The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-12-21
ELECTRICITY At SEA
USE ON MODERN SHIPS
LOADED, uNLoAoEo, sTEEREo,
LlGHTEn~AND DRIVEN BY
UNSEEN POWER.

Crude methods of lighting in ma
rine practice were nowhere more in
evidence than on the old clipper ships
which sailed the broad Atlantic in the
halcyon days of Americas greatest
shipping prosperity. Clumsy whale
oil lanterns fixed at the mast head
were used to warn other ships off the
course at night. The ships cabin and
roughly finished staterooms made of
solid oak-hewn timber We're dimly
lighted with candles enclosed in per-
forated tin lanterns to keep the
draughts of air from blowing them
out. There were no engine rooms be-
cause there We're no engines, and in
order to keep the ship on her course
the skipper was required to pull
against the wheel with all his
strength.
1t is only by comparing the rough
and perilous life of the seafarer of the
early days with the ease and safety
of navigation today that we arrive at
a proper estimate of the wonderful
progress made in marine travel, a
change which has been largely, If not
entirely brought about by the appli-
cation of electricity to the many tasks
on shipboard.
Electrical Marvels.
The great passenger steamships to-
day are marvels of electrical engin-
eerng. Through conduits and cables
concealed beneath decks and inside of
faultless woodwork of the fine cabins
and staterooms electricity carries
light, heat and power to all parts of
the ship. Hundreds of Mazda@ lamps
lighted with an abundant supply of
from whirring turbo -gener-
ators below, turn the ship into blaze
of light at night. Passengers in the
steerage are provided with more COM
Portable hunks and staterooms than
those who travelled first cabin years
ago.
The course of the modern steamship
is directed by a pilot clad in spotless
uniform. At touch of his hand the
ship veers to right or left for the pilot
wheel is turned as easily as the steer
ing wheel of an automobile. 1t is
possible because of the electric steer
ing gear, the largest single piece OF
electrical equipment used on a mod
ern steamship. Motors concealed In
the inmost parts of the ship move the
huge rudder. Communication between
pilot house and engine room is by
means of electric ship telegraphs, ano
an electric indicating board tells the
pilot whether the engineer is carrying
out his instructions and what posi-
ton the rudder is in A complete fre
alarm system, passenger elevators anc
an electrically equipped kitchen are
features included in the constructor
of modern passenger liners.
Takes Place of Steam.
Steamships which sail every day
from our big seaports perform ever!
operation of loading cargo, taking OF
food. filing the bunkers with coal an'
weighing anchor with electricity Flee
trio searchlights facilitate safe naV1
CATION by night as well as by day
Electric sounding machines measure
the depth of the sea, and in case o
accident electric winches lower ava!
the life boats more quickly and eff
GENTLY than it could possibly be don'
by hands
AS steam has been superseded II
steering and operating PRACTICAL!
every marine auxiliary on board th'
most modern vessels so also is cleo
tricity taking the place of steam drlv'
ing engines in all the vessels OF tn
future. Already the success OF th'
electrically driven collier Jupiter ha'
inclined the U. S. naval board to th'
electric drive This has resulted II
the identification of the California
which is also electrically driven, an(
q new contract has been recently lie
TO engineers of the General Electro
company for the electric equipment o
his