^m. SO, 1802.] 



FOXIEST AND STREAM. 



^79 



ALUMINUM NAPHTHA YACHT "MIGNON." 

 Constmoted by Messrs. Escher Wyss & Co., Engineers, Ztiricli, Switzerland. 



The Aluminum Naphtha Tacht Mignon. 



We are indebted to Enmneeving for tlie following illustrations and 

 description of the new alumlaum yacht recently constructed in 

 Switzerland : 



The yacht Mignon is constructed of alumiuum, and is propelled liy 

 a naphtha motor, principally composed of the same material. Both 

 engine and vessel were designed and constructed bv the enterprisins 

 firm of Messrs. Escher Wyss & Co., Zurich, to the order of Monsieur 

 A. Nobel, Paris, who intends that the Mignon shall cruise in the 

 waters of La Seine. 



The naphtha motor by which the yacht is propelled has three 

 single acting cylinders, three cranks and three pistons. The whole 

 of the machinery is constructpd of aluminum (including the pro- 

 peller) with the exception of the crants and shafting. The boiler, 

 which is constructed of r opper spiral pipes, is supplied with naphtha 

 from a large copper tank situated at the fore end of the vessel, the 

 supply pipes running outside the vessel's keel. 



In describing this yacht we may mention that this is the first vessel 

 of her size which has been built of aluminum. Her principal dimen- 

 sions are: Length between perpendiculars, 48ft,: breadth moulded, 

 6ft,; depth moulded, 2fi. 11m,: draft in fresh water, 3ft. Sin. On 

 account of air-tight compartments with which she is constructed, 

 she is rendered unsinkable, while she has a very large range of sta- 

 bility. She has a cuuwater stem ornamented with a Iwautiful figure- 

 head, and an elliptical stern; she is constructed on exceedingly fine 

 lines, carries two pole masts, and is rigged as a fore-and-aft schooner. 

 The standing rigging is of aluminum wire, set up with screws of the 

 same metal, while the running rieging is of manilla rope. This 

 vessel has a fine appearance in the water, and she will certainly belie 

 her appearance— of which the peripecii^e view gives a gooa idea 

 —if ske has not a fine career before her. 



The weight- of the yacht is only 1J4 tons: naturally she is con- 

 structed on very light scantlings. The neei, stem and sternposts are 

 of forged aluoiinum ?in,xlin.: the frames are lin xlin.xl-lfira. ex- 

 cept in the engine room, where they are ljt^in.sl}^in x34in.; the 

 frames are spaced throughout the vessel Ifiiu. The shell plating 

 ranges from 3-32in. to 4 -35in. in thickness, ana 15,000 aluminum rivets 

 hold the ship together. She is full.y equipped, having a balanced 

 rudder and quadrant of aluminum, bollards and fairleads of the same 

 material, aluminum awning stanchions which support a pink-colored 

 sunshade extending the whole length of the .ya^-'ht, aluminum flag- 

 poles surmounted with silken flags: in fact, everything in the vessel 

 which 3an be made of tliis material is .so executed to make her as 

 light as possible. 



The woodwork is of Lebanon cedar, and the seats are covered with 

 cushions upholstered with morocco leather, whiie the floor is covered 

 with poi'table gratings. At the fore endjof the vessel is situated a 

 portable willow cabin 8ft, in length, weighing only 861b9., and extend- 

 ing the whole width of the vessel; the roof is ornamented with blue 

 silk, relieved with gold. Situated at the fore end of the vessel is a 

 nickel silver binnacle fitted with a. double liquid needle compass. 

 The shell of the ship is innocant of all paint and ooraposition, and is 

 allowed to retain Its natiu-al silver color. On the occasion of the 

 trial trip, which took place on the Lake of Zurich on June 1, a speed 

 was obtained of more than 13 kilometres per hour on a consumption 

 of iT^glbs. of naphtha per hour, which was considered highly satis- 

 factory to all concerned. On this occasion Mr. Gustar Naville and 

 Mr. Henrich ZoUy represented the firm of Messrs. Eschf'r Wyss & 

 Co., while Mr. Nobel and a few other gentlemen interested in this 

 vessel made up the rest of the party. 



