Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-15

Difference l,400
or the ordinary rates Of freight in these steamers
than $4,000 Add this the cost Of the extra
coal which, at 50 per ton, would amount say 5000:
making aggregate difference in the expense Of the mo-
tyepower Of S25 600 each passage independent
entirely Of the the original of the machni
cry and of its and tear and repairs which slight
inspection will be enough 10 satisfy any intelligent OBJ
must be in scarcely less proportion favorable to
the Ericsson patent
Nor is the economy of this invention-for il is an in
yention, series of Inventions rather than dscoye-
ryconfned simply to the articles of fuel and machinery
II does not require anything like the number Of remen
and engineers that swarm steam vessels of a similar
class The Ericsson" cannot find mployment for more
than one engineer one fireman. and coal trimmer at
time The engineer has little to do except to Intricate
the bearings Of the machinery and the fireman to attend
four double furnaces which require but little atte
ton trouble and skill than the ordinary house
furnaces in our private dwellings On the other hand
the engineers, fremen and coal trimmers Of our first
class Atlantic steamers number fifty persons many
Of whom receive high Of wages BY this saving of
help aud equpage in directing the motive power one Of
Ericssons ships may be fully manned by fewer persons
and Of less expense than one of our clipper
ships Of the same tonnage
1t is worthy Of special notice that as the cylinders
fed from the atmosphere opening is left all around
them from the bottom Of the ship to the upper deck
through which there is circulation OF fresh air
down the lowest depth Of the engine room From fifty
to seventy tons weight Of air empted into this great
reservoir every hour and found il COOL standing
Immediately beside the fires upon the main deck ln
the summer this should naturally be the coolest part Of
the ship
We have already inmated that the power Of these en-
gines depends upon the size Of the cylinder The org
nal plan Of the Ericsson contemplated cylinder OF
sixteen feet diameter but founder would attempt TO
so large at the time the Ericssons machinery
was building The largest cylinder which i was then
supposed could be made Of foureefeet diameter
and such accordingly furnished for the brics
son. though only powerful enough for ship OF about two
thirds her tonnage The experience Of Messrs. Hogg
Delamater who cast these cylinders for the Ericsson,
however has satisfied them Of the perfect pracucaby
Of casting cylinder Of twenty feet diameter, and we
heard Of the firm publicly on Tuesday that he
would Guaranty many cylinders Of those dimensions as
he could have orders for.
That Of settles the question as to the practical
blity Of multiplying the power Of these engines inde
ntcy and Of course the speed Of the vessels in which
they may be placed The |" Ericsson" with only about
two-hirds the power which is due her tonnage, has
made ten revolutions minute which is equivalent to ten
miles hour No attempt has yet been made TO ascer-
tain the highest speed which she is capable of attaining
with her present machinery Nor would such expert
ment reveal any thing not already demonstrated by the
simple fact that vessel Of two thousand tons burden has
been propelled through the water by an engine winch
but tons Of coal in twenty hours at the rate
Of ten, or even nine or eight miles hour. II is OBJ
yious to any Of ordinary understanding that the
power and Of the speed may be increased almost
indefinitely by enarging the cylinders Inc formula on
increase Capt Ericsson states TO be as the square OF the
diameter.
There are many other aspects Of this wonderful nven
ton which We should have been glad TO present to our
readers should also have been grained with an OPP
portunv ~ navin some more suitable tribute to the
mastery genius who has worked this great problem Of
mcdaniel and "a the sagacious, liberal minded and
brave men who stood by him with their open purses dur
ing all his long struggle with ins hrs,,sJ
Some future time we hope to do our part in securing for
them the honor which is their due For the present want
Of time and spac eboh compel US e leave the subject with
ent ~ heated air rs motivepower by Capt Ericsson
marks an era in the history Of mechanism only less
mentous and revolutionary than that which commenced
with the first application Of steam TO similar purpose