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Mechanics magazine
- Bandzählung
- N.S. 23=92.1870
- Erscheinungsdatum
- 1870
- Sprache
- Englisch
- Signatur
- A146
- Vorlage
- Universitätsbibliothek Chemnitz
- Digitalisat
- Universitätsbibliothek Chemnitz
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- urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-db-id507363582-187000013
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- http://digital.slub-dresden.de/id507363582-18700001
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- oai:de:slub-dresden:db:id-507363582-18700001
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- Projekt: Bestände der Universitätsbibliothek Chemnitz
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Zeitschrift
Mechanics magazine
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Band
Band N.S. 23=92.1870
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- Titelblatt Titelblatt -
- Register Index to vol. XXIII I
- Register Illustrations to vol. XXIII IV
- Ausgabe Jan. 1, 1870 1
- Ausgabe Jan. 8, 1870 19
- Ausgabe Jan. 14, 1870 37
- Ausgabe Jan. 21, 1870 55
- Ausgabe Jan. 28, 1870 73
- Ausgabe Feb. 4, 1870 91
- Ausgabe Feb. 11, 1870 109
- Ausgabe Feb. 18, 1870 127
- Ausgabe Feb. 25, 1870 145
- Ausgabe Mar. 4, 1870 163
- Ausgabe Mar. 11, 1870 181
- Ausgabe Mar. 18, 1870 199
- Ausgabe Mar. 25, 1870 217
- Ausgabe Apr. 1, 1870 235
- Ausgabe Apr. 8, 1870 253
- Ausgabe Apr. 15, 1870 271
- Ausgabe Apr. 22, 1870 289
- Ausgabe Apr. 29, 1870 307
- Ausgabe May 6, 1870 325
- Ausgabe May 13, 1870 343
- Ausgabe May 20, 1870 361
- Ausgabe May 27, 1870 379
- Ausgabe June 3, 1870 397
- Ausgabe June 10, 1870 415
- Ausgabe June 17, 1870 433
- Ausgabe June 24, 1870 451
- Ausgabe No. 2361 I
- Ausgabe No. 2362 I
- Ausgabe No. 2363 I
- Ausgabe No. 2364 I
- Ausgabe No. 2365 I
- Ausgabe No. 2366 I
- Ausgabe No. 2367 I
- Ausgabe No. 2368 I
- Ausgabe No. 2369 I
- Ausgabe No. 2370 I
- Ausgabe No. 2371 I
- Ausgabe No. 2372 I
- Ausgabe No. 2373 I
- Ausgabe No. 2374 I
- Ausgabe No. 2375 I
- Ausgabe No. 2376 I
- Ausgabe No. 2377 I
- Ausgabe No. 2378 I
- Ausgabe No. 2379 I
- Ausgabe No. 2380 I
- Ausgabe No. 2381 I
- Ausgabe No. 2382 I
- Ausgabe No. 2383 I
- Ausgabe No. 2384 I
- Ausgabe No. 2385 I
- Ausgabe No. 2386 I
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Band N.S. 23=92.1870
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THE MECHANICS’ MAGAZINE. —e— LONDON : FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1870. COMPETITION VERSUS MONOPOLY. I T is a common remark that “competition is the life of trade,” and of the truth of it there can be no doubt, provided a distinc tion be made between that which constitutes fair and honest competition and that which is simply opposition. The former is very different from the latter, and the main points of difference are worthy of notice. Compe tition, bona fide, is never based upon the suicidal foundation of being content to ruin oneself provided similar misfortune falls upon the rival. Railway companies have furnished abundant examples of the gross folly of indulging in the game of “ cutting each other’s throats,” and the results have been so palpable and so disastrous that we may rest assured that for the future the game will not often be played on any scale of mag nitude. Fair competition acknowledges the motto “ Live and let live,” but opposition does not. It is with it a case of the longest purse or the longest credit, and often, when it has gained the day, the resources are so completely exhausted as to render the victory as bad as a defeat. On the other hand, mono poly is equally undesirable. Monopoly sig nifies stagnation. Without some competi tion, without some rivalry, there is no inducement to progress, no spur to stimulate one to keep pace with the age. Iree trade has swept into oblivion a host of ancient monopolies, but at the same time it reserves to a person the right to enjoy the fruits of his own industry aud abilities. The patent laws are still in existence, and they guarantee to every individual who puts the results of his trouble, labour, and expense under their protection the sole use and right of whatever value they may prove to him. There is perhaps no point which occasions more em barrassment to parliamentary committees, Government commissioners, or tribunals deputed to investigate contending claims than that which is to draw the line of demarcation where competition should end. If they deny what is asked and reject the projects in con templation, the assertion is at once made that they wish to preserve