Obituary. Rhys William Jones, 1804-1864

608 MEMOIRS. mulation of Water.-Application of Spherical Bearings to Screw- shaft. 9. Propeller Shaft Stuffing-box and Gearing.-Peculiar method of coupling and unshipping the Propeller-blades,which operations can be easily effected when under way.-Pcculiar method of coupling thc Propeller-shaft with the Engine. 10. 300 H.P. Stationary Inverted Cylinder Compensating or Double Piston Steam Engine, with external Crank.-Reduced speed Air-pump. 11. Modification of Variable Expansion Gear and Slide Valve. 12. High-pressure, Non-condensing Compensating or Double Piston Stcam Engine, with Governor acting upon a Throtfle Valve in theExhaust Stcam-pipe. 13. Expansion Valve Governor. 14. Steam Boiler with ' Bouloirs,' adapted for Screw Fire-grate. 15. Tubular Boiler. 1G. 300 H.P. Horizontal, Compensating, or Double Piston Steam Engine, connected with a pair of Vertical Fan-propellers.-Peculiar construction of Proneller and Feed-box. and Rerrulatina Anoaratus. 17. Application of FriGion Break or Starting AppGratus tu0 C&k-shafts of Marineengines, for connecting or disengaging Paddle-wheel or Scrcw-propeller. 18. Application of Friction Break or Starting Apparatus to the end of a Shaft, for connecting the same with, or disengaging it from another Shaft, through the medium of a Universal Joint or Coupling. 19. Spherical Bearings, especially adapted for heavy Shafts, and where the Pedestals cannot be fixed to a solid foundation ; as, for instance, for Shafts of Screw-propellers. 20. Application of Friction-break, or Starting Apparatus, to the Fly-wheel of a Rolling Mill, or other heavy machinery requiring to be suddenly started or stopped, and where the resistance to be overcome by the Motor is liable to be suddenly increased.-Also application of the same Apparatus for reversing the motion of the Rolls of a Rolling Mill. 21. Further modification of the construction of the Friction-break or Starting Apparatus. 23. High-pressure Tubular Marine Engine Boiler, fitted with Travelling Grate.-Inside Fire-box with corrugated Roof.-Water-bridge.- Fan blast with regulating Flues, for the purpose of giving any direction to the current of Air. 23. Balance-rudder, and mode of nnshipping and replacing the same.-- Metallic Tube to which the wings of the Rudder arc attached. 24. Adaptation of the Compensating principle to Pcndulum or Vibrating Steam Engines. 25. Inclined Cylinder Compensating Trunk Engine.-Air-pump for high velocities.

MR. nRYS WILLIAM JONES, the eldest son of the late Mr. ReesJones, of PenybailyHouse, Loughor, Glamorganshire, was born in Swansea in the gear 1804. Afterreceiving a liberal cducat'ion, he became actively engaged under his fat'her, who was a Mineral Engineer well known in South Wales, and likewise served a pupilageunder the late Mr. Rennie. At an early period of his carecr ]le was employed under Mr. I€.B. Palmcr, then acting for Mr. 'lelford on the snrvey for the improvement of the turnpikc

