SHIPS AND THE SEA.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 136, 5 December 1903, Page 12

SHIPS AND THE SEA.

THE COMING OF THE TURBINE. It wns only recently, says nn exchnnge, that Lord btrnthcoiiu, speaking on tho proposed fast steamship service between Great Britain nnd Ciinada, said thnt not only the possibility but the practicability of turbine- engines for Atlantic liners must be considered in connection with any decision. Now comes tho announcement that tho Allan Company hns ordered a turbine-fitted steamer for its trade. The decision marks a development which lias been long expected. The question of introducing turbines on Atlantic liners hns been before the shipping companies for ut least threo years, Gut it has beou left to tho Allan Lino to lead the way. At the present moment the Cunard Company has a Commission investigating the claims of the turbine, and tho White Star Lino is' also understood to bo considering the desirability of trying a change from tho reciprocntory to the rotary type of engines. Taken in conjunction with other circumatances, tliis activity leaves little room for doubt that the experimental stage- of tho turbine has been passed nnd a development more rapid thnn has hithorto been seen may be expected. Up to the present the progress hns not been ns rapid ns the ndvocates of the rotary ongino looked for, but at the same time it^ hns been by no mains slow. It wns only in 1894 that ' tho first vessel — tho Turbinia — was fitted with tho turbine, and Binco then the following vessels have been equipped: — H.M.S. Viper, 1898; 11.M.5. Cobra, 1898; s.s. King Edward, 1901; s.B. Queen Alexandra, 1902; S.E. nnd C.R. Co.s Queen, 1903; Brighton Co.'s steamer, 1903; H.M.S. Velox, 1903; S.Y. Lorena, 1903; S.Y. Emerald, 1903; S.Y. Tarantula, 1903. Both tho Viper niid tho Cobra were unfortunntoly lost, but the disasters were in no degree attributed to the fact thnt they were propelled by turbines. The King Edward nnd the Queen Alexundrn, sister ships, have given every satisfaction to their Clyde owners, and Mr. Cosmo Bonaor, the Chairman of tho South-East-ern nnd Chat-ham Railway Company, said recently that tho Queen was "a complete success." The Brighton Company has also found itts ne-w turbiuo steanior to bo satisfactory in overy way, while tho trinls of tho Velox hn,ve so far left nothing to bo desired. Tho yacht Emerala, built to tho order of Sir Christopher Fumcew, M.P., was the first vessel propelled by turbines to crocs the Atlantic. Slie attained a speed of fifteen % knots on trial, and nlthough eho experienced very severe weather and head winds, sho crossed tho "pond" without n hitch. Orders are on hand to equip tho following : Toi^ pedo-boat destroyer Eden, third-class cruiser Amethyst, now Allan liner, two steamers for Midland Railway Company, ft steamer being constructed by Messrs. Denny, a vessel for Strtuirner-Larno service Tho chief advantages claimed for the marine stoam-turbmo nre (1) complete absence of vibration, (2) small space occupied, (3) tho slight attention and maintenance required, (4) increased economy, and (5) freedom from breakdowns. Although tho introduction of the steam turbiuo for marine purposes only dates bnck to 1894 the turbiuo hns been in u*o on land for a very much longer period. It is stated that tho steam turbine can claim to bo ono of the most ancient types of engines, for It was described in a crude- form by Herod of Alexandria in liis Pncumntica over two thousand years ngo. In those days the steam turbine consisted of a cauldron of water with a steam tight lid above which a hollow sphere wns supported by a pair of arms, one of which carried a pivot, and tho other being hollow admitted tho steam to tho sphere through a trunnion joint. Somo years ngo a turbino was mndo at Hcaton works on similnr lines. Another early engine was Branea's steam wheel, which wns made in 1629. It consisted of tho boiler supplying a jet of steam which impinged on a wheel and drove it round. It wan not till 1384 that tho Parsons type was introduced. The Hon. O. A. Parsons, nfter numerous experiments, brought out an engine which run successfully for many years. It developed 10-horsepower, tat a working speed of 18,000 revolutions a minute, atid was directly coupled to tho dynamo. This engino is now in the South Kensington Muxeum. Later and more economical turbines were constructed, and In 1888 the first condensing engino was designed, but owing to various difficulties it wns not constructed until 1892. In recent years turbines for driving alternators and dynamos have been built iv England ana on tne Continent under tho Parsons patents, aggregating some 250,000-hornupower, nnd of all sir.es up to 5000-horscpowcr.