Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . AN OLIVER SCHOLARSHIP .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . SIR , —Being the projector of the scheme to obtain a scholarship at ono of our Universities for one of our ablest boys at the Masonio Institution , I may bo excused , I hope , for addressing , through your columns , my Masonic brethren throughout England and Wales , and even throughout the Universe , as I strongly desire the memory and

name of the lamented and learned Doctor Oliver , of Lincolnshire , to bo connected therewith . At a committee meeting of the Lincolnshire Grand Lodge , held at Grantham , in the month of May 1874 , I first mooted the question . Some brethren then expressed an opinion that such a scheme , as that which I propounded , if carried into execution , might take a poor lad

out of his sphere , as if goodness , learning and talent , were necessarily confined to any one class of society . Such , I believe , was not the late Dr . Oliver ' s opinion . When about to appeal to our late Grand Master on this interesting subject , I was deterred by his lamented secession from our Fraternity . The question has again been raised , at our Lincolnshire Grand

Lodge , held at Boston , this year . The sum of nearly £ 200 seems to have been raised to the memory of tho late Dootor Oliver , who accomplished so much for Universal Masonry by his energies and pen ; but after forty years' experience , however elastic tho voluntary principle may be , I havo not found that money easily flows into any exchequer , without a specific object ,

a stronuous endeavour , and a wise organization . Now , without determining tho appropriation , tho Grand Lodge of Lincolnshire has now voted £ 200 to the Oliver Memorial , making the sum of £ 400 . In my judgment , the suggestion to confer small annuities out of this limited capital , which at 5 per cent , would not exceed £ 20 annuall y , would be chimerical in its effects , as to any

real bouefit ; and , further , such insignificant doles , from the Provinco of Lincoln alone , would be unworthy of the name , pen , and zeal of so distinguished a Mason as the late Dr . Oliver . That eminent member of the Theological faculty lived in days when Masonic proceedings were under a clerical ban ; when no high preferment was accorded to him for his self-denying and unremitting

labours : nevertheless , he was content to work for Masonry under tho tliade of a cathedral , with a contemptible pittance , as a remuneration for his multifarious labours , simply , because ho did not bask under episcopal smiles . Yet , he did his work for Masonry , throughout the world j and what more appropriate memento to his undying fame can there be , than a

scholarship for a talented boy , a poor Mason ' s son , maybo an orphan , to one of our English Universities , to evince to mankind that Masonry has something to do with literature , as well as with good cheer j and that our avowed charity leads ns , as in days of yore , to provide for the lambs of the Fraternity , so that where goodness and mental parts , with diligence and perseverance , are found to be tho

distinguishing traits of a poor , forlorn lad , mental culture shall be secured for him to bless and improve society . A lad that can earn one scholarship , may earn one or two others . He may try . Surely , many of our Masonic brethren belong to that " Try Company " whose motto is Nil Desperandum . Six hundred subscriptions of ono sovereign each , from Masons in England and

Wales , would accomplish this benevolent project . Yea , double that sum could be raised , and that quickly , for the scholarship . Up and doing , my brother Masons . And I am confident that if brother Binckes , with his analytical skill , his comprehensive views , his descriptive and suggestive powers of organisation , would givo momentum to the project , the thing is done . Meanwhile , my pen and my time , so far as I can command it , shall . be at the service of tho project , with

a view to help those who may be able to help themselves and others , a project which , whilst it would perpetuate in literature the memory of the late Dr . Oliver , would tend to expand the mind of a Masonic stripling , and adorn Masonry with one of the brightest gems of Masonic charity . I am , Sir , yours respectfully , DANIEL ACE , D . D .

P . P . G . Chaplain for Lincolnshire Laughton Vicarage , near Gainsborough .

[ With reference to tho remarks of our correspondent , wo beg to state that an editorial on the subject of the late Dr . Oliver ' s contributions to Masonic literature will appear in our next issuo . —EDITOR FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . ]

Our Freemasonry.

OUR FREEMASONRY .

To the Editor of TnE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . 10 Guilford Place , W . C , 14 th June 1875 DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —My time and your space will not permii of " telling all about the antiquities which show acquaintance with our Freemasonry . " Bro . Buchan is doubtless familiar with mj authorities , and his demand is a quibble upon the question of what is

our Freemasonry . If he can admit it to bo a system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols—then the allegory and symbols in the possession of ancient Craftsmen , are proof of th ( antiquity of the system . But if he require a series of public record ? which lay bare the allegory and expound the symbols , I must demni

to his logic , whilst I venerate his " bumps . " The Pope ' s assertion , in 1738 , that the Society had been recently formed , seems to me , an inimical rejoinder to Dr . Anderson , who , in 1723 , called it most ancient . Yours fraternally , WALTER SPENCER ,

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Beview should be addressed to trie Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . Lives of the ' Engineers . The Steam Engine . Boulton and Watt . By Samuel Smiles , author of " Charaoter , " " Self Help , " & c . A new and revised edition . London : John Murray , Albemarle Street , 1874 .

