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Introduction--the Importance of the Steam-Engine, 1; Hero and his Treatise on Pneumatics, 4; Hero's Engines, B. C. 200, 8; William of Malmesbury on Steam, A. D. 1150, 10; Hieronymus Cardan on Steam and the Vacuum, 10; Malthesius on the Power of Steam, A. D. 1571, 10; Jacob Besson on the Generation of Steam, A. D. 1578, 11; Ramelli's Work on Machines, A. D. 1588, 11; Leonardo da Vinci on the Steam-Gun, 12; Blasco de Garay's Steamer, A. D. 1543, 12; Battista della Porta's Steam-Engine, A. D. 1601, 13; Florence Rivault on the Force of Steam, A. D. 1608, 15; Solomon de Caus's Apparatus, A. D. 1615, 16; Giovanni Branca's Steam-Engine, A. D. 1629, 16; David Ramseye's Inventions, A. D. 1630, 17; Bishop John Wilkins's Schemes, A. D. 1648, 18; Kircher's Apparatus, 19.

Edward Somerset, Marquis of Worcester, A. D. 1663, 19; Worcester's Steam Pumping-Engines, 21; Jean Hautefeuille's Alcohol and Gunpowder Engines, A. D. 1678, 24; Huyghens's Gunpowder-Engine, A. D. 1680, 25; Invention in Great Britain, 26; Sir Samuel Morland, A. D. 1683, 27; Thomas Savery and his Engine, A. D. 1698, 31; Desaguliers's Savery Engines, A. D. 1718, 41; Denys Papin and his Work, A. D. 1675, 45; Papin's Engines, A. D. 1685-1695, 50; Papin's Steam-Boilers, 51.

THE STEAM-ENGINE AS A TRAIN OF MECHANISM.

THE MODERN TYPE AS DEVELOPED BY NEWCOMEN, BEIGHTON, AND SMEATON 55

Defects of the Savery Engine, 55; Thomas Newcomen, A. D. 1705, 57; the Newcomen Steam Pumping-Engine, 59; Advantages of Newcomen's Engine, 60; Potter's and Beighton's Improvements, A. D. 1713-'18, 61; Smeaton's Newcomen Engines, A. D. 1775, 64; Operation of the Newcomen Engine, 65; Power and Economy of the Engine, 69; Introduction of the Newcomen Engine, 70.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MODERN STEAM-ENGINE. JAMES WATT AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES.

James Watt, his Birth and Parentage, 79; his Standing in School, 81; he learns his Trade in London, 81; Return to Scotland and Settlement in Glasgow, 82; the Newcomen Engine Model, 83; Discovery of Latent Heat, 84; Sources of Loss in the Newcomen Engine, 85; Facts experimentally determined by Watt, 86; Invention of the Separate Condenser, 87; the Steam-Jacket and other Improvements, 90; Connection with Dr. Roebuck, 91; Watt meets Boulton, 93; Matthew Boulton, 93; Boulton's Establishment at Soho, 95; the Partnership of Boulton and Watt, 97; the Kinneil Engine, 97; Watt's Patent of 1769, 98; Work of Boulton and Watt, 101; the Rotative Engine, 103; the Patent of 1781, 104; the Expansion of Steam--its Economy, 105; the Double-Acting Engine, 110; the "Compound" Engine, 110; the Steam-Hammer, 111; Parallel Motions, the Counter, 112; the Throttle-Valve and Governor, 114; Steam, Vacuum, and Water Gauges, 116; Boulton & Watt's Mill-Engine, 118; the Albion Mill and its Engine, 119; the Steam-Engine Indicator, 123; Watt in Social Life, 125; Discovery of the Composition of Water, 126; Death of James Watt, 128; Memorials and Souvenirs, 128.

William Murdoch and his Work, 132; Invention of Gas-Lighting, 134; Jonathan Hornblower and the Compound Engine, 135; Causes of the Failure of Hornblower, 137; William Bull and Richard Trevithick, 138; Edward Cartwright and his Engine, 140.

THE MODERN STEAM-ENGINE.

