1842.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



OX ]?EAM AND DIRECT ACTION FAGIXES. 

 GORGON ENGINE. 



BEAM ENGINE. 



I ' I 





Q 



i.._ |i.p= 



P 



9 



Sir — I am induced to address you from having read, in a contem- 

 porary work, a review of Mr. Scott Russell's publication on Scotcli 

 steam navig-ation, wherein concise mention is ni.ule of tlie engines 

 termed "Gorgon," so scitnlijiculiy named from tlieir liaving been first 

 fitted on board a vessel of that name. 



Giving unto the manuf.icturers of these muciiines great credit for 

 their general talents and inp-'nuity, and having a high opinion of their 

 ability, I nevertheless, with reference to this particular case, have 

 great doubts of the correctness of their title either to origiiialily in 

 introduction, or to any credit in conception or invention. I trust also 

 that these gentlemen will not consider me to be actuated by any un- 

 friendly motives; some of the publisiied statements and assumed facts 

 seem to me to be a little overcharged, and my desire is to induce ex- 

 planation, and, by controversy, establish in your pages a conclusive 

 and convincing account of all the properties of the arrangcnuMit, and 

 at the same time, by comparative data and drawings, show its prefer- 



ence|or^defect oter other plans, more especially to the common]4be.im, 

 or Boulton & Watt marine engine first fitted on board the "Favorite" 

 Margate steamer, in IS 18. 



It must be in the knowledge of most of your professional readers, 

 th:it engines having a " direct action " were common many years ago, 

 and it was not until the novel arr.ingemput of the " Favorite's" engines 

 became generally known, that they were put aside; since then the 

 beam engine has reigned triuinph.int, to the jjartial usurpation of 

 the Gorgon; it is my object to show the said "Gorgons" are not 

 entitled to the position they m.ay be said to have attained in the royal 

 navy. 



In the year 1S22 a vessel was built at Leith, and was Damed tlic 

 "Tourist;" her engines were of the "direct" kind, designed and 

 manufactured by Mr. UiTZMEK, also of Leith, and were, I may safely 

 say, the 7?r»/ crer m(i(/t for marine purposes. The arrangement was 

 very like Mr. Penn's oseillating engine ; the cylinders were of course 



