Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-03

ship can be unsuitable" reef OF
rocks and the hammering OF wind and
sea could pound to pieces anything which
the ingenuity Of man could construct.
But the menace OF the submarines has
turned the attention OF naval designers to
the problem OF constructing what is prac-
tically an unsuitable freighter. French,
Italian and American experts have each
evolved model which their respective
Governments have adopted as worth trial.
At the top of this page are diagrams
showing the design OF NJ. LIE Parmentier.
distinguished French naval engineer.
This unsinkable ship has really two
separate hulls. joined together with the
representatives. These two separate
parallel hulls each have six water.
tight compartments. Extensive exper-
iments have shown that a torpedo
might crash through every one Of the six
watertight compartments on one side of
the ship and yet the ship would float with
all six of these compartments flied with
water. But to accomplish this It would
be necessary to explode not less than
three torpedoes against one side OF one
hull, each torpedo striking in such a
position as to penetrate two compartments.
1t has been demonstrated that even II
such thing happened the ship would still
float at no very uncomfortable angle, and
would be able to continue her way without
damage to her engine room.
New York .Shpbuilding company is
already at work upon the construction and
equipment Of Ave or six OF these new steel
cargo steamers for the French Govern.
ment.
The United States Government has ap.
proved a design for an unsuitable ship
which was worked out by Mr. Hudson
Maxim. the famous inventor Of smokeless
powder and one Of the leading world ex-
perts on high explosives. Mr.. Maxim's
ship is protected by water-tight jacket
which may be filled with fuel oil or with
water. This structure Is. the water or oil
barrier which Is relied upon to save the
ship from sinking in case 1t is penetrated
by torpedo or jagged rock
Mr.. Maxim has described his new inven.
ton In an article in Popular Science. A
series Of vertical steel cylinders are pro-
vided for carrying pulverized coal, and
these cylinders are placed just inside the
liquid barrier connected with and form
ing an integral part Of it. Through the
centre OF the cylinders is run a screen Of
steel rods welded to the walls of the cyin-
ders.
In his descriptive article Mr.. Maxim
points out that the warhead OF German
torpedo carries about 400 pounds Of very
high explosive. When a ship is struck by
torpedo deep in the water there is =
striking force Of about 100000 pounds per
square inch. The pressure exerted by such
an enormous blow is SO great that often
ship Is broken in two. What Is wanted,
Mr.. Maxim explains is shock absorber.
81 flnd," writes Mr.. Maxim in Popular
Science, that pulveriZed coal, on accoun.
OF its compressabiity and elasticity, is a
very effectual shock absorber. AS pulver-
lied coal may be used for driving the ship.
I have chosen 1t as the main shock alb
sorber. The idea has been offered to the
United States Government free of charge
during the war.
When q torpedo strikes ship con-
structed according to my plan the hot,
rapidly expanding gases first encounter
barrier Of water or oil in the hull, then
stout screen of round steel rods, and lastly
q series OF vertical steel cylinders in which
powdered coal Is carried. Since it Is essen
tial that the gases should be allowed to
expand without bursting the ships COM
partments. provide free upward vents
through the ships deck
"If such ship should be struck by
torpedo the water or oil of the barrier in
the path of the blast will be driven forward
through the steel screen, commingling it's
spray with the hot gases, with the result
that the heat OF the gases will be instantly
absorbed by the spray and their volume
reduced. It Is safe to assume, think, that
the volume Of gases! will be reduced at least
threequarters.