New-York tribune., 1891-08-31
IN EXHIBITION OF INTEREST.
THE ENGINES OF THE ARMORED CRUISER MAINE
TO BE TRIED TO-DAY-s9O TONS OF MACHINERY
TO BE PUT IN MOTION FOR TWO HOURS.

THE ENGINES OF THE ARMORED CRUISER MAINE
TO BE TRIED To-DAY-s9O TONS OF MACHINERY
TO BE PUT IN MOTION FOR TWO HOURS
An incident of unusual interest in Naval circles will
be that OF the exhibition trial OF the engines Of the
6G4s-ton armored cruiser Maine to-day at the Qunam
Iron Works at Twelfth st. and the East River. Such
an exhibition of engines of a United States war vessel
never given before, and the fact that it is the
greatest feat in marine engine construction
cOmpIishcd in this country adds interest to the
sion. Among the large number Of guests invited by
y. +. Palmer, jr., d Co. Secretary b. f. Tracy,
Assistant Secretary j. Russell soley, the members of
the Senate and House Naval Committees the chiefs of
bureaus of the Navy Department, Captain Henry
Erben, c9mmandsnt of the Navy Yard, and other
officers duty at this station and those who are In
New-Yorl leave waiting oyders. The engines
will be from 10 a m. till noon, but, they to
be by the motive power of the Quntard Works In
stead Of the steam from their boilers. the number
Of revO. 1rs vii be about thirty live, instead of the
maximum OF 12, 702 feet of travel by each piston
a minute.
The engines have been put mp in the order that
they will be when put into the ship hence those who
them in operation to-day will obtain pretty gem
eral Idea as to how they will look when ready for
actual service. The entire weight OF the machln
cry is 800 TONS and idea OF the amount of work
upon The engines and boilers may be formed from the
fact that the contractors required two and One-haf
years TO build tlem and three and onehaf years from
the date of the contract to put them into the ship
pleted They will begin within the next few weeks
to put them into the vessel. The engines of the
twn-sciew, vertical triple ecxpansOn type the cylinders
being 2 50 inches in diameter respectively,
aud of SO inches stroke. The piston valves arc inter
clangeable, and the crank shafts made in inter
changeabe sections. This is important feature, and
the principle of inerchangeaby Of parts In these
engines has In many lines Of manufacture revolution
lied modern practice. The initial horse power OF the
engines is 00O0 and the estimated speed Of the vessel
IS seventeen knots an hour. As each shaft will be
worked by lts separate engine and in separate water
tight compartment the actual number OF steam cylln-
ders will be slx-twO Of each size. The cylinders rest
upon hollow caStsteel columns.
In addition to what has been mentioned there will
be the cylindrical cOndesers made entirely Of compost
ton and sheet brass; the horizontal dOubeactng air
pumps, of the centrifugal type, driven by inclOled
three cylinder engines thu hollow shaitlng; the three
bladcd manganese bronze screw propelers, and the
eight s iecnded, horizontal return tubular boilers,
each fouI.n and twOtls feet In diameter and lei ieet
feet the forced draft being the closed aspt system
! this having proved the safest and most effective In
actual practice The cylinders and exhaust pipes are
80 arranged that the engines may be run on the COM
pound principle at low power at any time the design
being !or economy at full power when working as
! triple expansion engine. -
Yard having been launched November 10 list. She
Is designated a. armOred turTet vessel and in gen.
! crnl appearances will resemble the brazilian armOrcd
cruiser RiachueO, having central supcrsItlcturc be-
tween the two turrct, which placed ccel0n, as
In the Atlanta, but unlike the lat3r vessel she mas
poop and tOpgallant f0recaste. Besides the steam
machinery there will be hydraulic plant for operating
the urrets loading and training the guns etc She i
built much on tl2 plan OF DatueS.p rthea @ ~ tam IL,
chlnery Of this vessel Is estimated al S24oi,oOJ the
| machinery alone costing S13o,Ooo.