THE SECOND PERIOD OF APPLICATION--1800-1850--STEAM-LOCOMOTION ON RAILROADS 144

Introduction, 144; the Non-Condensing Engine and the Locomotive, 147; Newton's Locomotive, 1680, 149; Nathan Read's Steam-Carriage, 150; Cugnot's Steam-Carriage, 1769, 151; the Model Steam-Carriage of Watt and Murdoch, 1784, 153; Oliver Evans and his Plans, 1786, 153; Evans's Oruktor Amphibolis, 1804, 157; Richard Trevithick's Steam-Carriage, 1802, 159; Steam-Carriages of Griffiths and others, 160; Steam-Carriages of Goldsworthy Gurney, 1827, 161; Steam-Carriages of Walter Hancock, 1831, 165; Reports to the House of Commons, 1831, 170; the Introduction of the Railroad, 172; Richard Trevithick's Locomotives, 1804, 174; John Stevens and the Railroad, 1812, 178; William Hedley's Locomotives, 1812, 181; George Stephenson, 183; Stephenson's Killingworth Engine, 1813, 186; Stephenson's Second Locomotive, 1815, 187; Stephenson's Safety-Lamp, 1815, 187; Robert Stephenson & Co., 1824, 190; the Stockton & Darlington Engine, 1825, 191; the Liverpool & Manchester Railroad, 1826, 193; Trial of Competing Engines at Rainhill, 1829, 195; the Rocket and the Novelty, 198; Atmospheric Railways, 201; Character of George Stephenson, 204; the Locomotive of 1833, 204; Introduction of Railroads in Europe, 206; Introduction of Railroads in the United States, 207; John Stevens's Experimental Railroad, 1825, 207; Horatio Allen and the "Stourbridge Lion," 1829, 208; Peter Cooper's Engine, 1829, 209; E. L. Miller and the S. C. Railroad, 1830, 210; the "American" Type of Engine of John B. Jervis, 1832, 212; Robert L. Stevens and the T-rail, 1830, 214; Matthias W. Baldwin and his Engine, 1831, 215; Robert Stephenson on the Growth of the Locomotive, 220.

THE MODERN STEAM-ENGINE.

THE SECOND PERIOD OF APPLICATION--1800-1850 --THE STEAM-ENGINE APPLIED TO SHIP-PROPULSION 221

Introduction, 221; Ancient Prophecies, 223; the Earliest Paddle-Wheel, 223; Blasco de Garay's Steam-Vessel, 1543, 224; Experiments of Dionysius Papin, 1707, 214; Jonathan Hulls's Steamer, 1736, 225; Bernouilli and Gauthier, 228; William Henry, 1782, 230; the Comte d'Auxiron, 1772, 232; the Marquis de Jouffroy, 1776, 233; James Rumsey, 1774, 234; John Fitch, 1785, 285; Fitch's Experiments on the Delaware, 1787, 237; Fitch's Experiments at New York, 1796, 240; the Prophecy of John Fitch, 241; Patrick Miller, 1786-'87, 241; Samuel Morey, 1793, 243; Nathan Read, 1788, 244; Dundas and Symmington, 1801, 246; Henry Bell and the Comet, 1811, 248; Nicholas Roosevelt, 1798, 250; Robert Fulton, 1802, 251; Fulton's Torpedo-Vessels, 1801, 252; Fulton's First Steamboat, 1803, 253; the Clermont, 1807, 257; Voyage of the Clermont to Albany, 259; Fulton's Later Steamboats, 260; Fulton's War-Steamer Fulton the First, 1815, 261; Oliver Evans, 1804, 263; John Stevens's Screw-Steamer, 1804, 264; Stevens's Steam-Boilers, 1804, 264; Stevens's Iron-Clad, 1812, 268; Robert L. Stevens's Improvements, 270; the "Stevens Cut-off," 1841, 276; the Stevens Iron-Clad, 1837, 277; Robert L. Thurston and John Babcock, 1821, 280; James P. Allaire and the Messrs. Copeland, 281; Erastus W. Smith's Compound Engine, 283; Steam-Navigation on Western Rivers, 1811, 283; Ocean Steam-Navigation, 1808, 285; the Savannah, 1819, 286; the Sirius and the Great Western, 1838, 289; the Cunard Line, 1840, 290; the Collins Line, 1851, 291; the Side-Lever Engine, 292; Introduction of Screw-Steamers, 293; John Ericsson's Screw-Vessels, 1836, 294; Francis Pettit Smith, 1837, 296; the Princeton, 1841, 297; Advantages of the Screw, 299; the Screw on the Ocean, 300; Obstacles to Improvement, 301; Changes in Engine-Construction, 302; Conclusion, 303.

