The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-28 00:00:00

SECOND TRIAL TRIP OF THE CALORIC SHIP

ERICSSON.

(From the New York Weekly Herald.)
This wonderful vessel, the success of which is exciting
so much attention among all classes, at home and abroad,
went down the bay yesterday, on another trial trip,
having made what is called an " engineer's trip some
days back, an account of which, together with a full de-
scription of the vessel, appeared at the time in the
Herald. This second trip was determined on to dispel, by
another ocular demonstration, the evil reports that, in
spite of the success of the first trial trip, have been raised
against the practicability of the experiment. Accord-
ingly, about sixty invited guests, composed of members
of the press and several scientific gentlemen, assembled
on board a tow-boat at Whitehall, at nine o'clock, from
which they were transferred to the Ericsson, which was
waiting for visiters in the North river, off Pier No. 1.
At half-past nine exactly, the first turn of the wheels was
made. At fifteen minutes of ten she was abreast the fort
on Governor's Island, and reached Fort Diamond exactly
fifteenyninutes to eleven o'clock, a distance of about seven
miles and a half, against a strong head wind and tide.
When between Governor's Island and Quarantine, the
steam-ship Baltic, from Liverpool, was passed, which
saluted us with cannon, and several hearty rounds of
cheers, which were promptly returned. After the Ericsson
had proceeded about a mile and a half below thg Nar-
rows, she was put about and returned to the city, and
arrived at her starting point in the North River at a
quarterpast twelve. The distance from Governor's
Island to her turning point and back, was about 18
miles, which was accomplished in two hours and a half.
The greatest number of revolutions made on the trip
was ten and a quarter, and the greatest speed attained
Was at the rate of nine miles an hour. This trip was not
made to show her speed, but to convince the public that
the parties interested in her have succeeded in their pro-
mise of proving the capability of a vessel being pro-
pelled by caloric. On the way back the party as-
sembled in the saloon, when Captain Ericsson explained,
by the aid of a diagram, the whole principle and method
of working his caoric engines. He gave a succinct
history of the whole matter, and demonstrated the
method by which the atmosphere was drawn in cold,
then forced through a wire network, forming a
surface of 15,000 square inches, into a lower
cylinder, where, receiving additional heat from the fur-
nace, it expanded in the larger cylinder so as to raise it,
and then, when it had done its work, it escaped through
the work of wire gauze into the open air, having im-
parted the greater portion of its heat to the wire work,
which was again absorbed by the fresh draft of cold air
passing through the same wire meshes to be heated.
There are four double cylinders, set perpendicularly and
longitudinally, to the boat—two abaft and two forward
of the main wheel shaft. They all move in connection,
those forward rise, while those in the rear of the shaft
sink. There are two piston or driving crank rods, which
turn the wheel shafts. One is moved by a walking
beam, which is moved by the cylinders in front, and the
other by a similar beam in the rear. They both work on
the same crank of the wheel shaft, and at inclined angles,
rising from below, in the form of the letter V, inverted
thus, A with the shaft crank for both at the apex.
Hence, while one rod is pushing, the other is pulling the
.crank—thus avoiding the dead point usually encountered
in the ordinary crank motions of steam engines, &c. The
pressure was uniformly at 12 pounds to the square inch.
Captain Ericsson estimated the force of his machinery at
600 horse-power. The upper cylinder in each case con-
tained a head surface of 14,000 square inches, and the
lower cylinders a surface of 22,500 square inches. The
diameters of the main cylinders were about 163 inches.
The main valves were about 2 feet in diameter. The
consumption of coal was at the rate of 6 tons in 24 hours,
During Captain Ericsson's lucid exposition of his ma-
ch?nery, he invited the most rigid scrutiny and investi-
gation. Many questions were put by parties present,
which he answered with great clearness and promptness.
One question asked regarded the packing of the cylinders,
which it had been said would melt, and let the air escape.
He showed that by filling the cylinder heads with
non-conducting materials, and the packing by surrounding
the head, being above the surface exposed to heated air,
was kept cool. He also showed how eman, by standing,
on a cylinder head, could, by hand, readily lubricate
every part of the surface of the cylinder. The packing,
also, he showed to be at all times in command of the
engineer or attendant, which was not the case in steam-
engines. To a question regarding the oxidization, ex-
pansion, and contraction of the iron composing the bot-
toms of the main cylinders immediately over the fires in
the furnaces, he stated that the iron composing them
was an inch and a quarter thick, and when they gave
out, which would not be over once in five years, new ones
could immediately be substituted without displacing any
of the machinery; and were it desirable to make them en-
dure for a longer period, they could have their surfaces ex-
posed to the fire coated with fire-brick clay. He said they
did not expand, or contract, or vibrate but very little, and
not more than was common to metal similarly used in
other engines. Many other questions were put and an-
swered, regarding the backing or reversing the action of his
machinery, and when stopping her on her course for an
hour, more or less, how he would start her again. To the
latter question he said, if the detention exceeded many
minutes, he would start just as he would in the first in-
stance, by pumping a supply of fresh air, which would
soon become expanded in the large cylinder, and put all
in motion. But a pressure of half a pound to the square
inch would start the engine, and the weight of the crank
alone was stifficient to put it in motion. The expense of
running a caloric engine, he stated, would be but one-
fifth of that of a steam-engine of the same power.
In conclusion, Mr. E. stated that he was induced to
go on this trial trip for the sake of the parties interested
with him • but as to himself, he had been all along per-
fectly satisfied of the successful issue of the experiment;
and owing to the machinery not being tight, which is a
thing only to be accomplished by degrees, the engines
were not working much more than half of their power,
but that the trial had fully answered his expectations,
and he was confident the principle would in a short time
be universally adopted.
So clear were Capt. E.'s explanations, that he was
urged to give a lecture at Metropolitan Hall, illustrated,
as yesterday, by his model, on a larger scale, which
we trust that he will do. It was conceed by all that
Capt. E. had demonstrated his success in establishing
beyond all doubt a new principle of motive power, and
that all that was wanted was its proper application to
the great end intended. All that is necessary to gain
additional power is to increase the diameter of the cylin-
ders. Those in the present ship, it is clear are too
small to give the power and speed that are desirable.
Captain E. said he foresaw this difficulty, but was told
by ironfounders that they could not cast the cylinder of
greater dimensions than 14 feet. Since these were
made up that size and put in this ship, a firm in New
York has offered to guarantee to cast them of 20 feet in
diameter. Captain E. estimates that were the present
ships's cylinders of 16 feet diameter, she would make a
speed equal to the best ocean steamers, or 12 to 14
miles per hour; and that a vessel with 20 feet cylinders
would outstrip the speed of anything that now floats on
the water.
We have before alluded to the dimensions of the ship,
the great freight room gained by the diminished space
occupied by the machinery and coal, and the absence of
danger from explosion or collapse, as well as to the great
comfort derived from the perfect ventilation of the ship
in every part. This is caused by the fresh air being
drawn into the lower hold of the vessel before it enters
the cylinders.
Captain E. thinks it can be modified to propel locomo-
tives on railroads, and applied to nearly all kinds of sta-
tionary work. great and small. A locomotive on this
plan could be made to traverse a street, without stopping
for water or fuel on the way.
When Captain E. had concluded, a meeting was or-
ganised and a committee appointed to give an expression
of those present, on the success of this great experiment.
The committee reported the following resolutions, which
were passed unanimously :

