The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-24

In case where deductions at the rate
OF $4,000 for every quarter of a knot
that the vessel falls below contract
speed are involved great accuracy is
necessary. The time is taken by means
OF two vertical sighting rods placed
transversely to the axis OF the ship on
the upper, forward bridge. AT the in
slant that the particular buoy is in
line with these two sights the timing
. officer calls out mark and the time
Is accurately taken with chronom-
,eter II is not generally understood
how greatly the speed OF the ship de-
pends upon the steersman: for if she
Veers ever so little from her course il
means not only that she travels a pro-
portionately- greater distance. but that
the retarding effect Of the helm in
bringing her back TO her course pulls
down the speed very materially.
Upon entering the engine room the
/ conditions did not strike the writer as
varying greatly from those that 90
tanned when he made chance visit to
the engine room of the Deutschland,
curing passage across the Atlantic
zach engineer and oiler was at his
Particular. post and, OF course. was
closely attentive to his duties Per-
haps the only difference that one could
note was the large amount of saponi-
fed lUbricating oil Cooking for all the
world Ike soapsuds) that was spattered
ever the moving parts, frames and bed
flate This was inevita BILE in a case
ike the present, where the engines. al
though they were fresh from the build
e. yard, were being pushed to their
maximum power Passing through the
alrlOck that, leads into the boiler rooms
one was struck with the same quiet
orderiiness and utter absence of excite
ment or nervous tension. The coal was
being brought by couple of men from
the bunker door at the end Of the foot
plate, sack at a time, and emptied
into long heap athwartships, and mid
way between the twelve fire doors of
tie four boilers in tie compartment.
The fire doors were numbered in pairs.
the doors having the saline number be-
ing on opposite boilers and diagonal to
each other. AT one end of the foot plate
stood group of firernen, with boy in
their midst who was holding a watch.
At two-minute intervals he would call
cut nuns Der, and instantly two fire.
men would come out upon the floor
Tiate. coal the fires corresponding to
the numbers called. throwing on a half
Gozen shovelfuis, and then step back 10
loin the quiet little group at the end
Vi the HOOE Plate InlS melnOQ was
followed in all the compartments, and
ii meant that each furnace received q
thin layer of coal once in every twelve
minutes. Previous experience had
SHOWN that this rate of firing would
provide the thin, evenly spread bed of
coal necessary to maintain a full head
of steam at 300 pounds boiler pressure
With a view 10 determine the actual
coal consumption. the coal, before the
tTlal, was sacked and weighed; and
Gany Of our readers viii be astOnished
tC learn that the coal used was the
straight run of the mine, and cost only
SIS a tOn-thus disposmg of another
CT the little fictions that have grown
UP around warship speed trials, to the
effect that the coal was picked by hand
and cost something over $40 a ton.
Our observations Of the whole trial
confirm the statement that there is no
reason why such a ship OF the Pennsyl-
TInia, after being turned over TO the
navy, should not for years TO come re-
peat or even exceed her trial perform
ance. 1t is true the trial crew was a
special one, well trained to its work;
but the navy issalsO paying special at
tentiOn to its fire room staff, and it has
some very efficient crews in the service.
Moreover, the engines on this trial were
uerfectly new, and no doubt after sew
eral months of service they VIII timber
up and show as good. or better, results.
Scientific American.