New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-09
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
A PIE. FOR LONG SHIPS.

A PLEA FOR LONG SHIPS.
TIE COMMUNITY PREJUDIcED AGAINST LON" 'n'r'
OF NARROW BEAM-DEfECTs OBJ bHoAo-
nr,M suIrs-THE MAXIMUM OF TONNAGE AND
LENGTH NOT REACHED IN OCEAN STEAMSHIPS
TO me Editor OF The Trtbune.
SIR: The lengthening of large ocean steam
ships TO ten eleven and twelve times their pfead
of beam, Is of the improvements In whch sciehoo
has aided British spbuding; 1t IS now adopted ny tne
s, el,,oent and experienced iron shipbuders. ac-
onted bv the most conservative steamship owners anu
,nnroved by underwriters. Here, on the contrary IL Is
almost universally condemned, and usually ior '"o
single reason that it Is assumed to be dangerous "o
walton upon established precedene Long stea"Ship'
are not objected to simply because they are long SHIPS
but because they not beam In proportion W .no
length judged by the American standard OF propor'
which may be taken at eight beams although soho "o
claim TO understand tho subject assert tn' INC
should never exceed six beams. Ihis Woulu give s"p
q, 4,o feet the rather inconvencnt breadth OF 10 ce
and reduce ship OF 40 feet beam to 2io Feet vi
lust 200 feet less than the White Star SHIPS TAXING es
beoms ss true representative Of the Amerc III modoi,
~ would rive the AdrIatic Celtic, SPAIN Egypt CITY OF
pchnoud CITY OF Chester and other well known long
ships fifteen to seventeen feet more beam thah 'hcy
possess Each and all Of the steamers hameu ha'o P
formed with perfect success, barring acclieh'S W ma
chinery and screws, which had no relation 10 their
hroodth Of beam They are very fast on moderate
are in every way better boats than the short broad
sbns They make better weather, better speed in Dad
weather pIteh less roll less and are in every respect
moro comfortable. 1 have seen Whlte star snip sup
ping along through heavy sea so easily tna' oh' '
almost fancy she dany picking her way over 'no
soft places at the rate Of eight knots sending
f snrav 1yng IL true, shipping no heavy water
aud with so little motion in the saloon, that IL was UNI
cult TO believe a Wild sea was raging outside Ana
,rbnc ve were making easy aud marked
nrooress through the gale, we passed we'll
known steamer of the broad aud snort type
pungng and lurching and rolling with q Vo'
lepce that was absolutely uncomfortable to look Az
much less to experience; and with all her discomfort
ba was only making her 1--WE knots. Three years work
inc experience has demonstrated the fact that, in very
heavy weather, the superiority safety ana
the lon., narrow ship over the shOr', Oroau Sip 10
grc,ter fnan IL IL even calm weather where It's si-
periority never questioned even by ~
The excellence of the long and comparatively 1arro"
beam ship being fully established 1t IS for the adYOcss
OF tile broad beam TO demonstrate now ana IN "tt ~
recton change would improve IRON steamships Vi u
mo1ern ByIish type Fifteen feet more beam would
certainly increase their rolling and Offer increased re-
sisance to head seas, while II would not dimhlo cue
ntching notion OF ITSELF beam would not strengthen
The ship but rather weaken her. Great DEAN
55earance upon deck, but it is an appearance
rather than reality. With iron decks the addohai 40
feet on each deck from stem TO stern ~ouiu We an
element o! strength in the right direction OuI tl5
additional strength, when IL Is required can ne guinea
by depth more effectively than by extreme BREATH anu ~
a. now settled principle IN British shlpDuuaing thht
s The length "a Increased beyond ITS present llmts-as
n dDuDtcs will be until we nave TRANSATLANTIC steamers
e fet uerha 500 feet Ongthe depth OF side ana the
number of decks must be Increased 10 Supply ty
necessary strength and rigdty me ll-Dram snips Oh
Tho Jnm5u White star and National lines are proved oy
hard service TO abundanty strong Tor the rolghest
work When ships OF $50 to 900 feet come 10 Dc
hnT IL will proOahly found necessary 70 increase
the depth OF side eight feet ana add anOtner
ondeS nv the additional weight OF the upper works.
five feet beam, making the 6JO1oot snip I3t Times
her beam and giving her additional strength OF eight
f.ato M arii
horizontal deckpating fore and aft WIZ I'VE ieet aided
~ Zach of her four decks aud deck OF As feet
n she were kept as f0ur deck SHIP aud given % OF 80
feet additional beam, she would not DC nearly AS slo
and would be great clumsy, unwieldy craft that would
| the sou ont OF every body board OF her IN hoayy
sea and have her decks swept OF everything o'caOlc
i'm every gale she encountered.
II woui be foolish TO assume that ocean steamships
nave reached their maxium OF tonnage. Wo nave Only
that this is not likely be- With the Improvements In
marine engines reducing the cost or prOpeihS gre9
Ieamers and me vast and progressive increase In trade
& tb iarge accuuuated profits and active
competition Of the steamship owners III t.o
new larger and costly ships than any tlo are now
trade and there Is Us itte dodR t.hI ,ho S
in any great increase In breadth Ihe Great
follow any attempt TO retain the old proportions Of
length breadth, and depth IN an ocean
steamer Of gigantic dimensions Her beam Is about one
eighth OF her length, and in heavy weather she the
most unmanageable and uncomfortable steamer afloat
and commercial purposes an utter failure IL Is true
that OF her commercial failure the
expense working her engines, but II the ship had The
length as the Spain the Egypt, IL would be easy TO
turn into the finest and most comfortable ana
moat profitable steamship in the world, by fitting her
with compound engines. Happily she has found employ
ment which need only be prosecuted at the calnest
season OF the year and in smooth seas.
Mr.. Plmsolrs laudable exertions in behalf OF
seamen, which have disclosed 50 much wicked
sel,hpess and cupdity in small body Of
unprncplcd ship-owners have brought no stain upon
characters Of the great steamship companies or
their ships has brought into prominence the fact
that the dangerous ships the long, shallow ships,
not the long, ships and that the disasters TO
steamers which he reported duo to overlooking,
combined In cases, but not in all, with faulty and
cbcap construction. The question OF overlooking
steamers and its prevention by law, has for time
been earnestly discussed In England without reaching
satisfactory solution, It is extremely difficult 10 esab
fish hard and fast uniform rule for vessels differing
widely IN form and proportionate dimensions. J. s.
Nep- York, May 4, 1874.