The true northerner., 1898-11-09
VALUABLE LESSONS.
War Puts to q Thorough Test the
Modern Steam Vessels.
Engineer-in-Chief Melville. IN HIS
Annual Report. Sets Forth the
Points Wherein Changes
Are Needed.

The war which has just ended was
the first In which modern steam ves-
sells have had a thorough trial. So
says Engineer-in-Chief Melville, In his
annual report. and then he proceeds
to note the important lessons, so far
as they respect the machinery OF the
vessels, which have been taught by that
experience. as follows:
/. The vital necessity OF giving the ma
chinery OF vessels In reserve frequent
tests under working conditions.
2. The great Importance OF having all our
naval stations In positions Of strategic val
ue properly fitted out for repairs and with
adequate supplies Of non-perishable stores.
8. That fresh water for the boilers 10 al
most as important as coal, and that dis
tilling ship Is an important adjunct OF q
feet.
l. That every fleet needs a repair ship.
8. The great tactical advantages OF wa
| ter-tube boilers.
6. That II more than two main engines
are to be fitted. there should be three en-
| gines driving three screws. and not two
main engines on each shaft.
z. That there should be frequent trials
| under forced draft TO keep the blowers IN
| good condition, and to make the men thor
| oughly familiar with working under maxi
mum conditions.
g. That the location of the forced draft
blowers Is a matter OF serious Importance.
Q. That the personnel of the service
should be adequate TO the material.
TO- We must make provision for training
| the enlisted men OF the engineer depart
| ment.
IL That our fighting ships must have
| the highest possible speed
With pardonable pride the report
| Iolr- ...,o,, u a. 4 - n, a N n ous amount Of
work accomplished by the bureau In
preparing the fleet for war, involving
the placing of new boilers in the old
monitors, the fitting out of ships in
ordinary for and the equipment OF
the auxiliary navy, nearly ITO ves-
sells added to the regular force. Stress
Is laid upon the Importance OF having
the least accessible station in the
navy, that at Key West, amply stocked
with stores and tools for emergency
work, and with this end the chief en-
gineer submits estimates for a COM
plete equipment of the station.
The record made by the repair ship
Vulcan, it is said, will convince the
most skeptical that this floating ship
was of unestimable value off Santiago,
and there is not a more important fea-
ture to-day than the maintenance of
such a ship we'll stocked with every
large feet. Therefore, an appropria-
tion is asked for the procurement OF
another such ship, and also for the
equipment of another distilling ship
such as the Iris.
Great stress is laid upon the impor-
tance of water tube boilers, and 1t Is
said that it would now be hard TO find
any design for the machinery of new
vessels which do not include water
tube boilers, owing to the demand for
small weight and high speed. 1t is
said that the bureau had prepared
plans for such boilers for the battle
ships last contracted for, but was pre-.
vented from installing them because
of the departments decision that the
ships should be identically Of the Ala,
bama class. The individual plans
however, which were finally accepted
will result in the use of the water-tube
boilers for these ships.