Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-16

"Trip 10 anu from CdlAlS on Tue eleClrlc
boat Volta, built by Stephens, Smith e.
Co., of Millwall from designs by A. Reck-
enzann, we'll known electrical engi-
neer. The party on the trip consisted of
seven, but larger party, consisting of
many engineers, scientific people and
newspaper correspondents, came intend.
ing to join, but, after shaking their heads
obviously and looking at the craft, took
the mail boat, intending to meet us in Ca
lais.
THE START.
We left Dover cliffs behind at 10:40 this
morning in bright sunshine, with food
tide and a light southwest wind. Our
pilot-the Oldest Dover pilot, and the
same mariner who piloted Captain Webb
on his swimming trip-was in charge of
the steering; he gave the directions at
starting. The foreman of the builders
said ''Hhis Is really not an experimental
trip. We have many times privately tried
the Volta over several distances on the
Thames up to sixty miles, but some cleo
tricians refused to accept fully such
trials-hence this one across the channel,
twenty -four miles each way.'
DESCRIPTION OF THE VOLTA.
Seen from the pier, the Volta bore the
appearance OF half-tinished pleasure
| ldunch, eullTclN open lore anu AT. seats
| fitted all al ound the boat accommodate
! forty passengers. She is 81 feet long, has
| 7 feat OF beam and is 9l3 feet deep. The
| Volta is built of galvanized steel plates.
| Her propelling power consist of 81 ac-
| cumulators, each s inches square, which
were placed as ballast under the floor
| with a pair of ReckenZann's electro mo-
tors. The accumulators were charged
on Saturday night from a dynamo worked
| " a
facing the harbor, the connection to the
| boat being by short sections of a cable.
HOW SHE is GUIDED.
The manner Of working the Volta is OF
almost cnlldlike simplicity. One man
! only Is required. He sits in the stern and
has "a large iron handle where the ordi-
nary rudder handle is fixed. and by turn
ing this to the right or the left he steers.
At his side are two small brass handles,
one for turning the boat ahead or astern,
the other for causing her TO stop, to 90 at
half or ut full speed. During a
small portion of the trip ] took his
place, and found the management
OF the vessel to be both simple and
accurate. While crossing l interviewed
Reckenzann, who is well known for his
Berlin electric tramcars and for his cleo
trio locomotives at work in the coal mines
of South Wales. What" l asked him,
'are the advantages of the Volta?"
ADVANTAGES OF THE SYSTEM.
He replied 'Total absence Of noise and
simplicity of management. 1t has q
greater capacity for passengers than a
boat fitted with boilers, engines and coal
bins. No smoke can betray her. Then
there is her great adaptability for laying
torpedoes, aid for all purposes requiring
secrecy"
"But how about the cost?" queried.
: arlv 10 cd oil afrtn "a
cheaper than steam. Think ofthe saving
of engineers, stokers, coal carriers and
fuel. This saving alone equaliZes the
cost Of electricity with steam"
"But them" | ventured to suggest,
''there is the replenishment OF electric
stores'
Eyes" he went on, "but 1t is the same
in pleasure launch IN regard TO Goals.
propose to have electric stations up the
Thames. In America they might run
along the Hudson river at distances of
twelve miles apart, say Tor a pleasure
yacht. She could quickly lunch on her
, accumu-lators at the stations, etc,
while the owner and his party might
lunch more leisurely on vlands T"
AT what cost would the boat replenish
itselfp'
"Say at a cost of half a crown or sixty
cents for each stop"
QUESTION OF COST.
, "The whole cost OF the electricity under
: our feet is eight shllings, or two dollars
and this is sufficient for our trip 10 CALAIS
and back. We are now working at a
speed of six miles an hour, but we can
/ drive this up TO twelve; of course by 80 do.
ing the sooner the electrical power would
! be used up. The Volta can be reversed
} instantly. Again, given fair weather.
the Volta could, II 1t were necessary
: to save electric power, use
= sails. When the wind was con.
= trary she could, by combining tacks
! ana power, make good Roadway. The
/ Duke of Bedford has one OF these launc hes
= on bis steam yacht Northumbria. The
; same engines which supply the yachts
r electric lights serve to charge the accu.
= mulators OF the launch. So that the cost
: OF working the latter Is reduced To mini
e mum. Another OF our launches is used
= by the Italian government for the King az
e IA tender when visiting the feet, also fol-
= laying experimental torpedoes. They
= proved good workers in the rough water
5 and big waves Of the channel to-day, anc
= show YOU how power works through anC
! against them. 1t Is only a question o