A STEAM MARVEL.

Patea Mail, 13 November 1880, Page 4

A STEAM MARVEL.

Au experiment full of interest in tlie annals of steam navigation lias been tried. A small vessel of 70 tons, the Anthracite, has crossed the Atlantic carrying a sufficiency of coal wherewith to steam the whole way. She is fitted with Perkin’s high pressure boiler, which not only takes up very little room, but supplies steam of an extremely high temperature. The hotter the steam the loss is the quantity of fuel required, although there is a difficulty in using steam of a very high temperature from its action on the valves and on the lubricating oil. The boilers are capable of withstanding a pressure of between 2000 and 30001b. on the square inch, although the practical working pressure is only 3601b. The engine has three cylinders, the two hottest being singleacting only. The merit of the arrangement lies in the economy of space and fuel, the expenditure of coal being only from to H-lb ot indicated horse power per hour. The great drawback of even the best ot steam-ships is the enormous sacrifice of space required for the boilers, engines and fuel. It is obvious that if this space can be materially reduced the work will be done more cheaply by smaller vessels than are now required. The Anthracite has done the voyage in such good time that extra speed may also be one of the advantages to be expected from the adoption of the principle in a large vessel. The Parker boiler is no novelty.