Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-02-16
STEAM BOILER ExPLOsTONs.

subject such investigation as u rusty
u~uscienufc acquisitions enabled us {,
prosecute. At that time, we took note @
large range Of the phenomena Of thes'
terrible disasters, and become per.
fscuy convinced that the mere press
ure Of steGm-that the weakness o.
strength Of boilers, whether tubular
or fue, had very little to ID
with these fearful results-and that the
causs must be looked for outside Of these
conditions. In the course Of these m
vestigauons, wesuumbled upon ourtowns'
man. Prof Y. 4. CARR, an enthusiast 10
chemical studies, who gave Us theory
which seemed TO US, then, as the r so
luton. of these fearful aocidents-which
theory is but confirmed by every subse-
quent observation Of the facts attending
explosions. We subjoin a statement as
We remember it, of his theory:
Prof 4. a. CRrr's Theory
All combinations IN nature are based,
--aD chemically considered upon polar cleo
- -,-5-rl0-s and are called neulrals.
an motion in nature results Z ON demanoe-
.--~ the polar elective conditions OF COM
--8-ss. and releasing the egualised electricity
-rav r-u-ssr. which Immediately finds its
equilibrium eisewhere
3 The measure ofafiuity isalways determined
b~ -Be diversity or similarity Of polar elective
-~orai-ous-divere polarity giving the strong
e- and similar polarity giving The weakest
affinity.
measure ofel ectlve aGnilessr regulated
-v -1is polar conditions, violent, or passive
IN proportion 20 their extremes
Par1-rtnr 20 The first statement, that all com
rfra-f,ps in nature are based upon polar cleo
t-c conditions which are called neuuaS weara
led 70 the examination OF waueras ? neuirsl5-
Water Is Known 20 De composed OF Two electric
conditions. called elements The one cameo
--vrsn. narIu. but enc degree ot ---eHe1
zza lie alhsr called hydrogen having -ofis
-l-se 5ez-eas OF electricity. When Aese t"o.
conditions are brought together, ina mere ~
PRODUCTION OF any ~conduclug me1-1M eaus3
the respective polar electric bases 70 leave -Ae-
individual forms 0f0Zygsn and hydrogen anu
thus the electricity they respectively cpA1a@~
settle IN q state =f equilibrium between tnam-
This phenomenon IN warm weather, when The
conducting medium IS BAD p EeueIa-S
attended with me elective fash nddetonaaon,
called LEL.l-LA anu HaaaH. - 49,
Welding up their electricity, abandoning their
elementary forms. and reducing the space JheE
occupied two hundred times in voiume, pro-
s--f7r water asa result These are al admitted
rs--s Having thus defined the formation OF
us.zr 0ur of Iemsnr-- conditions, indicated
uDgu an electrical basis. We need but add one
more fact 90 show thar. when water is cecom-
71szF and s-ue.~ 81 a blue streak while es-
ra1iur rom the szfeyv-valve Of boiler, IL may,
81 laar moment before being dissipated by the
surrounding atmosphere, be- collected 10y a
properly arranged apparatus and transferred
70 eaGe1 fsrs. as pure as any static electricity
collected and transferred 20 IssGeR jars by any
c1cloual machine.
These facts. though apparently strange, are
al known and admitted. Keeping them i
mind. we next come 20 consider The second
proposition. that all motion IN matter results
rom 6-enszuetzlng the pollard condition Of COM
pounds. and releasing the equal1zed amounts OF
electricity they contain, which seeks its equi-
Eurum This leads US TO the consideration Of
D decompose water. why it is d~ec0mp0sed,
and the results attending its decomposition, as
IN the case Of steam boilers made OF iron. Heat,
f-sel-whlch is Bu- a thermal play OF magnetic
acu1n. resulting from released electricity In
motion. being produced by one phase UfdecOu-
position af carbon and hydrogen in the form Ct
wood. or coal-las. in ITS turn, the power OF so
operating pom any compounds formed of gaset
Is 90 Eec1mpcss The compounds, and set their
electricity free.
Keeping these facts iu mind, we next come 70
the third proposition, that the measure % ATM
i-y IS always determined by the diversity or the
similarity Of polar electric c~ondllons-the ti-
verse polar conditions giving the strongest. and
-..H-a. .a
unity. as is shown by the experiment. 0fequallg
charged magnets upelIng each other, whereas
II one Is charged and the other is not, they are
intensely attracted % each other. Or, to be
more plain, upon the dynamic scale, il We take
chlorine and oxygen. the oxygen possessing but
one degree Of electricity and the chlorine three.
