A History of the Growth of the Steam-EngineThurston, Robert Henry
History
A History of the Growth of the Steam-Engine
Thurston, Robert Henry
Steam-engines -- History
Fortunately for the United States, it happened, at that time, that we
had in Great Britain both civil and naval representatives of greater
intelligence, or of greater boldness and enterprise. The consul at
Liverpool was Mr. Francis B. Ogden, of New Jersey, a gentleman who was
somewhat familiar with the steam-engine and with steam-navigation. He
had seen Ericsson's plans at an earlier period, and had at once seen
their probable value. He was sufficiently confident of success to
place capital at the disposal of the inventor. The little screw-boat
just described was built with funds of which he furnished a part, and
was named, in his honor, the Francis B. Ogden.
Captain Robert F. Stockton, an officer of the United States Navy, and
also a resident of New Jersey, was in London at the time, and made an
excursion with Ericsson on the Ogden. He was also at once convinced of
the value of the new method of application of steam-power to
ship-propulsion, and gave the engineer an order to build two iron
screw-steamboats for use in the United States. Ericsson was induced,
by Messrs. Ogden and Stockton, to take up his residence in the United
States.[84] The Stockton was sent over to the United States in April,
1839, under sail, and was sold to the Delaware & Raritan Canal
Company. Her name was changed, and, as the New Jersey, she remained in
service many years.
[84] This distinguished inventor is still a resident of New York
(1878).
The success of the boat built by Ericsson was so evident that,
although the naval authorities remained inactive, a private company
was formed, in 1839, to work the patents of F. P. Smith, and this
"Ship-Propeller Company" built an experimental craft called the
Archimedes, and its trial-trip was made October 14th of the same year.
The speed attained was 9.64 miles an hour. The result was in every
respect satisfactory, and the vessel, subsequently, made many voyages
from port to port, and finally circumnavigated the island of Great
Britain. The proprietors of the ship were not pecuniarily successful
in their venture, however, and the sale of the vessel left the company
a heavy loser. The Archimedes was 125 feet long, of 21 feet 10 inches
beam, and 10 feet draught, registering 232 tons. The engines were
rated at 80 horse-power. Smith's earlier experiments (1837) were made
with a little craft of 6 tons burden, driven by an engine having a
steam-cylinder 6 inches in diameter and 15 inches stroke of piston.
The funds needed were furnished by a London banker--Mr. Wright.
Bennett Woodcroft had also used the screw experimentally as early as
1832, on the Irwell, near Manchester, England, in a boat of 55 tons
burden. Twin-screws were used, right and left handed respectively;
they were each two feet in diameter, and were given an expanding
pitch. The boat attained a speed of four miles an hour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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