New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-06-09
STEAM ON CANALS.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.

ton upon the canal OF steam oaloric eeeey'o my
other motor other than animal power for proPennhs
boats and the appointment OF board OF experts e"'"
that the question of increasing the speed OF boats on our
canals has at last attracted the attention which merits
like subject has for long time engaged the attention
OF engineers especially in Europe. In 1sb, Henry X
Worthington now celebrated hydraulic engineer
ran for two seasons the Erie Canal and HUDSON
steam canal-boats made after models designed Dy hi
self Three vessels ran from New-York to OsVeso
carrying ~ tuns OF freight and using wood as aiue' m
which he paid g q cord. His boats were not success
financially although they overcame the practicai ui
emily then thought TO be insurmOuntable VIZ: speed
without injury to the banks OF the canals The Doats
were also efficient in breaking through the ice ana 'ey
ran until very late each season.
The great loss in power that is nseparabie from tho
ordinary methods of propulsion by paddle-wheels OF
screw amounting TO at least SO per cent TENDS 10 uo
almost all who count the cost into any system ~hlch
nets on more permanent fucrum than the water IN the
canal Hence we have the socalled Belgian system tho
invention of Baron de Mesnil and Mr. Max Ey'h vi
Leeds, who began their experiments In 1863 THIS Sy
TEN extensively used and s now in succes'l
operation Oh the River Meu AZ miles, from Namhr 10
Iicgc snCe June 1869, and is about TO be exendedV
miles TO Antwerp, through the Canal dc la Campine'
giving continuous line 1872 miles long, part river anu
part canal presenting all the examples OF ordinary u
doulties met with in inland navigation Wire ropes have
also been laid the Canal de Charcro in Belgium ohlho
Canal de Bercland, i'll Holland, between
Antwerp; on the Canal de Jerneuzc, which connects
Client with the Scheld Other lines are about TO be
established on the Danube and on the Rhine
The cost Of towing by this system with the wire rope
and clip drum has been found from the experience Of
working the limos at present IN existence 10 amount
to not than mill per tun per mile Including the
whole OF the working expenses and management inter
eat, and redemption Of capital The average cost OF
towing by animal power in four English canals namely,
the Gloucester and Berkely. the Monkand, the Forth
and Clyde and the River Lee amounts 20 mills per tun
per mile and French canals the average cost
81 mills. With paddletugs employed on the Thames
the cost OF towing 81 mills, while the aver
age cost OF towing by the same means six rivers in
France ia as high cent and mills per tun per mile.
The employment OF screw tugs on three English canals
namely. the Gloucester and Bcrkey, the Acre and
Calder. and the Regents Canal, resulted in an average
cost of 81 mills while towing by boats carrying their
machinery costs seven English canals mills per
per mile The charge made for the wire-rope towing
on the Mouse during the regular il mills per tun
per mile for the up traffic, and II mills for the down
traffic In Winter owing to the increased currents 1t Is
varied according 10 the state OF the water the maximum
charge being not than mills, about the average
cost of towing level canals by other means OF traction
In 1850 system put into use on the Seine in which
q chain was substituted for the wire rope.
There have beca various American patents involving
the principle ofpOwer acting other fu!crum than
the water. Among them are the following, but none OF
these have yet been practically In USE MI G. j.
Harvey the engineer of the Elevated Railroad proposes
to move small carriages connected together by an end
less rope working cable stretched on posts placed 20
feet apart on the owpath the carriages each carrying
horn to which the owine from the boat can be
attached.
Messrs. S. W. 81 F. Palmer OF Auburn have plan by
using chain on each side OF the canal lying along its
bottom about 10 feet from either shore" The boat to be
propelled carries shaft having each end cogvhce
which fits into the chain when the shaft is made to re-
yove Messrs. Emery & Leverich, also Of Now-York,
have carefully prepared estimates and designs for
small steel rail suspended the canal which Is to be
srasped 10y two revolving puleys placed to move hori-
zontay the boat and by their adhesion TO the rail-
| cause the boat to move forward.
