But all idea of getting these high
results has been abandoned. Our readers do not need to be reminded of
the frequent failure of boilers in the navy. Although in the newer
ships, profit has been gained by experience, larger boilers being
provided with separate combustion chambers for each furnace; the
Blake's boilers belong to the type of defective design, with the
result that, were they pressed under forced draught, the tubes would
leak. It was, therefore, decided some time ago to be content with
natural draught results, and on Wednesday, Nov. 18, the vessel was
taken out from Portsmouth, and ran for seven hours with satisfactory
results, considerably exceeding the contract power. But the speed was
but 19.12 knots, and 22 knots can never be attained, except, of
course, new boilers be provided, and when an expenditure of 5 or 6 per
cent. of the first cost of the vessel (433,755_l._) would give her new
boilers, it seems a pity to be content with the lesser speed, more
particularly as the vessel is well designed and the engines efficient.
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