The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-01
Tnc Calor,c shin lcr,csson ).

Tne Caloric ship ericsson.
The following communication from the Secr ary Of the
avy has been sent to the Naval Committee Of he Hsuse
OF Representatives. Appended The letter OF Ccs,maudr
Joshua Sands of the navy giving description Of the
passage Of the Ericsson from this city 70 Norfolk
! NAVY DEPARTMENT Feb. Is 1853
siii hevo the horror 10 report to you, joct u
interest," 10 the Naval Committee OF the House of Rcprs
sensi1es and one in my judgment ofgreat mpo stencs
for the consideration OF Congress- the arrival the
Ericsson in tho Potomac off the poss of Alexandria This
vessel presents the first exhibition of the application Of
the rev crcric engine Yented BY Captain Erics.
| son certeman whose genius hss enabled him lo.se-
cure to he naval and marine country ths
most vAleehe auxiliary power in the yg2ton of shpA
that has et been furnished tia worlda power which
Is dsstinea he'sater to become a universal application
III the driving OF machinery va.aar land yea. The
ngsnau, hseotor Of the eiSno y which this power Ia
developed has applied to IL the stuy and labor OF many
yea-s and has a. length produced result the vcss
nov IN this vicinity which j. emiaently entitled to be
| kno~a 70 our .yt.
Tho Er;css"n left New York Wednesday, the l7t!.
instant. her voyage to tho otemac which was for
tuatsly attended BY such ensgestuous weather as nut
TO tn. sayerst test her performance and OF endr
ance hs success in this her hrst trip has surpassed
even tAs expectations OF her constructor Tho papers
accompanying this letter will furnish in detail full nfor-
mati9n Of ne incidents Of heR passage After seventy
three nours oi continuous progress she the mouth
OF ths Potomac, where sora attended by thick
haze rendered II necessary 70 make short delay, and
then proceeded up the river - ALEXANDRIA, whore sbe
ariSed on the evening Of the 2it She Is abreast
that port open to the inspection q The public
Sne has been already visited BY many officers Of the
government and by persons skilled in construction
sud the nature Of machinery and ha elciie most
favorable opinions of those best pable of forming
Judgment upon her qnai'f' - ieei myseh auhariz I'd TO
sa5 that The APPRECIATION @sso ,l;s have excited of
such character to leave room doubt the com
ire OF the inventor in the splendid terprso
which he has so Tong anf 50 assiduous, addressed his
genius.
Itwll be from tie papers have submitted with
th- conmunica ton tfat on the 18th Of January last
Captain licsou c6nfaent ~ that TINS OF this prosper
result, hrongh his agent ps0posai to this
parent 70 build twcrgaes Of the largest class for the
Of the government which should be equipped with
sOl % "a "A n guer6
Of zen knobs an lo, with consusaop OF coal MT OK
foImance Of which conditions he wing to gye satis
factory security pd ut the same tirae to guarantee that
| ships. This department having strong confidence in
the ability Of Capaf Ericsson 10 accomplish all that hs
promised invited him 10 order tee vessel rotnd to this
city its ,eorhood feeding assured that the voyage
hifher wnpd furnsh the bes, Of pittng her
pacity TO rial thit would fully tecrmne the question
prompt rlinee with this rsue. ils not only vind
Gated his intrepid conviction Of has success but haa
also established tho unquestioDa bic tintv of grant
exploit which il to be long celebrated hereafter tha
commencement of new 80 II the history OF great in
yentoas...
lnrrcnrnipon Of tli, Anticipated triumph end with
view TO express the qualification Of this department. nv
the slaoriiy with heh captain Ericsson accepted the
initiation 10 place his vessel nner TIC eye "a ihe
nent he letter OF tho 4th intani which s % found
aueng-t the papers nrw exhibited, written. That
epr dd not reach Captrn Ericsson until bis arrival in
his city ftf.rtrnaely happened that he had hImsef
invited distinguished officer Of tho ayy Conan tndar
SENDS TO accompany lin on the voyage, and this oepart
rient, tskng aYantage OF that TACT has committed 70
Commander Sarls tho special duy az making report
upon the performance aud passage of the vessel That
report hsd been uadc and together with another from
Captain Ericsson who aas kindly placed himself in an
Official relation with the de,tr r.nent 10 autAorse it,
nov submitted to the perusal OF tide couLnittee, and
| through them to the House Of Representatives,.
