Show r r Je t-l t n nc Unc ea I cY 6 r 4 1 f 1 I A C FAWCETT I q i 2 r 1 c 14 B A t e fr It J I fri I 1 i 1 i 1 8 f ife 1 H v 1 jy- jy L lt pJ itt t. t W I 1 I T J i j t J f f j t I r. r t 1 tt Fr tt j W Ii Th The Tho e officials o of tho na navy y department at Washington arc nrc very busy buBy Just no now preparing the plans for tor- the batth ships most recently authorized as a ai a additions ad- ad to tho the American nn navy navy- Ei Ere President Roosevelt made his men mem- request to congress for tor- U Ui thc mone money to build these theao ships f It IL had bee been t determined that the thc new fighting era cra cr should bo LW record-breakers record In ever y eer respect Tho The naval experts are now no every cO energy to make them ther come up to expectations and the th y have havo had an additional incentive t t to outdo all previous efforts in tho the crIticisms cIms that have havo recently been against omo somo of ot the features of ot ou our existing battleship Spurred on b the tho picking of ot flaws in n the tho floating fortresses that had long Iong been as practically perfect the tho no naval noal al arch tocte and engineers are arc every cry precaution to provide for tor ever every date up-to-date adjunct in the new mistresses mis tresses or of the seas lielS In designing warships under umer presen present lla tiny day conditions Uncle Sams Sam's sharp have the assistance of an nn regarding which the public hears henr al almost almost al- al most nothing but which In Is I orthe no 1 less esp one of ot the most important cogin cog cogs in our naval nn machine This is the ex ex- model basin situated a athe atho at tho the Wellington D D. C. C na navy yard rho Tho basin which was va constructed construct on only 1 a few tow years a ago o occupies i n brick building constructed for tOl- It and antl this unique plant Is th the scene cene of ot almost ceaseless activity lt Tho The model basin ln provides an oblong sheet of ot water or artificial lake Ir In which models or miniature copies ol ot warships or other other- crafts are tested b bj by being propelled through the tho water at al varying t under practically the name conditions that their prototypes will vIli encounter when the they go KO Into actual service on the high seas Nowadays Now Now- ada almost thing everything from harvesting harvest harvest- lug ing machinery to airships Is tested by 11 means of ot models ere era the tho full full- Hedged contrivance Is put Into service ice and In no field is this method of ot preliminary investigation proving pro of ot greater service than thon in naval nl ship ship- building Tho Tue best feature of ot tho ho operations of or this experimental tank is that It permits the capabilities of o a n. n ship of hen iven design to be tried out without going to tho expense o of building the actual e vesel eJ B By means of ot wooden that that are arc somewhat sug n n Jn of tf tho the toy boats In t tako ko dough del delight aU alI t-alI all the Advantages nd anti ana of oC the tho dIffer dIffer- J jiH jt cl uly ot V ve mo may n bo be determined For Tor Instance a n. m model del navigating nav the experimental l basin h at l Washington will willM dl M to 0 expert onlookers just how howa a grown full ship of the same pattern would behave how behave how eho sho would cut through the water how ho ride title tempestuous tem tern Waves wa what r relative laU speed she sho could coull attain what legre e tl f steadiness she hc would manifest afloat t ute Thus by experimenting with va- va different models tho officials otho o 0 ot tho the navy department are able to tell i In advance ance what form torm a battleship should take in order to accomplish what Is desired of ot her As has been said the beauty of or al althis althis nil this is that it IL permits a 0 peep into th tho future that is well t nigh Invaluable Then man who builds a n house ant an who decides after work Is started tha ho would like to make mako some change es esIn In th tho plans can cnn usually do so 80 no serious Inconvenience but it Is fai Cal from u a simple m matter to make mako raW radl enl cal changes in battleship design atter work Is un under er wa way The naval people people peo pee plo must know Just how they want c a n warship constructed before the leeel keel is laid down anti and indeed before tb In Invited Invited in- in shipbuilders of ot the country countr are to submit bids for tor doing the work In the case cose of ot tho the battleships now receiving attention the lessons to be learned from the performances of or the tin tiny boats boat In the experimental I basin will bo ho taken to heart ere th the plans aro are drawn or the specifications prepared ared Uncle Sam cannot claim to have haw been a pioneer In the Introduction of an experimental model basin Such in- in were established by several European governments somo some years previous to the Installation at nt Washington WashIngton