THE STEAM-ENGINE OF TO-DAY.

THE PERIOD OF REFINEMENT--1850 TO DATE 303

Condition of the Steam-Engine at this Time, 303; the Later Development of the Engine, 304; Stationary Steam-Engines, 307; the Steam-Engine for Small Powers, 307; the Horizontal Engine with Meyer Valve-Gear, 311; the Allen Engine, 314; its Performance, 316; the Detachable Valve-Gear, 316; the Sickels Cut-off, 317; Expansion adjusted by the Governor, 318; the Corliss Engine, 319; the Greene Engine, 321; Perkins's Experiments, 323; Dr. Alban's Work, 325; the Perkins Compound Engine, 327; the Modern Pumping-Engine, 328; the Cornish Engine, 328; the Steam-Pump, 331; the Worthington Pumping-Engine, 333; the Compound Beam and Crank Engine, 335; the Leavitt Pumping-Engine, 336; the Stationary Steam-Boiler, 338; "Sectional" Steam-Boilers, 343; "Performance" of Boilers, 344.

The Semi-Portable Engine, 348; Performance of Portable Engines, 350; their Efficiency, 352; the Hoadley Engine, 354; the Mills Farm and Road Engine, 356; Fisher's Steam-Carriage, 356; Performance of Road-Engines, 357; Trial of Road-Locomotives by the Author, 358; Conclusions, 358; the Steam Fire-Engine, 360; the Rotary Steam-Engine and Pump, 365; the Modern Locomotive, 368; Dimensions and Performance, 373; Compound Engines for Locomotives, 376; Extent of Modern Railroads, 378;

The Modern Marine Engine, 379; the American Beam Engine, 379; the Oscillating Engine and Feathering Wheel, 381; the two "Rhode Islands," 382; River-Boat Engines on the Mississippi, 384; Steam Launches and Yachts, 386; Marine Screw-Engines, 389; the Marine Compound Engine, 390; its Introduction by John Elder and others, 393; Comparison with the Single-Cylinder Engine, 395; its Advantages, 396; the Surface Condenser, 397; Weight of Machinery, 398; Marine Engine Performance, 398; Relative Economy of Simple and Compound Engines, 399; the Screw-Propeller, 399; Chain-Propulsion, or Wire-Rope Towage, 402; Marine Steam-Boilers, 403; the Modern Steamship, 405; Examples of Merchant Steamers, 406; Naval Steamers--Classification, 409; Examples of Iron-Clad Steamers, 412; Power of the Marine Engine, 415; Conclusion, 417.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE STEAM-ENGINE.

