The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-02-29
steam ON The Cannts-.An fnvention
for Navigating our Canals by Steam.


An invention ilist now coming into public
notice Is one which, If successfully carried
out, will supply want which has long been
felt among merchants. Mr.. Henry Stanley
is the author of this invention, which pro-
poses to navigate canals by steam at OF least
twice the speed used at present and Mt about
one-third ofthc expense. His plan is to run
a train of four boats or more with two power
boats. one in front and one in the rear, such
powcr-boat to carry 210 tons freight besides
the machinery, &c. while the intermediate
boats, of which every square foot Of space
can be made available, will carry 240 tons
each, making i'll ill total of 900 tons of
freight carried on u train. The machinery
Of these power-boats is simple in the
extreme. The leading boat has two
screws in the bow, which displace the water
rs fast as the boat advances, and throw 1t
back along the sides and under the boats,
thus keeping the water higher about the
boats than before or aft. This is satislacto-
rily demonstrated by models exhibited by
MIR. Stanley. The models consist of two
boats, representing the power-boats--that is,
the first and last boats Of the train. 1t was
clearly shown that if the steamboat be down
so as to rest on the bottom of the canal when
the water thrown back from the bow-screws
reaches the point Of adhesion, the boat will
float and run off freely. 1t was observed in
this experiment that no power was lost in
diSpiacing the water, as the act Of displacing
drew the boat. The rear boat has two
screws in the stern, so arranged as to draw
the water in from the sides Of the boat and
discharge it directly aft. These screws are
of peculiar construction, which admits Of
their being used with equal advantage at
~. lo,, - tl,,h b., L. 49,
that these boats can be run in
canal at any speed without produ-
cling the slightest swell in advance or at
the rear Of the train, as the motion of the
screws which displace the water determine
the speed of the boat. Experiments with
models have clearly demonstrated this. The
motion Of the boat, going at what would I've
on all ordinary canal 4 good rate of speed,
did not have the slightest effect upon the
water in front of the boat. Some pieces of
PAPER were strewn on the water in front of
the train, and ii WAS observed that these
never moved until they came into actual con-
tact with the leading boat. This also pre-
scnts another advantage from the fact that
the lack of violent motion, such as usually
accompanies all boats propelled by steam,
will prevent the possibility Of the water
washing the banks on either side Of the
canal, and thereby inllicting damage. The
method Of steering is also new and very SIM
pie, yet ingenious and effective in operation.
MIR. Stanley expects TO run from six to
seven miles per hour on the levels, but, as a
basis of calculation, fixes the speed between
the locks at an average Of five miles per hour,
and the result will be as follows: $50 miles
from Buffalo to Albany, at five miles per hour,
requires seventy hours; add eight and hall
hours lockage to each boat, or thirty-four
hours for the train, which gives 1o4 hours, or
four and onc-third days, or say five days,
from Buffalo to Albany, six days from Buff
falo TO New York, as these boats will run
through to New York by their own power,
without waiting the slow process Of present
towage. The shortest time from Buffalo to
New York by horsc-boats is twelve days. Mr..
Stanley also estimates the cost of running
four-horse boats from Buffalo to New York,
including towage on the river, and wages and
board Of hands, at 81 900, and for the same
number of boats by steam, including wages
and board Of hands, at S325. which shows a
| saving in favor Of steam Of one-half the time
and two-thirds the cost.-Ner York Times