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Fantastic Technical Content A.L.S.
ERICSSON, John (1803-1889). Swedish-American engineer. Designer of the Union’s Monitor and the first screw propeller powered vessel. The Monitor was the first naval ironclad vessel with a rotary turret which engaged the Confederate ironclad, the Merrimac in the historic Hampton Roads naval battle in 1862. His caloric engine rendered Ericsson very wealthy. Importantly, he worked on the design of the steam locomotive Novelty (Liverpool & Manchester Railway). A.L.S., J. Ericsson, two very full pages, March 17/60. Very interesting content covering many different subjects. He discusses the caloric engine and testing the carburetor for the 100th time, references steam engines. Talks about steam and that gas was only fit to light the laboratory. He writes: “...a week before (?) the Novelty at a rate of 50 miles per hour....” “It was clearly demonstrated that steam alone can perform...” He discusses his competitors a few times “Let the Ransomes slide, they are building small steam engines and cannot be our friends nor their customer...” He states: “The public would have been deprive of the benefit resulting from the great motor for the next twenty years at least. This is stranger that in time my great invention of the ages has ben just put down by those great people, the ‘Scientific’....” There is so much more that he says. The letter is in fine condition except along the left edge where it was once removed from a larger sheet. This does not affect his writing. In a 1931 book on Collecting Autographs, the author writes about in person collecting. “I have had very few refusals...the single case of failure was John Ericsson, the great inventor. I called one day in 1869 at his home, and he was out, I left my book. The next day I saw him and he told me, that on account of so many requests, he had to refuse me, as he had others…”...........................$875.00
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