we ind they combine in the most feeble man
ner. BUT, II we add hydrogen, which has forty
three degrees q electricity, 70 chlorine, they
instantly combine and produce hydrochloHc
acid. which is corrosive and poisonous iu The
extreme,
Having thu shown tho polar electrical basis
OF this compound, and the analytic manner
and reason OF rs formation. we next come %
CONSIDER the fourth proposition, involving the
remarkable basis o. elective adinIU-nameG,
the measure OF elective ahnry IS determined
and regulated by triple polar conditions, which
is violent or passive IN proportion % their dis
similarity or similarity Of polar extremes; We
have derived, a. before stated, hydrochloric
acid. from negative chlorine and positive hv-
drogen-s corrosive poison Eoa two harmless
gases II we nQv add % thin compound t1e
corrosive element OF caustc OF soda, which con
raI1s h0y-Gve degrees Of electricity. we Ind
them instantly combining and producing chic
ride o. sodium, OF common table salt-thus
showing an absolute elementary change Of APP
proximate characteristics. or, should we take
water, waich is composed Ct oxygen, con
tanning one degree OF electricity, as a polar
base. and hydrogen, which contains forty-thrcl
dcgrees0 Of electricity asa polar basis, and throw
upon lts surface the element potassium, which
contains nay-six degrees Of electricity, IL com
bInes with one proportion Of the electric CON
diuon or oxygen OF the water, and, releasing
the forty-three degrees contained by the by
drozsn. escapes 10 the form ofan electric flash OF
fame. Thus water,-hoUgh u0ts0 easily lguitedL-
equally a. subject TO -iuaammable or electrical
combustion a. gunpowdsr and equally dscom-
possible by the nermO-cu-reut or electric
sps-k
Keeping these premises, or facts in view,
we nov come 20 the immediate cause Of steam-
boat explosions. 70 is known that when heated,
iron and lie following oXydesd ecompJse water,
nsney--he proto ozid Of iron, the per Oxid,
potocn-0ride, psrchloude, pr0Jo iOdide, per
iodids, p-ouob70urde, prouo fourlde, proto sui
phurec. Hssqu.s sulphuret magnetic iron.
pyltes, uer-suIphurst d. p~hosphuret,
oar0uretSper pbosphureL, gr0phIte, cast
iron, steel prouocyanuret pr0to sulphocyaucerel
sesquie 7ulph0cyanuret, and al other prepa-
rHtions ofiron d-c0mppse water when coming
in contact with them al red heat is oxygen
readily combines viii the iron puoducing the
various KID above mentioned many OF which.
IN themselves. 80 readily combine with oxygen
even e. hound temperatures, as % be oren used
IN eudimsuy.
In addition 20 che 0xlds Of iron ia she con-
text Of the boilers. we may mention the mci
that some OF the western tributaries such as
the Upper Mississippi Illinois, ETC. send forth
water saturated with the phospha-es and car
Donates ofIime. together Elth a great amount
OF c-sr1oua1ious or pyroligueous matter. while
The Missouri comes out saturated with au kinds
ofaIlalue earls-au the elements OF which
f11n al the rivers may combine under the in-
EIauce 5f hfEh heat ia the form o. b-raIuu-
rel o. nitrogen or ~cy4nOgent and thence
form "a compound as the necessity
would demand OF c~yenogen, win any
ozId o. iron n the boiler, from which would
be fOuusl either p1ot1-sveuurst, proto-sulpho-
cre1uret orsszqgi sd pho-rseuutet Of lrsn-a1
a. when have HuarIl.Hls affinity Tor tIe oEy-
gen 1t me sa-.r- and a1 oi which, together
ulta the ls4lad -s-ll1e ll IIe iron exposed on
rla Inner surface olthe boiler ie, % ITSELF ul-
der all tas rlaura-Ialass and pred -.oalu-
Causes amply sufficient .5 absorb one proper
zion sftno oxygen, IeaElEE u Tbs boiler Two
PROPORTIONS 9f hydrogen 90 one % oxygen. with
numerous dcsileratlms present 90 produce
an electric spark 10 ignite Tins powerfully
explosive aud decorating compound, no loss
married In its terrinlc explosive force than The
rlulderz of-laavel-rle latter of which results
from an lutercnauge VI Lle electric force 20 posi-
tive and negative spheres of gaseous conditions,
called clouds, from whence, a. l The condition
of The boiler. two electric pT0pora8usOf one
cloud mixing with one electric proportion o.
another giving forth the phenomena Of Light
ming and thunder, which was caused by tho
condensation o. the two gases two hundred
umesintO a compound which falls as rain-the
only difference being. that. In tHs case
Of thunder, The vecuum formed Is the cause
Of the dash and report whereas in The boiler
these high electric conditions which have been
released by the decomposition % water. there Is
no chance Of exchanging its charge vita neg
alive surroundings but when iEnltsd. must ex-
end Infinitely beyond its peut-up state OF come
pr.ss.on. This is evidenced By tho Tact that
vbue in the effects known by the interchaau.
t,g conditions O. electric clouds We have con-
de1satlon and water As O result while lu the