American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-06-27
FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 27, I845.

GREAT HYDRo-ELEcTRtCA MACHINE. The
editors OF the National Intelligencer have re-
celved from friend now on visit to the
North of England, copy of the "New Castle
Journal' of the cath of last month, from which
they have copied the following article, which
they believe cannot fail to be interesting to
many of their readers, as we'll practical ma
chinists as men Of science:
An extraordinary sized electrical machine has
Just been completed for the United States, by
Messrs. Watson and Lambert, of this town,
which is called after theEreat American phil
osopher, "Berjamin Franklin" The effects of
this steam electrical machine are indeed truly
surprising, tar exceeding any thing ever yet ac-
compIshed ty man in this important branch Of
science Il was put into operation on Thurs
day, IN the open yard Gf the manufactcry. The
weather YVES most unPropilious; 1t never ceased
raining; bet, independent of this difficulty, the
spark obtained from the prime conductor was
twenty inches in lcrgth, at the rate Of two
hundred IN minutei 1t was shipped, vester-
day, on board the Spring, for New York,
where, we understand, it is to be used in the
Poly'echaic lnstitUton which is being estab-
lshed iE that city. The Americans will, in
the acquisition Of this wonderful instrument,
possess by far the most powerful electrical ma
chine in the world, it being more than three
times the capacity'of the one used at the Row
al Polytechnic Institution in London, which has
been the source Of gtatified astonlshment TO all
who hcve behe1dits truly magnificent results.
AS many of ouc readers may not have had an
opportunity of inspecting this leviathan ma
chine, we may briefly describe its construction.
The steam-boiIer, which is insulated by glass
pillars, is constructed upon the locomotive prn-
ciPle, having FIRE contained within, and pass
ing through tables, which are surrounded by
water, into the chimney. There is a glass
gauge attachedEor regulating the proper guam
ty ct water liz the boiler also a safety valve TO
relieve the pressure Of the steam above GER
tain point. There are two hollow metal arms
issuing from the upper Part of the boiler, to
IroE tubes, the ends of which are furnished
each of which are attached seventy small
with proper Jets, and by the passage eff the
steam through these the electricity is proGaced
There is a junction pipe, fitted with q cock, for
the purpose of shutting off one of the arms,
and using only one-half of the power of the
machine, or,'5y keeping it open, the whole
power. The rows of pipes which are fixed to
the metal ara:s, and through which the steam
issues, are enclosed or surrounded by a casing
or box, for the purpose of holding water for
producing condensation of the steam in its
passage through the pipes, previous to its ennis
SION from the caps OH their extremitses. This
condenser, as it is called, is supplied wit. wa
ter as it is required, by vessels plaood above,
having pipes communicating with them; and
there are pipes connected with the condensers
for collecting and carrying away into the chin
lney the vaper produced by the water becoming
heated in consequence of the passage of the
steam through them. The steam from the
Jets is blown against'fo four rows of forks placed
On framework, and supported by insulated
legs When the machine is in action the
positive electricity is rapidly produced, and
may be collected at the the ball in connection
will, the forks, and the negative electricity alay
be obtained from all parts of the boiler.