Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-03


electrical wonder has no name as yet
but she has fourteen prOpeAeia. MI
George a. Jencks, manager OF the ram
ton Electrical Steamship company, Oh
No. ls5 Orange street. Providence. u. J."
tells the writer that from private tfla's
there is no doubt whatever of q 4D-knol
speed being attained.
The ideas that have been put into prac-
ffcal execution in this marine Mohuer
have been kept so carefully conceaiet
that few persons have had the ieiAo'eat
notion that any such revolution ln ma
rine cnginCering was even contemplated.
eyer since electricity has shown itself
10 be the capital power Of propulsion Tor
vessels OF light proportions. there mas
been endless theory as TO the posslpi-i-
ties Of the power I'm the future.
Now. however we are to have practice,
and not theory, I'm the form or a SIND
that Will speed across the ocean ana
away past Fastnet light and the Lizard
IN less than three days. Think OF am
ocean voyage that IS much shorter ana
far more comfortable. though The journey
be from New York 10 Southampton. imam
can be said of trip across our own
United STATES,
The company which IS TO make the
test near Providence this month IS inc
coropratcd under the laws of Pennsyi-
Vania. It's president is Richard ~ fain-
ton. and the other officers are: Vice
President. John W. Bailey; Secretary
Henry A. Solomon and, Treasurer Hl-
ram Woimer
Hy the use of the Painton system or
electric motors it viii be possible TO OBJ
tain double the speed reached 10y steam
and at about one half the cost; ana, with
a plant that viii occupy not more tnan
one half the space now required Ior the
ponderOus marine engines ana accom-
panyiDc machinery. Ocean "grcyhound5
eouiped with the Painton motors viii
easily cover 40 knots an hour-raiiroad
sneed Varships viii reach the speed
Of s. knots an hour; whereas, the highest
limit yet accomplished ON o trial mlie
with steam is $3.50 knots, with the fastest
cruiser built
ECONOMY OF ROOM
One great source OF complaint win lho
Navy Department has been the ln5liH-
cheney OF room IN war vessels Tor the tc-
commodation Of men, armament coal
and provisions. The machinery necessary
~ nronel these great ocean fortresses oc-
cupies such a large amount Of space that
there is practically no room for nythlhs
else. The terrific heat from the furnaces
and steam pipes. the maddening Missing Oh
the steam. and the inccssant vibration
and shocks resulting from the Wrenchlhs
of the heavy shafts and the strainlns Oh
The mechanism makes life almost uileH-
durable and converts The Fe'-eia ii'o
Neritable bells. They axe torture prisons
from which there is no escape.
The Painton system of motors VIII have
rreatly enlarged power over steam anu
as before stated, the electrical plant WlH
occupy half the space Of the steam pNah'''
Instead Of the enormous S-tOn shaLls 'N-
tending from the middle OF the snip 10
the stern. the electrical plant viii nave
from fourteen 10 sixteen screw propellels
ranging along the sides OF the vessel. as
well as two Of ingenious construction at
the stern. These prOpellers are operated
from a switchboard. They can be Ope-
rated slngly or altogether. at the Will or
lie man at tho keys. Each propeller Us
machine by Itself, and the disabling OF
one or more has no effect Whatever C."
the others when tho entire complement
OF propellers IS I'm action, there Is no more
noise than would come from the acton
OF a fly-wheel. There is no jar caused by
fhe horizontal motion; no excessive neat
from steam piping; the long shafts are
done away with, and the terrific strainne
coming upon the engines and shafts Wheh
sn,hmereed. and then the next moment
rsunlng with fun speed, racing speed,
on account OF the pitching OF the vessel
IS avoided. The total horsepower is dis
fributCd throughout the chliie system Oh
propellers so that II would be absolutely
impossible 10 have more than one quarter
OF the whole power or proptlefs tracing
at one time.
The engines that generate the power
are not mechanically connected with the
propellers, as IS now the case In steam
vessels, but the power is transmitted by
electric wires direct TO motors built on
propeller shafts. The machinery Is SIM
pliclty itself. No betting or coupling SIS
required. The propelers all work direct
and. as before noted. they can be ope-
rated singly or together. If one breaks
down. or two or three or any number
those that are left can do the work II
would not be possible for all TO be dis
abied. as Is now so often the case with
vessels equipped by steam, leaving them
foundering for days at the mercy Of the
elements.
From I36 70 $50 revolutions OF the screw
per minute IS about the limit OF steam
power. There Is practically no limit 10
the speed OF a screw operated by cleo
fricity Eighteen hundred revolutions per
minute and higher have been reached by
the Painton motors. In practice, go 70
500 revolutions per minute can DO safely
depended upon.
MATTER OF EXPENSE
In large cruiser OF ray 20.0Q-horse