New-York tribune., 1907-11-22
NEEDS OF THE NAVY.
EXPERTS ON PROBLEMS.
Nlron Says Coal Must GiUe Way to
GaS-Defence of the Turbine.

Until the man killing, coal burning engines are
replaced by the lighter gas engines it is my belief
that the United States navy will not be the for
midabie fighting force that wish it TO be. The
gas engine is already developed, and Will deliver
the goods whenever called for"
inns statement. among others made yesterday by
Lewis Nixon, former constructor in the United
states navy, at the annual meeting Of the Society
of Naval Architects and Engineers made an inn
preston on those present, coming as it did from
man who has supplied the Russian government
with a number of 90-foot torpedo boats with in
terhai combustion engines that, he says easily
passed the best torpedo boat destroyers in the
Black Sea. He suggested that the United States
| might utilize such boats, and that they could be
taken on cars at Galveston and Panama and hur-
ried to the Pacific.
Mr.. Nixon also declared that other advantages
of the internal combustion engine were the lessen
ing of weight, reduction of structure abolition Of
the big smokestacks and absence OF smoke and
sparks. The Objectionable exhaust. he said. could
be utilized in distllinC fresh water for the crew
ny putting small distilng machine in the ex-
haust pipe. Mr.. Nixon said he had little faith in
the turbine engine
PRESIDENT Bowles spoke in answer to Mr. Nixon's
depreciation of the turbine engine. and said that
the Lusitania had proved conclusively that the
turbine engine is here to stay Others smoke IA
voraby of the turbine
Francis T. Bowles. president of the society and
FORMER chief constructor in the navy presided at
the meeting, which held in the assembly room
OF the Engineering Societys Building No ~ West
SSth street. and Lewis Nixons remarks were part
Oh discussion following the reading by Com
ihahcer A r. Nblack. L. S. N. a member of the
council. OF his paper entitled Further Tactical
considerations of Warship Designs" in which he
said in speaking of the defects in battIeshps:
Ihere are several eccentricities in our present
oa'ue ana armored cruiser divisions that are de.
ploraole, among them the nturning screws and
out-of-date and Indifferent steering gear M
obstacle should be in the way of making good
these defects. should heavy armament and
arlnored protection ever be sacrificed to speed as
speed Is only attained without this sacrifice bv
great increase in displacement 1t remains to be
proven that turbine engines are worth the tactical
sacrifice due to injecting into our existing eeet
units whose handling qualities uncertain and
so different from other ships
The proper point OF view for the average line
officer should be TO make the most of the ships
as they are. There is too little battle practice as
if in battle to enable any to pronounce our
present arrangements defective except in minor de-
tails. Gunnery is the best test OF ordnance Battle
tactics is the best test of the qualities Of our
fleet"
Secretary William J. Baxter reported the death
during the last year of Charles II. HasweH of this
city, who. with Sir William White. X c. B.. former
chief constructor of the British navy who designed
the hulls OF the Lustanla and the Mauretania
shared the distinction Of being of the hon
orary members Of the organization A committee
was appointed to draft suitable resolutions. Rear
Admiral Robey D. Evans and Charles H. Cramp
Of Philadelphia were reelected vice-presidents for
three years
The first paper. An Experimental Investigation
OF Stream Lines Around Ships" was read by Naval
Constructor y. w. Taylor. T. s y. Professor Her
bert c. Sadler professor of naval architecture at
the University of iChigan, had for his subject
Some Experiments Upon the Effect OF Longitude
nal Distribution of Displacement" Submarines
of Battleshp Speed was the subject OF a paper by
Mason S. Chace, of Dorchester Mass Mr.. Chace
said that the speed OF submarines would have 20
be considerably increased 10 make them reach the
full value expectations OF their advocates
paper on Motor Boats for Naval Service" by
Lawrence s. Adams naval constructor. at Norfolk
Va, was read by H. Cox IN the absence Of Mr.
Adams. The paper advocated the of gasolene
motor boats In the naval service and told OF their
advantages. Mr.. Adams built the 40-foot motor boat
on the Connecticut Admiral Bob" Evans's flag
ship The meeting will continue to-day and a din
ner will be held at Delmonlco's tonight