EIGHTY MILES AN HOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 162, 9 July 1907, Page 7

EIGHTY MILES AN HOUR.

After several years' study and experiment a young Australian (says the "Argus") has invented an engine which will, in his opinion, draw the Sydney express at the rate of from 70 to SO mile 3 an hour. He believes that his patent will revolutionise the present systems of steam and elactric traction, because be claims that it will enable tht speed of trains to be greatly increased, that it will double the haulage power of o-oods engines, that it i≤ applicable to tramways, and, perhaps, most important oi all, that it may be adapted to steamships, and so make it possible to increase the speed of the largest steamers afloat to 27, and even 30 knots an hour, at much less expense than is now incurred in running them 20 knots an hour. All these things, and more, he claims for his invention, and he is so satisfied of its practical value that he is patentiD" it throughout the world. He made an effort to get it tried by one of the State Kailway Departments, but while the railway engineers said that the idea appeared to have endless possibilities as regarded stationary engines, they were not so confident of its value in respect to passenger or goods traffic on the railways. They did not attempt any practical demonstration, nor did they affirm that the invention was of no use for railway purposes, and they in nowise discouraged the inventor, who has had sufficient faith in his invention to spend the money required to obtain extensive patent rights. In all probability it will be brought under the notice of" Federal Ministers shortly, because it is asserted that the invention would enable the journey from Adelaide to Perth to be made over the proposed transcontinental line in 40 hours, and that if steamships were equipped with it the mails could be landed in England in 21 days. The calculations have, of course, still to be tested.