The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-09-30

What is Doing to the Ericsson!-IIeat.
The Ericsson Hot Air Ship, having all her \
former engines taken out at Green Point, was |
removed three months ago to the North River (
side to have great alterations made in her
machinery, at the engine works of Hogg g.
Delamater We have not visited this vessel
in'her new berth, nor do we know personally
what changes are making or are to be made
! in her new engines, but W. have been in
formed that the ae,c engines making for her
are identical in nearly every particular with
those of Dr.. Stirling. II the former engines
of the Ericsson were completely successful,
as asserted by SO many persons, why were
they taken out! Has not the result so far con-
frmed all We said about the impossibiity Of
hot air being able to compete with steam! II
has. Why is it then, that those papers who
deceived the public with false representations
about its success, have not said a word about
their being mistaken! We cannot look up
on their conduct as that of honest journalists.
Capt. Ericsson has shown himself to be a
most skllful adept in the Fabian tactics oe
literature, in staving off his discussion with
Major Barnard.
An article on the mechanical action of heat
by +. Ronband, translated from "L'Illustra-
ton" has been published in one of our city
magazines, which commences thus:-"When
body is exposed to the action of heat, there
is produced the phenoment Of dilatation, that
physicians explain by saying that the caloric
has penetrated body, and taken the place of
the air or water, or other substance interpos-
ed in the pores OF the body. In order to
penetrate a body thus, the caloric has had to
= overcome a certain resistance, and to exert
/ "a mechanical action. In consequence, caloric
is force that can be utilized in the arts
and in machines Identical with the steam
engine. 1t is this idea that Capt. Ericsson
is endeavoring to realize in his new caloriC
A engine"
There are not a few errors in the above
l.. mixed up with some truth. 1t speaks o
q caoric as a ponderabe body, which it is not
" for it penetrates a body, and does not displac
i either air or water in the pores Of the body
y but combines with the air or the water, &c
n producing dlataton. The caloric or hea
n when it enters water, forms steam. 1t is no
Or correct to say 'the mechanl. .orce of caloric
~ any more than it would to say"the mechanic
"a al force of force" 1t requires the combn0
~. ton of caoric with n known ponderable bod
-. to produce mechanical force. Water is tn
n. best substance known to us when combine
,o with heat to produce the most economics
os mechanical effects in moving bodies. w
bt have many strong arguments in proof OF thi
,v which we have not yet advanced, because W
n deem it prudent to reserve some charges
gainst such guerilla machine as the "h'
II, air engine" which no doubt will make
"a. second advent by-and-by, and pehaps reprt
he duce not few speeches, and paper leats ST
ch perior TO any it has yet made. We percei,
4, that Prof. Barnard, Of the University
h. Alabama has long article in the last num-
ho er of "Slliman's Journal" on a proposed ir
90 provement of Ercsson's engine. 1t is q
- exceedingly dull article, and exhibits a d
T cided want of practical knowledge in engn
h. ering. .-!ScicntiGc American.
~ The VIRGINIA PAN HANDLE-The mi
h, Of the United States shows between PEN
bv sylvania and Ohio a strip Of territory beloni
;le ing to Virginia. This strip extends over six
-, miles in length, and In some places is n
M more than four miles wide. Its western bou
,J Diary is the Ohio river, which divides it fro
,,, the State of the same name. This territor
-. from its peculiar shape and its position t.
-, wards the rest of the State, is called "the Pa
or Handle" The appropriateness Of the nan
bo will appear by looking ut the map Midw0
:, in the length of the Pan Handle is Whcelin
20. on the Ohio, and twenty five miles further /
~ is Steubenville, which is about opposite Pitt
~, burgh, and on the line between that city al
hn Columbus. On this line railroad is proje
,nJ ted and chartered by the Legislatures of Pen
nd sylvania and Ohio, but the Legislature
air Virginia, under tn, influence of Wheelin
,r which is IA commercial rival of Pittsburg
ho has refused to allow that road to pass aero
70, "the Pan Handle" But the projectors ha,
m, secured the right of way from the individu
as landowners, and are making such progre
90 that they expect to complete it before Il
H., meeting OF the Legislature of Virginia. The
is no law to prevent the construction of a raj
~, road in this way, and no necessity for cha
,L ter. When once completed and in operatc
Ly it will pass under the protection Of the la
~ of Congress, which makes al! railroads po
III routes as soon as they are in operation. Th
,o is the "Pan Handle Railroad" OF which "
Lo hear in the papers. 1t will make an impo
r. tant communication for Pittsburgh and Phi
4, adel phia to the West 1t Is to be regret.e
or that it ia made the cause of jealousy betwcc
os rival cities.
lie New York RAILRoADs.-Therc are twol
lc, ty-onc hundred miles of railroad in operatu
he in the State of New York, and ten thousar
'r- more under contract.-S;ientWc American.