The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-11-09

any more power iO proper Etncm 0VSr splt
bad roads or over iooae gravel roads than
on the best paved streets. The reason Of
this is quite obvious they do not sink into
roads, and do not grind down the stones in
the least degree. ss!i.se, liz ,s1aac9lfsl &
Trials have been made at Leith by
running the road steamer across 8 soft
grass field, in which an ordinary stearn-
carriage would certainly have sunk. The
way it ran through the grass without even
leaving track was very remarkable but
when it made for a part of the field which
had just been covered with loose earth to
the depth of one or two feet, and ran
straight across, and then back through the
deep, soft soil, the surprise of those present
was great indeed. The weight of the road
steamer is between four and five tons and
yet the wheels, in passing over the loose
earth, compressed it go little that awalking-
stick could be easily pushed down in the
track of the wheels without any exertion.
It is quite clear that one Of the great diff
culties farmers have had to contend with
in using steam engines for blowing is now
removed, for the road steamer will run
through any field, even when newly plow-
ed, without any difficulty. After various
evolutions, showing the ability of the
road steamer to run about where there
were no roads, it passed out into the
street, and taking q large. omnibus full
of passengers in tow, it proceeded up the
Bennington road to Messrs. Gibson & Wal
ker'sh mills, where it took a large wagon,
weighing with its load OF -four about ten
tons, up steep lane full of holes and ruts,
and rising with Q gradient of one in twenty.
It was obvious that the road steamer was
able to do great deal more than it had to
do in this trial. The bite on the road is
something marvellous, and the easy way in
which it foated along on its soft and elastic
tires was very curious. When riding on
the road steamer the feeling is like what
would be experienced in driving over a
smooth, soft grass lawn There is abso-
lutely no jarring at all. Thus the ma
chinery is spared the severe trials arising
from the blows and jolts to which it is sub
jected when mounted on common wheels.
There is, incredible as it may appear, no
appearance of wear on the .Indis-rubber
tires. The original surface which the rub
Der had when it left the manufactory is still
visible.
"The tractive powers of the machine
have surpassed all expectation. 1t was con-
structed to drag an omnibus, weighing, with
its load of (say) thirty passengers, about
four tons, on level road; but its powers
are 80 greatly in excess of this task that no
load yet placed behind it has fully tested
its power. An opportunity was offered
which it was confidently J, expected would
show the limits of its capabilities. A huge
steam boiler, weighing with its truck be-
tween twelve and thirteen tons, had to be
dragged up hill rising one in twelve. The
little road steamer was chained to the
truck, and steadily drew the great boiler
to the top of the hill, the India-rubber
wheels biting the ground in the
most perfect manner; there was no'
the least sign of slipping. The boiler
was drawn from the works Of Messrs
hawthorn s. Company, along the Junction
road, and then up the hilly bennington
road to the -four mills Of Messrs. Gibson 4
Walker. In its progress the road steamer
had to draw its great load over all kinds Of
road. Nothing seemed to affect the bite Of
the India-rubber tires. The road was sc
slippery from the frost that horses had the
greatest difficulty in keeping on their legs
but no difficulty was found in going over
the glazed surface with the 1ndia-rubber
wheels. India-rubber does not slip even
on ice, as may be easily ascertained by
trying to slide in pair of lndia-rubbei
goloshes. l.E" J:
GA number of trials have just been com
pleted with powerful road steamer which
has been constructed in Edinburgh fol
hauling wagons loaded with coffee over the
hilly roads in the island of Ceylon. Ihii
road steamer has two cylinders, each seven
and half inches diameter by ten inches
stroke, and q vertical pot boiler three
feet diameter by seven and half feet high
The engine is arranged by means of spur
gearing to make either six or fifteen reyo
Iutions, as may be desired, for each revolu
ton Of the driving wheels. This roac
steamer weighs, with water and,coal for two
hours work, about eight and half tons
1t was intended to haul twelve tons gros!
weight up gradients of one in sixteen
WAS found on trial that it was capable O
doing a great deal more than the stipulated
amount of work, 1t was first tested BY
going up very crooked and steep street II
| Edinburgh-viz. Cockburn street-wlth s
wagon in tow weighing two snd three
quarter tons. This street rises with gra
dient in some places Of one in eight, bu
the road steamer went up with the creates
ease. 80, ,....a,7ts4f ot h .EalI 49, gysa
: ssThe next trial was Of q very sewers
kind Four heavy wagons, constructed Il
carry five and O quarter tons Of coal each
were attache9Sto the road steamer. Eacl
wagon weighed when empty two and three
Quarter tons. With this train in tow th'
road steamer ran from Leith to New Battle
,colleries, d distance of about eleven miles
The wagons were thea loaded with five ant
quarter tons Of. tcsais each, and the roat
steamer drew thsG wisss four, from New
Battle to Leith over aoads. with gradient
rising one in sixteenth several places. Ib
total weight of GOALS was itwenty-one tons
if to this the weight Of four wagons il addet
it makes gross weight of thirty-two tons
and including the weight 4 of the roa'
steamer the weight of the whole train wa
UPWARDS of forty tons. With this train
| ninety feet long no difficulty was found II
passing through the most crowded street
Of Edinburgh and Leith' in the middle
the day and in the midst Of . great etrean
of ordinary traffic. The lndia-rub bber tire!
are durable beyond all conception, ant
they are not; in the least affected by eithe,
heat, cold, or moisture. !" 5;t..I 95;s3., =
.----------
Another Revolution in the Art ant
Instruments of Wsr-Cann0nier
Protected by an Ingenious Parapef
From the Saturday Review, October 18th.
Captain Moncrietf's invention, which w ha
Just come to light, is in many respects tn