The Washington herald., 1907-03-21
CROSS SEA IN 4 DAYS
Lewis Nixon Predicts New
Record Over Ocean.
TO BUILD WAR SHIP
Predicts that Gas Engine WIZ De-
veIOP Necessary speed, and De-
Torpedo Destroyer OF 600 Tons
that VIII Have Plenty of speed.

New York. March 20.-Lewis Nixon. the
sbipbuiIder. is out for a new record-to
shorten the Atlantic Ocean trip 70 four
days. His maiden attempt to cut down
the time viii not be made with a peaceful
liner. but it viii be accomplished with
five 6.O00-h0rsepower gas engines installed
in a war ship bristling with guns and
torpedoes.
Plans for this new 60O-ton boat-an
ocean going torpedo boat destroyer
were to-day shown by Mr. Nixon at his
office, Is Cortlandt street. Mr. Nixon
made The sober prediction that the At
lantic liner propelled by the gas engine
OF q similar type win very shortly come
as a demand Of enlightened engineering
progress.
Has begun Construction.
That Mr.. Nixon had begun the con
struction of boat TO cross the Atlantic
in four days was a chance reference he
made last night Ia a speech at Totten-
vile. S. l. Mr. Nixon explained himself
more fully. as follows:
This was a gathering of men interested
in the development of Staten Island, and
not only as place for residence, but as a
site for manufacturing. The Standard
Motor Construction Company, builders OF
gas engines on the Riotte patents, Of
which company 1 am president. has re-
Gently acquired a tract of about twelve
acres IN Tottenville. upon which it will
erect a plant to take care of the orders
which now oveTtax the capacity Of the
Jersey City factory. The new factory,
vulff IA md -
ed to marine work.
"In explaining that l did not propose 10
build vessels there referred to some Of
the things that l intended to do in the
near future
WIZ Build stiII Faster Boat.
i have built every type Of boat. from
submarines TO a boat for Arctic rivers,
drawing only six feet of water: vessels
driven by sail, by paddles, and from one
to six propelleFs; armored vessels, and the
lightest of racers; the Gregory, the first
motor boat to cross the ocean, and 1 said
that now I intended to build one more
boat Of an advanced type before I stop
ped building ships, and that is a boat to
cross the ocean in four days, and that
while the hull could not be built in Totten-
vile the engines would be.
such a vessel one year ago was an
impOssibility. To-day it is perfectly feast
bic. No steamer will ever cross IN that
time, but the striking development in the
gas engine enables US 20 bring about such
radical reductions in weight of machinery
and fuel that it is simple engineering
problem"
Mr.. Nixon said that the keel of the new
four-day war ship will be laid at Perth
Amboy, n. J.
Predicts Gas Engines on War Ships.
London. March IA paper read before
the Institution of Naval Architects pre-
dicted that war ships in the future would
be propelled by gas engines instead of
steam. This would enable thesaoing away
with tunnels. so that all the big guns
could be fred in either broadside. Boilers
would also vanish.
It was stated that Vfckers Sons &.
Maxim, after three years continuous re-
search work, had perfected a system of
gas machinery for propelling ships. the
engine being CT the familiar internal ex-
plosiOn type. The firm had already de-
signed such a vessel without tunnels.
While her dimensions are moderate she
| is speedier than any existing battle ship.
She carries battery more powerful than
the Dreadnought's, since all her ten guns
can be fired on either beam, and six of
! them ahead or astern.