The times., 1897-04-11
THE FASTEST VESSEL AFLOAT.
A Torpedo Boat Destroyer to Beat
the Admiral Porter.

"A lOE DtuO bO1it destroyer 10 Bear
the Admiral Porter.
London, April 1.-The English govern
ment is engaged in building what will be
when complete the fastest boat in the
world. Its object in constructing this craft
is to possess "a vessel that win be superior
to the Admiral Porter, owned BY the United
States, and until short time ago known as
torpedo boat No. o. This marvellous craft
that Britainis building will he able To steam
thirty-tfTee knots an hour, a tIifleI less than
thirty-eight miles.
The Express, for that is the name Of the
record breaker ,isnOw W in processof cOnstrIc-
tion at the shipyards OF Laird Brothers, at
Birkenhead Her engines Will be capable OF
attaining 10000 indicated horse 20 wer.
The tremendous power of this tiny boat, Tor
she is only Of $50 tons burden, can best be
appreciated by considering the fact tFatfh he
will be able to develop fully as great an
engine power as the RenOwn, a batGleship
now building for England whicn will have
a displacement OF 1850 tons. The Express
will have as an armament one 12-pounder
uuick-firing gun, five 6 and 3-pounder
qUick-firing guns and two Whitehead tor
pedOes
Wnne it is not known with certainty how
the machinery will be arranged, or the
exact dimensions thereof IL is understood
they win be as follows. Each set OF en-
gines will have four cylinders, the clam
eters OF which viii be: High pressure,
1S 3-4 inches; intermediate. 32 1-2 inches;
two low pressure OF 33 1-2 inches Each
engine is OF the three-stage compound
type, the stroke for all cylinders reiDg
IS inches Tho % mint
about the engine lies in the arrangement
of the valves. The high and intermediate
pressure cranks are similarly located, al
though at right angles 10 the high and in
termediate cranks
The arrangement described renders the
design of valves adopted possible. All
the valves are combined ia pairs, one
above another in one chamber, each pair
having common valve rod. The result
of this is reduction of the number Of
moving parts, and renders possible that
very desirable arrangement OF placing the
engine in less fore and aft space. The air
pump is worked direct from the main crank
snaft. This latter is prolonged through
a small crank shaft, a coupling joining
the two The diameter Of the pump is
10 inches, and it's length OF stroke
4
as to render breakage necessarily rare,
for both piston and top cylinder covers
are made of forged steel.
cylindrical copper condenser, each with
929 5-9 inch tubes, is attached 10 every
main engine. The total cooling surface is
3,O4O square feet, and the total heating
surface $500 square feet. The crate sur
face is 17S square feet. In front OF the
s.-rs.~ IL
OF which close automatically whenever
q bursting tube or other accident causes
| an escape of steam and a resulting pressure
on the boiler side OF the bulkhead. The con-
structiOn Of the boat with regard to safety,
if the plans are carried out, will be as re-
markable as her capacity for speed. She
will have all the compartments her size
will permit, and although the ordinary tor
pedO boat ca be smashed like an eggshe1,
this destroyer will be armed with ram
that could pierce the sides If battleShip-
As far as danger 20 herself is concerned,
if a batJleship, or any other aTEOred craft,
should strike her a fair blow, she would be
more likely 10 turn turtle than 20 sink.
Her steering apparatus is OF such nature
that il will act much more quickly than
that Of the ordinary craft. Ir she an
swers her helm perfectly, IL Will be possi-
bic to turn the boat almost as quickly and
easily as one wonld rein a horse 10 either
side of the road, or turn about
The accommodations for officers ard
crew will be superior to those in any
torpedo boat destroyer aflOat. The prob
lem of air 60 the people who live between
decks has always been very unsatisfactory
in pOintof solution. No matter how perfect
the apparatus for giving them plenty Of
oxygen. there has always been sad lack
of the elements that go to make up the
purity of atmosphere. The Express, how
ever. will have vents for the foul air and
modes of ingreSs Tor fresh air, that Will
result in supplying all hands with full
measure OF that which the lungs need so
much Besides this, the ventilating syS-
tenn is great Improvement over that OF
all other craft Of similar class. IL is
further apparent, too. that while on most
vessels OF this sort the crew is compelled
TO remain below when the sea is at all
heavy, on the Express the decks will be
of use in very rough weather
The Express willcarry no sail, what mast
and rigging she has being intended for
signal purposes The executive officer.
or the captain, as the case may be, stands on
the little square bridge just absft the
winch and cons the ship from that point.
From the coming tower and turret COM
bined. on which the bridge rests, projects
the 12-pound rapid-fire gun. Most OF
the guns, however, are between decks and
the firing is done through portfolios A
shot from the 12-pOunder, however, would
send the majority of torpedo boats with
all on hoard to Davy Jones locker, for
when torpedo boat sinks, there is, as 8
rule. small hope for those who man her
That she Will make the speed intended,
Laird Brothers are willing to post heavy
forfeit While the British government off
cials pooh pooh theidea other bein builtfor
the purpose ofexcelling z the Admiral POTter.
am enabled to state upon the very highest
authority. that that is exactly the truth in
the case England has no expectation OF
going 20 war with Uncle sam. but she
does not propose to have any war vessel
in existence which she cannot boast that
she can beat.
\ Serious situation.
1t was the first poem the young lady