The Dickinson press., 1891-09-12
SCIENCE AND PROGRESS.
WHAT INVENTIVE MINDS ARE
DOING FOR HUMANITY.
A Curious Steamer--The Trained
Ear - Electricity vs.. Steam--
New Use For Draughts--
The Water Theory In
Rabies.
A Curious Steamer.

The Manchester Eng Times gives
the following description OF the new
American Whaleback steamer, Charles
w. Wetmore: Probably the most re-
markable vessel that has Eve crossed
the Atlantic arrived recently in the
Waterloo Dock, Liverpool, with a
cargo OF over 1000 tons OF grain.
This is the screw steamer Charles w.
Wetmore, and, from her peculiar con-
struction, was the object OF much in
terest to the thousands who tlocked
down to see her. She is what is de-
scribed in America as a steam
: barge, and at the present time about
four OF them, though of smaller cap
acity, are running on the American
lakes. In appearance the steamer Is
like a huge clgar, with both ends COM
ing to a point. She is built OF steel,
and on the forward part is erected a
round turret on iron pillars, where
the lookout is stationed, and where
eight OF the crew can be accommodate
ed. Another turret is erected
aft, also on pillars, and here
are staterooms for the cap
tain and officers, chart house,
pantry, gallery, saloon, messroom,
&c. The engines are stationed
directly aft, and the engineers and
tiremen are quartered below. The
vessel has nine matches, or really nine
large plates, which are screwed Off and
on as required. The hulk is OF steel,
and on both sides there is light wire
roping as a protection to the men
going from one end to the other.
There is practically no deck, simply
the iron plates tapping over each
other. These plates are slightly oval,
80 that a sea coming on board goes
over the other side. The only bulk
heads are those forward and ait, the
hold being one huge space. The YES
sci is 265ft. long, 3Sft. broad, and2lft.
depth of hold, and loaded has a free
board OF Sit. She has now or board
$1,000 bushels OF grain IN bulk, and
when one OF the plates or matches was
taken off on Tuesday the cargo "a
shown to be in excellent condition.
The vessel has four Jury masts, but
these We're slowed underneath the
large turret. The masts have plates
at the bottoms and are screwed to
the plates which form the deck. The
Charles w. Wetmore came through
the t~iverapids OF Galloupe, LongSault,
Coteau, the Cascades, and Split Rock,
being the only vessel that ever came
through the rapids in IL piece. On
the lakes the vessel can carry 100, 900
bushels OF grain. She has compound
engines, and averaged about ~ to l3
miles on a consumption Of l3 tons a
day. Captain Saunders commands
the boat, and Mr.. L. Huntington
Dwight, an American journalist, came
w in her specially 10 write an ac-
count for several United States news
papers. The trip from Sydney, Cape
Breton, took about 10Y days. The
vessel had stiff weather on several
days, but behaved excellently. 1t is
claimed that she can be discharged by
elevators OF her $1,000 bushels in -
hours. So much interest is manifest
ed in the vessel that she is to be open
to public inspection at a shilling a
head. The Chas. w. Wetmore il
manned by 20 hands all told, and her
construction would cost little if any
more than halt that of vessel Of sim
liar capacity built in England.