The first idea of the steam-engine is certainly found in the writings of that celebrated and excentric projector, the Marquis of Worcester, who, in the year 1663, published a small tract, entitled "A Century of Inventions:" these consisted of short heads or notices of schemes, some of which are obviously impracticable, and bear too strongly the stamp of crudity, to be considered much more than the ingenious suggestions of a fertile imagination, the mere sketches of a man of genius, rather than the organised plans of a practised mechanic. No contemporary record exists to verify or illustrate his descriptions of the contrivance which we presume to call a steam engine, or to inform us where, or in what manner it was carried into effect, though it is evident from his account that he had actually constructed and worked a machine which, by means of steam, was employed to raise water. His description of the method is short and obscure; but it inclines us to consider, however differing from what many per sons have maintained, that the power of the Worcester engine was derived solely from the elasticity of steam, and that the condensation of steam by the sudden application of cold, which is so important a feature in the steam engine of modern times, formed no part of his contrivance, nor was even in his contemplation. The production of a vacuum by the sudden condensation of steam, was as certainly the discovery of Captain Savary, who, in 1696, published an account of his engine in a little work called "The Miner's Friend,' by which it appears that he had actually erected several engines on that principle previous to that period. Our account will, of course, commence with a description of Savary's engine, and having explained its construction and action, and pointed out its defects, proceed historically towards that mechanical master-piece, the steam engine of the present day, noting and describing each successive improvement. HISTORY OF THE STEAM ENGINE. the pipe K is a cock called the injection cock, and the end k of the pipe K, is covered with a rose, or cap pierced with small apertures, pointing outwards in radial direction. The handle Mis turned and governs the keys of the cock L and D. This simple arrangement constitutes Savary's engine, or what may in fairness, and the rational acceptance of the words, be alone considered the first steam engine. Its mode of operation may be thus described: By means of the regulator, the steam cock D is opened, the injection-cock L sbut; while water is made to boil in A. Steam now enters the pipe B, and filling the receiver C, expels the air from it; much of this steam is at first condensed by sudden contact with the cold sides of the vessel, but soon becoming warm, lifts the valve I, and proceeds into the rising pipe FG. When the operation is thus far advanced, the rising pipe feels warm to the touch, and the valve 1 rattles by the continued passage of steam; these indications are the signal to cut off the communication with the boiler, by shutting the steam cock D: this done the receiver becomes cool, and of consequence the steam it contained is condensed into water. Now if we recollect that the air was in an early step of the process driven out by the steam, and observe that it cannot return, (all the cocks being shut) a vacuum is necessarily formed in the receiver. Recurring to the action of the common pump, we shall see that the pressure of the atmosphere on the surface of the water in the well, will now force a stream up the rising pipe, and occupy the receiver. The quantity of water, thus raised into the receiver, is now to be further dealt with in order to deliver it at the cistern G, its ultimate destination. To effect this, if we open the steam-cock, steam will rush violently from the boiler, will press upon the surface of the water now in the receiver, force it through the pipe E, into the rising pipe, evidently forcing the valve H down, and the valve I up; and if the steam thus admitted from the boiler be of sufficient heat, and consequently of sufficient elasticity, or strength, as it is commonly termed, the water will thus be driven to the upper extremity of the rising pipe, and delivered at G. The cock D is kept open till the water is driven from the receiver, and it is again entirely occupied by steam. The regulator is now used to shut the steamcock, while at the same operation it opens the injection-cock. The rising pipe is still full of water, of which it 57 supplies a cold stream by the pipe K, and passes to the receiver by the rose already mentioned, in a sprinkling shower. The stream is thus quickly condensed in the receiver, and a vacuum is again formed. The external pressure of the