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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5665, 27 May 1879, Page 3

Mr. A. Emery, of America, has recently invented a remarkable 400-ton testing machine. Among the tests recently applied were the following ; —A forged link of hard wrought iron, 5 inches in diameter between the eyes, was slowly trained iu tension, and broke short off with a loud report at 722,8001 b. To see it the weighing part had been disturbed by the great recoil, a horse-hair was next tested. It was 7-1000 of an inch in diameter; it stretched 30 per cent., and broke at 11b. Other horse-hairs varied between lib. and 21b. The accuracy of these small tests and others up to some hundreds of pounds was cheeked and proved by other weighing machines. Specimens were submitted to a million pounds’ compression, and after these, delicate structures, such as eggs and nuts, were tested iu compression, and violin strings intension. Unfortunately Congress has refused to grant the means to make the machine available. It has been transferred to the custody of the Secretary of VVar.