The Osceola times., 1880-11-13
PETROLEUM vs.. STE M.
The suecesstui Trial of the Petroleum En-
glne In the Yacht Mystery.

The attention OF nautical men OF TINS
clty. as well as that of the mariners COM
ing into and leaving this port during the
past week, has been attracted to q we'll
modelled, long, low, open yacht, viii IN,
without any visible motive power, glides
through the water at rate that gives
many of the steam tugs hard chace to
overhaul her As she passes vessel
the crew rishes to the sides, and, peer
inc over the bulwarks, conjecture as to
what imparts sufficient motion to the
boat to enable her to hold her own with
well. known rapid sailing crafts. Not
only from the vessels in the harbor, but
also from the shore, the appearance OF
this strange looking craft, making her
way along without an inch OF canvas
spread, and devoid of all usual parapher-
malta, such as smokstacks, steamplpcs,
ETC., of a steamer, has excited the com
ment and speculation Of all who have
seen her. Many are the amusing re
marks that her movements elicit. Once,
while she was running up between the
ferries, one of the passengers on ferry
boat was overheard explaining the mys-
terry to one of his friends. He sal that
she was government torpedo boat en-
gagged in experimenting with torpedoes,
and then he entered into long vivid
description of now she could disappear at
ease and make long trips under water 10
escape a pursuing foe. In TACT, the
many conjectures of those who, for the
first time gazed upon her would fill Il
large volume. But at last the mystery
was solved, and it was found that the
boat was owned by the Brayton Potro-
leum Engine Company, and propelled by
one of their marine petroleum engines.
She is SO feet in length aud feat beam,
and was lately built for this company by
East Boston parties. The motive power,
which Is one of the company's marine
engines IF l0-horse power, is sufficient
TO enable the boat to make from eight to
nine knots per hour against the tide in
this harbor. On Wednesday last MIR.
Amos S. Stetson, of South Abingdon,
Mr.. George b. Brayton, OF Greenwich,
Il. l., Supt. G. l. Keyes, of the Nanasket
Beach railroad, and several other prac-
teal mechanics, made trial trip down
the harbor in the new boat. During the
trip, against it strong flood tide and
a fresh southeast breeze, the boat "log-
ged" nearly eight and one-half knots,
notwithstanding the fact that the pro-
peller screw used for the occasion, owing
to the breakagc of the one made tor the
boat, was about one.third larger than
the power OF tbs engine called for. The
screw was of the iourswinged pattern,
with pitch Of 54 inches, while the
screw nude for the engine. was three
winged one of about 3S inches pitch
With this heavy screw the engine, at a
pressure OF 50 pounds, easily made 100
revolutions per minute, and performed
It's work in an admirable manner. The
novelty Of the boat is the engine, which
to describe technically would occupy too
much spate. Suffice It 10 say that the
motive power is contained in a gas
cylinder and air pump, place longtitudin-
ally side by side, and connected to the
same crank shaft. The power is origin
ated by the combustion of petroleum oil
in the gas cylinder which is supported 10y
compressed air from receiver, in which
1t is kept at the desired pressure through
the air pump, the speed OF the engine
being regulated by graduating the guam
tlty Of AIR introduced into the gas cylin.
der from the air tank by ingeniOusly ar.
ranged machinery. The engine is capa-
ble of about $50 revolutions per minute
and the main, or gas cylinder, is kept
cool by water which circulates through
one piston rod, the rod being hollow
and travelling over brass pipe. and
piston rod. On the shaft is q large spur
wheel which, through the agency of q
set of crown and bevel wheels, drives
the propelling screw. The connection
with the propeller shaft is one OF the
most ingenious features of the invention
The engine always moves in the same
direction, and the motion of the screw
either to drive the boat ahead or to back
her is governed by two cog wheels, one
of which when set in gear gives for
ward motion and the other the reverse
These wheels are operated by friction
crutches, governed and worked by air
pressure from the reserve tank, and
operated by lever IN close proximity
tJ the helmsman. The time occupied in
starting, stopping or reversing the screw
is only fraction Of second. The mo.
tive power is obtained from petroleum
contained in a small tank forward, which
is ted automatically as required, the
amount used being about gallon for II
hours constant running of the engine
All the labor required in running the en-.
cine is to ignite the petroleum at the
end of the gas cylinder, and, as in other
engines, keeping the bearings well lubri-
Gated. rhe advantage claimed by the
inventor for his patent are the small ex,
pense of running, the entire impossi-
biity of an explosion, and steadinoss
and reliability OF the power, combined
with the great saving Of room, by which
the carry ing capacity of steamboats, is
increased, while the draft OF water is
diminished