Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-08-04

tn pensra,e steam, this was The worst. had
the agent in this business been considered as
the representative of the mechanical talents OF
This country. it would have been most uniortl-
nate hui such is not the case, as there are now
here. four Americans, who stand coniessediy
pre e minent, viz: Mr.. Lukens OF Philadelphia,
MIR. Wright of New York, DR.. Church and Mr.
Dyer CT Boston. ..
Browns vacuum;engine has at length given
over, although its death YVES very hard one
Irwas at last found, that although, at the be-
ginning OF the stroke, the mercury showed va
CUM equal to twenty inches, yet bis rarihed air
became, towards the end of The s,roke, more
dense than the atmosphere, and there was con.
seuuenlly, great loss from its reaction. had
frequently predicted, that this would be the
case, and am apprehensive that Morey's explo-
sive engine will be unavailable, from the same
cause.
Brown has certainly shown great ingenuity
in the variety of mechanical contri'ances
which he has invented, in order TO overcome
the difficulties with which he had 10 Contend:
his engine was a beautiful piece OF mechanism;
it's appearance was such ss caused 1t TO operate
like charm on his numerous visitors; ant: ma
ny were, consequently, induced to take an inter-
est in, and expend large sums OF money, to
perfect an instrument from which they ealcu-.
lated 10 derive large profits. Is il not astoElsh-
ing, that men Of intelligence should not quick.
" nerceive the difference between condensible
steam and indensibIe all? have already re-
marked, tina. at the beginning Of the stroke,
the barometer indicated high degree OF ex-
haustion; il sometimes rose 10 twenty-four In
ches, yet his piston if made TO approach the
end of his cylinder, as closely as in a well made
steam engine, could not, from the density OF the
contained air, pass the dead point. lis first
engine YOU know, raised water ten or twelve
feet high, and this was employed 10 drive wa
ter wheel; IN this ARA ngement, he cid rot dis
cover how soon his rariSed air lost its power;
but when he endeavored 10 make his engine
work with piston, he began 10 experience
this unanticipaled difficulty. BY very clever
conuivance, he apparently overcame this ob-
struclion, but not without great waste OF gas
He attached to his engine, large separate
condenser, in which he burnt his gas, profess
eddy for the greater convenience OF condensa-
ton, but it was, in effect, nothing more than
lengthening his cylinder, which would have
produced the same result in a way much more
simple; but to have a ten foot cylinder, with one
foot stroke would al once, torn off the mask,
by which the true features Of the continuance
were concealed; catastrophe which the inven-
tor, very naturally, endeavoured, as long as
possible, to avoid. The consumption Of gas
was enormous, but as he made his own, or
drew it directly from the city pipes, no one but
himself could tell how much he used.
Fascinated with the beauty Of the machine.
there are many who, yet, declare it TO be no
failure, and that Brown has been used i'll by the
Gas-engins Company. One gentleman, who had
lost much money in this concern, called on me
,ha tharl 40 md SeI
the gasenghe had no, been in my hands; told
him that this would have produced but one adj
vantage, that Of having lost less money by the
concern, as it was not from want Of mec han-
cal skill that Brown did not succeed, but be-
cause the laws Of nature were against him; that
was pursuing experiments in accordance with
those laws; ara that in this consisted the differ
cree "a the re sulis 10 be anticipated from his
hal II from mine This gentleman eX-
Pr .cA. surprise, when | explained 10
nin. -, =" renee between condensibe steam,
a,d 'n,o so .sihir air.
'.mno~ engaged in building steam artile-
~. as we'. as mn>sei'y, for the French govern
ment The Ensiis' government would certain
ly have adopted tas 5avehtion, had it not been
for ire gratul,ous and false statements of GER
tain engineers, no declared, that although /
was able 10 make grea, display at the public
exhibition, made BY order Of s3vernment, yet
il WAS delusi,e: thai l lad nev yer made gener-
ator which stood for week, and that l could
MOI keep up the steam for more than two, or
three, minutes al one time These Statements
obtained credit the more readily, as any i'm
provement in the ar: Of war; which could be a
dCpted by other powers, and which would have
tendency 10 place the weak, upon par with
the strong, appeared likely TO benefit other
countries more than England
The French government have determined to
give our new system fair trial A series ofex-
periments have been made at Greenwich, which
were attended BY the French engineers appoint
ed for tina, purpose, by tie duke d'Angourme,
together with one Of his aids, and prince Polig-
nae. Their report was so satisfactory 10 The
French government, that contract was imme-
diately made. An English engineer Of the first
class, and one who is very much employed by
this government, has joined me in the guaran-
lee Of the four points, which some Of the En-
glish engineers have doubted; namely, the per-
feet safety of the generator, its indes,ruciibity,
the ability 10 keep the steam up, al any requir-
ed temperature, for any length of time, and its
great economy.
~ -. cc IL I'LL