Poor Bruits! I wunder How we bee to Liv May them Blowd ingins all blow up their Grates, There was no doubt a momentary triumph among the deposed satellites of the old coaching system over the failure of the atmospheric working; but the railway interests engaged were too large for "their ineffectual feuds and feeble hates," and it was merely a temporary check, although, no doubt, a considerable loss was incurred by the capital sunk. The railway was opened to Newton on December 30th, 1846, being at first worked by locomotives. On September 8th, 1847, four passenger trains commenced to run each way between Exeter and Newton, which would be the date of the working of passenger trains by atmospheric power. The system was discontinued on September 9th, 1848. The great difficulty was the leathern valve on the top of the atmospheric pipe or cylinder, which was laid between the rails. It could not be kept air-tight from the deterioration of the leather and other causes. Much leakage and loss of economical power was the result. It was found at the end of a twelvemonth's trial that the valve required to be renewed throughout the whole length of the line, and as it cost over £1000 per mile, the Directors declined to incur the cost. Since then the loss has been largely compensated by the enormous increase of traffic, more, I am told, than fourfold. I remember travelling by the atmospheric from Newton to Exeter. The motion was very smooth and pleasant; no screaming whistle, but a melodious horn was sounded on nearing the stations, reminding one of the coaching days of old; no puffing or labouring up the inclines, but a swift, silent, even progress-unhasting, unresting; no coke dust or sulphurous smell from the engine. I think, however, that there was a difficulty in stopping the train at the platforms, which was inconvenient. The picturesque engine-houses, built after the fashion of Italian campaniles, at intervals of six miles along the line, have either been pulled down or utilized. The lecture and reading-rooms of the admirable Mechanics' Institution at the Newton Abbot Station are the boiler and engine-rooms of one of the stationary steam-engines, used to form a vacuum in the tube by pumping the air out. * ARNOLD'S Bolder Dead, p. 194. I suppose it must be allowed that the return to locomotive power by steam alone was a retrograde movement. Be that as it may, a new-town (No. 2) has been brought into existence by the increased facilities for travelling, which the railroad, as worked at present, has afforded for its inhabitants and neighbourhood. What our posterity will possess in the way of accelerated speed I am not going to prophesy, for I am not sure. Possibly the power of electricity may double the present speed of travelling, or the day will come when any elderly gentleman may ring his bell after breakfast, and say to his servant, "John, bring round the balloon; I am going to Paris, but I shall be back to dinner." "I'll put a girdle round the earth in forty minutes." LIST OF MEMBERS. * Indicates Life Members. + Indicates Honorary Members. Indicates Corresponding Members. Italics indicate Members whose addresses are incomplete or unknown. The Names of Members of the Council are printed in small capitals. Notice of Changes of Residence and of Decease of Members should be sent to the General Secretary, Rev. W. Harpley, Clayhanger Rectory, Tiverton. Year of Election. 