SECOND NOTICE . IT is out of the question , of course , to notice the career of Watt in all its details , but we can note certain of the most prominent points , of which the most important is the discovery with which the world will ever associate his name . A long and interesting chapter on steam serves as an introduction to the account of Watt ' s study of

the subject and its results . Suffice it , that as regards the then knowledge of steam as a motive power , Newcomen ' s engine was the most advanced illustration . Of this engine , tho University of Glasgow possessed a model , which had been sent to London for repairs . Thi 3 having arrived in due time , was placed , by Dr . Anderson , in Watt ' s hands , and forthwith ho set to work to ascertain its value , and whether

it was an invention that might be turned to any beneficial account . By the aid of all the books whioh he could lay his hands on in which steam was dealt with , and by constant study of the engine model , Watt at length , by slow degrees , arrived at the conclusion that what was needed to make the steam engine of universal use was a separate condenser . This , as Watt himself said , may appear no such

wonderful invention after all , but it generally happens that the greatest discoveries are arrived at by sometimes the simplest process . How the great light suddenly dawned upon his mind is best told in his own words to Mr . Eobert Hart , whioh the author has introduced , and which tell the tale far better than the most elaborate description . " I had gone to take a walk on a fine Sabbath afternoon . I had

entered the Green by the gate at the foot of Charlotte Street , and had passed the old washing house . I was thinking upon the engine at the time , and had gone as far as the herd's house , when the idea came into my mind that as steam was an elastic body it would rush into a vacuum , and if a communication were made between the cylinder and an exhausted vessel , it would rush into it , and might be

there condensed without cooling the cylinder . I then saw that I must get rid of the condensed steam and injection-water if I used a jet , as in Newcomen ' o engine . Two ways of doing this occurred to me . First , tho water might be run off by a descending pipe , if an off-let could be got at the depth of 35 or 36 feet , and any air might be extracted by a small pump . The second was to make the pump

large enough to extract both water and air . " He continued : " I had not walked further than the Golf-house when the whole thing wa 3 arranged in my mind . " Steadily after this Watt devoted all his energies to the solution of the problem he had set himself to solve . The day following his great discovery ho " was up betimes , making arrangements for a

speedy trial of his new plan . " With the body of a syringe for a cylinder , an improvised cistern as his first condenser , and various other makeshifts , he set to work , and the result proved the correctness of the idea . Bub here , again , wo cannot do better than givo Watt's ipsissima verba . "' The steam pipe , ' says Watt , ' was adjusted to a small boiler .

When steam was produced , it was admitted into the cylinder , and soon issued through the perforation of the rod and at the valve of the condenser ; when it was judged that the air was expelled , the steam-cock was shut , and the air-pnmp piston-rod was drawn up , which leaving the small pipes of the condenser in a state of vacuum , the steam entered them and was condensed . The piston of the

cylinder immediately rose and lifted a weight of about 18 pounds , which was hung to the lower end of the piston-rod . Tho exhaustioncock wa 3 shut , the steam was re-admitted into the cylinder , and the operation was repeated . The quantity of steam consumed and the weights it could raise were observed , and , accepting tho non-application of the steam-case and external covering , the iuveution was

complete , in so far as regarded the savings of steam and fuel . " Thus the invention was complete , but it took Watt many years to bring it to perfection in all its details . However , these wero accomplished , and the next step was to construct a model engine . " For this purpose he hired an old cellar . " But the execution of his plans proved more difficult than its preparation . Even the fertility of

his invention proved an obstacle to progress . Expedients of all sorts were ever and anon suggesting themselves , some of them proving fruitless , while all of them caused delay . Another chi ) f difficulty was the obtaining competent workmon ; hence the first model proved only partially successful , but sufficiently so "to place tho advantages of the invention beyond tho reach of doubt . " Eesolved to pursue

the discovery , Watt went on toiling at his model , bnt other difficulties beset him , notably that most trying of all , tho want of means . His friend , Dr . Black , occasionally lent him stuns of money t . o enable him to prosecute his various experiments to an issue . Bat better still , knowing that Watt , in order to be successful , must 3 nd some person of means and enterprise who would bo willing to bejomo

issociated with him , Dr . Black accordingly introduced him to his riend , Dr . Eoebuck , the founder of the Carron Ironworks , an enterprising man , of undaunted spirit , not scared by difficulties , nor a liggard of expense , when he saw before him any reasonable prospect if advantage . " Into the history of this connection we havo not npace to enter . Dr . Roebuck at once recognised the valno of the invention , and , in course of time , a partnership was arranged between

hem , a model engine was set up at Kiuneil House , the residence of i 3 r . Itcebuck , and a patent taken out in 1769 . Bnt Dr . Eoebuck became embarrassed in his circumstances , and his share of the partnership was ultimately taken by Matthew Bonlton , as a set off to a lebt of £ 1 , 200 . Henceforth great as were the difficulties which still remained to be Overcome , the progress of the invention was a series of uninterrupted successes BouUon'a business was rendered far