The advice I gave my wealthy friend was given before the Stevens Institute had developed in the direction it has now. The foundation of this advice, namely, to combine a certain amount of judicious practice with theory, is now in a fair way to be carried out, and although things will probably not be permitted to break here, the students will doubtless have opportunities for looking around them and supplementing their systematic instruction here by observation abroad. * * * * * LIGHT STEAM ENGINE FOR BALLOONS. We here illustrate one of a couple of compound engines designed and constructed by Messrs. Ahrbecker, Son & Hamkens, of Stamford Street, S.E., for Captain Mojaisky, of the Russian Imperial Navy, who intends to use them for aeronautical purposes. The larger of these engines has cylinders 3¾ in. and 7½ in. in diameter and 5 in. stroke, and when making 300 revolutions per minute it develops 20 actual horse power, while its weight is but 105 lbs. The smaller engine--the one illustrated--has cylinders 2½ in. and 5 in. in diameter, and 3½ in. stroke, and weighs 63 lbs., while when making 450 revolutions it develops 10 actual horse power. The two engines are identical in design, and are constructed of forged steel with the exception of the bearings, connecting-rods, crossheads, slide valves and pumps, which are of phosphor-bronze. The cylinders, with the steam passages, etc., are shaped out of the solid. The standards, as will be seen, are of very light T steel, the crankshafts and pins are hollow, as are also the crosshead bolts and piston rods. The small engine drives a single-acting air pump of the ordinary type by a crank, not shown in the drawing. The condenser is formed of a series of hollow gratings. [Illustration: LIGHT STEAM ENGINE FOR AERONAUTICAL PURPOSES] Steam is supplied to the two engines by one boiler of the Herreshoff steam generator type, with certain modifications, introduced by the designers, to insure the utmost certainty in working. It is of steel, the outside dimensions being 22 in. in diameter, 25 in. high, and weighs 142 lb. The fuel used is petroleum, and the working pressure 190 lb. per square inch. The constructors consider the power developed by these engines very moderate, on account of the low piston speed specified in this particular case. In some small and light engines by the same makers the piston speed is as high as 1000 ft. per minute. The engines now illustrated form an interesting example of special designing, and Messrs. Ahrbecker, Son, and Hamkens deserve much credit for the manner in which the work has been turned out, the construction of such light engines involving many practical difficulties,--_Engineering._ * * * * * Mount Baker, Washington Territory, has shown slight symptoms of volcanic activity for several years. An unmistakable eruption is now in progress. * * * * *