The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-29 00:00:00

HOW TO SUBDUE SMOKE.

Referring to our five preceding articles on this
subject, in proof of the fact that there exists a
choice of means for suppressing the smoke nuisance,
and among them more than one that produces at
the same time very important savings in the cost
or consumption of fuel—which appliances, too,
have been adapted to a great variety of furnaces,
from the smallest to the largest, and of every
legally contemplated form for land purposes—we
proceed to inquire why it is that no such desir-
able result appears to have been attained on board
our river steamers, and particularly those that
come under the operation of the new law. Were
a searching examination entered into as to the
causes of failure, whether alleged, merely, or un-
doubtingly admitted, in such cases on shore as
are exceptions to the rule, we venture to assert
that the true reasons would be found in the in-
efficient power of the steam-boiler, the radically
insufficient draught of the flue or chimney, or the
obstinate or hostile feeling of the engineer or
stoker having charge of the furnace. To show
that such obstacles have so prevailed, one instance
of each will muffice. On certain premises in the
City, a boiler calculated to drive a 16-horse engine,
but to which machinery was from time to time
added, requiring at least twiceas much motive power,
had a patent furnace applied to it, which failed
of giving satisfaction, simply because it was
at least one half too small, and could
not, with the pre-existing arrangements,
be made any larger ; but more boiler power hav-
ing been erected—that is to say, steam-producing
apparatus equal to the required work—the same
invention succeeded beyond any dispute. In
another establishment, a new boiler had that in-
vention applied to it, at first unsuccessfully, the
draught being very bad indeed ; for some time,
the teal cause of mischief was sought for in vain,
but at length it was discovered that the flue of the
boiler furnace terminated in that of a small house
chimney, the very limited aperture of which had
previously clone pretty well for a boiler and
furnace of just one-third the size of the new one.
As a matter of course, an adequate chimney was
the only remedy for such an absurd condition of
affairs. And at another place, the engineer, who
was opposed to the invention referred to, and
interested in favour of another (which other,
however, failed, in despite of his unfair advocacy),
tried all the tricks of his craft—we mean of the
small and dishonest portion of an otherwise intel-
ligent and upright calling—to effect a failure, by
improper management of the water supply to the
boiler—by allowing steam secretly to escape—and.
by loosening the bricks in the main flue, so as to
permit the heat to pass off uselessly between them;
but his knavery was made manifest .by an unex-
pected trial of the quantity of water evaporated
per pound, of coal (efficient smoke prevention
being admitted), in the midst of important manu-
facturing operations, which had already been seve-
ral hours on hand ; and he thus stood convicted
of the fraud. We wish we could add, for the
credit of his employers, that. he was immediately
turned out* of the engine-room. It is relative
to the first of :the difficulties mentioned
that the success of inventions of even the highest
ascertained merit have mainly to depend, in ap-
plication to the • above-bridge river steamers.
Boldly, then, we lay it down as indisputable pre-
mises, that these steam-boats; without any excep-
tion of which we are aware, are not fitted with
Loiters of suffieictit capacity ; and that their fur-
naces are not large enough even in proportion with
the boilers ! It it were not, indeed, for their re-
peated stoppages to land and take in passengers,
during which intervals the force and volume' of
steam is increased, these steam-boats would he
foUnd rapidly to fall off in speed, by the reduced
number of, revolutions of the engine shaft and pad-
die-wheels per minute. This may be ascertained
by any observant passenger on board a steamer of
this description when engaged in a• long pleasure
trip up or down the river. Now, with such im-
perfect means of producing steam power, it is not
strange that the introduction of asmoke-prevent-
ing apparatus into the furnace, although occupy-
ng but about.seion or eight inches of the length
of the fire-place, by still further reducing its al-
ready limited space, should make the Wane() yet
more delicate in the poise, when decidin4 the
question of more or less steam. Add to this the
consideration that at least three of the superin-
tendents or chief engineers of companies whose
steam-boats ply above-bridge have ineffectually
tried plans of their own, and it will be readily
understood that it is the policy of other inventors
to wait Until the feeling of all parties—proprie-
tors, officers, engine-drivers, and stokers—shall
be unequivocaly And warmly in favour of
their general success, or of the satisfactory
preference for one or other of the best-tested sys-
tems. Unfortunately, however, for the public,
and we think equally, so for the proprietors cf
those steamers, instead' of the latter setting about
to find means .(arid; such means are .at hand) to
improve the steam production of the boilers, con-
currently with the use, of smoke-preventing fur-
naces, they appear to deprecate the idea of there
being' a possibility of attaining such desirable re-
sults, and raise
.a grievance cry against the Go-
vernment, as if they were a grossly injured class
of persons. For the present we must, in conse-
quence, expect the substituted use of Welsh for
the cheaper but more bituminous and smoke-
evolving coals froth the, north, or from the mid-
land counties. We ought, however, to protest
againstthe assumption that the alternative adopted
meets either the requirements of the law or the
just demands ,of society. The existing nuisance
is less 'offensive'.than 'before, but it is still too
great for endurance ; and this part of car exami-
nation would be incomplete if we were iist to
adduce some proof that, in marine boiler furnaces,
smoke can be prevented, and fael economised.
Mr. Robert Galloway, the superintending engineer
to the London and Westrninster Steam-boat Com-
pany, tried certain .experiments in , the Moss; Dose,
to ascertain the 'comparative effects between the
ordinary furnace and-that of Leo Steven's, the
fire-space in both cases being. precisely the
same ; and he very...honourably certified, as
the result of his• -own • personal trial, that,
besides, reducing -tbe"smeke -within the limits
of the Act, with West Hartley steam coals,
the latter (the . patented) systeal
evaporated,
within a fraction, lilbs. of water to the lib, of
fuel consumed more than the other;'i.e., produced
Correspondingly more steam than the common fur-
nace ! Had 'we . data. of .the same character re-
specting similar experiments on the
Thames with
cheerfully
any other inventions, we should. very' .
hat
publish it ; for it is ;invidious spirit t
we have more than once mentioned the practical
demonstrations a raetacal
parte ;
-
demonstrations of the efficient system
has been in sus-
eular inventor. All we, have said.- •
.subdued • and in
satisfactorily and economically I •
have to. thank him. also for Lee Stevens, we
doing juitice .in some 'degree to L
•tainment of the proposition that smoke may be
eliciting, in the
ce of so much
pro-
gress of his invention, exper:en .
to the public.
weight in our argument and of value .
it may
Before we dismiss the subjedt, :,pink
-formed
be of some interest to our readers to be 1,-.
„.
di qed
why smoke-preventing plang have'to be mo
when used with fuel of dissimilar kinds; ana
what are the peculiar characteristics of different
descriptions of fuel consumed
manufactiiring
ilnd motive-power appliances in the
metropolis.

