New-York tribune., 1905-02-02
TURBINES AT SEA.
IacreaSed Tonnage IN Seruice-Iqn-
oeadiag Revolution IN ShipbuiIding.

London. January 81.
The selection of turbines for the two new
cunarders vas perhaps the most daring experi
snt in driving power ever made The Ad
,-.ltv tests had been conclusive with reference
- Channel steamers of moderate dimensions but
.-rbines had not been fitted TO steamships In
- transatlantic trade, and courage and faith
.-s required for the decision that vessels larger
,ssn the Great Eastern could be driven by them
= speed OF % knots with a marked saving
a roal consumption and with a diminution of
.brstion. AS some OF the most conservative
,,rineering experts and practical shipbuilders
I'd staked their reputation on this conclusion.
:. Cunard Lire was justified in making the
attracts for the construction OF two palatial
+,,s. which would surpass the German record
a. snee5 and restore British prestige the high
,.s These contracts at once impaired great
,-,uise 70 me movement for substituting tur-
.,nss for reciprocating engines Two years ago
x;,sle engineering firm designing and con-
+-,,ctfnr turbines for sea and river craft, and
a.. annual product was 1850. measured In in
s,,s1ed horsepower. During the last year it had
+-sbled its record, anc turbines with an indi-
r,,es horsepower of $4,000 had been supplied by
othsr shi1yards. There are now under construc-
,son IN the shipyards OF the United Kingdom
,urbires with an indicated horsepower of about
oonoo0 4 revolution in driving power at sea
sss been effected on the strength Of conclusions
= admiralty experts which must still be re-
gsrsed conjecruraL
The report which influenced the managers Of
che Cunard Line was based to a large extent
,non the trial OF two Channel steamers Of equal
ss-,ensions one with the ordinary reciprocating
.,vsnes and the other with steam turbines
zrith turbine craft aggregating over 10000
Horsepower now afloat and in actual service.
there have been additional tests Of high value.
The action Of the turbine engines in the Queen,
r,ving between Calais and Dover, has been
highly satisfactory. There have been exhaus-
Nv. tests OF the cruiser Amethyst and OF the
for- steamers constructed for the Midland Rail-
vav Company, and high speed has been secured
s.a considerable saving of cost in construction
sn5 maintenance A turbine steamer has been
-. On the Stranraer and Larne route, three
stnilar vessels of small tonnage have been built
fsr the coasting trade II India and another has
bssn ordered for Canada A steam yacht has
tesn fitted with turbines during the last year
,,s the same method Of propulsion viii be
adopted In the new yacht 10 be designed and
buat for the King. The approaching trials OF
he new turbine steamship ordered by the Al
L, Line will be watched with eager interest
by engineers and experts. since this is the hrst
rsyseI Of considerable dimensions which has
These viii be improved turbine engines in
comparison with those OF the Brighton which
were subjected 10 critical tests by the Admi-
fslty experts; and designers. profting by the
sxos-ience Of the last two years, promise bet
Ter results In speed and economy when the craft
now under construction IN various yards is
brought into actual service. That is a point
o. which Sir william White and other naval
architects have laid much stress. While the
recprocating engine has been improved decade
after decade, until designers despair OF making
any fresh advance. the turbine ship can be car
ned 10 stage Of development far beyond the
Arethusa. the Queen and the new Allan liner.
The problem Of securing higher speed in
oeesn liners With the ordinary reciprocating en-
enes has been reduced 20 its simplest terms
with the precision Of mathematical science 1t
has involved aa enormous relative increase in
the dhzensions Of the ship and in the consump-
toa o. coal An improved Campania, with
sea speed Of twenty-four and one-haf or
twenty-five knots in place Of twenty-five, must
De a much larger ship-longer, broader and
6eeper-and the coal consumption cannot be
less than 900 tons a day, for there would be
necessarily three engines each Of more than
5000 horsepower for driving q screw propel-
ler Dimensions. horsepower and coal con-
sumption we're a matter Of money, with which
capitalists rather than engineers were con-
eerned: but there were troublesome details
which could not be settled by hard cash No
designer willing 10 place one Of these pow
erfui engines abaft Of the other two, for there
could be no assurance that the weights would
be balanced SO to prevent vibration and TO
protect the passengers against extreme discom-
fort There were also mechanical difficulties
n the manufacture OF larger shafts and screws
than had ever been used IN the propulsion OF
ocean liners. and there were doubts and mis-
giTiags respecting the complete utilization OF
the power 70 be provided at enormous expense
~ the three engines The best naval archi-
tsets in England were convinced that the Ger
man lines had virtually exhausted the resources
o. ordinary engines. and that new departure
must be made # British shipbuilders were to re-
gain their ascendancy at sea
The designers OF the new Cunarders preferred
70 experiment with turbines, when there was
much larger tcope for invention in the new field.
They were relieved at once Of all apprehension
o. vibration from engines working at high
poEer The tests conducted on the Solent had
proved the superiority Of turbine engines In this
respect The mechanical difficulties were also
greatly diminished since the propellers could be
Ieanceo IN diameter and smaller shafting used
mere would be economies both in construction
sio IL operating expenses. since space would be
saved weights cut down. the consumption OF
eoai diminished and the engine STAFF materially
reduced With four shafts and four propellers.
lae machinery would be less complex than the
teciprocatng engines In ordinary use. and the
ANoiiities 20 accident and the cost Of repairs
@oold be lesseaed. The turbines would have to
ps much larger than any previously operated at
SEA but this was q detail which could easily be
worked out by manufacturers. What the de-
harra "a he MAJ