4 letter FROM CAPTAIN Ericsson of thc 24th instant,
acknowledges the previous communication Of this depart
ment, and repeats the oier originally mdde by his agent
on aS.u With 9 n - @ n ronas.I
Being convinced that this visit G the Ericsson ia
event Of sufficient magnitude and moment 70 authose IL
tftlv bni nOT
the committee the popriety and Importance Of commend
ing TO Congress the immediate adoption Of this great in
solution direct the Secretary o the Navy forthwith to
make contract with Captain Ericsson for the construc
Ericsson pate of less than two thousand
he equipped with caoric engines of sufficient power
Of five hundred thousand dollars. | am convinced that
the experiment indicated in this would result in
future determination TO introduce the calorc engine
generally into he niv service under circumstances and
conditions which will prove il 70 be the mo effective,
useful and economical power .ha has ever yet been APP
| piled 20 navigation The probability, indeed the GER
tainy, Of u;ureimproyements in this engine would
mend the restriction Of the conisaca tho present moment
to frigatc whilst the appreciation which Ia due to
this most significant invention from the government
| could not be more becomngy expressed than in the
prompt recognition its value by an act Of Congress
therefore most cordially nd the subject to the
early attention Of the COMMITTEE, and to the yorabe
| ticc lf The House OF Representatives.
| seI,ant John Il KENNEDY.
Hon y p. STANTON Chairman Committee Naval Affairs
4 IOiAe VI iNtliNfpnlitNtS'
WNliISGro. Feb o. 1885,
sis-I have the honor 10 Acknowledge the receipt Of
your letter The I'D instant and in obedience TO your in
structcns beg leave 10 submit the following bret state
| ment -
Ny object in requesting permission to make passage
in the caloc hp on her recent trip 20 witness the
practical operation Of the motive power and it for
tunate happened that the weather which we encoun-
tered was such enabled me to satisfy myself tho
points with regard TO which had entertained doubts. I
was apprehens,e that with the new engine would be
Qrti In sea
| way which steam engine has. To my astonishmept,
however, found that during of seventy odd hours
consecuvey, there not single stop in the engine
nor there the slghtest check 10 the steady move
ment of the paddle wheels although the ship often rolled
her weather wheel out Of the water and pitched consd
crably was also apprchcnsiyc that the immense size
of the piston and the elevated position OF the upper sy
Under, would be likely 10 produce arrangement when the
ship rolled and pitched heavily. noticed very carefully
that there not the slightest giving way IN any part,
thing remaining hriu as the snip were lying A.
| her dock. - -
The pton moved pcrcctl, and smoothly while the ship
| rolling and pitching
10 the engine and therefore frequently visited the fro
reons and found TO my surprise they rs cool
cellar was n uch struck with the fact that only
fireman was required duty at time, and that he had
only to supply a small quantity OF coal occasionally.
learned that the regulation to put in sixty -Hvo
pounds every eighty minutes IN each Of the eight fur
| uaces.
The ship encountered gales or head winds alternately
much of the time from leaving Sandy Hook last wcdnes
day morning between nine and ten o'clock until the
chor was let 20 near the mouth Of the Potomac Sat
urday morning. in snow storm, it being impossible for
i the pilot to proceed.
The weatherv such during the voyage that the
could be ured TO little advantage at any time. MY
attention was particularly called TO the pressure Kept
upon the engines which plain Ericsson strictly limed
TO eight pounds The speed during the gale averaged six
and half turns OF the wheels minute when the wins
was modera', the log indicated sx TO seven KNOTS a'sss