A REVOLUTION IN STEAM NAVIGATION.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2168, 28 February 1880, Page 2

A REVOLUTION IN STEAM NAVIGATION.

Professor Edison, The celebrated eloctrican, has just made a discovery of such vast importance that it is believed it will cause a complete revolution in navigation, and in a few years place the magnificent steamers of the present day as much behind the times as the Chinese junk is now. The great aim professor Edison has had in view for so many years is to discover the manner in which to make the most use of electriciti' as a motive power, and his laborious and patient researches have at last been crowned with success. Last year he made and completed a working model which thoroughly appeared to meet the most sanguine expectations of the constructor. Hie Professor drew designs himself of a launch about 100 ft in length, and handed his plans in to a Boston firm of shipwrights for completion. The little vessel was built of wood, and sheathed beneath the water line with very heavy sheets of copper. Edison being now practically convinced of the value of Ids invention, determined to a certain extent to make his discovery public and to this end invited a number of distinguished and scientific gentlemen to witness the trial trip of bis new launch which was appropriately named the Lightning. Amongst those present we noticed Mr Eichard A. Proctor, Professor Tyndall, The Hon Mr Stewart, Senator Chase, Professor S. Ofthcd, Hon. Charles Magniac, and many other distinguished personages. When the visitors embarked there seemed nothing peculiar in the vessel except her beautiful lines, and the absence of funnel and rigging. “ The signal for starting was given by the professor, who touched a small ivory knob, and instantly two large electric bells tilled the air with harmony. All being ready, the professor pressed a small lever, and the boat slowly moved ahead until clear of the rocks about the shore, when another touch caused the little vessel to rush ahead like a racehorse. Newburgh a distance of forty-live miles was reached in three hours. On the return journey the professor showed us how easily the vessel was bandied, for with one small lever, moving it more or less one way or (ho other, the launch went ahead or astern, slowly or at full speed, almost instantly.” Of course, the means of locomotion arc still the inventor’s secret, Wc arc only told that “ In the centre of the vessel is a tank Idled witk a

solution of sulphuric acid and a lar£>e number of zinc plates connected with wires ; the opposite metal for completing the battery was made by connecting with the copper sheeting outside. The manner in which this was done to prevent the fluid passing off is one of the secrets of the invention. ... A further motive power was used — namely, functional electricity, generated partly by applying the force from the engine, and partly b} r the vessel herself as she rushed through the water. . . . The vessel's screw was a double one, working in opposite directions, the angle of the fans being reversed.” Mr Edison according to the Now York “Herald'” considers Jiis invention applicable to the largest ships, at half the cost of steam engines and boilers, and. “he guarantees a speed of twenty knots per hour.” As for the working expenses, we are told that, not including the wages of two engineers, they would be only 500 dollars a year for a 1,000 ton vessel—“ the chief expense would be for oil for the working liarts and renewing zincs in the )attery.” One of the agreeable features of the contrivance is the absence of evil odors indcspcnsrble from steam—“On proceeding into the engine room the sight was very novel —instead of being met by a hot oily smell, nothing of the'sort was experienced. There was no heat, no smell, no dirt, no oily engineer—merely a beautiful clean little apartment, and in the centre a number of mysterious bright steel cranks and wheels whizzing to and fro, or round and round at an incredible speed.”