XLVI. NORMAN SELPE. 



made engines. Compared with the gigantic ferry steamers of 

 some American cities, our Sydney vessels are perhaps small, but 

 for speed, comfort, and special adaption to the requirements of 

 the people who use them, they can fairly claim to be equal to any 

 in the world. 



In glaring contrast to the primitive machinery we have been 

 considering we have now in Sydney two Government power 

 houses. In one of these the machinery, of local design and con- 

 struction, has been most successful, while the steam engines in 

 the other one from an outside firm of commercial engine builders, 

 has given a vast amount of trouble and led to a Commission of 

 Enquiry. As these latter engines have now been running for 

 some time, it would be very interesting to have a comparison of 

 their efficiencies in regular work with those at Rushcutter's Bay. 



Looking around at the general progress now being made in the 

 production of mechanical energy on land, we are struck with two 

 things ; one is the enormous horse power of some of the steam 

 power plants that have lately been installed, and the other is the 

 startling proposals recently made in connection with gas engines. 

 For a long time the size of marine engine units kept well ahead 

 of those on land, and when steamers reached ten thousand horse 

 power something like finality with its aggregation in one vessel 

 seemed to have been reached. We have now a New York Power 

 House being fitted out to develop one hundred thousand horse 

 power for the Third Avenue railway, and no one can forecast what 

 another ten years may bring forth. 



With gas engines it was different, for as long as the Otto 

 patents lasted, the principal sizes made ranged perhaps from a half 

 horse up to twenty or thirty, and occasionally up to sixty horse 

 power. Five or six years ago a flour mill was fitted up in England 

 entirely with gas engines, and only recently at Danbury, Connecticut 

 one hundred horse power gas units were considered of exceptional 

 size, With the expiry of the Otto patents, the extended use of 

 producer gas, and a better comprehension of the thermodynamic 

 superiority of the gas engine over the steam engine as a heat 



