San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-10-12
A CURIOUS DEVICE.
stopping Vessels at Sea with an Apparatus Termed
AShip Brake.

There has been series OF ihVoi'''
ing experiments going on here with
recently invented ship brake winch u
likely TO greatly decrease the dangers oil
sea travel, aud with notifications may
probably be made of service in craft oil
allsdimensions. The purpose OF the
brake is TO prevent collision and sud
denly retard the passage Of steamer
toward any point of peril. The number
of disasters that have occurred III the
past few years and have been due 10
such causes led the inventor to spend a
considerable period in devising and
perfectiug bis apparatus. Its avaiiabii'
ty for the object it is proposed to serve
has now been fairly tested, and gentle
men who can speak authoritatively about
marine affairs believe that it will be a
most useful and valuable acquisition to
the equipment OF seagoing vessels. The
principle OF the invention is so simple
that those who saw its workings yester-
day were surprised that it has not been
thought of and applied before the pres
ent inventor and machjnist brought 1t
to public notice. John Adams is the
patentee, and for the past two years has
worked diligently day after day to
bring it to perfection. The idea was
conveyed to him through hearing the
recounting of the Stonington and Mar
ragansett collision on the Sound, one
of his nieces having been passenger.
To his mind it seemed as practicable to
stop IA steamer suddenly going at full
rate of speed as to stop train OF cars
on railway track, with an air or hand
brake. He took for his model fish,
calling the body of the natatorial species
his vessel and its Gins" his brake. Why
could not vessel be guided by fins
similarly placed on its body as the fish
that piled through the waters? With
this point in mindsh he worked and ex-
perimented first with rowboat, then
with raft, and finally with q small
steam launch, the result of which ex-
ceeded his aspirations. 1t was no
longer an experiment to his mind, but
asuccess, and only needed an oppor-
tunity to bring his invention before
the world for public test, This he did
yesterday, and the result was most
gratifying to this inventive genius, who
had toiled 80 increasingly to display
his ideas to advantage. For the pur-
pose d medium sized sidewheel excur-
sion steamer was used, which makes
daily trips between City Point (South
Boston, and Long Island. The vessel
had been fitted with the apparatus for
some time and everything got in readi-
ness to display it's workings yesterday.
A number of gentlemen interested in
such matters were present, together
with several newspaper representatives
from different parts of the country. AT
8 o'cock the signal to start was given,
and away went the vessel past Fort
Independence, and out into the middle
of the harbor. Just then the pilot blow
a whistle of warning to notify those
aboard that he was about to test the
faith of the invention, and in another
moment there was the slightest per
ceptible lurch and the vessel stood al
most still IN the water. By actual meas
urment the steamer had not drifted
over ten feet before the engineer was
enabled to reverse his engine and
change the direction of the vessel. The
engine on the steamer was of sixty
horse power and the vessel was going
at the rate OF twelve miles an hour at
the time. which is the limit of her
speed. She was put about again and
the experiment repeated with greater
success, the steamer not going over ten
feet after the fins let go. Again and I
again was the tes' rpplied until it was
fairly decided tia, 5he introduction of |
the brake in no way affected the con-
struction of the vessel nor damaged it
in any manner. AIr. McAdams, who
was on board the City Point, then
ordered the engineer to start his yes
sci, let 60 his fins and keep up his
steam osee il the vessel would go for
ward. But with all the force applied
the steamer refused T. bulge and stuck
like o rock in the water. The inven-