Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-01-27

with glowing accounts of the success Of
the new Caloric ship-The Ericsson.
They express entire confidence in the
efficacy of this new principle, aud ap.
pear TO be entirely satisfied that il is des-
tined TO superceed the use of steam as a
motive power. This will work won.
derfnl revolution in the commerce Of the
world. She left Williamsburg between
0 and 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning,
ll.h inst, passed the flagstaff on Gov.
ernor's Island, at 9,56 and passed abreast
OF Fort Diamond at 1910 thus making
a distance of ID miles in 34a minutes.
Heated air is the piopelling power.
In her size and the elegance of her
accommodations she compares favora-
bly, with the best ocean steamers. The
description of her machinery
from the N. Y. Herald, will be read
with interest: ..,
Having arrived Thus far in our graft
Tying inspection of the Ericsson, we
were led TO that portion assigned to the
machinery. This part is characterized
by the same neatness, and exhibits the
same proofs of superior skill and man.
agement as are observable through every
other part of it.
In further comparing the machinery
Of the Ericsson with the double marine
steam engine, j, will be found that the
four side levers have disappeared the
cross heads and cross tails likewise nor
are the four side rods to be found; and,
above all. the absence OF the parallel mo-
lion. with their nicely adjusted joints.
and levers for converting the curved
movements into straight ones claim at.
tenlion. In place of all these parts will
be found simply a triangular lever for
each engine, with link and connecting
rod for transmitting The power of the
pistons to the crank of the paddle shaft.
Again, the four huge boilers of the ocean
steamers give place to four small furna-
ces, erected under the working cylinders
Force pumps, brine pumps, safety valves,
&C., and the network of connecting
pipes, which fill the bottom of The
ocean steamers, have all disappeared;
and in place Of guage cocks. injection
valves, brine guages, &C., calling for in
cessant vigilance on the part of many
minds and hands at once, single han
die attached to the valve gear of the en-
gines, regulates, at the will of single
mind, the movements of CaIoric ship.
Starting, stopping, backing and checking,
being effected by this single handle,
without. any regard to particular conai-
tons. so essential in working the engines
OF the ocean steamer. The arrange
ment of the Caloric ship being such that
the required air for the engines-rrom
SO to 20 tons weight per hour--has to
pass through the fire rooms before en-
lering the supply cylinders, it has been
found in the Ericsson that the temperN-
ture is actually too low for the comfort
of the firemen.
AS an engineering achievement. the
machinery of the Ericsson is very far
ahead of anything afoat. The engi.
neer who beholds four open cylinders,
each OF los inches diameter, with their
pistons of upwards of twenty-five thou
sand superficial inches area, moving
up and down in sight, through a space
OF SIX feet, can best appreciate the great
ness oil that achievement. To the ordi.
nary observer, The movement of the
whole machine is wonderful. AMI we
cannot bu. feel extremely gratifed that
the Caloric principle was introduced to
the world on scale so commensurate
with It's importance, and that our me.
tropolis has the honor of Initiating it.
Another exchange, in speaking of the
great advantages which the new discov.
cry possesses over steam. sums them up
as follows: E
/. The Caloric engine burns about
one-tenth as much fuel as a steam en-.
CINE; hence Caloric ship OF the largest
size may circumnavigate the globe with
out stopping to take in coal; hence, moi
a sail will be seen on the ocean in fifty
years after the success of the new prin-
ciple is certain; hence machinery will be
applied 10 thousand arts which now
require manual labor; hence, the posi-
biiily of that long desired machine
plough: and hence the coming oil that
good time when arduous manual toll
will absolutely cease under the sun.
2. The cost Of the Caloric engine is
about the same as the steam engine, mi.
nus the cost of the boilers.
3. Only one-fourlh as many engine
men will be required on board of a Ca.
loric ship as are necessary for steamer.
A. No smoke. whatever, will issue
from Caloric furnace when anthracite
coal is used. and consequently no huge,
unsightly smoke-pipe vii. be necessary,
and the rigging will be as clean as that of
sailing vessel.
5. There can be no bursting or col
lapsing OF boilers, for the simple reason
that there will be no boilers to BURST
The worst accident that can happen to
Caloric engine is 70. it to stop; nor is
watchiulness imperatively required, as