TURBINE STEAMERS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11916, 10 June 1904, Page 6

TURBINE STEAMERS.

Optain Dinele. the mexine superintendent r>l fti* Adelaide Ste»m Bhip Comptnx, n>»d*

epccial enquiries into the turbine system of propulsion ior fteainships wmie in Orcat Britain recently («?& ihc "Australian Shipping Xews.") He wae very much impressed with what bo caw, and is of opinion that the turbine will, without doubt, be the future motive power. Bern? new, turbine steamers have made cn!y ehort runs, but Captain Dingle thinke that when certain "improvements have been eftected, the system wi.l come into gcueral use. The peculiarity of tno turbine is that, while a vessel is travelling at her majcimura speed of (say) 18 knots, rhe runs with an economical expenditure cf coal, but when only a, moderate speed is required ehc becomes, strange to say, extravagant. The reason is that the. steam cannet, be ■utilised with such Rood effect at n rate of 15 or 16 knots. The advantages of the turbino are, says Capt. Dingle, economy, elimination oif machinery, reduction of vibration, and better results in bed weather. Another great factor in favour of the turbine over the triple-expansion engines is the rtduction of weight. It takes lolbs weight of metal to produce 1 h.p. in the turbino enpine, against UOlbs -weight in the ordinary triple-expansion now in general use. When in England, Captain Diugle made a trip on tho Brighton, a turbine steamer. The. voyage from Newhaven, to Dioppe, a. distance, of 61 miles, was accomplished in 2h. 58min. This vessel has three turbines. Tho centre ono receives the steam direct from the boilers at a pressure of 1801b, and the propeller rovolves at the rate of 650 revolutions per minute. This propeller is not utilised when entering or leaving a port, being, in fact, tho only "go ahead." turbine. Two. wing turbines, one on each side, receive the steam from tho centre turbine at a pressure of 101b, end tho small shafts ere driven at the rate of about 500 revolutions per minute. Those wing turbines do the work when the etearoor leaves or enter a port. Australian shipping companies are anxiously looking forward to the result of the voyage of the 1/oongaim, +he turbino steamer which thoUnion Steam Ship Company of Xew Zealand is going to run between ilellfburne and Launceston.