The Press.
London, England, 1853-12-31 00:00:00

NEW PROPULSIVE AIACRINERY.

IN connect' with a movement now on foot in Sent-
land, under the auspices of the " Deep-Sea Fishing
Association," some novel and ingenious mechanism
has been adopted for the purpose of applying the
power of steam to the propulsion of vessels. A new
steam-ship, the Enterprise, has been constructed for
the society by Messrs. ltuthven of Edinburgh, and
fitted with the new machinery of which that firm are
patentees. The efficiency of the invention will be
amply tested during the fishing services whereon this
vessel is slimily to be engaged ; but various experi-
mental trials have previously been made of the work-
ing and navigating power of the apparatus, with, it is
stattst, the most complete success. We tintl the fol
lowing description of the machinery, which possesses
many points of singularity and ingenuity, in the Edin-
burgh Courant :

" The dim►ensi of the Estetprisr are lii► feet in le►,gth
a►d It► fret beam ; her tonnage being cbont 14141, and her
engines 3l lose power. Extertially her light and g►aceful
Tines are not injured by any cumbersome machinery--the
only outward agent of propul being a short curved
pipe of ten inches diameter on each side of the eessek
termed ' nodes,' which communicate with a horizontal
water-tight iron case inside in the bottom of the vessel, to
thigh the pater is adluitted by apertures wider it; sod iu

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SATURDAY,

this case is placed a wheel, fixed on a double crank-shaft,
which, being attached by piston-rods to the steam-engine,
is made to revolve with some velocity. The water in the
case is rapidly expelled by the circular motion, and, being
discharged by the nodes, forms the propelling power. In-
dependent of its scientific and practical value, the absence
of any visible agency of propulsion is not the least, inte-
resting feature of the invention. The nozles, however, also
form the chief means of navigating the vessel, bring ens.
pended so as to turn her, by a simple movement of the
hand, In any direction. Thus, when pointed horizontally
towards the stern, the vessel goes forward; if to the bows,
she goes astern ; and, when turned in a perpendicular di-
rection, she stops almost at once, although, during all
these movements, the engine may be working with full
power. Indeed, the remarkable facility by which these
literations—usually so difficult in vessels of the common
construetion—are effected, without interfering with the en-
gine, seem to render the invention invaluable in eases of
apparent danger or collision. In the trial trips this feature
was fully tested, and with the most gratifying result.
Among the advantages claimed for the invention may ha'
enumerated high rate of speed, combined with saving of
fuel. The sailing qualities of the ship being preserved,
the canvas may be used alone, or with the full power of the
engine, though the principle can be adapted to any speed
that steam is calculated to produce. The vessel is also
free from the usual vibration and noise of steely-vessels ;
while the apparatus for propulsion is quite safe from ex-
ternal injury. The engine, Wing of limited dimensions,
occupies miteh less space than others of equal power. The
Esterprise is to be schooner-rigged, mid will proceed to the
fishing-ground with boats, and their crews, trawl-nets, and
lines. The boats are lowered where it may be considered
desirable, while the steamer admits of fishing and trawling
from her deck, besides affording assistance and the means
of safety at all times to the fishermen. The deep-sea fish-
ing schetne—in the success of which the community ge-
literally has no small interest—will, therefore, soon lie in
active operation. The inventors consider that, valuable as
the principle of the invention may be for tkhing purposes,
it is equally valuable to our steam mussy and to ocean and
passenger vessels, while they expect it to remove the chief
difficulty of steam navigation on canals."