104 NON-ROLLING PASSENGER LINERS. 



time believe that this could possibly be true, our universal experience since we have 

 had these installations in operation demonstrates the absolute truth of the statement, 

 as the result of many observations and experiments, incidentally showing the great 

 insight of Sir William. 



Even some excellent authorities, before actually having the unique and ex- 

 tremely interesting experience of being aboard a stabilized ship, have confused a 

 stabilized ship with a dock, expecting the waves to pound the ship when stabilized, 

 and it is with great surprise and satisfaction that they have repeatedly discovered 

 just the reverse to be true. A stabilized ship invariably rides the sea, gradually 

 rising and falling with the sea with a wonderful degree of gentleness. Her masts 

 quickly come to the vertical, and all pounding and splashing disappear as soon as 

 stabilizing sets in. Fig. 2, Plate 42, shows the original active stabilizer installed on 

 the destroyer U. S. S. Worden. 



Other facts have been learned from the performance of the stabilizer in heavy 

 weather. It is found actually to contribute a number of definite economies in the 

 operation of the ship. Anyone who has ever undertaken to pilot a heavily rolling 

 ship and to hold her to her course has realized the enormous amount of "helm" that 

 is constantly required, and the resulting very sinuous course that the ship takes in 

 spite of the best efforts the helmsman can make under these conditions. The dia- 

 grams in Fig. 3, Plate 42, graphically illustrate this and other features. 



No pains have been spared in studying this important phase of the contribu- 

 tion of the stabilizer. The gyro compass with its enormous directive power enables 

 automatic records to be made of the most minute orientation of the ship. These 

 have been secured and also simultaneous graphic records of the amount of helm be- 

 ing used by the ship, also automatic, so that there could be no question as to ex- 

 actly what was happening. The study of these records has been full of interest, 

 developing an accurate method of analyzing and aiding to establish the losses tmder 

 this division. 



Fig. 4, Plate 43, shows a characteristic stabilization curse. Fig. 5, Plate 43, 

 shows the two graphic records of yawing, the record to the left being a non-rolling 

 record, and that to the right showing three to four times the yawing due to rolling. 

 Fig. 6, Plate 43, is a simultaneous helm record and corresponds to the left-hand rec- 

 ord in Fig. 5. Fig. 7, Plate 43, is the helm record corresponding to the right-hand 

 yawing record. These records were made on a 16,000-ton ship with the same series 

 of helmsmen at the wheel. Fig. 7 and the right-hand yawing record clearly show 

 the three-fold losses due to rolling : — First, the sinuous course : second, the bad angle 

 of attack and the wider path ; and third, the direct retardation due to increased helm. 



Operating engineers and naval architects know that even a very slight amount 

 of "helm" acts as a tremendous retarder in the forward progress of the ship, and 

 especially is this emphasized when a very large amount of helm has to be constantly 

 employed. This slows down the ship, uselessly wasting a great deal of the propul- 

 sive power of her engines. Again, the sinuous course that is invariably steered by 

 a wallowing ship causes it to travel a considerable extra distance, always accom- 