THE HISTORY OF ITS GROWTH; ENERGETICS AND THERMO-DYNAMICS 419

General Outline, 419; Origin of its Power, 419; Scientific Principles involved in its Operation, 420; the Beginnings of Modern Science, 421; the Alexandrian Museum, 422; the Aristotelian Philosophy, 424; the Middle Ages, 426; Galileo's Work, 428; Da Vinci and Stevinus, 429; Kepler, Hooke, and Huyghens, 429; Newton and the New Mechanical Philosophy, 430; the Inception of the Science of Energetics, 483; the Persistence of Energy, 433; Rumford's Experiments, 434; Fourier, Carnot, Seguin, 437; Mayer and the Mechanical Equivalent of Heat, 438; Joule's Determination of its Value, 438; Prof. Rankine's Investigations, 442; Clausius-Thompson's Principles, 444; Experimental Work of Boyle, Black, and Watt, 446; Robison's, Dalton's, Ure's, and Biot's Study of Pressures and Temperatures of Steam, 447; Arago's and Dulong's Researches, 447; Franklin Institute Investigation, 447; Cagniard de la Tour--Faraday, 447; Dr. Andrews and the Critical Point, 448; Donny's and Dufour's Researches, 448; Regnault's Determination of Temperatures and Pressures of Steam, 449; Hirn's Experiments, 450; R?sum? of the Philosophy of the Steam-Engine, 451; Energy--Definitions and Principles, 451; its Measure, 452; the Laws of Energetics, 453; Thermo-dynamics, 453; its Beginnings, 454; its Laws, 454; Rankine's General Equation, 455; Rankine's Treatise on the Theory of Heat-Engines, 456; Merits of the Great Philosopher, 456.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE STEAM-ENGINE.

ITS APPLICATION; ITS TEACHINGS RESPECTING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ENGINE AND ITS IMPROVEMENT 457

Origin of all Energy, 457; the Progress of Energy through Boiler and Engine, 458; Conditions of Heat-Development in the Boiler, 458; the Steam in the Engine, 458; the Expansion of Steam, 459; Conditions of Heat-Utilization, 460; Loss of Power in the Engine, 462; Conditions affecting the Design of the Steam-Engine, 466; the Problem stated, 466; Economy as affected by Pressure and Temperature, 467; Changes which have already occurred, 468; Direction of Changes now in Progress, 470; Summary of Facts, 471; Characteristics of a Good Steam-Engine, 473; Principles of Steam-Boiler Construction, 476.

FRONTISPIECE: The Grecian Idea of the Steam-Engine.

