New-York tribune., 1896-07-29
WEDNESDAY,
JULY 20, 1896.
TO SUPPLANT PROPELLERS
THAT IS WHAT 1T IS ASSERTED THD
sECOR SYSTEM MAY DO.
1T rs PROPOSED TO USE THE EXPLOSION OF
MIXTURE OF AIR AND AToMIZED KEROSENE
AS A MOTIVE PowER-ro BE INvEsrr-
GATED ny NAVAL. COMMITTEE


GATED BY A NAVAL COMMITTEE
There is now In course Of construction at the end
of Forty-fourth-st. yacht which, its owners
think. may revolutionize the present method OF
propulsion certain classes OF vessels On April
q Senator Chandler introduced resolution direct
ing the Secretary OF the Navy to appoint board
OF five line and stan officers to examine and report
upon what is known the Secor direct system OF
propulsion The resolution adopted. but Ben
ator Chandler thought II too late In the session 70
hope for the passage OF the resolution through
Congress- The subject discussed, and the foSe
lowing amendment added to the Naval bill
THAT the Secretary OF the Navy is hereby d.
rected to examine. through board composed OF
line and stan officers. into the merits Of any sys-
tenn presented for the propulsion OF vessels oy
direct action against water without the use OF
screws. In comparison with the steam engine ana
the propeller. and into the relative efciency OF the
two mehods to displacement. waste Qf fuel. la
bility to accidents and speed endurance and also
into the applicability and special advantages Of the
direct system In connection with tofpedo-boats ana
coast-defence vessels"
The amendment finally passed. and at once John
A. Secor the inventor of the system. cast about for
a pace plant. and found one at the end OF
Forty-fourth-st. which is city property. He rented
the site and started TO build yacht. which will b
ready for inspection by the Nava! Board In October
The vessels diner Length all. 70 feet:
water-llne 6s feet beam. II feet; draugtt. loaded,
81, feet. She is built with steel angle iron frames.
lla inches wide he steel plates 3is OF an inch
thick the stem IS straight and paned out att 20
allow the bow plates to fit in flush The forward
deck is round bet the p!lothouse and the trunk
cabin which will De amidships. AT the boat looks
like twin screw. minus the shafts and screws their
places being filed by two 11inch explosion cylinders.
eight feet long The hull will be fitted with four
steel bulkheads. dividing 1t into five compartments
NO SPACE WASTED
The Secor system consists Of the explosion OF gases
formed by mixture of air and atomized kerosene
oil directly against the water beneath the counter
OF the boat. thus doing away with all ntermedi-
ate machinery between the combustion Of the fuel
and the impulse.
Some Of the big ocean steamships said to have
cost s. $4,000 each. alleged 10 have never paid
dividend because to attain their speed undue
proportion OF their hulls must be sacrificed TO boil.
ers. condensers. water tanks coal bunkers and en-
gine space. The result is that shipbuders are nov
turning their attention in the opposite direction ana
sacrificing speed to cargo space These ships carry
1000 I.OOO tons Of dead weight at q coal con.
miles hour loaded In the Secor system all that
IS used is Hottest kerosene oil The merits claimed
for the system are first that the fuel supply Is au-
tomato doing away with passers ana nremem Sc, Sc.
thsl xhe ee IL E asefed that in the comSuson
OF coal ~ per cent is completely wasted another
Simultaneously. while it requires or more hours
r ssa, . into BY by ne sse thrust
the exploding ga~es on the wator with which u
comes In contact.
John A. Secor was seen at the works yesterday
afternoon. He said that the boat would be ready
for the Naval Board IN October. When the MEM
bers have examined the system, he will take the
boat to the Potomac. where the members OF the
House and the Senate can see the system and cx-
anime II thoroughly.
FOREIGN OFFICERS HAVE SEEN THE
SYSTEM
Mr.. Secor said III II Is not adopted then by the
Government. do not propose 10 waste any moro
time but l will take the boat direct 10 England
and see what do there. English naval oficerS
have been here and know what am doing Lieu.
tenant Commander Saito. OF the Japanese Navy.
has been here and examined the system; so has
Baron Steck-Sternberg. OF the German Navy.
All countries looking for improvements except
Some time ago Secretary Herbert directed me to
appear before three engineers. composing the Ex-
perimental Board. They refused discuss the sys-
be composed of line and staff officers and not en-
tirely OF engineers
What speed do you expect to get out Of the
boat?' -
miles This does mean that that VIII be the
limit Of he. speed We will get 100 impulses
p.osions from each tube minute alternately. OF
800 impulses minute
w F. Scantlebury who Is interested in the sys-
tenn said he had visited England some time ago
and had received the strongest encouragement from
capitalists there II IL should be determined TO take
the system 10 that country.
Mr. Secor comes from family OF marine engt.
neers OF whom was associated with Robert
Fulton. and succeeded him In the firm when he
Iron. Works. was associated at one time with John
Roach. The present Mr.. Secor has been at work
on the present system for years and Rear Admiral
Erben reported favorably upon II some time ago.