The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-01-07
the. ABUSES In THE NAVY.
Caief Engineer IsheTwoOd's Reply
TO Mr.. E. w. DickerseD,
aes, As.. ~.


In The the Nrw YoRx IERAo Of ,hal9ln ultimo
there Published the speech tho -ry Supreme
court o. the District 81 Columbia, By n Dicketson,
attorney ~ mo case Of contested patent st for the use
OF ScSles' cut or Steamboat Columbia Printed
Ia smat tyre covers nearly two pages aiming oy
lis quantity 10 command the attention that certainly does
no belong to lis quality Instead OF being engineering
argumoot Va support OF engineering views, "
throughout personal attack upon tho }rnopa witness,
Mr.. sherwood the CHIEF q the Bureau Steam Engs
neeriee. Navy Depar,meos, and an whs stand 10
any way 10 she path o. Dokerson and the patents N
which he s interested rom the beginning 20 the end
is SLED VITA gasbed statements. and with extracts
Nom books and evidence natural con-
necton and arranged H. uxtaposcn az TO produce erro
ncous impressions lie quotes verses zoo, W'snv ~
mercy; for dea.slg so much IN btson, ne
naturally appeals 10 The evidence Of the poets
The speech, indeed contains almost as many
staieueats and overhows with personal
tat its asmus is apparent the most cursory
reader There must course be reason Tor the per-
soaal feeling with mas carried Us author with such pas
vitopera aud reckless through two sides
OF The Erw Yoa HERALD brief sketch Of his antece
dents this neciion viii show both his qualifications
for giving opnons on cngneerns questions ana the me
pckerson originally intended FOR the bar but he
appears 10 hsve abardoned me Law far
has attentssn 10 steam engineerlsg-to which no was
directed by his connection with Mr.. Sickles, known
chiefly the inventor OF a "cut oG' that bears his
name--Sn@ Immediately commenced TO carry cus the
patents md views OF his client His FIRST attemp-his
pfen,ice Aand-was tried the Detroit pumping
gne, IN hich he embodied the crude engineering
IDEAS Eud the faacious principles, which be still
enertaas he obtained contract that engine in
precssey the same manner as lie obtained whatever
Others has had whatever notorety he
by indiscrimuate and wholesale disparagement OF
every hing in his both privately and through the
press That such the fact tbs following citations
from he report the Commissioners
for tie city OF Detroit will prove
Nee,ns made public tina, ii contemplation pro
q The I Of New Yop opened eorrsspond
nssns sasn engine .asnissd Rroposiisns
sas Of y eng and ane
ssns@sed his lRysniioa; recently patented
tAlned by any steam ,. engine in .te word
Cornish plan-this is admirably constructed Cornish
pSHGE S ao aona d to 70 e
Of such muhons as the Jersey CITY engine performed l. e.,
duty any engine 10 country by afty per cent
The progress and final result Of this machinery is best
told IN few extracts from the report already cited,
namely
" 1856 the contractors filing security in the OF fifty
terms Of the contract this engine was to be fully
completed y me first day q July ISL but the time
March 1852 in both cases by and with the consent of the
In his Of January 1853 the engineer
reported that portion OF the parts Of the new
10 the erection Of TIE enrines
a & asms and aad R %s e sse
e report 70 you the engine nncompetea
that the engine had yet offered
II was finally completed about the first OF May 1861
and used during about six weeks but inferior
performance that not offered for the trial
best duty 40, 100000 instead OF the promised
l5o,O0O,00o The report says
Subsequently the engine thoroughly overhauled
making b ns b The ana e
y INC Contractors closed the house and left FOR the city
TsDor, e bis sn,FoysIs shorty AZ his IL The
The Secretary BY ezpres and lie President Of
S s spsa s NJ ia. h. P
*. s %sa 1lsSsS
making any further efforts to complete the engine VI
Ss
sanrs for %ss 70 81 ss pro-
a. and
who have placed the matter the hands q Mesr Burr
Instructions institute suit without delay.
