Morris tribune., 1908-08-08
SMOKELESS WARSH|P.
Swift, NOiseIess Fighting Vessel
Predicted by an Engineer.
WHOLE DECK FOR GUN PLAY.
No Stacks to obstruet Fire, and Ali
Vulnerable Parts Will Be Below Wa.
ter Line-Great Saving Of Coal
Steam Radius Will BE increased.

ter Line-Great Saving OF Coal
Steam Radius Will BE increased.
'War vessels Of the future will be
swift, smokeless, noiseless, the craft
lying low in the water, with every
vulnerable part below the water line,
the entire deck being given over. to the
/ work Of the guns. There will be no
smoke because there will be no smoke
stacks. In the nighttime there will
be nothing to betray the presence of
this invincible fighting demon to the
enemy
This prediction was recently made by
Robert Haywood Fernald, mechanical
engineer, who has for several years
been connected with the fuel inyesti-
cations Of the United States geological
survey in behalf Of the governments
campaign for the conservation Of the
natural resources Of the country. Mr..
Fernald believes that the gas engine
or internal combustion motor, as it is
called by engineers, will be installed in
naval vessels Of the United States
within the next few years.
r'
The purpose Of the government has
been to develop the gas engine as a
means Of conserving the coal supply.
Experts declare that if the present in
crease in consumption keeps up the
better part of the coal will be gone be-
fore the close Of the next century and
that the nation will long before that
feel the effects of a waning supply.
The government itself spends $4,000
600 yearly for coal, and it was primari-
Iy to get the best results from this ex-
penditure that the Investigation Of the
gas producer and gas engine was taken
up.
"I expect to see the United States
ahead Of every other nation in this in
novation," said Mr.. Fernald. ''The gas
engine, in my opinion, is feasible on
any vessel because of it's economy over
the steam engine, but it is especially
desirable ON the fighting ship for the
reason that It makes no smoke. The
gas is generated in producer, which
has no chimney and needs none. The
coal is turned directly into gas, which
goes SCra1SnL CO Lue euSIue.
'"The smoke nuisance has been seri-
Gus problem to the navies Of the world
for a number of years. In the day
time the presence of an enemy's ship
has been discovered miles away by the
smoke from it's stacks, and in the night
flames from the tops of the stacks
have spoiled many well laid plan OF
attack. M.
saThe elimination Of the smoke is
sufficient to call for the installation
of the gas engine, yet there are many
other features in it's favor. The vessel
would have a free deck for the play
Of it's big guns. There would be no
towering stacks to puncture or destroy,
thus perhaps gripping the boat. Then
it would be unnecessary to carry as
much coal. for the same power can be
developed with one-third less than the
steam engine uses. The gas producer
and the gas engine would take up less
room and weight than the same power
Scotch boiler and steam engines. If it
were necessary it would be possible to
carry more coal, which would give the
vessel a radius of travel far greater
than at present
"Of course I do not expect to see gas
engines confined to the use of the
navy. The fact that it shows econ
omy will compel it's installation in all
sorts of vessels. One Of the big items
of expense to the modern ocean liner
is it's coal bill. These vessels will con-
sumo 10000 tons of high grade coal on
a round trip. With the gas engine
this could be reduced to 5000 or 1000
lars
zone Of the big steamship companies
Of the great lakes is about to make
the initiative in this movement. Plans
have been made for a freighter that
will use 1000 horsepower gas engine.
This company is not making the ex-
pertinent because of the smoke from
the stacks of it's vessels, but to demon
strate the economy of the gas engine
over the steam engine. At present this
concern is paying So a ton for. coal.
and it's managers figure considerable
saving If the gas engine proves a sue
cess in marine work, and I see no rea-
son why it should not. Already the
marine type of gas engine has been
designed up to 1000 horsepower The
future will see much larger units
''The government, through the United
States geological survey, has been ex-
perimenting with the gas producer and
gas engine for several years and has
demonstrated that this type of engine
in stationary plant is capable of gen
Grating from twice to three times as
much power from a given amount of
coal as the steam engine It has also
shown that the gas engine can develop
more power from a low grade coal,
such as Ignite of North Dakota, than
the steam engine can with the same
weight of the best bituminous coal.
1.-THE tests in the gas producer at the
government plant have shown that
many fuels of such low grade as to
be practically valueless for steam fur