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and 23 feet and 6 inches on its major axis. That these are extraordinary dimensions is shown by the fact that two large limousine automobiles could be contained within one of the smokestacks, one standing in the direction of the axis and the other transversely to it, as shown in the illustration referred to. Another standard of measurement is afforded by the fact that two modern steam railroad tracks could be laid side by side within one of these smokestacks, and full-sized trains run within it with a slight clearance in every direction.

When the completed engine room is entered, it will be found that the machinery has been designed on the same colossal scale. Here are four turbines driving as many shafts, the two outer shafts being driven by two high-pressure turbines and the two inner shafts by two low-pressure turbines; while at the after ends of the low-pressure turbines, and on the same shaft, are two additional turbines for driving the ship astern. Each high-pressure turbine casing is 10 feet in internal diameter and 25 feet in length. These are big dimensions, but the surprise will come when one enters the low-pressure turbine engine room; for each of the low-pressure turbine casings has an internal diameter of 16 feet 6 inches. Here again, for comparison, we turn to the modern locomotive; for if a pair of rails were laid along the bottom of one of these massive cylinders, it would be possible for one of the largest of our modern express locomotives to pass through the casing and still have a slight clearance between its smokestack and the walls of the cylinder. As a matter of fact, this casing is larger than the cast-iron tube of the Subway tunnel, now being driven from the Battery to Brooklyn, which has an internal diameter of 15 1/2 feet.

Attention is directed to the comparative profile diagrams at the top of the front-page engraving, in which is shown the rapid growth in size of turbine-propelled vessels. The diagrams start with the year 1894, when the little experimental "Turbinia" made her phenomenal speed, and finish with the year 1907, in the summer of which the new turbine Cunarders will make their maiden voyages to this port. The diagram is based upon a paper recently read by the Hon. C. A. Parsons, the inventor of the marine turbine, at a meeting of the Institute of Marine Engineers of Great Britain. The "Turbinia," which was built especially for experimental work, was launched in 1894, and her first engine was of the radial flow type, and gave about 1,500 horse-power. The success of the "Turbinia" led the British government to build two destroyers, the "Viper" and "Cobra," the first of which made a speed of 36.86 knots, which is equivalent to 42.5 miles per hour, the speed of the "Cobra" being slightly less. The "Viper," by the way, holds the record as the fastest vessel of any kind yet constructed; for, as far as well-attested official records go, no vessel of any kind has approached within several knots of this speed.

The next advance, shown in the diagram, was represented by the river Clyde passenger steamer "King Edward," 1901, which was 250 feet long, of 562 gross tonnage, and 3,500 horse-power.  She was followed in 1903 by the "Queen," built by Southeastern and Chatham Railway Company, which was 310 feet long, of 1,676 gross tons, and 7,500 horse-power.  The turbine having proved itself for river and channel service, the next advance was the bold one of installing turbines in an ocean liner, and Allan Line steamers, the "Virginian," and "Victorian," each 520 feet in length and of 10,754 gross tons, were equipped with turbines of 12,000 horsepower. It was found that in these larger sizes important modifications of design were necessary, and the lessons thus learned were incorporated in a much larger ship, the "Carmania," built in 1905 for the Cunard Company.  This vessel is 678 feet long, 72 feet beam, and 52 feet in molded depth, her gross tonnage is 19,524 and her horse-power 21,000. In the summer of 1907 the "Lusitania" and "Mauretania" will serve to put the marine turbine to a supreme test. These vessels are so much larger than anything existing as to be in a class entirely by themselves. They are 785 feet long, 88 feet broad, and 60 1/2 feet deep. Their gross tonnage will be about 33,000 and they will displace 45,000 tons.  Their horse-power, as already stated, is 68,000, and will probably work up to between 75,000 and 80,000. 

The contract speed of these ships is 25 1/4 knots an hour on trial, and they are to show an average of 24 3/4 knots for a whole trip across the Atlantic. 

When the Acetylene Flame Begins to Flicker

When the flame of an acetylene lamp begins to flicker, showing the presence of wet gas, the strainer should be examined to see whether it is clean and dry, and if not, renewed.  Failing this, it is possible frequently to insert a piece of blotting paper between the carbide and the metallic disk which rests upon it, thus drying the gas as it leaves the base of the container.  In generators which are fed from above to the top of the carbide, this method is, of course, out of the question. - Bicycling World. 

THE SECOND ANNUAL EXHIBITION OF THE AERO CLUB OF AMERICA.

