The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-06-18
F[om De NelD York Times ic0rrespaogpldcnl.

DeDNFtm enGsssTF1DI TFtp OF Ine UNI
ted States GunbOat PaIOa in Boston
Harbor. -
Ffoni ne NeD York Times cOTe,pgpdcnt.
Boston, Friday, June IA. 1867.
During the past four weeks a series
of very Interesting experiments nave
been made with petroleum on board
at the Charlestown Navy Yard, for the
purpose of testing the practical appll-
cation of that . Ycombustible oil as a
means Of fuel. These experiments
have attracted the attention of scien-
tific men and others, but more espe-
cially the Navy Department., which
some time since appointed a Board OF
Commissioners to test the use OF crude
petroleum as fuel. tr
The machinery employed in using
the crude petroleum., from the time IL
leaves the tanks until 1t acts aslfuel,
is very simple, economical and durable.
1t has been described as follows: On
the deck of the vessel are two large
iron tanks filed with petroleum, and
pipes, which supply the oil for the re-
tort below. The retort is made of boil
er iron, and in it is inserted a number
ofsmall pipes, which spread ont in arms
with perforations or openings for
supplying 125 burners. The steam
taken from 'the boiler is passed
through coil of iron pipe charged with
iron filings, which are arranged SO as
to be exposed to the hottest part of the
fire. The coil of iron pipe and filings,
becoming red hot; decompose the
steam, separating the oxygen and by
drogen, and as a natural consequence
the sagacious components enter the re-
tort and mingle with the vapor of the
oil. By means of an air-pump atmos-
1k,ar a. af, fS,F tnf hor for at "a
same time the steam is decomposed,
and mixes with the elements of the
FIRE. These combined gasses then es-
cape into the furnace, igniting from the
intense hot flame. During this chemi-
cal combination, the oil does not come
in contact with the fire, but is run into
the iron retort before alluded to, which
is kept hot by series of heaters un-
derneath. The oil is only supplied as
fast as 1t can be converted into vapor-
The supply of steam and air and oil is
graduated by means of small throttle
valves, and the fire increased or di-
minished at will.
A good deal of interest was manifest
ed by scientific men, engineers and
others in the experimental trip of the
Palos to-day. During the three months
that the vessel had operated her ma
chinery at the dock, the use of petro-
leum as fuel was considered a success,
but the trip to-day was designed to
demonstrate that with this new agent
sufficient steam could be generated to
propel the vessel through the water at
rate of speed greater than with the use
of coal, and at a comparative small ex-
pense. The Palos is a fourth-rate gun
boat, with an engine of nominal ca
pacity of $50 horse power. On her trial
trim down Boston Harbor when first
built, the Palos used coal and started
with forty-five pounds of steam, which
ran down to twenty pounds and made
only eight miles an hour. The result
to-day, with crude petroleum as sub
stitute for coal, is destined to work a
revolution in the material employed
for generating steam In boilers.
The Palos left her dock at the Navy
yard at ten O'Clock, having on board
the inventor of the new fuel and ma
chinery for using the same. Three fur
naces were used, and in a few minutes
after leaving the wharf the indicator
marked forty pounds of steam, and as
the vessel steamed by the wharves and
shipping that amount was maintained.
Nearing Governors Island, the Palos,
though a propeller, was observed to
gain rapidly on the pleasure side-wheel
steamer Ulysses, which had started out
some time previously. The first three
miles were accomplished in twelve
minutes, or at the rate of twelve knots
an hour, which was even now better
81 eed than the vessel had ever reached
with coal, or running four miles faster
than her usual average speed.
At this point of the trip an invitation
WAS extended to descend to the fire.
room. Here were found two men do
ing the work of eight persons, and in
the place of ashes and dust were clean
illness and ventilation. To the surprise
of old firemen the floor was carpeted.
A second observation showed that the
Euboat had moved 11L miles in forty
eight minutes, or at the rate of fourteen
miles an hour, fairly outdoing herself
and surprising the most ardent be-
levers in petroleum fuel. While going
at this rate steam was constantly in
creasing. aI. u.rut-
Boston Light reached, the steamers
head was turned toward the city, and
after delightful sail among the islands
the Navy-yard wharf was reached in
one hour and tforty-five minutes, dur
ing which time tine Palos had steamed
twenty-five nautical miles and genera
ted steam more rapidly toward the end
of the trip than at the start. The fires
were eXtinguished almost tnstantane-
ously. Less than four barrels of Pc
troleum did the work ordinarily ac-
complished by six or eight tons of coal,
and il was demonstrated in the most
brilliant and satisfactory manner that
a desideratum had been gained which
adds fifty per cent to the speed ofsteam
vessels without altering the existing
machinery. a4f yl ..-t.i-L nd
In a few weeks the United States
gunboat ,Leyder, an exact counterpart
of the Palos and a coal burner, will
make an excursion down the harbor in
company with the Palos for the. pur-
pose of demonstrating the inferiority
OF coal as compared TO the economy and
Hta arff nf no m
1t was agreed on all sides that the
day had inaugurated an important era
In the history OF ocean navigation.
The PaloS was regarded as one of the
slowest gunboats in the navy. but the
event of to-day has proved her one OF
the fastest, Notwithstanding chief en-
gineers inside and outside of the navy
look with distrust upon petroleum fuel,
and regard the machinery for ap-
plying it as dangerous. Scientific men
regard the result so significant that the
facts were telegraphed this evening to
Europe, where similar experiments are
being made in English and other dock
yards. 4.s..y .4-.-f7-s--sE rlu 70.
THE CABLE, AS A ROGUE CATcHER.-
The New York Times felfoitates itself
upon the fact that European rogues
who have been won't to flee hither for
safety after the commission of e1tradi-
table offences, are stopped by the At
lantic telegraph from availing them
selves of this country as convenient
TThe ocean no longer, (it says,) puts
a barrier. between the criminal and the
offended law, for no matter how great
the speed OF the vessel in which the
fugitive takes passage, the information
of his guilt is conveyed in an instant
across the ocean by the voiceless mes
senger which stretches its length from