AEREAL STEAM CARRIAGE.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 102, 21 July 1843, Page 4

AEREAL STEAM CARRIAGE.

A correspondent of the Herald proposes the following application of Avery’s engine to the purposes of aereal steam navigation. The author is evidently a mechanical genius, and his scheme is well deserving the attention of practical as well as theoretical mechanics: — Let a plane surface, in the form of a parallelogram, have the,engine placed upon it; let rods ascend from the corners to a frame above; let two diagonal, rods cross from their corners to hold an axis steady in the middle; then let the engine turn a vane rapidly in that axis, and an ascending power is attained. This is identical in principle with the Archimedean steam-pro-peller. The velocity of the ascent, the suspension of the machine at a given height, and its gradual descent when required, will depend upon the rapidity of the rotatory motion. Now for the power of progression. This maybe obtained by another vane at the head of the machine. Its guidance may be effected by vanes on each side. Although I think progression and guidance may be accomplished by a more .simple process. A mechanical ascent obtains a leverage which cannot be procured by buoyancy alone; the air is the fulcrum; and, as in the case of the bird, which ascends by animal mechanism, poises itself, advances, stoops, and descends, by the adjustment of that mechanism; so I think an aerial machine will possess the same advantage. Now the bird—the hawk for instance—after at is once poised, sails through the air in undulations or gyrations by virtue of gravitation. It brings its body to an angle by means of the head and tail, which enables it in sinking to take an extensive curve: then, altering the angle of the body, it ascends by the velocity obtained in the descent, through another curve. If it raises one wing to another angle it gains the spiral motion, and; sweeps in its beauteous circles round a given point. The same result can be obtained by a plane stretched on canvass at the head or stern of the vehicle ; or : perhaps better, by one plane at the head and another at the stern. As the machine rises with the fore pane elevated at a suitable angle, and the stern one depressed to the same degree, the resisting air will give the machine a progressive motion. Tnis angle can be changed gradually until it skims, by its velocity on a level surface, and then, depressing the fore plane and elevating the hind one, it; will sink with increasing velocity, which will be counteracted by a new revarsal of the angles, and again it will ascend.. The loss of velocity or of elevation on these undulations, which would ultimately come down to nothing, being restored by the ascending power of the circular vane, even as the.bird makes up for a similar loss J>y. a casual flap of of the wings. . Guidance can be effected by a rudder, or a lateral elevation of one of the,gravitation planes; because the, progress being mechanical, or at least dynamical,, the air is, as much a fulcrum .for later al.as progressive power ; it is quite as much available for gyration as for undulation. This will of course meet the difficulty of opposing ,currents, because the machine can rise and fall through a head-wind with as much precision, and almost with as much rapidity, as through a fair wind, only the curves will be shorter,' or the gravitation planes,'be adapted to a smqljer angle.. Indeed it is quite possible, that a head-wind.' may prove to be the safest current to ride upon- The principle upon which this plan of , depends is not new, although the application of it "may. be novel; we .have all been familiar with it in its practical working under mechanical. agency from .our .childhood ; in the. trimming of-sails, the elevation of a kite, the sports of ducks and drakes, and in the vagaries ,of the boomerang.;, and (these familiar illustrations will convince a deep-thinker that foul winds vwil riot frustrate an aerial voyage.

