178 ELECTRIC AUXILIARIES ON MERCHANT SHIPS. 



Relative to deck machinery, we agree absolutely with the author in that none but the 

 most careful design and the best of materials and workmanship should be used, as the ap- 

 paratus is exposed to all sorts of weather and operated by unskilled men. The deck 

 winches largely used in this country, using a series motor with a small shunt winding, 

 have spur reduction gear and manual control which is simple and efficient and has been 

 developed to a high degree of satisfactory operation, so that safety appliances other than 

 over-load and no-voltage are unnecessary. Improvements can be made by the addition 

 of automatic control, just as in land practice, thus eliminating the personnel element in 

 operation. This, however, cannot be done with success until the ship operators are willing 

 to pay for competent maintenance, men to keep the apparatus in repair, and the expense for 

 competent men should be considered in any scheme of electrical auxiliaries. It may be of 

 interest to many to know that on the recently built motor ship William Penn the 5,000-pound 

 hook speed was 170 feet per minute hoist, 470 feet lower; 2,000-pound hoist 245 feet, lower 

 380 feet; no load hook speed, hoist 457 feet, lower 337 feet, which corresponds to the author's 

 recommendations and which speeds are in excess of general practice for electric winches; 

 and that with these speeds and with the general cargo handled it was impossible to make up 

 and discharge loads sufficiently fast to keep the winches in operation, thus removing a com- 

 mon complaint that electric winches are slow. A vertical handle of a new type was used, 

 which required less movement of the body and consequently less tiring effect than any other 

 type previously used. 



The author's specifications for deck machinery motors cannot be too strongly endorsed. 



Relative to steering gear, it is questionable if a more satisfactory type, employing the 

 electric motor, than the hydro-electric gear has been developed. This type is ideal for con- 

 trol and makes a minimum demand on the generating plant with an efficiency equal to that 

 of any other type, and should be considered seriously for new ships. The electric motor for 

 the steering gear offers the greatest saving of any single auxiliary on the ship and, no doubt, 

 in many ships the steam steering gear could be replaced by a hydro-electric gear with con- 

 siderable saving and without increasing the size of the generating sets. 



There has been considerable discussion in the past relative to the use of follow-up and 

 non-follow-up system of control; while the non- follow-up gear may serve the purpose, it de- 

 pends on a rudder indicator, a separate piece of apparatus for proper operation, and for this 

 reason I believe the follow-up system, which is self-contained, is to be preferred and its use 

 will consume less power. 



Relative to the horse-powers of motors for cargo winches and steering gear, if we are 

 to realize the maximum economies for electrical auxiliaries these should be worked out for 

 each particular vessel. 



Referring to the list of engine-room auxiliaries and the horse-power required, in view 



of the statement, "A motor ship requires somewhat fewer auxiliaries and slightly less power 



is necessary to drive them," I believe the following comparisons should be made: Steam- 



"ship 15 motors, motor ship 5 motors; steamship aggregate horse-power 160, motor ship 55; 



fuel consumption, steamship 41 barrels, motor ship 2.5 barrels. 



Relative to the types of motors for shipboard use, the greatest enemy of electrical appa- 

 ratus is foreign substances, and it is therefore essential that apparatus should be enclosed, par- 

 ticularly the rotating type with commutators. Therefore we are compelled to take issue 

 with the author. The governing feature should be reliability; space, weight, and first cost 

 should be secondary considerations. It is not so important that a certain frame size motor 



