The New York herald., 1878-10-08
JOHN PENN, C. T., +. R. 8.


The ates. London mail announces the death, At tho
CEDAR. Lee, near London, OF Mr.. Jonn Penn, the
eminent engineer, whose name 10 ipscparabiy asso-
cixted with the development OF steam propelllng
power at sea, and with tho changes thus grad
ualiy effected in the naval power Of Eng
land other maritime countries He was
born In 1906 at Greenwich. where his father
had during the close OF the last century established
q business As = machiniet and agricultural imple-
ment manufacturer. II was there that at very
early ugs John Penn acquired that proficiency
at the forge, tho lathe and the vice-beocn,
by which. after iie he vas enabled to teach his
men the excellence and accuracy in workmanship for
which the nrm became fam0us At the age Of twenty
he had lifted The steamers Ipswich aud Suffolk, run
nIng 10 London along tho east coast. with beam
giues, each Of forly horse power, aud IN 1885 four
ger boats run between Green w:ch ana Loo.
don similarly fitted by him. In 1888 his well
known osc,ilating engines VIII tubular boners
applied to some OF the boats running
above London bridge. Her Britannic Msjestys yacht
the Victoria and Albert ana the Great Britain
ntted With hts engines. But II Mr. Penn's SUCCESS
great his osciatpg type OF engines II stifi
more remarkable with The trunk engine, cssgnod
screw. ana capable Of being placed 50 lar
below the water line rs to be sale from enemy's
shot, Ia iS47 ne was commissioned TO nt Her BRIT
Majestys ships Arrogant ana Encounter TINS
system, and ne executed these orders IN manner
satisfactory that result he has applied trunk
gnes no less than go vessels, varying IN power
IRON small gun boat Of power TO such
ps the sutsn. giving ap indicated power Of SG29
horses, and the Neptuue (nte Indepen denciaL giving
upxar OF 500 indicated horse power. nese are
the gcst amounts oi power hitherto reaiized
one pair OF engines since ihe o. steam for marine
propulsion began: AMI when rccoliect that such
astoE ishIn. results have been developed within the
nIelime OF the subject OF this notice, aud to
chanicisu, It must be isit that Mr. Penn
takes prominent place among the great
workers Of this age aud country Up to the preseut
time ne and ht'ed 53s vessels with en-
gincs having an sgsresats actual power OF more than
mentioned the Orlando, Howe, Beeropuon. Incou-
stsnt, sNortbsmpton, Ajax. Ag1nemnou, Hercules,
sultan, Warrior. Black Prince, Achilles, Mino,sur
and Northum oerland In loSi =. the oegiunin ng
OF the Crmean war, when Admiral Napier found him.
self powericss the Baltic Ior want Of gunDoats, IL
became perstfve 10 120 OF them, with sky
horse engines boa.d, ready b. the following
spripg Mr. Penn pointed out, hifns sell put prac
tics an easy solution OF the "a meal dfcu,y BY
calling assistance The pest shops In Eng-
land 10 duplicating parts and, by iuii use OF tue
resources oil his establishments at GresBwicn and
Depttord, he was able TO ~ up With tho requisite
engine power DiDsty-seven gunOoats In the
early days OF screw propulsion no bearings OF
brass other motal could bs got TO stand tho
s,rain OF the stern ,hait. and at ono moment IL
seemed as ~ the screw must be abandoned s1J tho
paddiewheci reverted 10. Mr. Penn solved tue prob
lem Nv using "n2hum vtn - wood bear
ings which, fabricated by water, were iouud
~ act without any appreciabe wear, and
Ia this simple cconoin cal way the screw
has already been able to rcacn point Of devolopent
irotn when calmly look back upon the
nnsucisi rnks and WREN beseI early days
of ocean stsarn navigation. Mr.. Penn was elected a
member oil Tia Institution OF Civn Engnecrs 1928
aud u fellow Of the Royal 5sciety ia 1889. lie
also past President OF the Society of
Mechanical Enginsers. ana ne had r,ccivcu many
MARKS oi distinction from tho various govern
ments who had asailed themselves oil his pro-
fessional services AE Penn married IN 1sI7,
Ellen, daughter Of William Engnsh, OF En.
Lcld, himself an engineer, and bus Irit four sons
and Two daughters. In 1872 he took his two eldest
INTO partnership, aBc tncy now be heads Of
the nru, wb,cn employs upward oil 1000 Iauds.
Mr. Penn himself retired from business IN 1876 after
sky years Of WORK, not more honorable 10 biselt
than has been useful To his country and the world.