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398 panies, have built horizontal, double- acting, four-stroke-cycle tandem Diesel engines, having two and four cylin- ders. An early engine of this type, built by the said company, develops 400 to 500 horsepower for each of its four cylinders at a speed of 250 rev- olutions. The Diesel principle was soon found to be most applicable to a two-stroke- cycle engine, scavenging being carried out with pure air, and not with a fuel-air mixture, there being thus no risk of premature ignition and no fuel losses. When last year Dr. Diesel put before the profession the history of his engine, he stated that the two- stroke-cycle was then, in 1912, on al- most an equal footing with the four- stroke-cycle type, adding that this lat- ter had a better combustion, more economical fuel consumption, and was simpler in its method of working. The four-stroke-cycle, therefore, re- mained the standard engine for me- dium-size stationary plants. The two- stroke-cycle engine, on the other hand, had smaller cylinders, and had come into favor for stationary plants of higher power; this latter engine seemed also to be, according to Dr. Diesel, the standard type for ship propulsion. First Engine for Ship Propulsion The first Diesel engine for ship propulsion was built in France, in 1903, by Messrs. Adrien Bochet and Frederic Dyckhoff, in conjunction with Dr. Digsel. This was a 20-h. p. en: gine, having two pistons working in opposite directions in one cylinder, on the four-stroke cycle; it was used for propelling a canal boat. This engine was followed by others built by Messrs. Sautter, Harle & Co., Paris, for pro- pelling submarine boats; these latter engines developed several hundred horsepower. The first marine Diesel engines were not reversible; they drove electric generators, and. this made it possible to reverse the direc- tion of rotation of the propeller. The first direct reversing marine Diesel en- gine, working on the two-stroke-cycle principle, was built by Messrs. Sulzer Bros., Winterthur, in 1905, and was exhibited by them at Milan. The first four-stroke-cycle reversing marine en- gine--a 120-h. p., three-cylinder engine --was built by Messrs. Nobel Bros., St. Petersburg; the four-stroke-cycle engine, however, does not lend itself so readily to reversing as the two- stroke-cycle type, and there has been for some time a tendency to abandon it for ship propulsion, and to replace it by the two-stroke-cycle type of en- gine. : Many builders have been for the last two or three years contemplating the construction of Diesel engines of THE MARINE REVIEW high power for the propulsion of bat- tleships and cruisers. They have all commenced experimenting in the right way, building a single cylinder of be- tween 1,000 to 2,000 h. p. for experi- mental purposes, the single cylinder working on the two-stroke-cycle prin- ciple, and being either single-acting or double-acting. In most cases the sin- gle cylinder, developing 'the larger power here referred to, has worked satisfactorily, but the trouble com- mences when coupling two or more of them on the same shaft. The prob- lem is not yet solved, so far as is known; it is still being worked at, and it may be that marine engine build- ers, by showing the same tenacity of purpose as that which animated Dr. Diesel in the early years of his re- searches, will finish by solving the heavy Diesel marine engine problem, as he himself, in the early days, over- came the difficulties inherent to the new principle. On the other hand, and without detracting in any way from Dr. Diesel's merits and pluck, it. should be added that experiments with engines having two,- three and more cylinders, each developing about 2,000 h. p., involve very great outlay, and cannot be lightly undertaken. The latest application of the Diesel engine is to traction on railways. The facts contained in this article are con- densed from Engineering, London. - Supply and Transport Ships The final step in the completion of the design of the supply ship and transport, at present known _ respec- tively, 48: Supply Ship No {° and Transport No. 1, provided for in the naval appropriation bill, approved March 4, 1913, was accomplished when Secretary of the Navy Daniels signed and issued a circular inviting all shipbuilders, who have' sufficient plant with which to construct these vessels, to submit competitive bids for their construction to be opened Dec. 20. These vessels will be the first of their type designed exclusively for their respective uses up to the pres- ent time. The transport will be 460 ft. long, 61 ft. beam and 20 ft. draught. She will have a maintained sea-speed of 14 knots, and will be fitted to provide comfortable quarters for approxi- mately 2,000 men, including about 100 officers. Stables. will be provided for 32 horses. Large cargo holds will be fitted for transporting equipment and outfit for establishing an advance base for military operations, in case necessity should require. The vessel is of the three-deck type, with a large and commodious super- _vided for November, 1913 structure amidships, and a deck house aft. The after house contains hos- pital spaces, which are _ necessarily extensive for this number of men. The superstructure contains the gal- leys, bakery and other messing spaces on the main deck, while on the higher levels are the staterooms, messrooms, bathrooms, etc., of the officers of the ship and the troops. The troops and crew are quartered on the troop or second deck. Special consideration has_ been given to the boat outfit in order that ample seating capacity may be pro- every person on_ board. Motor boats and steamers for the towing of life boats have been pro- vided. One of the steamers will be fitted with a wireless apparatus for communicating with» the approaching vessels, in case of disaster. The life- boats proper are of the folding type. Provision has been made for hoisting and lowering them by geared davits, and especial precautions have been taken to insure safety in launching. The large steamers will be handled by the vessel's booms. The transport will be fitted to burn either < oil or. coal, > She . will . be equipped with eight 5-in. guns, will have double bottom protection throughout her entire length and up the sides, abreast the engine and fire- rooms. She will be equipped with modern high power wireless appara- tus, searchlights, signal apparatus, and facilities for the rapid handling of cargo. The supply ship will be 400 ft. long, *5 it beam, and'2) ft, 'draught... She will be fitted with cold storage spaces for the transportation of refrigerated meats, cooled vegetables, and a large quantity of ice. This ship is designed to accompany a fleet of eight battle- ships, and to supply them with pro- visions for a period of two months. She will be equipped to burn either coal or oil, will have a high power radio outfit, four searchlights, and facilities for the rapid handling of cargo. She will be provided with a towing engine for use in aiding dis- abled vessels of the fleet. Provisions will be made for the transferring, by her own pumps, of fuel oil from her tanks to those of other vessels. On these vessels, especial considera- tion has been given to the _ living quarters provided for both crew and officers, in order that all possible facilities and comforts for the per- sonnel, that are compatible with the conditions to be met, may be pro- vided. The ships have been designed with high freeboard and stability such as to make them comfortable and sea- worthy.