Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-04
MAURITANIA IS NEXT
New Cunard Liner to Make
Maiden Trip Soon.
MAY SURPASS LUSITANIA
Made Average Of 25:e9 Knots With
out Pressure.
EQUIPPED WITH TURBINES
Most Marvellous Electrical Appara-
tus Ever Installed on an
Ocean Liner.
Special cablegram to The Star.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
LONDON. November 2.-The Maure-
tania, the latest Cunarder will shortly
start on her maiden voyage to New York
1t is an open secret that, for various
reasons, more is expected from her than
from the Lusitania. The successful pre-
liminary trials, in which she attained
an average speed of $3.50 knots and
maximum of 26.4 without undue pres
sure. gives strength to the supposition
that this optimism is not misplaced.
The Lusitania, under similar condi-
lions, did half knot less. These pre-
liminary trials were carried out with the
hull of the Mauritania in a very dirty
condition and with part of the launching
ways still adhering After the benefit Of
a rundown in the dry dock at Liverpool
mean speed of 261s knots and a maxi
mum of q may be confidently predicted
However accustomed one may be to
speedy ocean liners it Is impossible to
overcome the feeling of awe and amaze
ment at being rushed through the water
at the rate of thirty miles an hour on
such a leviathan. Even the most ordi-
nary individual must have some sort of
interest in the machinery which can carry
out so stupendous a task. The main pro-
pelling engines are wonderfully fascinat-
ing. but they are not the sole source Of
power. Twentieth century ships, and es-
pecially the new Cunarders, are a mass
of independent machinery. The failure
OF any small portion of this may cause
disaster to the whole boat.
1t is we'll known that the Mauritania is
equipped with turbine machinery. Both
turbine and the old-type reciprocating en-
g1nes have their champions among ex-
perts. but the advantages of the former
engines may be briefly stated. They are
economy of fuel. high speed and conse-
quent dininution in size and weight. and
the absence of vibration. The great and
only important disadvantage. of this type
of power mover is its non-reversioillty.
Four Propeller Shafts.
The use of turbines allows of consider
able subdivision of power. and advantage
is taken of this in the Mauretania to have
four propeller shafts. each transmitting
apout e-euarter of the full power. Whe,.
1t IS remembered that between 10000 and
10000 horsepower is required to drive the
boat at twenty-six knots. it will be seen
how necessary is this division. The four
turbines. arranged symmetrically about
the center Of the ship are on about the
same level. and very low down. tending to
or ,ar stability. The two driving the out
side shafts are termed the high-pressure
turbines. those on the inside being the low
pressure. corresponding more or less to
the high and low pressure cylinders Of a
reciprocating engine.
The steam enters the high-pressure tur-
bines direct from the boilers. and after
performing It's work in them, and consid-
erabIy increasing in volume, passes into
the low-pressure turbines, before reaching
the condenser. l. is then condensed and
again returned to the boilers. The low
pressure turbines are naturally much
larger than the high-pressure turbines.
having tt cope with a considerably great |
Ell volume of steam. The revolving por-
ton of one of these low-pressure urbines. |
consisting of 4 steel spindle fitted with
bass blades. weighs about seventy tons, |
ana is some II feet In diameter and 30
feet III length. while the longest blades
are nearly feet. |