Part 7

+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+------ | | | | | | | Date of | | | |Displace-| |Construc-| | | | ment in | Name. | tion. |Length.|Breadth.| Depth. | Tons. |Speed. -----------+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+------ | |ft. in.| ft. in.|ft. in.| |knots. | | | | | | _Greta_ | 1876 | 76 0 | 12 0 | 9 3 | 53 | 7.5 | | | | | | _Greta_ | 1877 | 84 0 | 12 6 | 9 6 | 73 | 8.25 | | | | | | _Greta_ | 1878 | 90 0 | 14 0 | 9 6 | 86 | 9.33 | | | | | | _Ulva_ | 1879 |162 0 | 21 0 | 15 6 | 350 | 11.08 | | | | | | _Griffin_ | 1879 |120 0 | 16 6 | 11 0 | 152 | 9.8 | | | | | | _Eagle_ | 1879 | 84 0 | 12 6 | 9 6 | 77 | 7.7 | | | | | | | | | | | | _Retriever_| 1884 |123 0 | 17 0 | 12 0 | 144 | 11 | | | | | | _Alca_ | 1887 | 80 6 | 14 0 | 10 0 | 93 | 10 | | | | | | _Santanna_ | 1887 |180 0 | 24 0 | 15 6 | 495 | 13.6 | | | | | | _Foros_ | 1891 |236 0 | 30 6 | 20 6 | 1170 | 12.5 | | | | | | _Greta_ | 1892 |135 6 | 18 6 | 12 0 | 230 | 11 | | | | | | _Kittiwake_| 1893 |113 0 | 21 0 | 13 6 | 210 | 9.55 | | | | | | _Lutra_ | 1894 |117 0 | 18 0 | 12 0 | 200 | 10.75 | | | | | | _Greta_ | 1895 |145 0 | 22 0 | 13 5 | 338 | 11 | | | | | | _Erin_ | 1896 |252 0 | 31 6 | 20 6 | 1330 | 15.6 | | | | | | _Tuscarora_| 1897 |170 0 | 26 6 | 15 7 | 775 | 12.5 | | | | | | _Greta_ | 1898 |154 0 | 22 9 | 13 6 | 393 | 12.25 | | | | | | _Lutra_ | 1899 |140 0 | 21 0 | 13 0 | 348 | 11.65 | | | | | | _Margarita_| 1900 |272 0 | 36 6 | 28 0 | 2522 | 17.1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | _Waihi_ | 1900 | 82 0 | 14 6 | 10 0 | 102 | 10.3 | | | | | | _Saevuna_ | 1901 | 76 4 | 14 6 | 9 3 | 95 | 8.4 | | | | | | _Grianaig_ | 1904 |160 0 | 23 9 | 14 0 | 435 | 12.6 | | | | | | _Beryl_ | 1904 |160 0 | 25 0 | 14 6 | 500 | 13.3 -----------+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+------ ------------+------------------------+------+------+------------------- | |Indi- | | | |cated |Boiler| | |Horse-|Pres- | Name. | Type of Engines. |power.|sure. | Owner. -----------+------------------------+------+------+------------------- | | | lb. | | | | | _Greta_ | Compound | 58 | 74 |John Scott, Esq., | | | | C.B. | | | | _Greta_ | " | 76 | 78 |John Scott, Esq., | | | | C.B. | | | | _Greta_ | Compound tandem | 105 | 78 |John Scott, Esq., | | | | C.B. _Ulva_ | " " | 277 | 70 |F. A. Hankey, Esq. | | | | _Griffin_ | " " | 130 | 78 |C. E. Dashwood, Esq. | | | | _Eagle_ | Compound | 74 | 75 |Count Stackleberg, | | | | St. Petersburg. | | | | _Retriever_| " | 215 | 90 |O. Randall, Esq. | | | | _Alca_ | Triple-expansion | 110 | 160 |Colonel Malcolm, | | | | Poltalloch. | | | | _Santanna_ | " " | 780 | 150 |M. Louis Prat, | | | | Marseilles. | | | | _Foros_ | " " | 960 | 160 |M. Kousenzoff, | | | | Moscow. | | | | _Greta_ | " " | 280 | 160 |John Scott, Esq., | | | | C.B. | | | | _Kittiwake_| " " | 185 | 160 |Lord Carnegie. | | | | _Lutra_ | " " | 250 | 160 |Colonel Malcolm. | | | | _Greta_ | " " | 340 | 170 |John Scott, Esq., | | | | C.B. | | | | _Erin_ |Triple-expansion, 4 cyl.| 2500 | 180 |Sir Thomas Lipton, | | | | Bart. | | | | _Tuscarora_| " " " | 1030 | 170 |Wm. Clark, Esq., | | | | Paisley. | | | | _Greta_ | " " " | 480 | 170 |John Scott, Esq., | | | | C.B. | | | | _Lutra_ | " " " | 480 | 170 |Lord Malcolm of | | | | Poltalloch. | | | | _Margarita_| {Twin-screw, triple} | 5200 | 200 |A. J. Drexel, Esq., | {expansion, four } | | | Philadelphia, | {cylinders in each } | | | U.S.A. | {engine } | | | | | | | _Waihi_ | Triple-expansion | 130 | 170 |J. Bulloch, Esq. | | | | _Saevuna_ | Compound | 75 | 130 |Maurice Bernard | | | | Byles, Esq. | | | | _Grianaig_ | Triple-expansion | 740 | 190 |R. Sinclair Scott, | | | | Esq. | | | | _Beryl_ | " " | 910 | 200 |Baron Inverclyde. -----------+------------------------+------+------+-------------------

