The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-03-20

with his assertion that the subject has been wholly
overlooked sod never been thought OF BY ens,n.ar.
We leave him to explain especially When we ada tn.
isct that detailed accosDt OF this In
experiments was published in the Engiaerrs, sad A.
eheets Journal early September iast aac ia the
frankhn Journal OF January before the Conm,ssioaer.
report vent to Congress We can hardly pick no q
work on the subject OF steam thai Ia not at
eawtn the results tf sseh experiments not with
nttle Toy canoe aad an uncertsin power, but o,ty
with full sized steamers or in we'll dig-s.sd exp.ri.
ments, and with mathematical Deductions thsrefrom
HAD the learned Commisrioner consulted which
are to BE found In the Patent Ofoe library su.h a,
Tresdeold and others should think he would hsrd
nave had the tsmerity to claim to be the hrst 10
Probably one Of the most fallacious chimsrss tina.
eeniueee fall into Ia, the snPportisn that should
follow come natural model their beau ideSi Ia the
constr uction of machines white in truth,
thing would be more likely to lead sstray from
rect mechanical principles What We hear
sxclsim, DO you intend to smssd the works OF the
great Engineer Of nature Not at sll gentlemen Of
tAs Ewoapkisn school Nor shsii vs ever attempt
to initiate his works all such imatO
humbues II sn organised mschine to be made,
ssssed Of all the functions Of nsh suited to the ears
animal economy OF the species TO cat sleep capture its
prey breathe digest, aud in word live, feeble
powers could not device organization so perfect
the shark sword h.h ard other fast swimmers In
fact, any swimmers fast slow. But what have
to do with such examples! can we. bscsuse dsh
paddles would he they IL they had nothing
but to swim Most aRsuredly not Who would not
laugh to scorn man who should assume that because
the deer Is amongst US the fastest OF anmsls,
should therefore make loo smotive with legs that
pattern to travel the ground We we'll remember
when men were foolish enough TO attempt even that
ls u whit more absurd than this Iwadde about the
tails Of fshes. We cannot resist noticing q radical
which the Commissioner has fallen into in OBJ
serving nshes; spd really fee tempted 10 read TO
him Stearn's chapter hobbies, before We proceed.
Any who has neticsd snake swim ming may nave
observed that the head moves steadily forward or
nearly especially II the animal is moving fast. and
that the bony presents serfe, OF unduissons each
part following the track OF tina, before it, snake has
no fin or broad PADDLE on the tail 70 present 90 the
water but the curves thrown out each side of the
lima AZ nd h. tha L.na k.la,.
body Is nearly cylindrical snd yet 1t make very
rapid progress In sSimmipg And IL will rs noticed
that the fasteet swimmers have supple body 6tted 20
form undustioDe like the snake only less degree,
willis ut the same time their exterior surface is tn
creased In bresdtb slow swim raers rigid,
and move their heads very much istteray when eret
ing themselves TO swim fast, while, the contrary,
the fast swimmers keep their heads steady aud per.
form more perfect uDouixtons OF tire body. This
theory Therefore would TO be, that the animals
which s~im fastest have the most perfect power of
making the hind parts OF their bodies follow IN the
wake cfthat which pTsoedes it, modified Of BIZ
the amount OF their muscular power, aud not IN the
quantity OF tail. Mr. Ewbank's diagrams clearly
chow. The dolphin ia good illustration OF this; snd
Who that has trsversed the tropics, oticei
lite speed and esmhols' We do not intend TO be BE-
tray I'd tQto theory Of propulsion founded nature;
but We believe tEst II Mr. Ewbauk will study the
anstomy Of nshes little sbose their tails he will aud
their csuds eItremies this pstura gnids; and no
viii at esst learn by the study that the Creator had
other objects In view IN the peculiar form which ne
has given TO the deren members Of the sh, to
make pattern swimmer Of him.
have but little left for noticing the expert
ments Of MIR. Esbank OF We could show from his own
account that they prove very different theory
the enc he sugsesss that the more ne snisrses his
wheel and the greater amount u paddle surface ne
bripge to the periphery in other word the faster
makes his paddles the greater DC
Of propusion. II be had divided bis aidIe horizon
tally isto two or more paris, and had brought them
down side by sice TO the periphery he would have
found IL eiescious thsp any he tried IL pre-
posterops 10 suppose that nstur. sbbors r-otapgls
any more than sbs sbhors vacuum aud 1t strikes Us
that IT Mr. Ewbsnk h.d ,tudi,d llossrth's lines of
beauty, he would have bsen enlightened 20 the
cons why rectangular and right line boundaries are
never TO be foend in nature matter that has long
since Ceased to BIZ mystery poyeity to artists.
Triangle Ne artificial - recao and che sdop
tion Of them does not relieve BIN oil his dfcuiy All
bis expefimt nts show but fsotthst the greater
amount of superhces projected cot to hey pad tina
periphery OF the euitsi wheel the more readily over
comes It. In theory, infinitely broad wheel with al
the sopertces the periphery would bs the beet
for size whrels, when level snd IN smooth but
there ottsr elements TO he considered eepec ly
can steamers which difficult 20 kses o a even
Keel with their paddles at proper degree Of INNER
sion Iheie may be found other forms better sutrt 10
the varied purposes II tucb vessels bat Nr EVbsuk
does not give natl ma teal calculation
son TO .how Why IT should be triangle and cannot
permit The bshes 10 soly~ the obem wthou. poeh
Mr. fvbsnk entirely under water with his experiments
and thUs drosu his theory. The advantages Of yery
large and broad wheels well By such men
"a Steven Vaudrrbiit Collins, Law. aud othors Of
teaubnst owners 10 require The hngs
Of who has never gone hey Ond the padding OF .
In the esssy forming paddles of thin materials and
in this lie has been torestaeo By many steamers no~
saost in which thin iron paddles are nov employees
and believe, well Understood oy their projectors
they he by MIR. Esbapk
The study Of nature IL no doubt prohtsbls hutfrcm
pispce which tts tommiSioDer cooiesses he has
but recently taken one but n asck would attempt
20 found theory-nshif fan a1stFdon gnoa
sit ob ohquO phosophoTun, says the old yr0vefb, and
think that Tins he the only evidence to.proys hn q
philosopher NINDlCAIOR