142 ELECTRIC PROPULSION OF SHIPS. 



Mr. W. McClelland^ Visitor: — I would first of all like to thank you for the honor 

 and privilege which you have shown me in cal ling upon me to say a few words to this gath- 

 ering. I have been a member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers for, I think, 

 very nearly twenty years, but this is the first opportunity I have had of attending one of their 

 meetings, so it is, indeed, a pleasure to be able to say just a few words. I am interested in 

 electric propulsion and also the electrical auxiliaries, so will touch briefly on both papers. 



In the British Navy, as you know, we have always pinned our faith on the geared tur- 

 bines rather than the electric drive for capital ships. I think, Mr. President, at this point I 

 ought also to say that a free discussion of this subject at the present time is rather difficult, 

 owing to the very high-minded and worthy proposals dealing with the limitation of naval 

 armament, which have been made by your Secretary of State in Washington. (Applause.) 

 These proposals are under discussion at the present moment, and in my opinion history will 

 show that they are epoch-making; I believe that the blessings which will flow to mankind 

 from these proposals are yet not only luitouched but are at present unknown. (Great 

 applause. ) 



I said in the British Navy we pinned our faith in the geared turbine with the single- 

 reduction drive. I think the author of the propulsion paper has stated the case exceedingly 

 fairly. He has not gone in for any of the extravagant claims for electric propulsion which 

 I have seen published in certain papers from time to time, but there is one statement in the 

 paper to which I should like to refer, and that is the comparison of the economies claimed 

 by the United States warship New Mexico over the Idaho and Mississippi. In that con- 

 nection, while the author, I believe, states facts — the Idaho and Mississippi are direct-tur- 

 bine drives with an auxiliary turbine-geared drive. 



That installation is now somewhat behind present practice and would not be repeated 

 in any modem ship, and therefore I feel that a comparison which shows such marked econ- 

 omy by the electric drive is not one which should be passed over without reference in the 

 discussion. I believe that a practical trial of the latest practice in steam-turbine geared 

 work would show that there was very little difference between the electric drive and the 

 turbo-geared drive. At various points on the curve, you would find that the electric 

 drive gains considerably, whereas at other points on the curve I think you would find 

 that the steam-geared drive gains. The steam gearing, I believe, will gain at maximum 

 speed. The electric drive will gain at cruising speeds, and it is a matter of policy, I think, 

 for the various governments designing these ships, as to whether maximum speed is required 

 or alternatively economy at cruising speed. That the electric drive is economical over most 

 of the range of speed of a capital ship, that it is reliable and generally free from breakdown, 

 is admitted. 



The discussion has turned in large measure on the Diesel electric drive. Whilst I am 

 not a Diesel expert, there is one question I would like to put to the gentlemen who advocate 

 Diesel drives, either geared or electric, in the present stage of development, and that is this — 

 if you have a single-screw ship, is there any owner who would rely on, say, a single 3,000 to 

 a 5,000-horse-power Diesel engine, and send that ship to sea on a scheduled service? I do not 

 know whether there is in this country or not. I am rather doubtful as to whether there is 

 in our country. In this respect the reliability of the Diesel appears to be regarded as much 

 less than either the turbine or the reciprocating engine. 



Several remarks were made about the different classes of main motor machinery. It 

 was my good fortune to come to America in the fruit ship referred to by the last speaker. 



