WARSHIP VENTILATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 16892, 8 February 1917, Page 5

WARSHIP VENTILATION.

One of the most difficult problems It v building a modem battleship is to c*- " ,' cure satisfactory ventilation. A ship if ; 1 such a complicated thing*, made up of » so many steel boxes, large and $malif lor the accommodation, of officers, znea '' * coal, ammunition, and stores; dotted' 'A here and there with so many steel l*d- r "f 5 ders, automatic htta, steel bulk-heads ' 'J and water-tight doors, varied here antf '^ there by miles of electric wires belong- ( * ing to lights, telephones, bells, an<Tmo- % tors, to say nothing of the endl&s mile- ' ' age of pines for flooding. draiinM, > pumping fresh water, fresh air or com-1 V! pressed air, and speaking tubes. ' < i -b us* in importauc© comes the rentiU 4 atmg of the boiler and enginerooms. ' * When you begin to think of the gangs *1 or coal-black demons working awayia. c-i oa7 €ls of th© ship at a temperature. '-\ or 1/Udeg.; when, too, you commence to,' lealise that unless the furnaces receive ?'-" their required draught the speed of the v. f battleship drops to below that trf her,, rsisters in the squadron, you appreciate l the importance of tie steam-drivea fans X to the furnaces and boiler-rooms. The C*. supply of air comes down through lanre water-tight trunks which are continued ' „ right up to the weather deck, armoured .» gratings being provided »t the protecst--^-> lye deck

For ventilating engine rooms bra* ' electric fans are emplo^Ba. mho, the '"' coal bnkera have to be ventilated, owine lo the gas which the coal gives off. This -: gas, when mixed with air, forms an ex- J' plosive; so, m order to prevent a po* -a stbahty of injury to men or ship, * sup. ' ' 'i ply and an exhaust pipe are fitted in ' ; such a manner as to caus« a current u£ fi a^r. •■ • ..- ■ :.■ ■ ■.. -: ■ ~