The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-09
TANK FOR MAX SHIPS.
BUILDING AT NAVY YARD NEARLY
READY FOR EXPERIMENTS.
Future Bnttleships VIII he FlOated
in the Tank of Fresh Water to
Determine the Best Form of Con-
structiOn-Of Immense Benefit.

Within few weeks the navy depart
ment will be able 10 test the speed and
other properties of warships by their mod
els. The construe ton OF the much-taiks d.
about tank at the navy yard is completed.
after about two years OF work. and only
some OF the machinery is wanting to put
the plant in perfect condition. The dyna-
gnometer, for instance. Il contrivance for
pulling the wax models of warships
through the water. was 10 have been de-
livered some time ago. but on account al
the war the company building IL has been
delayed.
The bureau Of construction and repair. Of
which Chief Constructor Hichhorn is the
head, Will undertake the experiments In
the model tank with a great deal Of inter-
est These experiments will not he con
fined entirely 10 the models Of warships
and other war craft the government pro-
poses 70 build. but TO some OF the battle
ships that are already IN commission The
experiments in the tank are not expect q
"a be exact prototypes OF the aciual be
hayior OF the shlns on the ocean. IL IL,
therefore proposed to experiment with
some OF the models of the present Aneri-
can hat;leships that the proportions may
be Agurod ont and proper allowances
made in calculations as to what new bal
tleships can BE- expected 10 do
The model tank has long been urged by
z
s,s construction for several years. when.
about two years ago. Representative Hli-
born. OF California. a member OF the com
rr1ittee on naval affairs took the matter
before the house. After quite struggle
an appropriation for constructing the
model tank was authorized az a part OF
the naval appropriation bill.
To Test Form and Engine Power.
Roth the forms and engine power % fu-
tura ships Of the navy Will be deierus ned
In thu tank By d series Of inexpensive ex-
;,erirnents. This = regarded es the only
way by which the performances and needs
IF a craft can be settled with that prac-
sirai certainty demanded oY modern de-
valopfnent in marine engineering and IA
val architecture. where every BIT o; a
vessels total weight mus: yield rs maxi
mum benefit-
The Indicated horsepower. 81 which one
hears much iu modern warshlua. Il the
sum Of force developed per ton OF mater
iai and as we pay for that directly. 40.
naturally. should II first appeal 20 tne
public But quite one-haf Of that energy
= normally lost 81 overcoming internal
r~i~slonx moving tl3e- dead weight Of
parts. ard In making up for the lost
motion or slip OF me screws. The effective
s-n~sa r,ower-0f which or. doesn't hear
usua!iy-is mat other half ussfuiy con
v.rts4y into push against the water. the
object FOR which the engines sre dss.xE-
81 and the sir3 Of resistance offered ~
the vessels passage and the direct CO.
relatives Of SPEED and the FIRST del NINA
.ior - thss REGARDING force is. inverse.y.
he e~tahighnl ent Of needauI engine
power tbs gives some idea az the I'M
ryo~tans calculations 20 be made regard
ing power alone. for q big warsAip. There
ara other problems JUST Intricate re-
garGing lhe form OF the snip.
Dimensions Of the New Tank.
TIE new tank az The navy yard. from