Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-23

q New Departure In Marln0
Construction.
The Carona may be the last OF the
twin.screw steamers propelled by what
were not long ago n1arvels of marine
and machinery, the quad
ruple expansion engine. says the New
York correspondent Of the Philadelphia
Press. This steamship is almost 700 feet
in length. and has gross tonnage of
q, OOO tons. Her engines are capable Of
devel oping D.OW horse power.
The sister ship that was launched Feb
ruary % is to mark a new departure, as
twenty years ago the twin-screw and
the triple expansion engines were new
and magnificent developments of mar
inc construction and power-producing
capacity and as forty years ago the sin
gle screw was a step in advance of the
side wheeler and fifty years ago the iron
steamship step in advance Of the wood
en-bult craft. The steamship which was
launched the other day is to be equip
ped with the turbine engine, and Will
be driven by three propelers. each con-
nccted by suitable shaft with an indie
pendent engine.
Some of the most competent of the
experts continue to be doubtful as to the
success of the turbine engine for ocean
steamship service. But they learned a
lesson from the record made many years
ago. in 1879. in fact, when the Great
Western steamed across the ocean up
New York harbor carrying among her
other papers an elaborate and scientific
demonstration made by a great author
ity of London of that day that 1t was I'M
possible to drive vessel clear away
across tho Atlantic exclusively by steam
power. The demonstration upon paper
seemed perfect. yet the Great Western
proved by that experimental trip. the
first of continuous procession since
then Of steamships back and forth across
the ocean, that ii was possible for steam
to do this marvellous thing.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY.
SO the experts now say that the tur-
bine engine will prove failure. but that
it remains for it to demonstrate It's
| ability to do all which those who are
enthusiastic about it believe il can do.
The scientists and inventors have so con-
structed these ocean going craft that
| there is no longer any fear of stress of
weather. The latest appliance. a sort of
keel. or sideboard. running along the
TANKS of the steamship. projecting like
| a shelf. although at an acute angle.
have re luced the rolling to a minimum.
| But there is no conceivable triumph
of science by which the pitching of a
steamship may he prevented Further
more, the steamship builders have de-
yised various compartments that may be
opencd or closed on the instant so that
| if the ship Is attacked at one point and
even a great breach opened in her. never
theless by the closing of these compart-
| rnents YOU may still have floating ca
pacity. They have in addition so per-
fectcd the expansion engine. titanic as its
power is. that the engine room no longer
sends throbbing throughout the steam
ship its mighty pulsations and what was
one of the mscries of ocean travel il
Thereby now no more than a recollection
I,ccentrics steady tho engine. friction il
practically impossible and the quiverini
is so slight that even though a passen
ger lies extended in his bunk, neverthe
less. he does not feel the motion.
BOTH CAPACITY AND SPEED
WANTED.
What was desired by the Cunard PEG
I pie, however WAS to secure double tn
CARRYING capacity which even the larGes
Of the modern steamships have. togcthc
with an increase of speed. Other cor
| porations have been satisfied with gree,
increase Of tonnage. without any rapid
" of motion in excess Of that now at
tanned by the expansion engine and twi
screw.
When therefore. the inventors VIII
| have perfected the turbine engine dem
onstrated to the satisfaction of the Gun
ard people that these engines would max
| it possible first to build a steamship G
such enormous horse power az G0.0OO, 10
ONO greater than the horse power gene
rated by the gigantic electric plant 4
Niagara Falls. whereby a speed of
knots or even more an hour could be sc
cured, or of about 80 miles an hour b
land measurement, while at the sam
time the carrying capacity would !
doubled, then this corporation with tn
| courage that has always distinguished
because what was thought to be audac
ty in every instance in the past prove
to he courage, for it was justified by sue
cess, ordered an ocean steamship alon
these lines to be constructed.
WHAT THEY WILL. DO.
The keels of these two steamships hay
recently been laid and are awaiting II
demonstration which will he made
the efficiency of the turbine engine whic
\ lis to be set up in the companion steam
shin to the CORONA. Carmania by nam
which will probably be able to make II
first sailing across the ocean some tin
in July. If that turbine engine does a
that has been claimed for it, then woi
will he speedily resumed upon these tw
greater steamships 1t is contemplat t.
that the steamers will be able to GRO
the ocean in four days or possibly fol
and one-half days. gaining practically
day over the fastest of the steamship
now in commission.
What will take place II tho turbil
eouipped Carmania proves to be su
cess is the sending to the scrap heap
the magnificent expansion engine. trip
and uuadruple. and the building herea
ter of steamships that are capable
crossing the ocean in four days tim