between, still it is approaching-the great lift will be accomplished. In the simple and beautiful language of our own illustrious Burns Then let us pray that come it may, As come it will for a' that, Shall brothers be for a' that.'" 2. Description and two Drawings of a Design for a Table-Lamp in Silver or Brass in the Victorian Style, convertible into a Flower Stand. By Mr. Randall P. Dale, 5 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh. (3445.) 3. Description and Drawing or Design for a Fountain. Tod Alexander, Rustic Work Manufacturer, Dumfries. (3451.) By Mr John The following Reports of Committees were then read and approved of, viz. : 4. Report on Mr Niman's Bootmaker's Plane. Mr Young, Convener. (3432.) 5. Report on Mr James B. Thomson's Break for Railway Carriages. Mr Paterson, Convener. (3444.) 6. Report on Mr Winton's Railway Signal. Mr Slight, Convener. (3392.) 7. Report on Mr Waters' Manufacture of Sheet-Iron. Convener. (3387.) Mr Slight, 8. Report on Mr John Sang's Platometer. Mr Grainger, Convener. (3409.) 9. Report on Leighton's Chromatic Facsimile Process. Mr Simson, Convener. (3437.) 10. Report on Mr Campbell's Paper on the Cleveland Ironstone. Mr Rose, Convener. (3438.) 11. Report on Dickson and Son's Paper on the Minie Rifle and Ball. Dr Lees, Convener. (3443.) 12. Report on Mortimer's Minie Bullet-Mould. Dr Lees, Convener. (3442.) 13. Report on M'Craw's Photographic Apparatus. Mr Cay, Con(3449.) vener. 14. Report on Leslie's Account of Bursting of Bilberry Reservoir. Mr D. Stevenson, Convener. (3454.) 15. Report on Adie's Variation Instrument. Mr Buchanan, Con(3455.) vener. 16. Report on G. D. Howell's Projectile for Artillery. Dr Lees, Convener. (3447.) The following Donations were laid on the table, viz. : 1. The Assurance Magazine, No. VII. (London, April 1852.) Presented by the Institute of Actuaries. (3453.) 2. Du Dessèchement du Lac de Harlem, par M. Gevers d'Endegeest, Conseiller d'Etat, Membre de la Seconde Chambre des Etats Généraux, President de la Commission pour le dessèchement du Lac de Harlem. Piece Justificative No. 1, comprenant Carte I., Le Rhinland et le Lac de Harlem. Carte II., La Machine à Vapeur à Sparendam. Carte III., La Machine à Vapeur le Leeghwater pres du Kaag. Presented by M. Gevers d'Endegeest, Hon. Mem. R.S.S.A. (3456, 1–2.) 3. Astronomical Observations made at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, by the late Professor T. Henderson, reduced and edited by his Successor, C. Piazzi Smyth, Astronomer-Royal for Scotland; Vol. X., for 1844-5-6-7. Presented by the Royal Observatory. (3457.) Thanks voted to the Donors. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following Candidate was elected an Ordinary Fellow:James Boyd Thomson, Memb. Inst. Mech. Engrs., Assistant Manager, Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company. The Society appointed the Prize Committee to award the Prizes for Session 1851-2, viz. : Dr LEES, President. WM. PATERSON, Esq., V.P. Professor KElland. Dr DOUGLAS MACLAGAN. PATRICK WILSON, Esq. GEORGE SIMSON, Esq. ALEXANDER ROSE, Esq. JAMES TOD, Secretary, Convener ex officio. On the motion of Sheriff Cay, the thanks of the Society were unanimously voted to Dr Lees, President, for his conduct in the Chair of the Society. APPENDIX (G.) LIST OF PRIZES FOR SESSION 1852-53. THE ROYAL SCOTTISH SOCIETY OF ARTS proposes to award Prizes of different values, none exceeding Thirty Sovereigns, in Gold or Silver Medals, Silver Plate, or Money, for approved Communications primarily submitted to the Society, relative to Inventions, Discoveries, and Improvements in the Mechanical and Chemical Arts in general, and also to means by which the Natural Productions of the Country may be made more available; and, in particular, to I. INVENTIONS, DISCOVERIES, or IMPROVEMENTS in the Useful Arts, including the Mechanical and Chemical; and in the Mechanical Branch of the Fine Arts; such as, but not limited to, the following viz. : 1. Mechanical Arts. 1. IMPROVEMENTS in Sewerage,-in Economical Appliances for increasing the Sanitary Condition of Cities and Towns, in Methods of Warming and Ventilating Public Edifices, Private Dwellings, &c.,—of Ventilation of Mines,—of constructing Economical and Salubrious Dwellings for the Working-Classes,-of Filtering Water in large quantities, of Extinguishing Fires, of applying Glass