained, and their products manufactured. The materials of our bridges are raised, and the piles for their foundations sunk by the same power. Machinery of every kind which formerly required an immensity of human labour, is now easily moved by steam; and force, equal to that of five hundred men, is commanded by an infant, whose single hand governs the grandest operations. The most laborious work, such as sawing of stones and wood, and raising of water are effected by the same engine, which produces the most minute ornamental and elegant forms. The anchor is forged, the die is struck, the metal polished, the toy modelled by this stupendous and universally applicable power; and the same giant arms twist the cable rope, the protection of the largest ship of the line, and spin gossamer threads which are to ornament female beauty. The winds can no longer be considered as superior to our power, for steam has insured the progress of our vessels, even against adverse gales, and has almost conquered

for us a new element. The Archimedes of the ancient world, by his mechanical inventions, arrested the course of the Romans, and stayed, for a time, the downfal of his country. How much more has our modern Archimedes done? He has permanently elevated the strength and wealth of this great empire; and during the last long war, his inventions and their application were amongst the chief means which enabled Britain to display power and resources so infinitely above what might have been expected from the numerical strength of her population. Archimedes valued, principally, abstract science; James Watt, on the contrary, brought every principle to some practical use; and, as it were, made science descend from heaven to earth. The great inventions of the Syracusan died with him; those of our philosopher live, and their utility and importance are daily more felt. They are among the grand results which place civilized above savage man; which secure the triumph of intellect, and exalt genius and moral force over mere brutal strength, courage and numbers. The memory of James Watt will live as long as civilized society exists."

Mr. Bolton, son of the copartner of Watt, seconded the resolution offered by Sir H. Davy, and in his speech, stated:

"A power equal to that which would require the maintenance of one hundred thousand horses, has been furnished from the single establishment to which Mr. Watt belonged; and assuming that power to be exercised during three hundred days in the course of the year, the saving arising from the substitution of steam-power, in lieu of the exertions of the animals themselves, would not be less than two millions five hundred thousand pounds per annum. Extending this calculation to the whole steam-power produced, and used throughout the United Kingdom, we shall be supplied with a clear indication of one of the sources of power and wealth, which have supported this nation through its late arduous struggle, and which have accelerated the renovation of its impaired energy with a celerity, exciting surprise in every reflecting mind."

Mr. Huskisson, in his speech, says of Watt,

"It is a gratification to feel that such a man was born in this country; but it is still greater gratification that we lived in the same age with such a man, and had an opportunity of enjoying all the benefits and advantages which he, under God, has been the instrument of conferring for the increase and happiness of mankind."

Sir J. M'Intosh, speaking of the steam-engine, said,

"Let us look over the globe, and we find its powers every where in motion-in the bowels of the earth, upon the highest mountains, upon the face of the waters. From the Mississippi to the Ganges the name of Mr. Watt is heard, and the benefits of his invention are felt. I heard, only the other day, that all the great rivers of South-America were now navigated by steam, so that the savage who inhabits the forests of Guiana, becomes alarmed at the appearance of a monster which makes its way upon the waters, without apparent effort or moral

agency. If so much has been done in so short a time, what may not a sanguine hope whisper to itself as to the future. For myself, I confess, that in contemplating what has been done, I entertain trembling hopes, which I should not wish to expose to the eye of the scorner. But I feel that still nobler things are reserved in the unopened volumes of destiny."

Mr. Brougham remarked, that

"The mind of Watt resembled one of his own engines, in which we are at a loss to tell which most to admire, the extent of its grandeur or the delicacy of its touch; so that while, as my honorable friend has just observed, it has power to tear up and cleave rocks, it can, with equal ease, fashion the head of a pin or pierce the eye of a needle."

Mr. Littleton estimated the power of engines in the kingdom, at that time, to be equal to five hundred thousand horses, or three millions of day labourers, and the saving by fuel to supply the engines instead of feed for the horses, at twenty millions of pounds sterling per annum.

Whether we consider the labour saved, or the power added by this great invention, the effects already produced, or those that may reasonably be anticipated, we cannot fail of being filled with wonder and admiration at the great moral and political influence it has already exerted, and is yet more calculated to exert upon society. We are very far, indeed, from a just estimate of the importance of this invention, if we consider it as merely multiplying labour or lessening its expense, or as superseding powers heretofore used. These are only some of the great benefits it has conferred.

