The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-08
ELECTRICITY IN THBNAVY
Uses to Which 1t Is Being Put on
the War Vessels.
The Motor Now Employed the World
over in Operating Auxiliary Ma
chincry-Grent Possibilities for the
Futurc-Report of Licutennn: de
SteiGuer to Captain sigsbee.


reau of Intelligence, has just received
from Lieut.. Louis r. de Steiguer, U. s
N, an interesting report on the use OF
! electricity on board naval vessels. 1t is
shown that within a few years the motor
has supplanted all else in operating the
auxiliary machinery of war vessels of all
classes and it is believed that before many
years very elaborate system will have
been invented whereby electricity will do
almost everything required on a battle
ship. The report is made from observa-
/ tions and inspection of the vessels of the
United States and foreign navies.
| In summing up the present uses to
which electricity is put at present on
board naval vessels, Lieutenant de Steig-
uer says:
THE principal advance in the use of
electricity on board men-of-war of the
different powers has been in the appli-
cation of motors to drive the auxiliaries.
In some cases this increased use Of mo-
tors has taken place slowly, and for such
auxiliaries as were favorably situated. In
other cases, the use has increased to such
auxiliaries on board ship, even to the
blowers in the fire rooms. In the most
advanced cases are included the following
auxiliaries: Capstans, windlasses, ammu-
milton hoists, blowers for ventilating the
hull, engine room and fire room, winches,
machine shops. ash hoists, turret ram
mers, turret training gear, draining tur-
bines. elevating gear for guns, boat
cranes, pumps, and steering gear. De-
yelopment has 1ecessitated the installa-
tion of more generating sets in the new
ships, for which purpose greater space is
being allowed, and in some cases, high
er voltage adopted
The report states that favorable replies
have been received to questions put to
officers in other navies as to the use of
the motor for auxiliary purposes. In show
ing their advantages over steam, the fol-
lowing points are brought out:
Motors for auxiliaries on board ship are
required to be OF the enclosed type, her
metically sealed, to protect them from the
seas and dust II coaling; to be capable OF
standing a great load being suddenly
thrown upon them without burning OUT to
be simple in arrangement, so that the en-
listed man can readily learn 20 run them,
and TO be accessible, so that they can be
easily cleaned and inspected.
Electrical experts have written a great
deal tending 10 SHOW the economy and ef-
ficiency of this method Of distribution Of
power, and the following advantages are
claimed for its use:
Il. The gneat facility with which the
distribution Gan be carried out; it being
much easier Ito run wiring to a distant
auxiliary than the piping of steam. hy-
draulic, or pneumatic auxiliary
80. Heating of'the living spaces. The
piping for steam. running to the different
auxiliaries. must pass through living
spaces. frequently rendering them unfit for
lie in the tropics.
IS. Danger TO life. The bursting OF
steam pipe in time of action might cause
loss Of life and great suffering. The wir
ing makes a much smaller target than
steam piping, and would, therefore, be less
liable to damage by shell.
IL. Efficiency and reliability. II is claimed
that motors have been improved to such
an extent as to be applied IL the Hom-
mercial world to almost all kinds of mo-
tive power, and that the navies have not
kept pace in their use; that they can be
Installed to perform their functions under
the most trying circumstances and in very
exposed positions.
"The following is the practice followed
by the principal maritime powers in the
installation of the electric plant on board
ships of war:
to place three or four dynamos of COO
amperes and of SO volts IN their large
battleships and cruisers and three dyna-
mos of 400 amperes in their smaller
cruisers One generating set can generally
supply all the lights for the usual work |
of the ship. Some of the large cruisers |
and battleships are supplied with LOCO to
i 500 lights.
THE Admiralty has recently used mo-
e.. lzt.
ing engines, fer coal and ash hoists. and, !
in the Terrible, sor training the 9.2-inch |
guns. The Powerful and DiadeIa classes !
were supplied with electric ammunition |
hoists, but It has net been the practice |
in the British navy.
THE switchboards are not arranged for |
parallel working. so that the different cir
cults have to be thrown on one or the |
other of the dynamos The bars are ar
ranged in a horizontal position. Double
wire circuits, lead covered. with vulcan
lied indlarubber insulation, have been
used. The wires and cables are run along
uncovered battens, fastened 70 the bulk
heads. so that they are visible for inspee-
ton and repairs.
The Barr and Stroud transmitting and
receiving instruments have been expert
nented with by the British navy, and have
been placed in the Campus. Some of the
japanese SnipS nave Deen Dtteu W1th THESE
and several Governments are
experimenting with them.
"In the japanese ships the orders have
1een placed upon the dials in both English
md Japanese. Those for the British navy
AIRY. on one-half Of the face, ranges from
500 to 4,500 yards. and on the other half
# the face various orders such as com
nence firing cease firing torpedo boats
of BEAM etc. One transmitter,
situated on the bridge or in the coming
over, can be connected with any number
# receivers situated in different batteries.
Electricity has been used extensively
n the French navy for driving auxiliaries
france was one of the first nations to use
motors for training turrets and guns.
THE electrical installation in large YES
els, such as the armored cruiser Mont
aim consists OF four dynamos of 400
Imperes and SO volts with ability to run
or an hour at 500 amperes. About 500
lights are used for interior lighting
I'm the German navy four Gynamos
ave generally been installed in the larger
hips. Motors have been used to run
many OF the auxiliaries, such as ventila-
ors, ammunition hoists, capstans.
Yiuches, and for training guns Z
A WRESTLING TOURIST.
ibc JfnEuuc Trim IJnderfnI.eu h. Al |