The Arkansas Advocate

Dr. Nott has succeeded in inventing a steam engine and furnace for anthracite coal—and a steamer is now in operation on the Hudson on his plan. The Boston Transcript gives the following description of the boat:

She has eight coal furnaces, fitted up with Dr. Nott's circular grates, supplied with Anthracite coal at the top of a brick arch through an opening left for that purpose. The fire is kept up by blowers which receive a supply of hot air from the space round the chimneys and throw it into the grates. The boilers are upright wrought iron tubes, which are heated by the hot air and flame passing around the flues controlled by dampers, and will bear any pressure up to 3000 lbs per square inch. If at any time the engineer wishes to stop making steam, he shuts his damper, opens the door of the case which contains the tubes, and the thing is done. When the engine is at work, the steam as fast as it is made, is carried off into steam chambers constructed of boiler iron, completely disconnected with the furnaces, and not exposed to any action of the fire. Their strength is far beyond any pressure which can be brought to bear upon their interior surface. They may leak or break joints, but cannot explode, for they are so arranged as to prevent any collection of steam in any one part to any dangerous extent. It is found that 19 or 20 tons of Lackawanna coal will drive her through, and this is the crux of the experiment. An immense saving is thus effected in the price of fuel, which alone will give a profit of from 15 to 18,000 in a single season!