men of invention and industry-第52章

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Bibby's　smallest　steamers；　the　Frankfort。　　The　results　were　found

perfectly　satisfactory。　　Some　20　per　cent。　of　fuel　was　saved；

and；　after　the　patent　right　had　been　bought；　the　method　was

adopted　in　all　the　vessels　of　the　company。



When　these　new　ships　were　first　seen　at　Liverpool；　the　〃old

salts〃　held　up　their　hands。　　They　were　too　long！　they　were　too

sharp！　they　would　break　their　backs！　　They　might；　indeed；　get　out

of　the　Mersey；　but　they　would　never　get　back！　　The　ships；

however；　sailed；　and　they　made　rapid　and　prosperous　voyages　to

and　from　the　Mediterranean。　　They　fulfilled　all　the　promises

which　had　been　made。　　They　proved　the　advantages　of　our　new　build

of　ships；　and　the　owners　were　perfectly　satisfied　with　their

superior　strength；　speed；　and　accommodation。　　The　Bibbys　were

wise　men　in　their　day　and　generation。　　They　did　not　stop；　but

went　on　ordering　more　ships。　　After　the　Grecian　and　the　Italian

had　made　two　or　three　voyages　to　Alexandria；　they　sent　us　an

order　for　three　more　vessels。　　By　our　advice；　they　were　made

twenty　feet　longer　than　the　previous　ones；　though　of　no　greater

beam；　in　other　respects；　they　were　almost　identical。　　This　was

too　much　for　〃Jack。〃　　〃What！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃more　Bibby's

