Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1838-08-07
zee GRERTI WEsTERN.

II chlnerY or the 1fcaI w Western BY one of
4 the gentlemen who went out and returned
i in her. AS the residence Of Lieut.. WI.
liam F. Lynch, of the U. S. Navy, IS IN
| the neighborhood Of Frederick, We pre-.
sumo that we are safe ia assuming that he
/ IS the author Of the excellent and perspicti.
Gus article which we subjoin. =
sThe Great Western Steam Ship Is
worked by a pair oflow pressure engines,
constructed similarly TO most engines used
in British steam navigation. The treat
/ distinguishing feature Of such engines IS,
that the whole ofthe machinery,.is under
deck, although the cylinders are worked
vertically.
The beam Of the engine is not placed
above the cylinder as in our boats, but a
pair of beams are placed below the cylin.
der, and answer they same purpose, at
the same time that they bring a great nor.
ton of the machinery below the water
line, and do not hamper the deck. The
stroke Of such engines isshSrtened, though
not necessarily, by this arrangement, and
in the Great Western it is only seven
feet.
The two engines are connected to the
main shaft on which the paddles are fixed,
and in case of an accident to one engine,
the other continues to work both paddles
or wheels, by disconnecting the connect.
ing rod of the deranged engine. This
was the case in the outward voyage, when
one engine propelled the Great Western
during 81 hours at the rate of 6 1,2 knots
Iper hour. 81 81
These engines are each 200 horse pow.
er; they are worked by steam, not exceed.
ng IL lbs. per square inch. An ap.
paratus for reducing the steam by expan-
sion is attached, but rarely used.
l. There are four boilers, each 10 Ii
feet long, 9 10 feet wide and Is high.
There are three fire places to each floor,
which terminate in fiue that runs through
the boiler, an extent Of about % feet be-
forei it passes into the smoke funnel.
/ These four boilers are connected by
valves to one general steam pipe which
supplies the two engines. Any one boil.
er can be smut off at pleasure, and as three
boilers with little extra fuel can raise
lsuficieht steam, the fourth can be cleansed
out whenever required. The four boilers
are more than sufficient for the work, and
consume very little more coal than three;
at the same time, the fremen are not bur.
ried, and the doors of the furnaces are re.
peatedly thrown open to keep down
tetaor1 5Af hl1it Ig so
4 The consumption of coal, botf on the
outwardly and homeward passage to the
+ United States, did not exceed 6 "a lbs per
horse power per hour. In the. toughest
part of the homeward trip, when the, ship
was week out of port, and ia better
trim from having consumed a considera.
bic quanty Of coal the consumption was
5 4-5 per hour. The Inconvenience 10
which steam boilers have been heretofore
subject by the deposition of salt and ear.
THY matter, was obyiated on board this
ship, by peculiar arrangement, the in.
vention Of Messrs Maudsley, Sons &
Field.
| La Marine steam boilers, it is usual to
blow off aportion Of the dense salt wa.
tier from the bottom of the boiler, by
Ilmeans of a pipe or blow off cock. In
this manner a portion of the strongest
Iibrine is forced out--but the quantity is
llimited and much fuel wasted BY the loss
| Of heat. s 9se sfsifsets a. j.. -
| On, board the G. w. a brass plunger
Epuup is attached to the bottomTof each
Iboiler and draws of constant stream Of
brine the loss of which is supplied BY a
pipe conveying hot water from the .reser..
yoir, which pouring into the boiler, keeps
up constant current, thereby preventing
deposition and subsequent concretion.
Supposing the density Of the water in
the ocean to be loo, and that deposition
cannot take place, ia other words, that the
waters would hold the salt and other
earthly nlatlersin solution, until its densi.
III IS reduced to Sc %, the density Of the
water ID the boilers Of the q. W. was
Earelyless than so. At the expiration Of
each trip, the boilers are as clean as if
fresh water only had been used. To as.
certain the proper quantity to Be drawn
off and to regul tie the pumps accOrding-
~, the density Of Che brine IS ascertained
BY letting portion Of il cool and trying
It with an hydfonastsr. This ample sub
stitute for the old plan Of blowing of has
proved So efficient that il will no doubt be
generally adopted. iaes -
The boilers ofthe G.. w. are Of wrought
iron, square with 10 wagon tops. The
maximum pressure, is 81 2 lbs. to a square
inch. The moment the pressu. e Of steam
exceeds that amount, the safety valve rai-
sss and the surplus steam passes through
the safety pipe, 70 the upper. air. From
their shape and size these boilers could
not Withstand a pressure Of s lbs. to the
square inch; and / iSey were 70 burst With
that pressure, only those ID the engine and
fire.rooms would sufier-ahe passengers
and ship would escape uniniured. But
10 guard against such ala accident, which
Ion tie ocean, would produce great even
tual inconvenience and n our own boats.
for the profession Of ile Itself, Il would Be-
advisable to have two safety valves Co
each boiler, one d each loaded 70 the max
inOnl pressure il would BE perfectly pru-
dent ID carry, alll then cased and locked
up, o1ly u visited By tie commander.
The others ale at pTese1 at aece lo the
enginssg car always diminish. But never
lncreas tie pressure md 81 consequently
the dam
aea ard Insz perIenced a fianr sc
0nr bonk ceplairs are. & would sn
- lYrreff f. enfrl4rf iI,e I,e.sa ~ 4 ~ - -. =