New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-18
HTGH SPEED on PAPER.

The full speed power of modern ships-of-war
is apparently nominal. Great efforts nave
becn made by English naval designers 10 bullu
armored and unalmorcd cruisers that VIII
cxcocd sixteen knots in sca-spccd, and at inc
.or,o time carry a formidable armament. III
i only after repeated trials that the maximum
spccd can ever be obtained, and there are frc-
oucnt accidents owing to the violent vibration
of tho machinery The Engineer, competent
authority. asserts that the speed OF British
war vessels, as given in Parliamentary reports
and current statistics is from 20 to 81 per cent
bichcr than that at which the engines can nc
safely worked "Ihcrc is evidence 1t says,
THAT the machinery of her Majcsty's ships
constantly gives trouble, and that III many
,.oso. II ia only after repeated attempts that
chine ran bc made. so TO speak. to drag through
rli-sncrd trials. all concerned knowing that
once through the test, they will not be sub
mit,ed 10 another like 1t for years, II ever.
This significant admission Is made IN an
article describing the recent accident to inc
phacton. a steel cruiser with double screws
dcsicncd to have q speed Of sixteen knots
On her first trial trip her piston-rod broke and
the cylinder cracked under the racking STRAIN
The necessary repairs were made and on August
% She started from Spthead for two hours
,ur ON the measured mile. With eighty-iive
revolutions the mean speed obtained was las
Luo,s DER hour. 1t was found impossible to
force the engines up to the full pressure oil
niuety-six revolutions, which might have given
the sixteen knots required. During the pro-
ytcss of the trial trip crack four Inches long
appearcd in the low-pressurc cylinder OF inc
mort engine, and the piston-rod was found 10
bo bent. The accident which had disabled the
vessel on the previous trial was thus repeated
disclosing the inherent weakness OF the mach'n-
crv uudcr the tremendous strain of working the
engines up to the highest pressure in the at
tempt TO make sixteen knots.
These facts, which we find dispassiona'ely
stated in Broad Arrow are confirmed by slmua
articles in The Engineer and The Adm"duy
and Horse Guards Gazette. The forced draught
nm these bigh-spced cruisers is SAID TO DC uh-
icorable for The stokers. The Curlew. with only
one third of her coal supply on board. draws
eight inches more water than was contemplated
H. tho dos;on In some in stances the difference
between the actual and the designed draught
is twenty-cight inches. When high speed Is
ATTAINED. rs in the case of the new dispatch
boats IRIS and Mercury, INC VIII aVio" vi 'i
machinery cxctcs suspicion Of structural
weakness of the frame. Indeed. the complaint
is general among British naval engineers that
nearly all the fast cruisers are unscaworhy, that
their machinery is constantly breaking down
and that not more than 70 per cent Of their nom
inal speed is practically available.
Such facts deserve SCR ous consideration IRON
The Navy Department in Washington Appar-
emily in despair of having fast cruisers designed
by American naval architects, Secretary Whit
ncy has appointed Mr.. White. Cher OF The
British Board of Naval Construction, as his
special agent and designer. He is hoping to
build from English models and designs cruiser
;hat will have speed of eighteen or nineteen
knots. We sincerely trust that he Will he sue
cessful but from the ominous warnings oil
these engineering journals we conclude that he
cannot be too precise in insisting that the con
tractors shall guarantee the results, even II
| they do not design the ships or engines. lhls
was what the Secretary and the Attorney-Gen'
| cral decided that Mr.. Roach should have been
| forced to do under Congressional legislation
| Their theory should be put in practice III build
| inc the English-American navy.