coffins？〃　　Yes；　more　and　more；　and　in　the　course　of　time；　most

shipowners　followed　our　example。



To　a　young　firm；　a　repetition　of　orders　like　these　was　a　great

advantage；not　only　because　of　the　novel　design　of　the　ships；

but　also　because　of　their　constructive　details。　　We　did　our　best

to　fit　up　the　Egyptian；　Dalmatian；　and　Arabian；　as　first…rate

vessels。　　Those　engaged　in　the　Mediterranean　trade　finding　them

to　be　serious　rivals；　partly　because　of　the　great　cargos　which

they　carried；　but　principally　from　the　regularity　with　which　they

made　their　voyages　with　such　surprisingly　small　consumption　of

coal。　　They　were　not；　however；　what　〃Jack〃　had　been　accustomed　to

consider　〃dry　ships。〃　　The　ship　built　Dutchman　fashion；　with　her

bluff　ends；　is　the　driest　of　all　ships；　but　the　least　steady；

because　she　rises　to　every　sea。　　But　the　new　ships；　because　of

their　length　and　sharpness；　precluded　this；　for；　though　they　rose

sufficiently　to　an　approaching　wave　for　all　purposes　of　safety；

they　often　went　through　the　crest　of　it；　and；　though　shipping　a

little　water；　it　was　not　only　easier　for　the　vessel；　but　the

shortest　road。



Nature　seems　to　have　furnished　us　with　the　finest　design　for　a

vessel　in　the　form　of　the　fish：　it　presents　such　fine　linesis

so　clean；　so　true；　and　so　rapid　in　its　movements。　　The　ship；

however；　must　float；　and　to　hit　upon　the　happy　medium　of　velocity

and　stability　seems　to　me　the　art　and　mystery　of　shipbuilding。　

In　order　to　give　large　carrying　capacity；　we　gave　flatness　of

bottom　and　squareness　of　bilge。　　This　became　known　in　Liverpool

as　the　〃Belfast　bottom；〃　and　it　has　been　generally　adopted。　　This

form　not　only　serves　to　give　stability；　but　also　increases　the

carrying　power　without　lessening　the　speed。



While　Sailor　Jack　and　our　many　commercial　rivals　stood　aghast　and

wondered；　our　friends　gave　us　yet　another　order　for　a　still

longer　ship；　with　still　the　same　beam　and　power。　　The　vessel　was

named　the　Persian；　she　was　360　feet　long；　34　feet　beam；　24　feet　9

inches　hold。　　More　cargo　was　thus　carried；　at　higher　speed。　　It

was　only　a　further　development　of　the　fish　form　of　structure。　

Venice　was　an　important　port　to　call　at。　　The　channel　was

difficult　to　navigate；　and　the　Venetian　class　（270　feet　long）　was

supposed　to　be　the　extreme　length　that　could　be　handled　here。　

But　what　with　the　straight　stem；by　cutting　the　forefoot　away；

and　by　the　introduction　of　powerful　steering…gear；　worked

amidships；the　captain　was　able　to　navigate　the　Persian；　90　feet

longer　than　the　Venetian；　with　much　less　anxiety　and

inconvenience。



Until　the　building　of　the　Persian；　we　had　taken　great　pride　in

the　modelling　and　finish　of　the　old　style　of　cutwater　and

figurehead；　with　bowsprit　and　jib…boom；　but　in　urging　the

advantages　of　greater　length　of　hull；　we　were　met　by　the　fact　of

its　being　simply　impossible　in　certain　docks　to　swing　vessels　of

any　greater　length　than　those　already　constructed。　　Not　to　be

beaten；　we　proposed　to　do　away　with　all　these　overhanging

encumbrances；　and　to　adopt　a　perpendicular　stem。　　In　this　way　the

hull　might　be　made　so　much　longer；　and　this　was；　I　believe；　the

first　occasion　of　its　being　adopted　in　this　country　in　the　case

of　an　ocean　steamer；　though　the　once　celebrated　Collins　Line　of

paddle　steamers　had；　I　believe；　such　stems。　　The　iron　decks；　iron

bulwarks；　and　iron　rails；　were　all　found　very　serviceable　in　our

later　vessels；　there　being　no　leaking；　no　caulking　of　deck…planks

or　waterways；　nor　any　consequent　damaging　of　cargo。　　Having　found

it　impossible　to　combine　satisfactorily　wood　with　iron；　each

being　so　differently　affected　by　temperature　and　moisture；　I

secured　some　of　these　novelties　of　construction　in　a　patent；　by

which　filling　in　the　spaces　between　frames；　&c。；　with　Portland

cement；　instead　of　chocks　of　wood；　and　covering　the　iron　plates

with　cement　and　tiles；　came　into　practice；　and　this　has　since

come　into　very　general　use。



The　Tiber；　already　referred　to；　was　235　feet　in　length　when　first

constructed　by　Read；　of　Glasgow；　and　was　then　thought　too　long；

but　she　was　now　placed　in　our　hands　to　be　lengthened　39　feet；　as

well　as　to　have　an　iron　deck　added；　both　of　which　greatly

improved　her。　　We　also　lengthened　the　Messrs。　Bibby's　Calpealso

built　by　Messrs。　Thomson　while　I　was　thereby　no　less　than　93

feet。　　The　advantage　of　lengthening　ships；　retaining　the　same

beam　and　power；　having　become　generally　recognised；　we　were　in

trusted　by　the　Cunard　Company　to　lengthen　the　Hecla；　Olympus；

Atlas；　and　Marathon；　each　by　63　feet。　　The　　Royal　Consort　P。S。；

which　had　been　lengthened　first　at　Liverpool；　was　again

lengthened　by　us　at　Belfast。



The　success　of　all　this　heavy　work；　executed　for　successful

owners；　put　a　sort　of　backbone　into　the　Belfast　shipbuilding

