The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-03-09

John Ericsson was born in the province
Of Wermeland, Sweden, in 1903, After
having been cadet in the engineers, he
entered the navy rs ensign in 1928, was
employed in surveys in Northern Sweden
and rose TO the rank OF captain, In 1920,
by permission, he went to England, hop,
ing 10 introduce his invention OF a "name
engine" which would work independents
ly Of steam. This was substantially the
same as the "Caloric engine" which he
afterwards perfected; but owing to the
circumstances under which 1t was tried,
II proved unsuccessful, ..
Soon afterwards he resigned his com.
mission In the Swedish navy, and de-
voted himself in England to mechanical
inventions, including that OF the steam
boiler, on the principal of artificial
draught, which was extensively adopted,
as 1t effected great saving in fuel, and
dispensed with hugo flame stacks. This
principle was applied to the construction
Of the Novelty" a locomotive engine,
which he constructed to compete for a
prize offered In 1920 by the Liverpool &
Manchester Railway for the lightest and
fastest locomotive engine. The "Novel.
ty" at starting made speed Of fifty
miles an hour, but failed by an accident
to meet the conditions Of the prize,
which was awarded to George Stephen
son and another method Of producing
an artificial draught being soon devised,
Ericsson failed to derive any advantage
from his discovery.
In 1888 he reduced to practice his
long cherished project OF a calorid en-
gine, which excited mnCh attention
among scientific men, but was not praC.
tiCally introduced TO use in England. In
1896 he showed the praCticability OF the
use Of the propeller In steam navigation,
but could not convince the British Ad-
miralty OF the value Of his invention.
In 1880 he went TO New York, where he
has since resided, and having secured
the attention Of Mr., Stockton, then Sec
retary OF the Navy, was, In 1871, employ
ed TO construct the war steamer Prince.
ton, the tlrst ever built 1t which the pro.
pelling machinery was below the water
line, and out Of the reach Of shot. Be-
sides the propeller, or screw, the Prince
ton contained many mechanical novel
ties, among which were the sliding tele.
scope chimney and gun.carriages, with
machinery for checking the recoil OF tho
gun. At the London Industrial Exhibi-
tion Of 1851, he showed many inventions
for which he received prize. Mean
while he again turned his attention TO
his caloric engine, and attempted to car
ry 1t To the propulsion OF large steamers.
In 1862 he built the Ericsson, asteamer
OF 1000 tons, fitted with such an engine.
A trial trip OF this vessel was made in
February, 1858, from New York to AL.
exandria, on the Potomac. On this trip
the engines were in operation for 73
successive hours, without requiring any
adjustment, the consumption OF fuel be.
ing only five tons in "a hours, but the
speed attained was not satisfactory, and
the Caloric engines were replaced by
steam engines. Ericsson then turned
his attention to the manufacture Of sta.
tiOnary caloric engines where large
amount OF power was not necessary, as
for pumping, printing, hoisting, grind
ing, saving, turning, working sewing
machines, ETC., and for these purposes
they have proved highly satisfactory.
Mr.. Ericsson will be known In history
from his connection with what Is called
the "Monitor" system for the construc-
tion OF vessels OF war. This consists in
placing the armament OF the vessel In q
revolving turret, impregnable TO shot,
and capable OF delivering fire In every
direction. The idea has been claimed
by several persons, among others by
Captain Cowper Coles, OF the British
navy, about 1856; but Mr.. Theodore
Timby had patented II In America some
ten years earlier. Ericsson does not
claim the idea, but only It's first practical
application. This consisted in placing
the revolving turret upon hull itself
impregnable 10 shot.
Early in the American civil war Erics.
son built, in a hundred days, for the
United States Government, the first yes.
sci OF this class II did good service In
March, 1862, when 1t put an end 10 the
work Of the Confederate iron.Clad Mer-
rimac, which had the day before easily
destroyed two OF the finest frigates In
the Union navy. Several other vessels
OF this order, embodying many improve.
ments on the original, were constructed
under the supervision OF Ericsson. AZ
ter tho close Of the civil war he gave his
attention To the construction OF engines,
In which heat, not In the form of steam,
should be the motive power.