atmosphere again forces up water from the well, and the receiver is filled as before. The regulator now shuts the injection-cock, and opens the steam-cock, allows steam from the boiler to press upon the surface of the water in the receiver, and again drive it into and through the upper part of the rising pipe. The simple operation of opening and shutting the injection and steamcocks alternately, thus works the engine. The receiver, in a state of vacuum, is by the pressure of the atmosphere, filled with water; the injection-cock shuts, and the steam-cock opening, immediately forces the water into the rising pipe by the admission of steam; the steam-cock shuts, and the injection-cock opening, admits a jet of cold water which condenses its contained stream, and prepares the repetition of the process by restoring the vacuum. O, is a safety valve applied to the boiler, adjusted in its resistance by NP. This was the first organization of the steam engine, properly so called, and with all its imperfections, which we shall proceed to explain, was unquestionably an important step in its progress. In these engines the alternate condensation and pressure of the steam took place in the same vessel into which the water was first raised from a lower reservoir, by the pressure of the atmosphere, and thence expelled into a higher one, by the elastic force of strong steam. Steam was thus employed, merely to produce a vacuum, and to supply the strength that was applied, for a like effect, to the sucker or piston of an ordinary pump. The great defects of this engine, are two: 1. Whenever water was required to be raised higher than it could be by the vacuum produced by the action of the atmospheric pressure, it became necessary to use steam of greater elasticity than atmospheric air. To force water through the rising pipe, requires steam of temperature and elasticity which, to avoid the accidents of bursting, compelled the use of immensely strong boilers, and even then, inattention to the action of the safety valve produced frequent and destructive accidents. 2. The great waste of steam and fuel. When steam is admitted upon the cold water of the receiver, it is very rapidly condensed; and the water does not begin to yield to its action of pressure, until the surface becomes sufficiently heated to condense no more steam by contact the column of water then begins to descend, but, as then a new portion of the sides of the receiver becomes exposed to the steam, more condensation takes place; this continues during the whole descent, and is reported at every stroke, the receiver being cooled at each filling with water. The simplicity of Savary's engine, has, at different times, produced ingenious attempts to make practical correction of its defects, but hitherto without success. The next essential improvement in the steam engine was made by Newcomen, for which he obtained a patent in 1705. This consisted in separating the parts of the engine in which the steam was to act, from those in which the water was to be raised; the weight of the atmosphere being employed only for the purpose of pressure, and the steam for that of first displacing the air, and then forming a vacuum by condensation. Newcomen was thus enabled to dispense with the use of steam of great and dangerous elasticity, to work his engine with moderate heat, and to remove at least some part of the causes of wasteful and ineffectual condensation. To Newcomen, also, the steam engine is indebted for the introduction of the steam cylinder and piston, and for their connection with the pump by means of what we now term the main lever or beam, with an attached piston working in a cylinder; and to those we might add other subordinate contrivances, which do equal credit to his ingenuity and mechanical taste. "piece of ordnance," but it was with fear and great trembling, and between you and me, Mr. Editor, I always used to shut my eyes. The smoke, the report, and the red coats, seemed so very sanguinary, to a peaceable man like myself, that 1 declare to you, upon the honour of a citizen, that for years after the peace, I could not bear even to witpess the fire-works at Vauxhall, the smell of the gunpowder put me so much in mind of our field-days. As for GuyFaux day, I always looked upon it with horror and disgust; and so I do still. Why, Mr. Editor, should these dreadful facts be perpetuated in this manner? Are the ministers so short-sighted as not to perceive that Guy-Faux day may put it into the heads of the Catholics to blow up the Parliament-house again? Oh, sir, I tremble at the idea. The Catholics set fire to London, Mr. Editor! To be sure they did. The Monument says so; and I say that Guy-Faux day ought to be stopped by Act of Parliament. But I think I hear you say, "what has all this to do with your shooting excursion?"