ApRTT^ j6, 1 898. J 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
fu:kor.— teb.ro R. 
Spanish Torpedo Boat Destroyers, now at Cape Verde Islands en route to the West Indies. 
Qovers and the top and bottom covers of the valye 'Cas- 
ings, are of cast steel. The pistons are of forged steel, 
tttrned all over, and are fitted with two Perkins' metal 
rings. The piston and connecting rods are of wroug'ht 
steel, and are hollow. The crossliead piti is fixed into the 
forks of the connecting rod, and is of steel, case-hard- 
ened. The piston-rod guide and head are forged with 
the rod, and the guide has machined recesses on the 
"ahead" side, which are filled with white metal. The 
' ahead" guide faces are of cast iron, with water circu- 
lation at the back, and the "astern" faces are of bronze. 
The bedplates are of cast steel; each consists of two 
angle-bar-shaped castings, which extend the whole length 
of the engine and rest on longitudinal frames extending 
between the engine-room bulkheads. The main bearing 
frames extend between, and are checked into, these cast- 
ings, being secured to them, as well as to the floors' of 
the vessel, by fitted bolts. The main bearings are eight 
in number, and wrought-steel cofuiims braced together 
near the center form the connection between the cylin- 
ders and these frames. 
The ciankshafts and pins are hollow, and are of steel. 
The high-pressure and intermediate pressure cranks are 
;arranged opposite each other, and each pair of cranks 
as forged in one piece. Balance weights are fitted on 
the crank webs, reducing the vibration to a minimum. 
'The thrust and propeller shafts are also of steel, and 
are hollow. The propellers are three-bladed and are of 
manganese bronze, each being cast in one piece. 
The condensers are placed in the wings, and are of 
brass. The steam is condensed outside the ttibes, and 
the' water is circulated through them by a iiatural flow, 
due to the speed of the vessel through the water, two of 
Gwynne's pumps being fitted as auxiliaries. The air 
pumps are single-acting, and are driven by cranks ofif 
the forward ends of the crankshafts, discharging into 
a common hotwell tank. ■ / 
The boilers are fitted with galvanized steel tubes. They 
are worked under forced draft on the closed stoke- 
hold system, the air pressure being- supplied by two 
single-breasted fans in eacJi stokehold, placed one on 
either side on the bunker 'biilkheads. The engines are 
the ;C!pen^;Vertical type, and air is admitted to the fans 
by largfi; coKvls placed directly overhead. 
The bbilerfecd arrangement is most complete, consist- 
ing of a inain and auxiliary system of feed pumps and 
pipe's, which are separate and entirely independent of 
,each_ 'other. The main system consists of two of 
Messrs. G.. and J. Weir's special feed pumps, placed 
at the forward end of the engiiie-room. Each draws 
iro'ni the hotwell tank through a Harris patent feed- 
water filter, dischargiiS^'' 'either to the boilers in one 
compartment direct, or through one of a couple of 
Messrs. Weir's feed-water heaters, situated on the for- 
ward engine-room buHchead between tltYt jjumps. The 
feed-water discharge to each boiler is controlled by a 
special automatic feed regulating ai'rangenlcnt, which 
keeps tlje water at a steady level in the boiler, greatly 
relieving the engineer in charge. Fol* tlie auxiliary sys- 
tem a similar feed pump is placfed In each boiler-room, 
and each pump is connected by separate pipes with the 
reserve fresh-water tank, the hotwell tank, and the sea, 
and discharges direct to the boilers. The pump in the 
after boiler-room also discharges to the deck, and serves 
the purpose of a fire pump. 
The main steam pipes are of galvanized steel. An in- 
dependent pipe extends between each boiler-room and 
one set of engines, and each pipe is fitted with a stop' 
valve and steam separator on the engine-room bulk- 
head, thereb}^ insuring dry steam in the engine. There- 
is also a connecting pipe between the main .steam pipes,, 
and an equilibrium valve at each high-pressure cylinder. 
An independent auxiliary steam pipe supplies all the- 
au.xiliary engines, except the main feed pump.s, and the' 
exhaust steam is led by a system of pipes to either of 
the main condensers. 
A large evaporator is situated amidships, on the after- 
engine-room bulkhead, capable of evaporating 3.150 gal- 
lons of fresh water per day, with a distilling" condenser 
beside it which can supply 560 gallons per day of ptirc 
aerated fresh water, chiefly used for ship pttrposes, the 
remainder of the vapor being condensed in the maini 
condensers to serve as makc-tip feed. A separate en- 
gine, with pmnps, is also fitted for maintaining the water 
level in the evaporators, circulating the condensing sea 
water, and pumping the drinking water into the ship's 
tanks. An auxiliary air pump is fitted to each of the 
circulating ptmips, and is connected to the bottom of 
the main condensers, discharging- to the hotwell tank. 
