UNSINKABLE HULL

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 3, 4 July 1922, Page 11

UNSINKABLE HULL

WELLINGTON RBIDENT'S

INVENTION

Details, of a ship's hull, which is claimed to be unsinkable, axe suppliedj in the latest, issue of. The Pacific Marine Review. The unsinkable hull has been invented and patented, by Captain 0.. M'Donaldi, of Wellington, marine super-: intendent of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand. The Pacific Marine Review published am illustra-! tion of Captain M'Donald's invention, which takes t_e .prin of a, new cellular type of hull construction. The Review states :— ..

"It is. claimed, for- this design that the yesseil can be .very, handily kept afloat with tire entire bottom removed. The designer, de-serves considerable credit, because he. accomplishes this very desii. able safety feature, audi at the same time preserve^the simplicity of construction so as to add . very little to, the cost of building. "Tween deck compartment^ and tlie hold trunks are so arraijge^ fcba^ sufficient buoyancy with adequate free: b,oai'd; is.. ?,Y9ilab,l'_' through the displ a-Ce-. men. of the. 'tween deck' compartuienfcs, even if the entire 'bottom should be cut off. "■'"' '; .--•-■'

. "The, pamphlet, describing this vessel gives complete specifications 'for a single screw steel- steamer built, on this prin-! ciple for 8600 tons deadweight ?.argo capacity On a moan draught of fylt sin. "The scantlings' for " a hull built "tq these specifications, would; aft be eizec^ to standard dimensions and classification rules. Frames in, way of ,'f.ween. dsck spaces are. cut and bracketed to ensure a perfectly water-tight job, •so that with the 'tween deck compartment^ placed- in the, position shown on the. in: board profile, the. vessel would have, ampk buoyancy with the entire botton} destroyed. ' • "AU ventilators . from the . weathardeck to lower holds have, to- be strongly constructed with standard deck scant: lings, and with/ a water-tight liveti-ng job,'; The scupper, of the. 'tween deck compartments leading tc .the. bilges of the ship, are all fitted, op the cone system with c ,ps controlled, by §cr_w rods, from the w^ather-jdeck.- With, a, strongly: built watertight tunnel sW-ft, ajid with. , ventilator-.'' for. same . built of heavy scantling, and a good water-fight job, such a hull could navigate, under' it? own steamwith injuries to 'hier, bottom fore ajjd. aft which >would., absolutely sink the ordinary cargo-carrier. ' ' <rThis, constnictjor of hull lendls itseif very readily' to the rapid, discharge of general c_Ego/' on account of the large nujnber of hatches, and the. possibility of working separate, est. Bedore. gangs in the 'tween deck compartments and in tfoj hold.. It may- ako.be readily adapted for longitudinal framing ancl f<?r the carriage m crude, oil and other; bulk cargoes. "^ny designs," states The R^siaw in conctagjpn, "have, be,en. patented during the wai and since for making hulk safe aftea mbmaan.net attack or, other injury. In large, part these designs have been the work of. minds • entirely unfamiliar with sea conditions 01* othep construction of vessels. Captain M'Don-

aid teems to have arrived at » very simple and efficient scheme for a practically unsinkable ship, and his idea 19 commended to the consideration of American naval architects."