Omaha daily bee., 1897-07-04
FAST BUT NOT SAFE
Turbinia Flyer in Water with Serious
Handicap.
ITS ENGINES WILL NOT REVERSE QUICKLY
Goes Ahead All Right but Does Not Back
Up at All.
ROTARY ENGINE NOT VT MAD PERFECT
Long Step in Advance Taken by the
Present Type.
DEFECTS POINTED OUT BY MASTERS
shipbuiIdcrs Tell Wherein the New
Method of AppIying steam
Power Falls short of what
is Required.

Copyright 1897, by Press Publishing Compnny)
LONDON, July 3.-(Ncw York World
Cablegram-Special Telegram.)-The record
breaking l00-foot torpedo boat Turbinia, has
intensely interested the public here gener-
ally, and experts in marine engineering In
particular. 1t is admitted that II the prin-
ciple of the steam turbine, invented by
Charles Parsons, and fitted in the Turbina
can be extended to large ships, it will mark
the greatest revolution in mechanics since
the invention of the steam engine Itself
have obtained two opinions of approved
weight respecting the achievements of the
Turbinia and the prospects of this wonder
full invention.
Mr.. Wolf. ~ p, for Belfast, head of the
famous firm of Harland & Wolff of Belfast
and himself the designer of the White Star
liners said in the House OF Commons lobby
yesterday: IL saw the Turbinia at Spit
head going nearly eight miles an hour
faster than any vessel had ever gone before
and even then she was not being pushed
to her full speed She passed quite close
to the Teutonic, on which l was She
dashed along with marvellous speed and
smoothness. ! must say, however, that
felt more secure on the Teutonic than Il
know they have not yet surmounted the
difficulty of reversing her engine. She can
20 ahead forty miles an hour, but can only
reverse at less than four.
IF Parsons can make a similar turbine
engine practicable for big craft, with the
proper reversing power. he will open new
era in the history of steam motors. But,
although he has carried the economizing of
,,,,o ,.hI tho oil
still. from my observation, the waste of both
steam and fuel under his system, if applied
, n a large Gale, would be almost fatal. That
there is a big future before his turbine en-
gine for launches and other small craft
do not doubt, provided he can get over the
reversing difficulty"
POINTS OUT ITS FAULTS.
William Allan, NJ. p, for Gates Head, one
of the great captains of ship building and
engine industry on the Tyne; where at his
Atlas works he constructs steamers and iron
clads, said: Il consider that Mr. Parsons.
whose electrical works on the Tyne are well
known to me. has made an immense stride
toward realizing that ideal of scientific me-
chanics. a perfect rotary engine. lie has,
to my knowledge, overcome appalling DIS
coura gements and, seeing what he has al
ready done, there Is no reason why ne should
not attain complete success.
The speed of the Turbinia is undoubted
She is easily the fastest craft ever launched.
Vibration is reduced TO the vanishing point.
Her turbine engine is said to develop the
same horse power as a torpedo boat en-
CINE of seven or eight times its weight. Her
machinery is simple to a degree. In all
respects she is unique. But when you ask
me what likelihood there is that the Par
sons turbine can be utilized for large veg
sells, my answer is that three things must
bo overcome before that is possible. Sne
cannot reverse worth speaking of; If she can
not do that without putting In a separate
reversing engine. then the weight and me
chanicai complications become very serious.
The consumption OF fuel is also a serious
defect 40 is the waste of steam.
1T has been the experience of every in
ventor that a model may work perfectly,
but when you come to apply the principle
of the model on a large scale you encounter
insuperable difficulties. | do not say that
is the case with the Parson turbine engine,
but we have not yet seen 1t on big ship,
and without adequate reversing gear 1t
cannot safely be applied to a big ship. |
agree with Mr.. Wolff, who is as good an
authority as you could have, that the Tur-
blnia, as she floats, is a marvel and marks
an immense advance in the attempt to sup
plant the present reciprocating engine"