The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-12-26
A Ship Carpenter Puts Wooden Cylinder
Head on Steam Engine.
From ,he san Francisco Chronicle.


From the san Francisco Chronicle.
ON late rip of the steamship Nebraska
from New Zealand to Honolulu the car
peulel of the ship became engaged in Il
spicy debate with the English steward
aboard A. 10 the responsibility of England
tor the destruction of the United States
merchant marine by the Alabama. The
debate terminated in fight, and the two
combltants Were placed in irons. Upon
The arrival of the Nebraska AT Honolulu
the carpenter told his grievances to the
American consul there. who thought it
best to send him back to the United States
on the Idaho.
When the Idaho was several days out
on The return voyage from Honolulu, her
cylindel-head was broken into fragments
and the engine could not be used. She
had lust reached a point where the trade
winds failed her; her sails were scarcely
large enough to steady her in rough
weather, and retarded rs she was by her
propeller, the chances for getting to San
Francisco or even back to Honolulu were
rather blue. In an ordinary breeze her
sails Just gave her Roadway enough to be
steered, and as few vessels cross or follow
the Sandwich Island steamship route, the
passengers resigned themselves to fate
and made up their minds to endure long
and uncertain float. The captain was
about 10 be petitioned to put passengers
and crew on short allowance, when the
belicose carpenter came to the rescue.
On examining the injured cylinder, the
thought entered his mind that a stout
cylinder-head Of tough, hardwood might
stand a sufficient pressure of steam to run
the engine at moderate speed. He stated
this to the captain, who. after some hest
tation and rs q last resort, reluctantly
gave his permission to try the experiment.
The carpenter procured his tool chest from
the hold, and after twenty-five hours hard
work, finished and inserted the wooden
cylinder-head. 1t was made of three
thicknesses of hard teak board, rendered
steam-p proof by being covered with paint
and canvas, and was calked tight and held
in place by bolts, rs in other cylinder
heads, and q piece OF timber braced
against its end. When the carpenter an
nounced that the engine was ready for
use and desired the engineer to turn on
the steam there was general scampel
from the cylinder, where numbers of the
passengers, sleepless and feverish, had
anxiously watched the finishing of the
work. Slowly the steam was turned on,
the piston-rcd rose and fell, the propeller
churned the water quickly, the Idaho
moved on at her accustomed speed and
the wooden head was success. The
cylinder-head, after being used for time
swelled and collapsed like the lungs in
respiration, but the Invention stood the
test to the end, and earned for the carpen,
ter quite q reputation. He is now EN-
ployed o. the Ajax and has become very
hero among sea-going men. -.
A passenger from the Idaho, who con
versed WITH the Chronicle reporter, wa.
very enthusiastic in behalf of the ingen
ious 'sChips," and SAYS that he is clearly
entitled to salvage. Doubtless but for hi
American views on the Alabama claims
question. the passengers of the Idaho, thu
majority Of whom were Englishmen
would have presented him with some
memorial.