Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-01-20

as proved by the trial excursion of the pioneer shir
is one of great moment to commerce, and incalcu.
liable in its benefits. Capt. Ericsson must take
higher rank than Fulton and Fitch. For the last
twenty-five years of his life, he has wrought with
the enthusiastic belief that it was his mission to SUI
percede steam as motive power, by some more
Manageable and inocuous agent, and he has fulfilled
his mission.
The two important points in Ericsson's inven.
ton, are economy and safety. An Ericsson engine
is kept in motion by fifth the fuel it would tie Ike
to drive steam engine of the same power. There
is no danger of an explosion no fear from fire, OF
from any of the many accidents to which steam en-.
gines are liable. person may travel in a Caloric
ship without fear of Icing blown up, boiled o,
roasted by an excited, rash or incompetent engi.
neer.
When we reflect on the thousands of human be-
ings who perish yearly by the abuse of steam as 8
motive power, we cannot estimate the invention
of Capt. Ericsson too high. No man has ever con.
ferred a greater blessing upon any country.
Capt. Ericsson is Swede by BIRTH, but the
United States is his adopted country
We take from lecture, delivered in Boston,
some ten years ago, some passages which will give
some idea of this unequalled invention:
The object oft is the production of mechanical
power by the agency of heat, at an expenditure OF
fuel so exceedingly small, that man will have an
almost unlimited mechanical force at his comma nd
IN regions where fuel may now be said hardly to
exist.
"Ericsson's theory of heat is altogether in oppo-
sition to the received notion that the mechanical
force produced, will bear direct known propor-
ton to the quantity Of caloric generated; and that
the power exerted in our best constructed steam
engines is nearly the measure of that effect.
Prof HaryaIRl1t- of Sue nj
The first mathematclans ofthe day, stated in pub.
Tic lecture, not many years ago, there was nothing
IN the theory of heat which proves that common
spirit lamp may not be sufficient to drive an engine
OF an hundred horse power. 1t will be readily be-
lIeVed that the professor had but few hearers who
did not smile at the suggestion; but among those
lew we may number, Ericsson, who, from the ear
hest period OF his me chancal labors, he had been
IN the habit OF rega ding heat agent Which,
tohite 1t ererts mechanical force, undergoes no
change. This extraordinary fact Ericsson exem.
pliheS by SIMPLE but conclusive illustration; for
the reader reception of which, by the audience, t
Will be well to introduce particular DIMENSIONS
suppose the piston Of an ordinary steam engine
cylinder to be at the bottom, and suppose the force
of the steam intended be admitted into this CYL
nder under the piston 10 act with the force of 100
OOO pounds, which IS the force piston of so IN
ches diameter, acted upon by steam of so pounds
pressure TO the square inch. Suppose the cyl-
der 10 4 ten feet long, and the piston to be loaded
with weight equal To these 100000 pounds. If,
HoW, u SunCleHt quanuty OF steam OF the stated
pressure be admitted from below the piston this
load will be elevated through the whole length of
the cylinder; and hence we shall have raised a
weight of 100, 600 pounds through space OF ten
ieet. Bun who will contend that this immense a.
mount OF mechanical force has required any expen-
diture of heat? Does not the steam, after having
lifted this weight, contain just much heat as t
did before leaving the steam boiler, less only the
losses by radiation? And does not that heat retain
all the properties after the operation, which it pos
seSed before! Am |, then, incorrect i'll stating that
we have obtained this power without changin. the
nature or diminishing the energy of the heat en-
ployed?
"From what have already said, twill he readl-
~ inferred that the principle forming the basis of
the Caorc Engine IS that of returning the heat at
each stroke of the piston, and using it over
and over again. This is obviously impractical
Bile, if steam is employed as the acting medium
Ericsson, therefore, The permanent cases. and,
in preference TO all others, atmospheric air. The
object which he seeks TO accomplish, Is simply this
that the heat contained in the air which escapes
from the working cylinder should be effectually
taken up by the air which enters it, ateach stroke
of the engine. This result, Capt. Ericsson has
accomplished by means of an apparatus which
he styles regeneration; and SO perfectly does it
operate, that the heat employed in first setting
the engine in motion, continues to sustain it IN.
full working force, witq other renewal or adj
dllion, than may be requisite to supply the incon-
siderable loss by radiation.