Wash Wash- ashIngton ash ington and one private ship building firm in Scotland realizing tho the advantage advantage tage age conferred b by such a tank had hail provided one for tor Its own use uso The tank at Washington Is proving useful useful use use- ful fuR not only to the government go but also to a great number of or American citizen uI An Any person can enn have havo the model of or n n. vessel tested for tor speed or orthor orether orthor thor ether qualities on this marine marino trial course ourse and most of ot tho the speedy yachts milt built In this country countr during recent cars cam have 1 VO had their performances s in in this manner The tank is la feet n n a length 40 i feet wide wido and 12 feet loep It Its Is s kept filled with fresh lean clean water and the tho building which covers the entire tank excludes all while the tho water Is kept as ns treo as possible po from currents At the sl side aide e of ot the tank is a miniature railway railway rail rall- wa way on which is a n carriage that may mayb maybe b be made to travel at an any speed d desired de do- sired aired power being furnished by its i a L' L 3 T uj 3 t j J I I 1 I s r-s i- i I r. r I r ia I 1 own electrical motor 1 and this serves erves f to draw the models through h the tho water vater Upon this carriage e or oro it if preferred upon tho the model of or the ship Itself is placed tile the delicate mechanism destined des des- lea lea- tined to record the power in pounds needed to draw or pull the model through h the water It also records the distance traveled and the time consumed The Tho presence of disturbing matter matt how draughts or currents no r slight sligh to Is duly dub r recorded so that b by taking this data tho the en engineer out with the utmost accuracy Just what engine power will bo be needed to drive through the water at any desired desired de do- sired speed a n vessel el built on the lines of or the model whose performance he has hos watched The Tho models of or ships which sail up and down this this this' unique waterway nr vary in length from ten to thirty feet teet Tho rho entire surface of oC each model is of paraffin wax ax It being claimed for Cor this substance that it do does s not change chango Its weight by absorbing water and antl that t is easily cut and antl readily molded to of alterations that may be sug- sug during the experiments Moreover More More- over iver the wax can bo be melted and antl re remodeled re- re modeled an nn Indefinite number of I limes imes The original framework of ot each model is of wood This Is covered with canvas can and then the paraffin Is to form Corm a 0 complete coating J he paraffin Is put on at the outset more thickly than Is re- re In order that It may be smoothed first by machinery and later lateri i u v y hand until the tho water line and antl of oC the little vessel essel are exactly what are desired Considerations of speed are perhaps the tin most important r regarding which the tho experimental tank is called upon to give gi ie advance Information To ascertain ascertain as as- certain c all conditions in this sphere n a anode node la ts put through the paces puces so to speak that speak that Is la towed up and antI down by bythe he the carriage nt at several different rates jf t speed which are arc likewise likewise like lIke- wise important are arc determined by 1 y means of at tho e extension of or a n spring on the ho principle of tho tim ordinary hand scales tho amount of ot the pull of or tho the spring being being- recorded In pounds on a o cylinder On Un tho the same sarno cylinder cylinder der timed limed to turn In accord with the speed peed of or tho the carriage are registered Imo and distance diagrams ms which en- en LIc ble a correct registration of or tho the rates rato f t Tho Tue model basin is also utilized to toly toly tory ly ry out models of propellers which as 4 well known knon havo have a n vc vey vesy y important n n upon tho 0 speed of ot steam steam- vessels Various styles les ol or profilers pro pro- filers are separately and the theone I I one that shows s the tho greatest equivalent In power of ot propulsion In proportion to the force torce or power applied Is 19 adopted for tor tho the ship un under or consideration cons In short hort this novel experimental tank enables our naval authorities to determine determine determine deter deter- mine in advance a grent rent many things about a n. ships ship's capabilities that In the thc Id lid slays dayH wre purely purel n a matter of or sp spec c until after aCter a warship had had hor her trial trip Tho The tank and the ex experiments OX- OX conducted there thoro nio aro under the personal direction of or Naval Constructor Constructor Constructor Con Con- D D. W. W Taylor one of at the ablest officers In the navy and a man who ho takes the keenest Interest in appertaining to this unique sphere phero of activity WALDON WALDO FAWCETT |