The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-08-26
THE NEW TURBINE STEAMER.
How the Device Works on the King
 Edward of the Clyde Line,

Edward of the Clyde Line.
 The King Edward the latest of tn 1 Clyde passenger steamers, built for th 1 purpose of trying the working of th' Parsons steam turbine machinery fol
 mercantile purposes, so far as can bt
 judged by her trials and the running l she has done up to the time of writing
 has quite justified the coura ge and en- | terprise of her owners in making this
 new departure. The King Edward i!
 250 feet long and 30 feet wide. Hel
 molded depth is 10 feet six inches to
 the main deck, and + feet nine inches
 to promenade deck.
 The propelling machinery consists Of :, three Parsons steam turbines working compound. These are placed side by | side. In ordinary working, and when going ahead, steam is admitted from
 the boilers to the high pressure turbine where it is expanded five-fold. From ! thence it passes to the two low-press- , ure or wing turbines, placed one on
 each side, where it is expanded 25-fold
 and then passes to the condensers. The
 total ratio of expansion is therefore no
 less than 125-fold. Each turbine has its
 own shafting, and on each of the wing
 shafts there are two propellers, while
 the center one carries only single
 screw.
 When coming alongside a pier or ma
 neuvering in crowded waters the wing
 motors alone are used, steam being ad- mitted directly into them by suitable valves The high pressure turbine is then shut off, the steam admission valve being closed, while connection between it and the low pressure tur- pines is also shut off by an automatic arrangement. There are special tur- pines placed inside the exhaust ends of the low pressure turbines for going astern with the wing screws. The whole of the maneuvering excepting Of course by the rudder, is effected by the manip- ulation of valves in very simple man. ner.
 The trial of the King Edward was made on Wednesday, June 26, on the Firth of Clyde, and on mean of runs over the Skelmorie mile speed of 20,4S knots was registered The weather was fair, there being but little wind. The mean revolutions were TAO per minute, the steam at the boilers was 15O pounds to the square inch, and the vacuum 261-2 inches. The air pressure in the stoke-hold was equal to one inch of water. The indicated horse power was estimated at 3,5O0 there be- ing, of course, no means of taking in- dicator diagrams with this type of motor.
 The coal consumption has not yet been precisely ascertained, but is said to be quite satisfactory, so far as can be judged. The keen bow and easy de- livery are made possible by the light ness of Parsons turbine engines. The weight of the motors, condensers, with water in them, steam pipes, auxiliar- les connected with the propeling ma- shafting, propellers, etc, is 66 .ons. This, we believe, is considered to be about half the weight per indicated developed of the average of the propelling machinery of paddle boats of similar type There is also gain in the hull construction, due to he absence of paddle-boxes and spon- sons. Another advantage resulting rom the use of the turbine machinery s the additional passenger accommo- lations that can be provided.
 Still another advantage due to the adoption of the machinery is the noise- essness with which 1t runs. So far as he turbines themselves are concerned. 1 t is not possible to tell whether they re running or not by placing ones | lands on them. There Is, however, a | cry light vibration that can be felt | ,ic tc I,yo fr ho ,ellers. Whether this can be eiminat- | q or not remains to be seen, but cer- | ainly no vibration Is set up by the | nain engines themselves. At the bow | nd motion is similar to that of fast | ailing yacht, and it might have been | etter had the main saloon been placed | onward instead of aft.
 It had been expected that the vessel l Tould be very difficult to bring along idle wharf. and judging by experi- nee with torpedo boat destroyers, the reelection was not unwarranted This 1ust always be more or less the case -ith lightly built vessels having small se of floor, little lateral resistance nd somewhat high superstructure. he fine lines of the King Edward, 'ith her long bow and lean quarters owever, give a good deal of approxi- lately vertical surface at the ends, nd this probably accounts for the ease ith which she took Rothsay pier on er first run on her regular route, ade for experimental purposes In re- ard to the fine shape of the boat, it ay be pointed out that the low center gravity of the turbine machinery yes good stability without the neces- ty for hard bilge or long floor; in ct, this type of machinery lends it. If readily to form of hull conducive
 high specialization Engineering. Sue-She has designs on him.