On the after engine-room bulkhead there is also a du- 
Xolex bilge pump Tor clearing out the bilges of the en- 
gine and boiler rooms, and ejectors have also been fitted 
to each compartment, so that in case of excessive flood- 
ing the water may be rapidly got rid of. 
The supervision of the trials, on behalf of the Spanish 
Government, was in charge of the Spanish Naval Com- 
mission, under the presidency of Com. Camara. The 
constructive department of the Spanish Navy was rep- 
resented by Capt. Talero, and there were also present 
Capt. Peral and Capt. Carlier. 
Podgfefs on Yacht Stoves. 
San Francisco, March 29. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
T see by one of the last numbers of the Forest and 
Stream that the subject of yacht stoves is under dis- 
cussion, and sundry gentlemen give their expericnce.s. 
Having wrestled with that problem to a considerable 
extent, I herewith contribute the consensus of my opin- 
ion on the question. 
My first cruises were in a 32ft. sloop, in which I used 
various patterns of oil stoves that in mild weather heat- 
ed the cabin to an uncomfortable degree, besides the 
unpleasant odor, and one or two naiTow escapes from 
burning up the yacht. The next plan adopted wa.s to 
cut off about 2ft. of the cockpit transom from the end 
nearest the bulkhead, lining the recess with zinc, ren- 
dering it fireproof, and to have a sheet-iron cook stove 
made to fit, and the whole inclosed by a door with a. 
movable joint of pipe. The stove burned both wood, 
and coal, which was stored under the cockpit seats, as 
well as the utensils. It answered admirably and 
cooked quickly. Having four openings, several dishes 
could be cooked at the same time. With a .substantial 
rainproof awning inclosing the cockpit and a knock- 
down table, it made a cozy dining room when at an- 
chor. 
Another arrangement for cooler weather was a two- 
burner reservoir oil stove, which I placed at the after 
port side of the cabin in a recess at the aft end of the 
transom, in precisely the same manner as in the cockpit, 
boxing in and shutting itp from sight when not in use. 
It took up 2j.4ft. from the transom, and gave space to 
hang the lighter utensils. To avoid removal in order 
to fill the oil reservoir, I had a sheet-iron tank made, 
i8x4in. and 36in. high, placing it in the corner 
outside in the cockpit against the bulkhead, with a feed 
pipe through the bulkhead to the stove reservoir, with a 
shttt-off cock. The tank was bo.xed in, and took up but 
a trifle of space, and when filled lasted a whole .season, 
A small hatch over the stove permitted all odor of oil 
and cooking, as well as heat, to escape. 
A stove placed in that manner near the companionway 
obviated any discomfort in cooking, and was handy to 
the dining table, and being closed up when not in use 
had the appearance of a locker. A rack for plates and 
cups, and receptacles for spoons, knives and forks, over 
the stove on the sides made a little handy pantry, 
I cannot imagine anything more inconvenient than 
the style of most Eastern yachts, of having the cooking 
stove placed rnder the forward deck, unless your cook 
is a very short man, as the deck is low and he must 
duck under the carlin to bring his cooking to the 
cabin table, besides the distance. Better have yottr 
kitchen at the forward end of your cabin under the 
house. The space sacrificed is small, and with a hatch 
over the stove to let out the heat j^our cabin is not 
uncomfortable even in warm weather, to say nothing of 
the comfort of the cook in being able to stand itp in- 
stead of being doubled tip like a jack-knife, especially 
if the duty falls upon an amateur member; but if your 
boat is small tlie oil stove is the thing if arranged as 
described. 
Another item of utility and a great convenience in 
that connection is to place your companionway on the 
port or starboard side of your cockpit (whichever side 
your stove may be), instead of amidships, firstly for 
coolness for the cook; secondly, it gives a space in the 
cabin for an extra berth or sofa athwartships, or for 
lockers for guns and fishing rods, pantry, book rack, 
clothes locker, or whatever uses you choose to pttt the 
space to; and last, and not least, a place where you can 
lock up securely your snake-bite remedj^ with the satis- 
faction of knowing that in case of such an accident you 
know that the cook has not during your absence irti- 
agined that a mosquito bite demands the same heroic 
treatment. 
Most of us know from, experience the universal weak- 
