Omaha daily bee., 1897-07-04
KNArr,s mo ROLLER.
The DondcSt of Modern Experiments =
In Ncnmm NmNIgnIinn.

! The BoldcSt of Modern Experiments
In Ocean Navigation.
In the Polson's shpyard at the foot OF
Frederick street Toronto there is being con-
structed the most singular looking vessel on
which landsman or waterman ever cast eyes
or entrusted his life to. If 1t fulfls half of
what is expected of 1t by its inventor re-
lates the Buffalo Express, 1t will revolution
| ize the existing conditions OF ocean travel
aSd render trip across the Atlantic a
more expeditions AFFAIR than a railway
journey from Toronto to Winnipeg.
As viewed on the stocks, the machine or
vessel presents the appearance of huge
boiler or cylinder 10 feet long and twenty
two feet in diameter. Inside this and at
tached to II by strong braces is second
cylinder twelve feet in diameter Inside this
| again is third cylinder resting on ball
bearings The principle of the vessel is this
II the whole affair were supported on a
shaft fastened to the inside of the third
cylinder and power was applied to the two
outer castings, they would revolve on the
ball bearings surrounding the inside cyin-
der Now suppose the shaft withdrawn, the
| third cylinder prolonged and supported on
frames at the end, and power applied not
| to the outside of the outside cylinder, but
70 the inside of the outside cylinder it
would revolve around the third cylinder on
| the ball bearings in the same manner as a
| bicycle wheel on the ball bearings around
| the axle.
That is what is intended to happen in this
| case. The power applied to the inside of the
outer cylinders (Which are virtually one, be-
ing Joined together), is supplied by engines
and boilers in the third cylinder. These
engines are of the ordinary high speed triple
expansion type. driving huge tOothed wheels.
| The teeth in the wheels fl into cogS fas-
tened on the inside of the outer cylinder
ana when the wheels revolve they drive the
cylinder around by means of the cogs These
engines and their boilers are placed as near
thn hp.t nF hA Inc do pN.Ift,
BILE. as their great weight will be the chief
means by which the inside cylinder will be
prevented from revolving.
Attached to the outside of the whole con-
struction are sixteen plates. twenty feet
| long which will act as paddles when the
cylinder revolves and propel it over the
water.
1t ia intended to provide passenger accom-
modation by a deck inside the inner cylin-
! der. above the engines. The ends OF this
! cylinder will be left open the deck being
| eleven feet above the surface of the water.
| The engines will be at least l50-horse power
| and it is claimed that they will drive the
machine over the water at an enormous
! spesd-at over forty miles an hour
| The vessel being constr truCted will not have
| much space for passenger accommodation or
| freight, and most OF the space in the inside
| cylinders will be used for the development
| OF power. The steeriog gear will consist
of plates on the lceboard principle placed at
a
| teral used for constructing the cylinders is
| quarter-inch iron plates stoutly ribbed with
| angle irons
This peculiar vessel is the invention of F.
| A. Knapp of Prescott, Ont He conceived
| the idea about three years ago and work ed
| on the principle that if il was quite easy to
| turn log when it was deeply immersed in
| the water 1t would naturally take but little
! power to keep tubular construction moving
| when it was once set in motion. particularly
! when, by reason of the air-tight compart-
| ment, it would be practically resting on the
| water. He held that il such a construction
| was once started it would acquire tremendous
speed. He finally had a little model made
! and submitted it to a number of gentlemen
| interested in the problem of rapid ocean
| travel. They secuted the idea and
it was not until Mr.. Knapp
met the naval architect in Toronto
who is now experimenting the con-
struction of the machine that he fount
anyone who put any faith in the success
OF the scheme, and when the architect saw
| Mr.. Knapp's little Cockwork model travel.
| ing over Toronto bay faster than they could
| follow comfortably in row boat he voweI
| there was something in it, and mentioned
| Scotland as the proper place to take the
| idea. To Scotland Mr.. Knapp went with hir
! creation but the cautious men of that coun
| try, though interested were not convinced
and no one would take up the scheme
| Mr.. Knapp returned to Canada and fOunG
| in George Goodwin of Ottawa capitalist
| with sufficient enterprise to back him, ant
| when Mr. Goodwin, who is the Coulangt
canal builder, saw the model he became
enthusiastic. He agreed to furnish the
capital of SO 900 required
| A few days now will see the cylinder
! launched. 1t is calculated that another six
weeks will be required to put the machinery
in place, so that by August l the trial trir
will be undertaken.
| Upon the success of that trial trip much
will depend. The tube being constructed in
| Toronto Is merely an experiment to prove or
| disprOve the feasibility Of Mr. Kna p's irven-
tion. The present vessel is of no commercial
| value beyond that, and the real scheme has
not been touched. The idea Is to construct a
| cylinder 700 feet long $50 in diameter,
| capable of rolling over the Atlantic in forty
| eight hours, so that passenger may break
fast in America one day and dine in London
! the night Of the following day. The data
for such a construction are to be obtained
| from the present thing. If 1t proves sue
| cess, the larger vessels will be constructed,
but solely for passenger trade, as time would
| be too valuable to load or unload freight.