Manchester Memoirs, Vol. xlvii. (1903), No. 13. 



XIII. A Factor in the Safety of High Speed Torpedo- 

 Boat Destroyers. 



By George Wilson, D.Sc, 



AND 



A. T. Weston. 



Read and received April 28th, igoj. 



From time to time attention has been drawn to the 

 question of the strength of vessels whose length is con- 

 siderable, in proportion to their beam, and which are 

 designed to travel at high speeds. 



In such vessels the amount and manner of distribu- 

 tion of the weight will naturally be subjected to a most 

 severe scrutiny, since there is every reason to avoid 

 carrying unnecessary material at the expense of speed. 

 It is, therefore, of great importance that all possible 

 causes of stress should be comprehended, in order that 

 their effects may be estimated and due allowance made 

 for them where necessary ; for every cause of uncertainty 

 in this respect involves either the addition of unnecessary 

 material or the taking of irregular risks. 



The importance of carefully balancing the inertia 

 forces in the driving machinery, when possible, has long 

 been understood, and the effects of these forces are well 

 known to naval engineers. It is, however, not so clear 

 that any estimate has been made of the effect of another 

 set of periodic forces which may be called into play, when 

 such a vessel is travelling at high speed across a sea, the 

 surface of which is covered with waves, themselves 

 possessing a definite velocity, depending on their length 

 and the depth of the water. 



July joih, igoj. 



