Labor to make a Watch.
Mr. Dent, in a lecture delivered before the London Royal Institute, made an allusion to the formation of a watch, and stated that a watch consists of 992 pieces; and that 40 trades, and probably 215 persons are employed in making one of these little machines. The iron of which the balance wheel is formed, is valued at something less than a farthing; this produces an ounce of steel, worth 4 1-2 pence, which is drawn into 2,250 yards of steel wire, and represents in the market, 13l. 3s.; but still another process of hardening this originally a farthing's worth of iron, renders it workable into 7,050 balance springs, which will realize, at the common price, of 2s. 6d each 746l. 5s, the effect of labor alone. Thus it may be seen that the mere labor bestowed upon one farthing's worth of iron, gives it the value of 950l. 5s, or $4,552, which is 75,680 times its original value.
Mule Boats.
This kind of conveyance is, we believe, peculiar to the Illinois River, for we never remember to have seen one belonging to any other stream. A year or two since, we were perfectly astonished at beholding the first one that ever arrived in this port; but now they are as common as the species usually termed broad horns, and their appearance creates about as much surprise and curiosity among the more aristocratic order of steam and sail. A genuine mule boat is not unlike an ocean steamer, as they are susceptible of being propelled both by steam and wind; with this difference, the mule-boat steam is generated upon the tread-mill plan, and by the united exertions of some half dozen quadrupeds, generally of the long-eared kind. To this treading or pulling apparatus are attached cylinder, pitt-man, boilers, &c., in the shape of some three or more cog-wheels, and immediately connected with them is a couple of shafts, which give a rotary motion to a couple of water-wheels, one on each side, and which usually propel a keel about 100 feet in length, and of about 75 tons burthen; over it is a roof and covering, usually called a cargo box, to protect the inside from the weather, and the whole making an appearance similar to an Ohio river keel boat, with the exception of a space left her to operate in. The difficulty and danger attending the management of a boat propelled by steam, is upon the mule boat entirely dispensed with.
There is no firing up, or blowing up; all that is necessary, when wishing to commence a journey, is to start, and when tired of going, all that is to be done is to stop the mules; in giving a lick ahead, they are all made to bounce at once, and in giving a lick back, they are turned around and made to pull the other way: and should the wind prove favorable, by means of a mast, with which they are all provided, sails can be hoisted, and the the double power of mules and wind be put in requisition. This description of boat is getting to be quite fashionable on the Illinois and tributaries, and some two or three extend their trips to this city. They are a great benefit in low water, as they are of exceeding light draught, and the running of them is attended with but trifling expense. We learn that several new ones are in a state of completion, on the line of the Illinois, intended as regular traders up the Sangamon river, and from the head of navigation on the Illinois to this city. There is nothing like enterprise, or a mule boat on the Illinois, in a low stage of water, to get along.—[St. Louis New Era.
Discovery of Glass.
'As some merchants,' says Pliny, 'were carrying nitre, they stopped near a river which issues from Mount Carmel. As they could not readily find stones to rest their kettles on, they used for this purpose some of these pieces of nitre. The fire, which gradually dissolved the nitre, and mixed it with the sand, occasioned a transparent matter to flow, which in fact was nothing less than glass.'
Pumping the water out of Lake Michigan.
It is well known to our readers that, by an arrangement with the English bond holders, the State of Illinois has given over to them the unfinished canal, from the waters of Lake Michigan, at Chicago, to the Illinois river.—They are about completing it, but the principal difficulty now is, to supply it with water, owing to the level of the lake being eight feet below the bottom of the canal. To overcome this, the present company, after various propositions, finally bethought themselves of raising the water of the lake, so as to supply the canal. They went to Messrs. Knapp & Totten, of this city, and furnished them with a data to calculate whether it could be done, and what force and what machinery would accomplish it. These gentlemen soon furnished an answer to build some powerful machinery for that purpose,—a steam engine and eight pumps of four and a half bore and six feet stroke. We are glad to hear that this eminently scientific firm have been selected to execute this order. Their shop and mechanical force are not excelled by any establishment in the United States.—[Pittsburg Gaz.