The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-06

Fremont. ANA, as there is nothing in the public
life OF Fremont that can by any possibility
awaken any other feeling but admiration and
respect they turn to his private life, critcse his
parentage his family his marriage the baptism
of his children, his religion, his business opera
TONS and his private affairs generally, and try to
cayil at them When we commented on the love
story which was published as an electioneering
document by Mr. Buchanan's friends, they were
thrown into paroxysm Of rage; but there is not
an act Of Col Fremonts life which his opponents
do not drag before the public and distort with all
the malignity of anticipated defeat
The RECENT STEAMBOAT DIsAsTERs-STEAM-
BOAT ESGINEFEs-The recent accidents on
board the steamers Empire State and the
John Jay seem already nearly forgotten. In
both cases it is fairly to be inferred that
they were owing to the neglect, if not
incompetency. of the engineers. In the one
heavy head of steam was carried, nearly up to
the limit of the law if the boilers had even been
new. 1t was also constant practice to permit
the steam chamber and chimnies to get SO highly
heated as Ito take the life out Of them," ac-
cordng to the deposition of one Of the engineers.
In the other case, the boiler fues were so filthy
that the draught was choked up, and the flames
came out of the furnace instead of going up the
smoke pipes. So rapidly has steam power been
developed and applied in this country that no
attempt has been made to systematic its
management. In our workshops our me-
chancs are thorough ; on board our steamers
they have been trusted almost entirely for their
personal experience. 1t must finally come to
this, that the best instructed, best trained en-
gineers will shove out all others, and not till
then will the public be safe
We will give brief outline of what the
character of first rate engineer should be, and
what should be his duty when h charge of an
engine on board steamer.
He should be regularly brought up to the
business, and should be mechanic who can work
in metals and in woods, able to manage lathe,
or file at vice, or hammer at forge. All these
capabilities are continually in demand He
should write a good hand, be expert with figures,
and be able to compose dramatically He should
be a mechanical draughtsman, so that ifapiece of
his machinery is broken, when he is at a distance
from his repairing shop, he can send such de-
scription as will enable the engine maker to re-
place It, Besides this he should understand the
mechanical powers and their appropriate uses,
the principles Of mechanics generally, and par
ticularly Of hydrostatcs hydraulics and pneu-
mates, for these are intimately connected with
the theory and practice Of his profession and the
working ID an engine When we consider what
a powerful what terrible agent steam is, 1t is
evident that to control il he should know some
thing also of the principles of heat, Of combus-
ton ebulliton, and of evaporation, temperature
and pressure. Without some knowledge of these
subjects no man can ever be a good engineer
One Of the reasons why our notifications of
steam engines. and particularly of boilers, are
such usual failures, is that they are the
inventions Of unscientfc men. But we
will suppose the passengers are on board,
the captain gives the word to shove oil, the en-
CINE bell rings the engine is started, the eccen-
tries are geared, and the vessel moves of
Almost every stoker is able to start and stop an
engine--ths Is purely mechanical. But the
duties of an engineer 60 beyond this. While the
engine is in motion he must be constantly on the
lookout Every moving part must be properly
fabricated. the valves and steam joints must be
tight the bolts, pins and keys must not vibrate
or get out Of place. None of the working parts
must get overheated by friction, as is too fire.
quently the case, and the condenser must he kept
at proper temperature. lie must sec too, that
the framework remains steady, that no dirt or
grit gets into the bearings and that no oil or
grease runs from the bearings down the rods or
connections OF the engine.
The boilers require his unremtting attention.
The fires should be regularly fed, regularly
stocked and cleaned Of the clinkers the water be
kept up to its regular level, the amount Of lime
produced ascertained from time to time and blown
Off and the free action Of the safety valves con-
stantly maintained. These points well guarded,
the engine viii work smoothly and safely, and an
explosion is scarcely possible, IL the boilers Of
sound material and without flaws.
On entering port, after voyage, IL is good
plan to test the tghiness Of the steam valves and
the piston, by passing steam through them while
at rest. The interior Of the machinery should be
examined and rectifed II necessary. Parts easily
corToded should be examined dried, and, If
necessary, painted; the water in the boilers
should be blown of, and the furnaces and fucs
cleared Of ashes and SCOT. Steam leaks should
be repaired strongly, as they rapidly corrodc and
destroy tho metal The boilers should be scaled
the insides Of the steam chests and The roofs OF
boilers cleansed, dried, and done over with three
coats Of red lead, and the iron work of the paddle
wheels should be scraped cleaned and kept
painted.
These are some OF the most obvious duties of
steamboat engineers, and they cannot be well
performed without practical and theoretical
knowledge. In order to secure the right kind Of
talent, the salaries Of such persons should be
large enough 20 make the situations as remunera-
tive as they are RESPONSIBLE In the French