The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-09-14
GAS FOR: BAT. ] .L |.
May Be Coming Power For Yes
sells of American Navy.
GREAT BENEFIT TO A FLEET.
Experiments In Wisconsin and Indiana
Give Promise Of the Smol<eless War
ship--How Its Fighting Efficiency
Will Be Increased and Coal Saved.


AS result of investigations recently
made in Wisconsin and Indiana officials
of the navy depa rrttsGisentt at Washington
are convinced that the time is not far
distant when the American battleship
fieet will be propelled through the wa
ter by means of gas engines. If the
expectations of the experts are realized
1t will mean an increase in the fight
ing efficiency of the modern man-of-
war and great saving to the govern
ment for the maintenance of its fleet
and will have a decided influence upon
naval strategy.
Commander w. w. White, retired,
and Lieutenant Commander John X.
Robson, representing the bureau of
steam engineering of the navy depart
ment, recently made an investigation
at West Allis, Wis, and Gary, Ind,
into gas plants with view to ascer-
tanning to what extent the same sys-
tenn can be applied to ships of war.
Their report indicates that they enter
tain some hope of a revolution in that
branch of engineering. There has been
a steady development for several years
in the use Of gas as a motive power,
confined largely, however, to stationary
engines ashore The experts say that
the time is not far off when it will be
possible to install a number of gas en-
gines giving in the aggregate the re-
uuired horsepower to drive the largest
vessel of the American navy through
the water.
Reduce Weight of Machinery.
When this is accomplished there will
be an absence of smoke, which now
obscures observation and interferes
with the recognition of signals and,
what is more important, indicates the
location of fleet to the enemy. 1t
will mean also a reduction in the
weight of the machinery, thus enabling
constructors and ordnance officers to
use the weights in other directions,
probably by increasing the thickness
of the armor or adding to the arma-
ment. This latter feature will require
a general oyerhauling of the arrange
ment of the main battery Of battle
ship and probable increase in the
number and caliber of the guns.
Another factor which attracts the ia
Tor of the experts is the prospect that
there will be saving in coal consump-
fion, which will enable the ship to go
farther on the fuel in its bunkers than
is now the case This increase in
gteaming radius means much in the
efficiency of a battleship in time of
war and a great economy in coal con-
sumption in time of peace. In the Ian
guage of naval experts, it means that
q "warship will be longer In pursuit
and more elusive of capture, as the
case may be-
Steam Bureau to Conduct an Inquiry.
The naval engineers do not wish 1t
to be understood that they look for any
immediate change which shall bring
about this desirable condition. 1t is a
fact, however, that they have been
profoundly impressed with the situa-
tion as it is developing in the west and
think the time is coming when war
ships will be propelled by fuel which
does not create smoke. 1t will be some
years before the full effect of all this
is realized, and in the meantime the
bureau of steam engineering will con-
duct an inquiry which will put the
service in possession of the latest in
formation and give it the benefit of the
advance of science.