The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-03-07
USE OF ELECTRICITY ON
GERMAN OCEAN STEAMERS
Commercial Agent at EibenstOck Ex-
plains Development Of Shipbuilding.


I Ernest L. Harris. the United States
/ commercial agent az Eibenstock. Ger
| many. in communication 20 the Stste
( Department. tells OF the use OF cleo
| tricity on German ocean cleaners. He
/ says:
The Incompatible development Of the
I German shipbuiIding industry in the
past twenty years has called forth ali
the ingenuity OF the technical engineer.
That Germany today possesses the fast
Z est vessels which cross the Atlantic is
q triumph due chiefly 20 the skill Of the
trained machinist- In no merchant ma
rinc ls electricity used in connection
with al the latest inventions TO a great
I er extent than on German vessels. It's
application 20 the comfort and safety Of
cceaE travel presents one OF the bright
tEt chapters 10 The history OF modern
aalpb1ildlng
The KrOupriuz Wilhelm. the latest
express steamer afoat furnishes he
best example o. the use Of electricity
a. sea. All he cabins have not only
electric lights and call bells. bat are
Gtted uD with telephones as well. Ths
frst-class cabins on the promenade
deck and the dining room are heated ~
lC4 electric ovens Electricity is ap-
piled 10 forty small and nineteen large
motors. as well as TO many cranes aud
ventilators.
Ar interesting feature q the appIi-
cation Of electricity on shipboard is the
sO-cslleC Schotten telegraph. or bulk
head telegraPhy. In the moment OF
danger caused by a collision. this teie-
graph enables the captain on the bridge
20 see whether all the water-tizht doors
are closed or not. On bOarc the K~on-
prinz Wilhelm, there are forty such
doors. twenty-One OF which are electric
trap contriveuces. which fail into place
al a moments notice There is a water
light apparatus Joined TO each one OF
these doors. which is connected by wire
With a t2bleau on the commanding
bridge. This tableau shows the captain
a complete plan cf all the decks. and
every time q trap door falls into place
he is aPprised OF the fact by the light
ing Of an electric lamp. These lamps
are brought into position exactly be-
bind the holes on the bulkhead or plan
Of the decks. so that a glance is sufh-
Client TO know il the doors are closed or
not.
IN case OF QaneeEs the sup 5 crew re-
ceives the alarm by means OF thirty-six
electric bells. which are distributed
throughout the vessel. These bells are
divided into two electric current circles
The twelve bells Of the 1rst division
are located in the boiler. machine. dyna-
mo, and steerage rooms-that is. in
every place where a water tight trap
door is situated. The twenty-four bells
OF the secoTd division are located
throughout the entire ship. and serve to
summon the whole crew when neces-
sary- The alarm apparatus is fed with
100 volts directly from The engine room.
The whole outfit was constructed espe-
ciaIly for the K-cnDrinz Wilhelm. and
is entirely waterproof in every respect.
The fire alarm signals are similar %
those above described. The moment a
Ere breaks out, IT Is exactly located on
a chart in the pilot room ly means OF
an electric lamp. There are thirteen
electric fire alarms distributed through
out the ship.