Tp& Population of ' Russia; .• i —.’The v ‘lrist‘' Official feensps of Russia giyejs the following. W •the populations of the chief towns of -f~St. Petersburg; 470,202 souls ;, .MoscOwj? 349,068 - Odessa; 60;055; CrOnstadtj 54,747;; Wilna, &1-155. Warsaw'Has i 40,571 inhabitants. ~ -IriADE witi< Riissia.~-A St;. Petersburg letterof the 4th inst. gives the following ukase, addressed by the Emperor on the 14tftUlt. to; the Senate ;-t-“ We have, on the proposition of our Minister .of Finance, examined by,, the Council of State, thought fit to ordain /several alterations in the Customs duties; forthe benefit of trade, and send to the directing SOriate a list of the articles, in respect ,to which .these modifications are made, in order that the tariff may be rectified.” The writer adds , that, in .this list, which is published in the commercial journal of St. Petersburg,'appear cloths and shawls, cotton, silk, wopllens,' rind mixed tissues from England, France, and Germany, and all colored and figured goods of the nature of cashmeres, for which the duty is -fixed at 4 roubles 35 copecs per pound. Slave Emancipation in .Tunis.* —A letter from Tunis, Dec. 20, in the Debats, says — “ Tunis is exceedingly agitated by an event totally unexpected. The Bey, of his own accord, has just proclaimed that henceforward all children born in slavery throughout the Regency are to be immediately declared free. This is nothing else than the commencement of the abolition of slavery throughout his dominions, and contains the germ of a revolution in Mahometan institutions. A chance circumstance has caused the adoption of this measure. A black family about to be sold, separately, lately took refuge at the. French Consulate, and implored the protection of the representative of France. M. de Lagau werit the next day to represent the case to the Bey; and his Highness, moved by the mournful picture drawn by the Consul of France, questioned the father and mother himself, and at last ordered his Minister to purchase the persons, and take great care of them. Then, turning to the. child, he told him.lie was free, and, that; henceforward every child .bom in the Regency should be treated in the same way. This determination was immediately published, and is to be religiously executed.”

Steam Navigation across the Atlantic. —We see, says the Laro, with much regret, several indications that steam navigation, across the Atlantic, which is such a noble proof of England’s skill, and which has conferred so much benefit on trade, is not -successful as a mercantile speculation. The Great Western Company is reported to be unable to pay its way. Cunard’s Line, or the North American Company, though it has received 20,000/. a-year more to carry the mails than the contract was originally made for, is said to yield no profit. The West India Mail. Packet Company seems to be a complete failure. A New Comet.— M. Laugier, of Paris, has discovered a new coiriet. He states that it has a retrograde movement, and circulates in an inclined orbit of 74. deg. 31 min., the ascendant having for longitude 27 deg. 31 min. The passage to the perihelium will take place in December by 328 deg. 22 min. of longitude, and at a distance from the sun expressed ,by 0.512. The comet will continue approaching towards the earth until, the 15th instant, when it will be distant from it 4-10th of the terrestrial orbit. The brightness of this comet has up to the present time gone on increasing as to its nucleus, but there has been no sensible increase in its tail since the 2nd instant; its length is hardly 10 ; the width of the nebulosity has; an angle of 5, Having, arrived at. this point of bis .calculations, it remained fot M, Laugier to consult the archives of, astrqriomy, in order, by a comparison of its movements; to ascertain'whether the comet of 1842 was not the return' of one already known. The work of Pingre. mentions a.-comet which was, seen in China in 1301, the elements of which, calculated according to the, observations, of the Chinese,, accord in a remarkable mariner with the results, of the new. calculation. It-is, therefore, possible; that M. Laiigier has had the gobd fortune tq rripord: the second; passage df a coniet; whose period of. travelling occupies more than 500 years.

A convent on a large scale is about td be ereeted .at Dalkey, near \Dublin, with, a chapel in the centre, estimated to , cost twenty thousand pounds* for * which the funds are- supplied by Miss O’Brien of Rathfarnharii. : - Paurperism.— The union workhouse at Sleaford is so full", that several inmates are sent out, to sleep, there ; being, no .accommodation .for them within the walls,. On Tuesday, last* seyeral entire families, amounting to. 38 persons, were adriiitted frbin the parish of Billinghay;Fashions for almost; universally worn; , but fin, schools it .is, not iUrilikely .stripes’will be prevalent.; > Boys’ jackets will have "the customary trimming*; and the'brick *will r be ! made- smart by beirig. cut f on the r ufdßs yrith ri ‘'rpyleatt of cane, laid off the gentlemen/.und the? bonnets, of the ladies, are thrownia good deal off the: t head; and we haVe Seen a'iiovelty in umbrellas, the silk beirig curiously slit into ribbands.—PuncA. " v