Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-10
ICE BREAKERS.
Remarkable Fleet of Boats Which No
Ordinary Field of Ice Can Stop.


put in commission the most remarka-
BILE fleet of vessels in the world, for
now on the great lakes in America, in
the Baltic sea, and on lake Baikal, in
Siberia, the great ice breakers begin
their annual winter battle to keep open
paths of commerce through frozen
seas. The thorough test which will be
made of the ice crusher in lake Baikal
is of unusual Importance. Half way
across Siberia, right in the path of the
nS-Siberian railway, lies the lake
which has presented so many problems
to the Russian engineers. To build
the railway around the lower end of
| the lake would necessitate Il detour of
| $50 miles through such a difficult
country that the cost would be enor-
nous. So. temporarily at least, the
Russians decided upon a ferry across
the lake. But the lake freezes up in
December and remains frozen until the
end of April. SO no ordinary ferry boat
would do for winter traffic.
1t was first proposed to lay rails
across the ice for the winter traffic.
but, taking leaf from the experience
| Of the Americans on the great lakes,
and availing themselves of the ideas
successful in ice fighting on our great
inland seas. it was finally decided to
build a ferry boat that could defy the
elements and run all the year around.
So the great steam ice crushing ferry
boat Baikal was built at Newcastle-on-
Tyne, carried out to Siberia in sections,
put together on the shores of the lake
and there launched.
rI,l, Do; ;.,l hull t,, mir atr,1a
of the ice crushers of the great lakes.
1t does not try to batter its way
through the frozen mass. bat climbs
up on it and brushes it through sheer
weight. This work is made easier for
it by a screw under its shelving bow,
which screw revolving IN 4 reverse di-
Ilcction from the stern screws which
push it ahead sucks out the water
from under the ice and Weakcns its
support. This is purely a Yankee idea.
The first time q boat was ever built
on this principle was when, some years
ago. the Algoma was built to run in
the winter time across the straits of
Mackinac These straits separate the
two peninsulas which form the state
of Michigan. and in summer their We
tiers laugh in the sunshine to the de-
light of the tourist. but in the winter
the nine miles of water between the
two peninsulaS becomes bridged over
with ice, sometimes six feet thick,
which occasionally piles up in great
"windrows."
The Algoma was the result of a
study of the difficulties to be over
come and of the demonstrated fact that
the old style of ice breaking, by ram
ming the frozen surface of the water
with sharp-boWed ships, was a failure.
A railroad has been built coming down
to the shore on either side of the
straits of Macinac, and the two sec
tons of that railroad must be Joined
together. So the Yankee ingenuity
stepped in and Joined them by build
ing the Algoma, the first vessel of its
kind ever launched and the prototype
of all ice crushers both in this country
and in Europe and Asia. It's bows
were cutting away. giving it an enor-
nous overhang forward in proportion
to its size, and two screws We're
placed in its stern for driving it. Ire
mendous engine power for so small Il
boat was given to it. Probably no
boat of its size al the time it was
built had such great engine power.
Although the Algoma was too small
to do the work for which it had been
built, it demonstrated that it was built
on the proper principles, and larger
boats were constructed to take its
place, and in them was placed the for
ward screw.
The Algoma was Of only 500 tons bur
den, and its engines developed 1000
horse power. The great Baikal, which
this winter will crush through the ice
of the lake from which it is named is
of 1900 tons burden, and its engines are
Of $3.50 horse power. 1t is of great
weight itself and carries a passenger
train and two freight trains upon its
deck. So it will be seen that at least
| it does not possess the defect of the
first vessel of its kind, the Algoma. in
being too light. Though the Baikal
has been tested to some extent, this
winter will be its real trial, and if it is
a success another similar boat will be
built.
Otherwise the breaking down of the
Baikal would stop all traffic on the
Trans Siberian Railway beyond the
lake. Just now, when Russia has n
great army in China. on the Chinese
border and in Manchuria, it is of es
pecial importance to her that the
Trans Siberian Railroad should be kept
open. Therefore the Baikal looms
into an added Importance. Its success
| or failure will decide whether it will be
necessary to build the long and expen-
sive branch south of the lake or not.
and upon its accomplishing the work
assigned to it this winter and not
breaking down will depend largely the
questions Of Russia being able to re
Enforce her troops in the east should
necessity arise for doing So and the
facility with which she can supply
those already there with food, ammu-
milton, clothing, etc.
A good deal depends upon the giant
son of the old Algoma this winter. A
reason for being hopeful of the success
of the Baikal is found in the success of
the Russian ice crushing steamer Err
mack built by the same company
which built the Baikal, and embodying
in it's hull the same principles of con-
struction. When the ice crushing
fleet of the great lakes, built on the
Algoma principle, became an assured
success. Russian naval officers We're at
once sent over here to study the con-
l,,, 49, I'D to nnrf