Figure i. — The Ericsson in 1853, from a lithograph published by Sarony & 

 Major, New York. (In United States National Museum.) 



such a daring and audacious quality about them that 

 they still move one to admiration. Not the least of 

 such bold achievements was the building of the 

 massive engine of the Ericsson. As noted by the 

 New-Tork Daily Tribune, this caloric engine was shown 

 to the world "on a scale unprecedented in the history 

 of inventions." ' 



The Ericsson e.xcited a great deal of attention, being 

 the subject of spirited discussions on both sides of the 

 Atlantic. In the course of explaining, debating, 

 attacking, and defending the idea upon which the 

 success of the enterprise depended, engineers and 

 scientists stated, as best they could in the absence of a 

 clear and satisfactory theory of heat, their under- 

 standing of the processes involved in the appearance 

 of power at an engine's crankshaft. 



It is the object of this article to explore the general 

 state of the art and science of engineering thermo- 

 d)Tiamics at the middle of the 19 th century as reflected 



1 New-York Daily TV/Aunf, January 12, 1853. 



by the particularly striking and revealing events and 

 discussions revoh'ing around John Ericsson's contro- 

 versial ship. 



The Builder 



Born in Sweden in 1803, John Ericsson came to 

 America in 1839 after an active engineering career 

 of thirteen years in England. Best known for his 

 building of the highly successful Monitor during the 

 Civil War, he had earlier successfully promoted the 

 application of the screw propeller to ship propulsion. 



His innovations in the design of the railroad loco- 

 motive, steam fire engine, and steam engine may 

 not have pointed the direction for the main stream 

 of engineering advance, but his unceasing energy in 

 producing and promoting new ideas unquestionably 

 had a significant effect upon the course travelled by 

 the main stream. 



PAPER 20: JOHN ERICSSON AND THE AGE OF CALORIC 



43 



