Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-04-01
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" u mo O1o N tho Propeller mas A340
Possible.
Far back in the year 1884, Cap
John Ericsson, whom we all re.
member as the builder Of the first
tronclad Monitor applied for
tatent on a screw propeller to be
Used In driving ships through the
water. Ten years later the Secretary
" the British Admiralty persuaded
That body to make trial Of the new
machine in the frigate Arrogant"
The device was success. The
frigate went faster than Others of
aer size using sails alone; she could
move about In the water when there
WAS no wind, and when other ships
we're motlonless or at anchor, and
although her speed, even with the
wind, was but little increased, and
the sailors vrwled at having the
ships bod filled up with "teaskettles
Ind b'ilers," they had to admit that
fhe was safer in gale, and could go
letter than before. Popular feeling
las against the propeller, however
ind 1t was not until. 1852 that it
was placed in the larger ships of
war.
All great inventions have to fight
their way, and this was no excep!
lion. 1t gradually came into use
smong merchant ships, and when the
laval authorities saw its advantages
most of the opposition ceased, and
they decided TO try 1t in the greatest
th!p they had. The "Windsor Cas-
lie' had just been completed at the
Royal Dockyard, Pembroke, She
WAS 255 feet long, 60 feet wide, and
had three tiers of portfolios room
for 120 guns. She was the result of
years of labor, and was then the
Greatest warship In the world
! 1t seemed pity to desecrate this
noble craft by loads of coal, tons OF
billy machinery, hot rollers, and
company Of greasy engineers" but
1t would never do to have England's
greatest war-ship lacking in anything
that could give her greater speed and
strength. Therefore i. was decided
10 cut the vessel In two and lengthen
her 81 as to accommodate the ma
vhincry. She was sawed directly
through amidships the stern was
pushed back twenty three feet and
the gap built up solid with the rest
Of the ship. When she was launched
the machinery was put in, Com
plete, she was 27S feet long, and car
fled twenty more guns.
In making report OF this great
ship TO the French navy, Lieutenant
Labrousse urged the French also to
adopt the propeller, and wrote that
sthe use CT the screw as a means Of
propulsion is far from diminishing a
ships sailing qualities, It is, on the
contrary, capable OF adding to the
certaiutics of navigation"
In 1859 we fird the Great Eastern"
Using the propeller, but only as an
aid to her paddic-whcels In fact,
for many years thereafter, all the
ocean steamers used paddles only.
The warships alone continued to ex-
pertinent with the propcllers.
Now, however everything has
Changed in favor OF the screw, and,
Except some light river beats draw
ing little water, all steamers are run
BY propellcrs. Boats were soon
built with propellcrs under the keel,
then others used two, one on either
side Of the keel, and now three arc
being successfully operated.
Then came tee days of forced
draft" when the fre.poms were
closed up tight, and air was pumped
in to 80 roaring Up through tho chin
heys after fathihs the fires into
greater heat. The engines worked
faster, and the ships speed was IN
Creased; but the Increase soon reached
limit, for the hoiler-room became
so not that the poor 1!remen could not
stay at their POSTS for more than IF
teen minutes ut a time. One hun
drcd and siXty.ayc degrees was the
awful heat they had to work in re-
Gently on the fast United States ship
Concord" The men faihted in front
OF the furnaces. and others were hard
70 hire, What was 10 be done9 The
limit Of speed for ships seemed to
be reached, while more speed wa:
wanted.
Commodore George W. Melville, of
the United States navy, has solved
tho puzzle ty designing ship with
smokestacks 100 feet high. These
have the same effect ms the tall fac
tory ch!mneys On land. The Are
men do net end this natural draft sc
oppressive, AMI these slnokcstacks
give steam power that sends the
great ship. with spinning screws, at
tho rate OF twrnty-s!y miles IA hour.
tud, even at this railway speed, she
will use sc !:ttic Coal that she can
run 100 mics, or almost around
the world, without renewing hct
supply. st. Nicholas