The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-03-29
From the Nep York Times, March 26.

The Ericsson.
The Journal Of Commerce refers to the aexap.
gerated and improbable storeso that have been cir
cnated concerning the caloric ship Ericsson since
i her return from Alexandria. We know nothing
more amusing than the readiness of a very large
portion of the public to swallow as authentic the
] grossest and most absurd fabricatons concerning
any new invention, while they are ready and will
ling to make all possible allowances for any thine
with which they have been long familiar. If a
new steamship breaks piston, or her wheels are
too large for her engine, or any imperfection is
brought to light in her structure, they are ready
enough to attribute any deficiency in her perforrn
ance to The proper cause; they never think it ne
cessary to denounce steam itself or to deride the
attempt to use it as failure. But in any new in
vention the case is very different Ifa screw gets
| loose in any part of the enginery, the defect ia
deemed an explosion of the principle and the nov
city is forthwith denounced as a humbup. The
Journal gives all such persons good advice in re-
commencing them tnot 70 arrive at conclusions too
hastily on any subject" In the case of the caIorc
engine such prudence will, in opinion, be found
especially serviceable. Since the Ericssop's ex
perimental trip of January lIth, we have watched
her operations pretty closely, and have taken spe-
cial pains to ascertain the facts in regard to every
point that has been raised against the engines,
whether scientific or mechanical; and although it
would not be proper for US to express an opinion
upon the subject with any great assumption of
confidence, we have certainly seen nothing what
ever to weaken in the slightest degree the convic-
ton that ere many years HEAT will be used as a
motive power, through the agency of atmospheric
air, rather than, as at present, through that of
steam. The theoretical demonstrations with which
many of our 90 called scientific journals lately
abounded that the use of heat and ever again
for purposes of motive power was absolutely and
simply impossible, have already vanished alleges
Their. The practical difficulties which seem 90
formidable to all persons on a superficial view.
have mainly yielded to the inventive talent, the
profound scientific knowledge, ami the laborous
perseverance of Captain Ericsson. And practical
engineers who make any pretensons to mastery
OF their profession, are very careful, even while
dealing largely in anonymous and injurious nsin
uations, not to put themselves record against the
speedy and complete success of the caloric engine
A great deal has been said about the lack of
speed which the Ericsson has shown. In point of
fact the speed attained has been greater than was
ever promised with fourteen feet cylinders on so
large ship. But in no case has the full power of
the engines yet been used. They are built for a
pressure of twelve pounds to the square inch.
Commander Sands, it will be remembered in his
report to the Secretary of the Navy, states that
during the voyage to Alexandria the pressure was
never allowed to exceed eight pounds Captain
Ericsson made similar statement in his letter,
The reason why it was thus limited was simplv
this The bottoms of the working cylinders, which
1t will be remembered are convex in form, were
made OF drought iron, because no foundry would
undertake to cast them. 1t was found, during the
hrst trial trip down the bay that under any thing
<afnv H.
prove too elastic. In fact on that trip, when the
pressure was allowed to reach nine pounds, one or
two of the bottoms yielded from half to three
quarters OF an inch. Upon the next trip there
fore, the pressure was still less; and during the
voyage south it was never allowed to exceed eight
pounds. The engines thus exerted only t,oo thirds
Of their actual power.
The remedy for this is simply to substitute cast
iron for the wrought iron bottoms used hitherto.
Messrs. Hogg & Delamatar are now engaged in
casting them; in the course of very few weeks
they will be fitted to the cylinders, and the Ercs-
son will then be sent to England partly as test
of her capacities, and partly to give John Bull
an opportunity of inspecting the next sYankee
notion" by which her marine supremacy is to be
contested.
We trust, meantime, that the American public
will not consider caloric wholly extinct, even if
steam should continue to be used extensively for
some months to come. Captain Ericsson has la
bored very patiently upon this invention for a
quarter Of a century, 80 that he is not likely to
work himself into any special fever now, merely
to oblge those who have hitherto been in no great
hurry to witness his success. A delay of few
weeks, more less, will not seem hall as serious
matter to him it does to those who insist-as do
all Americans, according to Charles Matthews
that every thing shall be done in about "twenty
minutes"