The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-19
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM

Am& EN0 V HELEN AG AN 6XGAm POWERS. sSF Insfne last issns Of The Baltimore Manufacturer's Record is an editorial on the steam turbine for ships, closing with the following paragraph,
 With the advent of the steam turbine and the development of the gas engine into large units. and the use of electrici- ty as e means of transmission. there has been more progress In the generation or power in the past decade than during all the years that have elapsed since the daya of Watt.
 when we come to study and investi- gate human industry for the six thousand years covered by our generally accepted cfronology we can but wonder at the lack of invention shown by the human family. Up to within period, almost covered by the memory of people now living the world had practically gone on in the same old way that had marked it's progress for thousands of years. Gun powder and firearms had been invented, and the art of printing discovered, but with these exceptions there had been It, tic in the way of industrial advance. The Egyptians who built the pyramids were almost as well fitted for their work as were the workmen of two or three centuries ago.
 Tn nothing has modern inventions shown greater advance than in the de- velopment of motive power. Take the water-wheel as an example. Within the memory of people now living the power of water was developed almost entirely by immense overshot, undershot or breast wheels, some of them as large as one of the modern Ferris wheels, as they are called. If our memory Is not at fault there was an overshot wheel in use at one of the mills in Scotland less than half a century ago which was 8 feet in height. These wheels were cumbrous and expensive. and slow in their move- ments. requiring much gearing to get up suficient speed for ordinary work. In some cases tuD-wheels were used, but the waste of water was enormous. Then somebody, less than a century ago invent ed the turbine or reaction water-wheel. which was so improved and perfected during the first half of the last century that 1t has almost entirely superseded all other forms of water motors. Its greater efficiency, as well as the great economy of both water and space have caused some form of this wheel to come into almost universal use wherever water power is still used.
 The steam.engine is undergoing the same development and improvement. When Watt and Stephenson built their first engines they built them on prao- tically the same plans and principles of those now in use. Let any one watch one of our large engines, whether station ary or locomotive. when in operation and note its awkward method of developing power and see what a waste there is. The piston-rod, going back and forth. is losing half it's time and half its power all the while. It is the most expensive and illogical of all machinery.
 For years inventors have been working and experimenting to do for steam just what Is done for water. As the old overshot wheel gave place to the turbine, so they have sought a way to force the old style reciprocating engine to give way r to the steam turbine and they seem to have at length succeeded Instead of the cumbrous engine now in use, with its reciprocating piston-rod. losing half its time and power. the new wheel acts by the direct action of the steam, just as the modern water-wheel is driven by direct action of the water That the invention or improvement is successful Is shown by the fact that the /Cunard Steamship Company, one of the largest in the world, has decided to install steam turbines on two of Its largest ships and expect to develop the enormous amount of 75 1000 horse power. This is an evidence of the Company's confidence in the new form of engine, for a corporation like this would not take such an expen- sive and revolutionary step unless they were thoroughly satisfied of both the economy and efficiency of the new style. If it proves all that is claimed for 1t we may expect in few years to see the old style engines discarded for the new As The Record says this new method of using steam, with the developments in gas engines and electricity. show the wonderful advance made within a few years.