New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-16
CREDIT FOR THE COLUMBIA.
IT BELONGS TO THE DESIGNER OF HEP
- 90" MACHINERY.
CHIEF ENGINEER NELvILLE's SPLENDID WORK
TRIPLE SCREWS An UNKNOWN QUANTITY
uurN uE REcIN HIS Task

WHEN HE BEGAN HIS TASK.
washington, Nov. Is CspeciaD-The Columbia
marks a distinct advance in American naval en-
cheering and in naval engineering generally. and
owes her success TO the genius OF Eng'neer-in-
Chief C. W. Melville. L. s. n. of the Bureau OF
steam Engineering under whose direction the
designing of her machinery was done When the
estimates were made for this ship the speed fixed
was twenty knots. but after the Naval APP
preparation bill WAS passed 1t was found that when
in conference the speed had been raised 10 twenty
one knots-a very small matter TO the non-pro-
fessional mind But when it Is remembered that
it requires about 5000 horsepower to obtain
this additional knot, it is that the task set
was not easy one. This 5000 horsepower Is
alone sufficient to give speed of fifteen knots or
more and yet enormously does the resistance
increase with increase of speed that it will only
add one knot at the high rate of speed of twenty
knots.
A gentleman who IS thoroughly conversant with
naval affairs, speaking to-day Of the Columbia's
performance, said. - D.
Mr. Melville decided that the ship should have
from 10000 to 1000 horsepower and at once began
10 lay out the engines and boilers. 1t soon became
apparent that twin-screw engines would not do
because of their size and the fact that they would
be very extravagant in the use of steam at the
ordinary cruising, speed. Besides this. the space
that could be given up to machinery was restricted
and would be satisfactory for twin-screw
orgines Mr.. Melville decided almost Immediately
that trple-screw engines the only ones that
would do. and at once set about the preliminary
design. With that caution which has marked his
every design. he instituted inquiries about what
foreign governments were doing in this line He
knew that the FIR .nch had before. made
experiments with small boat called the Carpe,
and that the Italians had tried three screws, but
with questionable success. in the Tripo. torpedo
Gunboat of 40 tons displacement; but there
no record of any large scale, nothing APP
preaching what he had outlined
The annual of the Office Of Naval Intelligence,
usually accurate about data OF foreign ships, had
stated in 1883 and again in 1889 that the French
were building the Dupuy de LONE with three
screws but subsequent inquiry of that office showed
that the naval attache at Paris had recently re-
ported that she have only two screws. OF the
Naisern Augusta, the German triple-scr,ew ship
which took part in the Naval Review last May, the
nation about her had been received. although
had an attache at Berlin; in fact we didn't know
1t was only last year that The Naval Annual by
So as a M
Melville had none but he determined 10 stake his
screws. and with that indomtable energy which so
characterizes his every action he started in TO make
Through the course OF her construction he has
watched the machinery carefully, and the success
which she has achieved marks new era IN marine
propulsion and stamps the engneer-in-chief of our
N mSn mot 0ny md OF the the ons nt
successful designs which have emanated from the
be borne in mind that the trials of British ships
that even after successful trial the machinery is
SO racked that they fear to run at i IKE IKE
full power again. An Illustration Will sufnce: me
Blake. flagship of the British squadron which par
toipated in the Naval Review last May. was
designed for twenty knots. with 12oo horsepower
under natural draught and for sweni foIcs9
drsusht. Prior r'''t to her trial many of the
British ships had had SO much d trouble ,,o win
would not be safe to attempt 10 get the maximum
power out Of ,hs BLAKE and she was s acsordingSy
1850 horsepower, but instead of making the twenty
knots for which she was designed. she made ls1,
with moro power than had been deemed necessary
for twenty knots Our New-York. similar to the
5000 horsepower: She made exactly twenty-one with
ething more than I7GOO The Columbia designed
FOR twenty knSts With 10000 horsepower has
''The country is TO be congratulated no less upon
possessing such superb veSset as me oT,elnIS
bureau such skilful designer Of machinery as
Tnsineer-in-Chie Melville. While the credit for
due TO Mr. Melville the credit for the ship ard
for her unprecedented speed belongs TO the a "a,
projected. ard as the bill passed the House. it
called for an arfnored cruiser of twenty Knots
speed after the bin was rep9red IRON the
nro,ected cruiser In conference. Representative
Routelle whose familiarity with naval designs Is
hing had been left out OF the ship ana nothing
added-in other words. that in making her pro,
tected cruiser instead OF an arnortu one ~, an
amount of armor had been removed when shoui9
he replaced by something else nc tnen pn roPoseu
md that the speed requirement be raised from
twenty to twenty -one knots. feeling confidence In
bnrears of the Navy Department to meet the re-
n',iren,ents How well placed his confidence was
has been fully demonstrated by lhe successIu
10 he