The _Erin_, now owned by Sir Thomas Lipton, Bart., was designed and built in 1896 for a Sicilian nobleman and was purchased later by the popular baronet and sporting yachtsman. One of the largest vessels of her time, she was 250 ft. long, and of 1330 tons displacement. The four-cylinder, carefully-balanced engines, of 2500 horse-power, gave her a sea speed of 15-1/2 knots. A view of this well-known yacht is given on Plate XXI., facing page 63.

Much might be written about the decoration of these yachts; but it may suffice to give illustrations of the dining- and drawing-rooms in the steam yacht _Beryl_, owned by the Right Hon. Baron Inverclyde. The saloons are in the Old-English style, and are treated with decorative freedom, but with strict simplicity. The walls in both cases are framed in solid figured white Austrian wainscot oak, highly finished and polished. The drawing-room has silk tapestry panels, relieved with chaste carving on the window canopies, dado rail and mantelpiece, and divided with bevelled and carved pilasters, with carved Corinthian capitals. In the dining-room, on the other hand, there is no tapestry, the whole being of oak, suitably carved. In the ports there are large plate-glass windows, fitted with Greenwood springs. In each room there is a large cupola skylight, which, with its rich stained glass, gives a fine decorative effect. The drawing-room cupola is fitted with a brass mushroom ventilator. The ceiling in each case is of yellow pine, moulded, ribbed, and beamed in the Tudor style, and painted flat white, picked out with gold.

The drawing-room has a slow-combustion grate having brass mounts, with richly-carved oak mantelpiece, marble jambs, tiled hearth, and fire-brasses and fender. The dining-room has a steam radiator enclosed in a cabinet with Numidian marble top and brass-grilled front.

The _Beryl_ is a vessel of 160 ft. in length, with a displacement of 500 tons at slightly less than 12-ft. draught. She steams at 13.3 knots with the engines indicating 910 horse-power, steam being supplied from a large single-ended boiler with three furnaces.

As typical of the engines adopted in the yachts built by the Scotts, we give an illustration on Plate XXVI., facing page 72, of the engines of the _Grianaig_. In the thirty years that have elapsed since the first _Greta_ was built, the ratio of horse-power to tonnage has increased from 1 to 1 to 2 to 1, the steam pressure from 74 lb. to 200 lb.; and the piston speed from about 300 ft. to 675 ft. per minute. The aim has been to ensure reliability by a steady- and easy-running engine.

An effective appearance has always been aimed at, and the result has invariably been a highly-finish design. Yachts' engines are invariably balanced, whether so specified or not, as the gain in comfort to all on board, owing to the absence of vibration, is so marked as to more than compensate for the extra cost involved. Forced lubrication has also been applied, although the engines may be of the ordinary open type: the main bearings, crank-pins, cross-heads, eccentrics, valve gear, pump gear, etc., are all included in the system, which has given every satisfaction.

The _Grianaig's_ engines developed on trial 740 indicated horse-power at 148 revolutions per minute, with a boiler pressure of 190 lb. per square foot, and a condenser vacuum of 26.5 in. Some of the details, being typical of the practice of the firm in respect of yacht machinery, are quoted from the specification on the next page.

The arrangement of cylinders is as follows: H.P. 14 in. in diameter, I.P. 22 in. in diameter, L.P. 35 in. in diameter, Stroke 24 in. The piston and connecting-rods are of steel; the guide-shoes for the crossheads are of cast iron, the ahead face having white metal, and the astern face being left plain. The back columns are of the usual cast-iron box type, the front columns, being steel, are turned. The high-pressure cylinder has a piston valve, and the intermediate- and low-pressure cylinders flat slide-valves. None of the cylinders is provided with liners. A single-stroke reversing engine is situated at the back of the main engine, but is operated from the starting platform. The condenser is of the surface type with a circular cast-iron shell; the total cooling surface is 1300 square feet.

