Page:Science vol. 5.djvu/417

 Uay 8, 1885.]

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��goods-engines.' The sLeam-pylinderg were inside the frames. Tbe forward wbeels were coupled, instead o(, aa usual, the after-wbeels; llius getting a set of ■mall trailing-wtieeU, short outside coupling^rods, and a large lioller. The centre of gravity of the en- gine was purposely made high, as ia the practice In this country in the construction of the wide-Grebox engines of Mr. Woolen, for tlio purpose of making the engine move more easily at high speeds, and, as bath these designers believe, making them safer; the rolling tieing leas serious at exceptionally high speeds than in engines liaving a low centre of gravity. The action of the high centre of gravity in throwing the pressure mainly upon the outer rail, In rounding curves, was thought to be another advantage of ap- preciable value, permitting the inside wheels to slip more readily. Six wheels were used, without truck

It was asserted that the cranked axle, and other parts of the machine, do not break If properly pro- portioned, although it was evidently felt that the axle is a source of danger in greater degree than when straight, as In outside-connected engines. The steam was given an admission varying from twelve to seven- ty-eight per cent, the engine running very smoothly, and with great economy, at high speeds, with the shorter cut-oS. The compression is thus made ad- vantageous in both ways. It was considered that compounding would not be of sufGcient advantage to justify its adoption in such engines; although it might prove useful for heavy, slow-moving engines, work- ing with little expansion the greater part of the time. The Weslingbouse brake was fitted to all these en- gines, and gave thorough satisfaction. Its pump had been fitted with a water-connection, and it could thus be utilized as a boiler-feeder when on sidings. The boiler was made of Torkshlre iron, with joints but- ted, edges of sheets planed, lioles drilled after bend- ing the sheets, and all hand-riveted. The steam used amounted to about twenty-six pounds per horse- power per hour, on a road on which the average is thirty. One pound of coal conveyed one ton thirteen miles and a. bait, at the speed of 43.38 miles an hour. Heating the feed-water saved two pounds and a half

��SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE LYCE- UM OF NATURAL lUSTORY AT WIL- LIAMS COLLEGE.

It will be news to many, that a natural history society of college students has bad an uninterrupted existence of Qfty years at Williams college, in the little village of Williamstown, Mass. It la neverthe- lesa true, and lis semi- centennial was celebrated on April 21.

The exercises were opened by the president of Ibe society, Mr. Henry B. Ward, with a short historical sketch. "Fifty years ago," said he, "on the 2d o( April, eight students of Williams college formed a society for the study of natural history in Its various departments. At Urst secret, under the name of 4_tl 6, within six months It adapted its present

��name. Professor Albert Hopkins, speaking twenty years later, said Uiat It had sustained from the begin- ning a spirit of enterprise. The history of its early years remarkably verifies his assertion; lor within a year from its formation it was large and active enough to send to Nova Scotia an expedition of twelve members and three professors. This expe- dition gave the lyceum a considerable reputation, and It was referred to by a French scientific journal aa the first of the kind attempted in America. In the spring of 1S40, only four years later, an expedition waa sent through Berkshire county for study and collect- ing. By these two expeditions and individual effort, the collections well filled the society's rooms In East college. When that building was destroyed by fire, in 1S41, the collections also perished. Contributions from all sides, and hard work by the members, soon re- stored them so well that the rooms in South college became too small; and in December, 18M a circular was sent out, forcibly setting forth the needs of the lyceuni, and asking for twenty-five hundred dollars to erect a building. This circular was brought to the notice of Mr. Nathan Jackson of New Tork, a rel- ative of Col, Williams, and grand-uncle of the pres- ident of the lyceum at that time. He sent a check for the whole amount; and in a few months Jackson hall was completed. At commenoement, Aug. 14, \d!A, the lyceum was addressed In the forenoon by Prof. William B. Rogers, and In the afternoon held a public meeting in its new rooms in Jackson ball, to dedicate the building, and celebrate its twentieth anniversary. At this time Mr. Jackson sent a thou- sand dollars to make up the full cost of the building. In February, 185T, desiring to fill the cases in Jack- son hall, the lyceum sent an expedition to Florida. Sixteen members, under the guidance of Professor Chadboume, spent a month collecting on the Florida shores, with great success. The expenses were pro- vided for by the liberality of Mr. Jackson and other friends of the society. In 1800 another expedition under the charge of Professor Chadboume waa arranged lo Labrador and Greenland, a description of which has been recently published by Prof. A. S. Packard, a guest of the lyceum on that trip. In 1807 an expedition under the joint auspices of the lyceum and the college was sent to South America, under the charge of Professor James Orton, a former pres- ident of the lyceum. A small party proceeded from Ihe northern coast by the courses of the Orinoco and Rio Negro to the Amazon: the main body crossed the Andes from the western coast, and descended the Amazon in canoes. In 1870 an expedition from both the lyceum and college spent four months collecting ill Central America with great success. The expe- dition of 1877 to the northern Rocky Mountains wu broken up by the death of Professor Tenney, iU leader, jnst as It had started.

" Many have been the professors who have aided tho lyceum in its work; but to Professor Albert Hopkins, Dr. Chadboume, and Professor Tenney It owes a debt of gratitude which can never be computed."

Dr. W. K. Brooks, a former president, then ad- dressed the lyceum on Life. He spoke of the age

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