Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-10-13
The Queercst steamer Ever Built.

The Qaeerest Steamer Ever Built!
Mr.. Ross Winans, the celebrated constructor
of locomotive engines for the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company, and Mr.. Thomas Wi
mans, the great contractor with the Emperor of
Russia for the running machinery on the I'm
perial railroad, are constructing novel iron
steamship at Baltimore, on their iron plan, de-
signed to cross the ocean in six days. The
vessel has Just been launched, and is TO be fit
ted for sea Immediately. The great advantages
anticipated are increase of speed, economy in
the consumption of fuel, and exemption from
the dangers of the present system of equiping
and propelling steamships. 1.-THE expectations
of the distinguished projectors should be rea-
lzed, change must follow in ocean steamship
navigation which will go far to alter the COM
mercial relations of the world at large.
The new steamer Of the Messrs. Winans is
different in form from any that has yet been
constructed, and is precisely the shape of a
good Havana cigar, sharp at both ends, one
hundred and eighty feet long, sixteen feet in
diameter in the centre, unbroken in its continu-
ity, except by the wheel-house, which passes
around about six feet of its entire centre, above
and below the water line, and over the top as
well as under the bottom Of the vessel. 1t has
no keel, no cut-water, no blunt bow standing up
above the waterlines to receive blows from the
heaving sea, no fiat deck'tO hold or bulwark to
retain the water that rough sea may cast upon
the vessel; neither masts, spars, nor rigging. The
vessel has no deck, but on the upper segment
of the tubular surface there are gangways to
pass downward into the two sections, surroG.-
ded by iron ratings, which extend on either
side about thirty feet from the centre. With
the exception of the two smoke pipes and ven
tilators, these are all the outer works that are
visible The Baltimore Sua describes the pro-
pelling machinery as follows:
Take plain fat ring of your finger and run
it on the middle Of cigar, upon which it is to
levolve freely by power applied inside, which |
in the vessel consists of four steam engines |
placed amidships Now to this ring attach, at
equal distances all around it, hanges set at an
angle adapted to act upon the water as propel- |
lers, striking the water BY the swift and power
ful revolution Of the wheel around the body of |
the vessel This wheel is covered all around 4
by belt of iron broad enough TO enclose the
wheel and extend some four feet on each side |
beyond it; this belt is supported by plates of /
iron, standing edgewise from the surface of the |
vessel, to which they are riveted- These plates |
of iron divide the space under the belt, on each |
side of the wheel, into compartments, and these |
compartments, above the =ater line, are again |
closed at the side next the wheel, shutting il /
entirely from view. Below the water line they |
are Of course open to admit the free action of
the wheel upon the water.
That the Messrs Winans have great faith in /
the success of the novel ship they are construct
ing, is shswn in their expenditure Of some two |
hundred thousand dollars of their own fortune
in testing the experiment. The vessel, built |
entirely of iron, viii be free from all danger
from fire, and the water-tight compartments in
to which 1t is divided, greatly diminish the
danger of sinking from collision or other mis-
hap. The portion of the vessel not immersed
has the lines that immersed, so that it viii
easily pass through the heaviest sea, while from
Its form and construction no water can be ship
ped that will sensibly augment the load, or en-
danger the safety of the ship. The Originators
anticipate that it can be propelled at fullest
speed in the toughest sea, as well as IN smooth
water. The four engines arc high pressure, and
combined it is calculated will exert three fold
more power in proportion to displacement of
water than those of the most powerful steam
packets now built The boilers are similar to
locomotive boilers in plan and construction,
and can consume about thirty tons of coal in
twenty flour hours. In their account of the new
vessel the Messrs. Widans says:
The fact that every portion of the hull or outer
shell Of the vessel is arched in all directions,
and the entire material is in the best possible
position and form to resist the various strains
that IT can be subjected to at sea, gives it an
advantage in point of strength, safety, and
buoyancy over any other sea going vessel.
the form and construction is remarkably
plain and simple, resulting in great economy Of
material and workmanship and facility of con-
struction. The less the weight " material the
greater, of course the capacity for carrying pay
ing freight, and the less will be the resistance
to moving power in proportion to such freight.
With 200 tons of coal on board, the present
vessel will displace about $50 tons of water,
and will accommodate about twenty first class
passengers and the United States mail with room
to spare for small valuable packages, specie, dc.
We believe that shorter average ocean passa-
ges than have yet been obtained are desirable,
and may be had By vessels constructed on our
plan and If they are confined to CARVING pas- !
sengers, the mail, specie, and such other freight
as can well afford TO pay high rate, in eonside-
ration of extra dispatch and safety. We believe l.
that they viii pay better and be more useful
than the vessels now used for these purposes.