Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-04-20
A Marvellous Motive Force.
VIII send Steamer to England In Thre,

Will Send a Steamer to England in Thre
| Days.
NEW YORK. April L. George Sheffield
an old man, who describes himself as
Massachusetts Yankee and declares he ha
seen better days, claims to have discovered
a new motive power which, he says, will
revolutionize all existing methods Of trausi
oy land and sea. Mr.. Sheffield, however
Is especially interested In the problem Of
swift ocean travel, and it is to the solution
OF this knotty question that he has ap
piled himself in the construction of tn,
model for his new motor.
| The model can now be viewed in the tor
loft Of No. 2l Pitt street, where the inyeu
tor has been at work on it for more thar
two years. II Is bulky enough to be fttet
to an ocean tug. but to test It's capabilities
1t Is claimed that a special boat must be
, constructed. As soon as such a craft car
be got ready practical illustration will be
| afforded OF the wonders possible Of accom-.
piishment by the machine.
Mr.. Sheffield solemnly declares that his
invention. when applied to transatlantic
steamers, will lessen the time between New
York and Queenstown by at least two o days
he says the engine is capable of propeling
vessel Of 1000 tons through the water at
the tate Of thirtyhve miles an hour, and
possibly at even higher rate Of speed
The machine is very simple, or at least
the inventor says it is. If applied to an
ocean liner 1t would occupy little space.
Sheffield claims that all that would be
needed TO supply it with the necessary
force to drive steamship like the
Teutonic across the ocean In three days
and half is barrel OF ordinary powdered
sugar, barrel of chlorste of potash and
enough sulphuric acid to supply the com
oustion needed to keep the machinery in
motion. There would be no more need
OF mammoth boilers or capacious coal
ounkers. The space now devoted to these
objects could be utilized by the steamship
companies for passengers or freight
Sheffield says his machine i so simple a
child could manage it. He obtains his
power through the explosions resulting
from the ignition Of the sugar aud potash
ny contact with the sulphuric acid The
ingredients are introduced into the proper
chambers by all pressure, aud as they min
gle rapid series Of explosions result
which drive the piston rod back ana forth
st a high rate Of speed The chambers
are constantly cooled by water pumped
through tubes from table at the lower
left side Of the machine
Cylindrical chambers on either side of
the vacuum box at the top Of the machine
are reservoirs for the sugar and potash.
The gases which are evolved by the meet
Ing OF the three elements Ia what would be
the steam chamber 10 All ordinary engine
are said to develop force more powerful
than steam and much less dangerous.
Why" cried Sheffield. enthusiastically.
nobody will believe that have discovered
a new force. Morse was sneerrd al. and
80 were Fulton and Stephenson ant all the
other men who wrested natures secret
from her. But seeing's believing, isn't Ii?
And | will prove the truth OF what say
very soon. Ia a few years New Workers
VIII 70 TO Europe almost as easily a. thev
Sheffield added ri<eo.. y. -..... a,,a. va,
being built 10 which the wonderful engine
will be placed and trial trip made in the
Eas i,,t -, Iat
The inventor of this alleged new won
der Is in many respects remarkable man
Machinists along Centre street say he can
turn his hand 10 almost anything They
say he has Invented any number OF labor
saving tools, from which he has never de-
rived cent Of revenue. Wore 1t not for
his conyivial habits it Il claimed he would
now have q fortune. A it is, hs friends
say, 10 the last three years be has squau
dered $4,000 made BY the sale of one OF
his patents
H. claims to have invented new meth
od Of telegraphy, his right to which. lie
says il being contested by Edison. Another
Of his inventions is a sort OF teirphonic
fog horn by which ships hundreds OF miles
apart can communicate with each other
with the SAINT facility as If they were
connected by electric wires.
Sheffield says he has Interested number
Of capitalists in his motor aud that the
work on 1t viii be pushed forward just as
rapidly as circumstances will permit. He
says $50 900 capital stock has already been
subscribed and this. he declares, is ample
to give public demonstration Of the prac-
tical utility Of his invention.