Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-06

this causes the sphere to revolve as II, to use
! the expression of the Spiritually " it were ac-
tuated by spirit from within" This simple
anparatus. though described as philosophical
TOW is curious, as being the primitive mode in
which steam was applied to produce motion,
and as comforting on Hero the houoro of having
Invented and consttuctedthe FIRST STEAM En-
CINE.
II is a remarkable circumstance, that this
Greek scheme should be received as an I'M
pyoyemeaf upon the almost perfect modern me-
chanism, first by Kempel,a German, about the
year 1885, and by MIR. Saddler, of Oxford, in
1871, who obtained a patent for it.
No other notice of steam, as first mouer, oc-
ours in the works of ancient authors, nor in mo-
dern writer's, until about the year 1868, when
one Mathesius, in volume ofsermons, entitled
Sdrepta, hints at the possibility OF constructing
an apparatus, similar in its operation and pro-
perties to those Of the modern steam engine.
About thirty years after this period, what is
called "whirling Glipie," is described III a
book printed at Leipsig, wherein it's stated 10
be exceedingly we'll adapted 10 the purpose OF
turning the spit for the cook Among other
economical reasons urged for its adoption, it is
stated that it seats nothing, and gives withal
an assurance to those partakng OF the feast,
whose suspicious natures nurse queasy appe-
titles, that the haunch has not been paved by
the turnspit Gin the absence Of the housewife
eye) for the pleasure Of licking his unclean fin
gers"
The first person in modern times, who appll-
ed the expansive power Of steam on any scale,
to useful practical purpose, was Giovanni
Branca, an eminent mathematician ofRome, IN
the beginning of the 18th century. His contri-
vance was an elliptic, from which steam issued
upon wheel formed with float boards or vaneS,
like a wa,er-wheel, or Windmill, and thus pro-
duced rotary motion. This wheel, by some
intermediate mechanism, gave motion to the
stamper Of mill for pounding drugs. 1t is on
acc cunt of this continuance, that Branca is con-
sidered by his coun,rymen as the inventor OF
the Steam Engine; and even in recent English
work, he is allowed the merit of first idea.-
The elasticity of the rapor Of water which had
long been known 10 philosophers, and to them
only, had at this period become familiar TO wa
ter-works artists and in their hands ii was ap-
piled in variety of ways, to their favorite pro-
blem of raising water above its level, in jets anc
fountains.
The learned and ingenius Bishop Wilkins, IN
| 1913, is the first English author who mentions
the possibility of moving machine by the elias
tic force of steam. Speaking Of giving motion by
wind or air, something ofthis nature" SAYS the
Bishop, "are the Glipiles, which are concave
vessels, consisting of some such material as may
endure The FIRE, having small hole, at which
they are filled with water, and out of which,
when the vessels are heated, The air doth issue
with a strong and lasting violence. They
NAV be contrived for sundry pleasant uses; as
for nousag sails in chimney corner, the motion
of which sail may be applied to the turning 81 a
spit. or the Hke,' What would The good Blsh-
CD say, could he now observe the "pleasant u
ses" steam is applied to at this times Such is
the early history of that discovery, which,
next to Printing, has produced probably the
greatest revolution the world has Witnessed
[Cn, Com. Reg.