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24 | MARINE REVIEW. [July 10 AN AMERICAN TURBINE VESSEL. The steam yacht Revolution, fitted with a turbine engine, and, ac- cording to her builders, intended to demonstrate that that form of engine is available for commercial use as well as for high speed, engaged in a race in New York harbor last Saturday afternoon with the New Jersey Central's steamer Monmouth and the fast steam yacht Vamoose. The Revolution is said to have beaten the Monmouth in an eighteen-minute run by a little more than a length and the Vamoose by a quarter of a mile. The vessels raced only about five miles, but the results of this short run are said to have been sufficient to satisfy (Charles C. Curtis, who designed the turbine engines in the Revolution. Following is an account of the race from a daily newspaper correspondent: | : ; "A strong southwesterly wind was blowing and the tide and wind were both against the boats, 'but on account of her size the yacht suffered the most from these causes. Prof. James E, Denton of Stevens Institute, Mr. Curtis, L. C. Ryce and a few others boarded the Revolution off the Battery at 3 o'clock. Then the yacht went down the bay and loafed about waiting for the Monmouth, which leaves pier 6 at 3:45 o'clock for the Atlantic Highlands. The Monmouth makes this trip in 1 hour 14 minutes, and her average speed is about 17 knots, or 22 miles, an hour. When sighted from the Revolution she was steaming along in the channel head- ing down the bay. At the same time the Vamoose was seen some distance ahead of the' passenger steamer, evidently waiting for a race. At 40 clock the Monmouth got on even terms with the Revolution and before the yachts' engines could be opened up she had taken a lead of about half a length. The Monmouth was the middle of the trio, the Revolution was to the westward and the Vamoose to the east. At the start the Vamoose had a lead of about 200 yards, but this was soon cut down and then for "some minutes the vessels were on almost even terms. Inch by inch the Revolution began to creep up and soon poked her bowsprit in the lead. At 4:11 the two were passing between the forts at the Narrows with the Revolution a quarter of a length in the lead. The Vamoose was far astern. Seven minutes later the Revolution was off Hoffman island and there was just a little piece of open water between her stern-and the stem of the Monmouth. In eighteen minutes the Revolution had beaten the Monmouth by more than a length and this being satisfactory to all on board, the Revolution stopped. "After the race Mr. Curtis showed what the yacht could do in the way of maneuvering. The great trouble with turbine engines has been with reversing. The Hon. Charles Parsons, the English turbine engine builder, uses an independent set of engines for reversing. On the Revolution the same turbine is used for going ahead and going astern. The yacht was running full speed ahead. The signal was given to stop and then go full speed astern and.at the first attempt the yacht was lying dead in the water in twenty-six seconds. At the second attempt she was stopped at twenty- three seconds. Then after the yacht had been running ahead for a while she was turned in a circle of about 200 ft. in diameter, a little more than the length of the yacht. "The Revolution was-built by the Gas Engine & Power Co. and Chas. L. Seabury & Co., Consolidated, at Morris Heights, and her model is the usual yacht model designed for comfort and not for speed. She is 178 ft. over all, 139 ft. 6 in. on the water line, 16 ft. 6 in. beam and 7 ft. draught. The engine room is totally unlike that on any other yacht. On each side of the room are two domes, which cover the turbines. Big pipes about 10 in. in diameter carry the steam from the boiler to the turbines. There are no levers, but the steam is turned on 'by opening valves. From the turbines bigger pipes conduct the steam to the condensers. There are two turbines in the Revolution, one for each shaft, and on each shaft there is one screw. The engines have developed 2,500 H.P. The turbines are each 5 ft. in diameter. "During the run the average steam pressure was 232 lbs. At times it went up to 249 lbs., but according to Mr. 'Curtis it ought to have been 255 Ibs, The falling off was due to poor coal. According 'o the tachometer the average speed of the shaft was 645 revolutions a minute. Just how economical in use this turbine is has not been shown yet, but in point of construction it is cheaper than a reciprocating engine. A reciprocating engine suited to a yacht of the size of the Revolution would develop about 1,400 H.P. and run the yacht about 15 knots an hour. Such an engine would weigh twice as much as the turbines in the Revolution and cost twice as much to build." Mr. Ryce, who is associated with Mr. Curtis, said: "We decided to build a yacht large enough to make a good demonstration that the Curtis steam turbine is adapted to meet all requirements of a prime mover for the propulsion of high-powered ocean-going commercial steamships up to the largest Atlantic liner, and at the same time a yacht which would not differ materially in general plan, in proportions, or in equipment from what is customary in engine-driven boats today. While the yacht is not built as a racing machine and makes no pretentions to beating everything in sight, she has, of course, a great deal more power and travels faster than any similar engine-driven boat of like character, size and displacement, simply because her turbines weigh less per horse power than engines would. But the most striking thing of all about the turbines in this yacht is that they are all always ready to run and have required no overhauling or repairs, no fussing or nursing. The yacht has probably been driven not less than 1,000 miles at high speed since she first left the yard last April.' Mr. Curtis is a son of George Ticknor Curtis and is a graduate of the school of mines, Columbia university. He is a member of the bar as well as an inventor. The turbine as developed in the Revolution has been the result of seven years' work. REDUCING NAVAL FORCE IN THE PHILIPPINES. In line with President Roosevelt's policy of extending civil govern- ment through all the islands of the Philippine archipelago, except those occupied by the Moro tribes, the navy department will shortly reduce the naval force in the Philippines to a peace basis. Nearly all the little gun- boats captured or purchased from Spain will be placed out of'commission and some of the cruisers will be ordered back to the United States, Sec-_ for reducing the Asiatic ° retary Moody has under consideration a plan fleet, but so far has not decided definitely on anything except the with- drawal of the small gunboats from active service and the recall of some of the larger ships. -In line with the