The steam-engine is a new power, applicable in many cases where there can be no substitute. The power of the wind is not merely variable and inconstant, but it ceases to operate, or it operates directly against us; it must, too, be obtained by exposure on heights, or where there is no obstruction to its course, as on wide rivers or seas. The power of running water varies with its height, which is ever varying, and when used can only be so in particular places, and requires, in many cases, large spaces. The power of animals is not only variable, depending on strength of sinew, on age, and on the time it is exercised, but it requires rest for much the largest portion of time. Besides, there are the positions and the spaces that animals occupy, and the great, and in many cases the insurmountable difficulty of producing by this labour simultaneous, well-directed and continued action at any given point. But in the steamengine, there is scarcely a limit to the power that may be brought

into a small compass, maintained with comparatively small expense, applied at the same instant of time to the same point, continued without intermission; applied in the town or the country, on a mountain or in a mine, in the open air or in a house, stationary or moving, by land or by water, with the regularity of a well-timed clock, and within the control of an infant, who may give it motion, and regulate and control that motion, so that when it is exerting power equal to that of a thousand horses, and at the utmost speed of a horse, it may be suddenly made to stop and remain as motionless as a statue. What other power can, like this, be applied to force the ship against the storm by night and by day, unceasing and untiring, moving onward with vast burthens, in addition to its own weight?

The steam-engine, from the hand of its maker, comes perfect of its kind. It needs no training to learn its duties, no exercise to strengthen its powers, no rest to recruit its wasted energies, no delay to use and to digest its food. Is it possible that this great, this wonderful power is every day exerted before our eyes, subserving our best interests and we unacquainted with its principles and its mode of action? Here is philosophy unfolded, brought to light, and in active operation, and we, who are professed admirers, remain in ignorance.

The works at the head of this article will enable us, with moderate attention, to understand the steam-engine and its application to steam-boats, and to rail-roads, subjects of increasing interest.

The lectures of Mr. Lardner are in a small compass, and treat the subject in a manner easily understood. The history of the engine is succinct, and the causes which led to the adoption and application of some of its parts, are quite interesting.

The treatise of Mr. Renwick is more in detail, and will enable the reader to understand more accurately the parts of the engine, the American improvements and the first principles upon which the power is obtained and applied. It gives, likewise, some information relative to steam-boats, to the bursting of boilers, and the supposed cause.

The report on locomotive and steam-engines, and on the Liverpool and Manchester rail-road, are also of great interest, and furnish us with many important facts.

The work of Baron Dupin is a most interesting account of the great and important improvements in Great-Britain to faeilitate internal and foreign commerce. The Baron travelled around the island, beginning at London and going north. He visited, and describes all the ports of entry of any importance,

as well as all the canals, rail-roads, and other works of art. He embraced the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the principal engineers, who kindly gave him all the information he desired, and directed his attention to the most important works, which they made accessible to him. His account was originally in French, addressed to the French nation, and produced the happy effect of calling their attention to the subject of which it treats, and of setting on foot several improvements in France. It was deemed, in England, so valuable, that with few omissions, it was translated into English, and in that form, is now before us.

We recommend to such as desire information on the several subjects of which they treat, all the works at the head of this article. We shall avail ourselves of some of their contents, to sketch an outline, that may be filled up at leisure by those who desire to pursue the subject.

We commence with the steam-engine, and shall attempt a very general view of the manner in which steam is made to produce action. Before we describe any part of the engine, let us advert to some properties of air and of steam, without the knowledge of which the subject cannot be understood.

The air which we breathe and which is transparent and invisible, presses upon us and upon all other bodies with great force. But the pressure being equal on all parts, and in all directions, up as well as down, laterally and obliquely, we are insensible of it. This is called atmospheric pressure, and on every square inch of surface exposed to its action, its force is equal to a weight of fifteen pounds. This estimate of atmospheric pressure is the average pressure at the level of the sea; it is, however, far from being accurate when applied to higher levels, as on a mountain, where it is sensibly less.

Under the atmospheric pressure of fifteen pounds on the square inch, water will boil at the temperature of 212° of Farenheit; and the steam from water at that temperature acquiring an elastic force which just exceeds the pressure of the atmosphere, will expand, displace the atmosphere, and occupy a space seventeen hundred and twenty-eight times as great as it did in the form of water. That is, a cubic inch of water will form a cubic foot of steam of the temperature of 212o. But water will boil at a less temperature, if the pressure be lessened, as is the case on a mountain, and under the glass of an exhausted receiver, where it will boil at the temperature of the blood, which is 98°. If the pressure on the surface of it be increased, it will require a higher temperature VOL. VII.-NO. 13.

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