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a - MARINE REVIEW AND MARINE RECORD. ASTOR'S TURBINE PATENT GIVEN TO THE WORLD Col. John Jacob Astor has given to the world his patents on marine turbines. He makes his announcement in the current issue of the Scientific American in the form of a letter to the editor of that publication. As yet no engine has been built to utilize Col. Astor's patents but engineers have expressed them- selves as sharing the colonel's belief that his theories will work out practicably. Col. Astor's invention contemplates twin screws set tandem instead of side by side and revolving in opposite direc- tions. His letter is as follows: "All my patents on marine turbines having been granted, I hereby dedicate them to the public, in the hope that the develop- ment of the ideal turbine may be hastened thereby. The turbine is shaped like a funnel, and comprises an outer shell or drum and an inner shaft running axially through it, these parts being rel- atively rotatable and each having oppositely set spiral blades. The steam is admitted into the outer shell at the small end and passes through the turbine, expanding into the large end of the shell and acting on the spiral blades to rotate the shell and shaft simultaneously and in opposite directions. By allowing both the inner turbine and the outer case to revolve, the speed necessary to insure efficiency, which in ordinary turbines is often inconveni- ently high, is cut in half. As a result of this construction the weight is reduced practically 50 per cent. By passing the inne1 solid shaft through the outer hollow shaft or drum, the structural advantage of running both through the sternpost of the ship is obtained, this being the strongest part. Moreover, the shafts are incased and protected for almost their entire length without changing the shape of the hull. Retaining all the advantages of [Nov. 13. will be ready for her official trial early next summer. The laying of the wooden main deck has been finished, her condensers and windlasses are installed, all the auxiliary machinery, including the various sets of pumps, is ready to go into her hull, and the work of putting in her electrical plant has been-begun. The main 1 being set up now. Sah ae post for the battleship New Jersey is being finished in the machine shop preparatory to putting it into position ai once. It is in one casting weighing I1 tons. The protective decks of both tue New Jersey and Rhode Island were about one-third laid last week and the hull plating of the forward section of the vessels nas been well started since the stem was set up. One of the New Haven railroad's steel car floats is to be launched from the ship yard next week and the other some time during the week following. FROM NAVY YARD AND NEWPORY NEWS SHIP YARD, Newport News, Va., Nov. 13.--The auxiliary cruiser Prairie, with 560 marines aboard, the protected cruiser Detroit, the con- verted yacht Vixen, and the government tug Leyden, towing six new coal barges for the use of the fleet in southern waters dur- ing the approaching winter manuevers, sailed from Hampton Roads a few days ago, bound for Culebra, where the marines will be put ashore, and where preparations will be made for the arrival shortly of the European, South Atlantic and North Atlantic squadrons. 'The cruiser Olympia preceded these vessels by sey- eral days and is now engaged in marking the anchorage grounds for the fleet. The cruiser San Francisco has arrived in the Roads from the navy yard to await the coming of the main de- Col. J. J. Astor Dedicates his Marine Turbine Patents to the Public. twin screws, the propellers are little exposed to danger in docking as in a ship with a single screw. Since beth propellers revolve on the same axis, in opposite directions, but little power is wasted 'in imparting a rotary motion to the water, for after the passage of the snip the water is left entirely dead except for the necessary reaction resulting from driving the ship ahead. 'To sum up, the following appear to me the principal advantages: First, reduced weight; second, higher steam efficiency; third, higher mechanical efficiency, by reason of the reduced size enabling the parts to be fitted more perfectly, permitting the dimunition of friction and also the reduction of the leakage loss; fourth, such a turbine would - seem to be particularly suitable in central station work for generat- 'ing electricity, in which case the field and armature may be driven in opposite directions. 'This would improve the efficiency of the dynamo and increase its output for a given weight. 'This prin- ciple is obviously also applicable to gas engines." Further particulars and details may be obtained, Mr. Astor says, by securing a copy of patent No. 690,82r. WORK AT FORE RIVER SHIP YARD. Quincy, Mass, Nov. 12--The United Fruit Co.'s steamer Admiral Dewey left. the Fore River Ship & Engine Co's yard at this point Nov. 2, practically a new vessel. She was given a thorough overhauling inside and out while she was under repair. New tops were put on her tanks, her decks were relaid, and a new base plate was set under her engines, which were largely re. built. The inside cf her hull underwent a careful examination, every part that showed the slightest wear was renewed, and she was completely repainted. e ___ The fitting out of the protected cruiser Des Moines at the ship yard has progressed so rapidly that it is expected that she * tachment of the North Atlantic squadron, which is expected here from New York this week. The second-class battleshin Texas, which has been for a long time at the navy yard being overhauled, has been placed in com- mission with Capt. W. T. Swinburne in command. 'The Texas will be ready to join the North Atlantic squadron in a few days. The cruiser Cincinnati has arrived from San Juan and is now in dry dock, being made ready for active sea service. The gun- boat Bancroft has sailed for San Juan, where she will be regularly quartered as station ship. Commander John E. Pillsburg of the naval general board spent several days at the navy yard in conference with Admiral Cotton, the commandant, relative to preparations for the recep- tion of the North Atlantic squadron. All of the ships will be coaled and supplied at this station. At the navy yard now are the Texas, Arkansas, Puritan, Cincinnati, Topeka, Buffalo and Gloucester, all of which will join the North Atlantic squadron. The keel has been laid at the ship yard for the large oil steam- ship to be built here for the Saginaw Steel Steamship Co. The Morgan liner El Mar, which was overhauled at the ship yard, was given a trial Saturday and will leave some time this week to re- sume her trips between New York and-Galveston. 'The work on El Mar cost something like $50,000. Commissioners appointed to fix the price of 272 acres of land wanted by the ecvernment adjoining the navy yard are sitting now and it is expected that they will reach a decision in a few days. This land is wanted for the purpose of enlarging the navy yard, which now covers only 80 acres. It will be seen from this that the navy department has in view some extensive plan of improvement. It is intimated that the land will bring in the neighborhood of $3,coo an acre. A new dry dock, new barracks and new powder magazines will be built.