The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-09
VOL. XlVI.--N0. lG2.
OF 100000 HORSE POWER.
THE GIG fNTIC TRiNSiTLiNTIC ENTER
pRI>ES or TffE MLSSBS. UININS

'.,.u.r. that shall Make Twcnty-three
A,ues nm Hour, aud In which there shall
. n. =, scasickn MIlIons Already spent
a, ,rxprrImrnt.-F Facts not before Published
l. -The Possible Eject ON Ocean Travel.
3 Transatlantic travel has not undergone
,rv changes of note in many years. There has
hoon no remarkable improvement in the speed
n ocean steamers and in the comforts and ac-
commodations provided for passengers no
serious or radical notifications have been in
,roluccd. 1t is not TO be supposed that II shall
romain as it is In an age which contcmpates
enc mos, extraordinary OF inventions with nbso-
into calmncss and accepts revolutions in social
economy rs merely necessary incidents OF its
proeress. it is impossible that SO important
branch Of industry and luxury combined should
not be visited by American or other ingenuity.
In point Of fact. n project. which II successful.
vii certainly rcvolutionzo ocean travel. has
Tor ycars received the attention Of firm OF
celebrated engineers. and rs 1t is now. after
many yirissitudcs and the expenditure OF mill
Ions OF mouov. approaching maturity. an ac-
count of lis progress. obtained from entirely
trustworthy sources will be Of great interest.
Many years ago. when publicity was given to
Necxperimcnts Of tho Wnans family Of Balti-
more. with what were then, as now. called " cigar
=, amers " a great deal Of interest was manifest
elinthosuhicct. andthcre were even found perl
,onswh5al ,tei 20 believe that some practical
v5odwaull ONE ofthe project. Great deal was
published from time 70 time about It. and fab.
ulous statements were made Of the speed at
famed uy thc experimental boat that was to be
eeen So frequently in the Potomac River and
Chesapeake Bay. Little or nothing Of an au-
Mentc nature has ever boon printed. rs all mat
ters pertaining to the steamers have been
guarded with the most jealous care. and the
srits; secrecy imposed upon all employees.
valuable data and results were undoubtedly at
tanej. hut no really satisfactory conclusions
were reached
The experiments at Baltimore wero made
under the immediate guidance and supervision
Of The venerable Ross Winans. the great loco
motive builder and inventor Of eight-wheclcd
or dou0lettuck cars. and his eldest son. Thomas
Winans ithe senior member Of the three sue
ce,siul firms. Winans. Harrison Eastwick.
Ninans. Harrison 4 Winans. and Winans
Brothers. and who accumulated gigantic
fortune through his contracts with the Russian
Government in connection with railways both
Ross aud Thomas Winans have recently died.
and the spindle steamer enterprise is now
being prosecuted 10y William l.. Wnans. De
Wit Clinton Winans. and Walter Scott Winans.
three SONS Of the late Ross Nnans Of Baltimore
who reside IN London. The steamer WinAns
OF Baltimore. which WIS 23j feet In length and
lG feet In greatest diameter. had been run
ming upon experimental trips from tho fall OF
1859 TO April 10. lsGl. the day upon which the
memorable riot occurred in Baltimore. with
varying success. due TO many changes in the
propeller and hull. the hull having been
originally 1863 feet in length. and having been
heightened twice; the propeller having been
originally 20 feet in diameter and % feet pitch
III altered many times. the diameter at one time
having been about 20 feet and the pitch lstrange
a. it may sound TO marine engineers 100 feet
Many other changes were made. some giving
Improved. aud others inferior results.
Tho Inauguration OF the war OF the ros
bellion was deemed by tho Messrs. WI
mans sufficient reason Tor disseminating
their experiments at Baltimore, and shortly
Giierward Thomas Winans won't abroad and
Soon began. In connection with his brother.
William /. Wnans. assisted boy their younger
brothers before named and by Messrs. james
Murray and /. II. Hambleton oi Baltimore both
engineers % great ability and experience. the
building %! spindle 256 feet in length and l6
ieet greatest diameter. This vessel was named
lhe Ross Minans. Sho has been the instru-
IN ntoi continuous series Of experiments for.
many years. having been subjected 10 almost
lnuumorabie alterations. internally and ex-
ternally and while the details Of the results OBJ
Ained have never been made public enough is
known TO warrant what is given below re-
gardlng the construction Of four immense
ships and the practical application OF the
knowledge acquired through twenty years OF
earnest aud skillul effort. and the expenditure
Of several millions Of dollars OF tho private funds
Of the Messr-. Winans. Prior 10 the removal
81 te scene ~ experiments 10 England. Mr.. W.
T. W luull- who then resided in St. Petersburg.
bussla, hhd Constructed small steamer on the
sane gfn. raj prin'ipl" with which he was con
ln tins q series ot experiments simultaneously
VIII WO-t being made al Baltimore. Stll an
1tA"r small spindle or cigar shin was built at
nuNr'. rnu 'e. in order TO comply with certain
points o' French Patent law.
, o'Ac lara 10 iAc amount nt money expended
IN eNu"rlu" with different lengths of hui,
uHrr'ht boilers, different engines. different
h'iini0 ~ propulsion. central screws. forward
sreEs aitct screws, ana twin screws. areas of
u7pa' 'm"hi, weight oi material. a.. X =. may
. inferred from the fact that several years
tln'" ~ The expiring Of tho American patent.
m lhi" hN7s and lLOmus Nnane made oath
= haHlf expended over 50 OuO.OnU without
IaFIhe o. oitci II In return. The patent was
extended in ih.- country by special act Of Con-
II 7-, h4i tA "Nt fl-lun WITS refused in England.
i' lhi' lNNn'es Niuans had of lat" years taken
= l'-s a Nf interest IN the scheme. and devoted
i4mse 80 various inventions. including venti-
l4I.u, A'.. ut chiefly to his gigantic organ. q
tFNht, nild mysterious project. that has doubt
o. 'nlol With him.
william l.. Wnans. however. has never rc-
iN, il- pursuit Ot the Cigar steamer project,
tNl 20 W.ii extent
L.