The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-26
THREE DAYS VOYAGE
AN ELECTRIC SHIP DESIGNED TO GO
TO EUROPE IN THAT TIME.

Model OF Mr. Painton's Odd Specimen of
Marine Architecture Creates Great In.
terest at the National CapitoI-The Pow
ar Applied to a System of Propellers,
To cross the Atlantic in three days with
an ocean liner and to develop a speed of So
knots an hour in a naval cruiser is what
Richard B. Painton proposes to do with
vessel of his design. using electricity as
power. Senator Hill has introduced bill
authorizing the secretary of the navy to
construct cruisers built on the Painton de-
signs. Mr.. Painton now has on exhibition
IN the room of the senate committee on
naval affairs at Washington model of his
decided novelty in marine development.
The model is about ten feet long and two
feet wide and has attached to it an electric
battery For the last week it has been one
OF the sights of the capitol and has attract
ed the attention of the members of the
senate and house com nlittees on naval af-
fairs, naval officers and the curious gen.
orally.
Mr. Painton's claims for his invention
are somewhat extraordinary, but he says
that practical experiments heretofore
made warranted them, and that he Is
ready at any time to demonstrate to
board Of experts his ability to develop a
speed of 40 knots in a passenger ship or 35
knots in naval ship under usual condi-
passengers could reach Southampton from
New York in about three days, or that
maD-of-war similarly propelled could leave
Boston and be off any of Great Britains
home Notifications in about four days.
Twenty-three knots is now regarded as a
wonderful rate. Mr.. Painton proposes to
increase this by Is knots in an ocean liner
and l 3 knots in cruiser.
The machinery of his vessel will be cleo
trical throughout, coal being used merely
for the purpose of generating electricity.
According to tho claims of the inventor it
will be possible not only nearly to double
the speed of ships now in service, but to
run them at half the present cost with a
plant Which will occupy not more than so
per cent of space now required for the pom
derous engines and complicated machin-
cry.
One great source of complaint at the
navy department has been the insufficient
accom- odGtions in war vessels for the
men, armament, coal and provisions The
machinery necessary to propel these great
ocean fortresses occupies such large
amount of space that there is not much
room left for other purposes. Besides the
terrific heat from the furnaces and steam
pipes, the incessant and excessive vibra-
ton and shocks and the straininR of the
mechanism make life uncomfortable on
board fast ships of today.
L
ton invention is the large number of pro-
pellers used for driving ships. Instead
of the enormous so ton shafts extending
from the middle of the ship to the stern,
the model in the senate committee room
shows IA screw propellers ranged along
the sides. Two on each bow and two on
each side of the stern are of ingenious con-
struction. The propellers are operated
from a switchboard. They can be worked
singly or together. at the will of the man
at the keys. Each propeller is a machine by
itself, and the disabling of ono would not
affect any of the others. Even when
all the prOpeilers are turning rapidly there
is practically no noise from the action of
the wheels, nor is there any jar caused by
the horizontal motion. There is no excess
i've heat The long shafts now employed
Oh vessels are done away with, and the
terrific strain on the engines and shaft,
at present is avoided. The total horse
power is distributed throughout the entire
system of propellers, and the inventor says
that it would be impossible to have even
one-quarter of all the propellers racing at
one time.
The model is an oddly in naval archi-
lecture. There are two propelIers for
ward. These are placed under and slightly
abaft each bow. Abaft these at regular
intervals are the ether propellers on each
side of the ship. The stern propellers
them on fast ships, underneath the over
hang of tho stern. Each forward and
after propeller consists of two wheels SO
arranged ON q shaft that the blades of the
forward wheel are opposite the opening
between blades of the after wheel. The
engines which generate the power to drive
the vessel are not mechanically connected
with the prOpellers, as is now the case in
steam vessels, but the power is transmit
fn6I ola tn hf1ilf
on propeller shafts. No betting coup
ling is required. The propellers all work
direct. If one breaks down, or two or
three, or any number, those left will oper-
ate.
With steam the number of revolutions
per minute is limited to about $50. Mr..
Painton asserts that with his invention
1900 revolutions a minute have been
reached in practice, and that 500 can be
depended on in service. Speaking of the
matter of expense, he says that in large
cruiser of today, say of 90, 600 horsepower,
the transmission of power by steam would
be at the expense of about 33 per cent loss,
or 6, 600 horsepower, whereas by using
electricity tho loss would be only about 10
per cent, or 2, 600 horsepower. This is
saving of 4, 900 horsepower, which means
a reduction of the coal consumption of
about 80 per cent. This, with the great
speed attained by the new arrangement of
tho distribution of the propellers which it
is said tends to lift the vessel SO as to re-
dnce the friction of the water, will further
reduce the coal consumption to about one
half that required for generating steam.
Another claim made by the inventor is
that the screws tend to maintain the
equilibrium Of the vessel at all times
zach screw has distinct lifting power
The blades turn SO that the propelling
force comes from below, instead of above,
aud as ship lurches from one side to an
other, or pitches, the screws on the side
deepest in the water exert force to restore
tho craft to a level. As Mr. Painton says,
it would be as though man were to lurch