Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-08-16
PLAQUEMINE:
SATURDAY, AUGUST Is, 1851
The New Flying Ship.

We find the following account of new fly
ing ship, in the N. Y. Tribune of the 22d ult.
On Saturday, in company with several gen.
tlemen invited by Mr.. Il. Robjohn, we had an
opportunity of examining the immense aerial
ship, ''United States" now on the stocks at
Hoboken and nearly ready for launching into
the air. Trusting that some account of this
unique affair may be interesting to our readers,
we took few notes. which will serve as reia-
BILE data for brief description. The car is "a
feet in length very sharp at either end, width
9 feet, height 6 feet 4 inches, the whole COM
posed Off strong, light wooden frame covered
with canvass, with doors and g. lass windows
The boilers are of copper, on the tubular plan,
and occupy space equal to four cubic feet;
the engines are very perfect, being composed
of gun metal and cast.steel; they are of IL
horse power, and are to work 20 inch stroke
6S times minute, which will give 400 reyolu-
tions of the floats, which are placed in SUBJ
stantial framework on the top Of the car.
There is sufficient room for % passengers,
with fuel for four hours The float is 260 feet
in length, of cigar like shape, "a feet diane
ter in the centre, and has capacity equal to
$4,000 cubic feet, which gives lifting power
equal to $500 pounds. The entire weight of
the car, float and fixtures is but about 1900
pounds, leaving $500 pounds surplus. 1t is
designed to run about 200 feet above the sur
face of the earth at a rate of speed varying from
25 to SO miles per hour. The engines are a
curiosity, their weight being lSl pounds, and
so perfect are they that by the force of his
lungs, Mr.. Robjohn caused both pistons to
work full revolution, carrying driving
wheel Of five feet diameter. The rudder is
worthy of minute examination, and by it it
is designed to run up or down, and in any re-
quired direction. The car is suspended by
cords to the float, and when the whole is inf1a-
ted and suspended in mid-air under the csti-
mated velocity, it will be rare sight. The
reality of such a scheme can hardly be COM
pretended until one examines the admirable
machinery and actually sits down in the car,
when its feasibility seems to be probable. The
ship thus far has cost the inventor about
$500, and he now requires only few hundred
more to perfect and set afoat his air ship
1t is designed to drive this vessel by steam, and
to obviate the necessity of fuel, Mr.. Robjohn
says he has discovered plan for decomposing
water, igniting the gases, which again become
water, which is converted into steam by the
combustion, and this steam is again conden-
sed and returned for decomposition Sc
curing entire immunity from waste and a uni
form weight during the longest voyages. The
present arrangement of the engines, are how
ever, on the usual reciprocity plan, driven by
steam generated from coke and spirits of wine
The vessel lies on the plain west of Hobo
ken village, and is surrounded by strong en-
closure 29O by 275 feet-the whole under the
constant surveillance of watchman. Several
capitalists are examining the plan, and it is to
be hoped that the want of few hundred dol
lars may not be the means of preventing fair
trial Of this grand attempt to navigate the air.