2. On Mr Procter's Oscillating Cylinder Steam-Engine. Mr Slight, Convener. (3334.) 3. On Mr Winton's Self-Acting Valve for Life-Boats. Mr Slight, Convener. (3341.) 4. On Mr Gregory's mode of disconnecting Train from Tender. Mr Slight, Convener. (3349.) 5. On Mr Neil's improved Safety-Valve Apparatus. Mr Paterson, Convener. (3345.) 6. On Mr Steven's Railway Signal. Mr Paterson, Convr. (3352.) 7. On Mr Leslie's Inclined Plane on Monkland Canal. Mr Buchanan, Convener. (3360.) 8. On Mr M'Coll's Portable Raft and Aquatic Life-Preserver. Mr Paterson, Convener. (3335 and 3337.) 9. On Mr Hunter's Double-Acting Churn. Mr Slight, Convener. (3365.) The following Donations were laid on the Table:— 1. Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the application of Iron in Railway Structures; with numerous Plates. (1849.) Presented by Charles Cowan, Esq., M.P. (3370.) 2. Report on the Ventilation of Mines and Collieries, by John Phillips, Esq., 1849; and by J. Kenyon Blackwell, Esq., 18:0. (London, 1850.) Presented by the Same. (3371.) 3. Return to the House of Commons on (1.) Harbours of Refuge, 1851. (2.) Hydrographic Department Admiralty, 1848. (4.) Blackwater River, 1850. (5.) Monumenta Historica Britannica, 1850. Presented by the Same. (3372-1-5.) 4. The History of Banking, with an Account of the Origin and Progress of the Banks of England, Ireland, and Scotland. By William John Lawson, Esq., Manager of the Argus Life Office, 14 Pall Mall, London. (London 1850.) Presented by the Author. (3373.) 5. An Experimental Enquiry into the strength of Wrought Iron Plates and their Rivetted Joints, as applied to Ship-Building and Vessels exposed to severe strains. By William Fairbairn, Esq., Manchester. (London 1850.) Presented by the Author. (3374.) 6. Plan and Description of the Original Electro-Magnetic Telegraph, with prefatory note to the Royal Commissioners of the Great Exhibition 1851, and relative documents. By William Alexander, Esq., W.S., F.R.S.E. (London 1851.) Presented by the Author. (3375.) 7. Transactions of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, vols. I. and II. Presented by the Institution. (3377—1, 2.) 8. Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London. Vols. I. to VI. inclusive, and vol. VII., to page 208,-vol. VIII. to page 64,—and vol. IX., to page 232. (1844 to 1850.) Presented by the Same. (3378-1-9.) 9. Catalogue of the Library of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, corrected to December 31, 1850.- List of the Members of the Institution, December 1850. Presented by the Institution. (3379—1,2.) 10. Suggestions to Astronomers for the Observation of the Total Eclipse of the Sun, on 28th July 1851. Drawn up a by Committee of the British Association. Presented by Professor Forbes, Sec. R.S.E., &c. (3380.) 11. The Transactions of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland. Vols. II. and III. (Dublin, 1848 and 1849.) Presented by the Institution. ( (3381-1, 2.) Thanks voted to the Donors. PRIVATE BUSINESS. I. The Minutes of last Meeting were read and approved of. II. The following Candidates were elected Ordinary Fellows, viz. : 1. James Newell Gordon, The Priory, Islington, London. 2. John Willet, civil engineer, Aberdeen Railway. III. The Society appointed the Prize Committee to award the Prizes for Session 1850-51, viz. : JAMES TOD, Secretary, Convener, ex-officio. IV. The President closed the Session with a short address. The Society then adjourned till November. APPENDIX (B). LIST OF PRIZES FOR SESSION 1851-52. THE ROYAL SCOTTISH SOCIETY OF ARTS proposes to award Prizes of different values (none to exceed 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.,-in 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 Light-House Apparatus,-in Railways and Railway Plant and Signals,-in Tools, Implements, and Apparatus for the various Trades,-in Rifle Guns,-in Grates,-in Gilding and Lacquering Brass,-in Cements and Mortars,-in Machines for Planing Wood,-in Window Sash-Lines,-in Printing Ma chines,-in Printing Cases,-in the Composition of Printers' Rollers,―in Cranes for raising heavy bodies,-in the Machinery for Collieries and other Mines,-in Machines for Cutting or Folding Paper,-in Microscopic Apparatus,-in Gold and Steel Pens, &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, &c.,—in Oil for fine Machinery, Clocks, and Watches,-in Apparatus for Fermentation, &c. &c. 3. Relative to the Fine Arts. IMPROVEMENTS in the form of Articles in Procelain, 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,-in Electrotype processes,-in Dye-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. (Subjects of Foreign Patents are not excluded.) 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 in the United Kingdom or Colonies, nor have been previously Published, or read before any other Society. The Descriptions of the various inventions, &c., must be full and distinct;-be 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 11⁄2 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 1851, in order to ensure their being read and reported on during the Session, the ordinary Meetings of which end in April 1852; but those which cannot be lodged earlier, will be received up to 1st April 1852; those lodged after that date may not be read or reported on till the following Session. By order of the Society, EDINBURGH, 14th April 1851. JAMES TOD, Secretary. |