New-York tribune., 1906-08-22
AN AMERICAN STEAM TURBINE.

Curiosity In regard TO the merits of the Cur
tbs steam turbine will be stimulated by a paper
which its inventor read the other day before
the Society Of Naval Architects and Marine En-
gineers, and which is now reproduced by 'sThe
American Mach1n1st-" This engine, It is hardly
necessary to say, is an American production,
and is extensively employed in this country and
In Europe to drive dynamos. The first appIca-
ton Of it to marine service was made in the
yacht Revolution. which Is now three OF four
years old Between the turbines Of Mr. Curtis
and Mr.. Parsons there are several points Of diS-
ference, one Of them being the number Of shafts
with which they are equipped. In the Allan
Line steamship Victorian, for instance. there
are three shafts, the central one being operated
by the high pressure cylinder and the others by
the low pressure cylinders. Mr.. Curtis effects
the complete expansion Of his steam in one CYL
inder, and hence needs only single shaft The
Revolution is provided with two, but each is
rotated by its own engine, exactly as are the
twin screws Of the Deutschland, which is pro-
vided with two entirely Independent engines.
There is now no harm In saying that the
Revolution was something Of a disappointment
to the man most interested in her success. He
hoped that she might attain a speed Of twenty
one knots, but she developed scarcely more
than eighteen. .Suspectng that the fault might
lie in the form of the propelIers, Mr.. Curtis
terial result It now seems probable that the
defect is in the model of the yacht, because she
generates a noticeable bow wave, which is evi-
dence Of bad design and which always involves
q waste of power
This revelation, made by Mr.. Curtis himself,
shows that it is not yet possible to estimate
fully and fairly the fitness Of his engine for
use at sea. The world will be In a better posi-
ton to do so when two vessels now under con-
19AQO at O,Yfv,o GvR.F
One Is the United States scout cruiser Salem.
from which a speed Of twenty-four knots is
demanded by the government contract The
other is the Creole larger but slower steam
ship, which has been ordered by the Southern
Pacific Company and which may possibly ply
between New York and New Orleans. Every
thing considered, it will be wise to anticipate
nothing in regard to the performance OF these
vessels, but there is no imprOpriety In referring
TO one fact which is already matter Of record.
Mr. Curtis declares that the machinery Of the
Salem and the Creole will occupy only one7half
the space required by engines Of the recipro-
eating type developing the same power. Predio-
tiOns that Parsons engines would exhibit this
characteristic were heard a few years ago. but
we believe that they have not been conSpicu-
Ously verified. 1t will be interesting 70 learn
whether In respect to compactness the Curtis
engine really proves superior to it's English
rival
Although a more complete and convincing
demonstration Of the economy OF the Ameri-
can turbine in respect to steam consumption
is needed, Mr. Curtis Is already able to supply
little information on that point. Within the
last few months a small vessel the KAISER has
been built for the Hamburg-American COM
pany for experimental purposes. Her displace-
ment is considerably less than 1000 tons. She
was provided with Curtis engines, which, like
the boat itself, were constructed In Germany
The contract called for a speed Of nineteen and
half knots, and when the Kaiser was tested
she exceeded the limit by half knot. Mr.. Cur
tbs has been told that when the engines were
doing their best they developed 500 horse
power and if that statement be correct, the
coal consumption was LBS pounds an hour for
each horsepower. What these figures mean VIII
quickly appear 20 the uninit1ated when they are
compared with those IN the official report OF tho
recent trial Of the British cruiser Natal At
the top speed of twenty-three and half knots
that vessel burned 2O1 pounds Of coal 90 the
horsepower, at twenty knots she required is
pounds, and at fourteen knots 203 pounds. II
the SaleIn is able 20 match the Kaiser in fuel