The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-11
A NEW SHIP-PROPELLING POWER.
From the Baltimore Gazette. May 81

From the Baltimore Gazette Mayal
About three years ago intelligent mechanic OF
Baltimore began put INTO shape ideas no had
concerning water as propeng power for vessels
He believed that by jud.cous manipulation boat
could be propelled without wheel or With an
inventors sublime faith in the correctness of his
theory he gave his spare putting his ideas
into practical form. He built model and launched
her in a trough He "nred up'' with kerosene and
raised steam to work his pump. The experiment with
the working model satisfied the inventor that he was
on the right track. But between that model and the
trim little Alpha, which ran down the bay on her trial
trip yesterday, tncrc was wide guf Of hope dIsap-
poniment, hard work and expectation At
O'Clock yesterday afternoon Mr.. George q. Caldwell,
tho inventor; Captain jeremiah Cottercll, master;
Mr.. John Ahern, business agent, and Mr..
William Warren, who has aided Mr. Caldwell,
went on board al the Long Dock, accompanied by rcp
rcsentatives OF the press. The Alpha IS BALTIMORE
built boat, constructed on tho tusboal model und as
neat thing OF The kind rs there rs aoaI she IS AZ
ieet in length ana has los feet OF BEAM She is iur
nIshcd with one sxtecn-horso power horizontal ubu
lar boiler ana No. Knowles pump. From the pump
10 the stern are two lines OF pipe which strike the
water about three feet beneath the surface Two sim
liar lines run TO the bow. The pump drives through
each pipe 2la-inch stream, which enters the water
through u inch nozzle With sixty pounds or steam
the pump makes $50 strokes tho minute each
driving stream INTO the body OF water. TINS is all
there IS about this wonderful device. And yet. under
all the disadvantages Of ra trip, this was tho device
which yesterday enabled the Alpha make ten knots
hour under sixty pounds pressure There was not
water, except the lutte made by the cutting Of tho
bow. She was backed and turned with perfect case.
TO back tho boat the stream Is driven through the bow
nozzcs and the craft obeys on tho instant II the
boat were to spring acak the pump would simply draw
It's supply from the bold and 20 on with It's work. IL
is clamcd that vessel provided wtn this appliance
could not SINK under ordinary leakage. For prudcn
tal reasons there were no experiments IN tins limo
yesterday. remarkable feature oil The Caldwell con-
trivance rs that the power which propels VIII also
steer. To accomplish this the nozzles are worked al
crnaey from side to sdc using the streams as Levers
me principle of the oar There is yet another use
10 which this device can be applied In case of IRE on
board or about the docks line oil hose Is attached 10
the pump and In second there oa ne steam engine
which could al least hold It's own with anything on
wheels. Tho inventor claims that his devicc can be
probably applied 10 any vessel, although II Is mainly
intended Tor canal SERVICE where the demand Is Tor
cheap propeller that will not wash the banks Mr.
Caldwell declares that both the first and alter cost OF
his invention will be lar less Than that OF anything
IN use. Tho entire driving apparatus Is below,
and no part OF could be carried away by accident or
design The whole thing ~ so simple that there Is not
much TO OF order and nothing that could not
easily be repaired The attempt CT the British govern
mcnt In 1866 TO apply water us propeling power TO
vessels ~ the only smilnr effort WITHIN our knowledge
The Water Witch propelled by streams forced out
at the sides, rotary ian supplying the power Tho
Water Witch achieved failure and retired from buAi.
ness Mr.. Cadwelps invention has been patented IN
Europe well In this country. ~ It's merit II can
only be SAID that works and performs It's task. IL Is
something to know tnat the whole affair Is baltimore
enterprise in tue hands oil Baltimorcaus.