Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-06-13
ELECTRICITY AT SEA.
OUR GREAT STEAMSHIPS GUIDED BY
A FINGERS TOUCH.

The real mysteries aud the most in
teresting parts OF great ocean steam
ship of the present day are to be found |
in two parts Of tho ship which visitors
are seldom able to get at
Here is the nerve center OF the
ship" said the officer as he stepped up
on the bridge, land here day and night
stands an officer ON watch. during every
minute that she is under way, posted
ON the weather side and able with .
touch and a glance to guide her. TO
move her backward or forward. and TO
know without asking whether each Of
his orders is being obeyed promptly by
the men and mechanism toiling down
in the hold
Here" he continued, moving to
near the center OF the bridge. els the
electric arrangement by which we
transmit our orders to the engine room.
The device upon which he laid his hand
was of brass and was shaped like a
drum, supported ON its side ON brass
standard In place Of the drumheaas
were plates of glass, and behind these
were lettered dials, on. which were
marked the orders of the engineer. Han
dies came up through slots in the top OF
the drum, and these moved, indicating
points around the face Of the dials
Zone Of these dials carries orders for
the movements OF the port engine, " said
the officer, land one for the starboard
engine. Move the handles forward Of
the center and the orders are for going
ahead; move them the other way and
they relate TO the movements Of the en-
gines when reversed
''But suppose the wires are broken OF
the electric current does not woEk-whai
then7" the reporter asked
lyon see the second set Of indicators
, on the dials?'' he replied when the
engineer gets an order. he sets similar
dial in the engine room to the mark In
Dictated, and that second indicator IN
! our dial goes around and stops at the
signal Thus we know at a glance tina
he has not only got the order, but tina
he has got it correctly.
7 Eve have, however another indicator
here" and he touched button which
lighted up translucent dial just unde
the coping OF the bridge bulwark
! (which tells US at every moment jus
! what the engines are doing"
: This dial was perhaps afoot long ant
narrow, with indicator point resting a
t the time at a zero mark at its center
t On either side were graduated scale
}, with numbers 1.-The numbers. the Of
n ficer said, represent the revolution
per minute which the screw is making
and when the point goes over one wa
the screw is working ahead. and whe
- it goes over the other way it is g0in
70 aback. There is the other indicator f.
the other screw. ALI the signal apps
rs ratus is in duplicate also"
Of Turning then, he pointed 10 an ele
rs trio button in the front Of the pill
at house. THAT blows the whistle,
r said
Oh Then he pointed aft to where Il
2 whistle stands in front of the forwa,
- funnel and indicated two electro ma
m nets, which, when the current 60
through their wires, draw open {
a whistle valve and let the steam into
on hoarse throat.
es Within the pilot house he tn
r. showed another electric contrivan
IS, which, in connection with clock NOV
~ ment, sounds the whistle automatical
" for ten seconds in every minute duri
"a fogs-
n, Beside that was a set of nine elect
n switches "Thesa,' he said. ARE
he the ships lights. These are for the ma
? IA mead lights, and the others for the d
and starboard bow lights There I
his three separate sets of wires TO each lie
ao and two lamps in each II a lamp g
;. out, this little bell rings and anotl
" lamp is switched into circuit at once
;tv Except for the carefully shaded ell
Ige trio lights in the pilothouse, this v
all of that sort Of apparatus there.
at the steering wheel and its manner
operation were as interesting in anotl
en- way.
le- Hero, with hardly an effort, one n
oss can control the great rudder Of the 8
Vi with the certainty and ease with VIII
,"s he might that of the smallest sailbc
vas It is simple thing. The wheel mer
a operates pump, which in turn injec
column Of glycerin through small bI
/ of pipes to cylinder aft, where the t
)ffi- der head comes up and the plungel
was this cylinder opens and closes a ste
Q a valve.
ASH Just back of the officers quar-
us stands ventilator, which connects "
hdl
lst- ger, along the ships upper deck COM
fist with and supply air to all parts OF
by ship except the boiler rooms. II
by have their own plain shafts. In eacl
lost the ventilating shafts is an electric
tate tor driving fan. Instead Of trust
Tn. for the entry of air TO the wind blow
'li- into the old fashioned wide open MOI
,a Of the ventilators these new Ones +
nes the air down just as it may be wal
,ch- by the electrically driven fans. Benz
.sti- the fans again are COILS OF steam
and IN cold weather the air is war
Tery by these before it enters the salo
not staterooms and other living parts of
we ship.
;ur- Down below" said the officer q
81 ", there are many more uses to w
~ ~ electricity is put on the ship, and
re there are her engines-but that is I
gion where am as unacquainted as
city are. 1t takes long enough for one &c
n A. acquainted with the parts Of such q
lcci- ship that one has to know about.
his been aboard the st. Paul ever since
over has been running, and there are loi
. pe things about her which ought to
ne that don't know yet. such as whet
find anything in hurry in her .
4 at rooms She is great ship, I can
ed a you New York Sun
M1oHn1 Onusn Dc,