Steam is supplied to the main engine by one single-ended cylindrical boiler 13 ft. 9 in. in diameter by 10 ft. long, working at a pressure of 190 lb. per square inch. There are three furnaces, the mean internal diameter being 3 ft. 5-3/4 in. and the length 6 ft. 10 in. The grates are 6 ft. long, giving an aggregate area of 61.5 square feet. The boiler tubes are 3-1/4 in. in diameter and 6 ft. 10-3/4 in. long, the total heating surface being 1899 square feet.

The Twentieth Century.

Prophecy has its allurements even in the domain of applied mechanics; and having reviewed progress during the past two centuries in naval architecture, as embodied in sailing ships, merchant steamers, warships, and yachts, there is a temptation to speculate on the prospects of the future. The possibilities of the steam turbine, for manufacturing which the Scotts are laying down a special plant; the potentialities of the producer-gas engine as applied to the propulsion of ships; and even the solution of the problems which stand in the way of the application of the universally-desired oil turbine, are all topics which would prove interesting, even although no conclusion could be arrived at. It is enough, however, to say here, that each is having careful consideration by the firm.

The historian is not, however, concerned with the future, and the only justification for the title given above is the intention here to briefly review the state of marine construction, as represented at the beginning of this new century by typical vessels built or being built by the Scotts. It is difficult, where so many ships of distinctive design and equipment have been constructed, to select a few representative types. Amongst the countries which have had new ships in recent years are France, Russia, Italy, Denmark, Holland, Portugal, Greece, India, the Straits Settlements, China, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and other South American Republics, and the United States of America. This list of foreign _cliéntele_, however, is being diminished, owing to the influence of subsidies paid by foreign Governments to shipowners or shipbuilders.

Taking account only of large vessels built during the past fifty years, there are one hundred and five of Scotts' steamers now trading in China seas, twenty-six in the Indian Ocean, ten on the North Atlantic, nine in the South African seas, thirty in South American waters, eighteen in the Colonial service, and ninety-seven on the European coast; while in home waters there are many more.

One of the gratifying features in connection with the commercial relationship of the Scotts, too, is the continuance of confidence over a long period of years of several of our large steamship companies. This is, perhaps, the best indication of the satisfactory character of the work done. The Holt Line have had built for them within forty years, by the Scotts, forty-eight vessels of 148,353 tons. The China Navigation Company have had a greater number of ships, namely, sixty-four, but as the size is smaller the total tonnage is less, namely, 115,600 tons. An important Continental firm has had twenty-one vessels; while for a Portuguese Company five large vessels were built, and for the French Trans-Atlantic Company eleven fast liners. Other cases might be mentioned, but these suffice.

As regards fast steamers, the recent warships built and described in a previous chapter may be accepted as typical in so far as the problems of marine engineering are concerned. In each of these cases the design of the machinery has been prepared by the firm, and the difficulties were more complicated than in the case of merchant work. Moreover, it must be remembered, that the maritime predominance of Britain is due as much to that enormous fleet of moderate-speed intermediate and cargo ships, which maintain exceptionally long voyages with regularity and economy, as to the fast ships engaged on comparatively short routes. Of the nine thousand odd British ships included in _Lloyds' Register_, less than 2-1/2 per cent. have a speed of over 16 knots: a fact which in itself proves that economy, rather than speed, is the primary consideration.[68]

The new Donaldson liner, now being constructed by the firm, may be accepted as representative of one of the most useful types of steamer in the British fleet. An illustration of this vessel is given on Plate XXVIII., facing page 74. While primarily intended for the Atlantic passenger trade, she is of such moderate dimensions as to suit almost any service, having a length of 455 ft. between perpendiculars, a breadth of 53 ft., and a depth, moulded, of 32 ft.; the draught will not be more than 26 ft. with a displacement of 13,500 tons. While designed to carry 8000 tons of deadweight cargo in the four holds, the vessel has accommodation for a large number of passengers, who are afforded more room than on the larger and faster liners, with the same luxury and comfort. This latter fact accounts in large measure for the growing preference of a great proportion of the travelling public for the intermediate ship.

The machinery has been designed with the view of attaining the highest economy. For driving the twin screws there are two separate three-cylinder triple-expansion engines, which are to indicate together 5500 horse-power when running at the moderate piston speed of 680 ft. per minute. The cylinders are respectively 26 in., 42 in., and 70 in. in diameter, the stroke being 48 in. There is a very complete installation of auxiliary machinery. In all, there are fifty-seven steam cylinders in the ship, each having its special function.

