Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-09-07
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.

NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
REPORT UPON ELECTRO MAGNETISM AS A
MOVING POWER. m
"a 8 F,4t4 a38 9 DAgg 49, telssstt ftA- ~
The SEcRErARY OF THE NAVY on Tuesday sent 10
the Senate, in answer to their call for information,
the following Reportfrom Professor CHAs. Y. FACE
being an outline only Of his experiments IN the ap-
plicaton Of Electro Magnetism
.s,sss WAsHIssros, AusUsT 80, 1850.
s.n In compliance with your request have the honor
report to you the progress made in my experiments, under
the act Of March Sd ls4s, sppoprang for "tes
ing the capacity and usefulness OF the power
as mechanical agent for the purposes Of OcOmoon and
navigation and the probable cost OF using the same"
schedule Of expenditures incurred up to this date
amounting 10 Sl2 herewith annexed, by which
viii appear that considerably than onethrd Of the APP
preparation remains yet unexpended Outstanding bills
main amounting to about 81, O0O most Of which is charged
at the Navy Yard for MATERIAL which, when deducted, will
leave about onehid Of the appropriation for further prosecu
ton Of the experiment.
From the brief time allowed it will be impossible for
do in this report than to give outline OF the ex
pemens which have repeated and recorded during past
year Their full detail and explanation will form volume,
epete with interesting scientific matter and require much
time and labor.
The first principal experiments made with small
trial engine built expressly for the purpose, and with the ut
most reference to mechanical accuracy Attached to
this was adynamoeer Of construction, and admirably
adapted to the purpose This invented by my principal
engineer and measured in most satisfactory manner the
dynamic power Of the engine, at any given velocity great
desderatum in estimating this power With this trial
engine the following important questions were tested
The dynamic values Of different qualities Of soft iron.
2. The dynamic values Of steel, hard and soft.
8. The dynamic value of cast iron n st
The stacal values Of all these varieties tested BY
separate apparatus constructed for the purpose, called the
axal gavanomete Twelve varieties in all were tested, and
were in bars Of uniform size, foot IN length, and
inch in diameter and was found that the stancai and
dynamic properties corfesponded.
The proportions he helces approximately tested;
though much remains unsettled yet upon this important
point.
s. The advantage Of keeping up the magnetism in the
axial bar was most satisfactorily tested.
g. Various modes tried Of reversing the motion Of the
ngine, and with success
T. Various kinds Of cutoff (Which is the most critical and
important point in the construction Of the engne) We're
tried. ,s sf ts
g. The operation of closed circuits and secondary currents
tested BY number Of experiments, requiring great care
and accuracy.
g. The best working velocity Of this engine, and its abso
lutte power with given battery, was fully tested
TO- The ratio Of increase Of power, with an increase in the
quantity of the current a
H. The values Of different kinds Of metal forming the
cutoff.
10 Various mechanical points Of construction, supposed
to have been incompatible with the exhibition of this power,
were put to practical test.
Various other minor points also the subject Of expert
ment, which will be communicated hereafter.
secend model Of small size and somewhat rude construc-
on was also made with view OF testing new arrange
ment Of the sxial bars.
Experiments were then commenced upon larger scale,
with view to determine whether the proportion Of
power could be obtained from large from small engines,
this being the principal question in view at the time OF the
grant Of the appropriation.
With to facilitate the construction Of helces of large
X
made considerable expense. The work done at the
Navy Yard in credtable manner, and the machine per-
formed its work WELL turning entire heces Of copper
wire, Of large size, from straight bars But before had pro-
ceeded far discovery made IN reference to the helix,
which rendered the machine useless for the present at least
number Of large helces then constructed Of various
Sizes and suitable bars Of soft iron prepared corresponding
to the heces Hollow and solid bars prepared, from
inches eight inches in diameter and generally three
feet in length Some bars Of four and five feet in length
also prepared The bars all worked at the Navy
Yard and at considerable expense, they were required
to be Of homogeneous metal accurately turned and bored
With these bars and heices, multitude OF experiments
performed and recorded and these were kept up day
after day for about two months My official duties Elk
arnner in the Patent Office left only the evening Of each
day for operation and, under such circumstances, you will
readily appreciate the difficulties and disadvantages under
which have abored. My own zeal has led me beyond my
strengths but have been richly rewarded by the most fa
tering results.
The experiments here were not such could be performed
IRON weighing in three hundred pounds and he
Ices sometimes twice that weight.
Adheng to the same Of battery through long series
of experiments, and varying the coils and bars found to
my great qualification that increased the dimensions Of
each corresponding increase of power was exhibited and
the consumption Of material cost Of the power, some
proportion diminished. These results encouraging and
stimulating in the highest degree and fully justified the
derakng, at of engine upon much larger scale
than any hitherto tried
This engine. the frame work Of which was principally
built at the Navy Yard, upright engine Of two feet
stroke and in order to have facilities for comparative trials
and experiments necessary that double engine should
be made the two parts exactly corresponding Two bars Of
soft iron six inches diameter and three feet in length
the prime movers and these were balanced by Of
meeting rods and cranks upon wheel shaft The balance
wheel and shaft together weighed six hundred pounds.
When this engine first tried with the same battery which
had before given fifth Of horse power with small
engine, it produced only one-thd Of horse power BY
careful attention TO the adjustments and particularly 70 the
cut of, which was very different thing now from what
had been in smaller engines the engine soon yielded one
horse power. Here gain Of eighty per cent as mea
sued merely by the size of the battery But was much
the cost found to be less for one horse power
than had been before for eth Of horse powell IN
smaller engines how much less has not yet been
great variety of experiments were continued with this
engine to be hereafter detailed each having definite object
and am happy to say, each resulting advantageousy 50
that finally, by little daily ncrements, obtained from this
engine by tifng addition Of battery, full two-horse
power.
By way Of giving practical character to the engine It
was geared to circular inches diameter The turning
I-l- If ks-k ~lAI