NEW MOTOR COASTING SHIP

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8737, 20 May 1914, Page 4

NEW MOTOR COASTING SHIP

MESRS ELDER, DEMPSTER, AND CD’S DEPARTURE. LONDON, April 9. For several months considerable interest has been centred upon the shipyard of Messrs Hawthorns Company (Limited), of Leith, in which two fullpowered motor coasting vessels have been in course of construction, namely, the Ha and Ife, both of which have been built to the special designs of Mr J. B. Wilkie, M.1.N.A., M.l.MechE., superintendent engineer to Messrs Elder, Dempster, and Co., qf Liverpool. A number of motor coasters have been built in .Scottish yards, but the Ha and Ife stand alone for unique design, they having quite left the barge class and entered the “ship” section. Messrs Elder, Dempster, and Co. caine first into touch with the internal combustion engine proposition when they purchased the Itu, a vessel, length 59ft by 15ft by 4ft, fitted with two sets of Bolinder engines, each developing 25 b.h.p. This vessel was followed by the Ibusa, fitted with an 80 b.h.p two-cylinder marine oil engine of the same type. These boats were used to replace the steam craft carried by their ocean-going boats. Leaving the small boat section, Messrs Elder, Dempster, and Co. centred their attention on the larger type of craft. Tbe result is the construction of the Ha and Ife, sister vessels, with length b.p. 135 ft, breadth moulded' 25fti draught, carrying 300 tons of cargo, 7ft. The cubic capacities of the holds and hatches of each vessel or© close on 18,000 cubic feet, the hatches being of large size so as to carry bulky packages.

The hulls are of Siemens Martin steel throughout, and fitted with four watertight bulkheads. Loading is facilitated by four steel samson posts, which are fitted amidships, each having a separate derrick 32ft long, and capable of lifting two tons by single purchase. The above derricks are worked by two separate winches, driven by a 20 b.h.p. Bolinder engine, special- arrangements having- been mad< that either both the winches can be in use at the same time or separately A tow hook has been arranged for in a suitable position, as it is quite possible that frequently these riiay pick up a tow. The machinery of each vessel consists of two sets of Bolinder direct reversible crude oil marine engines, each developing 120 b.h.p. at normal load, with a continuous overload of 10 per cent. The guaranteed consumption yyitb these engines is approximately eight gallons per hour each, but under ordinary working conditions this power engine is stated to work on a considerably lower consumption, in some cases as much as 20 per cent, lower, even when developing the full load at 275 revolutions per minute. Fuel tanks with a capacity of 1200 gallons, in addition to a daily service tank of 160 gallons capacity, with the usual connections to the main tanks are fitted in suitable positioms in the motorroom, so as to give plenty of room round each engine. The speed trials of the Ha were ran at Leith, when the satisfactory speed of just over eleven statute miles per hour was obtained. The owners immediately took delivery of the vessel, which will make the trip to its destination under its own power.