FIG. PAGE 1. Opening Temple-Doors by Steam, B. C. 200 6 2. Steam Fountain, B. C. 200 7 3. Hero's Engine, B. C. 200 8 4. Porta's Apparatus, A. D. 1601 14 5. De Caus's Apparatus, A. D. 1605 15 6. Branca's Steam-Engine, A. D. 1629 17 7. Worcester's Steam-Fountain, A. D. 1650 21 8. Worcester's Engine, A. D. 1665 22 9. Wall of Raglan Castle 22 10. Huyghens's Engine, 1680 26 11. Savery's Model, 1698 34 12. Savery's Engine, 1698 35 13. Savery's Engine, A. D. 1702 37 14. Papin's Two-Way Cock 42 15. Engine Built by Desaguliers in 1718 43 16. Papin's Digester, 1680 48 17. Papin's Engine 50 18. Papin's Engine and Water-Wheel, A. D. 1707 53 19. Newcomen's Engine, A. D. 1705 59 20. Beighton's Valve-Gear, A. D. 1718 63 21. Smeaton's Newcomen Engine 65 22. Boiler of Newcomen Engine, 1763 67 23. Smeaton's Portable-Engine Boiler, 1765 73 24. The Newcomen Model 84 25. Watt's Experiment 89 26. Watt's Engine, 1774 98 27. Watt's Engine, 1781 104 28. Expansion of Steam 108 29. The Governor 115 30. Mercury Steam-Gauge and Glass Water-Gauge 117 31. Boulton & Watt's Double-Acting Engine, 1784 119 32. Valve-Gear of the Albion Mills Engine 121 33. Watt's Half-Trunk Engine, 1784 122 34. The Watt Hammer, 1784 123 35. James Watt's Workshop 129 36. Murdoch's Oscillating Engine, 1785 134 37. Hornblower's Compound Engine, 1781 136 38. Bull's Pumping-Engine, 1798 139 39. Cartwright's Engine, 1798 141 40. The First Railroad-Car, 1825 144 41. Leupold's Engine, 1720 148 42. Newton's Steam-Carriage, 1680 149 43. Read's Steam-Carriage, 1790 150 44. Cugnot's Steam-Carriage, 1770 151 45. Murdoch's Model, 1784 153 46. Evans's Non-Condensing Engine, 1800 156 47. Evans's "Oruktor Amphibolis," 1804 157 48. Gurney's Steam-Carriage 163 49. Hancock's "Autopsy", 1833 168 50. Trevithick's Locomotive, 1804 175 51. Stephenson's Locomotive of 1815. Section 187 52. Stephenson's No. 1 Engine, 1825 191 53. Opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railroad, 1815 192 54. The "Novelty," 1829 197 55. The "Rocket," 1829 198 56. The Atmospheric Railroad 202 57. Stephenson's Locomotive, 1833 203 58. The Stephenson Valve-Gear, 1833 206 59. The "Atlantic," 1832 210 60. The "Best Friend," 1830 211 61. The "West Point," 1831 212 62. The "South Carolina," 1831 213 63. The "Stevens" Rail and Enlarged Section 215 64. "Old Ironsides," 1832 216 65. The "E. L. Miller," 1834 217 66. Hulls's Steamboat, 1736 226 67. Fitch's Model, 1785 236 68. Fitch & Voight's Boiler, 1787 238 69. Fitch's First Boat, 1787 238 70. John Fitch, 1788 239 71. John Fitch, 1796 240 72. Miller, Taylor & Symmington, 1788 242 73. Read's Boiler in Section, 1788 245 74. Read's Multi-Tubular Boiler, 1788 245 75. The "Charlotte Dundas," 1801 247 76. The "Comet," 1812 248 77. Fulton's Experiments 253 78. Fulton's Table of Resistances 254 79. Barlow's Water-Tube Boiler, 1793 256 80. The "Clermont," 1807 258 81. Engine of the "Clermont," 1808 258 82. Launch of the "Fulton the First," 1804 262 83. Section of Steam-Boiler, 1804 264 84. Engine, Boiler, and Screw-Propellers used by Stevens, 1804 265 85. Stevens's Screw Steamer, 1804 265 86. John Stevens's Twin-Screw Steamer, 1805 269 87. The Feathering Paddle-Wheel 272 88. The "North America" and "Albany," 1827-'30 274 89. Stevens's Return Tubular Boiler, 1832 275 90. Stevens's Valve-Motion 276 91. The "Atlantic," 1851 290 92. The Side-Lever Engine, 1849 291 93. Vertical Stationary Steam-Engine 308 94. Vertical Stationary Steam-Engine. Section 309 95. Horizontal Stationary Steam-Engine 312 96. Horizontal Stationary Steam-Engine 313 97. Corliss Engine 319 98. Corliss Engine Valve-Motion 320 99. Greene Engine 321 100. Thurston's Greene-Engine Valve-Gear 322 101. Cornish Pumping-Engine, 1880 329 102. Steam-Pump 331 103. The Worthington Pumping-Engine, 1876. Section 333 104. The Worthington Pumping-Engine 334 105. Double-Cylinder Pumping-Engine, 1878 335 106. The Lawrence Water-Works Engine 336 107. The Leavitt Pumping-Engine 337 108. Babcock & Wilcox's Vertical Boiler 341 109. Stationary "Locomotive" Boiler 342 110. Galloway Tube 343 111. Harrison's Sectional Boiler 345 112. Babcock and Wilcox's Sectional Boiler 346 113. Root Sectional Boiler 347 114. Semi-Portable Engine, 1878 348 115. Semi-Portable Engine, 1878 349 116. The Portable Steam-Engine, 1878 354 117. The Thrashers' Road-Engine, 1878 355 118. Fisher's Steam-Carriage 356 119. Road and Farm Locomotive 357 120. The Latta Steam Fire-Engine 361 121. The Amoskeag Engine. Section 363 122. The Silsby Rotary Steam Fire-Engine 364 123. Rotary Steam-Engine 365 124. Rotary Pump 366 125. Tank Engine, New York Elevated Railroad 369 126. Forney's Tank-Locomotive 370 127. British Express Engine 371 128. The Baldwin Locomotive. Section 372 129. The American Type of Express Engine, 1878 374 130. Beam Engine 380 131. Oscillating Steam-Engine and Feathering Paddle-Wheel 381 132. The Two "Rhode Islands," 1836-1876 383 133. A Mississippi Steamboat 384 134. Steam-Launch, New York Steam-Power Company 386 135. Launch-Engine 387 136. Horizontal, Direct-acting Naval Screw Engine 389 137. Compound Marine Engine. Side Elevation 390 138. Compound Marine Engine. Front Elevation and Section 391 139. Screw-Propeller 400 140. Tug-Boat Screw 401 141. Hirsch Screw 401 142. Marine Fire-Tubular Boiler. Section 403 143. Marine High-Pressure Boiler. Section 404 144. The Modern Steamship 407 145. Modern Iron-Clads 410 146. The "Great Eastern" 415 147. The "Great Eastern" at Sea 416

