MODERN PROPULSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 309, 4 January 1908, Page 6

MODERN PROPULSION.

.Some time ago the announcement was made that a combination of Parsons' steam turbine and electric motor for marine propulsion had been patented (remarks the London Shipping Gazette). In the fast passenger vessel of the future we are told that the boilers will hpractically where they are, but instead of cumbersome engines there will be turbo-generators in pairs, athwartship, and end to end. The motors driving the propeller shafts will be placed as far aft as possible, thereby saving much space and weight in propeller shafting and tunnels, the power being transmitted, of course, through cables, each a few inches in diameter, from the generators to the motors. "The future Lusi tania may be driven by turbo-generators of 100,000 horse-power at a speed of 30 knots. Such a vessel would have six turbo-generators of 20,000 horse-power each, one of which would be spare. Each of her four propellers and (shafts would lie provided with six motors of 5,000 horse-power, five of which would do the work, while the other would be a standby, running light, but ready on the pressure of a button on the bridge to take up its share of the duty."

The reference to the button on tlyi bridge is the most significant thing that has been said about the electrical-driven ship of the future for many a long day. because, worked out to its logical conclusion, it means that responsibility for every movement of the ocean steamer of the future is to rest on the shoulder? of the officer on the bridge. '■ He will have beside him a kind of keyboard of push buttons, by which he will himself control every movement of the ship. Instead of ordering the engineers to ' go astern,' for example, he will push a .button which will reverse the motors. And so with every variation of sj>ced and direction." Three conclusions mav safely I*' drawn from this. One is that the navigator of the future will have to know much more aliout practical engineering than lie does to-day. The sim plicity of pushing a button is, no doubt, impressive, but pushing a button is not bv any means the whole of the story. Electric motors are not miracles, and il is conceivable that a man with merely a button or two to push might ask tluyii to do too many things at about file same time.

AX INTERESTING CAREER. Captain Pritchard, of the Cunard liner Maurctania, the greatest ship in the world, has had an interesting career. JJorii in North Wales, of poor parents, he was left au orphan at twelve years o; age, and shipped as cabin boy on'a uniall Carnarvon-owned sailing craft named the Uleeu. He gradually worked his way up, obtained a master's certificate, and became part owner of the vessel in which he began his seafaring life. After twenty-one years iu "wind-jammere " he entered steam, and during his connection with the Cunard liue has had charge ot all of its vessels with the exception ot the Umbria and Lusitania. having crossed the Atlantic 230 timer,.' He is in his sixty-third year, and in a few months will attain the postion of commodore in the great Cnuard line. Captain Pritchard s personality may be summed up in the quaint remark which he is said to have made to a friend lately, "I wear the same size hat now as I did when second officer of the Umbria."

IN A 13AD WAV. Shipbuilding and engineering on the I liauuv, is in a hail way. Messrs. -I. 1, Thurnveroft & Co. have transferred a large portion of their works to South, ampton, Mcsmx Yaronv & Co. have left I'oplar for the Clyde, some of the firms are reducing their stall's, anil others have got into dillicultie*, and now it is reported that the eminent engineers, Mes<r«. Humphreys, Tennanl & Co., of Kept ford, have decided to close their work- |iermaneiitly when they have finished the work on hand, which includes the turbine machinery and boilers for the cruder Invincible. The firm have been noted for their high class engines, and in the early days supplied the engines to a number of l>. S (I. boats. Of late year, they have built ngincs of many warships for the British, .Japanese, and Russian Navies.