Thus ended this first effort. Dickerson's efron.
terry not sufficient to enable him to offer precarous
performance OF forty millions in place Of hundred
and fifty millions guaranteed and with machine
could scarcely he got 70 run hour without breaking
down The unhappy Water Commissioners grew wise
with sorrow and superseded the DicKerson abortion
with an engine Of the well tried aud construction
the reputation Of whch-no having any particular
interest 10 ihad thus been left the vindication OF
time.
While the Detroit pumping engine dragging its
slow length along to such utter failure Dickerson
smten with ambition to build marine engine-an
gne for first class naval vesse-and be commenced 10
his usual characteristic by vituperating the
Navy Department all its engineers He assaed the engi
OF that day in exactly the style OF his speech
published IN the HERALD. They fools and knaves
because they opposed their practical experience his
crudies and their knowledge his ignorance: but he
made until he brought his political
he was at affiliated with the then Senator'S
Mallory and Yulee OF Florida, and they besrred them
selves vigorously In his favor. Mallory chairman
Committee Navse Ailalts, amt necessarily
had influence with Mr. roucey the then Secretary
Of the Navy who long resisted the but
position finally overborne and the Secretary signed
the l-omened contract with great reluctance. Every
engineer he Consulted without exception gave decided
against the proposed engines and confidently pre-
dicted-what was most unfortunately realizedtha they
would prove a complete failure.
They strongly opposed by the then Engineer In.
Chief Of the Navy and hy his immediate predecessor
both OF great experience and the highest professional
standng-and by the entire corps OF naval engineers
They were not recommended by any engineer ia civil
he and were the common topic u dicule ia engineer
Ing circles BY the terms Of the CONTRACT the contractors
10 furnish the drawings and directions
for the entire machinery eupentend the
OF the and 10 grant the OF their patents that
vessel.
The work be done q, the government expense in
the shops Of the Washington Navy Yard The contrsc.
tors had thus the public and the huest shops
production Of perfect engine but knowledge the
Of the contractors Of how TO make it, Nov repeated
asecoDd edition OF the operations with the Detroit engine
The machinery finally completed after undergoing
many notifications. large aud costly portions owing 10
blunders IN the desg having been thrown away and
others substituted, all being done at the government
workshops and and at its expense.
For instance, the screw propeller was intended to be
two baded lifting 10 der that II might be hoisted
out q the water when the vessel under sail alone
also intended that the maximum revolutions
Of the engines should be eighty per minute the pitch
the screw being made sufficiently small TO allow that
speed The contractors, however as their work pro.
lost faith the DIES gns they had advocated
with 80 much assurance, and in order 10 their
machinery practicable increased the pitch OF the
enough 70 reduce the speed OF the engines
Of forty per minnie.
This required a corresponding increase 10 the surface
OF the which was brought UP TO the pfepos
ferrous diameter Of eighteen feet six inches aud the
Der 81 ~ blades increased from four could no
longer be hosed out OF the water applied 10
the stern OF the e, until that too had undergone
change 70 rece:re IT, the key, likewise, having 10 be
greatly deepenec increased 10y the amount added) the
vessel draught Of water already q maximum for
vice. All decreased her value aud usefulness same
degree.
Itis change III the screw-whch absolutely ne
ccssxry allow the engines function alafter IL
mad been made required TO be thrown away together
It'll costly hosting apparatus, all OF brass, and
isrge portion Of the shang To make these expensive
doC of
abe NORFOLK Navy Yard and the and keel altered
<sst the
They resisted strenuoosy BY tie Bureau o; Con.
Ftruction but wboti eieoi. The efforts a Messrs.
salory aud Yuee who openly exerted this occasion
OF their political influence. ever 70 the extent OF nenaces
prevailed, ard the PezsscDIs delivered into the
nauds Of I1okaYson 20 do with her ae he pleased