The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-07-31
THE NAVAL RACE.
Mr.. DickersOn Accepts the Secretary's
Terms Under Protest.
LETTER FROM A NAVAL ENGINEER,
Letter from Mr.. e. N. Dickerson.
DO, &C., &c.

&C., &C., &C.
Letter from Mr.. e. N. Dickerson.
New YORK, July 20, 1855.
Hon GIDEON wmLEs, Secretary Of the Navy
SIR find in the morning papers an order signed by
you, which presume is in reply to my demand for
"fair trial" of the engine of the Algonquin
YOU at FIRST through Captain Fox refused to have
trial of this engine with another engine Of the speci
fed for the Algonquin 10 equal but insisted that the
Algonquin should be in the harbor against the ada-
Wit Of John Baird contained in the report Of Congress
sional committee objected to running against a-
davit and public opinion upheld my objection You felt
the force OF the pressure sufficiently to induce you
change your resolution and substitute another trial
You now propose that the Algonquin shall in com.
petition with dock in the city of New York To this
objectthat is If the trial is to be considered of
the question whether the engine has complied with its
contract n is trial to enable fellow citizens to
come aboard and see the two engines work shall be
happy to have it carried out.
The engines of the Algonquin were not made to at
the dock If that had been the object should have
structed them differently. have always supposed that
the naval engines were better qualified to at the
dock than anywhere else and better not to all
than to anywhere but never suspected that you
desired such qualities Of any machinery might build
The excuse you give TOT tnlS EXTRAORDINARY proposition
is that you will save the cost of fitting out the steam
ers for extended trial at sea-" proposed
have trial at sea- only proposed run where these
double enders safely run-that is, in river can
extended trial at sea" would leave at home have
a family depending my exertions, and nsur
ance company would insure my life in "doube- ender
for such ''extended trial." When shifted the bal
last Of the Algonquin she opened her cranks half
inch, and when came in her round Point Judith she
twisted like snake Men who have been In them
regard the polar bear that escaped the fire Of tho
burning Museum and their wives feel as did Desdemona
toward Othello-
''she loved me for the dangers had passed,
And loved her that she did pity them"
But would run IN the North river or the sound-for
short time; and for that trial both vessels ready,
except only to dock them and clean off the barnacles
IT, however, it did cost few hundred dollars make
not be plundered because you cannot afford to give him
trial such as he agreed TO submit to- If you had
traced to pay man for horse provided he could rot
mile in three minutes would hardly justify your offer
to try him at the plough that you had time to 90
upon the course and see him driven observe,
however, that when you Captain Fox. wish pleasure
excursion, more money be spent on a yacht than
would pay the salaries Of the whole cabinet for
year, and the cost q this trial included; but when
ed Pardon me- sir, il ! think this more pretense
proper however that the people should know why
you have changed from trial in the harbor to dock
First-The log of the Algonquin, when running at the
dock for hours shows much inferior results in
Providence to New York. YOU therefore, propose 70
compete with the inferior rather than the superior per-
the latter ! needed
4Sseo~d-The wheel Of the Algonquin is Of her i'm
under wayI over yonr wheels You now order Of and
smaller wheel substituted, on your plan. You might
as well take out my boilers or engine and put in yours
7hnd-Your boat has sixy-sevcn per cent more graf
bars to burn coal than mne and nearly three times
much boiler and has two fortytwo inch blowers to
under way the natural draft is enough with my small
furnaces for all want but at the dock the draft
s so br M and with wit yS1r Sr you
F6urth-My condenser for re-supplying the waste
water only works when the ship is in notion at which
time only is needed At the dock you virtually sus
pend its operation and SO far impair my efficiency
All this very cleverly arranged and will be Of great
comparative value to you on the trial but such practices
would not be allowed in any other race ever knew Of
Then there is consequence from this plan OF trial
which you OF course, see the value or Your boat will
twice the coal mine does to do the same work. and Of
course will tighten up during the eight days considerably
more than mine does SO that her wheels will every day
that he dip Of the paddles will not be changed during
the rial but how can you suspend the law OF gravity
The claw OF wanrothe and Watt Ia suspended in the
navy engine, but the claw Of Newton, believe, yet
mains.
You also intend to take the power by indicators not
by the result in propulsion Of the vessel and propose
TO appoint the people who to to he indicated
horse power" Now, you know that indicated horse
power is very good kind of power, '1f you know
the man. that works the indicator; but if you don't
1t is very uncertain Thus your employee John Baird,
has put on record a statement that the Eutaw made
1,5l4 indicated horse power on two and third
pounds OF coal an hour and only went on an average
fourteen and sixenths statute miles hour. II she
did the horses have been condemned army horses
that John thinking of; fifteen hundred real horse
power would have taken the wheels out of the Eutaw
But them in excuse for that do not forget that the
immense consumption Of coal Of the Eutaw had TO be
accounted for: and II II really giving horsepower
with two and third pounds hour there could be
comp1a OF that; and 514 multiplied by . 81 lust
IL
figures that such results can be produced.
Even the Algonquin has not escaped the indicator dis
Mr. sherwood has officially reported that she
and ourenths pounds Of coal hour to horse
power II she does and your boats only use two and
third they can tow her home very easily, after her
coal is out, and you need not be so anxious to avoid
trial.
indicators are very useful instruments in honest and
intelligent hands, but in the hands Of knaves fools
they will lie worse than an epitaph. The real honest
test Mr. Secretary is to shove the sized and shaped
boat through the water That will tell you lies
and 1t won't be necessary 10 pay magistrate . shilling
for taking any affidavit about IL
do not understand who TO be the judges of the
performance. II you intend Il invitation TO Mr. Ever
EFT and his board of nine members TO be present at the
trial as an appointment of them as judges, object
Wright, have officially and beyond redemption commit
ted their professional reputation on the proposition that
s us aS bv tbe pavY psy0ns Commute
Congress quote both to sustain them, and ON
the fourteenth page, Of thor report the hoard
say that the engine of the Dakota Iroquos and General
Admiral would be benened by putting In small cylin
ders" l. C. by reducing the very small expansion used
ON those vessels TO still less rather think that they
would not change their views-at least not until they
have got or their hands the engines they build
Ing for the department
II John Baird Is to be the judge protest against IT,
he Is Mr. Isherwoods collector Of internal revenue"
from the contractors
have my control one of his letters 10 Of the
calling for contribution to Mr. Isherwood
under the thin disguise OF subscription to enable him
10 print another of those valuable books in which the
young men OF the country are officially taught TO be-
eve that James Watt sert OF IDIOT and that the
true laws Of steam we're discovered by Benjamin f.
Sherwood In the year 1851, old engine on Lake
Eric And besides his idea of horse power s SO very
confused that should have confidence that he would
not got the kind Of horses the Wnoosk that he
got the Eutaw
These my objections. But Notwithstanding these
lnder the fear that II refuse you will 'pu the Agon
Iun into the scrap.heap" without any ceremony
will prepare for a at the dock; rather with the in
cnton OF showing my fellow citizens good steam en-