Evening star., 1897-04-03
PENETRATING TO THE POLE.
Great Ice-Destroying Steamship De-
signed to Cut Its Way to the Pole.

SlEutu 10 ny " sisS 49,
From the Pail Mall Gazette
Those who will attempt TO penetrate to
th. north pole on the ice destroyer" such
as Is described by Science Siftings. will
net have 20 complain of a lack of ex-
citement 4 the destroyer cnee set
ties down 10 business. Mr.. Waring-
ton Baden-Powen. says Siftngs, pins
his faith to a great ice-destroying steam
shit.-a kind Of ocean plow. 1t is TO be $50
feet long The deck is TO be covered with
steel platas, held in place by very heavy
rfVets At the bow will be mounted Gu
riOJls-looking screw, not unlike series of
circular saws. This is the Ice destroyer, by
means OF which the snip will cut It's way
through the walls OF northern ice that bar
It's progress.
.As the ship lies still. this screw saw is
intended 10 project for several feet above
the water level. The shaft of the screw
VIII be A massive bar OF steel. pointed at
one end. that it may be operated as a
ram. II IS the idea Of the inventor to send
the craft into an ice pack or foe under full
head OF steam, with the propeller at the
stern aad the screw at the bow. both work
ing together.
This rapidly revolving screw and ram
combined will crash into the ice. fmpelied
by d power that Is tremendous. Then IL
Will saw and bore and rip its way through
the pack or foe. throwing the ice upward
anu JdfhN4fU IN uuSt D4OChS C3lc Iii4S
expect that the fying Ice and snow would
njdrs burden the vessel; but 10 avoid
such disaster a shield has been con-
structed which will answer the dual pur-
pose OF lessening the heavy shocks of the
waves and the bombardment Of great
chunks of flying ice. The shield Is curved
anatr. running from a point forward from
the deckhOuse, backward at angle of
A. degrees 1t will be made of heavy
bOl-er-irOn sheet rtyeted together.
Just behind the deckhouse is Inc funnel
From this point the craft. as designed
gradually narrows to the stern, which ends
II a rounded point. The hull is TO be built
o. steel. and. 70 give it additional strength.
bound at intervals with heavy steel bands
r!veted 10 the plates The idea of having
the stern slope more sharply to point
than does the bow Is In order that in lis
passage through the water. as the waves
are parted by the bow. the water in press
ing against the retreating sides of the
craft Will find least resistance toward the
Stern. and so In a measure force the boat
onward. Another reason for the peculiar
construction of the bow IS that In the for
ward part OF the ship is to be fixed the
powerful engine which drives the ice-de-
stroying screw-shaped saw at the Prov.
W hile only intended for moderate speed
th!s craft Is especially designed for batter
ing and raTnulng ice Its propelling en-
gines VIII be OF the compound triple ex-
pansiOn type. The boilers will be heated
hy petroleum The petroleum will be car.
rtef IN tank, heavily protected by steel
n that portion of the craft in which coal
brnkers are ordinarily located. The tank
room is 20 be very large, considering the
size OF the boat, and sufficient for an ex
eeedingiy long voyage. Owing to the fact
that only moderate rate OF speed will bt
maintained. the supply of fuel will prov.
much more ample than it would other
wise.
Below and all around the forward engin,
room are steel tanks. In which the petro
leun is stored. In the after section of tn,
hui. about third of the way from tn.
stem, 10 placed the engine which runs tn,
propeller. The boiler room Is just in front
Store rooms. in which can be carried pro
visions for three years and half, and Pc