The times., 1899-11-04
ELECTRICITY FOR wARsH1Ps.
The Opposition OF Rear Admiral Mel
VilIc 90 Motors.


willie 10 Motors
The marvellous development Of electricity
as motive power, and the many instances
in which its use has disarmed opposition.
make the position Of anyone who attempts
TO deprecate the value of an electrical ma
chine nowadays very perilous. Many a
person today rides in electric cars who If
teen years ago ridiculed the idea of their
practicability. and declared that he would
not use them even if the public generally
did. because they would not be safe Rear
Admiral George W Melville. Chief of the
Naval Bureau of Steam Engineering, has
taken his stand in OppAiition 10 the intro
ductiOn of electric motors for auxiliary en-
gines on warships This bare fact was
mentioned in the summary Of his forthcom-
ing annual report which was given to the
press few days ago, and an advance copy
OF the report itself reveals the reasons for
his opposition TO a step which in some
circles is most ardently favored
The arguments which the advocates OF
electrical motors for auxiliary engines ad-
vance are stated in the report to be greater
ease of operation, avoidance of heat. and
economy Chief Melville enters his denial
of the claim of economy and urges the
HA7o'u al ScS VI tue 81 edleI weight OF Lue
electrical outfit greater delicacy of the
type OF motors ordinarily used. lack OF
ready adaptability 10 the various condi-
uonS Of the service and increased amount
Of space required below the protective
deck for the installation of the necessary
dynamo rooms-space properly belonging
TO coal bunkeTs. The use of the motor
involves a total weight three time the
weight of the motor itself. In other words,
ho al f-f-
weighs three times as much as the steam
drive. 1t will be urged in reply 10 this
argument that all these appliances are not
IN use at the same time; but Chief Mel
vile makes the point that they must be in
place so they can be used if call is made
for them, Just as the steam appliances
must be at hand all the time.
In its general denial OF the claim OF
greater economy Of electric motors, the re-
port says that these claims rest upon ex-
periments made with the highest type Of
motors in contrast with out-of-date steam
appliances. With the new steam inven-
tions in use. it declares that the motors
are the more expensive. The electric
weapons Chief Melville thinks are more
likely to break down and become useless
a. critical moment because OF their larger
number of parts. Steam power has but two
machines-boilers and steam engines
while electricity has not only these, but
also electric generators and motors. These
generators and motors are so delicately
constructed as TO be easily incapacitated.
The report makes the statement that the
steam pipes on board ship are so placed
that they interfere with nobodys comfort
and do not raise the temperature unduIy.
In view of the many complaints Of the ter
rible heat caused by the steam pipes. made
by men who served on the torpedo boats
and other war vessels of the Cuban block
ade. Chief Melville would have strength
ened his statement by giving proofs and
illustrations
The claims made by the advocates OF
electricity on warships, that it is coming
into great use in the navies OF foreign
countries, is declared unfounded since
other Governments are experimenting with
this sort of power just as ours is, and to
no greater extent and with no more favor
able results.
Some electric motors have been placed
on the new batt!eship Alabama, and this
use is criticised by Chief Melville II all
the auxiliaries on the Alabama were cleo
tric motors and the space occupied by the
steam motors now on the ship were in
creased in proportion, the increase in the
weight of the ship would be from $50 10 $50
tons. The effect of the added electric mo-
tors on the space of the ship would be 70
decrease the coal space 500 tons and TO
decrease speed 1.5 knots. The chief wishes
1t understood that his objections are not to
the motors themselves but TO their instaIla-
ton on board ship. His report concludes
with the statement that in commercial
plants all the electrical machinery is under
control Of the mechanical engineers. and he
suggests that this practice should obtain in
Navy. Electrical machiuerey for warships
is now in charge Of the Bureau of Equip
meut.