New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-08
TESTING STEAM BOILERS.

TWO EXPERIMENTS AT SANDY HooK-rHE USirED
| STATES COMMISSION FRIGHTENED - POSTPONE
MENT UNTIL TUESDAY.
The United States Commissioners, appointed
last Winter. conduct exper aelia tests OF the cause
OF boiler explosion aad 10 ascertain the best means OF
prevention proceeded TO Sandy Hook yesterday morn
ing tho STEAMER Alexis the rst series OF OK
| perimcnts. The Commission consists OF Supervising
Inspector lyid D. Smith. Cnas w Cop land Of
NowYorK. r. " Holmes OF NJ. Vernon. OHIO; BENZ imn
Crawford OF Pittsburgh: John Mushan Supervising In
specor OF Baltimore John 8. Devinney Supervising In
specor Pittsburgh and Addison Low, Supervising In
spector, New York. The appropri tiOn made by Con-
ress toward carrying the experiments was 10000
aud portion OF u has been expen ed In collecting tbe
instruments and necessary appliances. and In erecting
the buildings deemed indispensable to a successful
record OF the results Of the tests. Two marine boilers
were designated for the experiment yesterday one OF
them small. upright tubular boiler, and the other "a
large low-pressurc boiler such as Is IN general use
steamers in NewYJrk hlrbor. and known among engi-
neers as "A lobster back" Some tins elapsed before
the small boiler, which weighs about 2.OJn pounds
could DO fairly tested. owing to leakage in the
supply pump. ami tho spectators spent noary
two hours IN bOmh-prOOf casemate. $50 yards
away anxously awaiting the expected explosion. 1t
was not, indeed until cold, cutting wind and sharp
rain driving directly into The casemate drove them out
OF their refuge, AMI they cautiously advanced toward
the boiler. Suddenly u violent noise was heard. thick
engineers COnmis scnert aud all turned Ia dsmny ard
scrambled shelter under The shrubs anu behind the
sand hills ON the beach. IL discovered on inspcc-
ton when tho danger was over, That tune had col
apsed at pressure Of 81 pounds. The aim VI tho
experiment wAs test the theory that with low water
IN the boilers tho iron plata be;lme eatei 80 rs 10 de-
crease tneir Ot resistance, dnd 40 was SlOwh ny
lie pvr1scter. Wbich stat OIed below the boiler
near the re-1ox The steam IN the upper part Of the
boiler was superneltcd TO $50 dogreeS when the tu1c
collapsed. TIe scientists among the Commission were
Of the opinion that the experiment. luy proNod '"e
! truth of lne theory.
'Thc llrrc Ioyyp.essure iuhster-tack boiler
tested being heated Is steam pressure O 20 pounds
M which pnin 1T rupturrd = the upper ~!
| the she'll houi dous further an ls3 The sphI DC
cnrred mn n soft -, en- ana Is inches uIs. IL
was shown b. the gauges that even arr the rupture
took place 3 steam pressure Continued 10 Increase ana
the rupture cid not extend, experts cOncn mig from
these results that OveTprssnre OF steam VIII rnpure
a boiler If 1. has weak spOs whereas a. wound Do kcs
10 EXPLODE il violently, tud cons ently W!th dtng
the boiler IS uniformly strong ~ all points, Tie Com
PRISONERS Intent to strengthen these boilers at the weak
prs thus exposed AMI renew tieif operations Tor IN
exuosnn upJn ;hem Tuesday or Wednrs iay OF next
week wh'c time tho tests are plstpJnei Ide ydIl'
ous sufety. valves that been rendered them NY
makers AMI pitentccs sill aisO bc tested al tbat tnr
The exuerimrn' H. pttSburg nav been nitpJned I'M
nj about the 10 inst Chief Engineer e. H. bDring ana
First Assistant Eagueer Albert Aston, uIieh STATES
Navy, Of W.shihgt ~ present yes.erdtt, 10 O'
serve TO OertJus Dy order OF the naval authotteS'