Evening journal., 1920-10-23
NOVEL ELECTRIC
BOATS CALL HERE
Linked by Slender Cable,
One Supplies Power to
Propel Both
OWNER TO APPLY
SCHEME TO BARGES

4 scheme for propelling vessels by
electricity generated from a central
foating power plant, which promises
10 reyoluuonize movement OF barge
fleets was demonstrated today by .wo
trig yachts in the Chris lana river on
the new Municipal wharf
on one yacht was a powerful dyna-
mo, run by a gasoline motor. IN Is
plant generated sufficient electric
Juice 10 drive both vessels. A slcn-
der cable conveyed power from one
yacht TO the other.
The scheme may be hkened 10 that
by which trolley cars obtain their
motive power from central power
station.
William T. Donnely, widely known,
wealthy engineer aud shipbuilding
expert Is the owner of the vessels
which were here today. lie is max
ing cruise via the inland waterway
route from New York 10 Miami, Fla.
On the leg from Wilmington to Della
ware City today he was accompanied
II by Tighman Z. Johnston. an ell
ciency engineer Of the dupont Engi-
neering Company. William T. Budd.
secretary Of the Chamber Of Com
merce. also made a brief trip on the
yachts.
Each Of the vessels Is 81 feet In
length by f. feet Ia width and has a
draft Of 4 feet One named the New
Era, Is entirely given over 10 the COM
forts Of Mr.. Donnelly and his family,
comprising Mrs DOnnelly. their daugh-
Tor Helen. and son. Norman \. Don
/ nelly. Il Is iltted up much Ike a
suite Of rooms IN fashionable hotel,
Wath luxurious bedrooms, shower
baths, elotrio lights, call buttons and
Electric cooking appliances. The up
per deck Is lifted up comfortably for
| observation purposes. The only space
not given over tO the comforts Of thr
travellers is that required for an eloc-
trio motor, which turns the propeller
The second boat, named the Dawn
/ Is a floating power craft. 10 contains
a - kilOWau electric generator, driv-
ZEN by an SO-horsepower Van Blercl
gasoline motor. The power obtainCl
prOpels either the Dawn itself scpa.
rately. or the Dawn and the New
Era together. BY simply linking thI
vessels with the cable, the motor n
the New Era Is made 10 turn It's pro.
peller
The Dawn was built by Mr., Don
nelly i've years ago and was USE
throughout the war In governmen
service Last summer her owner con
ceivod the scheme of iransmittinl
power from her 10 another boat, ans
Abuilt the New Era. He said today hit
expectations had been fully real zel
and he believed IL would be as cas-,
TO operate chain OF boats, linked b,
a cable from a single power boat, C.
TO prOpel the two yachts
SO confident Is the engineer OF sue
cess that he IS having two floats o
four 200-ton barges each CONSTRUCTED
The barges will be 100 feet long b
1916 wide. Each will be equippe
with a iOO-horsepower electric moto
and power will be supplied fror
. dynamos on separate power vessel
} The two yachts which were her
today are non-sinkable. the fcor linz
OF their cabins being some SIX incht
above the outside water line and on
ed in an space below with balls
wood, a new importation from On
tropics, lighter than cork.
To a syman perhaps the most In
terestng feature OF the yacht com
bination is that The family on the Ne,
Era is enabled 20 live entirely 1pa
from what may be termed the engin
room, which Is on the Dawn. An
not only does the Dawn supply elec
trio power for propulsion TO the NeS
Era, but it furnishes electricity 10
lighting and all domestic purposes
such as a toaster on the breakfas
table and a coffee perculatOr rs we
as heat for the cooking range In IN
galley.
Should the two vessels become sep
arated or should there be any brea
down In the generating plant. eacl
vessel ca nbe operated for three hour
by electric storage batteries held Il
reserve.
The vessels may be operated eithe
tandem fashion or side by side. an
manner i'm fact. 50 long as the cabl
conveying the power unites them. ~
powerful Is the dynamo on the Dawl
that the New Era carries a 1000
lcandlepower search light and th'
Dawn has a wireless radio service
which picks up messages from th
Bifel Tower in Paris. the station II
lNauen, Germany, or any OF the grea
world plants, and can send out mes
lsages for a distance OF 100 miles.
Mr.. Donnelly said, on departing v
day, he would cruise through tn
chesapeake and Delaware canal q
Chesapeake bay. thence TO Old Poin
Comfort and make a side trip up IN
jamestown river TO Richmond AM
return. Thence he will go TO Wash
ngton and on south 10 Florida
reaching Miami a month or NOR
/. hence.
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