The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-13

engines for cruising speeds is to use
three screws, but make the engine
driving the center one hold the tota,
power, leaving each of the wing screws
to develop only a quarter of the full
power We have not as yet built any
vessels on this plan, SO that while theo-
retically we have every reason to an
ticipate entire success, it has not as vet
been tried in practice.
A very interesting Illustration of the
application Of ingenuity and scientific
knowledge is the method adopted for
balancing the engines so as to avoid vi
bration of the hull. AS engine speeds
and hull dimensions increased, there
came a combination of circumstances
causing excessive vibration of the hull.
due to unbalanced inertia stresses of
the reciprocating parts of the engines.
The solution is a very simple adapta-
ton of type of engine desirable for
other reasons with a special arrange
ment of crank angles and weights of re-
ciprocating parts. The adoption of the
steam turbine has also been suggested
to accomplish this same object and tur-
bines have been employed on some tor
pedo boats. With certain very promis-
ing features, there are, however, some
great disadvantages, and before the
steam turbine becomes a formidable
rival of the ordinary type of engine an
enormous amount of skill and ingenuity
must be exercised, and the lines along
which they can act are not yet APP
parent.
THREE VITAL ELEMENTS.
I have already referred to the three
vital elements in warship design as
offense. defense and mobility, and the
best combinations of these features to
secure maximum results tax the judg
ment and experience of the designer,
as well as his skill and ingenuity. If
time permitted it would be of the great
est interest to show how the necessity
OF maximum results in particular items
has given us special classes of vessls.
Thus, in the battleship, which must
give and take heavy blows, mobility or
speed has been sacrificed, while in the
armored cruiser both guns and armor
have been reduced to secure high speed
In the torpedo boat, speed is absolutely
vital, and everything else is sacrificed
to it. The tendency just now seems
to be along the line of having only one
class of armored vessels, which will be
very powerful armored cruisers, with
good armor protection and high speed.
This means a vessel of about 1000 to
$4,000 tons displacement, with eight
inches to ten inches of Krupp armor,
battery of 1O-inch rapid-fire guns, and
a speed of about twenty to twenty-one
knots.
We have now given a hasty glance
at the principal elements of the modern
war vessel, although I regret that the
limited time at my command has for
hidden the consideration of many feat
ues which could not have failed to be
of interest to- you, such as the work
shops on board. where the necessary
routine repairs are made to keep the
great machine in working order; the
electric installation for lighting the
various portions of the ship and provid-
ing the searchlights; the elaborate
drainage system, with the necessary
pumps, and the torpedoes, with their
wonderfully intricate and delicate ma
chinery, which is so arranged as to
work automatically after being dis
charged from the ship in a way that
would seem to indicate human control
at every moment. 1 trust. however,
that you will have heard enough to
satisfy you that the theme of my re-
marks is fully borne out by the facts
which have been adduced.
The truth is that in every depart
ment of life there has been a tremend-
Gus advance, due to the exercise of