Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-08-01

csDOub lis SAOaS 4nNc4blOA VI a AAObOA
that is TO do the work of steam at a
small fraction Of its cost, John A.
of Rochester, n. Y, and his
hackers, have brought the newly dis
covered vapor to the test Of utility for
hauling trains of loaded cars on
railway, and driving balls and other
missiles fro.h guns, large or small,
in war. We find in the
Rochester Union over two columns of
details of these interesting experiments,
the material facts of which we shall
state in fewer words.
As steam is kind of vapor genera
ted IN one metal vessel called a boiler,
and used in another acting on piston,
SO this new machine has two metal
globes, in one of which vapor is gener-
ated of prodigious tension, and passes
into another globe by a connecting
tube fer service as a motive power.
The first experiments In the presence
of many witnesses were made with
globes about the size of an orange APP
piled to drive the ball of an Enfield
rifle 500 yards into target of three
inch plank, backed by plate of iron
one-fourth of an inch in thickness.
The small generating globe contained
about a wine glass full of water. When
the gun was to be fred, Mr.. Hector
breathed air into the globe holding
water and the volatile material, from
which the vapor was evolved, so much
more expansible than that Of
water, through an INDIA rubber
tube. This breath of air with no explo-
sive chemicals, discharges the gun. On
examining the target there was found
a clean cut hole through the three inch
plank and the thick plate of iron behind
lit. As there was no report from the
gun bystanders did not believe the ball
had left it. When several shots had
been fred with like result, the target
was removed 100 yards farther from the
gun, which was elevated, to suit the
range, and fredagain. The ballpassed
through the plank but not through the
iron. Without once recharging the
wineglass of water with vaporizing ma
terial, over fifty shots were made by
count, and the inventor said that he
could shoot at a rapid rate all day and
use nothing but balls and air in the
operation, except the little water and
vapor in a globe no larger than an
orange!
Several gentlemen breathed into the
globe through the rubber tube and fired
the gun repeatedly, satisfying them
selves and all others present that moth
ing more was necessary to develop the
wonderful force which drove the ball
from the rife. With such weapons
war must be wholesale murder, and
civilized nations will be compelled to
find a better way to decide and settle
their misunderstanding.
Mr.. Hector proposed to take train
Of cars at the speed of a mile minute
over one Of the railroads coming into
and the Ontario Lake-Shore
Railroad wastendered for the purpose
Of an experiment. The metal globe in
which the vapor was generated held a
bucket of water, and air was forced
into it by bellows worked by a foot
freddie. The little engine had hardly
weight enough on the track to start the
train, which consisted Of two passenger
cars and a baggage car, well loaded
with deeply interested spectators. Our
Rocheste, namesake says:
At first the motion was slow and
ierky, but as the momentum increased
the pulse Of the engine became more
and in a few moments 1t was
moving as steady as a locomotive. By
the end Of the first mile the speed had
to such an extent as almost
to take the breath out Of those that
were facing the cool morning lake
breeze. The second mile the train
seemed fairly tofy, the run being made
by several timers present IN five seconds
less than a minute. At the commence
ment of the third mile the cock was
graually turned and the speed slowed
down until stop was made at the Sea
where an elegant breakfast had
been prepared for the occasion.
Our readers will accept The fact as
not very important at this distance,
hat the post-prandial speeches of the
Mayor, aldermen and others, were
,reditable TO those gentlemen, and learn
With surprise that the new motor took
5he train twenty-five miles to Sodus,
md back to its starting place, without
accident. A railway track and its
-olling stock must be in exceptionally
good order not TO place passengers in
considerable peril when the train is
moving at the rate of sixty miles an
lour.
1t is claimed by the inventor that he
las worked thisvapor up to a pressure Of
.hree thousand pounds per square inch;
md if he can find metal strong enough
md close enough-for it perineates
ron almost like electricity-he believes
t will develop a force equal to thirty
pounds to. the square inch
In view of these marvellous develop |
nents, we may well inquire whether
Jteam, coal and fire will not lose their !
-alue as motors in travel, transporta-
ion, manufactures, and all other in
Iustries. A gallon of water In a globe |
10 larger than a mans hat, will do the |
blowing of ten mules, and consume no |
more in value than one mule; giving !
bread and meat to the million at prices |
never dreamed of in all the past ages. |
Another curious fact. The metal |
5ube VIII .ch connects the two globes in !
vapor machine is soon covered
With hard ice, because heat is absorbed |