men of invention and industry-第53章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

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

five…feet　stroke　（at　that　time　thought　excessive）；　oval

single…ended　transverse　boilers；　with　a　working　pressure　of　sixty

pounds。　　We　contracted　with　Messrs。　Maudslay；　Sons；　and　Field；　of

London；　for　three　of　these　sets；　and　with　Messrs。　George

Forrester　and　Co。；　of　Liverpool；　for　the　other　three；　and　as　we

found　we　could　build　the　six　vessels　in　the　same　time　as　the

machinery　was　being　constructed；　and；　as　all　this　machinery　had

to　be　conveyed　to　Belfast　to　be　there　fitted　on　board；　whilst　the

vessels　were　being　otherwise　finished；　we　built　a　little

screw…steamer；　the　Camel；　of　extra　strength；　with　very　big

hatchways；　to　receive　these　large　masses　of　iron；　and　this；　in

course　of　time；　was　found　to　work　with　great　advantage；　until

eventually　we　constructed　our　own　machinery。



We　were　most　fortunate　in　the　type　of　engine　we　had　fixed　upon；

for　it　proved　both　economical　and　serviceable　in　all　ways；　and；

with　but　slight　modifications；　we　repeated　it　in　the　many

subsequent　vessels　which　we　built　for　the　White　Star　Company。　

Another　feature　of　novelty　in　these　vessels　consisted　in　placing

the　first…class　accommodation　amidships；　with　the　third…class　aft

and　forward。　　In　all　previous　ocean　steamers；　the　cabin

passengers　had　been　berthed　near　the　stern；　where　the　heaving

motion　of　the　vessel　was　far　greater　than　in　the　centre；　and

where　that　most　disagreeable　vibration　inseparable　from　proximity

to　the　propeller　was　ever　present。　　The　unappetising　smells　from

the　galley　were　also　avoided。　　And　last；　but　not　least；　a

commodious　smoking…saloon　was　fitted　up　amidships；　contrasting

most　favourably　with　the　scanty　accommodation　provided　in　other

vessels。　　The　saloon；　too；　presented　the　novelty　of　extending　the

full　width　of　the　vessel；　and　was　lighted　from　each　side。　

Electric　bells　were　for　the　first　time　fitted　on　board　ship。　　The

saloon　and　entire　range　of　cabins　were　lighted　by　gas；　made　on

board；　though　this　has　since　given　place　to　the　incandescent

electric　light。　　A　fine　promenade　deck　was　provided　over　the

saloon；　which　was　accessible　from　below　in　all　weathers　by　the

grand　staircase。



These；　and　other　arrangements；　greatly　promoted　the　comfort　and

convenience　of　the　cabin　passengers；　while　those　in　the　steerage

found　great　improvements　in　convenience；　sanitation；　and

accommodation。　　〃Jack〃　had　his　forecastle　well　ventilated　and

lighted；　and　a　turtle…back　over　his　head　when　on　deck；　with

winches　to　haul　for　him；　and　a　steam…engine　to　work　the　wheel；

while　the　engineers　and　firemen　berthed　as　near　their　work　as

possible；　never　needing　to　wet　a　jacket　or　miss　a　meal。　　In

short；　for　the　first　time　perhaps；　ocean…voyaging；　even　in　the

North　Atlantic；　was　made　not　only　less　tedious　and　dreadful　to

all；　but　was　rendered　enjoyable　and　even　delightful　to　many。　

Before　the　Oceanic；　the　　pioneer　of　the　new　line；　was　even

launched；　rival　companies　had　already　　consigned　her　to　the

deepest　place　in　the　ocean。　　Her　first　appearance　in　Liverpool

was　therefore　regarded　with　much　interest。　　Mr。　Ismay；　during　the

construction　of　the　vessel；　took　every　pains　to　suggest

improvements　and　arrangements　with　a　view　to　the　comfort　and

convenience　of　the　travelling　public。　　He　accompanied　the　vessel

on　her　first　voyage　to　New　York　in　March；　1871；　under　command　of

Captain；　now　Sir　Digby　Murray；　Brt。　　Although　severe　weather　was

experienced；　the　ship　made　a　splendid　voyage；　with　a　heavy　cargo

of　goods　and　passengers。　　The　Oceanic　thus　started　the