policy of President McKinley and former Secretary Long, a strong squadron will be: maintained perman- ently in the far east, principally to let the world know that the United r me there to stay and regards itself as a factor Saat en or de ee All the armor-clads will be retained on the Asiatic station and the battleship Oregon will soon be os to augment them. The plan which Secretary oody has under oi oe con- templates the detachment of one and perhaps two of the eye tag officers now on the station. The tour of sea duty of Rear Admira Rodgers, commander-in-chief of the Asiatic naval force, will end in the fall, but it is not unlikely that he will be recalled before then. The chances are that Rear Admiral Evans, the senior squadron commander, will be retained as commander-in-chief. NAVAL WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. Wireless telegraphic equipment for the entire navy, including offices at all shore stations and apparatus on every ship, is to be installed as rapidly as possible under plans made by Admiral Bradford and approved by Secretary Moody. Orders have been issued and are now being car- ried out at the New York navy yard to fit all ships in commission for the apparatus by setting up wooden masts above the fighting tops, which will carry wires from yard arms 135 feet above the water line, and poles of similar height have been ordered put in position at the New York yard on the Navesink heights, and at Norfolk and Key West. Poles with crossarms and wires are already placed in the Naval Academy grounds at Annapolis and in the Washington navy yard, and between these two points in the next week or ten days a course of instruction for petty officers will be put into effect, to provide operators for all the sta- tions ashore and afloat. : : : The system to be adopted for the service will probably combine the advantages of all the appliances now coming into practical use in Europe and this country, with such improvements as the electrical experts of the equipment bureau have devised in the last two years of close attention to the subject and regardless of exclusive claims by various inventors. Admiral Bradford and the officers associated with him have become con- vinced that no existing patents for the use of spark waves and tuned apparatus are broad enough to create a monopoly in wireless transmission. Three months ago he sent to Europe his chief electrical assistant, Lieut. John M. Hudgins, with two skilled petty officers, to acquire a practical knowledge of the systems being installed in foreign navies, and, if possi- ble, to procure sets of all practicable apparatus. This mission has been eminently successful, and Lieut. Hudgins is now returning with eight sets of instruments, with which his petty officers have made themselves famil- iar. The success of this mission was largely due to Com'dr F. M. Barber, U.S. N., retired, who: has been in Europe watching the development of wireless telegraphy and progress along other lines valuable to the navy for several years. In Paris sets of both the Ducretet and Rochefort apparatus, which are used by the French and Russian governments, were secured, and in Berlin: the Slaby-Arco system, used in the German navy, and the Braun- Siemens-Halske system, regularly operated from the mainland to Heligo- land and to various lightships, were purchased. Interesting and valuable experience was obtained in France and Germany, where regular schools of instruction were attended by the Americans and where numbers of apprentices are being made expert in handling the instruments. Wrong adjustments are intentionally made in setting up the apparatus for pupils, who are put to the test in finding the difficulties and correcting them, and obstacles to transmission are ingeniously hidden, to be overcome by the operators before certificates of qualification are given to them. No effort was made to secure sets of the system which has been adopted by the Italian and British navies, because Admiral Bradford had been unsuc- cessful in making terms with the inventor, Marconi, last year. Marconi then declined to supply instruments except on annual rentals, with a roy- alty of $500 a year, and under other restrictions, which were regarded as impossible for a navy which in a national emergency might have its sup- ply of instruments and operators cut off, and thus be suddenly compelled to build up a new service. Marconi's attitude led Admiral Bradford to determine that the American navy should have a system of its own, if necessary to preserve its independence, and out of that desicion has de- veloped a condition which promises results of much benefit to the world, through the organization of a great corporation with the object of har- monizing all the systems, and so enable the interchange of messages between countries which have adopted and put into use different forms of apparatus. At present the German, French and English systems, from mechanical causes or business rivalry, cannot or do not exchange mes- sages, and the general use and development of wireless telegraphy are im- peded to that extent. The prospects, however, are now good that an agreement will be reached by which the best features of all the systems will be combined for commercial uses exactly as the American navy pro- poses to do on its own account for war purposes. _ _The navy department, since taking its present stand and succeeding in finding practical apparatus of several forms for sale in the open market, has also learned that several American makers of electrical apparatus are anxious to supply wireless instruments, and has received offers of several untried but promising systems for tests. Admiral Bradford will also give Prof. Fessenden, the weather bureau inventor, an opportunity to perfect his system for warships, if its operation will not be affected by the dis- charge of great guns, The keel of the battleship Nebraska was laid on July 4 at the ship yard of Moran Bros. & Co., Seattle, Wash., in the presence of a large crowd. Among the distinguished guests were Gov. Savage of Nebraska and staff, Gov. McBride of Washington and staff, and Rear Admirals Casey and Endicott of the navy. The governors of the two states, Wash- ington and Nebraska, were requested to doff their coats, roll up their sleeves and drive the first rivet in the first battleship under construction in the Pacific northwest. They swung the sledges to the amusement of the crowd and the satisfaction of Robert Moran. In an interview at Sydney, Dominion Iron & Steel Co., production of steel billets and Mr. David Baker, general manager of the said that the company had sold its entire slabs for some time to come. One of the large band sawing machines made by the Atlantic Works Incorporated of Philadelphia was recently sold to the government for use in the navy yard at Portsmouth, N. H,