yard。　　While　other　concerns　were　slack；　we　were　either

lengthening　or　building　steamers　as　well　as　sailing…ships　for

firms　in　Liverpool；　London；　and　Belfast。　　Many　acres　of　ground

were　added　to　the　works。　　The　Harbour　Commissioners　had　now　made

a　fine　new　graving…dock；　and　connected　the　Queen's　Island　with

the　mainland。　　The　yard；　thus　improved　and　extended；　was　surveyed

by　the　Admiralty；　and　placed　on　the　first…class　list。　　We

afterwards　built　for　the　Government　the　gun　vessels　Lynx　and

Algerine；　as　well　as　the　store　and　torpedo　ship　Hecla；　of　3360

tons。



The　Suez　Canal　being　now　open；　our　friends　the　Messrs。　Bibby　gave

us　an　order　for　three　steamers　of　very　large　tonnage；　capable　of

being　adapted　for　trade　with　the　antipodes　if　necessary。　　In

these　new　vessels　there　was　no　retrograde　step　as　regards　length；

for　they　were　390　feet　keel　by　37　feet　beam；　square…rigged　on

three　of　the　masts；　with　the　yards　for　the　first　time　fitted　on

travellers；　as　to　enable　them　to　be　readily　sent　down；　thus

forming　a　unique　combination　of　big　fore…and…aft　sails；　with

handy　square　sails。　　These　ships　were　named　the　Istrian；　Iberian；

and　Illyrian；　and　in　1868　they　went　to　sea；　soon　after　to　be

followed　by　three　more　shipsthe　Bavarian；　Bohemian；　and

Bulgarianin　most　respects　the　same；　though　ten　feet　longer；

with　the　same　beam。　　They　were　first　placed　in　the　Mediterranean

trade；　but　were　afterwards　transferred　to　the　Liverpool　and

Boston　trade；　for　cattle　and　emigrants。　　These；　with　three

smaller　steamers　for　the　Spanish　cattle　trade；　and　two　larger

steamers　for　other　trades；　made　together　twenty　steam…vessels

constructed　for　the　Messrs。　John　Bibby；　Sons；　&　Co。；　and　it　was　a

matter　of　congratulation　that；　after　a　great　deal　of　heavy　and

constant　work；　not　one　of　them　had　exhibited　the　slightest

indication　of　weakness；all　continuing　in　first…rate　working

order。



The　speedy　and　economic　working　of　the　Belfast　steamers；　compared

with　those　of　the　ordinary　type；　having　now　become　well　known；　a

scheme　was　set　on　foot　in　1869　for　employing　similar　vessels；

though　of　larger　size；　for　passenger　and　goods　accommodation

between　England　and　America。　　Mr。　T。　H。　Ismay；of　Liverpool；　the

spirited　shipowner；　then　formed；　in　conjunction　with　the　late　Mr。

G。　H。　Fletcher；　the　Oceanic　Steam　Navigation　Company；　Limited；

and　we　were　commissioned　by　them　to　build　six　large　Transatlantic

steamers；　capable　of　carrying　a　heavy　cargo　of　goods；　as　well　as

a　full　complement　of　cabin　and　steerage　passengers；　between

Liverpool　and　New　York；　at　a　speed　equal；　if　not　superior；　to

that　of　the　Cunard　and　Inman　lines。　　The　vessels　were　to　be

longer　than　any　we　had　yet　constructed；　being　420　feet　keel　and

41　feet　beam；　with　32　feet　hold。



This　was　a　great　opportunity；　and　we　eagerly　embraced　it。　　The

works　were　now　up　to　the　mark　in　point　of　extent　and　appliances。　

The　men　in　our　employment　were　mostly　of　our　own　training：　the

foremen　had　been　promoted　from　the　ranks；　the　manager；　Mr。　W。　H。

Wilson；　and　the　head　draughtsman；　Mr。　W。　J。　Pirrie　（since　become

partners）；　having；　as　pupils；　worked　up　through　all　the

departments；　and　ultimately　won　their　honourable　and　responsible

positions　by　dint　of　merit　onlyby　character；　perseverance；　and

ability。　　We　were　therefore　in　a　position　to　take　up　an　important

contract　of　this　kind；　and　to　work　it　out　with　heart　and　soul。



As　everything　in　the　way　of　saving　of　fuel　was　of　first…rate

importance；　we　devoted　ourselves　to　that　branch　of　economic

working。　　It　was　necessary　that　buoyancy　or　space　should　be　left

for　cargo；　at　the　same　time　that　increased　speed　should　be

secured；　with　as　little　consumption　of　coal　as　possible。　　The

Messrs。　Elder　and　Co。；　of　Glasgow；　had　made　great　strides　in　this

direction　with　the　paddle　steam…engines　which　they　had

constructed　for　the　Pacific　Company　on　the　compound　principle。　

They　had　also　introduced　them　on　some　of　their　screw　steamers；

with　more　or　less　success。　　Others　were　trying　the　same　principle

in　various　forms；　by　the　use　of　high…pressure　cylinders；　and　so

on；　the　form　of　the　boilers　being　varied　according　to

circumstances；　for　the　proper　economy　of　fuel。　　The　first　thing

absolutely　wanted　was；　perfectly　reliable　information　as　to　the

actual　state　of　the　compound　engine　and　boiler　up　to　the　date　of

our　inquiry。　　To　ascertain　the　facts　by　experience；　we　dispatched

Mr。　Alexander　Wilson；　younger　brother　of　the　manager　who　had　been

formerly　a　pupil　of　Messrs。　Macnab　and　Co。；　of　Greenock；　and　was

thoroughly　able　for　the　workto　make　a　number　of　voyages　in

steam　vessels　fitted　with　the　best　examples　of　compound　engines。



The　result　of　this　careful　inquiry　was　the　design　of　the

machinery　and　boilers　of　the　Oceanic　and　five　sister…ships。　　They

were　constructed　on　the　vertical　overhead　〃tandem〃　type；　with