The Republican journal., 1905-05-18
THE END or rHE STEAM zc ,,,.-

Lewis Nixon, the American chin
builder. has made a deep study of All
kinds OF marine propulsion. In a 70
cent article in the Cosmopolitan Maoa.
zine treating of the possibilities of uaso.
lene and producer gas, under the title
The End of the Steam AGE" NJ
Nixon says: "In torpedo boats there
is decided advantage in tina nsa ~
petroleum or gasolene. Take one of
our hrst-class torpedo boats deyelon;no
300 horsepower under forced draft
we would most certainly burn not less
than three pounds of coal per indicated
rse,power. or say for 10 hours we
would use at least calculation on on0
pounds. We can develop a brake horse,
power on gallon of gasolene for 10
hours, or we would use 5000 gallons of
fuel IN the 10 hours. In other words
we can increase the radius of action Of
SUCH vessel more than three times on
the same weight of fuel. This assumes
that steam torpedo boat can be run at
Iul! speed IQr 10 hours under trial CON
dltlons: 10 get ready to force the
steam-drlven boat, we must take at
least Two hours coddling the boilers:
curing Jne run we must clean them.
with consequent loss of speed and waste
OF 1uei; Whlle the strain upon the men
OF constant full-pressure of 10 hours
would be practically unbearable.
''The gasolene engines require no
long working up of steam pressure Init
are ready to start at full speed in an in.
slant. There is no strain upon the men
the engine room. A board of officers
of the United States Navy run motor
boat constantly last summer at a speed
of 20 miles an hour for 4 1-2 hours With
out touching the throttle. The same
power is produced not only with less
fuel, but with enormous saving in
weight and space, giving greater carry
ing capacity and thus enabling much
more equipment to be carried or better
lines to be employed. Those to whom
this great new field of engineering pro-
gress seems possible curtailing Of the
use OF knowledge and experience gain
ed with steam, seem to think that all
that is necessary to combat the use of
gasolene engines is to say that gasolene
is explosive and hence it is not safe.
VI course, gasolene is explosive, and
that is the reason that it is the best
fuel to use on the score of immediate
adaptability and simplicity. 1t is dan
gerous when used carelessly and with
out proper precautions, just as parlor
matches are. But the experience gain
ed in its use on numerous yacht ten
ders, and in power boats for pleasure
and working, has shown what safe
guards are necessary, and the employ
ment of such engines is increasing
most rapidly. Many fisherman to
whom age has brought stiffened joints
and waning strength has found in the
gasolene motor friend that has en-
abled him to keep up the earning power
of his early manhood. The working
boat with its own motor, is rapidly
doing to the smaller sail boats what the
steam engine did to the larger sailing
vessels, and with the change is coming
a reduction in the hardships and loss Of
life of those who must use such YES
sells in earning their living.
Before very long every trans-A tlan-
tic passenger steamer will carry fast
motor boat at her davis, that can be
dispatched in case Of accident to in
tercept vessels whose positions in these
days of international ferries are known
with sufficient approximation to make
a search for them by speedy vessel of
large cruising radius a comparatively
easy task"