The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-16 00:00:00

SDAY

e steam-
-aww.-510.
A EXPERIMENTAL Tx I'll" IN A
8 NSincTe Eth'elllgirEeaßt alcli pPIEe
nLdLidE Din
vßelncit
"FAN."
engine as applicable to navigation, the lights.'e's of its
machinery, the concentration of its propelling
power, and the economy in the use of fuel have
ever been considered objects of the very highest
importance ; and from the first introduction of
steamers, their side-paddles and boxes have been thought:
cumbersome, and particularly unsightly to the nautical
eye, accustomed to the beautiful and grAceful propor-
tions of,:e sailing vessel. From the various applica-
tions tot-which steam-power is susceptible it is still in
its infancy, though already the development of its
capabilities has very far surpassed what was even •
contemplated by the immortal inventor himself. The
iminense power of steam is unquestionably esta-
blished; but its appliances to different kinds of
machinery Are still very limited. In regard
to side-paddles, many attempts have been made
to do away with them, as they are found to
be much in the way, to hold a great deal of wind,
and to impede the -deamer's speed, especially
in crowded rivers and ,narrow streams. In-
deed, steam-navigation in narrow waters and
canals is almost impossible, fit consequence of the
space the paddles and boxes take 1:1), which cover a
width equal to that of the vessel lie, ,self. Besides,
the steamer's paddles and ,boxes abtetting out on
either side are ever liable to injury. The repairs
which they incessantly require, form a veryexpensive
item in the annual accounts of the wear anl. tear of
steamers, and show that they are • constantly liable to
injury. War-steamers in action would ever he in
danger of being " winged," and rendered powerless.
The paddles of steamers must also be seriously in-
jured, and frequently become useless when navigating
seas, lakes, rivers, and streams occasionally covered
with floating ice. It has been considered that the ill-
starred President, steamer, sooner after leaving port,
encountered large masses of floating ice, which
jammed her in and crushed her paddles, when, alas!
down she went. It is on record, that at the time she
Nees lost other steamers and sailing-vessels on their-
passage across the Atlantic fell in with immensely
large and mountainous icebergs. The real truth,
however, may never be known.
The Archimedean screw (no new invention, for it
was in use by the ancients), which is fixed to the
stern of a steamer, was the first attempt to supersede
the use of side-paddles ; but its propelling power is
weak compared to that possessed by common steamers,
and it is, therefore, considered, in that degree, nearly
a total failure. But still the immense imporL'nce of
a concentrated propelling power acting under water,
beyond the reach of shot, and all liability to accident,
has become at once apparent.
Fur these various reasons, engineers and other
scientific men have been studying how to effect an
object so grand and invaluable in every point of view,
by endeavouring to invent a propeller so concentrated
in one focus, which would efficiently act under water
out of all danger from accidents, and still equal or
exceed the speed at present attained by side-paddles.
This great desideratum, it would appear, is on the
point of being accomplished. A beautifully-con-
structed boat, about 50 tons burden, has recently
been launched at Greenwich. Her engines—a pair
of tens—were made by Messrs. Penn and Son, of
Greenwich. They are fixed lengthways in the
vessel, and are remarkably light and handsome!. The
propeller is on the " fan principle, similarly con-
structed to the fan of a windmill, and, like the screw,
is fixed to the stern. It possesses a twofold action--
the one perpendicular, which regulates her speed,.
and the other horizontal, which describes half a
circle, and regulates her steerage. This latter action
of the " fan" is of such admirable power, that while
it supersedes the use of a rudder, it can wheel the
boat round as if she moved on a pivot, and continue
to spin her round and round like a top, without
making head or stern way, except what little the tide
or wind .may effect. This peculiar, clever, and in-,
valuable action of the "fan" is most ingeniously
contrived, and is the sole invention of Mr. Hunt, the
engineer, of Greenwich. The " fan," coinbined with
this fine principle of action, can be attached to any
sailing-vessel, from a line-of-battle ship down to a
collier, and can be worked by hands totally uncon-
nected with steam. Its power, though it could net
be so great as when worked by steam, is such that'
it would enable a ship of the line to bring both her
broadsides to bear against an enemy in about two
minutes.
The vessel is named the Mystery, and although she
was not quite finished, it was determined to give her
an experimental trial down the river on Thursday,
the 3d of October, to meet and greet the Queen
and Prince Albert on their return from Scot-
land. Messrs. Hunt and Holl, the owners, invited
several friends to accompany and enjoy the excursion
with them. The day opened gloomily, rough, and
stormy. The tight little steamer, however, daunt-
lessly started from Greenwich-pier at a quarter-past
eleven o'clock, A.M. Her engines worked admirably,
and she made her way over the waves, impelled
by an invisible power, as buoyant as a cork,
scarcely disturbing the water. Just as she reached
abreast of Grays, near Gravesend, the Black
' Eagle, closely followed by the Royal Victoria 1;21d
Albert yacht, hove in sight. The weather at this.
time was cloudy and tempestuous, but as the royal
yacht rounded the point from Northfleet, the sun shoe
out from an opening in the clouds upon her full
broadside with magnificent splendour, and his rays
were concentrated in a halo of light around her. At
that moment she was a most beautiful and splendid
object.
The Mystery now veered round, and slackened speed
in order to await the approach of the royal:
squadron, to whose officers and crew she became
an object of much curiosity. She then continued
leading the way, somewhat after the fashion of
a pilot fish, till Woolwich was reached, at about
two o'clock, P.m., when she brought-to to witness the,
landing of her Most Gracious Majesty and her Illus-
trious Consort, when all on board joined in the hearty-
shouts of " Welcome home." The distance front
Greenwich-pier to Grays and back to Woolwich was
performed in exactly two hours and three quarters.
After the landing of the Royal pair, the Mystery
proceeded up the river as far as Chelsea. This vary
of the voyage afforded a fine opportunity fox
testing the advantages springing, not only front
the non-use of side-paddles, but from the fecilitoug
and admirable way she answered to the helm, be
which point she has no equal. She wound in and
out barges, rafts of wood, colliers, and ships, with suds
ease, precision, and certainty, that she astonished
every beholder. She gave the go-by to several
Woolwich and other steamers which were compelled
to slacken speed, ease, stop, and back, in consequence
of the crowded state of the pool, and the fear of inju-
ring or smashing their paddle-boxes and paddles by
collision.