1879* ACLAND, Sir H. W. D., K.C.B., M.A., M.D., LL.D., F.R.S., F.R.G.S., Broad Street, Oxford. 1880 Acland, Rev. Preb., M.A., Broadelyst, Exeter. 1885 Adams, C. G., 2, Adelaide Terrace, Ilfracombe. 1875 Adams, James, M.D., Ashburton. 1877 Adams, James, jun., Kingsbridge. 1872+ Adams, John Couch, M.A., D.C.L., F.R.S., F. R.A.S., Director of Observatory and Lowndean Professor of Astronomy and Geometry in the University of Cambridge, The Observatory, Cambridge. 1881 Adams, Col. H. C., Lion House, Exmouth. 1878 Alexander, James, M.D., Paignton. 1884 Alsop, J., 17, Devon Square, Newton Abbot. 1874 Alsop, R., Teignmouth Bank, Teignmouth. 1877 Amery, Jasper, Glena, Kingsbridge. 1869 AMERY, J. S., Druid, Ashburton. 1869 AMERY, P. F. S., Druid, Ashburton. 1875* Andrew, T., F.G.S., Southernhay, Exeter. 1877 Andrews, R., Modbury. 1863 Appleton, Edward, F.R.I.B.A., 1, Vaughan Parade, Torquay. 1870 Arnold, G., Dolton. 1868 Ashley, J., Honiton. 1882 Atkins, E., Dun Esk, Teignmouth. 1885 Bacot, John T. W., 8, West Cliff Terrace, Seaton (VICE PRESIDENT). 1884 Baker, R. H. M., Roseneath, Newton Abbot. 1877 Balkwill, B., Devon and Cornwall Bank, Kingsbridge. 1871 Bangham, Joseph, Torrington. 1878 Baring-Gould, Rev. S., M.A., Lew Trenchard, Lewdown. 1862 Barnes, Rev. Preb., M.A., The Vicarage, Heavitree, Exeter. 1879 Barnett, C. G., Ilfracombe. 1879 Baron, Rev. J., D.D., F.S.A., Rectory, Upton Scudamore, Warminster, Wilts. 1884 Barry, J., Lower St. Paul's Road, Newton Abbot. 1877 Bartlett, Rev. J. M., Manor House, Ludbrooke, Modbury, Ivybridge. 1881 Bartlett, Major-General, J.P., Exmouth. 1883*Bartlett, O. Smart, Paignton. 1876 Bastard, B. J. P., Kitley, Yealmpton, South Devon. 1862 BATE, C. SPENCE, F.R.S., &c., 8, Mulgrave Place, Plymouth. 1872 Bate, James J. R., Bampton Street, Tiverton. 1882 Bathurst, H., Springhill, Frome, Somerset. 1873 Batten, J. Hallett, F. R. G.S., M. R. A.S., 2, Manston Terrace, Exeter. 1866 Bayly, John, Seven Trees, Plymouth. 1871*Bayly, Robert, Torr Grove, Plymouth. 1884 Bearne, Lewis, St. Bernard's, Newton Abbot. 1876 Beatty, W., Buckfastleigh. 1875 Bedford, Admiral E. I., R.N., Fairlawn, Paignton. 1875 Bennett, C., 5, Victoria Terrace, Mount Radford, Exeter. 1877 Bennett, E. Gasking, 10, Woodland Terrace, Plymouth. 1877 Berry, J., 18, Belgrave Terrace, Torquay. 1882 Berry, W. B., Union Road, Crediton. 1876 Bickford, J., Bank, Ashburton. 1880 Birch, Rev. W. M., M.A., Vicarage, Ashburton. 1879 Birkmyer, J., 13, Lower Terrace, Mount Radford, Exeter. 1878 Blackmore, Rev. R., M.A., Probus, Cornwall. 1883 Bloye, W. H., M.R.C.V.S. Lond., Week Street, Treville Street, Plymouth. 1872 Borlase, W. C., F.S.A., M.P., Laregan, Penzance. 1872 Bridges, W. T., D.C.L., Torwood, Torquay. 1878 Bridgman, G. Soudon, Warwick Lodge, Paignton. 1870 Briggs, T. R. A., F.L.S., Fursdon, Egg Buckland, Plymouth. 1872 Brodrick, W., B.A., Littlehill, Chudleigh (VICE-PRESIDENT). 1876 Brown, M. G., Stanmore House, Dawlish. 1882 BROWNLOW, The Very Rev. Canon, M.A., The Presbytery, St. Mary Church, Torquay. 1882 BRUSHFIELD, T. N., M.D., The Cliff, Budleigh Salterton. 1881*Bryant, Wilberforce, Southbank, Surbiton, Surrey. 1879* Bryce, J. P., J.P., Bystock, Exmouth. 1872 Buckingham, W., 12, Southernhay, Exeter. 1871 Burch, Arthur, 5, Baring Crescent, Exeter. |