A Singular Calculation.

A Singular Calculation.

In a recent number of Power a singular calculation is presented by J. A. Renie. It would require, according to Mr. Renie's figures, the power of a 10,000 horsepower engine about 70,000,000,000 years to lift the earth a foot in height, and to do this work, allowing 13 pounds of water per horsepower per hour, would require some 10,000,000,000,000,000.000 gallons of water, or more than would be discharged at the mouth of the Mississippi in 60,000 years. This would be enough, the writer estimates, to cover the entire surface of the earth to a depth of about 300 feet, to convert which into steam, using good boilers, would require some 4,000,000,000,000,000 tons of coal. If the latter quantity of the mineral was loaded on cars of 20 tons each, it would demand 200,000,000,000,000 such cars. If the latter were 30 feet long and all coupled together in one train, it would reach around the earth 45,000,000 times and, if running 25 miles per hour, would consume 25,000,000 years in running the length of itself. So much for "figures."