Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-11-21
A NEW MARINE EXPERIMENT.

The new "Secor" vessel, Eureka, will be
launched in New York within few days,
and her trial trip will take place in less
than three weeks. This experimental craft
has created much interest in marine and
commercial circles. If the motor proposed
to be used proves success, it will likely
supersede the present mode of propulsion
on the water. ':Steam," it is said, 'and the
marine engines of the day will be as the
numbering old stage coach of century ago
to the locomotive of to day" The exper-
mental vessel is 100 feet long, II feet wide
amidships, feet inches deep and will
draw about 4 feet inches. She is as sharp
as knife at the stem, and has q prettily
rounded stern with but little overhang. The
principle upon which, it is hoped, this yes
sci can be propelled is the explosion of q
hydro-carbon by means of an automatic en-
CINE direct upon the water. The impacts
upon the water will be made in rapid sue
cesson, through strong steel square ports
placed on each side of the hull, about eight
feet forward of the stern post and two feet
apart. These ports are covered by an apron,
the apron of the after port opening toward
the stern and the other toward the bow.
The inventors say that the effect of these
explosions or impacts upon the water may
be repeated from thirty to sixty times
minute. They are under absolute control
and will drive the vessel through the water
at speed and at much less expense than
has vet ever been realized. The machinery
will only occupy about thirty per cent. Of
the space Of the vessel between decks, and
thus will be saved the largest part of the
ship for passengers and freight.
The inventors of this new motor are very
sanguine of its success. There will bc no
paddle wheels, no shafts, no propellers, nor
any of the devices of steam vessel" they
say exultingly, "and the only fuel required
will he very small amount to work the
machinery. 10 case of need a vessel of this
kind can be pushed through the water at q
velocity hitherto deemed impossible. The
power s compressed air, and the automatic
machinery is an air pump, which is driven
by donkey boiler. The compressed air
is forced into reservoir, into which a
spray of petroleum is also injected, and the
whole is ignited by spark of electricity.
If the experiments with the Eureka are sue
cessful we shall be able TO go 10 Newport
and back just as fast as we want TO, and the
expense for fuel will be less than 81. The
Eureka is large enough to experiment with.
It will show Us what can be done, and we
think it will work just as we'll in 2 vessel OF
5000 tons as in one of Is tons. Should this
be found to be so, q revolution in the mode
of propulsion of all passenger and freight
steamers is only question of time. Some
of the most wealthy and successful mer-
chants in this city and in the country are in
terested financially in the project, as they
are looking forward to the advancement of
commercial pursuits. A vessel oftbe Secor
type could cross and recross the Atlantic
many times without being compelled to add
to her stock of fuel, and it is pretty certain
that vessel of this kind would go around
the world without touching at port for fuel.
And then the reduced cost in running craft
of this kind in comparison with the great
expense attending the trips of an ocean
steamer now on regular routes will be some
thing eStraordnary."-N. Y Herald.