The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-03-21

weather conditions, and so noted In
the case Of the New Mexico.
Captain Durtnall added that the SUBJ
ject was then receiving close attention
on the part of s%hipbuilders and
gineers, forming the topic Of repeated
discussions of various engineering as
so%clations, both In England and
abroad. Electrical power transmits
sion for ship propulsion" he said,
'was nigh at hand" and he urged ma
val and mercantile engineers to make
themselves au fait with all the poten-
tialities of this twentieth century in
vasion of the orthodox methods OF
steam propulsion on a direct propeller
drive"
"That, be 1t remembered, was ten
years ago, and the matter did attract
q considerable amount of favorable
comment, but that was about as far as
1t went.
How Captain DurtnaIi Won His Point.
One of Captain Durtnalls chief crit
les was Sir Charles Parsons, who said
he feared the system would prove a
source of grave danger to the engine
room crews, as "if a short circuit oc-
Cured they would all be poisoned by
copper poisoning from the fumes that
would be given off," And yet within
a year Sir Charles Parsons firm, to.
gether with the Thompson Houston
Electric company (the English repre-
sentatives Of the General Electric
company, u. S. Al, were both de-
PENDANTS in actions brought by Captain
Durtnall before the comptroller gen
eral of patents, In London. in which
they sought to infringe Captain Durt-
nails patents, the settlement of which
was brought about by Captain Durt-
nall agreeing that he would be salts
fed IL a disclaimer as to this poly
phase alternating current ship propul-
sion was inserted in the applicants
specifications.
Since that time several successful
patent actions have been placed to
the credit of Captain Durtnall. whose
original invention is considered basic.
But the real reason why Captain
Durtnall's invention was thrown down,
not once, but many times during the
last ten years, by the British adj
miralty, he said, was because 1t was
considered Of too revolutionary a char
acter. He is, however, very gratified
at the tremendous success Of his Par.
agon system, first on the naval col.
lier Jupiter and more recently on the
New Mexico.
Whether Ii was, as can hardly be
gainsaid, that inventors are seldom
the best missionaries of their own
cases, or that the adverse criticisms
of such authorities as Sir Charles Par
sons and Doctor Ferranti carry very
great weight In marine engineering cir.
cles over here, Captain Durtnall Is
very gratified that at last his efforts
have been rewarded by the recogni-
ton In highest possible form, name
ly, successful trials at sea, of his Par
agon system by the United States
navy although, in discussing the mat.
ter with me, he rather diffidently criti.
cized one remark which MI. Daniels
is reported to have made to the eff,
feet that the New Mexico Is a much
more powerful" ship than any other
In the world.
Naval Science Advanced.
"What Mr.. Daniels undoubtedly
meant" said Captain Durtnall, twas
of course, that he had built a 'mucl
stronger ship, one which will stant
heavier gunfre and underwater at
tack than any other afioat, as by tax
ing full advantage Of the facilities o.
elasticity and the fiexibility Of poweI
plant placing, which electrical driving
offers, full advantage can and has beer
taken of the efficient merits Of thu
strength of the cellular system Of hui
construction, and armor, points which
the world has yet to learn in connec
ton with the splendid high power
high speed electrical battle cruiser
under construction for the progressiv
United States navy, of which ever,
true American should be highly proud
not only In those facts. but also tina
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