Details of the engine and boiler are shown in Figs. 10 to 20, As 

 will be seen from the engravings, the engine is of the three cyhnder, 

 single-aetinsr typ'' and is completely shut up in a close casing. The 

 valve chest is above the cylinders and the three valves are operated 

 from one shaft, driven by gearing from the screw shaft. A hand- 

 wheel on the valve shaft is arranged in such a way that by turning 

 it one way or the other the relative position of the valve shaft is 

 altered as regards the screw shaft, and in this way the reversing of 

 the engines is effected, the device being equivalent to the old gab 

 motion. The boiler is placed over the steam chest of the engines 

 and consists' essentially of a spiral of stout copper tubing, tested to 

 a pressure of 3451bs. per square inch. This spiral is Inclosed in a 

 stout metal chamber, at the bottom of which are two burners, viz., a 

 large ring burner D, Figs 11 to 17, and a small burner C for lighting 

 up. When running thp naphtha is drawn by the feed pump G, Figs. 

 11 and 19, from the bottom of a resei'voir placed in a compartment 

 on the bow of the boat. Two openings are left in this compartment 

 through which the water streams as the boat moves, and the reser- 

 voir is thus kept cool. From the feed-pump the iiaphtha passes 

 into one end of the cepper coil, where it is converted into vapor. 

 On passing out of the end of the coil the major portion of the vapor 

 passes downward through a wide central pipe to the valve chest of 

 the engines, but another portion ot it passes by a by-pass c,, to an 

 air injector d. Figs. 11 and 20, where it sucks in a current of air 

 through a suitable valve, mixes with it and passes on to the main 

 bin-ner D. The vapor, which passes through the engines, passes 

 hack to the reservoir in the bow through two outboard condensers. 



In starling the engine air is first pumped into the naphtha reser- 

 voir by a hand pump provided for this purpose: when a suitable 

 pressure is obtained here, a valve leading lo the small burner, C, is 

 opened, and the vapor, when it issues there, is lighted. When this 

 has been done naphtha is then pumped by a second hand pump into 

 the copper spiral, vFhere it is heated by the small burner and vapor- 

 ized : when the pressure has risen to a pi-oper amount the valve lead- 

 ing to the injector is opened, admitting thus mixed vapor and air to 

 the large burner, D. When this is fairly going tlie boat is ready to 

 start. 



Messrs, Escher Wyss & Co. construct about fifty naph':ha launches 

 every year, including 3. 1 and G horse-power, and in a very short 

 time a new model will be completed of an 8 horse-power engine. The 

 boats are constructed in wood, steel and aluminuni. These naphtha 

 launches sail In every known part of the world, including Australia, 

 Egypt, India, America and the Continent. At present the firm have 

 a large number on hand, including one for His Highness, the Khedive 

 of Eifypt, and also an aluminum sailing boat for the FUrst zu Wied 

 of Prussia, La.st year Messrs. Escher Wyss & Co. constructed and 

 exhibited at the Frankfort Electrical Exhibition the first aluminum 

 naphtha launch and aluminum engine ever made. Her principal 

 dimensions are; Length between perpendiculars, 18ft. : breadth, 4ft, 

 Sin.; depth, 2ft. Sin. The weight of the boat and machinery was 

 only 9701bs, The name of thte little craft was the Progresa, 



Off South Beach. 



"Take in the foresail, boys, livefy now! Slack avvay the jib sheets. 

 All hands aftl Put do wir t^vo reefs." These orders followed one an- 

 other in rapid succession They were almost unnecessary, ihough. 

 So thoroughly did each man aboard the Shearwater understand what 

 was required of him that the skipper's command was often antici- 

 pated. To tell the truth, they were all capable of filling the skipper's 

 shoes— if occasion should arise to demand it. 



Away to the wes'ard, stretching over a large arc, a dull, whitish 

 band was rising. As it advanced, curling outward and expanding, 

 fragments from the edge were torn away and whirled ahead. In 

 front the sky was still clear blue, behind the intense black accentu- 

 ated the coritra.st. Kapidly the swelling circle swept forward, broad- 

 ening and curving in innumerable shapes Not a breath, the reefed 

 mainsail swung from .side to side as we heeled to the long swells In 

 the silence, broken only by the clank ot the boom as it straightened 

 out the sheets, it was easy to imagine ourselves becalmed in one of 

 those windless summer days. A couple of pleasure yachts, balance- 

 reefed, lay off to starboara. 



