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28 MARINE REVIEW AND MARINE RECORD. [May 21, EFFECT OF MODERN ACCESSORIES ON SIZE AND COST OF SHIPS." By W. H. WHITING, Assistant Director of Naval Construction, British Navy. a In limiting the title of this paper to warships, I do not wish' to suggest that the influence of these matters on the size and cost of merchant ships is negligible, but only that in most cases it is relatively less, so that a discussion of its nature and extent would be for this reason, as well as for others to be set forth later, of far smaller importance. By modern accessories I mean those features which have been introduced into warships, espe- cially during the last twenty years, at such a rapid rate, but which are not specifically designed for and necessary to the main object of the vessel's existence--the overpowering and destruc- tion of the enemy in the day of battle. For this end seaworthi- ness, structural strength, habitability, speed, coal supply, gun power and protection are essential; they are, at least, features of primary importance. 'They will be regarded as generally indis- pensable for battles on the high seas such as have decided the fate of nations. But there are, in every large warship, hundreds of features which are not, like these, of primary importance. They add to the appearance, or convenience, or even to the effi- ciency of parts of the ship, but they can hardly be said to be in- dispensable. They affect, perhaps, the facilities for navigation or other wants of ordinary peace work. Sometimes they increase the efficiency of the primary features named above, though they are not absolutely necessary to their existence. They often pro- vide against risks, more or less remote, of accident or breakdown in peace or war. Many are due to the general rise in the stand- ard of comfort in life ashore, and to the many modern inventions which have made this comfort possible. But, whether taken singly or all together, it cannot be said that they are essential to the supreme end for which the navy is maintained. There is, as one might expect, great difference of opinion as to the importance or the necessity of these matters. As regards many of them, there would be found on detailed inquiry a gen- eral opinion that they ought to be retained. As regards mony others, various conclusions would be arrived at, according to the experience, or the calling, or the temperament of the individual ; and according to his appreciation of the convenience afforded or the risk avoided by each item. In some cases a landsman might reasonably form a judgment about them; in many others only a naval officer could well do so. I shall offer no opinion about any - of them. I desire only to show that they exist, to try to classify them, to name some of the principal causes which originate and maintain them, and to point out and emphasize the consideration which is common to them all--that they have to be paid for. The payment may be mainly in cost, or it may be--it generally is--in increased size of ship as well, and in decrease of speed or offen- sive power or protection. It may be in ways less evident, though not less certain or exacting. In whatever form it be, the payment has to be made, and the price, I fear; is not generally known. It is more easy to understand how the influence of a number of sub- ordinate items escapes adequate notice when we recall the discus- sions. in the early years of this institution respecting fighting ships. It was not unusual in those days to hear demands for an 'ideal vessel--heavily armed, thickly armored, with high speed and a big coal supply, but of small dimensions. Many years passed before that mythical vessel disappeared. There are. still to be met with lingering traces of a belief in her. But the impossibil- ity of securing all these qualities in one small ship is now real- ized. It is seldom contested that if you take a given design, or . ship, and put, say, more guns into her, you must accept less coal, or armor, or speed. The proposition that a ship is a compromise in regard to these important features is well established. Unfor- tunately it is not equally well understood that the matters of which I speak have a cumulative effect on the ship equal to a large variation in one of her principal features. And even where there is an acceptance of this general statement in the abstract, there may be no small difficulty in securing its application to the particular case in hand. - 'The effect on the whole design of a substantial variation in one of the principal qualities of a ship has often been investi- gated. It is well known that if you add to the weight of the 'armor, or coal, or guns by a certain definite amount, and if every other quality of the ship, save this one, has to be main- tained unimpaired, the result will be a total increase of weight, size, and cost which far exceeds the original increment. If, for instance, in order to increase the speed, you add 100 tons to the weight of the machinery, there will follow in general: such in- creased weights of hull, equipment, coal and armor as will add perhaps 300 tons or more to the displacement. It is, of course, equally certain that a number of lesser items, whose weight amounts in all to 100 tons, will likewise involve an increased dis- placement of much more than 100 tons. It would be travelling outside of the proper scope of this paper to show in detail how variations of equal amount in the weights of primary features of a design have, in the above conditions, such different effects on the design; or how variations of a constant percentage in the same primary features may produce, in designs not of the same type, widely different results. It may be mentioned, however, that the chief