The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-05-27

TIE CALoR1c SHIP Ericsson -The editor
Of the Boston Evening Transcript, gives the follow
ing account Of This enterprise, in his journal of The
5,h inst, after personal visit 10 The works in this
City, where the machinery for the new caiorc
ship : being buil,. and where also a s,x:v-iorse
power tfai engine - in operation this new
principle for the production Of motive power:
"lhe idea of substituting new and superior
motive power for steam viii no doubt strike many
minds eX'ravlgant # not chimerica We have
been so accustomed To regard steam power 5 the
ne pius uitJa oi attainment in suhcc,ing the mod
ltlrd forces of nature TO The service Of Hlln thai.
discovery which promises to Supercede this a =
gency. will have 20 contend with the most for,ni-
dabie preconcepiions as well as wi.h gigantic IN
tereS's. Nevertheless, IT may now be predicted
with confidence that are on the eve OF another
great revolution produced by theapplcation Of an
agent more economical and Incidentally suffer than
steam. A few years hence, we shall. hear eff The
wonders of caloric' instead of the wonders of
steam To the question, How did yon Cross
the Atlantic = the reply Will be, BY, oaoric of
course =
On Saturday visited the manuficfory. md had
The privilege Of inspecting Ericsson's c9loric en-
gine OF sixty horse power, while il VAS in opera
lion. Ii CONSISTS Of NO pair Of cy finders, the
working pistons % which arc ~ inches in diane
ter. Is great peculIritIcs CONSIST in its very
large cylinders and p>rons, working with yer,
i0w pressure; and IN the absence of boilers or
heaters, there being no other fires etnpIoved than
those IN small CRATES under the bottoms of the
working cylinders. During the eight months that
this test engine has been IN operation. not cent
has been expended IN repairs or accidents Ii is
beautiful and imposing object, and conveys the
idea oil power and symmetry much more impress
sveiy than the largest steam engine tina, have
ever The leadin. principle Of the calor,c
engine consIs; IN producing motive power by the
expansive force of atmospheric air instead Of
steam; the force beng produced bv compression
OF he ar IN one part of the machine, and BY its
ddtlon by the application of heat in another
part. Tins dIlaiion, however, Is not effected BY
continuous application of combus,bles, but by
peculiar process of transfer, by which the caloric
IS made 10 operate over and over again, viz: the
heat OF the arr escaping from the working cylinder
at each successive stroke Of the engine Is trans
Tered TO the cold compressed air entering The
same, so that IN tact continued application OF
iuei Is cniy necessary in order TO make good The
losses Of heat occasioned by the unavoidable ra-
dIaton Of the heated parts Of the machine The
obvious advantages oftbis great Improvement are
the great saving Of fuel and The labor in the man.
"Scio"' VI 'he engine, anu us perfect safety. a
ship carrying the amount Of coal that the Atlantic
steamers now take for single trip. could cross
and recross the Atlantic twice without king
in coal; and the voyage TO China or to California
could be easily accomplished by caloric ship
without the necessity Of stopping at any port to
take in fuel.
Anthracite coal being far the best fuel for this
new engine, we shall no longer have to purchase
b runinous coal in England for return trips. On
the contrary, England will find it advantageous to
come to us for our anthracite. A slow radiatny