Transatlantic　traffic　of　the　Company；　with　the　house…flag　of　the

White　Star　proudly　flying　on　the　main。



It　may　be　mentioned　that　the　speed　of　the　Oceanic　was　at　least　a

knot　faster　per　hour　than　had　been　heretofore　accomplished　across

the　Atlantic。　　The　motion　of　the　vessel　was　easy；　without　any

indication　of　weakness　or　straining；　even　in　the　heaviest

weather。　　The　only　inducement　to　slow　was　when　going　head　to　it

（which　often　meant　head　through　it）；　to　avoid　the　inconvenience

of　shipping　a　heavy　body　of　〃green　sea〃　on　deck　forward。　　A

turtle…back　was　therefore　provided　to　throw　it　off；　which　proved

so　satisfactory；　as　it　had　done　on　the　Holyhead　and　Kingstown

boats；　that　all　the　subsequent　vessels　were　similarly

constructed。　　Thus；　then；　as　with　the　machinery；　so　was　the　hull

of　the　Oceanic；　a　type　of　the　succeeding　vessels；　which　after

intervals　of　a　few　months　took　up　their　stations　on　the

Transatlantic　line。



Having　often　observed；　when　at　sea　in　heavy　weather；　how　the

pitching　of　the　vessel　caused　the　weights　on　the　safety…valves　to

act　irregularly；　thus　letting　puffs　of　steam　escape　at　every

heave；　and　as　high　pressure　steam　was　too　valuable　a　commodity　to

be　so　wasted；　we　determined　to　try　direct…acting　spiral　springs；

similar　to　those　used　in　locomotives；　in　connection　with　the

compound　engine。　　But　as　no　such　experiment　was　possible　in　any

vessels　requiring　the　Board　of　Trade　certificate；　the　alternative

of　using　the　Camel　as　an　experimental　vessel　was　adopted。　　The

spiral　springs　were　accordingly　fitted　upon　the　boiler　of　that

vessel；　and　with　such　a　satisfactory　result　that　the　Board　of

Trade　allowed　the　use　of　the　same　contrivance　on　all　the　boilers

of　the　Oceanic　and　every　subsequent　steamer；　and　the　contrivance

has　now　come　into　general　use。



It　would　be　too　tedious　to　mention　in　detail　the　other　ships

built　for　the　White　Star　line。　　The　Adriatic　and　Celtic　were　made

17　feet　6　inches　longer　than　the　Oceanic；　and　a　little　sharper；

being　437　feet　6　inches　keel；　41　feet　beam；　and　32　feet　hold。　

The　success　of　the　Company　had　been　so　great　under　the　able

management　of　Ismay；　Imrie　and　Co。；　and　they　had　secured　so　large

a　share　of　the　passengers　and　cargo；　as　well　as　of　the　mails

passing　between　Liverpool　and　New　York；　that　it　was　found

necessary　to　build　two　still　larger　and　faster　vesselsthe

Britannic　and　Germamic：　these　were　455　feet　in　length；　45　feet　in

beam；　and　of　5000　indicated　horse…power。　　The　Britannic　was　in

the　first　instance　constructed　with　the　propeller　fitted　to　work

below　the　line　of　keel　when　in　deep　water；　by　which　means　the

〃racing〃　of　the　engines　was　avoided。　　When　approaching　shallow

water；　the　propeller　was　raised　by　steam…power　to　the　ordinary

position　without　any　necessity　for　stopping　the　engines　during

the　operation。　　Although　there　was　an　increase　of　speed　by　this

means　through　the　uniform　revolutions　of　the　machinery　in　the

heaviest　sea；　yet　there　was　an　objectionable　amount　of　vibration

at　certain　parts　of　the　vessel；　so　that　we　found　it　necessary　to

return　to　the　ordinary　fixed　propeller；　working　in　the　line　of

direction　of　the　vessel。　　Comfort　at　sea　is　of　even　more

importance　than　speed；　and　although　we　had　succeeded　in　four

small　steamers　working　on　the　new　principle；　it　was　found　better

to　continue　in　the　larger　ships　to　resort　to　the　established

modes　of　propulsion。　　It　may　happen　that　at　some　future　period

the　new　method　may　yet　be　adopted　with　complete　success。



Meanwhile　competition　went　on　with　other　companies。　　Monopoly

cannot　exist　between　England　and　America。　　Our　plans　were

