The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-10-24
A QUEER ROLLER SHIP
REGARD THE MARINE MONsTRos-
ITY AS PRACTICABLE.
VIII BE Subjected to Severe Tests
Before Work Is Begun on
Transatlantic Craft.

The Bazin roller ship launched
from the Call dockyards at. ST.
Denis on August 10 has been successful
~ tried by the inventor. and it is now
understood that work will shortly be be-
gun on a fun sized craft to ply between
Havre and New York. and make the
voyage in fraction less than four DAYS.
The trial ship which has excited so
much interest among marine architects,
Is only 12O feet in length, and has but $50
horse power, yet it has travelled over the
water at a surprising rate. The exact
figures have not been given out, but it
Is understood that they are fully up to
the expectations of M. Bazin. The speed
attained was somewhere in the neighbor-
hood Of q knots. With increased horse
power it is reckoned that 80 knots will
certainly be attained. and perhaps %
Knots. on basis of 80 knots the voyage
between Havre and New York would lie
made III four and q quarter days, and il
speed of So knots were attained the
time would be cut down three-fourths Of
a day.
1t can be seen from this that success of
the Bazin craft means q complete reVolu-
ton in the construction of steamship.
not only for commercial purposes, but
FOR the navies Of the world. The two
great points in favor of the roller ship
are the increased speed and an economy
Of fuel 1t is estimated that 1000 horse
power applied to the roller ship gives the
same speed as 400 horse power in an
ordinary vessel of the same size. Thus
the owners of the huge Atlantic liners,
which use 1900, $4,000 and 10000 horse
power, could obtain the same speed with
engines of one-quarter the power.
Another claim made by the advocates OF
the roller ship is that in heavy weather
it will prove more seaworthy than the reg
ST T11-Ilf In ala
cally non-sinkable, for If one or two or
three of the rollers were crushed in the
others would be sufficient to keep the
vessel atloat. An injury to the rollers
could be easily repaired as the con-
trivance could be turned so that the
orifce would be brought to the top, where
the machinist could work on II.
The central idea of NJ. Bazins plan is
that boats should roll over the water,
instead of cutting through it. His theory
was received with jeers when it was first
presented, but since the launching of the
trial boat, all this has been changed. and
many leading naval architects now ack-
noWledge their faith in the practicabinty
OF the craft. One of these is Admiral
Coulombeaud, French naval officer and
a recognized authority on such matters
Another IS Professor Parrot, whose
knowledge of naval architecture is
famous all over Europe. The inventor
Ernest Balm, must not be classed as
crank, with chimerical ideas of mechanic
al impossibilitie& He is one of the best
known marine engineers in France, and
enjoys the confidence of the French naval
experts.
The trial boat is an odd looking affair
as can be judged from the accompanying
picture, and the scoffers who regard 1t
with derision can we'll be pardoned for
their views Simply described the vessel
is 120 in length and 40 feet in width. The
hull or deck part of the craft is really a
rectangular iron box of the above dimen-
sions, and is mounted on six lenticu-
lar disk, or rollers, three on each side
These rollers are 30 feet IN diameter, and
sink in the water to a depth of 10 feet
leaving 20 feet of freeboard. The floor of
the hull is sustained on cross Orders
placed several feet above the axes of the
rollers.
The machinery is placed in the sides of
the huh. and on the deck are the usual
number of state rooms for passengers,
officers, etc, the crew being berthed for
ward. In the first model built there was
propeller at the stern, and the engine
kept this in motion as well as the rollers
1t was then demonstrated that the re-
VOlving of the rollers reduces the friction
and the resistance OF the water to a
minimum, thus making possible the at
tainment of unheard of speed. When
only 'he propeller was used the progress
OF the model boat was comparatively
slow, but as soon as the rollers were set
in motion the speed was greatly ac-
CELEBRATED.
The tourists Millennium.
The power necessary to keep the rollers
in motion is a trihe less than One-quarter
required to operate a propeller, and it is
here that great economy OF fuel and pow
er comes in. The advocates of the roller
ship lay particular stress on this point
claiming that when vessels oe this type
are used the time of voyages viii be
reduced, the consumption Of coal lessen
ed. and as a consequence freight and pas
sengers will be transported at much less
expense than at present.
The vessel for transatlantic use which
NJ. Balm is now designing will be 430 feet
in length and the number of rollers will
be eight or TO- In diameter they will be
close to go feet. The bottom of the hull
will be 20 feet above water, and the depth
Of the huh will be 20 feet, making the
main deck 40 feet above the water.
The horse power of this craft Will be
about 1000, sufficient, it is estimated, TO
drive 1t over the water at a 3O-knOt gait
But before work is begun on this YES
sol the trial boat wiH be subjected TO
a series Of severe tests, and if it comes
out triumphant the day is in sight when
the lightning tourist win run from New
York TO London and back again inside Of
q week.