The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-02-19
"stame'' as a Pr0psiIing Power.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.

You will greatly serve the cause OF humanity
and science by inserting the following concise &C.
count, and testimony thereof, in plain and familiar
language, OF a new, far safer, more Efficient and
vastly more economical motive force than steam,
most benefcsntly created and provided by Provi-
dence for the especial and for the greater beaeit
OF man, which his ignorance and conceit have
hitherto only occasionally and accidentally pro-
duced for his torture and destruction.
Whenever steam is generated in the usual way,
In contact with water, every equal volume OF
steam OF the same tension, contains an exact elui-
valent or definite quantity OF heat and of water.
Therefore, two volumes of steam contain twice as
much heat and twice as much water as one volume
OF steam, and eight volumes of steam contain
eight times as much heat and eight times as much
water as one volume of ste am contains
But when volume Of steam is heated apart from
water, perfectly new, aud far higher, and hith-
erto unknown and uhsuspected, chemical law OBJ
tans. and an entirely new element, chemically, me-
chanically and economically distinct from steam, is
produced, which, for distinction and convenience
sake, ] have denomnated by the monoss liable
"staTe;" for, whene yer volume of steam is heated
apart from water the further addition of only ll0h
the heat required for the formation Of that volume
OF steam converts it into two volumes of "stame,"
OF equal tension; and what must be considered
still more surprising fact by intelligent. chemists
and engineers is. the addition of two-tenths or one
fifth, the heat required for the formation of volume
of steam, converts that volume of steam into eight
volumes of stame," of equal tension, although
containing bu, the equiv alent OF water, required
for the one original volume of steam. Hence, two
very distinct and most important matters become
evident 10 the intelligent.
First-That by heating steam apar: from water,
eight times as many volumes of elastic fluid, of
equal tension or equivalent force, are produced
by only half the caloric and one equivalent
water, by "stame, that can be produced by eight
equivalents Of caloric and eight equivalents of
water by steam.
Secondly--Therefore more than six times the
motive force may be obtained from the same amount
If "a I'm nv IN mi he 0hf
by steam.
Further still-it must be apparen, 20 every com.
pe,ent person, that from this curious unexpected,
and rapidly converging ratio OF this force, the s!i
further addition OF an uncomfortable quantity of
heat to steam, apart from water, must constitute
insuperable force-ust such is 30 frequently and
SO unhappy exhibited in the hitherto inexplicable
and terrible explosions Of steam boilers, which
have SO long distracted and greatly afflicted huma-
nifty, AID which have so dreadfully tormented and
destroyed engineers, from absolute ignorance alike
of its nature and OF its existence.
The discovery Of the properties Of this new, pecu-
liar, and wonderful elementary combination Of heat
and water, has remained alike unknown to, and
unsupported by, the most intelligent engineers, the
il has, there fore, been so egregiouey misstated by
the bes! writer's on chemistry and on the steam en-
CINE, that because it lures $50 degrees OF heat Gas
II does) to double volume OF atmospheric air or
the gases, az Dalton and Gay Lussac stated, that
vapor or steam required to be heated apart from
water to the same degree TO expand IL to the same
extent; whereas, have happily discovered the fact,
that steam, heated apart from water, is doubled in
volume by only degrees, and trebled in volume
by only l6 degrees OF heat. Therefore, as steam,
heated apart from water, may be vastly increased
in volume and efficiency, by 30 very trivial an add-
ton Of heat. vast economy may he realized, and
a corresponding waste prevented.
This, If not the most brilliant, is certainly one of
the most useful discoveries OF the age; and seems
to be received with great disfavor by all the
influential classes-not because II Is doubtful,
but because il hes been discovered by plain and
practical man. How little was known. by learned
chemists and most intelligent gineers Of the bro
pertes Of hea:, and the most efficient means of ob.
tanning the ost economical motive power from heat
and water The truthfulness Of all this cannot be
doubted by any one who peruses the following de-
tail Of the repeated and searching scrutiny il has
undergone, by the following capable, interested
and nquls,vc persons; Tor on its discovery, not
sfessinp ample means for patenng and introduce
iherefrom to Mr. Horato Allen, one Of the most
talented proprietors of the Novelty Steam Works,
New York, for ehectng those different objects.
Both these he engaged to undertake, provided il
trial, being so shown, Mr.. Allen took GU. the
English patent.
Then, DR.. Alexander Stevens, the learned head
OF the New York University, having examined the
matter, took out patents on the same terms ia
Scotland and in France. Then, again, Mr.. L X.
Collins took the following extreme precautions 10
investigate the matter, FIRST sending an engineer
In whom he had great confidence, to scrutinize the
several delicate instruments and experiments; and
then Mr. Collins came personally five different times
to witness the performance Of an eigh, horse con.
densing engine, worked alternately by steam AMI
by ''stsme," accompanied each time by two or more
different friends, and superior judges Of steam
Rines-the last OF these vsiters being the learned
Professors Re, wick, OF New York, and Cowper, Of
GeorRia-when being all satisfied, Mr.. Collins plr.
chased half Mr.. Horatio Aliens interes:.
A long list Of equally competent and scientific
persons might be added, who have witnessed the
details OF this discovery shall concude by stat
ing, that every kind Of stationary locomotive, or
marine engine, may be thus easily and immensely
improved by persons pos sessing the necessary in
iellect and education, with csrtan xempton from
explosions; that marine engines espe ,ally may not
only be propelled the present greatest speed with
Iees than one fourth the fuel, fewer boilers and
attendants, and greater space be left for freight,
etc, but that etc amshps nigh, be propelled to even
double speed by only one half the fuel now so ig-
norknily and unnecessarily wasted.
Brooklyn, N. Y. JoHS Fsosr, Engineer.
THE LATE ACCIDENT ON rHE HousAroNc Rail-
ROAD The passengers On the Housateac road
had another narrow escape last night Oae Of the
passengers furnishes us with the following pirti-
cBlars The train was running at a rapid rate
around a curve, a mile below Van DeusenviUe, and
twelve miles from the State line, when the two
passenger cars were thrown from the track. In
an infant the trucks were torn of both cars