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_ [October 1, 24 , MARINE REVIEW. DESCRIPTION OF PARSONS' STEAM TURBINE. Both the Viper and Cobra, British torpedo boats, have been fitted with Parsons steam turbines and the rates of speed which have been developed have astonished the naval authorities of the world. Both boats have attained a maximum speed of over 40 miles an hour. The applica- tion of the turbine to larger vessels is now a subject of consideration. From letters patent issued to Mr. Charles A. Parsons, the inventor of the turbine, the following description is taken: ; In steam turbines as at present constructed certain difficulties are found in effectively reversing the direction of the rotation. In one method of reversing, already adopted by one of the present applicants, a special set of reversing jets and blades is applied to a marine steam turbine, and when it is desired to reverse the engine the steam supply is cut off from the main turbine and sent through the reversing blades or jets only. This Fig. 1.--Sectional Plan, Showing Steam and Exhaust Valves device enables the turbine to be reversed; but the reversing power is not great, as it is impossible to use any great number or series of reversing turbines without increasing complexity and diminishing the efficiency of the turbine when running in its normal direction. The object of this invention is to overcome the difficulties and com- plexities of the ordinary method and to obtain a powerful reversal of a steam turbine without appreciable complication of its mechanical con- struction. The invention consists in an improved form of turbine blade, by the use of which a turbine can be run efficiently in both directions. In Figs. 1 and 2, A is the high pressure turbine and B the low pressure. A2 and B2 are the propeller shafts driven by the turbines. The high pres- sure steam from the boiler is admitted to the turbine A by way of the i BEN A «6 S| : , i q A Z 4 ' 7 Z A) i= ae < {iP f ey p D NON va Fig. 3.--Sectional End Fig 2.--Sectional Svde Elevation, Elevation aoe WON nnn ~DORAAED- Fig. 6.--Diagram of Reversing Turbine Blades, Fig. 4.--Reversing Valve in Fig 5.--Diagram of Ordinary Turbine Middle Position. Blades. pipe H, and for going ahead the steam passes on one side of the reversing valve A', which is of the butterfly type, to the end of the steam turbine by way of the passage E, as shown by the arrow a. The steam then passes through the various sets of moving and fixed turbine blades B4 and C4, Fig. 2, to the opposite end of the turbine, and thence it dis- charges to the passage E' and passes on the other side of the reversing valve A', as shown by the arrow b, to the pipe D, communicating with the low pressure turbine B. The steam enters that turbine by one side of the reversing valve B' and the passage F, as indicated by the arrow c, and discharges by the passage F' and the other side of the reversing valve B' to the exhaust pipe G, as indicated by the arrow d. When it is desired to reverse both turbines the reversing valves A' B' are placed in the posi- tion indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and then the steam passes to the low pressure end of each turbine and discharges from each high pressure end. When one of the turbines is required to go ahead while the other reverses one reversing valve is operated for that purpose. When it is desired to cut one turbine out of action the reversing valve of that tur- bine is moved to its middle position, as shown in Fig. 4. : Fig. 5 shows a series of fixed blades f and rotating blades r of ordi- nary construction, These blades are moderately curved and converge Fig. 7 --Application of Reversing Blades. in the direction in which steam flows when the turbine is going ahead. When so rotating the steam passes between the fixed blades f in the direction of the arrow, impinges upon the concave sides of the rotating blades r, and discharges from them, continuing the direction of flow. The moving biades then rotate in the direction of the center arrow. 'This form of blade gives very good results when the steam passes as just described; but when the steam is caused to flow in the direction of the lower arrow, so as to reverse the motion of the turbine, it then im- pinges on the convex sides of the blades and travels in the direction in which the blades diverge. Under these conditions the efficiency is lowered considerably. In order to get turbines to work efficiently in both directions we construct the blades as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Here the fixed blades f and the rotating blades r are made with flat parallel sides, which have concavities g h, one at each end of the blade, so that the steam, which- ever way it flows, impinges on a concavity. When the steam flows as indicated by the lower arrow the jet splits up when impinging on the con- cave surfaces g g, and the turbine rotates as shown by the arrow 3. When the flow of steam is reversed to the direction shown by the upper arrow the fluid then impinges on the concavities h, and the turbine rotates as shown by the arrow 4. By this construction the efficiency is equally good in both directions of running. EVIDENCES OF YANKEE HUSTLING. Mr. Loftus Cuddy, who was one of the principals of the Cuddy- Mullen Coal Co. of Cleveland before that concern sold out to the Pitts- burg Coal Co. (consolidation), has about completed a tour of Europe investigating commercial condition. In an interview in London he speaks most hopefully of the revival of the American merchant marine. Up to a few years ago Mr. Cuddy's business interests were all in Canada, By he has been unusually successful in lake coal business at Cleveland. e says: "Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Toledo, Lorain, Buffalo and West Superior mean to take advantage of whatever demand may arise for ocean catrying vessels. These ports are now building boats designed for both lake and ocean service. Their dimensions measure up to the full capacity of the Welland canal limitations. This canal, together with those of the St. Lawrence river, are all that prevent the lakes from supply- ing the Atlantic with a merchant marine large enough to ply permanently between American and European ports. When competition becomes keener, because of the construction of numerous big vessels, the lake built boats will probably be compelled to confine themselves to the coastwise trade. About a dozen of them will be sent from the lakes to the sea this winter, and more will follow as rapidly as they can be built. Wherever I went in southern Europe I saw evidences of Yankee hustling. Ameri- can coal and American manufactures are forcing their way into the mar- kets of Spain, Italy, Austria, the Balkan states and the Turkish empire. They are also entering the southern ports of the Mediterranean and reaching away towards central Asia. These are the results of painstak- ing and conscientious efforts to understand and gratify the wants of the people with whom the trade is being established. While it will probably be a long time before the Americans make any considerable headway towards ousting the Englishman from his own market, the latter would do well to wake up. His slow and cumbrous methods must go, or defeat awaits him. The inventive skill of the American nation is concentrated in the problem of cheapening production and distribution. Its victories along this line follow one another in quick succession. Of all peoples the Americans are the most ruthless in sacrificing machinery, however costly, the moment it loses the top notch of efficiency." Every year for four or five years past officials of the Richelieu & Ontario Navigation. Co, have talked of a couple of fine passenger steam- ers to meet the requirements of service between Montreal and Quebec. The latest report on this score is as follows: 'The Richelieu & Ontario Navigation Co. has decided to build for the Montreal-Quebec route a magnificent new steamer after the style of those of the famous Fall River line. The boat will be about 350 ft. long, and will have 286 staterooms, which is the capacity of the Plymouth of the Fall River line, and about twice the capacity of the present R. & O. steamer Quebec. This much has been decided upon, but it is probable that the company will have to duplicate this vessel, for its experience with the Toronto, on the upper part of the route, was that tourists insisted upon traveling on the finest boat, even if it was crowded." _ Capt. George P. McKay has received word that. the crib for the middle ground, Pelee passage, will be ready about Saturday of this week.