The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-01-24
A NEW TORPEDO BOAT.
Her Speed and Her Peculiar Boiler.
ri nndnn Tturou

London Times.l
The Fake torpedo boat, Just built by Messrs. Var
Trial yesterday, December 25, at which the mean
20. 263 knots per hour, the vessel having actually
covered 22A knets within the hour.
The ofical trial was conducted In the presence OF
Baron de Ham, the Austrian naval attache; Count
Soyk, the future captain of the boat; Herr Pepper,
me austrian naval constructor, and Herr Landecke
se
The Fake ia 1876 feet long, IA feet in extreme Width
and feet deep. Her draught forward in fighting
displacement being ss TONS She is built throughout
OF galvanized steel, her skin varying In thickness
from one.eighth to one quarter of an inch, the
greatest thickness being at her bows to strengthen
her for ramming purposes. Her machinery is Of the
compound surface-condensng type, having three
cylinders One Of the most important pecullarities
OF the boat is that she is fitted with locomotive
boiler which generates steam SUFFICIENT to indicate
The trial of this boiler has been looked forward to
with great interest, as in the event OF Its proving
successful 1t will create complete revolution In the
construction of boilers for marine engines where
forced draught is necessary 1t did its work yester-
day in most satisfactory manner, furnishing an
abundance Of steam with minimum of trouble. tits
fitted with copper nre-box and brass tubes, and 1t
has whstood, without leaking the bearing strain of
eight ful-speed trials. The boiler has mere than
1000 feet Of heating service, and there is CRATE
surface Of a. square feet.
The torpedo arrangements consist of two bow
tubes adapted for dischargng the Whitehead torpedo
IL
the Austrian service. No spare torpedoes will be
carried inasmucn as the Austrian authorities attach
primary importance to the maintenance of the high
est possible speed and therefore object to their
boats being weighted with number Of torpedoes,
which would necessarily greatly reduce their speed.
The vessel, however, will carry two Nordenfelt ma
chine guns, one on each side.
The boiler and machinery are partly protected
from shot by the coal bunkers, which run longtu-
dinally right through the engine and bolerroem on
each side and transversely in front of the boiler,
that when these bunkers are full certain amount Of
shot protection will be secured.
The accommodation for the officers is provided in
cabin forward the crew being berthed aft. In this
respect the practice OF the Austrian service differs
from that OF all other nations, which invariably
berth their officers aft, where the noise and vibra-
tion OF the screw are the greatest. The propeller,
which Is obladed one, Is forged out of single
block of steel. The vessel is steered by means Of
two rudders one placed at the bow and the other at
the stern, which can be worked either by steam or
hand gear.
One important point with regard to the navigation
being stationed forward, as is usually the case In
these boats, will occupy steering tower secured to
the top of the deck amidships, and thus he will be
placed In an elevated position, from which he will
have an a-r0nud view and can better direct the
movements OF his vessel. while he will be removed
to sufficient distance from the rush of water and
tearing through rough water, greatly obstructs the
view OF the steersman In midship section the boat
is almost cylindrical. the deck being considerably
rounded, mode OF construction which her design
believe will give greater strength with better sea-
going qualities for given weight. All openings In
the side and In the deck can be closed SO as alto
gether TO exclude water, and therefore 1t is antlc-
pated that she will prove herself to be safe In
siderable seaway.
To meet, however, the contingency of water find
Ing an entrance into the boiler-roOnl, precautions
have been taken to prevent the fires being ex-
tingushed the air. instead Of being brought directly
to the sokehole, having to pass first over bukhead
should the stokehole become filed with water, the
steamng powers OF the boat will not be diminished