a monopoly and will not allow fair play to others. If, to avoid this imputation, too much is granted, the authorities sanctioning the schemes are liable to be severely censured for permitting a superfluous and vexatious opposition. On the whole, it is no doubt preferable to err on the latter side, more especially as it is morally impossible to steer perfectly clear of both the two courses. It is the case of “ In- cidit inScyllam, qui vult vitare Charybdim.” Our opening remarks have been suggested by some new industrial, commercial, and engineering works proposed to be carried out in the metropolis, and the bills for which have been deposited in the House for the approaching session. Among these there is a project for a new market, an announcement which everyone will receive with delight, bearing in mind the wretched manner in which the greatest city in the world is pro vided with such necessaries. But our satis faction at the prospect ceases altogether when we learn that the title is the “ Charter- house Market,” and from that its intended site can readily be imagined. What on earth is another market required for within a stone’s throw of the splendid building already devoted to the same purposes? If the pro moters of this absurd scheme do not know where a market is.really needed we will tell them A market is urgently and sadly needed in South Lambeth, somewhere in the region of Kennington. It was here that Mr. Hughes proposed to have one erected, and in all pro bability he would have effected his object had he not resigned his seat for that borough. Isolated markets are only of value to the inhabitants of the immediate neighbourhood, and to butchers and those who can afford to buy wholesale and sell retail, but are of not the slightest benefit to those who live a mile or two away and cannot spare the time to go or send for provisions. The public does not require, in one sense, monster markets similar to that at Smithfield. What would really be of advantage to them, especially to the poorer class, would be to cut up the huge affair at Smithfield and place the divisions in different parts of the metropolis, not nearer to one another than a mile. The site of the proposed Charterhouse Market is to .be on the piece of ground situated between Cow Cross-street and Charles-street on the east and north side, and bounded on the west by Farringdon-road, and on the south by Char terhouse-street. Subterranean passages will be constructed leading from the market to the Metropolitan Railway. The arrangements generally will be similar to those already in operation in the rival establishment. There is one essential difference between the two emporiums. The government and control of the existing one is in the hands of the municipal authorities, that of the proposed will rest with the members of a private com pany. The policy of the latter is doubtful. It must not be understood that in pointing out what we regard as the objectionable and fairly questionable features in connection with this new project we are advocating a monopoly for the establishment already in existence. By no means; but still the pre sent market has an indisputable right to be unmolested by a rival in its own territory. Even in railway jurisprudence, which is of a most elastic character, it is acknowledged that this principle holds good, and that com peting lines must steer clear of each other’s district. Taking into consideration the size of the New Meat and Poultry Market in Smithfield, it is more than sufficient for the inhabitants of a portion of London extending far beyond the site of the Charterhouse scheme. Its territory would, indeed, be small if it did not extend farther than the other side of Farringdon-road. In connection with the subject of our article the attention of our readers may be directed towards some of the proposed tramways for the metropolis. All street tramways may be regarded as occupying a kind of intermediate position as vehicles of locomotion. They are not exactly omnibuses, nor are they rail ways, but entrench in some measure upon the characteristics of both. Their permanent way bears some resemblance to that of the latter, while the motive power is identical with that of the former. Street tramways are in open competition with both railways and omnibuses, and, in fact, appropriate for their own traffic a portion of the public thorough fares hitherto considered common to every vehicle that runs upon wheels. They are also not the less rivals to the Metropolitan or Underground Railways, as, although they do not occupy the same level, yet