Scientific American, Volume 56, No. 9, February 26, 1887

In this issue listeners get a close look at a newly‑designed caloric engine that promises more reliable power for lighthouse fog‑signal stations. The article walks through the engine’s layout—furnace, air‑compressing pumps, and a governor that balances air flow—to show how a modest amount of coke can produce six to ten horsepower with impressive efficiency. Engineers of the time hoped the design would keep ships’ beacons lit even when sudden mists rolled in.

The magazine also surveys broader advances, beginning with a lecture on half a century of naval architecture that charts the shift from wooden hulls to iron leviathans and speculates on future vessel sizes and speeds. A detailed report on a three‑cylinder locomotive illustrates how American steelmakers were pushing railroad power forward. Together, these pieces capture the spirit of late‑19th‑century innovation across sea, land, and light.