Mr. lanes Reed Of Catskill, N. Y. substitutes chain
and coR-wheel working vertically for the device OF
Messrs Emery and Lcyerich. John Roy Of New Orleans
pulleys fixed the side OF the boat viii traverse inc
friends of narrow garSe railroads propose 70 p"sr mem
snneS propose 10 Sa 20 ov that INVENTIVE genius Is
hard work on this important subject for which the
Empire State offers premium OF $4,000, as PloNded
This bill has now become a law - ~. ,,,..,,,,..
ton in si5 very long and sharp in the bow and IN
this respect quite different from the ordinary form OF
canal boat He placed wheel on each side OF the boat
with paddles inclined 10 the axis hut very iar forward
so az really to be each SIDE of the bow Ia TINS way
he 1e Ss canal ns SSd ep " to- close rapidly hc pa
tia made at the stern MT WorthhgtOn pun his
|
ONLY to run the Erie Canal but also TO make the voy-
age up and down the Hudson River, encountering sue
| cessllly ts WINS and waves and 10 move about the
haIDOr of New-Ynrk from pier 10 per enuTeiy ulAs-
sisted as his business demanded The ability TO do this
is considered by very strong point in favor Of tho
propeller SYSTEM and which, they say is to bo the
qua non Of any plan which Is TO be OF any pefma-
ncnt advantage to tie great carrying trade OF TINS state
But, on the other hand, the strong winds ana waves
| cannot be successfully met but by cOrrespondingy
heavy and costly machinery requiring greater mum.
her Of skilled hands TO the boat; all the weight of
these taken from the carrying capacity, ana Is dead
| piVhti
Mr J. Main of Haverstraw has invention which he
iiary shaped propeller wheel which he places in the
bow Of the boat and apply equally well to the pres
emit form of canabOat 10 any other. Mr. Main has
works built and proposes alter the old boats and make
them ready for the engines for $3.50 each His ability TO
this way the 1000 canalboas the Erie Canal he
made seopehns loE small hdrr e1 ape h
constantly maintained, which is double the speed OF
horse towage without any injurious acton on .he oaas
OF the canal II has been FOUND lat huch boat can 90
through lock in six minutes, and is more easily handled
in the lock than the ordinary boat Mr. Mains boat has
been regularly employed the Erie Canal carrying 200
tuns cargo Thus loaded 1t made the journey, Y miles
each "a hours with consumption OF one tun OF coal,
costing g. against sS 50 ontay for two days OF horse
| towage required for the same Journey. Dr. Robert
which can be attached TO any canaboat or eN less
snm than MI Mains. Both Of these Inventions nave
| DR. Hunters on the Miami Canal. Mr. Peter Cooper
favors the plan Of Mr. Main, While Miles GREENWOOD OF
| MI. G. j. smith of Nyack has peculiar form OF pro
pccr which has aptly nicknamed the Duckfoot IL
| consists
iron rods connecting with engine through stuiiing-
boxes placed the stern The paddles are placed on
each side keel the stern and near the bottom or
tbe boat AT each forward movement the paddles close
together and at each backward movement they open,
act upOn the water and prOpel the boat forward Mr.
Smith has boat which has worked on the Erie Canal,
using engine OF 2ghorse power lie IS now engaged
i'm buding larger boat that he can Tow four 10 SIX
canal boats ne thinks he do this at the rate OF
five miles hour without disturbing the nhks. mere
are many other plans Of the propeller system, differing
from each other in the form Of the wheel the position II
occupes on the boat the employed 10 put in
offnft oh n g.
wheels are placed the stern, in some amidshps ana in
| some az we have already SEEM in the bow.
The state Engineer, the Hon. Van X Richmond In Ills
report transmitted to the Legislature Jan a. 1862 says: