The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-05-25
The Caloric ship Ericsson.

cript gives the following account of this enter
prise, in his journal of the 9th inst, after per-
sonal visit TO the works in this City, where the
machinery for the new calorc ship is being
built, and whore also sixty horse power trial
engine is in operation on this new principle for
the production of motive power: ~. ..., ,o
"The idea Of substituting new and superb
or motive power for steam will no doubt strike
many minds as extravagant il not chimerical.
We have been so accustomed to regard steam
power as the ne plus ultra of attainment in
subjecting the modified forces Of nature to the
service of man, that discovery which promis-
es to supercede this agency, will have to con-
tend with the most formidable preconceptons
as well as with gigantic interests. Neverthe
less, it may now be predicted with confidence,
that We are on the eve of another great revo-
luton, produced by the application ofan agent
moro economical and intellectually safer than
steam. To the question, How did you cross
the AtlantcY the reply will be-'By caloric. of
course" On Saturday visited the manufac
tory, and had the privilege ofinspectng Erics-
sons caloric engine of sixty-horse power, while
it was in operation. 1t consists Of two pairs of
cylinders, the working pistofs of which are 72
inches in diameter. It's great pecularities
consists in its very large cylinder and pistons,
working with very low pressure, and in tho
absence of boilers or heaters, there being no
other fires used than those in small CRATES un-
der the bottoms of the working cylinders.--
During the eight months that this test-engine
has been in operation, not cent has been OK
pended for repairs or accidents. 1t is beau.
tiful and imposing object, and conveys the idea
of power and symmetry much more impi ess-
lively than the largest steam engine that have
ever seen. The leading principle oftho caor
ic engine consists in producing motive power
by the employment of the expansive force of
atmospheric air instead Of that of steam; the
force being produced by compression of the
air in one part of the machine, and by its di-
lation by the application of heat in another
part This dilation, however, is not effected
by continuous application of combustibles. but
by peculiar process of transfer, by which the
caloric is made to operate over and over again
viz: tho heat of the air escaping from the wor-
king cylinder at each successive stroke of the
engine is transferred to the cold, compressed
air entering the same, so that in fact contin-
ued application of fuel is only necessary in or
der TO mako good tho losses of heat occasioned
by the unavoidable radiation of tho heated
parts of the machine. The obvious advanta-
ges of this great improvement are tho great
saving of fuel and of labor in the management
of the engine, and it's perfect safety. ship
carrying the amount of coal that tho Atlantic
and recross the Atlantic twice without taking
in coal; and the voyagetoChina or to Califor
mia could be easily accomplished bya caloric
ship without the necessity of stopping at any
port to take in fuol. Anthracite being far the
best for this new engine, we shall no longer
have TO purchase bitumnous coal in England
for return trips. On tho contrary, England
will find it advantageous to como to us for our
anthracite. A slow radiating fire without
fame is what is required, and this is best sup
piled by our anthracite. There being no
smoke, short pipe to carry off tho carbonic
oxydo gas aud other products of combustion, is
all that is needed. But the great advantage
of this important improvement, and that which
in tho absence of other advantages, would
commend it to adoption, is the entire safety of
the engine, an explosion being impossible
in steam engines, if the water ges low, or il
there is an excess of pressure, or any defect
in the materials Of which the boiler is compos-
cd, or an overhoating oftho furnace tops, occa-
stoned by ncrustaton formed by salt, in ma
rine boilers, Sc. All explosion is inevitable -
But in the caloric engine the only result from
neglect vii be--the stoppage of the engine!--
The present test-engine shows that there
must be neglect to put in fuel for three hours
before tho speed is even slackencd Thus you
have nothing to fear from sleepy engineer
VI al dIiiDIllous Cdpbulll, anu all TIC WHe not
oDe-quarier the amount of attendance and la
Dor required to keep steam engine in motion
will be needed. When VIC consider the amount
of human mutilation, suffering and loss which
will be prevented for q century to come, when
this invention shall have passed into general
use, surely every phanihropst will bid God
speed 10 this new motive engine. A caloric
ship Of 200 tons to be called the Ericsson, is
now in process of construction, ahd is in such
n state offorwardness that she will be in frames
by the end of next week. Sho is q very beau
tlful model, and is the admiration of all ship
builders for her remarkable strength, being adj
mitted to have the strongest bottom Of any ship
built in New York. The machinery is moro
than half completed. | saw three out of the
four working cylinders, the padde-whees, all
and connecting rods, and bed plates, and main
pillar blocks--and various other parts of the
engnes--all of them massive forms of metal,
cast with tho utmost precision and smoothness,
and the casting pronounced by competent judi
ges to be superior to the best in the British
steamers. The cylinders are 16S inches in di-
ameter-72 inches larger than those in the
Collins steamers. The Ericsson will bo ready
for sea BY October next: and her owners intond
to take passengers at Il reduced price, i'm con-
sequence of the reduced expenses under the
new principle. The ship belongs TO Mr.. John
b. Kitching, and few other wealthy men,
The Ericsson will be commanded by Captain
Lowber.
The SPIRITS HAVE LrED.-During the oper-