Suddenly the distant shore was blotted out, another instant and a 

 line of foam swept toward us. So powerful was the first blow that it 

 flattened the sea down, and then -well, there was something so sug- 

 gestive of a power, limitless in its strength, that the most indift'erent 

 observer could not but be impressed with an overwhelming sense of 

 his insignificance. Long, furrowed lanes, like the ti-ack of grape shot 

 along a field, followed where the wind's strength varied. There was 

 something sinister about the blackened waters; its appearance was 

 evil as the waves commenced to form and throw cra.^ts forward in 

 blinding spray. "I have been serene and fair for days," it seemed to 

 say, "now beware. I shall do my worst." Roj'ally did it act this 

 thieat; shrieking through the rigging, curving the taut halliards 

 astern with a vigor that would have boded ill for the Shearwater had 

 w^e been obliged to make sail to clear a lee shore. 



"Larry, go below and get the elass." 



Steadying himself, he took a long look atone of the yachts. "She's 

 making bad weather of it," he muttered, lowering the tube. "Get 

 more sail on her forward," he shouted ; "we've got ter stand by them, 

 boys. She's taking half a barrel at every jump." 



The jib was "bonnetted." When she filled away I expected every 

 moment to see the sails blown out of their bolt ropes. When a fish- 

 ing smack gets down so her lee'ard scuppers are well awash, she is 

 over at a rather steep inclination. Working the Shearwater a little to 

 windward, "Cap'n Jimmy" hove her up and bawled out in tones dis- 

 tinctlv his own property, "Better drop yer peak an' drive 'fore it. 

 We'd toiler yer." 



One thing was certain, he could not hold out much longer lying to. 

 Her mast was stepped so far forward that .she persisted in filling 

 away with the sail close reefed. Every time she performed this 

 maneuver a wave would catch her on the bo«s and throw the top of 

 it aboard. Having nothing but a flimsy summer cabin — the canyas 

 having been blown away — thfl entire deluge entered nearly unob- 

 .structed. Watching the opportunity, her skippsrwore her around 

 successfully. Before the wind she made far dryer decks of it. Kept 

 alongside for an hour, until the squall blew over. 



"Captain Jimmy" had decided 10 run eastward after the "blues." 

 Kept on our course until well off Long Beach. A glorious October 

 sunset lighted the west as the sails slatted, dropped within the lazy 



jacks and the rattling of chain forward told we too had come to 

 rest. There are moments within the lives of us all— moments that 

 seem too full of a quietness and peace to find their way over this 

 throbbing world ; fleeting instants — impossible to tell of and hinting 

 of some vague joy beyond the dipping deep. The gulls are slipping 

 seaward, carrying, as the.y come within the last rays, a tiny point of 

 crimson upon their breasts. They Cade into the dim wall rising in the 

 east, and this yarn does not deal in sentiment— but if you ever follow 

 within the sound of the surf you will know all, and more than word.'? 

 cordd ever express. The riding light swings to and fro. the darkness 

 creeps over the pulsing sea, and with it the first hint of autumn— a 

 cool, fresh air. Lying full length, following the arc traced by the 

 foretopmast over the wondrous depths above— sometimes across the 

 entire length of the great dipp r the upright pendulum swung— then 

 off among the other constellations. Gazing, I lost myself among 

 them — 



"Thoughts that come in the shadow 

 Never come in the shine" — 



oblivious to the surge around the bows and the si fitting of halliards 

 against the mast until "Dinner I" brought my wandering sense back. 



If it were not for the slow ro'l from side to .side it were easy to 

 imagine myself away down on the Long Island shore living over 

 again one of the many nights spent among the bluil', whole-souled 

 "boys" who fish off shore in one of their "beach shanties." The din- 

 ner was soon over— a meal of substantial food well suited to the hardy 

 fellows who consumed it— and then the pipes w^ere lit, and as tho blue 

 smoke commenced to curl upward around the swinging lamp. Captain 

 Jimm.y became reminiscent. Some yarns contained enough reality 

 to warrant me in giving them some credence. One was particularly 

 intei-PSting, though I hesitate to repeat it, for candor compels the ad- 

 mission that half the entertainment consisted in hearing the captain 

 tell the story : 



"I was a young blade then, and like most young "uns hankered after 

 bluei water. My brother Frank was lost on" the Georges banks, an' of 

 course them at home didn't want me ter follow the sea. But a New 

 Bedford lad thinks of little else and I war'nt much over eighteen 

 afore I'd signed in a Calcutta clipper. W^e had hardly left Sandy 

 Hook below the horizon afore they had one of us in irons f"r some 

 slight offence and I waked up to the fact that the second and third 

 mates was brutes an' I was booked for many months with them. The 

 grub was pretty good and a sailor will stand a heap of abuse so long 

 as his feed is fair. 



