The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-26
SPEED OF OCEAN LINERS.
INCREASE HAS NOT KEPT PACE WITH
THE ADVANCE IN SIZE OF SHIPS.

LONDON, Sept 22.-The policy adhered TO
by successive British Governments for the ms,
fifteen years. Of making constant additions In
the navy TO keep IL abreast OF the sea-power Of
NJ icnst any two possible rivals has been greatly
heipcd by an almost complete absence of friction
on technical matters Of construction As each
years shpbiilding programme Is produced by the
Admiralty. critics are found in Parliament AZ IN
the proper proportion OF battleships TO cruis.
ers' or on the utility Of dcstroyers, and on many
matters OF departmental policy: but once II is de-
cided that certain number of each class OF vessels
are to be built. the question OF construction
is trusted fully to the Director OF Naval Construc
ton.
tits a great position for Sir William Henry White
TO have won for himself lie is one of the very
lew men who are equally masters OF thory and
pfacuce' lie was complete success Pro.
lessor OF Naval Architecture he was aftcrward
invaluable to the great Armstrong firm at Elswck
when they were building for every navy In the
world; and. finally, when IL became fixed policy
to have an overwhelmingly strong navy as the
cardinal factor of national defense he went over
from private employment to take full and STU
premo charge Of the country's naval construc-
ton. lie has read q valuable and highly inter
esting paper on his subject TO the mechanical
science section Of the British Association this
week.
lie chose Steam Navigation at High Speeds"
for his title. The general effect of his conclu-
sions Is that considerable increase is to be ex-
pcced in the size of the steamships Of the future
but that any great increase in speed can only
be accomplished gradually. II u.s. as he points
out impossible to take the speed of torpedo ves-
sells as q standard of what may be done with larger
ships of sea going type. yet he admitted that
tho lessons learned from these very specially
constructed vessels had had its influence the
machinery Of larger ships. Reckoning back
over sixty years. he finds that, in taking the
two Ilimalayas as representative cases. length
has increased about 40 per cent. displn cement
has trcblcd. while speed has increased only by
one hall. He establishes that the acquisition
Of greater speed depends increasingly a vast
number Of considerations such ghtness Of
material for the hulls the employment OF special
fuels, steam presSures, rates OF revolution. the
multiplication Of screws, all of which point to
comparatively slow and deliberate progress to-
ward higher rates Looking at the results so far
attained he pointed out that progress in steam
navigation has been marked by tho following
characteristics;
IL Growth in dimensions and weights Of ships,
and large increase in engine power as speeds have
been raised. 2. Improvements in marine engi-
neering accompanying increase of steam pressure
Economy OF fuel and reduction in the weight OF
propclling apparatus In proportion to the power
developed s. Improvements in the materials
used in shipbuilding: better structural arrange
ments; relatively lighter hulls and larger carrying
power. 4. Improvements in form, leading to di-
unfinished resistance and economy Of power
pended in propulsion"
The following is Sir williams summary of
what sixty years of continuous effort and strenu-
GUS competition have done for transatlantic traffic:
Speed has been increased from s., TO 22'a
knots; the time on the voyage has been reduced
to about 80 per cent of what it was in 1910. Ships
have been than trebled in length, about
doubled in breadth, and increased tenfold In dis
placement The number Of passengers carried by
steamship has been increased from about 100 to
tearly 1000. The engine power has been made 40
lines as great The ratio of horse power 90 the
weight driven has been increased fourfod. The
rate of coal consumption (mcasurcd per horse
power per hour Is now only about onethird
what 1t was in 1910. To drive 1000 tons,
weight tho Atlantic at a speed Of
g., knots about $50 tons OF coal were then
burnt: to drive 20,O 900 tons across at %
knots, about 5000 tons Of coal burnt
With the low pressure Of steam and heavy slow
moving padde-engnes of 1910. each ton weight
OF machinery boilers produced only about
twohorse power for continuous working at sea.
With the modern twin screw engines and high
steam pressure each ton weight OF propelling
apparatus produces from six to seven horse power.
Had the old rate Of coal consumption continued
instead Of 5000 tons OF coal, 5000 tons would
have been required for a voyage at % knots. Had
the engines been proportonatey heavy
those in use 60 years ago, they would have weighed
about $4,000 tons. In other words. machinery.
boilers. and Goals would have exceeded in weight
the total weight OF the Campania as she floats to-
day. There could not be a more striking Illus
tration than this OF the close relation between
improvements in marine engineering and the
development OF steam navigation n, high speeds.
Equally true is 1t that this development could
not have BEEN accomplished but for the use of
improved materials AMI structu raj arrangements.
Wood, as the principal material for the hulls OF
high-powered swift steamers. imposed limits
upon dimensions proportions. and powers which
would have been bar to progress Tho use
Of iron. and later OF steel removed those limits
The percentage Of the total displacement devoted