The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-13

decked over. except for q small cockpit IN the
middle for the steersman. and has water-tight
compartments at both ends. The little Draft
IL stanchly enough made to stand heavy
weather at sea. She is the invention of n. +.
L. Linden. secretary OF the geological station at
Naples. Italy. where the experiments have been
made. Tho motor contrivanoe consists In q
series OF powerful resilient floats with free
ends. attached to the boat ut bow and stern.
Each float 10 OF four hardened steel plates 1850
inches In length. 9.75 inches in breadth and
.068 inch in thickness at the attached ends.
thinning out to .00e8 inch at the free ends.
Canvas IL spread between the plates. giving an
area on the upper surface Of each float OF about
has Increased the resiiiency Of the floats By
q such at depth that they shall at all times be
The p~riDciple upon which the boat proceeds
is, that of the swimming motion OF fishes.
tunity Of observing In his duties at the Zo5ioe-
ical Gardens. He made up, his mind that the
led might be- Initiated m]ecSanioHI with good
iized In the discovery Of the following facts,
IF powerful resilient floats be attached hori-
~zontally. o%bliquely or vertically under the water
such a manner that the free ends. OF the floats
lmSde OF sheet steel or OF other elastic mate-
faati Or IKE X s fSe w ssbsbesph fe eeS Of sau ~ g H biedsj
are directed rearwardly, then the boat will
move constantly and spontaneously onward
the water on the elastic floats. the operation Of
the latter corresponding essentially to the 40
The resistance. encountered In the water by
the floats. due either TO the motion produced
BY the pitching and rolling Of thu, boat or to the
masses of water falling on the upper ~su-faces
OF the floats. causes these elastic Heats TO bend
soon as the waves have momentarily subsided
the floats spring back to their initial position.
II Is wa ss1de arsi me t the a S15teips sS Of tss % os tSs
tbs tss,,SoSS Y well as ssr the exer ton. Of i,s force 70 during
floats aud which drives the boat in the direc-
ton Of this impulse. Thus. by means OF a con-
ward sprInsInE. the boat Is nut aati In notion otto and.
as already remarked. i1 a direction from the
'fs Srh he ' Eject sss' 81 fH the q tl ont hG Is the more pro-
nounced as the motion Of the waves is stronger
and more frequent gu n. 39wing to the resistance nee
P Ts5 { ! and rolling of the boat are materially
After experimenting with the floats in yari-
GUS positions and on various parts OF the boat,
the. inventor found that horizontal floats. at
i iaSh IS s 70 shs en asS S' the the beat beat y Tssfs t aed P Wshe
sim plest TO handle. By this means he sue
eeeded IL achieving a speed OF az miles an
bay q Naples. the boat towing a :1h-inch plank
independent Of the direction OF the wind. being
governed totally by the direction given to the
the floats are pointed forward the boat Is
driven to the rear. and vice versa. To get the
greatest measure of success the floats must
arch themselves In. approximately the same
curves as. the eaudal fins Of dolphins and other
fishes, Mr.. Linden says that his experiments
increased with the length OF the boat without
increase of the area OF the propelllng floats.
He hopes to experiment with large vessels
under various conditions Of wave activitd.