Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-09-22
THE MODERN STEAMSHIP.

A recent issue of the Engineering Record instituted an interesting com- parison between Fulton's Clermont, which made her trial trip On the Hud- son in August, 1907, and the Lusita- mia, which was about to make her 1907. Fulton's steamer was not the first-having been preceded by Rum sey's in 17S5-but the century apart dates make the comparison timely The Clermont was 133 feet long, measured 16O tons, had an engine of 19 horse power, with side paddle-wheels, and made ) miles an hour. The Lusitania, the new Cunarder, is 7S5 feet long, has a depth of 60 1-3 feet, and is rated at 32,5O0 tons. Her engines are of 68,000 horsepower, and she is to make at least 9 knots. On her trial runs she exceeded that speed approaching 90 miles an hour. The growth since 1907 in size and speed suggests that in Science and mechanical skill 1907 is more than a century in advance of the ClermOnt. The Lusitania is not the first turbine-driven ship, but she is the largest and in her class the speed fest ever built She represents British pride, which was piqued at the fact that several German transatlantic liners excelled any British vessel en- gagged in the passenger business. The Lusitania's greatness comes out clear ly in a comparison with the present German liners. Tt is tremendous advance says the Record, from the 36000 and 3S,000 horsepower rating, 236OO and 26,00O tons displacement and 23 1-2 knots maximum speed of the crack German liners to the 6S,- 900 horsepower 3S,000 tons and 26 45 knots of the new Cunarder.
 The Baltimore Sun, little less learn ed than the Record in nautical mat ters, discussed Interestingly from it's Chesapeake Bay tripod the Records facts and data. It says that the sig nificance of the steamer of 1897 was that it made man in navigation inde- pendent of winds and made her trial trip on the Hudson in August. For a hundred years inventors have been perfecting the reciprocating engine and have substituted the screw for the paddle-w wheel. They get from ton of coal largely increased percent age of the power it theoretically con- tains Now at length, however, says the Record, the British shipmasters and shipbuilders have proved that commerce need not be fettered by the limitations of the reciprOcating en- zine, but will find in the steam turbine means of driving ships as large as harbor channels will admit and as fast as the passengers will pay to be carried. The beautiful ship recently turned out from the Clydebank yards may be considered to open another century of marine engineering with promise of achievements that cannot even be sensed now
 The English are credited with certain slowness and dullness. They lack the quick wit of the American and a surgical operation is supposed to be necessary to insert joke in the average Britisher's skull. Yet it was an Englishman that invented the re- ciprocating steam engine and another of that stupid race that invented the turbine engine In the air they have recently discovered argOn, where more brilliant chemists failed to detect it., and they have been leaders in the new knowledge" of chemistry and physics inaugurated by the French mans discovery of radium As peo-
 pie they are practical and slow, but their capacityfor large and original congratulations in science and politics | is indisputable. The LuSitania is put
 forth, with the help of their govern
 ment, to signalize the fact that they
 are stil! capable of playing a distin- guished part in mechanical engineer.
 ing