to new and useful purposes, &c. &c. 2. INVENTIONS or IMPROVEMENTS in preserving Timber and Metals in Marine Works,-in Locomotive, Stationary, and Marine Engines, in Lighthouse Apparatus,-in Railways and Railway Plant and Signals,-in Flax Machinery, and in the processes for preparing the Flax for manipulation,-in Steam Machinery, as applied to Agriculture,-in Tools, Implements, and Apparatus for the various Trades,-in Rifle Guns,-in Grates,-in Cements and Mortars,-Machines for Planing Wood,-in Printing Machines,-in Printing Cases,—in the Composition of Printers' Rollers,-in Cranes for raising heavy bodies, in the Machinery for Colleries and other Mines,in Machines for Cutting, Dressing, and Boring Stone,-in Microscopic Apparatus, -in Steel or other Metallic Pens, in new or improved Motive Power, Electric, Chemical, &c. &c. 2. Chemical Arts. IMPROVEMENTS in Dyes and Paints,-in rendering Glass hard and difficult of fusion for Chemical purposes,-in Writing Inks,in the Manufacture of thin sheets of Gutta Percha, of equal strength in all directions for Surgical purposes,-in substitutes for, or improvements upon, the process of Vulcanizing India Rubber, &c.,-in Oil for fine Machinery, Clocks, and Watches, -in Apparatus for Fermentation, cheap processes for separating Nickel from its ores, &c. &c. 3. Relative to the Fine Arts. IMPROVEMENTS in the form of Articles in Porcelain, Common Clay, or Metal,-in Fire-Clay Articles for Architectural purposes,— in Glass Staining,-in Engraving on Stone,-in Daguerreotype, Talbotype, or other Photographic processes, and their application to taking microscopic objects and machinery,—in Electrotype processes, in Die-sinking,-in methods of illustrating Books to be printed with the Letter-Press,-in Ornamental Metallic Casting, -in Designs and adaptation of new Materials for Sepulchral Monuments,-in Mosaic and Inlaid Stone Work, &c. &c. II. EXPERIMENTS applicable to the Useful Arts. III. COMMUNICATIONS of Processes in the Useful Arts practised in this or other Countries, but not generally known. IV. PRACTICAL DETAILS of Public or other Undertakings of National importance, already executed, but not previously published-or valuable suggestions for originating such undertakings. The SOCIETY also proposes to award the KEITH PRIZE, value Thirty Sovereigns, For some important "Invention, Improvement, or Discovery, in the Useful Arts, which shall be primarily submitted to the Society" during the Session. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. Communications lodged in competition for Prizes, shall not have been Patented, nor have been previously Published, nor read before any other Society. The Descriptions of the various inventions, &c., must be full and distinct-be legibly written on Foolscap paper, leaving margins at least one inch broad, on both sides of the writing on every page, so as to allow of their being bound up in volumes; and, when necessary, be accompanied by Specimens, Drawings, or Models. All Drawings to be on Imperial Drawing Paper, unless a larger sheet be requisite. The Drawings to be in bold lines, not less than an eighth of an inch thick, or strongly coloured, so as to be easily seen at about the distance of thirty feet when hung up in the Hall of Meeting, and the Letters or Figures of Reference to be at least 1 inch long. When necessary, smaller and more minutely detailed Drawings should accompany the larger ones, for the use of the Committees, having the same letters or figures of reference. The Society shall be at liberty to publish in their Transactions copies or abstracts of all Papers submitted to them. All Models, Drawings, &c., for which Prizes shall be given, to be held to be the property of the Society; the Value of the Model, &c., being separately allowed for. Communications, Models, &c., are to be addressed to JAMES TOD, Esq., the SECRETARY, 55 Great King Street, Edinburgh, Postage or Carriage paid; and they are expected to be lodged on or before 1st October 1852, in order to ensure their being read and reported on during the Session, the ordinary Meetings of which end in April 1853; but those which cannot be lodged earlier, will be received up to 1st April 1853; those lodged after that date may not be read or reported on till the following Session. By order of the Society. EDINBURGH, 12th April 1853. VOL. IV.-APP. JAMES TOD, Secretary. m |