CANTERBURY MUSEUM.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2459, 22 February 1882, Page 4

CANTERBURY MUSEUM.

TUB NBW BOOM. The new room at the Museum, which is opened to the public for the first time this day, has been arranged by Dr. Yon Haast in a m inner that must commend itself to Traitors. On either side of the entrance are placed busts of Newton and Raphael. Near the former is a oaia containing beautifully polished specimens of Western Australian woods. Passing along the eastern side of the room fire very largo cases are placed, the first of which is devoted to a collection of models of metallurgical and mining machinery, bridges and ships, also a working model of a stamping battery, with eighteen head of Stampers, end a largo model of a boring apparatus with rods. An iron smelting furnace (Bullenbaoh’z system) has the ipeoialty of condensing hot air from the furnace, wnich, returning down the columns, is utilised for hot blast. Models are also here found illustrating the timbering of mines, and shafts of mines, as also a double bell crank lever used tn mining. Staircases with winders,both circular and oval, are shown, and a model illustrating the lengthening of a ship. A number of crucibles, retorts, cells, and muffles are also to be found here. In the next case are shown a i:t of working models, notably, pumps (centrifugal and common), overshot and undershot water wheels, turbine wheel, adaptable for low fall or much water, eir expansion engine (Lehmann’s patent), a section of air expansion engine, locomotive engine, worked by spirits of wine, section of a horizontal steam engine, intended to show action of slide valve and steam regulator, "VTa'il's low pressure beom engine, worked either bv gas or spirits of wine, made by Paul Loobmann of Zoilz, horizontal gas engine, ■with battery and induction coil, reverberatory smelting furnace on the English principle, reverberatory furnace for roasting copper, manpower wheel for shaft, and, lastly, a muffle for separating silver from lead. The next ease is also devoted to workable models of machinery, Ac., and comprises counting machine (counting np to 1000), direct method of driving drums, arrangement of {drums with endless bait for transmitting power in va’ious directions, crank motion, showing how connecting rod can be dispensed with, mode of varying speed by conical drums whilst the machinery is in motion, helical wheels, worm and worm wheel, centrifugal governor for a steam engine, frame with pillow block for shaft of mitre wheels, steam end throttle valve, hanging block, eegta.nrs of bevel pinion, bevil wuoel, mortise wheel, and toothed wheel, crank with crank pin, connecting rod head (2), side block and Croat Lead with piston rod end, pillow block, upright ditto, plumaer block, beam, connecting red, valve with ruck and pinion, and details of machinery models, illustrating mechanical motion, for purposes of drainage and irrigation. The next case is devoted to the illustration of mechanical powers, viz.—The lover, wluel and axle, wedge power, differential axie; also, models showing—penetration of solids, sections of the cone, orthographic projection, hexagonal prism, pyramid, cone, and sphere, allowing various sections, cylinder showing oblique sec ions, geometrical solids, &c.j mechanism being further illustrated by cog wheels and bovii wheels when the shafts are neither parallel nor intersecting. Elliptical end square spur gear far rotary motion of varying velocity ; driving wheel with single tooth for circular motions with periods of rust, arrangement of bevil gearing for doubling the velocity of flywheel, expanding pulleys, skew bsvil wheels and differential mechanism with changeable velocity, opioloid, evolutc, cycloid, hyp -cycloid, piston rod, piston crank, connecting rod, capstan and grindstone, triangular eocoatrio, giving on intermittent, rooiuroce.tmg, rectilinear motion ; White's parallel motion, mangle wheel and pinion, double clutch and bevil gear for changing the direction of transmitted motion, reciprocal rack for forcing timber against a saw, disc wheel with spiral thread to drive gearing who;; the shafts are at right angles, Hooke’s joints and Willis' connecting rod. The next cose is devoted to articles of wrod construction and joinery, aud contains models of different kinds cf joints in carpenter?, joints of wainscot, framing, and capping, pattern, of window sash, cornices, Venetian Icuvres for boll tower, Tuscan column, tie b.-ams, church spire timbering, and several illustrations of roof timbering, as also different models of floor construction. The case next in order contains models of wood, stone, and brick construction—roof timbering being largely shown. Arches in atone appear in semicircular and circular farm, also segmental and fl'.t and various other styles, splayed and rebated; recesses, ecmiciroular and domed ; bridges in brick j circular and other staircases in stone; different •peoimene of wall work, showing the several bonds, and many articles of minor detail are also arranged here. Halurning to the south end of the room, a collection of all the known building atones of the colony is seen, near which is a collection of marly limestone concretions from Otago, as also seme interesting specimens of fossilised timber. In close proximity a trophy of slabs of New Zealand timber, polished, ia erected, but owing to the North Island contributing only two specimens, it is neces earily incomplete. A model of the proposed bridge across the Bakaia at its gorge, 20ft in length, is elso shown, and a case containing Specimens, both sectional and longitudinal, of no less than 108 submarine cables, laid in varices parts of the world, is placed near the bridge. The New Z aland gold fields are well represented, a cose being appropriated to the various specimens of ore, close to the wuitorn wall, not far from the timber trophy. This comprises quartz, wash dirt, &o , from ail the mining claims, idome washed geld ia also shown.

Three rows of cases are placed in parallels down the room. In one, to the right of the visitor as ho enters, tho minerals and ores of New Zealand are shown, to which Mount Somers diotrlct contributes liberally, Oxford sending chalk, tho semi-gem producing stones bring very numerous—opals, agate, chalcedony, emethyßt, j taper, and many others, being shown aide by side with tho European minerals, plainly demonstrating tho varied character of the mineral deposits of this oniony. In this case is shown a piece of amber, with the traditional ily in safe keeping. Oar coal deposits are well represented. Tho minerals of Australia and America and several counties of Europe are also shown in completeness of detail. The copper, tin, lead, silver, and other metals are shown from the first appearance in the rough rook to tho perfected metal, which, although of graet interest, Lava already been described by us in a former notice when otherwise arranged. Displays of flax, dressed by Europeans and also by Maoris are shown in close proximity to etch other. In the first the material appears worked up in various ways, such as ropes, cordage, sacking, and as a damask table oloth. In Inn centre row of cases many beautiful articles lire shown. The first of which contains fac similes of old Venetian glass made by Salviuti, of Murnno, near Venice. This art vraß supposed to be lost, till revived by Salviali. These exhibits are very beautiful. Tho next cose is richly stored with French and German stoneware, English porcelain, Minton files, Majolica vases, Paliasy ware, and Mr G. Gould’s presentation collection of porcolain and ceramic art are also displayed bere. Following these are seen —a vase, design by Flaxman. from Wedgwood’s, beautiful specimen of English and Dresden porcelain ; two fine hand-painted Minton plates, and tho collection of Sevres porcelain and mpgnifioent vases presented by the French Government ; a pretty vase of choice design of guelder roses from Dresden follow; then a Pompeian vase from Florence, and a valuable collection of Japanese porcelain, china, incense burner, pnintsd flower vases, beautifully figured Bohemian glass decanters, and some elegant glass jugs from Edinburgh, and manufactured specimens of celluloid, from America, come next in order. The textile fabrics of India and many other things are also to bo found in this collection.