New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-14
DETECTS OF THE BRITISH M w.
OFFICIAL REPORT on THE RECENT MA.
NOEUVRES AT PORTSMOUTH.
UNIVERSAL COMPLAINTS OF DEFECTIVE MA.
CHINERY AND INEFFICIENT STEAM POWER
TESTS OF COIL HIGH PRESSURE
BOILERS SUGGESTED.


BOILERS SUGGESTED.
Washington. Sept 13-Naval officers here and
others who have had to do with constructing Naval
vessels find much TO encourage their faith I'm tho
American Navy and to console them for what ap-
peared to be bad failures in marine architecture in the
report Of the latest English Naval manoeuvrcs. which
has Just reached the Department. This report Is
titled to weight, IT made BY the four admlrals
commanding the sGuadrons. First. TO torpedo
boats they find that these boats Of great value to
the blockadcd. but poorly adapted TO blOckadng work
Their machinery constantly in need Of repairs and
they require frequent attention in the matters of
water and coal. The deterioration Of their machinery
soon reduced the speed which constituted their prn-
cpal value Touching The larger vessels, the report
says that from all sides during the manOeuvreS came
complaints of defective machinery The squadrons
constantly mpedcd in their speed and move
ments by lame ducks needing repairs. The failure
10 realize the speed at which the ships were rated
from ten to seventeen knots was of the most
disappointing features Of the manocvrrS. The best
speed the Rupert could make at the very beginning
was eight knots The shannon kept up nine knots
with difficulty and another ironclad dropped astcrn,
making less. The Inhcxible also fell behind. from
break in the engine The Agincourt. an. old ship, was
seaming easily al the time under two boilers. The
old ships. I'm fact TO have done well. The yes
sells thar appeared travel with the greatest and
least smoke the Black Prince. built I'm 1861 the
Hercules built in 1865. and the Devastation in 1871.
The HOtspur. Northampton and Active rated six
teenAnot ships had difficulty in keeping ten knots
Almost every Of the fast cruisers failed TO
steam mp to its nominal speed, TO maintain a
maximum steam pressure when it wa, reached. The
MerSey IAN cightecn-knOt ship steamed at fourteen
and one-haf knots but had to slow down for several
hours TO clean tubes. The Mercury the only
cruiser In the first squadron capable of making six
teen knots for forty eight hours. The ship was built
10 compete with the Wampanoag and other fast boats
built by the United States at the close of the war.
The Mohawk class failed in boilers and tubes. and
the Raccoon practically broke down. The Archer
and CosSacl mad their boilers retubed before they
had been three months in commission. These are
types for 900 ton vessels but the machinery
mas been improved in design and durability. The
serpent was almost constantly under repairs in port.
machinery into the new practice ship for Annapolis.
The Ratlle>nakc class prove 10 be entirely TOO
delicate for rough work.
In point of fact says correspondent. " We
endcrcL abOrtivc by the lncfiiciency Of our steam
power Whatever else the campaign brings out, 10
will demonstrate this to certainty that there Is not
an officer Of either of the four SquadrOnS that feels
the least confidence In his ship 10 steam In an
emergency
winding mp their criticism upon the machinery
trials. the admiials that. In view OF the failure
of ordinary boilers high steam presSrrs. inquiries
tuhouS or coil high pressure boilers will be followed
with Increasing interest.
The United states Navy Department has already
hogan make trials Of these boilers AT the instance
If Chief Engineer Melville and upon his recommended
ton they 10 be- placed in the new coast defence