There could not have been a finer day for the exp-
rimental trial. The wind blew strongly from the
westward, and with or against it she proved herself to
be a capital sea-boat. The trial proved most satis-
factory and successful throughout; she bounded over
the water like magic, without a sail or any percep-
tible propelling power, and almost without her-
self creating a ripple—she, however, possesses a
propelling power, equal in the ratio, to any
other steamer on the river. Her propeller, certainly,
reaches perfection nearer than any other now in use ;
it is impossible'to injure it by shot, collisions, ground-
ing, or any other casualty whatever. One or the
other paddle of steamers navigating the wide ocean
frequently out of the water, but the fan propeller call
never cease performing its functions but through
some casual derangement in its own machinery.
The Mystery is now fast approaching completion
in all its various appointments, when a more efficient
trial will be given.

OPENING OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE.—Official
notice has been issued to the corps of the Honourable
Artillery Company, of which his Royal Highnefl
Prince Albert is Captain-General and Colonel, that her
Majesty has been graciously pleased to direct that the
shall attend as a Guard of Honour, upon her Majesty s
visit to the City, upon the occasion of opening the new
Royal Exchange.
INFLUENCE OF THE PRICE OF FOOD ON WAGES.•-•
" Cheap food," says the monopolists, " means low
wages." Such is the assertion ; but what are the facts
bearing upon it ? Why, just these—that, as food has
risen in price, wages in the manufacturing districts have
fallen ; as the price of food has become moderate, wages
have ges
el
have risen. This has been shown o
os ifolg
nysa,aens and we
at
If
Ation between prices of food andoytihz nitishtmearnaenji s recentai ay
eeadvancene
e.
wages, if they stand at nows
hto ns r supply
e r another
that described
operation must
olich so much use has been made
in the allegation, of I
;and itwould
supporters of the corn-law
all in the. relatiobneteoxeaacethiyottillieerreovfeersaeusoe and effect, their
by the
car
rtant truth ; and the woring classes,
This is an mpo
ling the sophistry to which they have been
rect to say, that " cheap food means good wages."
i
notwithstam
exposed, will ere long thoroughly understand it.—Liver-
pool Paper.
HUMANITY CHAIR, ST. ANDREw'S.—We are 'gra-
tified to learn that Mr. Pyper, of the Iligh School, Edin-
burgh, and longesteemed as an eminent classical teacher,
has been appointed to the above chair by the Duke of
Portland, the patron. This selection, in which his Grace
was solely guided by the very preponderating testimony
in favour of Mr. Pyper, is well calculated to sustain the
fame of this ancient University ; but as the Lord Pro-
vost has hinted, the task will not be so easy to procure
an adequate successor to Mr. Pyper in the High School.
—Caledonian Mercury.
EARL OF WASHINGTON.—The Baltimore American,
in noticing the anniversary of the battle of North Point,
says :—" A fact has just come to our knowledge, which
it may not be inopportune to mention at this time. We
learn from a reliable source, that the British Govel a.
ment had actually made out the papers constituting G( a.
Ross Earl of Washington,' in consideration of the cap.
cure of the American capital, and the destruction of the
public buildings. The death of General Ross at the
battle of North Point, which took place about three
weeks afterwards, most effectually frustrated the intca-
, don of his Government."