MORE REIMAN PRIZES.—Yesterday public notice
was given on the Royal Exchange by Evan. Jones, Esq.,
High Marshal of the Court of Admiralty, that within
20 days from that date the Russian ships Concordia,
prize to her Majesty's steamer Conflict, likewise two
schooners name unknown, also prizes to the Conflict,
would be condemned and sold for the benefit of their
captors also that within the same date the Russian
ship, Ckstine,
seised in the port of Liverpool by the
officers of Cuatoins, would be condemned .as a Cro
wn
droit, the'same being the property of the Queen's ene-
mies.
NEW AOT ON THN INcLOstME 07 LAND —An act o
Parliament has just been issued (17 and 18 Vic. c. 97)
to amend and extend the acts for the inclosnre, exchange,
and improvement of land. 13y this act, which extends
to 21 clauses, lands about to be enclosed may be 'ex
changed. Common rights are to be ascertained,
until decided the maney.to be paid into .the Bank. Tie
Inclosure Commissiup.ers aro to ascertain tlio interests of
EPY,(24l,p.irt,ie
TER•POian;LAWI3O,OII—:-Br an-act liat4,kA in the late
session, the,kaorAaw :from the 23d July last, la.,
continued tdthe 23d JOY, 1859, and thenceforth till the
1 end of the Beselon.

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