Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-03-05
cALoRIc SHIPS FOR TUE sr.>r1.

CALoRIC SHIPS FOR THE S-Arl.
The following letter from the SECRETARY Of th
NAVY to the Chairman of the Naval Committee i
the House of Representatives will be read wit
interest
NAVY DEPARTMENT. FEBRUARY 25 1853.
SIR: have the honor to report to you, as subiec
of interest to the Naval Committee of the House Rep
resentaves and one, in my judgment, of great import
ance for the consideration of Congress- the arrival of the
Ericsson in the Potomac off the port of Alexandria This
vessel presents the first exhibition of the application OF
the new calorc engine invented by Capt John Ercsson
gentleman whose genius has enabled him secure to
the naval and mercantile marine Of country the
valuable auxiliary power in the navigation of ships thai
has yet been been furnished to the worlda power which
is destined hereafter to become of universal application
the driving of machinery, whether on land sea- Thu
ingenious inventor Of the engine by which this power
developed has applied to it the study and labor of man,
years. and has at length produced result in the
in this vicinity, which is emneny entitled TO be re-
garded as the greatest achievement of mechanical science
known to our age.
The Ericsson left New York on Wednesday the l7th in
slant, on her voyage to the Potomac which was foru-
natey attended by such tempestuous weather TO pu
the seyerest test her andpower Of endurance
Her success In this her first trip has surpassed even the
expectations Of her constructor The papers
ing this letter will furnish in detail full information of the
incidents of her passage After hours OF
mac, where snow storm, attended by thick haze
dered 1T necessary to make short delay and then
ceeded up the river to Alexandria where she arrived on
the evening Of the 2st She is now abreast Of that
open to the inspection Of the public
She has been lately visited by many officers of the Gov
eminent and by persons skilled naval construction and
the nature of machinery and has ELECTED the most avo-
rabe opinions of those best capable of forming iudg
upon her qualities feel myself authorized to cav
that the appreciation these visits has excited is OF such
character as to leave no room to doubt the complete
success oil the inventor IN the splendid enterprise which
he has SO long and so assduVusy addressed his genius
1t will be seen, from the papers have submitted with
this communication, that the 18th Of January last
Captain Ericsson confident at that time of this prospe
Ioos result made through his agent proposal to thi
Department te build two gatss of the largest class
the use oil the Government, which should be eauippe
with his caorc e'gine, and should be able to attain
speed OF ten knots an hour, with consumption of cor
not exceeding eight tons the twenty four hours for III
performance of which conditions he was willing IN civ
satisfactory security and at tie same time to ruante
ta the engine should be as durable that of the be-
steamships This Department having strong cou6denc
in the ability Of Captain Ericsson to acconnsb all ~
he promised invited him to order vessel ro.nd - nj
city its neighborhoed, feeling ISSUED that the vo
hither would furnish the best 4 putting bs. -
pacty to trial that would fully determine the ouest
of her adaptation to the service Of Navigation HI,
prompt compliance with this request has net only y;nd
Gated his intrepid conviction of his success but has
also established the unquestionable certainty cf grand
exploit which is to be long celebrated hereafter as The
commencement Of new era in the history Of great in
ventions.
In recognition of this anticipated triumph and with
express the qualification of this Department at TIE
aacrity with which Captain Ericsson accepted the ny
tation place his vessel under the eye of the Govern
ment the letter Of the 4th instant which will be found
amongst the papers exhibited, was written. Tha
letter did reach Captain Ericsson until his arrival il
this city 1t fortunately happened that he had hmsel
invited distinguished officer of the navy, Commando
Sands to accompany him the voyage and this Depart
ment taking advantage Of that fact, has committed
Commander Sands the special duty Of making repor
upon the performance and passage of the vessel Tha
report has been made and together with another iron
Capt Ericsson, who has kindly placed himself in off
cal relation with the Department authorize it.
submitted to the perusal Of the committee and through
them 10 the House Of Representatives.
The letter from Capt Ericsson of the oath instant
kuowledges the previous communication Of this Depart
ment and repeats the Offer originally made by his agen
the 18th OF January to undertake to furnish the Gov
ernment with two frigates the terms first proposed
Being convinced that this visit Of the Ericsson is
event of sufficient magnitude and moment TO authorize t.
respectfully beg leave to submit to the deberaon OF
the enstco the propriotyand Importance Of commend
ing to Congress the immediate adoption Of this great
vention for the of the navy and the passage Of
solution to direct the reary Of the Navy forthwith y
make contract with Capt Er sson for the construction
under the superintendent Of the Department Of one
Ericsson gate of not less than two thousand TONS TO DC
equipped with caosic engines Of sufficient power as
shpofwar and for this purpose to appropriate the sum
of FIVE hundred thousand dollars | am convinced that
the experiment indicated in this measure would result IN
future determination to introduce the caiorc engine
generally into the naval service under circumstances anC
conditions which will prove it to be the most effective
useful and economical power that has been applied
to navigation The probability indeed the certainty,
future improvements in this engine would commend tn
restriction of the contract at the present moment to
fgate whilst the appreciation which is due TO this
significant invention from the Government could
more becomngly expressed than in the prompt recogn
ton Of its value By act Of Congress therefore mos
cordially recommend the subject to the early attention
the committee and TO the favorable notice Of the Hous
/ of Representatives.
have the honor be- very respectfully your obeder
servant, JOHN T.. KENNEDY.
Hon f. =. STANTON, Chairman Of Committee Of Ndrt
/ dGars House Of Representatives.
Accompanying this communication arc the several pt
pers referred in it. The first, under date Of 18th JaI
uary is from John Ericsson and John b. Kitching,
New York. proposing to construct for the Government
the United States two ships of war; be prope
led by Ericssons caorc engines, propeing the vessel
miles an hour, with consumption Of not tina
eight tons Of coal in twenty -four hours.
The letter Of Capt SANDS of the United States Navy
who in the caloric ship her present trip is
follows:
WASHINGTON FEBRUARY 49, 1903
SIR have the honor TO acknowledge the receipt {
your letter of the 22d instant and in obedience 70 you
instructions beg leave TO submit the following brief state
ment:
My object in requesting permission to make passag
in the caorc ship, her trip was TO witness VI