The Steam Engine Familiarly Explained and Illustrated / With an historical sketch of its invention and progressive improvement; its applications to navigation and railways; with plain axioms for railway speculators

Chapter 1: PREFACE OF THE AMERICAN EDITOR.

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

Engineering & Technology History - Modern (1750+)

About This Book

The work offers a clear, nontechnical account of steam power: it explains the principles and mechanisms of steam engines, traces their invention and progressive improvement, and illustrates designs with engravings and diagrams. It surveys applications to navigation and railways, discusses the economy and management of steam power, and presents concise maxims to guide investors and speculators in railway ventures. Written for educated general readers rather than specialist mechanics, the text emphasizes historical development, practical principles, and illustrative examples while omitting many fine mechanical details; later revisions expand chapters on locomotion, steam navigation, and the financial aspects of railway enterprise.

PREFACE
OF
THE AMERICAN EDITOR.

Several of the additions, which were made by the Editor to the first American edition, have been superseded by the great extension, which the original has from time to time received from its author. This is more particularly the case, with the sections which had reference to the character of steam at temperatures other than that of boiling water, to the use of steam in navigation, and to its application to locomotion. These sections have of course been omitted. A few new sections, and several notes have been added, illustrative of such points as may be most interesting to the American reader.

Columbia College,
New York, March, 1836.