A compound locomotive, built by the Rhode Island Locomotive Works, has
been tried on the Union Elevated Railroad, Brooklyn, N.Y. The engine
can be run either single or compound. The economy in fuel was 37.7 per
cent, and in water 23.8 per cent, over a simple engine which was
tested at the same time. The smoothness of running and the stillness
and comparative absence of cinders was fully demonstrated.

* * * * *




STEAM ENGINE VALVES.

[Footnote: Lecture delivered at Wells Memorial Institute, Boston, in
the Lowell Free Course for Engineers. From report in the _Boston
Journal of Commerce_.]

By THOMAS HAWLEY.

RIDING CUT-OFF VALVES--PECULIARITIES AND MERITS OF THE DIFFERENT
STYLES.


In considering the slide valve in its simple form with or without lap,
we find there are certain limitations to its use as a valve that would
give the best results. The limitation of most importance is that its
construction will not allow of the proper cut off to obtain all the
benefits of expansion without hindering the perfect action of the