Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1843-09-14

In TIE experiment. now 0elag made, SaS
is used simply because il is more COVE
nien,ly o6iained than any other combus-
tibie, but tbe inventor states. that The ca
| CINE will, withsequal facility and certain
ty. burn caluphine and other preparations
such as lard oil combined with whiskey,
Sc. lis ability 10 use these last produc,s
as fuel. axes This invention al im,
mense importance to the great West, as,
should The transportation on the Missis.
slnFs eaxnreless tributaries be III
tectsd BY tiSSfpower. II will furnish a
home market 10 The grower Of these arii.
cles entirely new, and to an extent far
greater than all others now is existence.
Without pursuing this suhleetIurlher, We
will slate what appear TO be the obvious
advantages Of ahis invention over me
steam engine. The first and mostlmpor.
tant is isecuriiy-there is no danger from
explosion. nor from fire, either accident
ally communicated or fromSthe sppatane-
Gus combustion Of the fuel. 2ds Tie
;ce1ght Of an engine of given power must
be greatly less. as there is no furnace no
boiler with is water no chimney, and no
condensing apparatus and comparatively
but "a triaing amount sof fuel either in
weight or bulk. 81, The spree occupisd
by the machine and it'll fuel is. 50 much
less as to give great additional. room for
freight and passengers. 4ih, The ability
Of making long continuous. voyages, AZ
ships supplied With this invention can car.
~ fuel enough tof propef them 20 CHM,
without its materially interfering with
their available capacity fpr freight 9TH
Economy ID working ~ as there il DO exa
,pendture Of power except 10 produce mo
ton, as isl the case With the steam engine
in irregular work, where the steam has
10 be generated and; served al lis proper
temperature, while the engine may be TEN
sporarily stopped. This Is Of great con
sideIation on the Western waters, wlsare
the trade demands frequent stoppages III
Their to receive.or to deliver passengers OF
freight, or TO wood, which last cause Of
detention will be altogether obviafed, as
wen AS the expense and annoyance Of
fremen.
We do moi mean TO say that The expert
ment has been sufficiently tested 70 MAXI
these things perfectly certain on a large
scale, but that they are proved 10 be so ia
an engine Of at least three horse power !:
and that no well grounded objection has
been urged, and none appears 10 exist of
Gle II. .ereate 4 reasonable 2pabt
few DAYS. committee Of scientific and
practical gentlemen will accurately ascer.
tain the power Of the present machine,
and the quantity and cost OF the fuel il
consumes.
TOTAL LOSS or tiIE sHIP ALERT.
Miraculous Preservation ,of he 66th Regiment
Within the last two or three days
the authorities Of the War Office hayere
ceived Intelligence Of the. total loss ofthe
troop ship Alert. Captain DSleyr con,aan-
der, whilst on her passage from Ha.dax
10 England having on board part Of her
Majesty 9Th Regiment, with a'crew q
about Is seamen.
In addition 10 the lrogps on board, they
had. their several3tamTles with them. al
together amoun'ingIo about two hundred
/ men and ninety fiTe women and children,
Iihe ship havinga very valuable cargo o.
mahog any, together With the chief por.
ton Of the regiment baggage. She sailet
from HaIitax With A. fair wind, and ths
weather%eryfavorable for The commence
ment of the. voyage, which continued
ill p1ghtfall, when The wind treshere'
up aud in the course OF a few hours
blew gale, gain at the same time de
!, Hcendng 10 torrents. The master, Capt
n daley, Who is considered 10 be an excel
] lent seaman, had the ship made as rsnoj
as possible,s ard all went on lavordbl.
,tuniil about Two oclack when all % boar
were alarmed by the ship striking on,
Erock, off.Coun,ry Harbor. nea: Goose i
/ Hand about So miles distant from Elaksax
. Fin al ias,ae, the deck + said Ito my
lReen crowded by The troops and ihei
a families, who. werein the greatest stat
/ Of alarm; but By Ihe cool and de'etniF
I ed conduct 81 the captain, assisted BIZ p
Iofice.s ia charge of The men. MGR feat
were soon duieied.
4 The ship was faally got of, and a7Pa
\ lren,ly, 90, having received any injury
III was brought 90 10 proceed on her pa
nj sage. as ihe pumps were sounded, an
'e she was found 10 be making no water4-
! On The pumps, however, Being soupde
/. second lime. several feet OF ~aierS~'
n discovered. Orders we're instantly g.
E en % work3the pumps, which we re
! did yisorouslysome 81 The men iak'ng
y in turns. The vessels course vas u
y stantly altered for. the purpose q Tunn.n
ot her into the nearest place tor shelter o.
Is onthe captain finding ibe water lncreasi1
y 10 the ships, hold. he made knowa II
lact TO he officers Of The regiment and
e, 90 his in,eatIon 81 running The ship asho
p Tor tile preservation Of the lives on boar
I'll Within an hour afterwards she. gropnd
. on ibs shore or Goose Island. e
< shock. being some what violent, Mrs
= her on her beam ends. but she Sfm'
20 Immediately righted. Again alt v
n, iconfusinn on board, and the excilsme
s.. among the troops increased 10 an aisrmi
y extensI Three. poor creatures, soldie
2, wives, who had bui few hours be
De fcoGfned, were brought up on deck
y, their beds with their infants s,tpPc
O. ton being entertained among the troe
= that the ship was going 10 pieces. and
pc rush was made 10 the boats.
nd The bosts were lowered and after sseye
P- hours tcil and exertion, they werelsai'
81 landed. The ship has since bec2me
he Total ,prsrk and ne whole Of the bagg;