The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-01-14
THE SECOND TRIAL TRIP OF THE
ERICSSON.

The New York papers are filled with de-
scripiions Of the second trip which the caloric
ship made down the Bay on Tuesday last. it
was undertaken for the purpose OF dispelling
any lingering doubt that might possibly remain
anon the minds of the sceplic, and its success
seems TO have been complete. AT half past
nine, exactly she got under way from the
spot where she was lying-off pier No. ], in
the North river-having on board about sixty
individuals, among them members Of the press
scientific gentlemen, &c. At fifteen minutes
before ten, she was abreast of Governors
Island, nd reached Fort Diamond exactly IF
teen minutes before eleven, against the tide
and strong head wind, q distance Of seven
miles and half. Between Governors Island
and the Quarantine, she met the steamer Bal
tic, returning from Liverpool. That vessel
fred salute, and her passengers and crew
cheered until the welkin rang with their &C
carnations. After proceeding a mile and
half below the Narrows, she put about and
reached her starting point at quarter past
twelve. The distance from Governor S Island
TO her turning point, which she performed IN
two hours and half, was about eighteen miles
the greatest number OF revolutions was ten
and quarter-and her greatest speed about
nine miles per hour. On the way buck capt
Ericsson assembled the whole party IN the
saloon, and, with the aid Of diagram, explain
ed TO them the principle and method Of work
ing the ship. As it will, no doubt, prove ez-
tremely interesting TO portion Of our readers,
we give the following extract upon that sub
ject from the New York Herald
He gave q succiuct history of the whole
matter; and demonstrated the method by which
the atmosphere was drawn in cold then forced
through q wire net work, forming surface Of
$4,000 square inches, into lower cylinder,
where receiving additional heat from the fur
mace, it expanded in the lurger cylnderso as
10 n Use it, and then, when it had done its work,
it escaped through the work Of wire gauZe in
TO the open air, having impaired the greater
portion Of its heat TO the wire work, which was
again absorbed by the fresh draft of cold air
passing through the same wire meshes TO be
heated. There are four double cylinders, set
perpendcuarlv and longitudinally, to the boat
two abafI and two forward OF The maln wheel
shaft. They all move in connection, those ior-
ward rise while those in the rear of the shaft
sink There are 2 piston or crank rods, which
turn the wheel shafts. One IS moved by
walking beam, which is moved by the cylinders
in front, and the other by similar beam in the
rear. They both work on the same crank OF
the wheel shaft, and at inclined angles rising
from below in the form OF a letter inverted
thus, A. with the shuft crank for both at the
apex. Hence while one rod is pushing, the
other is pulling the crank-thus aV hiding the
dead point usually encountered IN the ordIna-
ny crank motions of steam engines, &c. The
pressure was uniformly at twelve pounds to
the square inch. Capt Ericsson estimated
the force of his machinery at 600 horse power.
The uppet cylinder. in each case contained a
head surface Of $4,000 square inches, and
the lower ylindrs a surface of % 500. The d.
ameters of the main cylinders were about l6S
inches. The main valves were about two feet
in diameter. The consumption OF coal was
at the rate of about six tons IN twenty -four
hours During Capt. Ericsson's lucid expo"
slion OF his machinery, he invited the mostrl
gid scrutiny and investigation. Many ques-
tons were put by parties present. which he
answered with great clearness and promptnsss.
One question asked regarded the packing OF
the cylinders, which ii had been said would
melt, and let the air escape. He showed that
by filling the cy Under heads with n-conduct-
ing materials, and the packing by surrounding
the head, being above the surface exposed TO
heated air, was kept cool. He also showed
how man, BY standing on a cylinder head,
could, by nand, readily lubrcaie every part OF
the surface of the cylinder The packing, al
so, he showed to be at all times in command
ofthe engineer or attendant, which was not The
case in steam ngines. To a question regard
ing the oxidation, expansion, and contrac
ton of the iron composing the bottoms OF the
main cylinders Immediately over the fires in
the furnaces, he stated that the iron composing
them was an inch and quarter thick, and
when they gave out, which would not be over
in 6ua cnntt Immenata
ly be substituted without displaciHg any Of the
machinery and were il desirable TO make them
endure for longer period, they could have
their surfaces exposed to the fire coated with
friedrich clay. He said they did not expand,
or contract, or vibrate bat very little, and not
more than was common TO metal similarly used
in other engines. Many other questions " ere
put and answered, regarding the backing or re-
versng the action OF his machinery, and when
stopping her on her course for an hour, more
or less, how he would start her again. To
the latter question he said, ifthe detention ex-
ceeded many minutes, he would start just as
he would in the first instance. by pumping a
supply offresh air, which would soon become
expanded in the large cylinder, and put all IN
motion. But pressure of half a pound 10 the
square inch would start the engine, and the
weight of the crank alone was sufficient 10
put il in motion. The expense OF running q
calOric engine, he stated, would be but one
fifth OF that of steam engine OF the same pow
Capt. +. said that the ship had not made ali
the time she could make, because the machi-
merry was not yet tight, and could only become
SO gradually, and by use. AT present, the en-
gines were not worked to more than one-hal
their power. All that is necessary to gain ad
ditional power is to increase the size of the
cylinders and those in this ship being tee
small IA feet in dameter,l Capt. E has mad.
enquiries as to the possibility of obtaining
them larger. In reply he had been told b,
iron founders that they could cast them larger
and a firm in New York had, since these wer,
pu, in the present ship, offered 10 cast them q
feet, and TO guarantee them. 1.-THE sylnder
in the present ship were l6 instead of IA feet
Capt. Z. said her speed would be equal 10 |:
or IA miles an hour, the speed of the bes
ocean steamers. With 90 foot cylinders YES
sci would outstrip any thing thai ever floated
upon the water.
The additional advantages derived from tbi,