New-York tribune., 1921-03-24
Bie Fleet Of
Motorsllipsls
Ian Of Board
Hog Island Vessels May
Be Converted TO Diesels,
with Total Deadweight Of
Over Half Million Tons
Gectric Drive Is Likely
love Regarded Necessary
10 Meet Competition of
Other Maritime Nations

tDtQcr NtdE1tluIC 1NdllOk1S
within year the Shipping Board is
.rascted to have in operation feet of
.osor ships aggregating more than half
million deadweight tons and equipped
siA electric drive.
With about 1000 vessels under its
s,ntrol the board at present has only
sna Diesel-engined ship and no addi-
t;onal new construction is planned.
! Great Britain and other leading mari
sime nations, however, are devoting
srre part of their building programs
d vessels equipped with internal COM
lnstion engines, which can be operated
noze economically than any other type
Il tonnage.
ii the plans under consideration are
urried out the board will secure feet
4 about seventy Diesel-engined ships
il its steel steamers to motor propul-
sion
s' To Convert Sister Ships
The vessels which it is proposed to
eonvcrt are the so-called A-ships
nrgo ships, of 1900 deadweight tons
eaeh, which were built with water tube
boilers and geared turbines, and which
Barn oil under the boilers.
Most of these vessels are reported to
be laid up at present because of the
] slipping depression and the need for
repairs. Instead of replacing the gear
ings, which have proved unsatisfactory
Ia many cases, it IL now proposed to
remove the entire steam equipment and
place the ships IN position to COM
pete with any in the world by substi-
iusing Diesel-engined equipment.
As constructed, the Hog Island cargo
carriers can take 1000 tons Of fuel oil
m their double bottoms. This is not a
suffcient quantity to enable long voy-
ages to be made, because of the heavy
assumption of oil when it is burned
Under the boilers. Their cruising
ndius witfsut rebunkering is limited
70 1900 miles. 1t is, therefore, i'm
possible for them to make a round trip
to the Mediterranean, South america,
Africa or the Far East, for instance,
without taking on a fresh supply of
iuel. And this adds materially to the
aigher cost of fuel oil abroad than in
ibis country.
With internal combustion engines,
however, it is stated that these ships,
% the same quantity of oil now car
ned, will have cruising radius of
sbout 10000 miles,, or more than suffi-
dent for round voyages to distant
POINTS.
Saving on Repairs Seen
The cost of installing Diesel. engines
d the seventy Hog Island ships will
t greatly reduced through the saving
y machinery repairs that would be
necessary if 1.-THE boats are to be con-
anued in service with their present
squipment, it is pointed out. Being
snly one -cylindered Diesel engine,
lthough an engine of somewhat longer
stroke will be necessary than for boats
Vt the twin-screw type.
No serious difficulty is expected to
M encountered in installing suitable
Diesel equipment in the space occupied
1y the three water-tube boilers, tur-
hnes and gearing with which the ves-
Rls are now fitted, although the verti-
nl space taken up by the long-stroke
engine will be greater than that now
occupied. This, however, will not ef-
feet any reduction in the present cargo
space.
The weight of the Diesel installation,
IT is stated, would be approximately
that of the present equipment, and
even if it should be decided to use
very heavy low-speed engines, it is
claimed that the saving in the weight
m fuel carried for shorter voyages
would more than compensate. With
less fuel oil taken on it would be possi-
bic to load more cargo. With high
speed Diesel engine and electric drive
squipment, it is stated, there would be
material saving in weight, even over
tie present equipment with water-tube
hoilers.
Higher Cost Soon Made Up
In regard to cost, it is said that
yhile the gross might be 20 to 80 per
tent more than the cost of steam
squjpment, that sum could be more
than made up in the savings Of the
arst year of operation, and the ships
spld be kept in profitable service at
level of freights, which would mean
losses to other types Of vessels.
There are several manufacturing
lesrces in the United States from
which the Diesel equipment required
could be secured. Among foreign
makers, who have gone more extensive
y into the manufacture Of marine in
Nrnal combustion engines, krupps are
taid to be in position to supply
aquipment for the seventy Hog Island
ships within about six months.
There are three ways, it is pointed
out. in which any ship can be fitted
nth Diesel engines. She may have
( ong-stroke, heavy, slow-speed, direct
connected Diesels whose speed Of rota-
ton is the same as that of the pro-
peller; she may have higher speed en-
tines driving the propeller through
electric drive, which has been very
syongly advocated recently and to
1, Which the Shipping Board is believed
u lean as the satisfactory solution OF
!As problem Of the. singlc-screw
ireightship.
Hauono Couunstfnu Ending