Ss 
bines, and the authors have certainly succeeded in 
bringing together in a convenient form for reference 
‘a greater mass of information and data than has ever 
lbefore been published in any one volume; they have 
almost attempted to be too up-to-date, as shown in 
the fact that the new giant Cunarder, recently 
Jaunched on the Clyde, is called throughout 
Susitania instead of Lusitania. A valuable biblio- 
graphy and a complete index conclude a volume 
which must have involved immense labour in the 
eompilation of the masses of figures with which its 
pages bristle, and in the preparation of the carefully 
drawn curves which pictorially represent so many of 
these elaborate tables; it will undoubtedly for many 
years be one of the standard works of reference on 
the steam turbine. 
(3) This work does not treat of the design of 
turbines, but gives such information in regard to 
modern water turbines and their installation as will 
be required by an engineer engaged in preparing plans 
for a proposed water-power plant. In view of the fact 
that hitherto there have existed so far in hydraulic- 
power engineering no generally accepted terms, the 
author explains in an introduction all the terms he 
uses, gives a careful definition of each, and suggests 
that the nomenclature he has used might be generally 
adopted; it would certainly be a great boon to the 
student if the authors of text-books on turbines would 
conform to some definite and fixed nomenclature, both 
in dealing with the theory and also in explaining the 
mechanical construction of these machines. 
The first two chapters are devoted to an account 
of modern turbine practice in Europe and in America, 
and Mr. Thurso is of opinion that not only have 
there been marked differences in the development of 
the turbine in the two continents, but that, on the 
whole, development has proceeded on more scientific 
lines in Europe, and much greater mechanical skill 
has been shown by the turbine builders of that con- 
tinent in turning out highly-finished machines. Up 
to a few years ago the axial-flow machine was the 
standard type of European builders, but the difficulty 
of regulating its speed, and the application of the 
turbine to the generation of electrical energy, which 
necessitated higher speeds and closer regulation, has 
led to the almost complete abandonment of this type, 
and to the adoption of some form of radial-flow tur- 
bine, the actual form adopted varying with the head of 
water available. In America, the author points out, 
development has been on quite different lines; the 
modern turbine is a descendant of the radial inward- 
flow, or vortex, turbine of J. B. Francis; but, since 
the number of reyolutions varies as the square root 
of the head of water, and since for the same head 
the revolutions of different machines will vary in- 
versely as their diameter, the tendency has been, 
owing to the demand for high speed, to reduce the 
diameter; and thus to reduce the interior space avail- 
able for the water to turn and escape axially when its 
work is done. It has thus become necessary to turn 
the water in an axial direction while still in the 
runner-bucket, that is, to curve gradually the runner- 
bucket from a radial to an axial direction, giving 
NO. 1933, VOL. 75] 
NATURE 
[ NOVEMBER 15, 1906 
these latter a very complicated form, and simul- 
taneously with this there has been a tendency to 
increase the axial dimensions of the bucket entrances. 
Up to a low head, say of 4o feet, the author is of 
opinion that the American turbine has great advant- 
ages over all others in common use, but for high 
heads he considers it is unsuitable, and that it cannot 
successfully compete with European types; he is also 
of opinion that the quality of workmanship and of 
materials used by American turbine builders is dis- 
tinctly second-class, due no doubt to the existence of 
abundant water-power in all parts of the country, and 
to the belief of the average purchaser that water- 
power costs little or nothing, and that, therefore, any ~ 
turbine which will run is good enough for his pur- 
pose. He also considers that the practice of testing 
turbines in the flume at Holyoke, where the head is 
only 18 feet, has been prejudicial to development, 
since a good result on the test-bed by no means 
ensures a similar result when the machine is set up 
in the place where it is to work, often under heads 
far greater than those available at Holyoke. 
In chapter iii. the various types of turbines are 
classified, and the general properties and character- 
istics of each class are briefly discussed; then follows 
the only chapter devoted to the steam turbine, and, 
in view of the small amount of space devoted to it, 
the inclusion of this chapter in the book has been 
clearly a mistake; it would have been much wiser if 
the author had omitted the steam turbine altogether, 
and had devoted the space thus set free to enlarging 
those portions of the book dealing with the accessories 
of turbines. 
The remainder of the book deals with modern types 
of water turbines, their construction, and the various 
accessories attached to them for the purpose of 
admitting and exhausting the water, governing their 
speed, &c., and the decided opinion is expressed that, 
unless there is some definite reason to the contrary, 
horizontal shafts should always be adopted; a number 
of illustrations is given of large turbine plants 
recently erected in America and in Europe, and the 
essential points in the design of each are clearly set 
forth. 
The chapters on the accessories, &c., are especially 
valuable, as these details are often either neglected 
in text-books or treated in a very perfunctory fashion ; 
the data given by the author will be found very 
valuable by all engineers engaged in planning water- 
power schemes, and they embody the results of wide 
experience of various classes of turbines; such 
important points as the difficulties induced by the 
formation of ice on a large scale and the means to 
be adopted to cope with them, and the measurement 
of water for selling power are fully dealt with. 
A paper by Mr. A. V. Garratt on the elements of 
design favourable to speed regulation in plants driven 
by water-power is printed in the form of an appendix ; 
the whole book is thoroughly up to date in its inform- 
ation, the facts and data are well marshalled, and 
it should be consulted by every engineer who may be 
called upon to deal with the problem of the utilisation 
of water-power. 
