Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1827-08-07
From the Baltimore american.

esting letter from Mr. Perkins, IN Lohaoh, VII his
High Pressure, Safety, Steam Engine" Great
doubts have been expressed as to his eventual sue
cess and among the rest by the Editor Of the Frank
lin Journal himself Perkins declares, IN the above
letter, his complete success, and that orders pave
been given for his engines. with the guarantee 0,
saving half the fuel. threeourths OF the weisht ana
bulk, with less liability of arrangement, than IN or"
binary engines. An engine Is now making. WHICH
will not occupy than one-sixth OF the reom;nos
exceed one-sixh of the weight. of the ordinary ho-
ton and Watts engine Of the same power.
hopes saws Perkins, .sto take my scat by the slde OF
a generator sustaining pressure OF 3,ooo ios ~
the square inch, this being the pressure on the gene
rator. required TO produce Working p""e .cI ~
1000 lbs to the square inch, on the piston" 4he
discovery asserted by this ingenious man, that steam
lis often so generated as to indicate high degree nt
temperature, without a corresponding increase Va
power, and that on waters being injected into ths'
super-heated steam. there would suddenly be tor
med highly elastic steam,--'s Of the greatest I,i-
psrtance to safety as we'll as economy as Oh thS
principle are to be imputed the tremendous expio-
- sions which take place in low as well as IN hish
- pressure boilers. He mentions variety OF lnstan~
ces of explosions in low pressure bollers ana asserts
that more persons have been killed by them than oy
# high pressure ones FOR thes expiosious ie aeeou
il in the following manner.
..As long as water is notheated above 2ts degrees
: it will simply boil and give Oft atmospheric steam
- without the water having any tendency 10 fise WIN
it, but as it becomes more and more eiepaseh III
temperature its disposition to rise WIN the
II becomes more and more apparent AS the slehnh
passes on the surface Of the water, IN the Same Faes
as the water increases in temperature, 1t only boiis
= without rising, as when at atmospheric pressure
hut If the steam should be drawn OFT faster than IT -
; generated. this artificial pressure Wouo be taken o
= and the water would rise with the steam IN proper
ton to the suddenness and rapldity OF us escape'
The water and steam in this mixed state, thus Ill"
Of tho the excess
N loric in the surcharged steam. as we'll as the extra
heat from the boiler. will be instantly taken up ~
the water which rises with the steam, by which
~ means the steam becomes sufficiently aense ZOE
powerfully to produce the fatal effects TOO oten ex
~ perienced not only from high but from low pressure
~ ;lars lf for instance the water las has before
Ia been noticeD should be suffered to get below any
mart o the boiler which is exposed to the hre' the
JUS ste,m will soon become surcharged with heat. II a
e boiler thus circumstance, should have the weignt
taken from the safety valve. small REM DC enec'
ed ed in the boiler from its giving way ~ III.
of the steam an explosion will be sure 20 'oa'w.
remedy for this kind of explosions which appears
IN he the only serious one that OF not allowing the
e water to subsde below any part the boiler winch
is exposed to the fire." 49,,
j., Perkins has been engaged by the French govern
lie ment to build steam artillery ana muSketrS'e
10 niece Of ordnance is to throw sixty balls, OF iou
-. hounds each. in minute, with the correctness o.
~" The r;Aed musket A musket is to be attached e
the same generator for dschargng stream OF ieae
~ from the bason of fort; it is to throw rom oht
;f hundred to thousand bullets minute, as occasion
require series o satisfactory s,g gs Frsno
oil Engineers eng appointed for the purpose BY the dqk
Of d Angoueme, with Of his aids, ana rrlnce 70
M gnac. Lord Wellington remarksa Ina. ~ Wa p,e,
the tv certain that country deienoeo ny WIS hino
s artillery, would never be invaded. Lord Exmonth
thu after witnessing few showers of lead, said he be
ate ieyed that the time would come, when steam gur
boat. with two guns in her bow would conquer any
ne line of battle ship; and sir G. Coekburne sao. IN
inc mischief of it was would be to NATIONS wnas h
eo- pistol was 10 aueAls.s'~t' "oe'N
ect weak level
While contemplating with pleasure these triumph
v;r. Of countryman's mechanical genius abroad 1t Is
Tho indeed curious enough to consider what moral re
np volutions may ensue from them At this rate war