xxxiv INTRODUCTORY PROCEEDINGS. 



The Chairman : — These gentlemen are declared to be elected members of the Society 

 by the Council, provided the Society endorses such election. The matter is now before 

 you for action. You are entitled to demand a ballot. If any of you wish it, I will order 

 a ballot taken. If not, a motion to approve the action of the Council admitting these gen- 

 tlemen as Members, Associate Members, etc., will be in order. 



On motion, the action of the Council was approved. 



The Chairman : — These gentlemen are now members of the Society in the respective 

 grades to which they have been elected. The Secretary's order of exercises now calls for 

 the President's address. 



Chairman Taylor then presented the following address : — 



It is my extreme regret that, owing to his illness, President Thompson cannot pre- 

 side at this meeting of The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. I thought 

 two years ago that having completed my term of office I had finally graduated from this 

 platform. Your Council has decreed otherwise, so in deference to their wish here I am, with 

 the consoling thought that; I am less likely to get into mischief on the platform than on the 

 floor. 



The annual report of your Council has been distributed, and, as the report gives you 

 full information concerning the Society, further comment at this time is unnecessary. 



As to the progress during the past year in naval architecture and marine engineering, 

 more particularly the latter, it is interesting to note that the number of commercial seagoing 

 vessels provided with Diesel and other oil engines for motive power has increased somewhat, 

 so that now there are one hundred or more, the largest installation being one of 4,000 horse- 

 power with six cylinders on each of two shafts. A much greater development has taken 

 place in the method of propulsion by the system of geared turbines, combining the effi- 

 ciencies of the high-speed turbines with that of the comparatively moderate revolutions of 

 the best propeller wheels. According to the latest report the number of war, passenger and 

 cargo vessels now built or building with all-geared or part-geared turbine machinery is 126, 

 with a' total of about 1,000,000 horse-power. Sixty-two of these vessels, with a total of 

 620,000 horse-power, have been ordered during the last year. The horse-power being trans- 

 mitted through one line of shafting by means of gearing is now up to 20,000. The elec- 

 trical propulsion of vessels, strictly an American idea, is progressing, and the installation of 

 the same in a battleship is contemplated, as will be noted from one of the interesting papers 

 presented at this meeting. 



During the past four months the submarine, the aeroplane, hydroplane and dirigible 

 airship have proved their importance in time of war. 



It is about thirty years since J. P. Holland designed his first submarine, which was con- 

 structed by the De Lamater Iron Works of this city at the foot of West 13th Street. It 

 was cigar-shaped, about 75 feet long, and 12 feet diameter in the center, a mere cockle- 

 shell compared to the submarine of this day which the wonderful improvements in motive 

 power have made possible. I well remember seeing this submarine submerged alongside 

 the wharf, but held by the slings of a derrick to make sure it would come to the surface 

 when required. It is almost as many years since Simon Lake commenced building his sub- 