followed；　and　sharper　boats　and　heavier　power　became　the　rule　of

the　day。　　But　increase　of　horse…power　of　engines　means　increase

of　heating　surface　and　largely　increased　boilers；　when　we　reach

the　vanishing　point　of　profit；　after　which　there　is　nothing　left

but　speed　and　expense。　　It　may　be　possible　to　fill　a　ship　with

boilers；　and　to　save　a　few　hours　in　the　passage　from　Liverpool　to

New　York　by　a　tremendous　expenditure　of　coal；　but　whether　that

will　answer　the　purpose　of　any　body　of　shareholders　must　be　left

for　the　future　to　determine。



〃Brute　force〃　may　be　still　further　employed。　　It　is　quite

possible　that　recent　〃large　strides〃　towards　a　more　speedy

transit　across　the　Atlantic　may　have　been　made　〃in　the　dark。〃



The　last　ships　we　have　constructed　for　Ismay；　Imrie　and　Co。　have

been　of　comparatively　moderate　dimensions　and　powerthe　Arabic

and　Coptic；　430　feet　long；　and　the　Ionic　and　Boric；　440　feet

long；　all　of　2700　indicated　horse…power。　　These　are　large　cargo

steamers；　with　a　moderate　amount　of　saloon　accommodation；　and　a

large　space　for　emigrants。　　Some　of　these　are　now　engaged　in

crossing　the　Pacific；　whilst　others　are　engaged　in　the　line　from

London　to　New　Zealand；　the　latter　being　specially　fitted　up　for

carrying　frozen　meat。



To　return　to　the　operations　of　the　Belfast　shipbuilding　yard。　　A

serious　accident　occurred　in　the　autumn　of　1867　to　the　mail

paddle…steamer　the　Wolf；　belonging　to　the　Messrs。　Burns；　of

Glasgow。　　When　passing　out　of　the　Lough；　about　eight　miles　from

Belfast；　she　was　run　into　by　another　steamer。　　She　was　cut　down

and　sank；　and　there　she　lay　in　about　seven　fathoms　of　water；　the

top　of　her　funnel　and　masts　being　only　visible　at　low　tide。　　She

was　in　a　dangerous　position　for　all　vessels　navigating　the

entrance　to　the　port；　and　it　was　necessary　that　she　should　be

removed；　either　by　dynamite；　gunpowder；　or　some　other　process。　

Divers　were　sent　down　to　examine　the　ship；　and　the　injury　done　to

her　being　found　to　be　slight；　the　owners　conferred　with　us　as　to

the　possibility　of　lifting　her　and　bringing　her　into　port。　

Though　such　a　process　had　never　before　been　accomplished；　yet

knowing　her　structure　well；　and　finding　that　we　might　rely　upon

smooth　water　for　about　a　week　or　two　in　summer；　we　determined　to

do　what　we　could　to　lift　the　sunken　vessel　to　the　surface。



We　calculated　the　probable　weight　of　the　vessel；　and　had　a　number

of　air…tanks　expressly　built　for　her　floatation。　　These　were

secured　to　the　ship　with　chains　and　hooks；　the　latter　being

inserted　through　the　side　lights　in　her　sheer　strake。　　Early　in

the　following　summer　everything　was　ready。　　The　air…tanks　were

prepared　and　rafted　together。　　Powerful　screws　were　attached　to

each　chain；　with　hand…pumps　for　emptying　the　tanks；　together　with

a　steam　tender　fitted　with　cooking　appliances；　berths　and　stores；

for　all　hands　engaged　in　the　enterprise。　　We　succeeded　in

attaching　the　hooks　and　chains　by　means　of　divers；　the　chains

being　ready　coiled　on　deck。　　But　the　weather；　which　before　seemed

to　be　settled；　now　gave　way。　　No　sooner　had　we　got　the　pair　of

big　tanks　secured　to　the　after　body；　than　a　fierce

north…north…easterly　gale　set　in；　and　we　had　to　run　for　it；

leaving　the　tanks　partly　filled；　in　order　to　lessen　the　strain　on

everything。



When　the　gale　had　settled；　we　returned　again；　and　found　that　no

harm　had　been　done。　　The　remainder　of　the　hooks　were　properly

attached　to　the　rest　of　the　tanks；　the　chains　were　screwed

tightly　up；　and　the　tanks　were　pumped　clear。　　Then　the　tide　rose；

and　before　high　water　we　had　the　great　satisfaction　of　getting

the　body