-I'll tell you, sir.-My foreman asked for a holiday; and I saw him set out in a bran-new green coat, yellow breeches, and top boots: this was his shooting dress. Well, sir, do you know, I could not possibly get his sportsmanlike appearance out of my head; and so I ordered a suit like his. Then, thought I, "what is the use of a shooting dress without a gun?" My old musket I had sent to the Spanish Committee, or else that might have done very well for aught I know; but as matters stood I was obliged to buy another. The impudent shopman at Knox's, had the assurance MY SPORTING EXCURSION, to tell me that he supposed I wanted a Mr. Editor, I HAVE but this morning returned from the country, whither 1 departed for the purpose of enjoying those field diversions which are ushered in by the month of September. Yes, sir, in a luckless moment I exchanged the bustle and the dust of Cornhill, for the brambles, the stubble, and the wet turnips of Norfolk. How this remarkable event came to pass, you shall hear.-I had received many invitations from my friend, Squire Hawbuck, as the rustics call him; but I invariably refused them, for this reason I had never taken a gun in my hand in the whole course of my life, except when Buonaparte was going to storm the Bank of England, and every one became a soldier. Upon these occasions, I certainly did once or twice discharge my fowling-piece, just as if I was going to shoot chickens in a farm-yard !---" No, no, Mr. Wiseacre," said I, "give me a good rifle. I'll bring the partridges down with that, I warrant you." Well, Mr. Editor, after procuring a gun, I practised a week at pigeons, and then set off for Squire Hawbuck's, fully confident that I should do a great deal of execution among his coveys: for I had invariably wounded the pigeons. It is true, that I never actually killed them on the spot; but then, I always saw them drop dead upon some high tree at a distance, though my poodle could not be expected to fetch them, as he was never trained. When I reached my friend's house, I had the misfortune to find him confined with the gout. No matter, thought I; if the Squire can't go with me, I can at least go by myself. Off then I went, MY OWN EXCURSION, &c. picturing to myself a bag full of game, and chuckling over the idea of the laugh I should have at the Squire when I returned; for you must know, Mr. Editor, that Squire Hawbuck is always quizzing the Cockneys. We had scarcely entered the first field, when the obstinate wretches of pointers took it into their heads to stand still! and while I was trying to whistle them on, up flew birds, and I lost one of the most beautiful shots in the world. I did not forget to thrash the curs well; but the game-keeper stopped me. "Why don't they hark," said 1, "when they come near the birds, that I may know they are at hand?"--" Bark, sir," said the rascal--"bark---ha, ha, ha!--bark, indeed!---Why, I never saw such a rum fish with a gun in my life.---I'll leave you to yourself, sir, if you please, or, perhaps, you'll take me for a partridge---Bark, indeed!---how could Squire trust this here Cockney with a gun!" When the game-keeper left me, which he did, holding his sides and laughing, like the gallery-folks on the first night of a new pantomime, I began to recollect, that I had somewhere read, that sporting dogs would point at the game I had not the least idea that they called standing still," pointing." The Squire, how ever, informed me of this afterwards. Besides all this, Mr. Editor, they have Your humble servant, 1.loyd's, Sept. 1824. SCOTCH FRENCH. AT a recent trial for libel in Scotland, the learned gentlemen of the long robe had occasion to ask a witness what newspapers he read. One of them, a slender dandy clerk, such as one often meets with fresh-gowned in the Parliament-house of Edinburgh, with few briefs, and fewer brains, closed his examination with the following question, simpered forth in such a combination of Cockney and Parisian orthoepy, as puppyism can engraft upon a Caledonian niny:-" Pray, sir, may I presume to ask, do you take in the Courie?" Up rose his grave antagonist, a man, the solemnity of whose words was never known to be enlivened by a witticism, or interrupted by a joke." Pray, sir," said he, cross-examining the same witness, "do you take in the Morning Po?" We know not whether Lord Pitmilly laughed; but we know that, at such a saying, Mr. Justice Abbott would have felt ashamed, Mr. Justice Best would have blushed, and we dare day the Chancellor would have wept. MEMENTO MORI, Inscribed on a Tombstone. 