This railroad is remarkable for being the largest which has yet been constructed, and is besides an object of just pride, in as much as it was commenced at a time, when according to Dr. Lardner, the subject was but imperfectly understood even in Europe, and all its arrangements are due to native talent and skill, unassisted by previous discoveries in Europe.--A. E.
Atmospheric pressure rendered available as a mechanic agent by Denis Papin, 48
Atmospheric engine, first conception of by Newcomen, 61. Description of, 63. Advantage of over that of Savery, 69
Birmingham and London railroad, probable advantages to be derived from, 206
Black, Dr., his doctrine of latent heat, 76
Blasco de Garay, his contrivance to propel vessels, 42
Blinkensop, Mr., constructs a locomotive engine, 161
Boiler, methods for showing the level of water in the, 118. Its power and proportions, 297
Bolton, Matthew, his connexion with Watt, 88
---- and Watt, Messrs., immense expenditure of, in bringing their engines into use, 91
Booth, Mr., his method of using tubes to conduct heated air through locomotive boilers, 176. His report to the directors of the Liverpool and Manchester railway on the apparent discrepancies of Messrs. Walker and Rastrick's estimate of locomotive power, 189
Braithwaite and Ericsson, Messrs., their "Novelty" described, 175
Branca, Giovanni, his machine for propelling a wheel by a blast of steam, 45
Brunton, Mr., his improved furnace described, 130
Canals, transport on, 208. Experiments with boats on, 209, Comparison of with railroads, 210
Cartwright, Rev. Mr., description of his improvements in the steam engine, 142
"Century of Inventions" by the Marquis of Worcester, 46
Chapman, Messrs., obtain a patent for working a locomotive by means of a chain, 162
Condensation by jet, accidental discovery of, 65
Cornwall, reports of duty of steam engines in, 303
Farey, Mr., his statement respecting the variations in the work of different steam engines, 133
Fuel, table of the consumption of, in different locomotives, 180
Guericke, Otto, inventor of the air-pump, 70
Hackworth, Mr., description of his engine, the "Sanspareil," 173
Hall, Mr. Samuel, his patent steam engine, 248. Its advantages for navigation, 249. Its successful application, 250