The New York herald., 1871-08-03

or much Of if, must have been overheated TO its
tion of heat beyond its capacity to hold and by the
action Of the safety valve
cubic Feet q Tno Ra
ing capacity OF lao cubic feet, the steam room is
estimated Of about 700 cubic feet the water space
at about 500 cubic feet
Seven hundred cubic feet, or $4,000 pounds OF
water II surcharged with only an average or so de-
grees Fahrenheit OF heat beyond that due to its
pressure will, upon losing It's cohesion, flash over
o. 600 cubic feet OF steam at 81 pounds pressure the
steam space being only 700 cubic feet, and already
The safety valve was blowing on violently, as ex.
phctY testified TO you by H. X. Hale. VINO left the
boat on account OF the noise to be able TO speak to
area capable OF blowing of 100 pounds Of steam
minute 100 cubic feet per second, at twentyseven
pounds pressure above the atmOspherel more than
three times as much as the boiler Is capable OF
producing wilhin thar time without accumulated
pabe OF passing or ~ 900 cubic feet OF stea pro.
duced by released accumulated heat In moment
The question Is. why does this not happen fre.
quently as this practice is, unfortunately, not an
exception The answer Is that r. under the figures
above assumcd, the boiler could have wiChstoOd
seventy-dve pounds OF pressure which consumes
dfty degrees more heat tian twenty-seven pounds,
no harm would have arisen.
1t is, however. more tnan nkely that even with
only few degrees Of accumulated heat the sudden
mentum OF the masses suddenly set in notion may
cause m0mentary violent strain upon the boiler,
winch second aIter might scarcely be perceptlOle
upon the pressure gauge The latter may even
indicate but imperfecuy tho sudden strain on tbs
boiler, by reason Of Its suddenncss and the small
and often tOrtuous communication to the gauge.
AS remedy, circulation should always De pro-
vided for, particularly wne the enginels standing
stnl. either by the feed pump Qndepenaent pump
or Otherwise And II the pump Is to be stopped let
II rather be done while the boat is under way.
III circulation Is preserved the water Will not accu-
muate neat bat Will evaporote as fast as 1t receives
Is made and the safety valve does not blow OFT until
after the water is fatally overcharged with heat
too late to notify the fireman to open the furnace
doors.
Without proper circulation the steam may be much
hotter than the water, or the water hotter than the
steam, while the boiler plates become nnequay and
unduly heated and weakened, with the finally fatal
result sure to follow continued unequal EXPANSION,
Ii the injury caused by 1t is not discovered III time.
While the most careful boiler Inspections are thus
OF the utmost Importance and Indispensable, they
do not give entire security against from the
cause named; and the less so the greater the mass
OF water In the boiler. And safety valves In such
cases lose their efficacy.
How often our lives thus hang but "by thread"
while taking passage on our boats or in passing
over sidewalks and by houses, hiding away thou
That boiler can be made OF less cost, consuming
much less fuel, far less liable to sedmentary scales
and free from danger Of such violent explosions,
Will hardly be credited. Under usual circumstances
the writer would feel dilndence thus publicly to
claim such production. But under the memory OF
Sundays horrors the assertion Is nevertheless made
tnat such a boiler was secured several years ago
public. If, in the interest OF the public, such men
as DR.. Wander Weyde, Joseph Belknap aud others
known and trusted by the public would investigate
the subject sufficient interest might be elected 10
greater safety to human life and limb.
WILLIAMSBURG, N. Y. ROBERT CREUZBAUR.