ENGINE-ROOM FITTINGS.

327

CHAPTER VII.

ENGINE-ROOM FITTINGS.

ENGINE-ROOM MECHANICAL TELEGRAPHS, AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE GEAR.

For the proper handling of all steam hips,Rud especially the quick manoeuvring of steamWar ships, upon which in naval warfare every-thing depends, it is manifestly of the highestimportance that the officer in command shoulda t all times be enabled to control the motivemachinery, so as to regulate the speed in eitherdirection of the vessel, and to be able to atonce “ go ahead,” “ stop,” or “ go astern,”a ccording to the requirements or exigencies ofthe occasion. To attain this end various meanshave been resorted to, such as a peal of smallhells; the use of one bell—a certain number°f strokes denoting different signals ; and the^se of speaking tubes. The two former meansar e unreliable, and therefore dangerous, onac Count of the liability to mistake; and thetatter has been found absolutely useless, thees act sounds being quite indistinguishablea mid the various noises in the engine roomaiif l ship inside and the roar of the wind

outside.

From what has been thus far stated, it isevident that what is required for the purpose°f conveying the signals from the deck to theengine room is not only a means ol producing,a sound so as to arrest the attention of theengineer, but that having arrested his attentionthrough, the medium of one of his senses,

another sense should be appealed to to indicateexactly what he is to do. The late Mr. A. P.How early saw the matter in this light, andproduced the first successful engine-roommechanical telegraph. This instrument, in itslatest form, is now combined with the improve-ments and modifications of Mr. Gather cole—Mr. How’s successor—and represented byFig. 202, in sectional and complete elevations.

Fig. 202.

HOW-GATHERCOLE TELEGRAPH.

The arrangement is a fixed front plate havinga slot in it for the display of the signals: arevolving back plate carries these signals, andhas also at its back studs for the purpose ofoperating the double striking arrangement,With its springs, as depicted in the completeview. The position of the striking hammer