The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-05
Steam Boiler ExDloslons.

avoldaDie accldents. Iney arise, generally, from
far higher chemical laws than have vet been
discovered or suspected by the most learned
chemists, there being new, distinct and fa' ;
more powerful and economical combinatiOne \
of heat and water, than steam, and consequently
remain wholly unknown to engineers as to az
pear beyond their comprehension; though from thciI
dreadful effects their existence is indis.utable.
The chemical causes of those effects are unknown.
yet till the causes are known, the dreful effects
cannot be cOunteracted
Fifteen years ago, the general government being
at that time imbued with spirit of humanity, en-
pioyed and paid the little expense of committee
Of the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia for moro
than year, TO investigate tho causes and divine
the means for the prevention OF those then con-
eidered dreadful calamties, so little cared for now
as 10 be beneath the notice OF the government Of
tic MI r,, ,. ,..,
both talent and industry, ernved, after a great
deal of labor, at only an inadequate conclu-
sion THAT all explosions OF steam boilers arose
solely from the boilers having become over dis
tended with steam, and recommended double
safety valves, and fusble metallic plugs, ample
ard sure preventives Of explosions; and az those
gentlemen were justly considered able and indus
trious, their :" fat'' and remedy have unfortunately
been considered, by the government officials and
ty the whole race Of engineers, as the ne plus
ultra Of wisdom and knowledge, perfect security
seainst steam explosions, and any dissent from
their opinion here,ca or insane.
Nothing could have been more unfortunate, than
following those directions, as they are the readiest
probable their dire ctions have already caused, and
will cause numerous EXPLOSIONS.
Notwithstanding the profound opinion of the
Franklin Committee, if any competent and unpre-
JUDGED person con be found, who will calmly and
patiently consider the facts disclosed by the late
explosion ct the two steamboats, at New Orleans,
he will see the perfect nettic,ency OF all the in
sructions hitherto iiused for the safe guidance oil
engineers, " hich have led TO heir destruction.
First, let The case Of the Anglo. Norman tow boat
be considered She was furnished with low-pres~
na.v,G ,atnA nft
fret foundrys. and furnished with all known
inventions, notwithstanding which, the boiler
weighing many tons, exploded, and disappear
cd from the boat Fifteen or more persons
were killed and eighty wounded and scalded.
Amongst the former were Mr. Alfred Stillmans
one Of our mos, eminent engneers, and two Others
also selected from the Novelty Works in New
y ors, besides the careful snd competent engineer
OF The boat, aud also the President OF the tow
boat company, each of whom must have been PEE
stunned compete ut 10 direct the engine with safety
and, besides heiuo superintendent with this quiu-
tupe efficiency, Mr.. Alfred Sullman was inventor
and proprietor oi patent iron safety tube, armed
with fasib!e metal, for the certain detection OF
danger cad prevention Of explosions, in further adj
vance OF the Franklin committees Ineilclent re"
commenda,inn
Notwithstanding al these superb alive advan
tages, The low pressure boiler exploded, from some
I'm known and unexpected cause 10 those capable
and practical engineers, causing their horrible
Deaths and also a ten others, and the more or less
concentrated iuiiciion Of eScruciating torture oil
numerous relatives ami stti leaving all other per-
SONS in oIesd Ut like indietlons when exposed to
similar circumstances, sesiag that neither low
pressure engines, or The ysest engineers, are
exempt from, or possess suifictnt kn9"leoge 10 DC
secure from equal caiauiifies,
New, as some unknown cause existed fey
that dTeiul calamity, probable cause will be-
found therefor iii the account OF The explosion
Of the steamer Knoxville, few days after,
q; New Orleans, on leaving Inc wharf, and
which explosion was uaquestonabiy occasioneG
Et fI.r DE tua han in
creased expansiveness OF steam in the boilers,
for ell four boIlers were in free internal connec
ton by steam pipes eod by water pipes; and, be it
particularly RENE mbtr.d just after starting the
CINE, much steam had been exhausted from the
boilers 10 warm The cy Under, before starting the en-
CINE, whereby the tension Of steam in the boilerg
was doubtless lessened. The four boilers exploded
Tremendously al The same instant, when under di-
minshed steam pressure, with such inconceivable
force that one boiler was propelled 300 yards, de.
mosbiDg large pile Of barrels Of Hour IN it's inn
petuous couree; another boiler was propelled
throu gh an djoning stssmboat into third, smash
ing the machinery. Ne, IN both; the other two
boilers were demolished, several persons killed, end
many more wound. d aud scaded. Now, no sane
and competent person dare dispute that some part
Of one pf these boilers must have been much
weaker than The Of the four Boilers and, with
the .xquisilely delicate rate OF increasing expan-
sive force OF steam. gtadually raised as Il must o.
necessity have been, 10 an exploding force, the
weakest part or the weakest boiler would unavoid-
ably give way whenever the expansive force OF
Of The weakest b,iieT, when that ruptured part
would have acted pre- csely, and instantly, like e.
safety valve Ia the oiher three stronger boilers.
To imagine that crv iDa a substitute for a safety
valve, IN one ct the four boilers, could cause the
other three stronger boilers to explode, by relieving
them OF the insufficient an pressure within them,
would surely he OF the absurdest of all possible
absurdues Tor, on thu contrary, the Tremendous
explosion OF all four boilers, of different strength
al the same instant OF TIM, can by no other possi
biluy be accounted for, than by the sudden crea-
f.l G....
than s,tsm, by sudden conversion OF a large vo~
lume OF stesm 10 "srame " ia an .undaly heated
hultr, ny the very means proposed by the Franklin
Coumi ee for The prevention ot explosions, namely
hy fuddeuly d, creasiBg the steam pressure on the
large volume 81 hot water IN boilers, which hot
water flashing ioto natural steam, is az Instantly
converted To {" staine," newly discovered and
more volumnous. powerful, and economical force
thao steam, 10 which must request the attention
ofyour readers. by fret copcisey describing some
Of The newly discovered and peculiar propertiesan
combinations Ut heat AID wsteT
was shown ny Count Rumford fifty years ago,
that water was nearly perfect non. conductor OF
hest, and II - TO this peculiar properly thereof,
though hite known, We must seek an exnanatior
OF The spbefmdal state OF water, which state has GO
much puzzled many philosophers 10 explain.
The spheroidal state If water is exhibited, by
fret introducing drop Of water to iron erucible
beatt d hstle above 2I2 degrees. when the water
adherts TO the Cruco, sBd II qui xiv evsporated by
contact wuh the heated cfuclbe. On the contrary,
when similar drop at water Is introduced into he
same crucible, previously heated to, or nearly TO
r,cness, The drop OF wafer rrpeled by a substra-
tum ct steam from tbe ciucible, and being a non.
conductor OF heat. itremsns long time sispe n1ec.
and unevepora'ed IN the sphcroid Il STATE, showing.
also, the curious fact. that water Is more slowly
e'aPorated by supeheat,d iron, than by moro
moderate heat
Secondly, We have experimentally found on the
contrary, that steam IL the most rapid conductor OF
h, al IN Dature All per,ons know that steam i'm
parte heat instantly to ans celjer substance: and
we have expriuentslly found a current of steam,
heattd apart from wafer by contact with heated
iron, become AGO degrees hotter in the seventh oar
cf second OF time therefore, steam must have
acquire heat from iron Rapidly as iron could
conduct heats therefore, ste am must ave acquired
heat with electrical r4Itdiy.
Thirdly, We have expcrimenially found the adj
diion ct Comparatively fSial quantities Of heat 10