In connection with the seventh annual show of the Automobile Club of America, the sister Aero Club gave its second exhibit of aeronautical apparatus both historic and modern. The exhibit this year was characterized by the up-to-date and practical character of the articles displayed, rather than by their historic interest, as was the case with the exhibit last year.  There were, however, several historic machines that were not displayed last year. As heretofore, the walls of the room were covered with interesting photos, enlargements of balloon ascensions and airship flights. Besides a number of enlarged photos of the Wright brothers' gliding experiments, there were prints of Santos Dumont making a flight in his motor-driven aeroplane, as well as enlargements of this machine and its motor. Several baskets of the club balloons, one of them being that of the "United States," in which Lieut. Lahm and Major Hershey won the Bennett trophy, were on exhibition. Hung from the ceiling were the nacelles of two of the most successful American dirigibles-the "California Arrow" of Capt. Baldwin, and the airship which Leo Stevens built for Major Miller, and which is the only one in which a woman has made a flight.

The former airship, which has cigar-shaped envelope of 9,000 cubic feet capacity, holds a record for speed of about 17 miles an hour.  This is remarkable considering the size of the engine, which is only a 2-cylinder, 7-horse-power V motor, similar to that shown on page 449.  The propeller, which is about 8 feet in diameter, makes about 400 revolutions per minute.  Another interesting exhibit that hung from the ceiling was a peculiar winged kite exhibited by Henry Rodmeyer.  This gentleman also demonstrated a model of a flapping-wing machine on the roof of the building on one day during the show.  Another crude model of a beating-wing machine was exhibited and demonstrated daily by Mr. A. V. Wilson, who was one of the first American aeronauts to make a balloon ascension and parachute jump. This gentleman claims to have made a flight of over 1,700 feet in a beating-wing machine two years ago, the reductio ad absurdum of his claim being found in the fact that the machine-a cumbersome wood affair-was propelled by himself alone.  A full-size flapping-wing machine, invented and constructed by Amos Drew two years ago, was one of the historical exhibits.  This machine, which weighs 600 pounds and has 350 square feet of supporting surface, is fitted with a 3-cylinder air-cooled motor that is ridiculously small for doing the heavy work of flapping the long, narrow wings of the machine.  The Gillespie aeroplane (which we illustrated some time ago) was another historical exhibit. Mr. Gillespie also had on exhibition a new double-surface model made up of four sets of twin planes. 

Passing now to the new apparatus, about the only thing in the aeroplane line was a a large model built of wood and cloth by the inventor, Miss E. L. Todd, who has sought to obtain antomatic stability of the aeroplane by suspending the framework below it in a novel manner while she has also provided for a rigid connection of the planes and the car when necessary.  A. Roy Knabenshue showed the framework and motor of his aeroplane, all of which looked too light to be very practical.  There was also shown an experimental helicopter apparatus of Carl Dienstbach.  The body framework of Gustave Whitehead's latest bat-like aeroplane was shown mounted on pneumatic-tired, ball-bearing wire wheels and containing a 3-cylinder, 2-cycle, air-cooled motor of 15 horse-power direct connected to a 6-foot propeller placed in front. This machine ran along the road at a speed of 25 miles an hour in tests made with it last summer. When held stationary, it produced a thrust of 75 pounds.  The engine is a 4ΒΌ x 4 of an improved type.  Whitehead also exhibited the 2-cylinder steam engine which revolved the road wheels of his former bat machine, with which he made a number of short flights in 1901.  He is at present engaged in building a 100-horse-power, 8-cylinder gasoline motor with which to propel his improved machine. 

The main feature of the show this year was the display of light-weight aeronautical gasoline motors.  The lightest of these for its horse-power was the 5-cylinder, water-cooled motor built by Prof. Langley in 1903 for use on his full-sized aeroplane.  This engine, the cylinders of which are in the same vertical plane arranged radially around the crankshaft, weighs but 125 pounds and develops 52.4 horse-power. Its weight per horse-power is therefore but 2.3 pounds.  With spark coil, batteries, 25 pounds of water, etc., the total weight is but 200 pounds, or 3.8 pounds per horse-power.  As it is only within the last two years that any motor of such small weight per horse-power has been produced, it will be seen that Prof. Langley was ahead of his time in this line as in others. 

The next lightest motor per horse-power developed was a 4-cylinder, two cycle, air-cooled engine, the invention of Mr. George J. Altham. This consists of two pairs of opposed cylinders placed side by side in adjacent vertical planes. One piston of each pair is con-