NAVAL ENGINEERS AND WATER-TUBE BOILERS.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.1
SIB,—I am glad to see the letter of your correspondent " X." in the Spectator of Jane 10th, but do not wholly agree that the difficulty in recruiting stokers in the Royal Navy arises altogether from the cause he mentions. From a compara- tively wide knowledge of the nature of the stoker's work on board ship, I have little hesitation in attributing a great part of this difficulty to dangers recently added to their work by the introduction of the " water-tube " boiler. The fatal accidents during the last few years arising out of this system of boilering her Majesty's warships, coupled with the increase of labour, and complication of parts which the " water-tube " boiler involves, in comparison with the well-known cylindrical boilers, and methods of working the same in the armed cruisers of the mercantile marine, and mercantile fleets generally, is, I am convinced, primarily responsible for the difficulty in recruiting stokers. It is to be hoped that as the apparent inferiority of these " water-tube " boilers for sea- going purposes becomes recognised, the Admiralty will return to the safe, economical, and simple boiler of the mercantile marine.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Previous page
