, 1864-01-09

third. and two-thirds' the stroke Of the
piston, at the will Of the engineer, by
merely turning a wheel; yet .Dickerson
| attempts to produce th' impression
is worthless, and that It Is Mr. 1sherwood's
invention; whereas, it is the most simple,
elegant, convenient, well known aud best
gear for scrow engine ever contrived.
It. is very rapidly being introduced on
American steamers, and will soon supersede
rope; but 1t is not patent in which Dicker-
son is interested, end is, therefore, wrong.
This question Of valve-gear Was submitted at
the last session of Congress by the Senate
| Committee of Naval Afairs, at the Instance Of
who dTew n .fa Of
| This board was composed of Messrs. Hibbard
| and Loting, Of Boston; Messrs; Everett,
| Copeland, Forycll and Bromley, of New York;
| Mr. Wright, Of Hartford, and Messrs. Merrick
and Bartol, of Philadelphia, who decided
against Ill the positions taken by Mr. DickcI-
Extract from report, dated of Nassau, July
&c, 1862, by Chief Engineer Alexander Hen
derson, of the Adirondack, one Of tho navy
sloops, oftho performance Of the vessel at
etA
ststeau,ing outside. Orders were to run as
economically (of fueD as possible, go slowed
down to about 80 revolutions. No chance
was given to open the throttle until last
Tuesday, when we chased ind captured the
schooner Emma, tic engines running up to
sail with Light wind and sharply braccd up.
the ship going through the water over u
knots. The Performance Of the engines was
very satisfactory. I am perfectly satisfied
with the engines In every respect, they work
smoothly, With cool journals, and IN any case
70 knots. Our coal has been n most inferior
anthracite, burning freely but leaving an i'm.
mcpsc per cent Of ashes."
Extract from report, dated Hampton
Roads, August 4, 1852, BY Chief Engineer
Alexander Henderson, of the Adirondack, of
the performance Of the vessel at sea:
We came in this morning, and have al-
| regardlng her machinery.' " Not q journal
has shown any signs Of heating, and the en-
| gines worked smoothly all the time, making
| On two occasions 70 revolutions per minute.h
most miserable trash ever put on board Of q
steamer, being small anthracite mixed with
| tlne Welsh slack, and soaking wet ut that
| It was taken from the wreck Of the English
steamer karnak after being about two months
| nnder Water.h
the blowers have never been necessary-only
tried at intervals to keep them in orders
"The starting and reverse gear still con-
Time to give satisfaction, and while the W.
cum remains one person can easily and
9uie}ky 1aise the nk Ths ship is now
with light breeze ahead aud strong head
tide and some swell on"
Extract from letter Of Chief Engineer
Henderson, Of the Adirondack, dated Navy
Yard, New York, January u, 1869, after the
loss Of the vessel on the reef:
tour cruising certainly was under most
disadyantagcous circumstances, but at the
same time we did well, and must soy her
machinery was Of the most perfect working
screw engine tlat ever saw, and that the
good success Of the vessel may bo fully nc
knowlcdged to those to whom the credit of
the design is due, is the reason Of my for
Warding you this letter."
