The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-21
THE MODERN WAR VESSEL
OAief Engineer Melville Reviews
II. Work and Efficiency.
SOME ESSENTIAL POINTS
~ Chisf Makse Many Recommendations
- to What II Required to Bring the
Hghsing Machine q Near Per-
lection as Possible.

washington. Oct eo.-The war which
hss Just ended was the first In which
modern steam vessels have had a thor
ough trial. 81 says Chief Engineer
Melville in his annual report. He pro-
ceeds to note the important lessons. so
far As they respect the machinery of
h vessel. which have been taught by
h war. as follows:
The vital necessity of giving the ma
chinery Of vessels In reserve frequent
tests under working conditions, so that
any defects may be discovered and
remedied before war makes the vessels
service absolutely necessary. The
great importance of having all our ma
val stations in positions OF strategic
value. properly fitted out for repairs
and with adequate supplies OF non-per-
ishable stores.
That fresh water for the boilers is al
most a. Important as coal. n that a
distilling ship Is an important adjunct
at a base where fresh water can not
be readily obtained.
That every feet needs a repair ship
to enable the efficiency to be main
tanned.
The great tactical advantage of wa
ter tube boilers.
That II more thar two main engines
are TO be ftted. there should be three
engines driving three screws and not
" main engines on each shaft.
That there should be frequent trials
under forced draught to keep the blow
ers In good condition, and to make the
men thoroughly familiar with the
working under maximum conditions.
That the personnel of the service
should be adequate to the material. Ii
has been notorious for some time that
49, - -.Awr1
ed for q decided increase In the number
Of vessels with no Increase whatever In
the personnel. We must make provis-
4on for training the enlisted men of the
engineer department.
That our fighting ships must have the
highest practical speed.
The chief says the most obvious ef-
fort Of the emergency demand was TO
demonstrate In a vigorous manner the
facilities and deficiencies of the various
navy yards n particularly to justify
the policy which had been previously
advocated by his bureau of placing the
more southern yards and stations In a
state Of modern efficiency. The expert
ence at Key West in meeting the first
great rush created by the demand for
repair work on the ships. was proof OF
the vast increase In the cost of repair
work. occasioned by insufficient build
ings and plant.
With ~pardonable pride the report
dwells upon the tremendous amoun of
work accomplished by the bureau In
preparing the feet for war. involving
the placing of new boilers In. the old
monitors. the fitting put OF ships In or
binary form n the equipment of the
auxiliary navy. nearly 10 vessels being
added TO the regular force.
The engineer-in-chief says that there
was a remarkable absence of casualty
in the machinery department OF the
vessels Of the ighting squadron during
the war. But torpedo boats could
not show the same excellent record.
The report says: 1T II a sad state of
affairs that nearly every one has some
accidents and the machinery OF some at
the close of the war was in a condition
that can be described as horrible. where
boilers were burnt. cylinder covers
broken. pistons and valves stuck and
everything In bad shape. This condi-
fion OF affairs seemed attributable to
two causes: The absence of ain
engineering supervision and the and
ling of boats for duty for which they
were not intended.
The engineer-in-chie includes In his
report a very strong recommendation
looking TO the early advance of the per-
sonnet bill. now pending in congress.
which he supports by a train of the
most cogent reasoning.