oughs are placed longitudinally, one on each side of
the vessel; or one may be placed between two vessels having one deck.
Their form may be either square or oblong; and they are left open so
that the currents of air in their passage to, and escape at or near, the
stern of the vessel, may act upon the water, until they pass off into
the air. They are supplied by air through a shaft, passing vertically
through the centre of the deck. Another of the improvements consists in
suspending paddle-wheels at or near the stern of the vessel, which are
set in motion by the action of the currents as they pass off into the
air, thereby increasing the motive power; or such paddle-wheels may be
moved without the intervention of the troughs or channels, by the motion
of currents of air or other gaseous fluids, forced through tubes or
cylinders. The patent was enrolled in the early part of March.

* * * * *

WATER GAS.--The English patent for Paine's Light was enrolled on the
12th of December, in the name of Alfred Vincent Newton, of Chancery
Lane, Middlesex. The _London Patent Journal_ publishes the
specifications and figures, remarking that the report has been ready for
some time, but was not published at the particular request of the
assignee of the patent in England. It states that the invention is for
decomposing water by means of electricity, and producing therefrom a
gas, which, after being made to pass through spirits of turpentine or
other hydro-carbonous fluids, will, when ignited, burn with great
brilliancy. The invention is known by the name of "Paine's Light"--this
being, in fact, Mr. Paine's specification, in which he states, that
although water has been spoken of as decomposed by the electric
currents, he wishes it to be understood that this is merely to accord
with the generally received chemical doctrines and phraseology, and that
water, after all, may be a simple element; however that may be, the
patentee wishes, at present, to lay it down as certain that by
discharging electricity through water, large quantities of gases are
evolved; and that one of such gases, at least, when passed through
turpentine, in the manner described, will burn and give a highly
illuminating light. Mr. Paine's affairs in England being thus adjusted,
it is possible that more will be heard of it on this side. The benefits
of the invention are hid under a bushel.

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IMPRO