New-York tribune., 1921-01-30
Electric Drive To
Be Placed muse in
IA Merchant Ships
IL Vessels So Equipped Are
Being Constructed for the
Shipping Board; Four
Revenue Cutters Fitted

The results of the application of
electricity as driving power in Amer
ican battleships has led to its being
taken up in connection with the new
merchant marine.
The test of electricity for merchant
craft came with the steamer Eclipse,
Americas first electrically propelled
cargo ship. Eleven other heavy freight
ers are now being equipped by the
Shipping Board with electric power, so
that within a relatively short time it
will be known whether the same fuel
and space economies and ease of op-
Grafton, which the New Mexico. for in
stance, secured, can be obtained in
trading ships.
In addition to the twelve freighters
being equipped with electric drive, four
United States revenue cutters are be-
ing likewise equipped and the first
large passenger ship driven electrically
is now in operation. With the installa-
tion of Diesel oil engine electric drive
for a 500-ton fishing trawler off the
Massachusetts coast, at least eighteen
vessels, other than naval vessels, are
now either in operation electrically or
are being so equipped. And this de-
velopment has occurred practically
within two years.
Admiral Benson, chairman Of the
Shipping Board, has come out strongly
in favor Of electric propulsion and
favors the Diesel engine drive without
neglecting the great possibilities Of the
turbine as an electric power medium.
81 am convinced" he says, "of the
possibilities of electricity in our
merchant marine. We have dem
onstrated on our battleships that
the electric drive is more eco
nomical than the ordinary drive.
We must save every pound of coal,
every gallon of fuel oil that We pos
sibly can. and when | say coal | say 1t
with a great deal of regret, because our
competitors Will contend that we must
go back to coal burling, that we cannot
get oil in all parts of the world, or
that it doesn't pay, or something like
that. If we ever give up fuel Oil, unless
we can get something better, we might
as we'll take to the woods and cut TIM
ber for our fuel. We can't compete
:, with foreign competitors on any other
than an oil fuel basis"
w. l.. R. Emmet, consulting engnee
of the General Electric Company
planned the first electric drive III
stallation ever made in this country.
The advantages afforded by tn
electrical method of ship propulsion
he says. "In merchant ships the ad
vantages are less obvious than in nava
vessels, and therefore most worthy o
study at the present time.
"In applying electric propulsion t.
a merchant ship we install one or NOR
steam turbine generating units. Larg
turbines are more efficient than small
ones. Therefore, while two or NOR
turbines may be convenient on accoun
of the ability TO run with one alone, i
is often more advantageous to rul
ships of moderate power from slngl
turbine Arrangements can be mad
by which such a ship can be driven a
a reduced speed from the auXiliar.
generating units in case the main ap
paratus cannot be run. In such gen
Grating units we usually adopt sue
speed as will give the best results 70
the power delivered. and the freedom
to do this is of great Importance, sine
a turbine is more complicated and eN
pensive and materially less efficient i
it has to be designed foc a speed les
than is desirable.
"On each propeller shaft motor
preferably Of the synchronous type
will be installed, so designed as to Civ
the most advantageous propeller speed
The first electrically driven ships Wer
equipped with inductiop motors, bu
synchronous motors are lighter. NOR
efficient, run with a larger clearanc
and can be built to give the full re
versing torQue required and to accom-
plish all the required functions.
"Desgns have been worked out b
the best experts for ships of diHeren
types, including large liners. Which
considering all conditions, show grea
advantages, and it may be contidentl
expected that electric propulsion vii
at an early date play very importar
rart in merchant marine activities