Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-19

of the scheme In conjunction with -.
OF the great English firms Of contracfcr.
and It is understood that a set a. ~ ":
new engines will shortly be tried linz
an unarmed cruiser of the scout ciss vh
before being actually built into a DresS
nought. s-
The new motor battle ship, az Il !.
called, which Is to be built at ports'
mouth, will be a rather costly experimen.
for the British Admiralty. The marsrIt
monster is to be driven by an inte erlns
combustion engine. This engine belossss
to the producer gas" type and hear
therefore, much stronger resemblane.
to the common industrial gas engine thai
crude coal gas. unsuitable for ilsSt!s
purposes, and the supply would be- AZ
tanned from generators carried on board
ship.
Crude oil Is to be used because II b.,
been found that petrol Is too heating ana
cannot be used In engines above a certain
horse power. 1t is understood that fha
new project is to couple a number ~
high power, comparatively slow running
internal combustion engines using this III
upon one shaft, and to use more than tn
four shafts with which the present
Dreadnoughts are equipped.
The introduction Of the new engine
should the requirements call for even
10000 horse power. would tend to save
largely in weight and space. say naval
experts. The immediate result would h.
to add enormously to the fighting pover
of ships. The absence of funnels-a fes.
ture of the new vessel-would greatly IN.
crease the training arc of fire of gun har-
bettes, and the ships would become mo,s
and more than ever floating gun mount.
ings of enormous capacity. The reducton
in engine space would permit Larger
ammunition supplies. and the problem
Of mounting heavy guns would be greatly
simplified.
The absence of smoke would be another
advantage. The ship would become =
smalle target, and thus would have an
immense superiority over ships of other
classes. 1t is, in short, impossible to en-
aggerate the Importance Of the reyo In
ton that is contemplated. But is is also
anticipated that the motor battle shins
will give forth a horrible smell.
Many more changes would be sntailed
Coaling would become thing Of the
past. There would thus be no need for
stokers. Ships would become more self
contained. and they would be workshops
for their repair to larger extent than
at the present time. New problems Of
provisions and storage would have to BE-
solved. In many ways the situation on
would be profoundly modified.
The design Of the new vessel, which has
not yet been made PUBLIC, seems, from
the descriptions semi-officially announc.
ed. to be along the lines suggested by
James Mckechnie, the well-known shin
builder About three years ago he set
before the London Institution of Naval
Architects the advantages to be gained
from the adoption of internal combus.
ton engines.
THE point" he said, "is not so much
the tactical advantage of higher speed
rs the question of the space occupied by
propelling machinery. This question Is
more urgent in view of the decision to
adopt only the largest caliber of gun for
the primary armament in our Ships As
this limits the number of guns by the
weight allowed for ordnance. it becomes
more necessary to make fuller use Of the
weapons by giving each the greatest DOS.
sible arc of training. and to insure the
highest percentage of hits within a given
time In other words, if only large cali
Der guns are to be used, invilving con-
siderable weight on the machinery for
manipulating them, every gun must be
so placed as to enable it to fire on either
broadside, and at the same time to give
the maximum of bow and stern fire."
This object has already been achieved
to a great extent in the Orion. which Is
driven by steam. But, as Mr.. Mckechnie
has pointed out. 1.-The presence of uptakes
and tunnels seriously interferes with the
gun arrangement" He therefore set
himself to design battle ship without
tunnels.
In this vessel, which has four propeller
shafts, each driven by a 10-cylinder yer.
teal gas engine. the advantages alike In
weight. space and arrangement resulting
from the use of gas machinery have been
utilized to improve the gun power. Car
rying five pairs of Pinch guns and eigh.
teen 4-inch quick-firers, it is still Of the
same length and displacement as
steam-driven battle ship recently built
Mr.. McKechnie has also pointed out
that part of the saving of weight and
space on the new model could be utilized
for decreasing the size of the ship while
maintaining the same armament and
protection, or for increasing it's speed by
fitting more powerful machinery An
other advantage is that the machinery,
being at a lower level in the ship. is bet.
ter protected; while the facilities for the
distribution of ammunition are greatly
increased.
Referring to the report of the Admiral
tvs plans. George Clark. head of great
Belfast shipbuilding firm. said that Il
was very sudden STEP Although Ger
man firm had fitted a cargo boat with
internal combustion engines. the Jump to
the modern battle ship was so trernen.
dous It seemed incredible. He could hard
ly realize that the Admiralty had actual
ly given orders for an engine of 1000
horse power. as report said, without first
making exoeriments on smaller types OF
ship to test the practicability and utility
OF the idea.-New York Times.