The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-06
TRIPLE SCREWS FOR SHIPS.
Admiral Melville Thinks the Navy
should Have Used Them.

@NN'E"i neiNiIIe thinks the Navy
should Have Used Them.
Some interesting facts have been gath
cred by Rear Admiral Melville, Engineer
iu-Chief Of the Navy, respecting the use
Of three screws on foreign waters ships
brought out by the rejection in the con-
struction board Of the triple screw TO the
new battleships recently agreed upon by
the cEgerts.
Tie three leading European Powers.
aSlte from Great Britain, are using the
iFrSe screw on all their large ships. in
hiding hattleships. and # has recently
len decided by Germany that it is essen
tial that her vessels be so fitted for tao
teal reasons in passing through the Kiel
Canal Three screws enable ship TO be
handled with greater ease and sureness
than one or TWO. and in tactical maneu-
vres IL is decided by nautical men that
evolutions can be more promptly execut-
I'd with the three screws than two.
Admiral MeIviUe-contends thar no al
ditiOnal weight of machinery is required
for three screws. that they produce a
faster ship. and one far more economical
If officers are required 10 use single
screws on long voyages D. unc0uuIfng
the wing screws Such ships as the Min
neapolis. when SO worked, he SAYS. are as
economical coal burners as any ships Of
their displacement afoat, and can make
equal speed under either single screw or
double screw conditions. Fer these reas-
ons he believes most serious mistake is
made in rejecting the triple screw from
battleships
The same reasons existing for giving
the armored cruisers three screws. h.
says, applies 70 batueships. and ne takes
exception 10 the argument Of line officers
that high speed Is not demanded OF that
class. and that I'm action they won't have
20 be maus uVred as quickly as cruisers
and smaller ships. OF the foreign Sery-
ices Admiral MVI-Illc'S figures show that
Germany has T. vessels with triuIr screws
France. -, and Russia. IT, while Great
Britain has none. The United States has
two IN the commerce destroyerS and mas
decided that the armored cruisers shall be
fitted on the same principle.
Germ any has built. or Is building.
WdrEh IS Of lilo tons each. fitted with
three screws. and seVITII OF II 500. incIud-
Ing battleshIps, aTmOTed cruiSI-s and pro-
tected cruisers France has 10 battIeships
similarly equipped, 10 armored cruisers of
large displacement. and , frst-class cruis-
ers and armored cruisers with triple
screws.
The conservative policy Of Great britain
has prevented the introduction OF three
screws. as IL has the use OF the subu3
Tlne boat All large ships authorized for
all these uavIcs, save Great Britain. are
TO De ntted with triple screws CauuJrat
TO the merchant service the navy mas tax
en- the lead in this departure from gen
eTal prevailing Ideas OF hitting screws To
vessels. as the records show not single
large merchant ship ntted with more than
two screws. The increased space believed
TO be necessary Tor the engines OF triple
screw ships IL the probable reason. for IL
Is conceded that higher speed Is obtained
with three screws than with two. even
with the same horsepower applied.