44 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



pumping, and raises three hogsheads per hour to an elevation of five feet. 

 This pattern is called a " domestic engine," being adapted to perform a 

 great variety of work ordinarily done by hand, and with a surprising de- 

 gree of economy. 



Another pattern is designed for ships' use. In this capacity, it promises 

 to accomplish important results ; for our fine large packets and sailing ships, 

 being unable to carry steam engines, have wholly to rely on manual labor 

 in ridding the ship of water, in case of leak or other exigency. The caloric 

 engine may be placed in the corner of the cook's galley, almost unobserved, 

 and may be put in operation in fifteen or twenty minutes, saving the labor 

 of an entire crew. There being no possibility of explosion, or rather dis- 

 aster, the cook is amply qualified to officiate as engineer, if desired. 



In addition to the above, a steam yacht has been running in New York 

 harbor during the past summer, propelled solely by caloric. This boat is 

 fifty feet in length, with an eight feet paddle wheel, which works about 

 thirty turns per minute, giving a speed equal to eight or nine knots an 

 hour. The engine is controlled by any one who happens to belong to the 

 party on board. The fuel is either coal or wood. Small oak wood lias 

 generally been used, sawed into eight-inch lengths, and incredible as it may 

 seem, only one cord was consumed during the last six weeks, though the 

 boat was in motion more or less every day ! Even after the fires are wholly 

 extinguished, sufficient heat is retained in the metal of the engine (if it has 

 been thoroughly warmed, and is in good working order) to propel the boat 

 at least two miles. The space occupied by the engine of this boat is not 

 larger than the boiler which the same boat would require if propelled by 

 steam. 



Mr. Ericsson deserves great credit for the patience with which, under 

 great discouragements, he has elaborated and perfected his invention, and 

 we hope he may now reap an abundant reward. 



NEW SAFETY ESCAPE-PIPE FOR STEAM BOILERS. 



At a recent meeting of the society of Arts, London, Mr. John Rams- 

 bottom read a paper describing a new and improved mode of applying the 

 fusible plug to steam boilers, so as to secure the greater certainty of its ac- 

 tion and to remove one of the principal causes cf boiler explosions, namely, 

 that arising from shortness of water. It occurred to the author, that if the 

 plug or plugs were inserted in a small flue or pipe, through which a current 

 of the hottest gases taken immediately from near the fire was made to pass 

 such flue or pipe, being at the same time at a higher level, than the boiler 

 surface over the fire, that the fusible plugs would be melted out with greater 

 certainty, whilst at the same time the boilers not being overheated would be 

 uninjured. The modes in which the invention could be applied to various 

 descriptions of boilers was shown by drawings, and the manner in which the 

 invention acted was described. An elbow pipe four inches diameter was 

 fitted to the bottom of the boiler, or to the top internal flue of a boiler and 

 was made the means of carrying the heated gases from the furnace to the 

 side or exit flue. The upper part of the elbow pipe being perforated with 





