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August, 1926 propeller wheels wherein efficiency rapidly diminishes with high rotation as in full lined ships or in towboats. And, in the latter, flexibility is of extreme importance. Adapting the foregoing facts to the design of a tugboat engine, for in- stance, there is obtained a very in- teresting comparison with the present diesel powered tugs. Most of these develop their rated power and are operated at some 220 revolutions per minute, whereas, a steam powered tug of the same size would swing a wheel holding the en- gine down to some 120 revolutions per minute. With a progressive combustion en- gine swinging a wheel holding the en- gine down to 150 revolutions per min- ute there could be developed 475 shaft horsepower on a weight of less than 150 pounds per’ shaft horsepower which engine, at diesel speeds, would show 695 shaft horsepower at a weight of less than 100 pounds per shaft horsepower. And, such a 4-cylindered engine could be operated as slowly as 15 revolutions per minute. Some of the other strikingly val- uable characteristics are 1. It is inherently a 2-stroke en- gine with a scavenging vastly su- perior to any possible type of 4-stroke engine. 2. It starts and reverses without the employment of any auxiliary valves for such purposes. 8. Its valves are not subjected to the scoring so common in many other types. 4. It has a starting torque impos- sible in any other type and it can, efficiently, be forced far above its rating for short periods. 5. It can be built in any shops, and by any mechanics, capable of building high class reciprocating steam en- gines. 6. It can be run, without preheat- MARINE REVI W ing on oils as heavy and viscous as Port: Arthur light fuel oil of 22 de- grees Baumé and, » 7. It demands in its construction no special materials. In view of all these outstanding su- periorities it may be asked why such possibilities have been allowed to lie © dormant. An answer is that a study of the patents based on _ Brayton’s work shows a universal failure to appre- ciate the underlying fault in Bray- ton’s engines of years gone by and to the lack of any realization of cer- tain essentials necessary to accom- plishing his aims. It may sound easy to accomplish the impregnation of the air to a uni- form degree of richness while the pis- ton is moving at various speeds and demanding air and finely divided fuel at such variable rates. This and many similar and equally hard problems needed months of experimentation to overcome difficulties of detail; but, when there can be exhibited such ac- tual indicator cards as are shown in Figs. 38, and 4 it reminds one of Lincoln’s comment when Bushnell laid before him Ericsson’s plans for the Monitor. He said that “like a girl’s stocking it seemed to have something: it.” The engine from which the cards shown in Figs. 8 and 4 were taken is an experimental one of a single cyl- inder, single acting 8 x 10 inches run- ning on a 2-stroke cycle in the shops of the W. A. Fletcher Co. in Ho- boken, N. J. where it was constructed for Messrs. John H. Barnard and H. N. Fletcher who have personally carried the expenses of the building and of the long experimentation nec- essary to its development. The curves shown in Fig. 1 are taken from a re- port on this engine by the well known consulting diesel engineer, Louis Ford. Order New Vessels NE of the Wabash railroad car O ferries an order for which, it was noted inthe July number of Marine Review, was then pending, has been placed with the Toledo Ship- building Co. Inc., Toledo, O. It has been intimated that the same yard has the option to take the order for a duplicate vessel. A contract was awarded the Amer- ican Ship Building Co. on July 3, for a bulk freighter of the largest class, by the Inland Steamship Co., Chicago. In general particulars the new steamer will be similar to the Fred G. Hartwell, built in 1922, but larger. No figure as to the cost of the new vessel was given out. The dimensions are to be: 620 feet over- all in length, 64 feet in beam, and 33 feet in depth. A _ triple expansion engine furnished steam by three scotch boilers will serve as the main motive power. The building of this ship will take place at the yard of the American Ship Building Co., Lorain, O., and it is expected that she will be ready for the opening of naviga- 25 tion 1927. When the new vessel goes in service the Inland company will have three freighters, the JosmPH Buiockx, and N. F. Leopotp, being the other two. Hutchinson & Co. Cleve- land, are to be managers and will supervise the building of the ship. On July 6, the American Ship Build- ing Co. signed a contract to build a 600-foot bulk freighter for 1927 delivery for the Kinsman Transit Co., Henry Steinbrenner, manager. This vessel will also be built at the Lorain yard of the American Ship Building Co. In general particulars she will be practically a duplicate of the two steamers building at Lorain for the Interlake Steamship °Co., Pickands Mather & Co. managers notice of which appeared in the June number of MARINE ReEvIEw, page 24. The length overall will be 600 feet, length on keel 580 feet, beam 60 feet, and depth 32 feet. Unlike the Pickands Mather boats this vessel will be fitted with three scotch boilers. The engine will be of the usual triple expansion type. The new _ vessel mentioned above for the Inland Steamship Co. will be the largest American owned vessel on the Great Lakes. She will be throughout of an entirely new design both hull and machinery but will follow quite closely the steamer Frep G. HARTWELL. The American Ship Building Co. | now have under way four big freight- ers for delivery at the opening of navigation next year. The Lorain plant can be said to be busy and a large number of men will be given employment. There has been considerable talk of other orders pending. Of these a large self-unloading steamer similar to the T. W. Roprnson for the Brad- ley Transportation Co. Rogers City, Mich. seems most likely to be carried out. Hudson River Boat From plans and specifications pre- pared by J. W. Millard & Bro. 17 State street, New York, bids were received for a new Hudson River boat to take the place of the WASH- INGTON IrviING which had the mis- fortune of being rammed and sank in the Hudson river. The new steamer will be much smaller than the WAsH- INGTON IRVING, but she will accommo- date a large number of passengers with comfort. She will have a re- ciprocating engine, direct connected to ascrew propeller. Pusey & Jones, Wil- mington, Del., were awarded the con- tract for this vessel with the under- standing that she will be completed and ready for service at the opening of the Hudson river traffic, in 1927.