The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-22
SAILS By ITS OWN GALES.
The Wonderful Ship Invented by a
NaW York Man.
From the Neto York Recorder.

From the NetU York Recorder.
In Longfellow's Saga Of King Olaf" as
the reader will remember, there is mention
NJ a sailor who always had fair wind, no
matter which way he sailed. There has not
been one since his day and will not be until
]. C. Sanderson's ship is ahoat-aud perhaps
not then, but Mr.. Sanderson says yes. Mr..
Sanderson Is an Australian who came to
this city a short time ago and took room
in a hotel on upper Broadway. It was In
that room that Recorder reporter saw
model of the ship that will never have to
run "close hauledn-it she runs at all.
1.-THE story of this inventor is Just like the
Stones of other inventors. He has worked
sixteen years to perfect his model, and part
OF the time has been spent in search for
funds to develop the invention on the am
Yle scale which its promise OF utility de-
mands. Mr.. Sanderson is past middle age,
but his eye is still keen, while a temperate
life has brought its reward in unusual
health and strength.
When the reporter was ushered into Mr..
Sanderson's room he noticed at once the
presence Of dynamo Of ordinary construc-
tion. three or four models of ships and
charts of others lying upon a table. The
inventor closed and carefully locked the
door. Then he took up one of the models,
saving: This, sir, is model Of a ship fitted
with my motor
There was nothing extraordinary about 1t
except the length and nArrowness of the
hull aud the absence Of topmAsts. On the
fore and main masts were huge courses
square sails and topsails, but the miZzen-
mast carried lateensail. Abaft each mast,
4 however, on each side of the vessel was an
upright spar secured by spring stays and
guys Each spar had top, like the mil
itarv tops OF our cruisers, and on the for
ward side of the top was a large brass fan
wheel The vessel was well decked, but
bridped over amidships after the manner of
the British 4-mssted ship Pegasus and others
Of that class. Under the bridge were the dy-
namos which were TO furnish the motive
power.
To illustrate the workings of the model
Il large and shallow tub, which stood in one
corner Of the room filed with water, was
f utilized The model was placed In this and
the helm put hard apork Topsails were
squared and the dynamo set going. In
stantly the fan wheels, which were behind
the sails, began to revolve with great rapid
ity. making a peculiar whirling sound;
the sails bulged out till it seemed as IL they
would burst, and the little vessel tore her
way around the tub at great rate. Itwas
. wonderful performance.
"My invention can be fitted to our mod
ern sailing ships" said the inventor, land
It will give the worst looking square-toed
tub a1oat a greater speed than some of our
steamers possess. she may depend entirely
"a on my motors or may use her sails in the
ordinary way when the wind serves, and
have small motors in reserve to carry her
through calms A vast deal of time is lost
70 sailing ships in absolute inAction, as for
instance, when they pass through the ia
nous "Doldrums" or equatorial regions of
dead calm. / shall shorten their voyages as
10 time wonderfully.
The theory of my invention is very sim
Ill al, la. - u
current made by fan wheel two feet in d.
ameter, revolving 800 times a minute. The
area affected by the current will be larger
the farther a way its objective point is until
the current is dissipated entirely. Say the
topsails of an ordinary ship have an area
Of l,OOC square yards, then It becomes easy
TO calculate the size of the fan necessary at
distance Of say forty feet to fill that SAIL
can with my improved ship-dynamo easily
produce current of air equal to 40.knot
breeze which is a moderate gale. Any sail
Ing ship with such wind Rbafs the
beam will go under favorable circumstances
from ten to twelve knots an hour
But having perfected my dynamo to
# what | consider to be its utmost limit,
can get 1000 revolutions a minute
and can drive properly modelled ship at
& the rate Of thirty knots an hour. Vessels
uld get across the Atlantic under four
dayan
Dubs Iu6 reporter VOQLuI6Q TO say.
your fan wheel produces a current by
beating upon the air. Now, tho force OF
the current cannot be greater than the
force Of the beating; and they must act in
opposite directions. In short, your
wheel thumps the ship back and your
Current pushes her ahead with
elual force. In that case she will stand
sn.r
I Not at all,n said the inventor. 1.-THE
wheel pulls like the screw o. a steamer, and
the air thrust back passes into funnel
(Which is curved so that the current, start
fng toward the stern, is DETECTED, and in
reed turned end for end, after which it
Strikes against the sail and drives the ship
bhead. The fall doesn't retard her; IL helps
her in the first place, besides causing the
current which is its principal object. Why,
pr, vessels can sail directly into the teeth of
2 hurricane and make good Roadway. A
hurricane blows sixty to eighty miles an
hour. My current could go a hundred,
which leaves clear balance of twenty to
{orty for the propulsion of the ship"
But the current before it is turned strikes
be back of your bent funnel" objected the
reporter, land the force of this blow back
ward will equal any possible impulse for
Fard. You can't turn a hundred-Knot
reeze hindside before and inside out with
ut exerting energy, and just as much
eTgy as Is represented by the breeze. It
oKs like lifting yourself by your boot.
traps, OF course. a sufficiently strong
propeller acting In the air might drive a
essel ahead, but as to blowing her with an
ertlholal breeze l am skeptical."
And then Mr.. Sanderson went all over 10
egain, and showed conclusively that the
reporter was not up in mechanics, dynamics,
saucs, ethics or anything else, and there
We discussion ended. At any rate, the
reporter had seen the queer little ship sail
fact. ''''''