The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-28
COALING AT SEA.
Has Been Successfully Accomplished
Through a New Device.

New York Nov. 2S.-As a result of three
at sea Just completed by the United
States battleship Massachusetts and the
collier N1arcellus, it may soon be possible
overhead wire system at the average rae
The vessels named returned to port last
night and anchored off Tompkinsville, s.
three days of which were spent at sea
giving the Miller cOnveyor a thorough
trial under varied conditions.
At the conclusion of the trial, the third
of the series-when 126 bags of coal each
weighing 410 pounds had been transported
in Sixtv-sfx minutes without an accident,
IS of them being delivered in fOrty-four
minutes, the trial board announced that
the test was ended and they were salts
fed with the result
The trial board assigned by the navy
department to witness and report on the
experiments from the deck of the collier
A. B. NJ. Lille, in command of the Mar
cellus; Lieutenant Commander w. D.
Rose and Lieutenant John B. BernadO
The latter ship and collier left the city
last Tuesday. They made anchor in
proceeding to sea at 8 o'clock the next
morning A pair of wooden shears about
thirty feet high had been erected on the
top of these was fastened a large iron
block over the sheave of which the wire
of coal across to the Warship.
At the east end Of the entrance to Ger
ney's channel, and about four miles from
Sandy Hook lightShip, a boat was low
hawser quickly attached to the coiIier
Fv means of a smaller line a sea anchor
cable was sent over to the AaSSa chuSettS
and made fast. its end having first pass
ed through the carrler-a fiat iron block
having three SheaVeS, one above the other
through which the conveying cables run.
This first able passed through SheaVeS
al the fOremaSt and mainmaSt heads of
the collier, the wire then leading to the
water where a cone shaped canvas bag
towing astern keeps the line taut and
helps to support the carrier and its load.
A specially cOntriVed ledgerwOOd engine
having two winding drums is located
close to and abaft the fOremaSt on the
collier. a steel q inch cable leads from
one down to the foremast head, over a.
sheave across to the block on the war
ships SheatheS and then back to the coll
lier'S mast and down to the rear drum
This engine gives d reciprOcatfng motion
to the conveying rope, paying out one
part under the tension
The bags of coal are first hOisted from
the Golfers deck to the masthead upon
an iron cage or elevator.
bale with hooks at its end to which the
bags are suspended, on two short rods
that project from the top of the elevator.
The carrier is fitted with long pointed
hook pivOted at its bottom. This hook,
driven under the iron bale engages it, the
elevator drops and the carrier starts at
a speed of 200 feet a minute for the war
ship. When it reaches that end of the
route, a rubber buffer on the block strikes
a latch which releases the hook and the
canvas chute to the deck where the jack
les scamper away with it on trucks to
the bumpers.
Three hundred feet is the distance main
tanned between ships during the opera
tion. The test was success from the
start.
Spencer Miller the inventor of the con-
veyor was aboard the Massachusetts.