Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

WARSHIPS. 395 at the great battleships and cruisers. It soon became apparent, however, that these additional powers enabled the destroyers to carry out more efficiently the duties of the torpedo boats, and they have rapidly super- seded the latter. The building of torpedo boats has gradually diminished, the so-called torpedo boats recently added to the British Navy being really small destroyers. The most important recent additions to the torpedo flotillas of the British Navy are the ocean-going destroyers of the Tartar class. These vessels are each about 33=knot 270 feet long, and displace about 900 tons, and their armament consists of two 18-inch torpedo tubes and three 12-pounder Q.F. guns. For the great speed aimed at—33 knots—turbine machinery was fitted, driving three screws, and each vessel develops about 14,500 horse- power. All the five vessels so far completed have done remarkably well, and at least one proved herself capable of spurting for a mile at slightly over 37 knots. The enormous energy within the lightly constructed hull of a destroyer—about 14,500 indicated horse-power in a 33-knot boat— naturally requires the closest A attention and presence of mind S on Part those charged with the ship’s navigation and propulsion. On her trial trip she is called upon to race her hardest, for not only must she fulfil the stringent requirements as to speed of the British or other Government for which she is intended, but her builders, eager to enhance their reputation, want to see their boat surpass all others of the same class, and, if possible, earn a bonus for increased speed. On the day before such a test, the needful coal or oil is taken on board, the boilers are filled to their proper working level, and the steward for the occasion gets in his supply of solid and liquid refreshment for the trip. Fires are got away ; and soon, thanks to the water-tube boilers, steam pres- sure shows in the gauges. All being in readi- ness below, the pilot, Government officials, and representatives of the builders come on board, and the vessel proceeds to the open sea in charge of a tug. The tug having been cast off, and the steam in the destroyer’s boilers having risen to the required pressure, the valves are opened wide, and a flying start is made on the measured mile. In the stokehold and in the engine-room all is now one continual roar, and the whirl of rapidly moving machinery is quite sufficient to strike terror into the heart of the novice. It is, perhaps, fortunate that there is so much to do, and that no time is left for contemplat- ing the possible results of a breakdown. In the meantime the ship, like a thing of life, is flying through the water, leaving behind her a wake of white foam churned up by lier screw propellers ; and in two minutes (or rather less) the end of the mile is reached. Now she is turning, and the whole vessel heels over as she swings round to race down the course again. In the engine- room and stokehold faces are getting blacker and blacker ; and the smell of oil, the swelter- ing atmosphere, and the peculiar motion of the ship become unbearable to all save the veterans of previous trials. The strain on all is terrible, but there is grim determination in those begrimed faces ; and while some of the “ greenhorns ” may give out, the older hands stick bravely to their posts. And so the trial proceeds, until at last the engine- room telegraph signals the welcome word “ Stop ! ” With a feeling of relief we go on deck, and learn how the ship’s funnels flared and became red hot, how all had to hang on to the rails when she came down the course in the teeth of the wind, and how she steamed (according to the deck hands) 34 knots and seven decimals. All are elated at the speed obtained, for has not our “ catcher ” (all destroyers are catchers in shipbuilding par-