The Locomotive - Lighthouse Survival Blog

186 T1IE LOCOMOTIVE. [Decembek,
protected by a double hull, and mounted a 100-pounder gun, which turned on a pivot.
She was 15G feet long, 56 feet wide, and 20 feet deep, was rated at 2,475 gross tons, and
cost $320,000. She was not completed until some months after the close of the war with
Eogland, and hence did not see any actual service. Fulton died on February '24, 1815,
four months before her completion. In 1837, upon the completion of the second Fulton,
to which Mr. McFarland refers, the Demologos became known as the Fulton the Ftr»t\ and
the confusion that our correspondent points out was doubtless due to this double use of
the name Fulton.
Ancient Engines.
We recently printed certain facts about two venerable Xewcomen engines, that were
believed to be the oldest now in operation in the world. Mr. R. S. Hale calls our atten-
tion to another engine of this sort, which is even older, and is still doing good work.
••I was much interested," he says, "in the article in the October Locomotive about the
Xe.vcoinen engines now running in Scotland. There is also a similar engine at some
mines near Bristol, England, which is still worked occasionally. It is run by a man
now about 70 years old, who learned how to manage the engine from "his grandfather,
the grandfather, in turn, having run the engine all his life. The old boiler that formerly
supplied steam at atmospheric pressure was discarded some thirty years ago, and steam
is now supplied, through a reducing valve, from some comparatively modern boilers,
which, however, run at only 20 pounds. I visited the plant three or four years ago, and
found the engine much like those described by you, only larger. The cylinder, as I remember
it, was about six feet in diameter. It was packed with water on top of the
piston, and the old man in charge said that if he threw some earth in also, so as to
made a sort of mud, the packing is much more effective! The engine is now run only
every two or three weeks, and the owner told me that even with the extra amount of
coal used they believed it to be cheaper to run this engine than to go to the expense of
putting in a new one. An account of the engine may be found in London Engineering
for October 25, 1895, where it is stated that the engine, according to the best obtainable
information, was installed at about the time the pit was sunk, or in 1745. This would
make the age about 150 years, or nearly half a century older than cither of those
described in The Locomotive. With modern engines we figure 5 per cent, as a proper
depreciation charge; but if we felt sure that our modern engines would last as long as
this one has lasted, one-fourth of one per cent, would be sufficient for a (theoretical)
depreciation charge."
Upon referring to the issue of London Engineering that Mr. Hale mentions, we find
the following data given: "The engine was originally supplied with steam from two
havstack boilers which, about thirty years ago, were condemned as unsafe, and taken
away. Steam has since been obtained from other boilers near, and reduced in pressure
for this engkie to 2£ lbs. The engine is still [1805] worked about five hours a day and
six days a week, to keep the South Liberty coal pit dry. The coal mine to which the pit
belongs is about three miles from the center of Bristol, and owned by the Ashton Vale
Iron Company, Bedminster. The pit, 750 feet deep, was sunk about 150 years ago, and
the engine is said to be of the same age. The cylinder is 5 feet 6 inches in diameter,
and the stroke is G feet. The cylinder is of iron, cast in one piece, with conical shaped
bottom to drain the water, and weighs about six tons. The beam, which works with a
curious creaking noise, is built up of many oak beams trussed together, and is 24 feet
long, and about 4 feet deep. The engine makes about 10 or 11 strokes per minute, and