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Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 96, 16 November 1878, Page 3

The ‘ Engineer’ of Augu-1 23rd giv s engravings and a description of a new system of fitting screw propellers that promises to become as popular, for small vessels at least, as it is novel. It is the the invention of W. H. Ma.lory, a U.S. colonel. The screw is fitted so that it can be revolved horizontally through the entire circle and in either direction much as the fans of an Althouse windmill revolve round their central support. In fact the simplest description of the invention is, that it is the Althouse windmill and pump reversed. No rudder is needed, a slight turn of the screw out of the line of the vessel being instantly effective. Its real value is indicated in the following passage : —“ The only thing with which the evolutions of Colonel Mallory’s craft can be compared are those of a perfectly trained circus horse. She waltzed round and round, dashed in and out among floating logs, boats and steamers, and behaved as no boat of her size ever behaved before. In one. word, for any purpose where extreme case of handling is required the Mallory system is simply perfection. For example, for tug boats or torpedo boats nothing can be imagined more suitable.” The same paper contains another interesting statement relative to screw steamers. It is this :—That a screw steamer running diroetty on a straight coast or similar danger will have a better chance of saving herself by going ahead and turning with the rudder than bv reversing the engines and trying also to turn. Screw ships cannot be turned surety with reversed screw and a steamer can turn, going ahead, in a shorter space than she can stop.