268 Suggestions for the better Ventilation of 



the engine-boilers, or pass through a steam-chest, or en- 

 circle the steam-pipe, — a constant renewal of the entire 

 air between decks would go on. The current might be 

 checked and regulated by valves, working in a very simple 

 manner, before entering the chimney. In winter, the com- 

 fort of the passengers might be materially increased were 

 the air warmed before being discharged into the cabins, — cold 

 offensive currents would thus be avoided. It is singular that 

 the same idea had occurred to Buchanan, when he wrote, in 

 1810, on heating by steam. ** It is w^orthy of the conside- 

 ration,'"* he says, " of those acquainted with nautical affairs, 

 how far it is applicable to ships, particularly to men-of-war." 

 There is generally in steamers very little spare steam ; but 

 a very small portion would be requisite to w^arm the cabins ; 

 or hot water could be even more effectively employed. In 

 this case, the external air, before entering the cabins, might 

 pass through boxes or cases filled with iron or copper pipes 

 heated with hot water or spare steam from the boiler ; or the 

 air itself might pass through the interstices of iron cases simi- 

 larly heated, and then enter into the cabins through numerous 

 small apertures. Thus warmth and the supply of fresh air 

 could in winter be combined. 



I have alluded to the wind-fan having been made use of to 

 supply fresh air or cool the furnace-room, the power being 

 taken from the paddle-shaft. The fan admits of easy exten- 

 sion to the general ventilation of the steamer.* 



In some recent instances, ventilators, on the principle of 

 the Archimedian screw, have been tried for this purpose. Ven- 

 tilators or revolving fans, on this plan which I have seen, are 

 stated to have long been in use in factories. In an extensive flax- 

 mill in Yorkshire, a very powerful fan on the principle of the 

 screw propeller, driven by steam power, has been most suc- 

 cessfully adopted, and the plan there in use for imparting mois- 



* In September 1842, a patent was granted to Robert Hazard, of Clifton, near 

 Bristol, for improvements in ventilating carriages and cabins of steam-boats. He 

 proposed to remove the vitiated air within a carriage by means of a fanner fixed 

 at a convenient place, and set in motion by the revolution of the wheel, or by other 

 motive power. He does not specify how he intended to apply his fans to cabins, 

 but as regards the application to the latter, there is little scope for novelty. — Rep. 

 Soc. of ArU, May 1843. 



