Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1852-06-18
The CnIoric ship. Ericsson,

script gives The following account Of Iais enter
prise in his journal Of The oh ultimo. after
personal VISIT 10 the works 10 New York, where
the machinery for the new ealoric ship is being
built aud where also q sxiy-horse power trial
engine Is in operation on this new principle for
the production OF motive power:
"Ihe idea Of substituting a new and superior
motive poWer Tor steam will no doubt strike
many minds as exTavagani, il not chimerical.
We have beeu so accustomed TO regard steam
power as the ne Plus ultra Of attainment ia sub.
jscung the modified forces Of nature to the ser.
vice Of man, thai discovery which promises
to suPersede Ihis agency will have 10 contend
with the most formidable preconeeptions as
we'll as gigantic interests. Nevertheless. il may
now be predicted with confidence that We are
on the eve Of another great revolution, pro.
dUced by the application Of an agent more
economical aud incaleulably safer than steam.
On Saturday | wished The mauuiactory, aud
had the privilege Of inspecting Ericcsou's en-.
glne Of sxIy-horse power while il was in oper.
aIion. Ii consists Of Two pair Of cylinders, the
working pislons Of which are 72 inches 10 di.
ameler. Its great peculariIies consist 10 its
very large cylinders aud pistOns, working viii.
very low pressure, and 10 the absence of boilers
OF heaters, there being nc other fire, EMPLOYED
man nose IN sr.all CRATES Gnder the bottoms of
me working Cylinders. During tho eight
months mat this test engine has been in opera.
ton. not cent has been expended Tor repairs
or accidents. Il is beautiful and imposing OBJ.
jeeI, and conveys the idea OF power and sym.
metTy much more impressively than the lar
gesl steam engine have ever seen. The lead.
ing principle Of the caloric engine consists in
producing motive power by the employment Of
The expansive force Of atmospheric air instead
Of thai Of steam; the force being produced by
the compression Of the air in one part OF the
machine, and by its dilalalon by the applica.
ton Of heat in another part. The dilaIation,
however, is not effected by continuous Opplica.
ton Of combusIibes, but by a peculiar process
of transfer, by which The calorc is made to
operate over and over agan, viz: the heat Of
the air escaping from the working cylinder al
each successive stroke Of the engine is trans.
lerred to the cold compressed air entering the
same; so that, 10 fact, continued application OF
fuel is only necessary in order to make good
the losses Of heat occasioned by the unavoida.
Bile radiation of The heated parts OF the ma.
chine.
The obvious advantages ofIhis great improve.
ment are the great saving of fuel and of labor
in The management Of the engine, and It's per.
feet safety. A ship carrying the amount Of
coal that the Atlantic steamers now take for u
single trip, could cross and re.cross the Allan.
Iic twice without taking in coal; and the voyage
to China or 10 California could be easily &C.
complished by caloric ship without the neces.
slIy of stopping at any port to take in fuel.-
There being no smoke, u short pipe TO carry of
the carbonc acid gas and other products Of
combustion is all that is needed. But the
great advantage orths important Improvement,
and that which, in the absence Of other advan.
tages, would commend il 10 adoption, is the en-.
tire safety TO the engines; an explosion being
impossible. ln steam engines, if The water
gets low, or if there is an excess Of pressure, or
or any defect in the materials Of which the
boiler is composed, or an over. heating of the
furnace tops, occasioned by incrusIalon formed
by salt, in marine boilers, &C., an explosion is
inevitable. But 10 the caoric engine the only
result from neglect, will be The StOppdge Of The
engine. The present test engine, shows that
there must be u neglect TO put in fuel for the
space Of three hours before the speed is even
slackened. Thus you have nothing TO fear
from sleepy engineer or an ambitious captains;
and oil the while not one.quurIer the amount
OF attendance and labor required to keep u
steam engine in motion will be needed. A ca.
Iorlc ship of 2,20U tons, TO be called the Erics.
son, is now in process Of construction, and is in
such state of (orwOrdness that she will be in
frames by The end of next week. She is very
beautiful model, and is the admiration of all
ship. builders for her remarkable strength, be-.
ing admitted TO have ,he strongest bottom OF
any ship built in New York. The machinery
is more than half completed. saw three out
OF the four workingcyIinders,t the paddle. wheels.
all the valves and valve chests, the main links
and connecIng rods, the bed pIuls, and main
pillar blocks, and various other parts Of The en-.
gnes, all Of them massive forms Of metal cast
with the utmost precision and smoolhness, The
cylinders are 1863 inches in dIameter-72 in.
ches larger than those in the Collins steamers.
The Ericsson will be ready for sea by October
next; and The owners intend TO take passengers
at a reduced price in consequence Of the re-.
duced expenses under the new principle. The
ship belongs to Mr.. John B. Kitchng aud few
other wealthy men. The Ericsson will be
commanded by Captain Lowber."