THE FIRST PROPELLERS
USE !N MARINE PROPULSION CENTENARY MARKED BY EXHIBITION (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, February 11. A special exhibit of models has been arranged at the Science Museum, South ivensiugton. to mark the centenary of the first practical use of marine screw propulsion for ships. A wooden screw propeller of two complete turns, with a diameter of two feet, was patented in 1836 by a farmer named Francis Smith, who demonstrated it successfully on Paddington Canal in February, 100 years ago. During the' test trips the launch struck an obstacle and ipart of the propeller was broken off, but to the inventor’s surprise the accident materially increased the speed of the boat. The models on exhibition include those of the original launch and a larger vessel, 125 ft long, to which Smith’s invention, consisting of a double-threaded screw of half-turn, was fitted. By way of contrast a model is also shown of the screw propellers of the Queen Mary, which are of 20fb diameter.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Star, Issue 22572, 13 February 1937, Page 17
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168THE FIRST PROPELLERS Evening Star, Issue 22572, 13 February 1937, Page 17
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