1. That steel armor promises to replace both iron and compound.
2. That projectiles designed for the piercing of hard armor must be made of steel.
3. That the larger the plate, the better it is able to absorb the energy of impact without injury to itself.
4. That the backing must be as rigid as possible.
[FROM ENGINEERING.]
THE COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM OF PARIS.
The demand for compressed air as a motive power is constantly increasing in Paris; the company, according to its official reports, is financially prosperous, and it seems difficult to understand how it should continue as an actively going concern, unless it at all events paid its way. The central station of St. Fargeau, originally started on modest lines, for maintaining a uniform time by pneumatic pressure throughout Paris, has grown rapidly to very large proportions, though it has never been able to supply the demand made on it for power; and at the present time a second and still larger station is being constructed in another part of Paris. We confess that we do not understand why such large sums of money should continue to be spent if the enterprise is not commercially a sound one, nor how men of such eminence in the scientific world as Professor Riedler should, without hesitation, risk their reputation on the correctness of the system, if it were the idle dream of an enthusiast, as many persons—chiefly those interested in electric transmission—have declared it to be.
In describing the developments that have taken place during the last two years, we shall confine ourselves entirely to the details of a report recently made on the subject by Professor Riedler. As soon as it became evident that a very largely increased installation was necessary, it was determined that the new central station should be as free as possible from the defects of the first one. These defects, which were the natural results of the somewhat hasty development of an experimental system, were of several kinds. In the first place, so large a growth had not been contemplated, and the extensions were made more or less piecemeal, instead of being on a regular plan; the location of the central station itself was very unfavorable, both as regards the facilities for obtaining coal and other supplies; the cost of water was excessive, and the amount available, inadequate.
This evil was partly remedied by elaborate arrangements for cooling the injection water so that it could be repeatedly used, a device costly and ineffective, and resulting in extravagant working, to say nothing of the high charges made by the Paris company for supplying water. To these drawbacks had to be added others of an even more serious character. The engines first laid down were not economical, and the compressors employed gave but a very inferior result; with each extension of the plant, the efficiency of both engines and compressors was increased, the most satisfactory, we believe, having been those supplied by the Societe Cockerill, and one of which was exhibited at the Paris exhibition in 1889. Still it was clearly recognized that much better results were possible, results which Professor Riedler claims have been attained and which will be embodied in the new installation now in progress.
This central station is located on the left bank of the Seine, close to the fortifications, opposite Vincennes and not far from the terminal stations of the Orleans and the Paris, Lyons, and Mediterranean Railways; the plan, Fig. 1, shows the position. The works are separated from the river by the quay, over which a bridge will be constructed for the transfer of coal from the landing stages belonging to the company, into the works; as will be readily seen from the plan, it would be quite easy to run junction lines to the two adjacent railways, but with all the advantages given by water carriage, it was considered unnecessary to incur the expense. The river also affords a constant and unlimited water supply, so that none of the difficulties existing at St. Fargeau Station in imperfect condensation and cooling will be met with.