226 ACTIVE TYPE OF STABILIZING GYRO. 



are now at hand which I predict will supersede damping tanks, fettered to resonance 

 and period as they are, and also to disturbing the center of gravity of the ship 

 and shifting same through quite wide limits ; especially now that the new method, 

 operating without altering the center of gravity to the slightest degree, is known 

 to give superior results in any sea with far less weight and occupying only a portion 

 of the space. This system operates entirely automatically, even when imparting 

 roll to the ship, requiring practically no supervision, not requiring to be especially 

 adjusted as do tanks to the period of the ship, or readjusted as the period changes. 



With reference to the discussion by Admiral Fiske, I deem it fortunate that 

 the flagship Florida should have come to this port at the time the ship undergoing 

 trials with the active type of gyro was making tests alongside. It is gratifying 

 that a device so new as this could have been reviewed in detail by such an eminent 

 scientific and naval authority as Admiral Fiske, and that he could have witnessed 

 something of its operation and its powers in controlling the ship. 



At the time the proposition for trial of this new auxiliary was originally brought 

 before the General Board of the United States Navy, Admiral Fiske was a member 

 of this board. I wish here to express my appreciation of the liberal and progressive 

 action taken by that board which led to the extended trials of the apparatus. 



The Admiral's kind words of encouragement are much appreciated. 



With reference to Mr. DuBosque's discussion, I wish to say that Mr. DuBosque 

 approached the new apparatus from the standpoint of a man in charge of large 

 and widely diversified shipping interests; he reviewed the device and its perform- 

 ance from the eminently practical viewpoint of whether the mechanism was likely 

 to be useful and available under the conditions of every-day service of commercial 

 shipping; his interest in the device was also from the standpoint of availabiUty 

 for ice breakers in the Great Lakes. 



I much appreciate the permission of the Navy Department for Mr. DuBosque's 

 inspection of the plant. It must be understood, of course, that he saw the first 

 apparatus of this type ever built. We have learned much from its practical 

 operation, including as it does 160,000 power precessions, and Mr. DuBosque has 

 been good enough to suggest certain simplifications, of which I wish here to make 

 acknowledgment . 



In answer to Mr. Maxwell W. Day's questions, I have appended one sheet 

 of curves which may be considered as Figs. 20, 21 and 22, Plate 93. Figure 

 20 gives a curve of gyroscopic stabiUzation ; the middle section indicates where 

 the gyros were in operation with one form of control; the end sections indicate 

 the sea running at the time. In Figs. 2 1 and 22 the ship was impressed with exactly 

 the same forces, namely, three gyroscopic impulses, and then allowed to die down 

 by the form line resistance, the only difference being that in the first the ship was 

 standing still and under no headway, whereas in the second the ship was steaming 

 at 15 knots. Both of these were taken at sea within two minutes of each other. 

 I am not allowed to give any quantitative data at this time but I may say that the 

 last two records are upon the same scale and will afford, in all probability, sufficient 

 basis for working out approximate answers to Mr. Day's questions. 