Resolved—That this meeting of those present upon the
trial trip of the caloric ship Ericsson is no less fully and
deeply impressed with the grave importance of the subject
neon which it feels called to express a judgment, than
completely aware of the many advantages to the public
which must arise from the now incontestable success of
the invention which has to-day been put into practical
operation.
Resolved—That, upon thorough examination and actual
observation, we aro entirely convinced that the invention
of Captain Ericsson is no longer of questionable practica-
bility, but from this day takes rank with the foremost of
the great and useful inventions which the world owes to
science and genius, and that it promises to surpass In
efficiency any other adjunct to the advancement
of com-
merce and the industrial progress of the world.
Resolved—That, from its economy, safety, and ready
applicability
ine to all purposes requiring motive power, the
caloric eng cannot fail to minister largely to the happi-
ness of mankind.
Resolved—That the peculiar adaptability to sea vessels
of the new motor presented to the.world by Captain Erics-
son, is now fall established ; and that it is likely to prove,
in every respect, superior to steam for such purposes.
Resolved—That the remarkable economy
of fuel neces-
sary for its working, the absence of all risk from explosion,
and the low temperature throughout the ship, even in the
engine and fire rooms, as satisfactorily exhibited on this
trip, are among the most prominent claims of the caloric
engine to the attention of the scientific and commercial
world.
Resolved—That in his lucid, simple, and comprehensive
statement of his theory, and description of his engine,
Captain Ericsson has not only demonstrated. the beautiful
completeness and perfect working of the system which he
has brought, by 20 years elaboration, to it present com-
mandingMaMcom-
mandingposition before the world, but has shown a fer-
tility of resource,
and a ready command of his vast scien-
tific knowledge, which hardly less entitle him to the ad-
miration of all who heard him. _

Resolved—That in the admirable construction of the
Ericsson, and the beauty of her model, and in the perfectly
successful production of so novel and remarkable an engine,
Messrs. Perrine, Patterson, and Stack, her builders, and
Messrs. Hogg and Delamater, the machinists, have shown
themselves worthy coadjutors in so noble a project, so im-
portant an invention.

John B.
...........,,-.
- Resoived—That E. W. Stoughton,.
.tritfhinriengd,
and legal advisor of the inventor,thEsSiol
Esq., and G. E. Lamar, Esq., and others,
inthflemnee to in
men who
have invested their capital and. lent their
snre.tho success of this great enterprise,
are entitled to the
mercial, and
enduring gratitude of the entire social, com
industrial -world.
Among those present we recognised members of nearly
all the press in the city, with a representative from Buf-
falo, and another from Cincinnati. At the conclusion of
the meeting, the company sat down to a cold collation,
having been previously served with an excellent break-
fast. After which, several speeches were made and sen-
timents expressed complimentary to Captain Ericsson,
John 13. Kitching, and others. On the health of the
commander of the ship being proposed
Captain LowBEB said—l offer ,
you, ail., my thanks for
your most kind sentiment ; and to
most heartfelt acknowledgments forY its on,
gentlemen, myso
ception. The hoarse voice of the sailor is gracious re-
mote accus-