Excerpt from A Handbook on the Steam Engine: With Especial Reference to Small and Medium-Sized Engines; For the Use of Engine Makers, Mechanical Draughtsmen, Engineering Students, and Users of Steam Power IN the present condition of the markets, makers must not occupy too much time in calculations or mathematical research, but collecting results from actual practice, must note them in a convenient form, though not as formulae, since formulae are only useful within certain limits, there always being a risk of error in calculation. If anyone compares the results of the formulae of one writer with those of another, he will often find great discrepancies between them. The present work aims at showing the results of practical experience. Letterpress has been reduced as much as possible, to allow of the introduction of numerous tables and drawings, these being the language of technical people. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.