Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-05-13
BOILER EXPLOSIONS CAUSED BY
.ECTRICITN

BOILER EXPLOSIONS CAUSED BY
ELECTRICITY.
The New York Tribune gives the details
Of a discovery made several years ago by Mr..
Richard l.. Lloyd, of Philadelphia, and which
has, since the death of Mr Lloyd. which oc-
CURED shortly after been neglected until quite
recently.
Mr.. Lloyd convinced himself, by number
Of experiments with small iron vessels, that
the explosive agent, the presence Of which
scientific men had already detected, but could
not explain, generated by the decomposition
Of water or steam within a boiler, was cleo
tricity. He at length determined his theory
I by more dangerous experiment Introduce
ing an insulated metallic rod through the top
Of a boiler, he evaporated the water in it un-
der a heavy pressure. continuing the fire un-
I'll that part Of the boiler exposed to it be-
came red hot. He then pumped with his
own hands sufficient quantity of water to
cover the red-hot surface of the boiler--a pro-
ceeding which is supposed to cause an inevi-
table eXplosion-but no explosion followed.
He repeated the experiment, with the same
result in every instance. His discovery met
with a cold reception he being ridicued and
called an enthusiast. This neglect, it is sup
posed, hastened his death
About three years ago, Mr.. George NJ Par
ry, also of Philadelphia, hearing of Mr..
Lloyd's discovery, which no one had attempt
ed to repeat, determined to verify it by actual
experiments. At first he confined himself to
small iron vessels, and, finding the result the
same as stated by Mr.. Lloyd. he also resort
ed TO the dangerous trial Of a boiler Insert
ing the insular conductor through the top OF
an old boiler, which had been used for sever
al years, and deemed unsafe at higher press
ure than sixty pounds, he evaporated the wa
ter in it, at pressure of sixty-eight pounds,
allowing the under part of the boiler to be-
come red hot.
AT this point he called five men to witness
this fact, and then alone, no one being willing
to assist at the trial, boldly pumped thirty
gallons Of cold water into the red-hot boiler
As in the previous trials, the result was the
same. no explosion taking place. Notwith-
standing all the ingenious contriyances to pre-
vent it boilers still explode under circum-
stances inexplcable even to those who arc
supposed to be the most capable of explain
ing the cause. If the discovery of Mr. Lloyd
shall prove to be the true one, his name will
be reyered by grateful posterity. Mr. Parry
also deserves the highest encomiums for
bringing the discovery before the public, and
in endangering his life in laudible expert
ment which apparently would end in certain
death
1t is stated that he has introduced metallic
conductors into several boilers in Philadel-
phia, and that in other places, since the dis
covery has been made public, a number of
owners have, as matter of precauton, intro
duced them into their boilers.
This theory was ably advocated some years
ago by Mr.. Cyrus Lancaster, of Brooklyn,
n. y, in paper which was offered to a sci
entifc journal of high repute, with which the
writer was at that time connected The ed
itor, however, possessed too little faith or too
much caution to do more than venture the
wise remark "Wel, there are two sides 10
that question. Wait little while, and see
if anything comes of it, before we commit
the - journal to it." And so the manu-
script slept.