The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-11-02
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Ericsson's Ne,o Lavention-Neo Mot;us
Posoer--An Interesting Letter from the
Inventor. .G5s.s...s sa.yfs,.tls, SIS 5,E.. IS
Berlin October 14l Correspondence London
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The Stockholm 4 tftonbladet gives publi-
cation to letter from Mr.. Ericsson, the
well-known inventor Of the caloric machine,
and, if am not mistaken, originator Of the
Monitor species Of cuirassed ships, in which
novel apparatus for the condensation of the
SUMS rays is referred to. fit fulfls what
Mr.. Ericsson promises it shall, the appsra-
tns, by supplying new force infinitely
greater and cheaper than can be obtained
by steam. will rank among the most re-
markab]e inventions ever made. Mr.. Erics-
sons letter, which reads like fairy tale,
is as follows: -, IL ~ .sgs.".s,.r z
"During the last few years have spent a
good deal of time in experiments calculated
to, ascertain whether the SUMS rays can be
90 condensed as to become practical means
Of producing q motive power. Sir John
Herschepsa and M. Pouillet's well-known
experiments for calculating the influence of
the SUMS rays, however interesting, were
yet of little use to me. Referring as' they
do to low temperatures only, they merely
show what quantity Of ice can be melted or
of water heated within q certain number of
degrees below boiling point by means Of the
SUMS rays; whereas my inquiries were
directed to the Investigation of the amount
Of heat produced by the condensation Of the
rays and their concentration on q compare
lively small superfcies. I have also en-
deavored to discover the best means of
effecting this condensation, and con-
structed three different machines, which /
call sun machines, for the creation Of my
new motive power. One of these is worked
by steam which is produced by condensa-
tion Of the SUMS rays; the two others are
set in motion by the expansive power Of at.
mospheric air heated by condensed rays.
AS my space will not permit me to describe
these sun machines and the apparatus /.
have constructed for the condensation of the
SUMS rays and the generating the requisite.
degree of heat, 1 shall confne my present
remarks to; the motive power itself. From.
my experiments know, that the tempera-ii
ture required for stesm-engines and caloricI
machines, the action Of the sun on super:
fcies of ten feet square, assisted by my ap-.
paratus, can eyaporate 4S9 cubic inches Of
water per hour. The importance of this
fact con scarcely be oyer-estimated. It
proves the presence of an amount of heat
sufficient to lift $4,000 pounds at the
rate of foot a minute, which is rather
more than one-horse power. 100 pounds
Swedish are equal to about 81 pounds,
English.) AS an indisputable proof of
the capacity of the sun to produce heat,
this result is of perhaps greater importance
than any other physical truth admitting of
practical demonstration. If we consider
that the mean distance from the centre of
the sun to the superfcies Of the earth is
24,444 times greater than the radius Of the
sun, we easily find by squaring this figure
that single square foot of the SUMS super
fcies must heat 1884 square feet of our
planet. In other words, given equal super
fcies, the sun emits 45 1884 times more heat
than the earth receives. Coupling this with
what has gone before, we may therefore
conclude that On area Of ten square feet on
the SUMS disc is enough to work steam
engine of 45,9S4 horsepower, which, under
ordinary circumstances, would require
100000 pounds of (Swedish) coal
per hour. This calculation, far from
over estimating the amount of heat gene
rated by the SUN, falls far below the real
quantity. More than half the heat is lost
during the passage of the rays through the
atmosphere and the condensing apparatus.
Accordingly, the actual quantity Of heat
generated within the confined area men
toned is equal to that which would be
produced by rather more than 100000
pounds of (Swedish) coal. The human
mind cannot conceive the intensity of q
process of combustion represented by such
an extraordinary consumption of coal; still
less can it realize the nature and immense
quantity of the burning material producing
this effect. What must be the SUMS fuel
when such an enormous heat is being per-
petually maintained on the entire surface
of q globe the diameter of which is about
o hundred times larger than the earth's !!
What has been said will prove that
without any very extensive application
of the condensing apparatus force
sufficient for practical purposes can be
obtained. Calculations which have
Just completed have satisfied me that
if the suns rays now wasting their
strength on the house-roofs Of Philadelphia
were condensed they might be used to set
5000 steam-engines of twenty horse power
each in motion. That the new force can
be obtained without occupying ground put
to other useful purposes ls one OF its re-
markable peculiarities. To give ON IN
stance, let us suppose Swedish square
mile (equal to forty-nine English) covered
with -condensing apparatus and sun ma
chimes. Let one-half the surface be occu-
pied by buildings, roads, &C., and we have
still 4S,OOO,OOO square feet free for our
purpose (two feet Swedish equal to 0.593
metre). Now, as my condensing apparatus
has demonstrated 100 square feet to be
amply sufficient for the production of one
horse power, it follows that 64,SO0 steam
engines of one hundred power each
can be worked with the rays thrown
on Swedish, square mile. = Archimedes,-
having calculated the force Of the lever,
explained that he could amove the earth
from It's position. I assert that by con-
densing the rays of the BUN force could
be created that might arrest the earth in it's
course. We have scarcely begun to work
the coalfelds of Europe, and already COM
putations ore. being made in. England when
they, will be exhausted. In thousand
wears or so-a drop in the ocean of time
there will be no coal left in Europe unless
the sun be put in requisition. True: the
rays of the sun are often prevented from
reaching US, but with such large maga-
zine whence fuel may be obtained without
1ahor or transport to draw upon, expert