The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-12-06
The warlns Camel.

@A% 49, A-S Ss-AAgk
Speaking Of the invention of Capt w.
P Walker, the AvalGncAe says:
The great natural distractions of the
mouth Of the Mississippi river have been
barriers that for years have occupied the
minds Of scientists, and for & long time
have proved 3 bugbear 70 the commercial
interests of all that vast demsin Of the
Western country. which seeks the chan
mel of the great Mexican Gulf to find its
way to foreign ports across the ocean.
Heavy appropriations of the public funds
have been expended in abOrtive attempts
TO deepen the channel Piles driven to-
change the current we're speedily swept
away, aad dredging done By day quickly
filed again at night by inexhaustibls
deposits Of sand and sediment, which
never cease to be borne sWeepingly ona
ward by the resistless current Of our great
est Of rivers. Hundreds Of plans have
been devised, and numerous inventions
brought before the public TO obviate the
difficulties besetting the movements of
deeply laden vessels over shallow bars.
All have proved failures, OF were of such
e stupendous character that lack of funds
and confidence rendered it impossible to
test their merits The last candidate Tor
favor as perfector of the machinery ne
eesssry to clear the distractions from the
mouths Of the Mississippi il in the per-
son of Captain W. F. Walker of this city
q gentleman who has had over thirty
years Of experience in the art of naviga>
ton and boat building In his letters
patent, recently granted by the Bureau
ct Washington, the claim il Sc forth that
the new invention, which Is termed q
Marina ftaNnaI kRnTaanac1sa
lifting power, equal to five thousand tons,
and that any sized vessel, of an unlimited
number of tons burden, can be safely
lifted by the apparatus high enough out
OF the water TO transport her safely over
any shallow bar, either with or agAinet
the current, to deep water above or bes
low the impediment, and all within the
short space of two hours Captain Walk
er's patent will be likely to meet criti~
cisn, but if he can accomplish what he
claims, he will doubtless have all en~
couragement that he may care for. From
the outs and drawings exhibited the
concern" appears to be an immense
double dock, made to st around the sides
and entirely enclose any ship or steamer.
The method pursued is to fret enclose
the vessel to be raised, then to sink the
camels by means of valves and siuice
gates similar to those in use in ordinary
docks; then by means of a net work of
heavy rope hawsers passed beneath the
hull of the vessel, raise her high enough
out Of the water to permit her passage
over shOal places without touching bot
tom. The vessels are to be provided
with sternwhesls and heavy engines
which. in addition to moving them from
place to place, will also work ali of the
machinery on board The entire cost of
building the apparatus is set down at
S250,00O, and that Of keeping it in runs
ming order at about the same as is in
CURED in running an ordinary steamer.
Captain Walker may yet achieve a great
success by his invention, the details Of
which be is at all times ready to explain
to those feeling an interest in such mat
teTs