awe returned in the Canandnigua, {onc Of
the navy sloops, after the wreck Of the Adj
rondack) end tho smooth-working oiIaer mi
Adirondack) was not only perfectly satisfac-
tory to Chief Engineer Sta,nm, but the cause
ofgcneral remark BY all the officers Of the
vessel"
Extracts from u report, dated Nov. 2, 1858
By Chief Engineer James ". Thomson, Of the
Shenandoah, one Of the Navy Bloops, of the
performance ofthc vessel at SEA on the block
II take pleasure in stating everything now
worked like clock. Although, when start-
ing. we always oil up and get our blowers
ready, yet since we have been here we have
never used tncm. We can make ! long cIey-
en- (knotsl ficely, and standing forward Of
the iTe-room hatch you would hardly know
| NC were under way. Our Captain has express
cd himself a number Of times as highly pleased
"1Ia the pe!1ormance OF t1e SNIP;
ESca 5Ssaaets IT, lr1M rep9lt, aafea boston; JulS
son, of the Shenandoah, of the performance
Of the vessel at cen, during her trial trip:
Sour trial trip was fur from falr one, be-
ny g snoIl-nnnoGo lu men as wen as haT.ng
several go l seassSk Us 70 % OF no service"
g Tor the
70 tne emp 9aKing Ia knots WITH 80 pounds
% steam, md That she made In knots With
~ pounds Of steam. Ihe greatest number
q .1 5esoantons M lon, mace 1 ny tne screw was Gs
Inc lhc logiMne r. Mas M9a,131 measured number OF
tlmes, aaa MI. NiGno!s loaF Mastcrl informs
me that ne speed 9y cAip and Masscy's log
agree wlthln ieW tenths- The engines
Wolked 'eIt "cil lnteea' notn1ne occurring
oeIslMen.at !an.a r 70 ancmi n. ,..a3 ,, q,
.ces G3tIac1g 1 1rom ncp9TI, aateq may
me IicondefoSa, one 2e OF ,, tho navy sloops, OF
1ae pef1osmnan1sge o. tne vessel from FORTRESS
Monroe 70 rnnaaelpnta: 49,.
t3.;a am pleasGa - Inlo1m wy VI Tue s4Geess
ol Ials 35s SesSeL ,sn,a Mnat men 9nfemen} nave ave
arc ceenela!ly Fefy inlTr1ol, tnete Dehs put Two
Mno naHe tne uas. aaSa IL Iegat9 ~ % Ineif ah-
hest t'es ,ei.h fS H. ~ an la ~ u tnf
9cst WIN INC men rag, ana natural
alangnt. huaning lor e'9nt houss tconsecu-
LlSe) ournlnF S.o13 - = Pocnas ol coa1 per holr,
We aseragea ov.S resolndions ~ y, per minute, ,,
WIN slean pfessure o. ;o1s pounds; Inc
highest nuMneE OF revolutions We made WAS
10. During the eight hours referred 70, We
run ~ lst43ute) mues, eguai 20 l1;G mics
Per nouI' n.o hn1is; M4l!e at sea the emp
w ot.en gass ~ -, n5s, aaa ta& 80, haSts. W
E3tiacts rom report maoe 70 tne Navy Hy1
Iaa4 Gaeea T1m H' iosh' MY q i1Go, ~,
W flee1 Engineer mhcoGore Aelier, o1 me
performance o. inc ,i1contcfosa, on her trial
IMP, MADE nnGel us pefs9nal snpefVlslons
IRON NeW iork 70 fo1ires Monroe.
- heTewiih report Inc perfect success OF
me tfini oi lne engines o. tne ,,a nc" t steam u
sioop 1leonderosa Nh1Gu isat s4ts pof5 n.i ~. .,
fortress Monroe on monoay3 May lotn;"
we a,talneu speeu u "a hnots, WIN
opoot 30 pounas o. e.eam. snonia nnl1es-
llonaoly nave peen w. " tssota re-: Mgnef
rate, had not the majority OF tne lremen neen,
from sea.slekncss ana lnc3petience, enIarely
Enht to perform ING anlies required" I From
ne honf o. departure Mo 70 .aa. o. arslSa, u
hampton hoaos a ~, aos !, staGle Journal re'
Jon vas IS MADE q t1s Interior safiass e9 t9s
scatsI Fhcy were rel found to be in excellent M
otTs EStract d rom E letter to.F1eet Engineer
Garyin by Chief Engineer Thomas J.'Jones,
Of The Ticendsroga: der :or .,o r,ooaa.xou. :. .
om happy to sag tne M lieonaerosa M,a 1s
en5;nss' rnrted Una hcant;ful1v- and had rood
| - 1,nI;a-.o ~ aou15 ~ 1siI c1t ~ hor
va va IA sSat - tho,,r Il wos 1nfraed 1sle
Frtraet. from n 1effcr from CGief Enr3necr
Alexander Anchin1eck to Mr. Baftol. Of Mer-
r;c9- 4 Sons Establishment. the builders of
| lie machinery Of the Monongahela, one Of