Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-04
Population of Los Angeles 100000
CITRUS FRUIT TRADE


growers and marine turbine en-.
gines, and yet recent trial of new
form of that engine in specially built
hull proves a speed of forty-eight knot.
per hour may be made, and in that
fact lies the connection of the citrus
fruit man with the engine.
Speed in ocean transit is a vital fac
tor in the coming problem of chear
and easily reached market. and as the
Panama canal is destined to be the
avenue of transit for all Pacific coast
fruit products the speed factor is very
important. The vessel under consider
alton made the phenomenal time of
forty-eight knots an hour, and as a
knot is 60S0 feet, while statute mile
is $3.50 feet. or a difference of 800 feet in
favor of the knot, this ship cleft the
water at rate of nearly fifty-six
miles an hour, or sixteen miles faster
than express train time; and it must
be borne in mind that this speed is
maintained without stops, night and
day, from the moment of leaving till
the ship is entering her port of delivery.
Picture possible 6O00-ton liner fitted
with turbine engines and designed for
the Atlantic fruit trade from Pacific
points. She is also fitted with a perfect
refrigerating apparatus run from the
main Steam boilers. She loads at San
Pedro 100000 cases of citrus fruit gath
cred in the warehouses there from all
points in the citrus belt by railroad
transit The wires keep the shippers
advised as to the market, and they
know there can be no siae-tracking or
spreading of rails, or washouts, or con-
temptible tricks resulting from per-
sonal pulls to waylay their shipment
and delay arrival. They confer with
the master of the ship, and he informs
them he can make Panama in seven
days, steaming, Colon or Aspinwall in
twelve hours Gf the tide at Panama
serves and New Orleans in two days;
Philadelphia in three days or New
York in four days, making a total of
twelve days to New York, eleven days
to Philadelphia, ten days to New Or
leans and approximately fifteen days
at most to any Atlantic port in the
United States. What a revolution in
present conditions and results would
ensue!
In computing steaming time a con-
stant speed of sixteen knots per hour,
or eighteen and a half miles, is here
used, and that such can easily and
cheaply be maintained the following
from an address by an English expert
on turbine engines is given;
"In fast pleasure steamers the
economy of the turbine had been found
to be. to Is per cent superior to that Of
similar vessels with triple expansion
reciprocating engines and about rs per
cent superior to vessels with compound
paddle engines, so that superior speeds
were rendered possible. In cross-chan-
mel boats and in war vessels the power
and economy of the reversing turbines
were much greater than in the case Of
the earlier turbine vessel, and this
enabled quicker maneuvering to be car
ried out with reduced boiler power and
with saving in coal. Turbines had been
found equal or superior in economy TO
reciprocating engines for speeds down
to about sixteen knots, and in some
cases. where large and comparatively
costly turbines had been fitted, such as
in yachts, down to about twelve to fif-
teen knots. But the solution of the
problem for slow vessels undoubtedly
laid in combination of reciprocating
engines and turbines, the former to deal
with the high pressure part of the ex-
pansion and the latter the low pressure
part, covering greatly increased total
range of expansion. Such combina-
tion 1t was estimated would effect a
saving of about 10 per cent in coal in
the case of an iGtermediate liner of
fifteen knots speed over the best quad
ruple-expansion reciprocating machin-
cry and with reduced weight of pro-
pelling machinery, and in a large ves-
sci OF ten to twelve knots speed saw
ing of Is to 20 per cent in coal consump-
ton over the best triple-expansion re-
ciprocating engine. In some cases there
would be an increase of capital cost
which it was estimated would be re-
covered in less than three years by the
increased earning power of the vessel
but in the larger vessels there would bt
little or<ne Increase in such cost"
These facts show conclusively tha
it is the duty of every man having th'
welfare of California and the nation a
heart to do and say all in his power t.
hasten the completion of the Panams
canal and to jealously watch all pro
posed legislation touching ship subsidies
in the meantime. A ship subsidy bill
not carefully drawn could be made t
work in favor of the railroad monop
Giles with their steamship attachments
and weave net of corporate influences
about the traffic stronger and farthel
reaching than now bids fair to Grip
pie 4.