The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-16
The CalOriC Shin.

The CalOric Ship.
The experiment OF Mr.. Ericsson Of applying
heated air the propulsion of ships il rapidly ap-
preaching crisis. The trial ship for this object
was launched in this city several weeks ogo, and
by the first Of December her machinery will be
ready to test the feasibility Of the discovery a
substitute for steam.
The principle involved in the construction of tho
CaIoric Engine is the employment of heated air to
the exclusion of furnaces, boilers and the trouble
some ct ceteras of the steam engine. The engine
consists of two cylinders. the lower being of much
greater diameter than the upper. The upper is
called the supply, the lower the working cylinder.
In each cylinder il fitted piston corresponding to
the diameter, but so arranged that The operations
are made simuta nGously
At the base Of the lower or working cylinder a
fire ia applied, and the machine la al set in
motion The piston in the upper Under descends,
a series Of valves placed in the top opened, and
the cylinder ia filled with cold air. As the piston
rises these valves Close and the air within, bic
TO escape, passes through another set Of valves into
n receiver, whence it again passes into the work.
ing cylinder through an apparatus called the re-.
generator, which 10 formed OF a scries Of wire net.
tings, placed side by side, and about twelve inches
in thickness. Tho air, in passing through the
meshes Of this continuance, takes up large amount
Of heat, cay 450 degrees In passing into the work
ing cylinder il receives an additional amount of
caIorc, say 30 degrees At the temperature Of
sion, and in the effort to find vent, performs the
work demanded of II by the engine In other
words, it 10 the expansion of heated air, in place OF
the vapor of water steam, that produces the
essential propelling over. The advantages to be
derived from this improvement, should 1t prove
effective, are too obvious to call for argument.
Moot important of ALL it ia claimed that there can
be danger Of explosions, and very little chance
for fire on shipboard. .t ...
The saving in room is very considerable, and
the danger Of leakage from placing the bed-pla,e
bolts through the bottom Of the vessel is entirely
obviated. The bed plates are firmly bolted to the
flooring OF the chip, and constitutes safe and dura
bic iron coating, which seems TO bid defiance 10
the ordinary dangers Of the steamships. ...
II 10 not expected that ship thus propelled will
make the voyage TO Europe short Of fourteen or
fifteen days-at least until tho experiment ia de-
vsloped, and new ponte Of improvement suggest
ed. The competition in speed therefore, will fret
tie with the sailing merchantmen and packets, in
heavy freigh,e not with he mail stea mefs in pas
sengers and light and costly goodp. The greatest
revolution will probably be in the clipper service,
on long voyages around Cape Horn and Good Hope
to San Francisco, China, and India. The present
difficulty with steamships and steam propeilers s.
that they cannot carry coal sufficient for such voy-
ages, and, besides the inconvenience and loss OF
time in putting into intermediate ports, they find
the supplies Of fuel too uncertain and costly " do
On the calculation Of Mr.. Ericsson, that one
fifth only of the fuel required TO make steam will
be sufficient to create the calorc, vessel may
carry from New York all the coal necessary for
the longest voyage, in addition to her cargo on
reight.-Ne'p York Daily Times. .,...-..