Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-08
NOVELTY IN LAUNCHES
Craft Designed to Demonstrate
Power of Herreshoff Motor.
NAY BE sPEEDIEsF OF HER GLASS

Designer Hopes TO Make Thirty-Ave
Miles an HOur-If Successful a Fleet
BE BuiIt-sscOnd Combustion Cham
Der In Same Cylinder Double
Horsepower of New Motor.
Nearly At for the launching, which
will take place early In July, and
guarded day and night. so that only
few Of the employees have seen the
craft, there lies on the stocks in the
pattern room OF the American and
British Manufacturing company's
works at Bridgeport, Conn. a motor
launch which 1t is expected will prove
to be the fastest boat OF her dmen-
sions In the world, and It Is the hope
Of her designer, Charles Frederick Her
reShoff, that she will surpass the
worlds record of any vessel, says
special dispatch from Bridgeport,
Conn, to the New York Herald
Built TO demonstrate the motor that
will furnish the power, the launch will
be the forerunner Of a feet Of torpedo
boats that for speed and endurance
are to be far away in the van Of the
present speediest vessels OF any navy.
With the utmost secrecy the launch
has been constructed, and those who
have visited the works to investigate
have been peremptorily ordered away,
the intention OF the designer being to
enter the boat as a surprise in the
motor boat races to be held this sea
son both In the United States and
abroad.
To be named the Den, the launch
Is thirty-five feet long on the water
line, has a breadth OF four feet six
inches and a draught when at full
speed Of six inches. The weight of the
hull, which Is constructed Of wood, is
300 pounds, and the weight of the en-
tire boat, crew and gasoline fuel is
when In racing trim 1900 pounds.
Equipped with a two crank motor
with an estimated horsepower of
eighty, this hull, built on the skip
jack" model, is expected to be driven
at speed Of from thirty to thirty
Eve miles an hour. Mr.. Herreshon
modestly has stated that the former
figure will be reached, while 1t Is
known that he will be disappointed
II the launch does not make mile
for every foot Of her water line length.
1t is the improved type Of the motor
that is expected to make Of the Den
the fastest craft afioat, and. simply
expressed. the motor has by the intro
duction of a second combustion cham
Der In the same cylinder doubled its
horsepower without other change than
q slight addition OF weight In the cast
ings in order to produce the requisite
strength. The motor has therefore two
impulses instead Of one at every revO-
luton OF its cylinder crank. and by the
adjustment Of the crHnk a two cylinder
engine is produced that, with its in
crease Of horsepower, runs steadily
and by the balancing of the explosive
impulses has absolutely no vibration.
yet running at a rate OF 1900 revolu-
lions per minute.
Mr.. HerreshOfr prepared the plans of
the motor as late as the middle of
January last, and the officials of the
international Power company approx
ed them at once, SO that the construc-
ton could be FASTENED for the demon
the young designer has utilized his ex-
perience, gained in the designing of
torpedo boats when with the Triggs
company a few years ago. to create
new designs for a fleet for which a
well founded rumor has it that con-
tracts with at least two governments
have already been made.
Officials of the company would not
discuss the alleged torpedo boat con-
tracts, but from an authentic source it
has been learned that the boats to be
constructed for some two at least of
the navies of the principal world pow
ers are TO be about 135 and 30 feet
In length and are to have hydro car
bon engines developing $500 horse
power and a speed of 44.6 knots, a
speed so far unapproached by the fast
est war craft of any nation.
Eighteen boats are to be constructed,
and by the use of kerosene or fuel oil
when cruising at a speed OF twenty
knots the cruising radius of the small
er of the torpedo feet is to be $500
miles and the larger boats 4, 400 miles
Gasoline is to be the fuel for the mo-
tors at high speed
For what nations the boats are to be |
constructed is yet guarded more 1eal- |
ously than the building OF Mr. Her
reshof's launch. For over a year he |
has resided In Bridgeport and worked |
quietly upon his plans. with hardly the |
workmen at the works being aware |
that the young man, now in his TWEEN
ty-stxth year. is one of the family OF |
celebrated designers OF fast vessels.