A CRUISER WITHOUT FUNNELS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9442, 12 May 1909, Page 2

A CRUISER WITHOUT FUNNELS.

The despatch recently cabled from England to the effcet that a big gun cruiser ia about to be laid down which is to be driven by gas engines, and will therefore be enlirley without smokke Btaoka, has brought so many enquires to the office of the Scientific American that tha journal has published a digest of tha principal work that has been done hitherto in applying producer-gas enlgnes to the propulsion of warships. In view of the fact that the largest engine of this tpye pknown to have been successfully tested in any sea-going vessel is of only 500 horse-power, the next largest being an experimental engine of |IOOO horse-power, the Scientific American thinks it ia safe to say that the British Admiralty is not committing itself to the immediate installation of produoer-gas plants in any first-class warship. The new vessel, to be known as the Indefatigable, is to be an enlarged Indomitable ; and as the cruisers of this class carry engines which indicated on trial about 47,000 horsepower, it certainly does not appear likely that the British Navy wil! commit itself to a jump of from 600 to nearly 50,000 horse power without a very considerable intermediate period of experimental trials. If the reasults obtained with the 1000 horsepower experimental engine are as satisfactory as those obtained with the plant of lr-df the power, the authority above quoted thinks we may look for tests with a 5000 or even a 10,000 horse-power’* installation, the power being developed upon three or possibly four shafts. But if producer-gas engines were installed on the new Indefatigable, it would be necessary to develop from 10,000 to 12,000 horse-power on each of fonr shafts. No such engines exist, even in stationary gas-engine practice, where the maximum size ia from 6000 to 6000 hcree-power. However, the advantages applies*

toiu of the prodnoer-gas engine to warships are bo many and valuable that the Scientific American thinks it well worth the while of any great navy to spend lavishly for experimental work aiming at the solution of the difficulties attending the problem. The removal of smoke stacks would abolish the tell-taia smoke and render it frequently possible forjja fleet to get within grange bfora being discovered. The number of guns that could be carried on a given displacement would be increased and their areas of fire euenlarged. The perils cf suffocation due to the smokestacks being torn open by exploding shells would be completely removed, since the products of fuel combustion wondd be discharged through an exhaust in the stern near the water-line. Because of the high fuel efficiency, which is 80 to 100 par cent, better than that of the ordinary marine steam plant, a ship would bo able to steam nearly twice as far on the seam coal supply. If the nation which first perfects a large marine gas engine should also possess the facilities and capital to rapidly build a fleet of gas-engine battleships and cruisers, she will gain a lead over her competitors that might take years to overcome.