4 EXPERIMENTS ON THE EULTON AND THE EROUDE. 



effective, towed steadily and was not affected by wind action ; it was very 

 inconvenient, especially during turns. The Froude was considered to tow 

 more like a barge, and with a steersman aboard was more convenient; it was 

 affected by wind resistance. 



The construction of the Fulton was deferred and the completion and 

 equipment were delayed for various reasons so that we were ready for ser- 

 vice only on the twenty-second of July. Our previous experience, however, 

 enabled us to begin experiments promptly and to make most of the weather 

 conditions, which had to be chosen advantageously, especially as the wind 

 effect is most pronounced at slow speeds, as during towing. On the whole 

 the weather was propitious and much work was done during the middle of 

 the day though there was no hesitation in using early daylight, beginning at 

 four o'clock, in order to get favorable conditions. Now that the land abreast 

 of which our course is laid out belongs to the Massachusetts Institute of Tech- 

 nology we may hereafter be able to set up range lights and make our experi- 

 ments late in the evening when weather conditions are commonly favorable. 



Considering the long time required for a towing test over a measured 

 course, especially for the turns, and the desirability of being able to choose 

 sheltered parts of the basin, we decided to try measuring speed by a pro- 

 peller log set forward of the boat. The propeller was 8 inches in diameter, 

 had a pitch of 14 inches, and 3 blades. It was carried by a vertical rod 

 supported by an outrigger above water, had its axis 9 inches below the 

 surface, and was set 8 feet forward from the stem of the boat. Trials 

 of this log with the Fulton running free over the measured course indicated 

 that this log would give satisfactory results; in use, especially when there 

 was some wind, it appears to have been influenced by surface drift, and in 

 consequence the determination of speed on the towing tests is affected by 

 errors that may be two or two and a half per cent. This is indicated by the 

 dispersion of points for a curve and by check runs over the measured course. 

 This use of the log during towing was the only divergence from tests of the 

 two preceding years. 



The writer gave personal attention to the building, preparation and 

 experiments of the summer and occasionally took part in them, but, as in 

 previous years, the boat was commanded by Prof. H. A. Everett, with Mr. 

 R. B. Pulsifer for assistant. Mr. H. H. W. Keith, instructor in naval architec- 

 ture, served as computor, reducing results of tests as fast as possible to serve 

 as a guide for the prosecution of the work. On occasion he assisted also in 

 the preparation and prosecution of the experiments. Our force included a 

 mechanic and, for part of the time, a boy, not to mention the several mechan- 

 icians who worked on the "installation" of the machinery. It will be seen 

 that making experiments of this nature is a serious business. 



