Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-05-06
A LAND AND WATER BOAT
AN INVENTION INTENDED FOR AFRl-
CAN EXPLORATION.

tWTns kak Gfsana 10 aWaAn
EASILY as IL Does the "aser-lt Lays an
Endless Track and Is Propelled by
stean-How the Craft Looks.
The principal difficulty in the way of Afri-
can explorations has been the impassibility Of
the marshes which extend over so large
portion OF the interior. Livingstone and
STANLEY both learned to their cost how weari-
some were the efforts necessary to pass the
lnhumeraDle streams ana deep bays that con-
tinually lay In their course. travelling ON
loot, as they We're compelled to do, and carry
Ing everything on the backs of the natives, it
was Impossible TO cover reasonable number
OF miles In day. Sinking knee deep into the
Dogs at every step, the men soon became
wearled and were obliged to lay up for rest
thereby losing valuable time and running the
risk OF being attacked by fierce savages.
10 W. /. Shattuck, OF Minneapolis, belongs
the honor OF originating scheme for over
coming the difficulties OF travel in the wilds
OF the dark continent His attention was at
tracted by the efforts to discover Stanley,
and after devoting little time to the consid-
eratlon OF the dlfnculties OF the search he set
10 work TO invent some sort OF device to as
- Ne-~ ~NN~-
STEAMBOAT FOR THE DESERT
Inc result was the dratt Oh small steamer
whlch can navigate water, marshes or dry
lahd ana capable OF proceeding across the
country at the rate OF ten miles an hour.
Ihe steamer II bulit, would indeed be Gu
rioslty' IL would be dlh1cult to imagine
more mover slght than that OF steamboat
vending Its way across the country, up hill
ana down dale, over lands, flats and marshes,
across rivers and lakes, at the rate OF ten
miles an hour.
In detail the description of the craft is as
follows: The keel is in no place straight, but
shapes upward with equal curvature toward
either end Each end OF the boat Is seml-cir-
cular, with the convex side outward, and the
upper side is tiat. The length over all is
about 40 feet, the width about 10 feet and the
height about 10 feet The popularity of the
craft lies In the fact that 1t has self laying
track. This Is composed OF series OF air tight
sections covered with iron plate and Joined
together IN such manner as to form an end
less belt surrounding the boat and forming
the self laying track. This belt rests on anti
friction rollers, which in turn rest upon the
top, bottom and ends OF the boat.
In the huli is placed pair OF upright twin
engines, each OF which can be operated indie
pendently OF the other. The power is com
munlcated by a larger wheel which works in
series OF cogs on the inner side OF the end
less belt. The revolution or the cog wheel
causes the belt to revolve, and the track is
thus laid down and taken up as rapidly as
desired thereby forcing the boat forward
The sections OF track are convex, giving
surface that Is curved both toward the ends
and the sides, thereby enabling the craft to
he easily turned on land. The boat when on
dry land practically rests on point, and
slight pressure on the rudder viii turn 1t from
one side to the other,
1T is DOUBLE DECKER.
The steering apparatus is an ingenious de-
vice conducted on plan similar to the roll
ing coulCers OF plow. lt consists OF two
large circular steel plates, one at each end OF
the boat, capable of being raised OF lowered
toany desired height, or OF being moved from
side to side. These rotary rudders are con-
nected by ropes with the steering wheel In the
pilot house, and are under easy control of the
man at the wheel. They operate together
thereby having twice the effect that single
rudder would have
The craft is practically double decker.
The boilers and machinery are placed in the
null, as noted above. Inc endless belt carry
ing the track of course passes over the ceiling
of the hull and around the ends, making 1t
necessary to enter this part OF the boat from
the side. From the top it is, of course, mac
cessible The smokestacks must of necessity
pass out OF the sides, and form right angle,
to clear the self laying track. The upper deck
is supported on beams entering from the sides
just below the track as it passes over the cell
ing of the hull. This deck is placed far
enough above the track to clear it in its revo- !
lutions
IT GOES ABOUT TEN MILES AN HOUR.
Stairs are built on the outside of the hull
to afford means of access therefrom to the |