The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1853-04-30

neas ~ Va -
Ths Jossaal of CseNssss ssssss % -
\ esaessatsd ~ insssess's stories ~
Nv kssn eissslassd Conserving ~ e.sesss
Lilo Estesssa siess ~ vstssa fFe" A'ess
nadia. We keew aethias more a@eessS|
kkan he tssdissss II . very Large possses
IN the oubl,e 10 swallow % ssthe"sse ~
|sroseset and s,osa absssd fabrtcaticns con
Corning any new invention. while they ase1
ready and williog to make oil possible I"
bowsness for anything with which '"sy|
hav. bssn long familiar u e"sw sssa"
.hip breaks . piston, OF her wheels are 'oo|
large for hsr engine. or any impsrfee''o" ri
|hrcuaAt IN light in her structure. they atc1
ready s.oss6 to attribute any deficiency III
|hsr performances to the proper cause; they
never think it necessary to dsnoancs stsa"
6,sslf. or 10 desids the attempt to use Il 81
i failure. Bat in any new inve"s'on fhs
|rsse 10 very different II = screw gets
|lcoss in any part Of the engine, the defect
10 deemed an explosions Of the principle.
and IL, novelty 10 forthwith denounced -
\ humbag.
The Journal gives all such persons good
advice In recommending them mot to AZ
hive At conclusions too hastily on any sub
|i~ct." In the cas-. Of the csloric engine
such prudence will. Ia our opinion, b~
found especially ssrvicesble. Since the
Ericsson's experimental trip Of January
lth, We have watched her operations pretty
closely, aud have taken special pains to
ascertain the facts in regard to every point
that has been raised against the engines,
whether scientific Or mechanical; and a.
though il would not be proper for Us to ex
press an opinion upon the subject with ANY
great assumption Of confidence. we have
certainly aeon nothing whatever to weaken
IN tho slightest degree the conviction that
gre many years MEAr will be used ~ a
motive power. through the agency of At
mospheric mir. ra'heI than. as at present
Through that Of ste1tn. The Theoretical
demo nstrations, with which many OF out
30 called" scientific "journalslAtel abound
I'D. that the use OF heat orer and orer again
fos. purposes Of motive power was abso
lst@Iy and simply impossible. have already
Vanished altogether. Tho practical d'tai'
'cul,es which seem so formidable to all per.
sons on superficial view. have mainly
yielded to the inventive talent. the profound
scientific knowledge. and the laborioas per
severance Of Captain Ericsson. Aud prsc-
ticnI engineers who make any prstensions
10 mastery Of their profession, arc very
careful, even while dealing largely in anon
ymous and injurious insinoa.ions. not "a
put themselves ON record against the speedy
AID complete success OF tue cslor'c en-
Igine.
A great deal hiss been said about the
back OF speed which the Ericsson las shown.
In poiai Of fact, tho speed attained has
been greater than was ever promised with
fourteen feet cylinders on so large n ship.
But in no case has the full power Of the
engines yet been used. They are built for
d pressure OF twelve pounds to the square
inch. Commander Sands. il will be 70
|membcred, in his report to the Secretary Of
|ths Navy. states that during the voyage to-
Alsssndris the pressure WAS never allowed
10 exceed eight pounds. Captain Ericsson|
|mada = similar statement in his letter. The|
|tsason why /, WAS thus limited was simply
|this: The bottoms OF the working FLINDERS,
which it will be remembered are convex in|
form. were made of wrought iron. because
mo boundary would undertake to cast them.
III was found during the first trial trip down
|ths bay. that under anything like full pres
sure. the wrought iron bottoms would 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. therefore, the pressure was
s.ill less; and during the voyage south u
was never allowed TO exceed eight pounds
The engines thus exertcd only two thirds
OF their aeinxl power.
The remedy ior this IL simply to substi-
tuts cast ir4@5or the wrought iron bottoms
|ased hitherto. Mes.rs. Hosg Il Delamat.r
are now engaged in casting them; in the
course Of asvsry few weeks they will bs
fitted to the cylinders and the Ericsson
will then be sent to England. partly a. =
test Of Dor capacities. and partly to give
John Boil an opportunity Of inspecting the
|ncxt Yankee notion" by which her marine
10 to be contested.
We trust, meantime, that tho American
public will not consider caloric wholly sx
tinct, even IL steam should continue to he
used extensively for soms months to come.
Capt Ericsson has laborsd very pa>
tisntIy upon this invention for = quarter
0f q century, 20 that hs 10 not likely to
work himself into any special fever now.
merely to obigs shoss who have hitherto
bsen In no great harry 10 witnsss his sue
cess. A delay Of = few weeks, more or
lees, will not seem half ~ serious . matter
10 him ~ Il dose 10 those who insist--as
do al Americana, according to Charles
Matthsws-that every thing shall b. done
Ia bost twenty minutss."