The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-10
A 1,5oo-FOOT STEAMER,
Plan For a Sort of Steam Catemaran
of Enormous Size.
Frona the Scientific .4merfonn.


From the Scientific Americdn.
The large steamers that are being built
will probably mark the limits to profitable
advance in size and speed with the presen
model of Atlantic passenger steamers.
Greater speed neoessitates greater length,
breadth, depth, and draught The limit of
draught suitable for harbors will soon be
reached. Moreover, the increase of tom
mage. propelling power, and cost is at a
much higher ratio than that of the passen-
ger capacity.
Ten years ago $3.50 900 was about the cost
of the large ships, then the cost rapidly ad-
vanced with the rivalry in speed till now
thep cost $2,000,00O, and the latest Cunard-
ers will cost half a million more while
those Of the White Star line will be at least
IS, 100000. The passenger area Of a 70c-foot
steamer is not much greater than that OF
one OF $50 feet, the speed only about two
knots faster.
There is a new design for an Atlantic
passenger steamer, in which greatly in
creased length is secured without proper
tionate increase of draught and beam.
The proposition is to construct a system Of
nine hulls of special model connected in three
trains of three hulls each, the center train
being the principal part OF the craft, aud ex-
tending 225 feet forward and 300 feet abaft
of the other two trains the whole forming
an outline similar to that of an ordinary
ship. The total length would be 1,440 feet {;
breadth over three trains 142 feet, to outside
of floats $50 feet; midship draught OF CEN
ter train, Is feet; midship beam at
water line, 45 feet; midship beam
at main deck, 60 feet midship
drauRht Of outer trains, IL feet: midship
beam at water line, 81 feet: midship beam
a Aafn hanl 4 q
center train $4,000 tons; of outer trains
each, $3.50 tons; total displacement about
$4,000 tons. The propelling power would
consist of seven engines, three in center
train OF l0,000-horse power each; two in
forward sections of outer trains, 4, 900 each /;
two in the stern sections, 5000 each-a total
of 80 ,O00-horse hover, driving seven pairs
of paddle wheels of So and So feet diameter,
6 andS feet wide. and having dip of feet
This steamer would carry no cargo, and
owing to the system Of construction, would
require no ballast, so that the entire ton
mage capacity would be available for en-
gines and fuel. She would be intended for
only first and second-class passengers, and
have accommodations for 1000.
The sections would be held in position by
system of flexible connectors. consisting Of
massive steel transverse 9irders, 10 feet deep,
having rocker end bearing against uprights
connecting the upper and lower decks. The
ends of the rockers would bear
against q series of half elliptic springs,
having a flexible strength of fifty
and seventy-6ve tons each. These
springs would extend along the upper and
lower decks and would stiffen and check the
motion of the rockers. A strong wire cable
would be fastened III the end of the rocker
then pass over a roller secured in the upper
deck, thence down under a similar roller in
lower deck and connected with the other
end of the rocker. A second cable would be
fastened to the inner side of the spring
pass around the roller and connect
with the rocker SO as to act recip.
rocatingly. The beams connecting with
the girders would be braced trans
versely and run diagonally throughout
the sections. The longitudinal oonnectors
of the sections would be single massive
coupler in center of each section, placed on
a level with the center OF the lateral con-
nectors and twelve feet above the water
line. The longitudinal frames of the sections
would converge at the point of connection.
The coupler and the frames diverging from
it should, OF course, have to be of immense
strength and capable of sustaining a strain
of 200 or 1900 tons. The space bet ween
the ends of the connecting hulls would
gradually widen from the connector
down to the keel plate, where it would
be about five or six feet on a level
keel, which would admit OF a depression OF
the stem of the center train Of 100 feet
This space would be occupied by metal
and rubber water-tight chamber that wouI d
expand and compress with the vertic al
motion of the ends of the hulls ana prevent
the water from filling in.
There would be hinged to the bottom OF
the forward section sliding plates that would
extend under tie bottom of the adjoining
section, thus forming an even aud cJntinu-
GUS bottom from stem to stern OF each train.
1t is estimated that 5000 tons of steel
would be used in the construction OF the
councillors and in the Strengthening of the
parts OF the sections where the greatest strain
would occur. The bulls would be entirely
of steel.
1t is thought that steamer Of this design
could be built sufficiently strong TO with
stand much greater strain than she would
ever encounter in the waves OF the At
lantic.
The design would admit of the different
sections conforming to the angle or eleva-
ton Of any size of waves she would meet
without strainiug.
The steel floats on the outside might re
tard the speed knot or two, but they are
not necessary part of the plan, and may
be detached. They furnish berths for 400
or 800 of the crew also help to steady the
outer trains and would be useful for Tenders
propelling medium. or course, three, four,
or five screws could be used at the stern,
but would not be 80 suitable for the high
speed as the paddles, which, working in pro-
tected water and having diameter of fifty
six feet, with engines to drive them at
thirty-fve revolutions. should make about
thirty-6ve knots.
To many no doubt it may seem impos-
sible to control the motion of such heavy
structures in a seaway. AS matter Of
fact there is only one motion in seaway
that is not preventable, and that is the YER
tical motion, which it is not necessary to
control The system OF connection allows
play room for that to much greater ex-
tent than is necessary. The tendency how
ever, in a steamer of this design would be
to lessen it. Il is the lateral motion that
could be easily diminished or prevented.
The proposed steamer would have accom-
modatIon for 900 passengers, giving a
greater number of cubic feet for each pas
sengsr than the present steamers, and, as IL
would carry no freight, would remain a
shorter time in port. So that the speed that
would be attained she would average about
one trip a week. or forty during a season of
nine months. Carrying 100000 passengers
at present rates for corresponding class of
accom- m odation 30 O0O first class would paw