factor in determining the effect of such a variation *Read at the spring meeting, Institution of Naval Architects, London. is the space it demands considered in reference to the demands on space in the existing ship. Thus, an increase in thickness of armor in a battleship, and an increase in speed in a small cruiser-- keeping all other qualities constant in each case--represent, per- haps, opposite extremes in regard to the relative change produced in the design. Considerations of the same character govern the effect on a design the matters of which this paper treats. I do not propose to examine a number of specific instances of the influence of. such features in existing classes of ships. There are obvious objections to such a course. But while it is hardly practicable to prove in detail how important these seem- ingly unimportant items are, I will mention two examples which will illustrate the general proposition. 'The first is that of the steamboats carried by a warship, or, more strictly speaking, the weight of the largest steamboat. Until twenty years ago, the weight. of the largest steamboat carried by most vessels was about 9 tons. This boat--a 37-ft. steam pinnace--could be hoisted at davits by hand, and the only fittings required were the davits themselves and their usual accompaniments, the boat's falls, and. perhaps crutches.. But the size of steamboats has been increased until most of our large battleships and cruisers carry two 56-ft. steam pinnaces, each weighing 18 tons. Following the introduction of these boats, we have had one, and generally two, masts of great strength, with corresponding shrouds, and a 60-ft. derrick with massive head and heel castings, 6%4-in. steel wire purchases and topping lifts, 25-in. blocks, eyeplates at mast head and on deck tested to 60,70, and even 90 tons each, two steam boat hoists with beds, casings, steam pipes, etc., skid beams and boats' crutches for stowing the boats in-board, hull structure for supporting the masts, stores necessary for the maintenance of these fittings, and, lastly, alternative gear for hoisting the boats by hand. In this case the replacement of two 9-ton boats by two ~ 18-ton boats means an addition, not of 18 tons, but of at least 70 tons to the weight carried. 'To carry this load without loss of speed or other qualities an addition to the displacement consid- erably exceeding 70 tons will be necessary. I express no opinion as to the need for these boats. They are far superior to the older boats in speed and seaworthiness, though these indeed served for many years in the same harbors. 'They have, too, increased fight- ing powers as boats. But I class them as minor matters, because it is not generally supposed that they and their accompaniments will have much influence on a fleet action of today, except as debris. They offer an excellent example of the numerous addi- tions which follow a single change. A. corresponding result may be brought about in another way. Instead of increasing the magnitude of some particular item, you may develop it with the object of increasing its effi- ciency or of lessening the chance of a breakdown. An example of the great weight involved in such an elaboration of a set af fittings for a single purpose is afforded by the anchor and cable gear in a ship. In many merchant steamers we find what may be taken as the minimum provision which is compatible with safe navigation. These vessels carry stockless anchors which require no special stowage. Their cables come in through open hawse pipes to a windlass, and pass straight into the lockers. immed- lately below. They ride by the windlass. No other fittings are supplied, except, perhaps, bow stoppers at the upper end of the hawse pipes. If we compare these rudimentary fittings with what is found in most existing battleships and cruisers, the difference is very striking. The hawse pipes have hinged flaps on the out- side, and hawse. plugs and hinged flaps as well at the inner ends. Each of these three sets of gear is adapted for fitting over the cables, and the outer flaps are closed by special screws working through the body of the hawse pipes. 'The anchors have hitherto been stocked, and this has necessitated beds with numerous ap- pliances for securing and letting go. There are massive catheads, which are hinged to turn down for action, and need special appli- ances to get them up again. Immediately abaft the hawse pipes come the bow stoppers, and next to them a manger board with further fittings for excluding water. Along the deck there are several stopper bolts with cable stoppers, some of which are nearly equal to the strength of the cable. 'Then there are large riding bitts as well. Following these three or four sets of gear for holding the cable, there are the cableholders proper above the deck, and the compressors below, each capable of serving the same purpose. The cableholders for the two bower cables are arranged for hauling with one cable and veering with the other, Or vice versa, or for hauling or veering both cables simultaneous- ly. One cableholder is arranged to work the sheet cable as well. Then, as a stand-by, the middle line capstan, which works the cat chain or wire, is also fitted to bring in either of the bower anchors or the sheet. Immediately under the upper deck are the heavy lever compressors, with purchases, eyeplates, and cleats for working them. To provide for the cable running out either round the windlass or round the bitts, these compressors are made of spectacle form, so as to act equally well in either direction. 'The capstan can be worked by hand as well'as by steam, and gearing 1s provided to work the windlasses also in this manner. Besides all these fittings there are numerous special appliances. 'To enable