New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-14

great Blair family. The family mansion OF the
Blairs, at Silver Springs, seven miles from Wash
ngton, is one of the curiosites of the neighbor-
hood. Thus have strayed from national finance
to dissertation on the great families of the United
States. But your readers will pardon this episode
to such bounding animal as the -.
For the Crescent
Steam and Steam Boiler Explosions.
THBoDEAUx, May 10, 1866.
10 the Editor of he Crescent-In our early
days with steam, observation taught us that the
higher or greater the pressure of steam in
boiler, the easier it was kept up and the less in
volume it required for the engine or engines.
This of course is due to its expansive nature, as
the higher or greater the pressure steam is at the
more expansive force or power it contains. Hence
with steam at a high pressure less boiler and fuel
is actually wanted than at low pressure, unless
the cylinders of the engine NJ engines are of large
diameter, the steam cut off close, or worked in
high degree expansively. And the less amount Of
steam, at a time twice to each .revoution) drawn
to the engines together with the increased pres
sure on the water in the boilers, has tendency to
prevent foaming or printing. A steamer having a
boiler or boilers that bear the hydrostatc test of
200 pounds or more to the square inch, to be al
lowed to carry only l25 pounds Jas is the case in
some nstances) or even lao pounds to the inch,
to our mind is yergng on the ridiculous. ANY
boiler that will NOT bear with safety I65 pounds to
the inch (the limit prescribed by law for boilers
as usually made for boatsJ should be discarded,
provided the law or the inspectors would allow
boilers made Of plates onefourth Of an inch thick
| AZ inches diameter, to carry steam at I65 pounds
| iv,5y 4oa M
coed the working pressure over ten or fifteen
pounds to the inch all above this unnecessarily
strains boilers Steam at high pressure, plenty
of water, Compact or solid as possible,) clean
boilers, with heat mot excessively distributed to
all the fire surfaces, is our policy, and proof is not
wanting that the several steamboats, we have been
engaged on divided the water with speed equal at
least as when others had control of their
engines; whilst the fortune that has attended our
| labors with steam, mot having had collapse or
explosion Of any kind during period Of about
thirty years is proof that the policy given or men
toned is followed with safety.
! An incident in Illustration will not be amiss.
On bright, moonlight night, the steamers Harry
Bluff aud Belle of Hatchee we're racing, ourseIf
on the aforementioned boat, doing duty-we have
habit of being on the watch when racing. The
saGety-valye had been doing its duty faithfully
for two OF three hours by letting off surplus
steam IAN unusual thing more or less continually
when the first pilot, who had formerly been an
engineer,) leaving his wheel in charge Of another,
| came down to the engines somewhat alarmed, and
calling us by name, said You have got heI
pretty hot" Our reply was; No Danger" al
the same time trying one Of the upper guagt
cocks. Water was there. Without saying an
other word he went back to his wheel. This pilo
was on the same boat two seasons afterwards
with US, during which time cur boat had seyera
races with others, and against time but he sale
nothing about her being pretty hoto again
Daring this trip, the Bluff had dry cottonwood
alone for fuel. Her boilers were clean, Il Away
examine boilers personally after being cleaned
the usual depth lat the time 1876 or l947) of fur
mace, low bridge walls, no jet blowers or steam
escapes, ittle used at the tme,) hnt the boat hat
tall chimneys for one Of her size at the perioc
mentioned.
Steam boilers are strained, and explosions have
doubtless, occurred by safety-yalves being out o
order or improperly made. If safety-vaye ha
not sufficient bearing on its seat, or, Ito be NOR
precise) if the verge Of its bevel is the same Q
less diameter than the verge of the bevel Of it
seat, by use Or grinding it will eventually get $
that it will not raise at the desired pressure. TIL
: diameter Of safety-yalye should be such that
part or the verge of its bevel projects over tn
bevel Of its seat, to prevent its adherng insur
its action at the proper time Your correspond
+ emit during his first years with steam, came nea
being blown up by a boiler, although not i
charge at the time,J in consequence Of the safety
valve not operating as it should, since whichhe ha
found several in the same condition. These re
marks do not apply to valves Of the disk order Q
kind.
whist writing Tie news comes Inat TWO NOR
ooats' tne james raymond ana NICE HusheS' nay
exploded Respecting me lat'er we nave prlS
but fearful account lne ooat pefiecO "reet
ana Killing an on BOARD put tne PloI anu one o1ne