SHIPS AND THE SEA

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 88, 15 April 1911, Page 12

SHIPS AND THE SEA-

CORRUGATED-SIDED STEAMERS ARE SPEEDY. The steamship Monitoria, built by Osbourno, Graham, and Co., at Sunderland, England, for the Ericsson Shipping Company, has demonstrated that the corrugated-sided vessel hae not only better average speed, but has unusual strength and greater cargo-carrying capacity than the ordinary built tramp. This vessel is built on what is known as the monitor system — that is, corrugations in her sides extending from the turn of the bows to the turn of the quarters, which innovation, it is said, decreases resistance, and gives the ship greater speed on less coal consumption tlian is common to vessels with smooth sides. These corrugations are placed below the load water-line and above the bilgo. The contour is a wave-like section, which forms rather flat arcs gently curved into the Hat, wall-sided ship at the edges of the arcs. They so affect the stream and wave action around and under the vessel that a source of wasted energy is prevented, and more power, therefore, becomes available for propulsion. As the corrugations restrict the wave amplitude, the speed of the wave passing round the ship is increased. This increase of speed water is equivalent to a reduction of resistance, inasmuch as it minimises the accumulation of water piled at the ends. In the Monitoria the propeller is seen, clearly revolving in unbroken water, the direction of the current being more horizontal, and the propeller clip is down to between 3 per cent, and 5 per cent., instead of 10 per cent, to 15 per cent. From the trial trips to the present time in all respects the application of these corrugations to the sides have more than proved all that was expected of them, and has disclosed a law of ship's resistance which has hitherto been totally neglected. LOCUSTS AS FUEL. When the steamer St. Ronald, which is to be added to the Canadian-Mexican steamship line, reached Vancouver, completing her voyage from Antwerp, her officers had a tale to tell of having passed through a swarm of locusts oif Africa, with the result that there was some saving in the fuel bills. Thus they tell it: — "When off the west coast of Africa, the look-out sighted what looked like land ahead. Later, it assumed the aspect of a black cloud. It turned out to be a swarm of locusts, which were seen ankle-deep throughout the ship. All hands were kept busy shovelling them overboard, and tons of them were washed through the scuppers. Finally, when the swarm was paseed, and the vessel clear of the pest, what were left were saved for fuel, "and it is estimated that about thirty tone of coal were saved." INCREASE IN INSURANCE RATES ON TRAMP STEAMERS. The working costs of cargo steamers with 'respect to insurance are likely to be very heavy this year. The raising of Lloyd's premiums by an additional 10 per cent, for tramp steamers makes these premiums 30 per cent, more than they were two years ago. Whether tramp steamer owners will pay this extra charge for insurance, or will revert to the mutual clubs, is reported to be a. much-debated point. It is felt that the clubs will have to be strengthened if cargo steamers are to get anything like reasonable insurance, and the strengthening of the clubs means more unity among shipowners and better organisation than at present prevails, a consummation which many believe to be within the domain of the impossible, however great is the need for more cohesion in the seacarrying trade. THE SKIPPER'S WIFE. In these day 3of steam, the captain rarely takes his wife to sea with him. In most of the big lines the pi'actice is strictly prohibited. Yet in the. sailing ship period it was honoured in the observance to a considerable extent, as the biography of the late Captain T. Y. Powles, of Liverpool, reminds the readers. This worthy skipper sailed the seas for more than forty years, and during twenty-two yearsi his wife sailed with him on every voyage but one. It is said that Captain Powles insisted upon his wife accompanying him. Be that as it may, Mrs. Powles, who eventually died at sea, accepted the situation with grace and dignity. Both she and her husband had musical gifts. Their cabin was fitted up with piano and organ, and to many a concert did forecastle Jack find himself invited. There is a tradition that it is unlucky for a shipmaster's wife to accompany her husband to sea. It was quite exploded in this case, for Captain Powles never met with mishap, even in the fearful seas offCape Horn, which he so frequently traversed. On the other hand, Mrs. Powles's presence on board was of the greatest possible advantage. This refined and gentle woman nursed the crew in illness, gave attention to their clothes, and generally exhibited towards them a motherly devotion. The influence of a woman on these long-voyage ships was in every way_ an asseti not to be despised. Of Captain Powles, who explored many a little-known region of the globe in company with his wife, it should be added that he would have no j dealings with the steamship. He stuck i to the sailing ship till the time came for him to go ashore for good. The new contract between the Hungarian Government and the Union of North Atlantic Steamship Lines, for the regulation of the emigration trade, is for a period of ten years, subject to a three months' notice of withdrawal given by either party after the first year, and each company has a right to establish a bureau at Pesth and at the frontier stations. The companies will pay to the Government ten kronen for every emigrant. The Long Island Railroad Company has purchased 160 acres of land along the coast in the neighbourhood of Montauk Point, and will erect piers there 1000 ft in length, as well as passenger and goods stations. Everything will also, be dono to facilitate the berthing of the largest ocean steamers. While shipbuilding tan hardly be said •to be booming in England, orders for new vessels are, ( according to latest advices, being booked with gratifying ateadinesa. Prices are also slightly better, though they are still, no doubt, far below what shipbuilders would like to get. One of the complaints of the industry has been that shipbuilders jjefc too little for their work, while shipowners on their part contend that they pay too much for their s'essels. Still, both sets of philanthropists continue in business, and are on that account, at I jwy rato, .entitled to perfect freedom ! to 'grumble when they like. The British Parliament not so long ago provided the sailor with a new food scale. Now the ship's medicine cheßt is to be overhauled. The task is to be undertaken at the instigation of shipowners, but the seaman should also be tho gainer, for tho present medicine chest is admittedly out of date. It used to bo a tradition among sailors that Epsom salts was regarded bjr shipmasters as the cure for all ills, and it is said that it has even been prescribed for a broken leg before now. Be that as it may, the possibilities of the pharmacopoeia have grown apace, and the stereotyped requirements of the Board of Trade have been far outdistanced. On the subject being brought to its notice, the Board has readily agreed to tako it in hand, so that there is tho prospect before long of a very useful reform being carried, out, j