'Tis the laughter that's shaking my pillow, I must laugh when I see A poor insect like thee Dare to pity the fate thou must own; And crumble to dust, bone for bone. Thou hast lived, like myself, but to die; Thou art no more immortal than I! CYTHNA. By Alaric A. Watts. The glassy splendour of her eye For it was not the light of this.-WIFFEN. ANECDOTES, &c. Historical, Literary, and Personal. A TRAVELLER'S TALE. MR. TALBOT, in his "Five Years' Residence in Canada," just published, relates a story which savours a little of that licence that travellers are said to be in the habit of assuming. "In the spring of 1821," says he, "an intimate acquaintance of mine was one day fishing on the Canadian Thames, accompanied by his son, a young man about twenty-two years of age. Observing an uncommon large sturgeon sailing up the river, the son immediately pierced it with his spear, and retaining a firm hold of his weapon, was dragged into the water. For some time he floated on the stream, behind the sturgeon, by the aid of his instrument; but at length becoming weary of this mode of proceeding, like another Aristus, he got astride of the fish, and converting his spear into a bridle-rein, rode him for nearly a mile down the river, which is in that part broad, deep, irregular, and rapid; when the unfortunate animal, unable to exert himself, on account of the loss of blood, yielded up his life to the prowess of his rider." SAGACITY OF A DOG. : IN the beginning of August last, a notary of Bourbon-Vendée in France was returning home from a neighbouring town on horseback, and followed by his dog. In passing a ford, with which he was well acquainted, his horse took it into his head to lie down in the water, and the action was so sudden, that the rider had not time to withdraw his feet from the stirrups he was therefore kept under water, and must soon have perished. The dog, aware of his master's danger, swam to the opposite shore, and there placing himself on his hind legs, set up the most piercing howls, which he continued without intermission, till two labourers, at work in the fields, heard this distressing appeal. They hastened to the spot, on which the dog ceased his cries, and ruuning before, guided them to the scene of his master's sufferings. The success of the faithful animal was complete. The notary was taken from the water, and conveyed to a neighbouring house, where, by the use of proper remedies, he was restored to animation, and finally to health. VALUE OF TIME. MADAME DE GENLIS, in a work on the employment of time, lately published at Paris, mentions the French Chancellor d'Aguesseau, as one of those men who turned every minute of this short life to the best account, and relates the following curious anecdote of him: "Finding that his wife always delayed ten or twelve minutes before she came down to dinner, he resolved to employ this interval exclusively in composing a work. The result was, at the end of fifteen years, a book in three large quarto volumes, which has gone through several editions, and is held in high estimation." AN ACCOMMODATING MAUPEOU, Chancellor of France under Louis XV. was more than once seen at Paris, in all the paraphernalia of office, playing at shuttlecock with the little Negro Zamori, the train-bearer of Madame Dubarry, and patiently permitting his play-fellow to drive the shuttlecock in his face. At the same period ministers of state did not scruple to play at piquet with the king's valets. SINGULAR CUSTOM. It was a curious custom of the middle ages to make what were termed oizelets de Chypre (birds of Cyprus) from the bladders of carp; these were then painted with gay colours by Neapolitan painters, filled with a sort of gas, and so contrived that they burst at the slightest touch, and diffused around an exquisite perfume. Ladies frequently employed them for particular purposes; but when gentlemen offered them to ladies, this was deemed a piece of gallantry, which the latter returned by emptying their comfit-boxes into the waistcoat-pockets of the former. LUNAR ROADS. A professor of Münich is reported to have lately discovered high-roads in the moon, with a telescope possessing the magnifying power of 100. The moon at that time was, we will say, for the sake of a round number, only 200,000 miles distant from his eye, and that divided by 100 consequently gives 2000 miles at the distance at which the roads in question may be discerned by the naked eye. What immense sums a road of sufficient breadth to be seen 2000 miles off must have cost! We ought to congratulate ourselves that we have not to contribute to the highway rates in that planet. They are high enough in our own, though our roads are not so broad by a mile or two as those in the moon. |