The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-04-05
Electric Service At Sea.
Steamships are Loaded, Unloaded, Navi-
gated, Lighted and Driven by Electricity.

Crude methods of lighting in marine
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
and roughly finished staterooms made of
solid oak-hewn timber were dimly lighted
with candles enclosed in perforated tin
lanterns to keep the draughts of air from
blowing them out. There were no engine
rooms because there were 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 naviga-
ton today that we arrive at proper
estimate of the wonderful progress made
in marine travel, change which has
been largely, if not entirely brought
about by the application of electricity to
the many tasks on shipboard.
The great passenger steamships today
are marvels of electrical engineering.
Through conduits and cables concealed
beneath decks and inside the taultless
woodwork of the fine cabins and state
rooms electricity carries light, heat and
and power to all parts of the ship.
Hundreds of Mazda lamps. lighted with
an abundant supply of electricity from
whirring turbo-generators below, turn
the ship into blaze of light at night
Passengers in the steerage are provided
with more comfortable hunks and state
rooms than those who travelled first cabin
years ago.
The course of the modern steamship is
directed by pilot clad in spotless uni
form. AT touch of his hand, the ship
veers to right or left for the pilot wheel
is turned as easily as the steering wheel
on an automobile. 1t Is possible because
of the electric steering gear, the largest
single piece of electrical equipment used
on modern steamship. Motors con-
cealed in the Utmost parts of the ship
move the huge rudder. Communication
between pilot house and engine room is
by means of electric ship telegraphs, and
an electric indicating board tells the pilot
whether the engineer is carrying out his
instructions and what position the rudder
is in. A complete fire alarm system, pas
senger elevators, and an electrically
equipped kitchen are features included
in the construction of modern passen-
ger liners.
Steamships which sail every day from
our big seaports perform every operation
o Loading cargo, taking on food, filling
the bunkers with coal ard weighing an
Choir with electricity. Electric search
lights facilitate safe navigation by night
as well as by day. Electric sounding
machines measure the depth of the sea,
and in case of accident electric Winches
lower away the life boats more quickly
and efficiently than it could possibly be
done by hand.
AS steam has been superseded in steer
ing and operating practically every
marine auxiliary on board the most
modern vessels, so also is electricity TAX
ing the place of steam driving engines in
all the vessels of the future. Already
the success of the electrically driver
collier Jupiter" h IS inclined the U. S.
Naval Board to the electric drive. This
has resulted in the eectrifcation of the
''California," which is also electrically
driven, and a new contract has been re
Gently let to engineers of the Genera
Electric Company for the electric equip
ment of an electrically driven warship
the largest yet laid on the ways.