xl INTRODUCTORY PROCEEDINGS. 
for reasons of convenience, and has become so generally installed in vessels that it is 
the rule rather than the exception. As with many other so-called luxuries, the men who 
go to sea now choose vessels that burn oil, so that it is rapidly becoming a necessity. A 
brief talk with any seagoing engineer or captain will demonstrate that oil burning, like 
the automobile, has probably come to stay, certainly as long as the oil supply lasts. 
Its labor-saving qualities and great convenience in handling is such that it is virtually a 
necessity at this time. 
Another development, fairly recent so far as its success goes, is in connection with 
the geared turbine. For many years the geared turbines have been successfully used 
abroad, and in this country on government work, notably on destroyers. During the war 
we had a number of involved experiences with geared turbines—a good many of them 
did not work largely for the reason that other things do not work—we started out to 
make up 100 or 150 or 200 of something mechanical without first making a sample, 
and with the usual results. I am sure that none of the older engineers present would say - 
that anything of a mechanical construction has ever worked the first time it was made. 
A great many different concerns make gears successfully, so that the success of the 
geared turbine at this time is assured, notwithstanding the fact that a great deal of 
trouble has been caused in some cases through the use of the geared turbine. 
I would like to point out, though, that we are not the only people who have had 
difficulty with geared turbines in our ships. The most unsuccessful geared-turbine job 
that came into Hampton Roads during the war was one built and installed by some of 
the most notable builders abroad. I do not think that any geared turbine has ever come 
our way that had so much the matter with it as this particular one had. 
A development in which we are all more interested now than probably any other 
is that of the internal-combustion engine. Every large shipbuilding concern in this 
country is getting ready to build, or is already building an internal-combustion engine, 
with a view to meeting an inevitable demand for economical fuel consumption. I should 
say that the ability of the internal-combustion-engine ship to make a very long trip 
without refueling is one of the most important features connected with this type of 
engine. 
The electric drive is another development which is steadily coming forward. It 
has become a demonstrated fact in the case of a collier for the Navy and also a battle- 
ship, although there have been several minor setbacks. It is being adopted to a certain 
extent in merchant vessels as well. 
In the matter of shipbuilding there have been no particularly new developments, as 
most of the shipbuilding plants have remained where they were a year ago, but there 
has been a gradual growth frequently unobserved in the use of the oxyacetylene welding 
and cutting processes and the electric-welding process. I think that is the most remark- 
able development in shipbuilding in recent years. It has not all been a clear gain. Some 
of us can remember the days when, if holes were not fair in place, it was necessary to get 
a hand reamer and gouge and fit them in place. With the invention of the pneumatic 
tool, which was going to save us much labor, we found the amount of unfairness of holes 
was increased enormously. With the increase in pneumatic machinery there has been 
a gradual falling off in the character of work done, so that the oxyacetylene process 
which cuts off corners, and the electric-welding process which welds together joints, 
repairs defects in castings and many other things, some of us have noticed, has also 
brought with it a great deal of work which we got along without under former conditions, 
