An apparatus has been shown to us, by Mr. Taylor,
of Southampton, which is as ingenious as it is simple, and.exceedingIy valuable. Essen- tially it consists of a metal cylinder, closed at one end, the other end being also closed by a stout sheet of indiarubber; the whole air-tight. The tube has been close& while filled with, air at the mean temperature. It is obvious that as the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere rises; the air in the cylinder will expand; and the caoubehouc drumhead will swell outwards : this is the essential principle of the machine. The cylinder is, placed.. with its metal: en&downwards; a spring is placed. in contiguity with the drumhead, at aregulateddistanee and pressure; the riser on Sill indicatelon a dial plate, by which the spring, is regulated; and thus when the drumhead presses upwards to a given degree, the. spring releases a catch,, and an alarm bell isnounded. Instead of sound- ing a bell, it can be made to open a compensating ventilator. The appa- ratus,e-which can be made to any size,—is valuable for all cases where a regulated temperature is needed—the furnace, the ship's hold, the hos- pital; the hothouse, the mine, ece. It is an unfailing alarm against fire, whether in the home, the warehouse, or amid the combustible cargo of the-ship.
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