Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-02
the most UNIQUE craft ever launched

Of the most unique craft ever launched
upon the water.
What he proposes to do is nothing more
nor less than send a huge craft across
the Atlantic on wheels. This may seem
a somewhat startling and incredible
statement; but such. nevertheless, is the
novel plan of the Yankee inventor.
The hull, or the body, of this seeming
" strange marine device, is shown in
the accompanying illustration. 1t is de-
signed not TO touch the surface Of the
water at all, but will rest on huge cylin-
ders. These cylinders are hollow and air
tight and their combined buoyancy IS
expected to sustain the immense hull.
Since the old, side-wheel steamer Sa-
yannah-the first vessel to cross the At
lantic propelled by steam-made her
maiden passage, early in the present
century the minds of thousands of per-
sons have been persistently at work IN
the effort to construct some sort or YES
sci that would make better speed than
her predecessor.
BY slow degrees the time OF passage
across the big pond has been lessened.
Twelve years ago, when the Inflated
Oregon, now the home of deniZens of the
deep, made her record Of days ana .
hours. the old "shell-backs" shook their
sea-blown locks, and declared that
pharmacies" would foul her hull before
q speedier craft was built.
With all the faculties for ship-build-
ing. and with all the ingenuity Of men
of all nations spending their skill ana
thought on the problem, in twelve years
that time has been reduced but one snort
day-twenty-four hours. Now we nave
the crack Cunarders. speeding back ana
forth in five and one quarter days.
CUT 1T IN HALF.
But an inventive mind has come to
the front. and Mr.. Thompson boldly an
nounces that he will cut that time IN
half by a single stroke OF inventive
power.
cidedly new departure in marine archi-
lecture. two different styles of craft were
suggested to the designers mind, both,
however. on the original principle Of air
support.
The first model is as already describ-
cd. and designed TO lessen the draft OF
the marine novelty. In the case OF this
structure the cylinders will not extend
more than eighteen feet below the water
level. thus giving the new class OF ocean
travellers a great advantage over the
present big steamships when entering
shallow harbors or crossing sand-bars
which prevent lEcli tHAiAhNt ~ AA-ssiAs
ports at the present time
The model shows system OF smaller
cylinders revolving on an endless chain
while the craft is sunk deeper into the
sea than her companion.
The hull Of the craft of light draft Is
similar in appearance to the ordinary
ocean steamship. as constructed al
present, with portion OF the bottom
sliced off a short distance above the
keel. The bilge. however, will be very
slight. her sides being almost perpendicu-
lar The bow IS sharp, and the stern
Is blunt.
The length over all viii be about e5l
feet-a trine longer than the bucania
the swiftest passenger steamship now
afioat-~and in beam she VIII measure ~
feet AT cursory glance the sea-shari
would say that was against speed; bu'
his argument Is easily answered whef
the fact is considered that the resistance
IA from the air alone, none coming from
the water. which Is not touched by the
hull.
The distance from the floor OF the
lower hold, or bottom. 10 the top OF The
deck-house, VIII be about 40 feet.
There will be plenty OF open space OF
the forward upper deck, as the huge
deck-bouse does not begin for at Least
60 feet aft Of the bow, thence running
sstern almost flush with the taffrail
The deck-room viii be increased by q
spacious gangway at least 10 feet VIDE
surrounding the deck-house.
The immense cylinders which are e
noat and propel this novel craft are
sfrtually mammoth paddls-wheels. They