"By and by these two rufflans got rather tired of cursing and slug- 

 ging us, and things settled down to the regular ships' life. Thar was 

 another young fellow 'bout my own age in the crew. Hehailed from 

 Nantucket, and being the only two 'kids' aboard, naturally we be- 

 came 'chums.' Ned was a quiet sort of fellow— one of the kind that 

 acts more than he talks. 'iVe were in the same watch and managed 

 to get hammocks together. Many an horn' we chmned about our 

 days at home, and it wasn't long afore we each knowed all about 

 each other. 



"Well, you know its customary for the crew, whenever a ship 

 crosses the line, ter held what they calls 'Neptune's court.' One fel- 

 low dresses up like the old man, and three or four more stands round 

 ready to do whatever he says. We were holdin' court, and one of the 

 visitors Avas bavin' sand and water poured down his back. Ned was 

 standin' 'longside of me when the second mate came up behind us 

 and pimched him in the jaw. 



" 'What is all this? Get forward the whole crew of yer or yer' 11 

 feel the weight of an iron round yer legs. Why don't yer move,' he 

 shoured.when none of the men" stirred. 'I'll teach yijr ter'— but he 

 didn't finish. Ned had recovered from ther blow an' stepping for- 

 ward square in front of the bully let out an' floored him as neat as 

 knockin' down a ninepin. He struggled to his feet, and when he 

 rushed at the boy I tripped hira. When he got up this time he had 

 a pair of brass knuckles on his fist, I caught one glancing blow and, 

 before the men could reach them, he had hit Ned a terrible blow on 

 the forehead. I was almost senseless and the first mate grabbed me 

 and hustled me below, where they hung some jewelry on my shanks 

 and wrists. 



"It was about seven bulls on the morning of the second day when I 

 heard shouts and three or four shots, then hurried tramping over- 

 head, a couple of more shots and in a little while a fellow named 

 Jack Masterson broke open the door of my prison and told me to 

 come out. 



" 'We've done two of them and got the Captain an' second mate so 

 they won't bother us much,' he said, 

 " 'Where's Ned?' I asked. 



"They took me forward and pointed to a white object lyins on a 

 board, with somethiiig heavy at one end. 



" 'He never spoke after that brute hit him. He died yesterday, and 

 while they were goin' ter bury him we drowned 'em.' 



"1 learned that they intended scuttling the ship somewhere near 

 one of the islands to the north of Formosa and make their way 

 ashore in the cutters, 



"That night while sleeping soundly something aroused me. In an 

 instant I was wiae awake and turning over was scared nearly 

 senseless to see Ned sittin' up in his hamtnock. There was a terrible 

 cut on his forehead and his eyes seemed very large. Ho moved his 

 lips, but I couldn't hear anything, then shook his head .slowly twice 

 and left me trying ter gather myself together. I never believed in 

 ghosts, but I can't believe that was something I dreamed or 

 imagined 



"WeU, they held the ship along for a couple of weeks, and one 

 night she fetched up sandiu' on areef while driving before a typhoon. 

 There was only two of us got ashore. Nest day we managed to get 

 aboard and secure some stuff, and that night she slipped off and sunk 

 in over forty fathoms of water. My companion held out for seven 

 months and gave it up, I was there nearly a year before a Chinese 

 junk came ashore for water and took me back to a white face 

 again." 



"Two bells. Better turn in, bov.s, we may have a hard day afore 

 us to morrow," he remarked, after we had smoked and chatted 

 awhile. 



There is nothine luxurious about a berth aboard a smack. For 

 danger and hardship nothing equals the regular winter work of the 

 Gloucester fleeet on the George's and Newfoundland banks. In sum- 

 mer and fall the coasters fishing for bass and blueflsh off Tory Island 

 and Jersey coasts run comparatively little risk. The only "blows" to 

 be feared are those out of the sou'east, anl there is always a possi- 

 bility, by running before it, of making a lee. 



ENGINES OF THE NAPHTHA XilGHT '^MIGNON." 



