The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-11-22
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between the bottom of the ship and the main
deck
All the baking is done ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
motors operate the dough mixers, and dough
kneaderS, while the loaves are baked in electrical
ly heated ovens. Next we visit the electric laun-
dry with its many ingenious machines electrically
q driven. Electricity also plays its part in other
places, such as the crews library, reading room
and recreation quarters the barber shop; the
sick bay. with its up-totlate operating room; Capt.
A. L. Wizards quarters, the officers wardrooms,
etc.
The New Mexico mas l. 14-nch guns and
many of smaller caber, including battery of
antaircraft guns. The larger calber guns three
in each of four turrets, are operated by electric
ity The turrets revolved and the guns ele-
waited by electric motors. Ammunition hoists run
electrically and there are electric gun leaders,
while even the big guns fired by electrical
means, but the smaller caiber guns are generally
oprated by hand
In examining into the control of these great
batteries of destruction, come to one of the
most interesting spots on the ship-the coming
tower. Navy regulations designed to withhold
important matters of military design, forbid
from obtaining a picture of the coming tower
But it is permissible to describe it briefly. The
coming tower is weshaped shaft extending
perpendicularly through the ship from top to bot
tom with ladders running up and down the sides
and convenient methods of transmitting instruc-
lions by means of indicators and telephones. Dur
ing an action the vessels commanding officer
usually stations himself in this tower which is
also known as one of several frecontrol stations
and transmits instructions.
Up on one of the masts we encounter one of
the big "eyes" of the ship-an electrical eye which
can for miles in inky darkness The current
for the operation of the searchlight comes from
one of the turbo-generators heretofore described.
Is the electrical propulsion of marine vessels
opening up an entirely of scientific adj
vancement and will the day come when the seven
seas will be dotted with electric ships? So far
our own navy is concerned, Secretary Daniels
expressed the essence of the idea when he said
81 think this country has cause to be proud Of
this achievement in engineering, not alone because
of the pronounced success in this particular in
stance (referring to the New Mexico), but because
of the assurance 1t gives us of the superiority OF
our capital ships to those of foreign countries"
"The New Mexico is the first and only dread
naught of any nation TO have electrically operated
propeliing machinery" continued Secretary DAN
iels ION this account she has been object Of
surprising interest to the officers of our navy
and to those Of foreign navies as well, and to
electrical engineers in general.
1.-THE result was satisfactory from every point
of view and confirmed the Judgment of all who
were In any way concerned in its design and adop
ton There was not the slightest mishap with any
part of it, everything worked TO perfection, and
the crew was as enthusiastic the performance
of the machinery as is the department proud in
the possession of such an efficient dreadnaught
.When we entered into contract for the ma
chinery we stipulated that, in addition to being
capable of developing the maximum power, she
should also give an economy at cruising speed
very much superior TO that obtainabe with the tur
bine installations previously used This stringent
requirement also met. AS matter of fact, |
tJ,a Nov WI n on InSS
fuel than the best turbine-lriven ship that pre-
ceded her.
Anyway, electrical engineers are now turning |
their attention the adoption of similar princi- |
pies to the driv':g of merchant ships and to large
passenger vessels.