8 PKESIDENT S ADDRESS. 



struction of sliips and the wave-line form of hull which he originated, 

 a form of special importance in paddle-wheel vessels. 



So much discussion has taken place in the last four years as to 

 the best construction of ship to resist torpedo attacks that it is inter- 

 esting to recall briefly at the present time what was said by White in 

 his Cantor Lectures to the Eoyal Society of Arts in 1906: 'Great 

 attention has been bestowed upon means of defence against underwater 

 torpedo attacks. From the first introduction of torpedoes it was re- 

 cognised that extreme watertight subdivision in the interior of warships 

 would be the most important means of defence. Experiments have 

 been made with triple watertight skins forming double cellular sides, 

 the compartments nearest the outer bottom being filled, in some cases, 

 with water, coal, cellulose, or other materials. Armour plating has 

 been used both on the outer bottom and on inner skins.' He also 

 alludes to several Eussian ships which were torpedoed by the Japanese, 

 and he concludes by saying : ' Up to date the balance of opinion has 

 favoured minute watertight subdivisions and comparatively thin water- 

 tight compartments, rather than the use of internal armour, whose 

 use, of course, involves large expenditure of weight and cost.' 



The present war has most amply confirmed his views and conclu- 

 sions, then so lucidly and concisely expressed. 



While on the subject of steamships, it may perhaps be opportune 

 to say one word as to their further development. The size of sliips 

 had been steadily increasing up to the time of the war, resulting in 

 a reduction of power required to propel them per ton of displacement. 

 On the other hand, thanks to their greater size and more economical 

 machinery, speeds have been increased when the traffic has justified 

 the greater cost. The limiting factor to further increase in size is 

 the depth of water in the harbours. With this restriction removed 

 there is no obstacle to building ships up to 1,000 feet in length or more, 

 provided the volume and character of the traffic are such as to justify 

 the capital outlay. 



Tungsten Steel. — Among other important pre-war developments 

 that have had a direct bearing upon the war, mention should be made 

 of the discovery and extensive use of alloys of steel. Th© wonderful 

 properties conferred upon steel by the addition of tungsten were dis- 

 covered by Muschet ^ in 1868, and later this alloy was investigated and 

 improved by Maunsel White and Taylor, of Philadelphia. The latter 

 showed that the addition of tungsten to steel has the following effect : 

 Tliat after the steel has been quenched at a very high temperature near 

 its melting point it can be raised to a much higher temperature than is 

 possible with ordinary carbon tool steel, without losing its hardness 



' Who has not been sufficiently credited with his share in making the Bessemer 

 process a practical success. 



