G.—ENGINEERING. 125 
the direction of turning, similar ‘ tell-tales’ to the rudder head showing 
the angle of the tiller; the steering gear, now fitted aft, is controlled by a 
‘telemotor,’ first invénted by A. B. Brown of Edinburgh ; wireless rooms, 
wireless direction-finder, and it may be underwater microphones for 
finding the position from underwater land bells; probably an outfit of 
telephones communicating from the bridge to the various chiefs of depart- 
ments ; automatic indicators showing the water in all holds and ballast 
tanks, and means for closing all water-tight doors below deck in event of 
fog or collision. 
Returning for a moment to the cargo-steamer—I have already dealt 
with the growth in size, but there are many other changes in these ships. 
The equipment has much improved both in the engine-room and on deck, 
and cargo appliances are quite different. Sails having practically dis- 
appeared, we find the place of masts taken by Samson posts and gantries ; 
indeed, very many modern vessels, built for special trades, look more 
like a building berth in a shipyard than a sea-going steamer. But an 
- important change is in the question of fullness of block. For a considerable 
time the shipowner seemed to think in terms of £’s per ton dead-weight. 
This inevitably led to fuller and fuller blocks, until .83 was not uncommon ; 
result—a low speed and a great uncertainty as to date of arrival at a port 
if any bad weather was encountered. Of course, block must be coupled 
with length, for the longer ship may have a fuller block, but round 
400 ft. a block of .76 is now much more fashionable, with the result that, 
while the dead-weight lifted at one time on the same length of vessel is 
_ less, yet the higher speed and the greater regularity of time on the voyage, 
due to the ability to keep up a reasonable speed in bad weather, makes 
the finer vessel a more economic proposition. 
I have said nothing about sailing-ships, because their evolution has been, 
so to say, backwards; they are rarely built now. And yet I could unfold 
a tale of past achievement, for Messrs. MacMillan of Dumbarton built 
many fine sailing-vessels, and I would remind you that Dumbarton was the 
birthplace of one of the most famous tea clippers, the Cutty Sark. Her 
builders, Scott & Linton, failed before she was completed, and my firm had 
the honour of finishing and rigging her. 
A most interesting and important type of special trader is the bulk 
oil carrier or oil-tanker, which has developed quite a special technique in 
design, construction, and fastenings. Originally oil was carried in cases, 
but, starting with quite small bulk-oil carriers, we now find oil-tankers 
among the mammoth dead-weight carriers of to-day. Bulk grain, coal, 
and especially ore carriers, involve also quite special considerations in 
stability, and strength to resist concentrated loads in the last mentioned, 
4 which type the highest development is to be seen on the Great Lakes of 
North America. The construction of sailing-ships having practically 
_ ceased, interest in propulsion by wind force was revived recently by the 
- appearance of a ship fitted with Flettner rotary cylindrical sails, if one 
may use such aterm. Mr. Flettner is the inventor of a most ingenious 
rudder, where, by using a small auxiliary rudder attached to the after- 
edge of the main rudder, a large ship can easily be guided by a man- 
handled steering gear without the use of steam. Neither of these 
inventions, however, is as yet in general use. 
Other vessels of special design are yachts; train-ferries ; ice-breakers ; 
: 
