302 Explosion of an Engine- Boiler. 



engineer was sitting across the boiler, working home a screw 

 into some part of the machinery, consequentlv not attending to 

 the height of his steam, and possibly, from his position, pre- 

 venting the possibility of the safety valve rising to allow of the 

 escape of any steam, whatever the pressure might be ; while at 

 the same time the end of the boiler was quite incompetent to 

 hazard such a pressure as even seventy pounds per inch ; and if 

 only a few degrees of heat were then added, the expansive force 

 would very soon l)e doubled ! Indeed, we have every reason to 

 believe, that on the present occasion the steam was wilfully urged 

 -to a degree beyond all prudence. In fact, the explosion seems 

 to have taken place from precisely the same kind of blameable 

 and obstinate conduct which has so frequently occasioned serious 

 miscJiief to passengers in stage-coaches. A rival steam-boat was 

 started at the same time, and the engine-man of the one that 

 exploded had been heard to declare, that he would beat the 

 other in the voyage, and wa^ then actually urging his steam to 

 outrun the other boat. 



But, because stupid pretenders venture sometimes to meddle 

 with an agent with whose powers they are not sufficiently ac- 

 quainted ; and risque their own lives, and endanger others, by 

 employing boilers which they have not even subjected to a cold- 

 water proof *, would any one be so foolish as to propose parlia- 

 mentary interference to put an end to the use of steam of high 

 temperature in any of the machinery or numerous processes car- 

 ried on in this country ? Yet there are men, who either from 

 stupidity, or from something more blameable, have been talking 

 in this foolish way. As well might it be suggested, that men 

 should be prohibited from riding on horse-back, or travelling in 

 carriages, because numerous accidents are thus occasioned which 

 could not possibly happen if people were compelled to walk upon 

 their feet ; or that at any rate, if carriages must be used, they 

 ought only to be waggons, not coaches, which by their quicker 

 driving are every now and then breaking people's limbs, if not 

 their necks. 



Away with such quackery ! No improvement of any magni- 

 tude was ever yet introduced into the machinery employed in 



* Every boiler intended lo be used under steam of high pressure, should 

 be previously proved by iiijectinjr, by inraiis of a forcing; pump, cold water 

 into it, while the safety-valve is loaded with six or eis^ht times the weight 

 that is to be e'tiployevi when working; with stcani. Efficient boilers may be 

 made of copper, of wrought or of cast iron, due regard being had to the 

 nature and relative strength of the material. The boiler should always 

 have two valves (one of which should be out of the reach of the attendant), 

 and should be also furnished with what may be called a mercurial valve — 

 an iron tube in the form of an inverted syphon ; of a proper length, filled 

 with mercury to a height nnswcrable to the pressure to be employed. 



our 



