True American. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1835-18??, 1839-01-07

Cards tas,efully inserted At moderate price.
The Addenda will be sold bound with tho Di-
ectory a, four doarr, or BY itself a, one dollar.
JOHN GIBSON.
LETTERS FROM THE COAST.
No. 2.
In the first place not sufficient distinction is drawn
between high and low pressure Boat The law directs
that whenever boat stops the Engineer shall raise the
safety valve and let off stea under pain Of being fined
5000. Now in low pressure boat, this is wise and
safe prccaution but in high pressure boats or engines
unless the pumps be set work at the same time, while
the escape Of by the safety valve is taking place.
the danger cases. only enhanced instead otbe-
ing lessened For instance, when the boat steps, all
the heat Of the boera is retained and steam continues
accumulate increase, and when let escape leaves
the qusnty of water in the boilers greatly diminished
Consequently the longer the engine and pumps are
stopped and the more steam let off, the greater the
danger becomes. For the finally gets so low that
the iron Of the boiler abov. tho line Of the level be-
comes red hot consequently, when the engine is again
put in motion and fresh portions of water freely thrown
into the boilers, it raises the level Of the water
above the red hot iron when such sudden evolution
takes place. that no strength of material can
Withstand its force, and explosion, or collapse en-
sues. Hence always hear Of steamboat explosions
just as they are leaving wharf landings wood yards
and very seldom when under way for any considerable
length of time. The is, that the pump always
necessarily in operation when the boat is moving.
If Congress had made it obligatory on the engineer
never to stop the engine longer than or 10 minutes
without putting the pumps in operation i'll addition 10
the letting off steam by the safety valve, it would have
been wise precaution and well calculated to prevent
explosion. But to fine him for not dsng thing
which without using the pump nt the same time, only
increases the danger,is punish him for not nereas-
ing the hazard of being bIownup On the Mississippi,
too owing to the adhesive quality Of the fine mud, or
to some magnetic, adhesive quality in the metal oil
the safety valve, it frequently happens, that the valve
will remain firmly closed, after nearly all the weight
is removed and it will then require several jerks from
the engineer before the valve will rise, and after it has
once given way the steam will afterwards continue to
raise it, although all the weight may be replaced This
circumstance should be generally known among engi.
neers because, may happen in some instances, that
an inexperienced engineer, when he removes the
wcg'. from the aety valve conclude, that, it is not
raised consequently his head Of steam is not great and
BY Ealing tonate The Jerks e6ded to, i, airrp
ise safety valve has no weight onit
Su;ihe i'm Defect inta lay, arises tsu
the very Objectionable and defective manner OIL
esecr,::r u. In the first place, the salary maid
thcso entrusted with the examination of the hull'
and Of steam boats is not sufficient. to secure the
services Of the most practical and skillfu men in
such pursuits. Neither can the judges Of the U
Safes courts be considered qualified by their pro
LESSONS to act judicousy in appointing such Off
GERS. No mau can makeo proper examination q
boilers for S5-or Of the hull either. The conse'
quence has been so far that the examinations are
| Of the MOS, superficial character, and pronounced
favournbly nike on most all boats, and the ccr,if
Gates freely given as soon as The FIVE dollars ART
paid. 1t is stated on good authority that Mr.. NJ
the inspector Of steam boat boilers wns called
upon in New Orleans to examine the boilers Of thu
steam Loat WARREN. The engineer had just be
fore applied patch iron to one of,he boilers o,
the under eide to stop hole, made by burning
the boiler through at that place. When the in
spee.or came on board 10 examine the boilers, ,h
engineer left him to find out the patch, withnu
telling Of it. He walked round the boIcrs,-'o'k
ed at ,hem,--thcn went into the cabin, gave
certificate of their good condition, received his 6v
dollars and left! 1t is standing joke among thu
engineers, and tickles them very much. Next t.
| irving U6IIeTS WIN sleHV1S ueSt uUu YET WOI
simple m thod Of testing their strength, is vii,
cold water, by hydraulic pressure. Does your in
.pector know this! Or if he did know the method
could he apply it for five dollars!
The plan TO which We allude, is this, the pun p
are set to work by strong force Of manual Labor
forcing cold water into the boilers ill they are pei
! fec,ly filled. A greater weight is then pu, up,
the safety valve, than it is supposed it will ever b
necessary for i, to carry under pressure Of steam
the pumping is continued till either the boilers Civ
wsy, or tho safety valve is raised. Iftherc be an
leok, or wenk place in the boilers this method wi
no, fail to detect it. So powerful is this force o
boilers, TINT you will find the greatest opposilio
10 il among those most interested in the boat; b.
cause even boilers entirely new, and deemed pc,
fec,ly good could be burst and rendered usele.
BY a trial Of this description. There are so man
defects in the law, which 50 much embaIrasses tn
whols act, tina, do not know how gress ca
mend il, 10 any advantage. I, will be much bette
for congress to repeal it altogether, and begin ov'
point committee on the subject. to ST. durin
the recess Of congress. Unnecessary, and nu,hori1
them 10 sumn,cn before them every leading pra
,icaI m ian in the country: including prominent,
experienced engineers from the Mississippi, an
pilots, and captains Of boats, engine builders mi
uufac,urtrs, and men we'll versed in mechanic
, ar,s,-and swear them, and take down their al
swer. to questions proposed, in writing and repo
the whole to Congress, which information thu
i, elected, would form the bases Of the most usef
and probably ono Of The most effrctua laws tn
can evor be devised in the present state OF know
! ledge.
The present law of Congress was passed last July.
and since it went into operation. there has been mo
, boats aud lives lost the Mississippi River than h
probably happened, within the same period, STA
. their invention!
In nv next will briefly point out what appears
, be the most common Of danger in producing