Steam for all of these is supplied at a pressure of 180 lb. per square inch, by two double-ended boilers 20 ft. long, and two single-ended boilers 11 ft. 6 in. long, the diameter in all cases being 15 ft. 9 in. The total heating surface is about 15,000 square feet, and the grate area 435 square feet. In the design and construction of the engines and boilers every consideration has been given to strength in order to ensure reliability.

In dealing with the development of the steamship we had occasion to refer to the Holt liners, which inaugurated the first regular steamship service to the Far East, _viâ_ the Cape of Good Hope. That was in 1865, and since then a long series of most successful steamships has been constructed by the Scotts for the China trade of the Ocean Steamship Company. As representative of the modern ship for this service we take four vessels just completed, three of them taking the names of the pioneer ships of the line--the _Achilles_, _Agamemnon_, and _Ajax_, while the fourth is named _Deucalion_; one of these is illustrated on Plate XXIX., facing this page.

Throughout the forty years that have elapsed since the first vessels were built, each successive steamer of the forty-eight built by the Scotts has marked an increase in size, and an improvement in economy. In the former respect the advance is not perhaps so striking as in some other trades; but it must always be remembered that a ship which is to steam for 12,000 or 13,000 miles without many opportunities of coaling cannot be of high speed; otherwise the bunker capacity would be so great as to seriously reduce the available cargo space; while the running expenses would be so heavy as to materially decrease the utility of the vessel as an aid to the development of commerce. There is ever the happy mean, which has here been realised with characteristic prudence and enterprise.

The forty years' progress in the case of the Holt liners has brought about an increase of 50 per cent. in the dimensions of the ship, the later Scotts' vessels being 441 ft. between perpendiculars, 52 ft. 6 in. in breadth, and 35 ft. in depth moulded, with a gross register of 7043 tons. In respect of deadweight capacity, however, there has been considerable development, due to the adoption of mild steel having permitted a reduction in the weight of boilers and engines, and in the scantlings of the hull. The new vessels, with a draught of 26 ft. 6 in., carry 8750 tons of deadweight cargo--two and a-half times the weight carried by the earliest Holt liners.

In forty years the steam pressure in the Holt liners has increased from 60 lb. to 180 lb.; and the piston speed from 400 ft. to 720 ft. per minute. The heating surface in the boilers has decreased from 6 square feet to 3 square feet per unit of power; and the condenser surface from 1.83 square feet to 1.3 square feet per unit of power. On the other hand, each square foot of grate gives now 14 horse-power, as compared with 6.6 horse-power formerly.

As a result of increased steam pressures and greater efficiency of propulsion, it may be taken that, notwithstanding the increase in dimensions and capacity of the ship, and the consequent advance in engine power, the coal required for a voyage half way round the world has been reduced to one half that of 1865.

Another notable feature in the economy of the ship is that twenty-five derricks have been fitted for dealing rapidly with the cargo, and one of these has a lifting capacity of 35 tons, to take such heavy units of cargo as locomotive boilers and tenders. In addition, there are eighteen steam winches. The reduction in the time spent in port, because of the facilities thus provided, is another element in the economy of the modern ship.

The largest oil steamer yet constructed, the _Narragansett_, was completed by the Scotts in 1903. This vessel, built for the Anglo-American Oil Company, carries in her sixteen separate compartments, 10,500 tons of oil, at a speed of 11 knots, for a fuel consumption of 4.9 lb. of coal per 100 tons of cargo per mile. This result is deduced from steaming, in ordinary service, over nearly 24,000 miles, and is consequently as reliable as it is interesting.

The _Narragansett_, which is illustrated on Plate XXX., facing this page, has a length between perpendiculars of 512 ft. and overall of 531 ft.; the beam is 63 ft. 3 in., and the depth, moulded, 42 ft. The deadweight carrying capacity on a draught of 27 ft. is 12,000 tons. The engines are of the triple-expansion type. Interest in the machinery is associated principally with that fitted for the pumping of the oil cargo. There are two pump-rooms, one located conveniently for the oil in the eight compartments forward of the machinery space; the other in a corresponding situation for the same number of tanks abaft the propelling engines. The 10,500 tons of cargo can be loaded or discharged in less than twelve hours. While primarily for the Atlantic trade, the vessel was designed to undertake, if required, the much longer voyage of the Eastern service.

Because of the uniformly good results with ordinary coal, we give the details as received from the superintending engineer of the owners:--

TABLE VII.--RECORDS OF COAL CONSUMPTION OF STEAMSHIP "NARRAGANSETT."