The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-30
No MORE COLLISIONS
At Sea, Thanks to a Hungar-
ian Engineer.
PARACHUTE UNDER WATER
Stops a Steamship in Thirty
Seconds by the Watch.

A Hungarian engineer has invented a
brake for steamships which seems likely
TO do for navigation what the automatic
Westinghouse brake did for the railroads
OF this country. The brake has been
tried and has been found to be efficient.
The steamship Clotilde, a boat Of 1910
tons, owned by the Austrian Lloyd Steam
Navigation company, was equipped with
the brake. The ship was driven ahead IN
til a registered speed Of ten knots was
obtained. AT a given signal the brake
was applied. The engines were still run
at full speed ahead. Thirty seconds from
the time the whistle signal sounded the
Clotilde was at an absolute standstIll.
Smoke poured from her tunnels and the
sea was churned into foam by the screw,
but the ship remained as still as if in
dry dock. Measurement showed that from
the time the brake was let fall the vessel
had Travelled only twenty feet. To e-tab-
lsh a comparison, the brake was If ed
and the ship was again driven ali, 6 q.
When the whistle was sounded the en-
gines were reversed and everything posi-
bic, save the lowering of the brake, was
done to check the ships way. W1el the
had Travelled was measured. II was found
that the distance covered was 800 yards.
And the brake had stopped the boat in
twenty feet.
The idea Of the thing IS simplicity itself
The brake, which is the invention. Of a
noted Hungarian engineer named Svetko-
vcih, consists Of large cured plates of
steel attached to the stern Of the steamer.
The shape can We varied, but it is prefer
ably that of a parachute. 1t can be lower
ed at will, and instantane0Tsly, into the
water
The screw Of steamship, It should be
explained, when working ahead, causes a
stream Of water of terrific force 20 flow
back in the direction from which the ship
has come. BY lowering the plate Of steel
into this stream the power is obtained
necessary to check the ships way and
bring it to a standstiU independent Of the
engines Since the stream caused by the
screw is Of greater force when the ship
is steaming fast the brake would work
equally well whether the speed were
twenty knots or ten knots.
Many inventions for quickly stopping a
ship have been recorded, but this seems
to be the first one that, under actual trial
conditions. has demonstrated its merits.
This is the opinion Of H. Albert Johnson,
United States consul at Venice who wit
messed the tests.
The modern steamship IS equipped with
every modern device for safety except a
brake which will stop it. Elaborate con-
trivances are used which are as a. gigantic
pair of ears to ship. 1t is known that
it is very difficult to accurately locate
sounds in a fog, but the invention used
on ship board does it with absolute accu-
racy. The one thing needed is a brake
that will hold the ship, and, because of
this need, wide interest has been caused
in shipping circles by the brief announce
ment of the Croauan inventors discovery.
The Austrian Lloyd company has already
announced that it intends to equip its yes
sells with the invention. Agents of all the
big transatlantic lines are investigating
the matter, and it is probable that when
larger and stronger appliance is produc-
ed il will be used by them all
Consul Johnson Is enthusiastic over the
possibilities of the invention and has made
a report upon it to the department OF
state. He says: IAN interesting series Of
experiments was recently conducted at
Fiume by the director of the Lloyd ship
yards. The experiments tested the eff
cheney Of an invention by a Hungarian en-
gineer, Mr.. Svetkovich. for stopping yes
sells under full steam. The Austrian Lloyd
placed its towboat Clotilde at the dispo-
sal Of the inventor. and three trials were
made TO test the invention under differ
ent conditions. This marine brake is a
sort Of parachute OF fine spring steel
plates which, when out of use, fit into
one another and hang above water. For
the first trial the apparatus was attached
to the stern Of the Clotilde and the stea-
mer put on full steam. When maximum
speed was attained-in Austrian reckon
ing. nine miles per hour-the retaining
hook was released, and the parachute
plunged into the water. With q scarcely
percepuble shock the vessel came 10 a
standsul in thirty feet. It was found.
however, that the rods and guys sup
porting the brake were badly strained
II they had not yielded the shock might
have been much more severe The fact
that the supports did yield did not argue
seriously against the efficacy Of the brake.
but was attributed to the provisional
character OF the arrangements. The sec
ond trial was designed 70 show how far
the vessel would proceed when her en-
gipes were stopped at fun speed. no brake
being used. The distance was found 70 be
$40 yards. The third trial measured the
forward movement when the engines
were reversed from fun speed ahead TO
frrf1 Z
stopped n sixty yards. While the second
and third trials were in progress. the ma
rine brake was ref;ted with more power
ful supports. and a fresh experiment was
made. This time the vessel stopped in
stantly. These results. while hardly 10
he considered valid for powerful ocean
liners. with which the necessity for
quick stop Is occasionally 50 cric5aI, ind!-
cate that an important principle has been
introduced among marine safeguards.
The Austrian Lloyd company Is awaiting
the results Of en- Improvement which Mr.
Svetkovich wishes % add TO his device.
and intends % equip lis great fee, with
the useful apparatus
The value OF q brake % 3 steamship
IS unques tonable- Il Is seldom THAI a
Ce-iSloA occurs WITHOUT the l1okoltS on
either ship having ample time 10 Sc the
danger. The trouble, invariably. has been
that Il has been impossible % check The
way of Big Ship in tine 20 avoid col
lision. This was particularly the case IN
taa accident which sank the French
steamship Ia Bourgogue- TIE sinking %
II. NJ. 5. Victoria. It Is thought. could
also have been averted L the-e mad been
aax way u instantly stopping the ship.
on ne t-anss .lsrtic nre-s Ne strsr-seA