they frequently run for a great part of their course exactly over the line of the railway. As an example wo may select the bill of the North London Tramways Company. In it powers are sought to lay down a line commencing near Willesden and terminating in Farringdon- road. The route is through the Edgware- road, the old New-road (now called the Marylebone-road), Euston, Pentonville, and King’s Cross-road. It is well known that the course of the portion of the Metropolitan Railway, from King’s Cross station west wards, is almost exactly the same as that de scribed. Whatever steps the various omni bus companies may be inclined to take in the matter, there is no doubt that the railway company will make vigorous efforts to esta blish an allegation against the tramway scheme. If they could procure the co-opera tion of some of the vestries and local boards through whose districts the proposed tram ways will run, the opposition might be very strong and powerful. It cannot be forgotten that it was altogether owing to the hostility of the corporate authorities that the tram way which had a brief existence in the Uxbridge-road was removed. It is true that there were some objectionable features con nected with its details which are proposed to be entirely obviated in the future examples, but this will not constitute the point in dis pute, which will chiefly have reference to the question in the abstract. It is questionable whether, per se, the omnibus companies would be allowed any locus standi. Beyond the mere fact that the tramways would absorb a large number of their usual passengers, they have really nothing to urge. All that the tram way companies have to prove to the satis faction of the parliamentary committees is tha* they are willing and able to fulfil the legal maxim, “ Sic utere tuo, ut atienum non Icedas.'' This maxim was not fulfilled in the ways laid down by the notorious Mr. Train a few years ago. On the contrary, his experiment was the cause of so much inconvenience and annoyance to every one but those who did patronise the tramway that the Nuisance Act was put in force to compel him to dis continue it. One point, however, must be borne in mind, and that is that he had no legal, no Rarliamentary sanction for his en terprise. He tried it solely at his own risk, and, in one sense, could not well blame the consequences. The want also 'of the sanc tion of the legislature to his undertaking subjected it to a great number of petty annoyances and impediments which will not affect any future line for which a bill is obtained. It may be as well to remind par ties who are inclined to indulge in any petty spite that protective clauses are inserted in the bill which will render all such attempts of no avail and make them simply the means of entailing punishment and retribution upon those who put them into execution. It is perhaps too much to expect that there will be traffic for all three—railways, tramways, and omnibuses—but who can tell ? It was predicted very confidently that the Metro politan lines would absorb the street passen ger traffic, but they hare not done so, not even to the diminution of a single vehicle. A NEW DISCOVERY IN DYEING. T HE discovery of the aniline colours marked an important era in the history of the art of dyeing, and the development of the varied and beautiful tints from that organic base has proved eminently useful. Since the introduction of those dyes, and up to the present time, no very marked or radical im provements have been effected, no thoroughly new and practical discoveries have been made. Now, however, we have a perfectly new dye, which is extracted from a material in which —so far as we are aware —its existence was not previously suspected. Moreover, the new dye promises to supersede the aniline colours, which, as is well known, fade very rapidly, whereas the new dye has been well tried by men of experience, and is found to stand the most searching tests that could be applied. The circumstances which have at tended most of the important discoveries in the arts have generally proved both interest ing and instructive, and so in the present instance we have a narrative well worthy of a passing notice. The history of the discovery is a simple one—far more simple than the series of elaborate processes, mental, me chanical, and chemical, through which the invention passed from the time of its original inception in the mind of the inventor to the time of its perfection by him. The facts are briefly these :—Mr. John Walker, of the firm
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