Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-19

SUNDAY, MAY 10,
construction suited most effectively to the
altered conditions
Speed, freight capacity and safety are
the objects to be considered, and in those re-
quisites there is improvement in every new
ocean steamer built. The development OF
the new marine engine through its various
stages from the old low-presslre type to the
compound, triple and quadruple style ofthe
present time, has been marvellous, and yet
the end of Improvements has not been
reached.
"Rapid transit undoubtedly has a few
benefits" continued the editor, with mild
sarcasm. ''The mail is given to the fastest
and cheapest steamers, and, as John Roach
said in an address before the Congressional
Committee on American Shipping In 1852:
The fast mail steamer is the key to unlock
the commerce of the world. believe the
Atlantic will be crossed in the near future
in less than six days. The City of New
York has not reached expectations, but the
City of Paris has surpassed the promise OF
her first trip.
About u years ago the Britannia was
considered the champion of the Atlantic
fleet Thebest record, uutil recently, was
held by the Etruria. 1t was her eastward
passage, June, 1885, time 6 days, hour and
90 minutes. Her best westward passage
was made in April OF the same year, time b
days, hours and 40 minutes. The Umbrla
comes next, in May, 1887, 6 days, IA hours
and AZ minutes. And now the City Of Paris
has beaten them all. !"
FOG THE GREATEST DANGER.
"What about danger?'
"There is certainly more danger of the
machinery giving out in steamer that is
driven to her utmost than one going at
moderate rate But these matters are pretty
we'll considered in the building of grey
hounds of to-day. The City OF New York
and her sister steamer, the City OF Paris,
have twin screws, which are worked inde-
pendentltSof each other, so that if the ma
chinery of one should break the steamer
would not be disabled.
Fog dangers are the greatest perils of
ocean travel, and most of the disasters occur
thereby. 1t was during fog that the
steamers Celtic and Britannia came into col
lision May 10, 1887. In that case the find
ing of the Naval Court of Inquiry, after
fully considering the testimony, gave it as
the opinion that the weather before the col
lIsion had been such as should have induced
the masters of the two vessels, as a matter of
precaution, to moderate their speed accord
ing to regulations until more favorable con-
ditions prevailed.
"In neither case was this done. The court
was of the opinion that both steamers were
running at an excessive speed under the cir
cumstances The law requires that every
ship, whether sailing or a steam ship, shall
in fog, mist or falling snow go at a mod
30 fran1 70 10
not defined by the law. There should be
some limit specified. What some would
term moderate speed others would consider
fast"
MR. SMITHS VIEWS.
J.R. Smith, editor of the Maritime Reg
lister, after thinking for a moment or two
over the subject, expressed himself as fol-
lows:
"The progress made in the speed of ocean
steamships within the last ten years is one
of figures. The records of the steamship
lines are a good index of the progress made
in the building Of steamships during the
last decade. The advancement has been
prodigious, although by actual comparison
with the increase of speed over the previous
ten years it may not seem SO pronounced. 1t
must, however, be remembered that every
additional half knot increase of speed has
been gained at an immense cost of money in
each individual boat. 1t is singular that
this increase seems to be confined, outside
of certain war craft, to either very large
steamers or very small ones, to vessels of
enormous tonnage, like the Etruria or City
Of Paris or the torpedo boats.
1T is not so many years ago when 1t was
the ambition of one of the chief Atlantic
steamer lines to take their passengers on
board ship at New York on one Saturday
and land them at Liverpool in time for din
ner week from the following Sunday. 1t
had not then been accomplished. Six-day
passages are now looked for as only mat
ter of a short time, and five days are conf
IDENTIFY talked about. If the telephone,
photograph, go miles an hour railroad train
and every inveHtion that seems to threaten
to annihilate time and space will benefit
mankind, then certainly the faster the ocean
steamer can be made to sail the better. The
less time the voyage takes the less are the
dangers. The quicker communication there
is between peoples the better for the peace
and commerce of the world, and as means
to that end the fast steamer is of q most de-
cided benefit
NO ONE KNOWS WHERE IT WILL STOP.
'NOw, the minimum of time it will take
to accomplish the trip between Sandy Hook
and Fastnet Hook is, to quote an expression
heard the other day, something that no
fellow can find out Forty years ago 1t was
claimed that the Atlantic could be crossed in
four days, provided hull could be built to
stand the straining of the engines that would
drive a vessel at such an enormous speed.
"I do not believe that a ship builder would
care to give any time as minimum, in view
of what is being done in the way of fast
boats being outrivaled by new corners. OF
course all the world knows by this time that
the City OF Paris has made the fastest trip,
thus far, across the Atlantic.
81 have only one thing to add" said the
editor. taking up his pen again, "and that is
that there is at present in maritime circles
diversity of opinion as to whether high
rate of speed increases the dangers of ocean
travel, but the prevailing impression if I
presage current opinion Alright is that while
apparently there is more danger, yet it is
only apparent, and is more than counter
balanced by the very decided advantages
gained"