New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-10-25
The Fanaticism of Mechanics.

10 h.s Editors Of The N. Y Tribune.
The recent revival in Sawyer u Gwynne's
"nsw motive power OF that antiquaied mechan-
lcal absurdity perpetual motion, shows that while
Summer and Winter, seed.time and harvest endure,
The race OF visionares and dupes shall no, die out
Though reason and experience prescribe the search,
misty brains insist on sQuarng the circle, hunting
up the philosophers stone, compromising the elixir
vita, II tnkerng up primum mobile II would,
Aowcver, scarcely seem credible that SO many
columns Of untempered logic and SO much smart
ness and hectorng, AS have emanated from the sup
porte rs Of the particular example named ABOVE,
could have abused the public ear IN this day, with
out ehcilng more rebuke Most projectors are
eager to yeufy then schemes by experiment. course
thai has alw NV found ccctua quiet the fer
men of perpetual motion but although tue above
scheme has been agltated Tor several months al least
although, beng as simple cofce-mIll, II might
be executed for a few dollars, and although sum
amounting 10 several hundreds has, To the writer's
knowledge. been already toolishy embarked IN 1t,
yet It's managers with an oDiufacy that puts
Oliver Twist To the blush stih ASK for more
To exhaust tins subject argumeu,aiNely and pursue
the falacies brought forward Ia support II through
all the Tahoes OF lmbeclc subleriuge rs as vain as
10 Try To stop the leaks oi the DAMAGES. few oo-
sery aiions however. on the more prominent abSur
di,ics IN :. & G.s plan Will peShapS clear mp the
have which lmparts an apparent reality 10 ITS AIRY
AothmgDcss.
The Kernel OF McSsrs 5. & & : project hes IN the
position that the centrifugal force developed by a
revolving disc increases III more RAPID ratio than
that which sets the disc IN motion whence they
fer q surplus OF the former force may be turned 10
mechanical purposes. Now, as the centrifugal force
evolved always preserves an increasing Taio 10 tnh
impaitng motion to the mech lnical system. Il fol
lows that unless resistance be increased m the same
ratio, excess OF centrifugal iorce, reVertlOly Vul
able IriDt1R nobits viii be continually general
iHg but constant increase of resistance + mp0Ssl-
bile hence the centrifugal force must multiply al
.aa'tnn 1t Is true that the inventor repeatedly AT
trAS that the centrifugal force l. mol the mo-
NNe-power OF ms engine, Punch and the writer
think rs bu, a. the Inventor admits II tn
be the "meaStre OF fhe PoWSr" his distinction
seems of practical importance. II the
vacuum be supplied a. East as the centrifugal force
or vacuum making power can create H. then 1t IS Ger
Tain that The centrifugal iOrcc viii always be the IN
dex or actual measure OF the power of the ma hne
and the other hand, II the ceniniiga force gene
rate vacuum faster than II can be supplied the
WhIiIgig viii he depleted until at last II stops from
hamilton perfect vacuum, however, cannot be
produced, and hence the hollow disc. which acts a.
aiorce-matrix, Will perpetualiy mcubAte whatever
matter 1t contains 10 augmehtS Of power process
which, n the mechanism be strong enough. el last
Ia eternity maChlue then, ot tins klBd contained
IN lady's hlmolo would LOt only dnye The Atlantic
but impel planetary system az career "A universe.
The manage ment OF such a Pegasus might sooner
or later involve Us IN some difficulty with Jupiter
and Saturn and other ancient and respectable mem
bers OF the planetary family, for such yesu,t Is no
lest II Sawyer and Gsynue are correct Their ma
ehmc is destined 10 be the pialc!taR Ss.icBS OF all
=
touching his hat to the inventors the sun, yield
ing To the vortex, obey the forces OF the mo-
Enrire"
The engine shown in the second diagram, which
they iaceuousN term TtClpTO caung engine Is rated
BY them 81 horse power hUi bv the showing OF their
own tables At might Just as well be rated al iOIOO
10000 horse power, because the centrifugal force
evolved BY their machine ana hence indirectly It's
power, varies according 70 The weight applied To set
1t IN motion. II instead of los pouaas nitiu ory
force, SS2 pounds be used then the centrifugal force
evolved Is about TO- eco plmsS. OF aS0ui four times
the amount generated moan loo pounds prme
mover and az an II 664 pounds be appl ed 20 the
machine, We are 10 get prOCuCi Of 5000 pounds
centrifugal force anc 50 on Now does even Mr..
SAWYER believe thai the power OF an engine caa 70
permanently ulpcd, Quadrup ed, or multiplied 20 an
chnIte extent simply ~ Increasing the force with
which 4 Is frst set IN motion ItsrS IS rata ~
txsen tAer Media and ne p0svr 'bsrc'cgm s'a'ed,
hence their estimates OF horSe-po~ers are sheer
StSurditeS
The eoncel, mere SiRg the force Of aer engine by
increasing the pressure OF the elastic meium within
the case or hinder, heioAer ignorance OF ths nrs
principles Of hydroSlarcS. Ever, School-boy knows
the pressure On the pefiahera valve VIII be increased
IN exactly the same proportion aS that OF the well be-
ntaIh and hence that the reSS,ancs TO be overcome
al the waive VIII increase precisely as the increase
a. the motive pressure on the well. Were this not
the case a rse OF the barometer oud be followe d
by yet nom the sPouis OF all The codee-pois IN
static pressuretom
/, is principle to which exception has been
shown. either IN mechanics or phys lolog, that wher.
ever force OF motion u exhibited there must be
waste e. some transformation of the materials de-
'eioplng the phenomena, and which the pheno nena
activities or effects are insufficient 20 rcconsuSuie
The conception OF an entity or being, reconstruct.
ibls as 10 system BY its tiyIty or what Is VIZ
tualy the same, OF an activity adequate 10 recon
s'ruct the conditions Of It's pYoductOa-ls convert-
lbe, IN fact with the conception OF God None but
dementee mind would ever persist IN expecting
Ia accomplish such a result BY wheels and levers
One word more as 70 Sawyer and G~ynnes
,oDirivaDce. IL works pTodigiorsly paper. but -