The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-24

structon and are using nickel steel Tor armor,
crank propeller shafts, connecting rods and
other forgings.
The remarkable success OF the Turban a
may lead to new departure in marine pro-
pulsion. The little boat of AZ tons displace-
ment and 100 feet in length maze speed
over the measured mile, April 10, OF 32A
Knots. the highest ever made by any vessel
The machinery at 1000 revolutions gave "
horsepower per ton weight and there were no
vibrations whatever.
An accident to the Star occurred at the
Portsmouth dockyard April %. very similar
70 mat which befell the American torpedo
boat Ericsson about two years ago. The Star
was going out on her second trial, ana enorts
were made to keep the coal consumption
within the limits of the contract. shortly
after getting under way the starboard low
pressure cylinder-head burst, and although
steam was promptly shut off, five men were
badly scalded about the head and arms. but
none are expected to die from the injuries.
One of the advantages of the water-tube
boilers fitte in the Powerful and Terrible is
the great reduction in weight as compared
with the Scotch boilers placed in the latest
three battIe-ships. The water tube boilers
weighed 1862 tons and developed $4,000
horsepower giving 2l.51 horsepower per ton
OF boilers with water. In the battle-ships
the boilers weighed 1851 tons and gave TO-
ooO horsepower under natural draught
which was at the rate of 1876 horsepower per
ton OF boilers. The water-tube boilers thus
showed an advantage of So per cent over the
Scotch type.
The Andromeda, wood sheathed and coppered
cruiser OF 1900 tons displacement. was
launched April 81 at Pembro She was be-
gun December g. 1895, and was thus only sew
enteen months on the stocks. 1t is claimed
Tor her that she will cost per cent less than
her sister ship, the Spartiate, owing largely to
the economical and time-saving methods in
troduced by the constructor in charge. 1t has
hitherto been the practice to make wooden
mods OF every frame, but this system has in
this Case been abandoned. and the ironwork-
ers take the shape of the frame by bending
bar of iron along the lines in the body plan as
LAID down on the service board.
Blunders in the British admiralty axe kept
pretty quiet and are rarely discussed in the
press to the same extent as in this country
when something goes amiss with ship. The
fitting out of the Thames, a second-ciass pro-
tected cruiser of 1850 tons. for service in the
coming maneuyers, coupled with the fact that
it is the first service of that ship since she
built twelve years ago, recalls an incid ent OF
gross blunder. The Forth, Mersey, Severn
and Thames were built during the years
1859 and were originally intended to have
displacement of $3.50 tons on q mean
draught Of II feet inches. Their average
time OF construction extended over period
OF six years and when finally completed thu cir
displacems ant was 1850 tons or 800 tons more
Than intended, although the normal coal sup
ply had been reduced from $50 to 720 ton
aad their draught was increased about 20
inches. Their actual speed never exceeded II
knots. The United States ships San Francisco
and Newark were built somewhat on the gen.
eral plans of these British ships, but gave far
better results IN that they did not exceed
their intended draught and their speeds ex-
ceeded by two knots their types in the British
navy,