roads through Wales. Subsequently, when hehad acquired a practical knomledge of the profession, he removed to London, and was occupied for some years, under the Messrs. Rennie, in con- nection wit,h the Plymouth Breakwater, the New London Bridge, and other works then in progress. TVilile the Sea Sluice and Em- bankment were in course of construction on the estates, near Lynn, in No.r€olk, of thelate Lord William Bentinck, he made the acquaintance of that nobleman, and was on the point of accom- panying Lord William toIndia, where large engineering works were then projected, when the sudden illness of hisfather, Mr. Rees Jones, in 1830, who had been attacked with paralysis, and was unable toattend to active duties, recalled him to Wales. When a railway between Liverpool and Mancllester was first brought forward, he was engaged with Mr. Vignoles (V.P. Inst. C.E.) on the survey of the line prqjected by the Messrs. Rennie, and from that time railway communication occupied much of his attention.Shortly after Mr. Jones' return to South Wales, he constructed the harbour of Saundersfoot, in Carmarthen Bay, and acted as Mineral Engineer to the Penlbrokeshire estates of the lateLord illilford. He was also engaged inthe construction of the harbour of New Quay, in Cardigan Hay ; but from the difi- cdty of raising the necessary funds the works mere not completed at that time. In 1846, when it was proposed to continue the Great Western system through South Wdes to Milford, he took a great interest in theundertaking, and assisted the lateMr. I. H. Brunel in getting up the survey for part of the line through Glalnorganshire and Carmarthenshire. The branch line to the town of Swansea was afterwards projected at his suggestion. The Vale of Neath railway was laid out by him, and was constructed underhis direction, Mr. Brunel being the En,heer-in-chief. He was the Engineer to the Swansea Vale railway from its commencement, and also acted as Engineer to the Llanelly Harbour Commissioners, most of the improvement,s of that harbour having been carried out under him. He wa8 also largely engaged in valuatlons of land for railways, and 011 arbitration cases, as well as on tit'he commutation surveys in Wales. Mr. R. W. Jones died on the 13th of April, 1864, at his resi- dence, Pentwyn, Loughor, in his sixty-first year. His health had been failing for some time, but his death occurred rather suddenly, from an attack of paralysis. He was amiable and unassuming; was possesscd of sound common sense, great integrity, and single- ness of mind, and fulfilled the various duties of life in a manner to secure the esteem of all who knew him. He had been associated with The Institdion of Civil Engineers for a long period, having [ 1868-69. N.s.] 2R

MR. GEORGE RENNIE, the eldest son of thelate Mr. John Hennie, F.B.S., &c.,--so well known by his numerous great engineering works in every part of the gIobe,-was born in theparish of Christchurch, Surrey, on the 3rd of December, 1791, and received the rudiments of his education atthe establishment of thelate Dr. Greenlaw, at Isleworth, whence he was sent to St. Paul's school, then under the mana.gement of the late well-known Dr. Roberts, where he remained about two or three years. From early life George Rennie was brought up under his father, with the intention of fol- lowing the profession of a Civil Engineer, for which he exhibited considerable talent. In1807 he accompanied his fatherin his annual professional tour through England, Ireland, and Scotland, visiting numerous engineering works. He was then placed at the University of Edinburgh, under the charge of the Rev. Dr. Robertson -a near relative of the distinguished historian-in whose house he boarded for about two years with Professor Dunbar and Dr. Henry, -subsequently the eminent chemist-of Manchester. At the end of this period he wasreceived into the house of Professor John Playfair, by whose tuition he profited largely. During his stay in Edinhurgh he studied mathematics, mechanics, natural philosophy, chemistry, and classics under Professors Leslie, Hope, Christison, Playfair, snd Dunbar. On hisreturn from Edinburghin the year 1811,he com- menced the study of mechanical and civil engineeringunder his father, whose extensive engagements afforded him excellent oppor- tunities for acquiring a thorough knowledge of the practical pnrt of the profession. Fromthis tlmehe 157as in hisfather's oflice, who was then designing many great works, such as the Waterloo and Southwark bridges, hhe Lincolnshire drainage, the improve- ments of Plymouth, Portsmouth, and Chatham dockyards, and the Plymouth, Iiinghtown, and Holyhead breakwaters and harbours, &c. In 1818, Mr. George Rennie was recommended, by Sir Joseph Banks and Mr. James Watt, as the successor of Mr. J. Lawson, for the situation of' Inspector of Machinery and Clerk of theIrons (dies) atthe Hoyal Mint, which post he held for nearly eight years. The duties of the department were lakorious, requiring an intimate knowledge of machinery, as well as of the composition of ironand steel, and of the best modeof constructing dies for coining. Mr. Rennie was very successful, and his egorts gave great satisfaction. During t8he time he held the post he acquired t,hat experience of theart of coining, which was afterwards turned to good account, when he was called upon to furnish(in