PORTRAITS.

NO. PAGE 1. Edward Somerset, the Second Marquis of Worcester 20 2. Thomas Savery 31 3. Denys Papin 46 4. James Watt 80 5. Matthew Boulton 94 6. Oliver Evans 154 7. Richard Trevithick 174 8. Colonel John Stevens 178 9. George Stephenson 183 10. Robert Fulton 251 11. Robert L. Stevens 270 12. John Elder 393 13. Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford 434 14. James Prescott Joule 439 15. Prof. W. J. M. Rankine 443

THE GROWTH OF THE STEAM-ENGINE.

It would be superfluous to attempt to enumerate the benefits which it has conferred upon the human race, for such an enumeration would include an addition to every comfort and the creation of almost every luxury that we now enjoy. The wonderful progress of the present century is, in a very great degree, due to the invention and improvement of the steam-engine, and to the ingenious application of its power to kinds of work that formerly taxed the physical energies of the human race. We cannot examine the methods and processes of any branch of industry without discovering, somewhere, the assistance and support of this wonderful machine. Relieving mankind from manual toil, it has left to the intellect the privilege of directing the power, formerly absorbed in physical labor, into other and more profitable channels. The intelligence which has thus conquered the powers of Nature, now finds itself free to do head-work; the force formerly utilized in the carrying of water and the hewing of wood, is now expended in the God-like work of THOUGHT. What, then, can be more interesting than to trace the history of the growth of this wonderful machine?--the greatest among the many great creations of one of God's most beneficent gifts to man--the power of invention.

Twenty-one centuries ago, the political power of Greece was broken, although Grecian civilization had risen to its zenith. Rome, ruder than her polished neighbor, was growing continually stronger, and was rapidly gaining territory by absorbing weaker states. Egypt, older in civilization than either Greece or Rome, fell but two centuries later before the assault of the younger states, and became a Roman province. Her principal city was at this time Alexandria, founded by the great soldier whose name it bears, when in the full tide of his prosperity. It had now become a great and prosperous city, the centre of the commerce of the world, the home of students and of learned men, and its population was the wealthiest and most civilized of the then known world.

It is among the relics of that ancient Egyptian civilization that we find the first records in the early history of the steam-engine. In Alexandria, the home of Euclid, the great geometrician, and possibly contemporary with that talented engineer and mathematician, Archimedes, a learned writer, called Hero, produced a manuscript which he entitled "Spiritalia seu Pneumatica."

It is quite uncertain whether Hero was the inventor of any number of the contrivances described in his work. It is most probable that the apparatus described are principally devices which had either been long known, or which were invented by Ctesibius, an inventor who was famous for the number and ingenuity of the hydraulic and pneumatic machines that he devised. Hero states, in his Introduction, his intention to describe existing machines and earlier inventions, and to add his own. Nothing in the text, however, indicates to whom the several machines are to be ascribed.

The British Museum contains four manuscript copies of Hero's "Pneumatics," which were written in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. These manuscripts have been examined with great care, and a translation from them prepared by Prof. J. G. Greenwood, and published at the desire of Mr. Bennett Woodcroft, the author of a valuable little treatise on "Steam Navigation." This is, so far as the author is aware, the only existing English translation of any portion of Hero's works.

