Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-04-29
From the Liverpeol European Times, of4,h inst.
Great Revolution i'm Steam Pro.
pulsiOn,

This heading will startle many Of our
readers. Ingenuity has heen expended
IN devis,ng an Improvement on the pre-
sent mode Of propelI'ng ships by steam
Against the old paddle wheels strong OBJ
Jections as 10 the loss Of power, ,and other
drawbacks upon the steamers progress
have been urged, which it would be use
less 10 repeat here, Tor they are we'll
kn,rsn TO practical engineers and sea-
mon ; and a Semedy was sought for in the
screw. The screw has been only par
italy successfuI, as it's limited adoption
proves. The only vessel OF mite to
which it has been applied is the Great
Britain, and the unfortunate termination
Of her career hardly gave that invention
a fair trial on sRrge scale. But dis
covery has now been perfected by MIR
s. r. Parkhurst, a gentleman Of grea,
me echanicsl ingenuity, which must super
cede the existing modes of steam propul-
sion, and revoIu,ionise the traffic by sea
This invention is secured by patent in
Great Britain and all her colonies, the
United States, France and all other parts
Of the world.
/ 1t is not merely original, but, like
most useful inventions, remarkably, nay
beautifully, simple. The advantages
are three-fold - greatly increased rate
ofspeed, "a vastly increased power Of stow
age, by the reduction Of the present cum
brous machinery in the holds Of steamers,
and reduced expenditure in the cost Of
the enyine-power. II is difficult to make
ourselves clear on these points without
the aid Of diagram. But we may state
briefly, that number OF submerged ver-
teal propellers are to be fixed to each
side of the vessel these revolving in
unison, and by the force with which they
take hold Of the water, and the power
which this combined action gives them,
must send forward the ship at a speed
altogether unattainable by the present or
any known system. II is asserted, by
practical men, that vessel SD propelled
would cross the Atlantic in nearly half
the time Of the best steamers now EN-
ployed in ocean navig alton.
This invention has undergone the
scrutiny oi eminent and practical men in
England, by whom the most favorable
opinions have been expressed OF its prac-
ticai character. During the past week
experiments have been tried by the ap.
plication Of stean'-power to these propel-
lers, one of which, six feet high, thirty
inches diameter, was driven by a SIX
horse power engine, 294 revolutions per
minute, which a practical gentleman
pre- sen, stated would drive vessel twen-
ty FIVE miles per hour. This test has re.
moved all doubts on the minds Of those
who we're previously the most scepiical.
We cannot dilHte on the Importance OF
this greatest OF modern inventions with
regard to steam navigation but this we
may say. that since the days of Ark
wright nothing equal io importance 10 It
has appeared, and we expect il wMre-
main a brillian, proof of the genius and
the juJg ment Of the inventor.
II We understand that MIR. Parkhurst
leaves by the Sarah Sands. on a ten.
povary visit TO America the object, we
believe, is to lay his 'mporiani inyention
before the Government Of the United
States, whose navy aud commerce, we
feel confident, will be greatly enhanced
by the application of an invention which
promises 10 revolutionize the whole sys
III fem of " iy atioo