INTRODUCTORY PROCEEDINGS. xxxvii 



For naval vessels, water-tube boilers have for many years been used exclusively. In the 

 merchant marine their introduction is not as rapid as their merits would seem to warrant, 

 although they are being used more and more widely for service in all parts of the world. My 

 study of this subject has led me to attribute the rather gradual adoption of these boilers in the 

 merchant service to conservatism, the existing plants for the manufacture of cylindrical 

 boilers, and their cost. My personal relations to this subject suggest that I should not, in an 

 address of this kind, go into the matter more fully, although I have felt that the subject ought 

 to be mentioned. 



As in the case of the water-tube boiler, so in that of steam turbines, their use has now 

 become practically exclusive in naval vessels. It has been realized almost from the first that 

 the faster the vessel the better the opportunity for the turbine, and the recent very high- 

 speed destroyers have shown this conclusively. For slower vessels there are now three 

 methods of adapting the turbine so as to secure high steam economy in the turbine and also 

 high propeller efficiency, all of which are essentially forms of reduction gear, although the de- 

 tails are quite different. 



The simplest form is undoubtedly the mechanical reduction gear which was first proposed 

 by Admiral Melville and has been developed in this country by Mr. George Westinghouse. In 

 a form differing as to some details, it has been very successfully applied in England by Sir 

 Charles Parsons. The figures, as I last heard them, were that more than 380,000 horse- 

 power of geared turbines has been installed there. Two vessels have 30,000 horse-power each. 

 As a matter of sentiment, I am sure you will all be pleased to know that on the naval repair 

 ship Melville, named after our late associate. Admiral Melville, his gearing is to be used. 



A second form of reduction gear is the electric drive, on which a paper describing its in- 

 stallation on the U. S. naval collier Jupiter is to be read at this meeting. A cargo boat for the 

 great lakes, designed by one of our members, where Diesel engines are the motive power, 

 also utilizes the electric drive. I believe a third example of this system is now under con- 

 struction in England. 



The last method is the hydraulic reduction gear, of which one example is now under 

 construction in Germany. 



For motor boats, nothing has thus far been found to surpass the gasoline engine. The 

 enormous use of automobiles and motor boats of all kinds has given an unequalled opportunity 

 for the perfection of this form of engine. From the thermal viewpoint I imagine little im- 

 provement is to be expected, but from time to time certain mechanical improvements are made, 

 some of which are of very great value. 



Much has been written about the possibility of the -straight gas engine, operating 

 in connection with a gas producer. So far as I know, only a few installations of this kind have 

 been made, and those only on a small scale. From what I know of gas-engine practice on 

 land, it would seem to me that this problem for large powers would have many of the same 

 difficulties as obtain in the case of the Diesel engine. Here, too, it would be absurd to say that 

 large engines of this type may not be produced that will give great satisfaction, but the out- 

 look at present does not seem promising. 



It must always be a source of keen chagrin to the occupant of this chair, as it is to me, 

 to be unable to tell you that there is a big increase in the number of vessels in our shipyards 

 for the foreign trade. A few vessels are now under construction for trading to the west coast 

 of South America, but with this exception our yards are doing absolutely nothing along this 