The first part of Hero's work is devoted to applications of the syphon. The 11th proposition is the first application of heat to produce motion of fluids.

An altar and its pedestal are hollow and air-tight. A liquid is poured into the pedestal, and a pipe inserted, of which the lower end passes beneath the surface of the liquid, and the upper extremity leads through a figure standing at the altar, and terminates in a vessel inverted above this altar. When a fire is made on the altar, the heat produced expands the confined air, and the liquid is driven up the tube, issuing from the vessel in the hand of the figure standing by the altar, which thus seems to be offering a libation. This toy embodies the essential principle of all modern heat-engines--the change of energy from the form known as heat-energy into mechanical energy, or work. It is not at all improbable that this prototype of the modern wonder-working machine may have been known centuries before the time of Hero.

Many forms of hydraulic apparatus, including the hand fire-engine, which is familiar to us, and is still used in many of our smaller cities, are described, the greater number of which are probably attributable to Ctesibius. They demand no description here.

A hot-air engine, however, which is the subject of his 37th proposition, is of real interest.

Another contrivance is next described, in which the bucket is replaced by an air-tight bag, which, expanding as the heated air enters it, contracts vertically and actuates the mechanism, which in other respects is similar to that just described.

In these devices the spherical vessel is a perfect anticipation of the vessels used many centuries later by several so-called inventors of the steam-engine.

Proposition 45 describes the familiar experiment of a ball supported aloft by a jet of fluid. In this example steam is generated in a close cauldron, and issues from a pipe inserted in the top, the ball dancing on the issuing jet.

No. 47 is a device subsequently reproduced--perhaps reinvented by the second Marquis of Worcester.

Several steam-boilers are described, usually simple pipes or cylindrical vessels, and the steam generated in them by the heat of the fire on the altar forms a steam-blast. This blast is either directed into the fire, or it "makes a blackbird sing," blows a horn for a triton, or does other equally useless work. In one device, No. 70, the steam issues from a reaction-wheel revolving in the horizontal plane, and causes dancing images to circle about the altar. A more mechanical and more generally-known form of this device is that which is frequently described as the "First Steam Engine." The sketch from Stuart is similar in general form, but more elaborate in detail, than that copied by Greenwood, which is here also reproduced, as representing more accurately the simple form which the mechanism of the "AEolipile," or Ball of AEolus, assumed in those early times.

The more elaborate sketch which forms the frontispiece represents a machine of similar character. Its design and ornamentation illustrate well the characteristics of ancient art, and the Greek idea of the steam-engine.

It is quite uncertain whether this machine was ever more than a toy, although it has been supposed by some authorities that it was actually used by the Greek priests for the purpose of producing motion of apparatus in their temples.

It seems sufficiently remarkable that, while the power of steam had been, during all the many centuries that man has existed upon the globe, so universally displayed in so many of the phenomena of natural change, that mankind lived almost up to the Christian era without making it useful in giving motion even to a toy; but it excites still greater surprise that, from the time of Hero, we meet with no good evidence of its application to practical purposes for many hundreds of years.

Here and there in the pages of history, and in special treatises, we find a hint that the knowledge of the force of steam was not lost; but it is not at all to the credit of biographers and of historians, that they have devoted so little time to the task of seeking and recording information relating to the progress of this and other important inventions and improvements in the mechanic arts.

Malmesbury states that, in the year A. D. 1125, there existed at Rheims, in the church of that town, a clock designed or constructed by Gerbert, a professor in the schools there, and an organ blown by air escaping from a vessel in which it was compressed "by heated water."

Stuart's "Anecdotes."

Hieronymus Cardan, a wonderful mathematical genius, a most eccentric philosopher, and a distinguished physician, about the middle of the sixteenth century called attention, in his writings, to the power of steam, and to the facility with which a vacuum can be obtained by its condensation. This Cardan was the author of "Cardan's Formula," or rule for the solution of cubic equations, and was the inventor of the "smoke-jack." He has been called a "philosopher, juggler, and madman." He was certainly a learned mathematician, a skillful physician, and a good mechanic.

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