New-York tribune., 1871-11-22
STEAM ON CANALS.
THE nr1cIAN SYSTEM DESCRIBED.

' o., .r,n., ,ower steam I'm sOnie form. has
oayed tho attention Of canal engineers Ior " years III
nrosccuting their studies. much Time labor ana money
hy bccn expended and with but little result 30 long as
,uv.ntor, attempted to make use OF the water of the
cana, "a fulcrum for their power Efforts have been
made Int with little TO make use OF the towing
n.b and the bottom Of the canal as furnishing frh
suppor for the various means OF propulson hui none OF
these experiments vet of practical value In
1850 tho navigation Of the river Seine In France was
much improved by laying chain along the river near
its margin which boats could lay hold and pull them
selves forward by means OF suitable ma
chinery board In 1896, Baron Me'hh
Of Belgium, and Max Eyth OF Leeds England
began their experiments, wi have resulted In the 40
called belgian system This has been adopted, anu Is
now success ully working In many miles OF canal IN
France. Belgium. Holland. Ausirm, Russia, and the
North German Confederation Efforts have been lhu"
to introduce this plan into the United States and some
experiments were made year two on the line OF
the Erie, and on the Delaware and Hudson Caai8' VII
the I'd May 1870 the Legislature OF the stat" of New
York passed An act to provide for the Introduction oi
the European system OF Steam Towage upon the canals
Of the State" authorized Addison NJ. Farwc OF Wafer
town and hs associates to lay down cable Tor TINS pur
pose and exempted his tugs from tolls for passing
through the canals in carrying the act into effect MT
Farwell was required 10 carry out his purpose "ilh ~
months from the date of the act
Mr. Farwcll accordingly went to Europe and person
aliy inspected the canals using me I'lgilil "'
after satisfying himself Of t value gave III" order Tor
the necessary machinery which was accordingly buit IN
LEGO by Charles Beers engineer and il now to bo seen
| working the steam tug Governor Clinton In Ofh'r
there might be opportunity for bnder the lines
aud model of the tug also sent out from tIe oher
SIDE and have been In the main followed by the Duiu'i'
George II. Nottrr Of Buffalo.
Tho part of the canal selected for introducing thi- -s
TEN was from the Little Basin at Albany to West Troy
distance Of six miles, passing through Lock no 2"h
lit Of nearly feet. The prism OF this canal Is
seycnty.tw feet wide top at the surface 0f the watr
fory.sx feet the bottom and seven feet deep On one
side the bench wall has been taken ont and UNIFORM
| slope OF one to ono prevails from the bottom
to the top On the other side OF the canal the benchwa
has not been taken away, and there u an Onset VI IL
feet When this shall have been removed. the caHai
prism will have a width on the bottom OF 81 cet hS
ths portion of the canal needs dredging 1t VIII De seen
that tho part selected was not IN any way more tha
ordinarily favorable to tho experiment In the AK miles
hero aro several curves. but none OF lcrs radius 'ha
1909 feet. There curves on SOME parts Vi Tie Ere
Canal with radi not exceeding 80 feet.
The principle this system OF towing thus introduced
| il macri lily the following
An iron steel wire rope. OF from onr'ali men To-
one inch diameter. according t. circumstances ~ hn
down the bottom of the canal Dr river rom h 10 eur
following the bends and curves Of the watercour' rest
ing unincrruptely through or over l"sks, ana pc'e
fastened only at the two exirr ends o Tue r fhnn n IRON IN
this an English steel rope IL ns1 Wi.h AN 'on
center. slcamongnc l"rtah" or hxrh " pla,'n @ ".
he yp5a
tug for towing other boats Ths engine works oii ot
Fowler clipdrnms ry "i hrGmat 1crinan
II consists OF q cast-iron wheel thrre feet in
diamctcr)the crcumerrnce Of whirhornIng thr Er9o.r
M pulry il provided with number Of movable clips.
turning round steel centres These CHIPS. each pair about
nearly touch each other and form thus compst" mos-
able groove IN which rope may he placed Ihe cen
eIs Of the clip. are so arranged ,n' rd ,ns ncs b
movement of the clips toward the center OF the urmi
narrowing thus the space III which tn" rope rests ln7
| "A
rope. which increases with he 9Icr WI" whlrh thr rope
on to the strain c1rred by the rope 1t H. therefore
cear that soa With r back or very .yc '"I %n 'ta trrS
con siderable strain IN the pulling or front rope can 10
exrrted without danger ot slipping a. tho fir'i2n
bel wren rope and pulley in proportion to the
power rxcried The necessary tension u the back rope
whore not produced by the natural dnsIton OF he
mines ctcl Is gained by pr,',pucy NV which, ,rn rolling @
"ae" ss s%csnt sSs rston hc the clips
the .n% and saSS ssf the tt the o
erienco has proved that drums OF -FOUR to
ss s ss feet .s'F u % Ss " M
transmitting with perfect safety 40 to Sohorse pow"r the
words excrtng direct pull OF over 5000 pounds
Into the grow Of this drum which E ttasI , to ana
ngcnbleis placed Tho engine br'nG put IN motion
ns w%c boat by sAs h" sa Of tie the mashy Is
in | santins direciion, lilIed up from the bot
cIdrnm falls back again slack and nearly pependlcu-
arly into tho water The weight OF the rope which pro
Of the canal. Is, II one may nay 49, tr HN' poih ai
which tn" clpdrllin pui' me Sia lToutceu ny IL VIII
be- felt distance ahead o the boat stretching out
that part of the rope Bul ai'er hiFut passed thr cnp
drum lie wire VIII iaii nfk mo III" oelton VI inc caih
with IN" 'ticknrsN " lan n""r' ins sl' knS7 q, ,in
rop" brhlhd. r"hp,rd WIN in' lt uii M nea vi IN, .o
Don. thc et,o ~ , ,,,.u ', % ", ' ,r M 1 "a Schi
80 .,, ,,, d., a.. MI, a., I'm, .nu. ,,yy. ,lnn.t
rfcctly free movement the boat with regard
ing
!! u oea Wv, Wv H. IT, ,ot w % 'u ,h, ,,,. , "
imaginable. There four cause, for loSs of power In
hrrrnt 10 the system. but all combined VIII scar ely