Editorial.
86
BIlxatine of a Fly-Wheel.*
-An
English
contemporary
con--
i,t& *B M&u& of a~~isastrous accident of this kind which recently aocurred at the Bolton Iron and Steel Works, which involved a loss The accident occurred in of life and immense damage to property. the rail mill, where some twenty persons are employed day and night. After the starting of the engine, the belt came off the governor-shaft, which caused the engine to run at a greatly accelerated speed, the consequence being that the fly-wheel, 26 feet in diameter, and weighing 60 tons, flew asunder with a loud report, the fragments of which, eight in number, were projected with destructive effect into the works, The roof of the mill was brought down, the boilers, rolls and machinery of the mill greatly damaged, while other fragments were projected beyond the building with equally destructive rrsults. Nearly all the workmen in the mill at the time were more or levn injured. It is doubtful whether any case of this kind is upon record, which can equal this one in violence.
The “ Devastation.“-
and naval The contest between artillerists architects has culminated in the production of the ‘; Devastation,” u Thunderer,” and ‘*Fury,” protected by 12 inches of armor, and of 35-ton guns to perforate such plates at the distance of 1000 yards. and 5600 indiThe “ Devastation , ” a ship of 9158 tons displacement, cated horse-power, is the first sea-going ship-of-war designed without Carrying 1600 tons of coal, she is expected to run, at a &knot sails. speed, about 9200 miles without replenishing her coal-bunkers. Her side armor of 12 inches is only penetrable to %-ton guns when struck at right angles, within 200 or 300 yards’ range. The 14.inch iron plates on the front of the turrets would be impenetrable to British 25-The total weight of armor earried by ton guns as at present rifled. the “ Devastation ” is twice as great as that which protects the turretship ‘( Monarch,” of 8322 tons, and is equal to more than three-gearters of the weight of the hull which carries it. This is the most advanced of the three mastless ships, each of which is intended to carry four 35-ton guns in two turrets, throwing at each discharge 2800 lbs.. of iron with a striking f’orce at their muaales of 31,412 foot-tons_ Enormous as is this offensive power, it hardly bears a due proportion to the defensive superiority of the “Devastation” over other sea-going True, each gun would perforate armor which would be impenships. etra.ble to those of any other ships, but such as is not yet carried by;i Engineer, xxxv, 18.