598. Q.—­Will you describe the configuration and action of Holm’s screw?

A.—­First, then, the screw increases in the direction of its length, and this increase is very rapid at the following edge, so that, in fact, the following edge stands in the plane of the shaft, or in the vertical longitudinal plane of the vessel.  Then the ends of the arms are bent over into a curved flange, the edge of which points astern, and the point where this curved flange joins the following edge of the screw is formed, not into an angle, but into a portion of a sphere, so that this corner resembles the bowl of a spoon.  When the screw is put into revolution, the water is encountered by the leading edge of the screw without shock, as its advance is only equal to the advance of the vessel, and before the screw leaves the water it is projected directly astern.  At the same time, the curved flange at the rim of the screw prevents the dispersion of the water in a radial direction, and it consequently assumes the form of a column or cylinder of water, projected backward from the ship.

599. Q.—­What is the nature of Beattle’s screw?

A.—­Beattie’s screw is an arrangement of the screw propeller whereby it is projected beyond the rudder, and the main object of the arrangement is to take away the vibratory motion at the stern,—­an intention which it accomplishes in practice.  There is an oval eye in the rudder, to permit the screw shaft to pass through it.

600. Q.—­When the diameter of the cylinder of water projected backward by a screw, and the force urging it into motion are known, may not the velocity it will acquire be approximately determined?

A.—­That will not be very difficult; and I will take for illustration the case of the Minx, already referred to, which will show how such a computation is to be conducted.  The speed of this vessel, in one of the experiments made with her, was 8.445 knots; the number of revolutions of the screw per minute, 231.32; and the pressure on each square foot of area of the screw’s disc, 214 lbs.  If a knot be taken to be 6075.6 feet, then the distance advanced by the vessel, when the speed is 8.445 knots, will be 3.7 feet per revolution, and this advance will be made in about .26 of a second of time.  Now the distance which a body will fall by gravity, in .26 of a second, is 1.087 feet; and a weight of 214 lbs. put into motion by gravity, or by a pressure of 214 lbs., would, therefore, acquire a velocity of 1.087 feet during the time one revolution of the screw is being performed.  The weight to be moved, however, is 3.7 cubic feet of water, that being the new water seized by the screw each revolution for every square foot of surface in the screw’s disc; and 3.7 cubic feet of water weigh 231.5 lbs., so that the urging force of 214 lbs. is somewhat less than the force of gravity, and the velocity of motion communicated to the water will be somewhat under 1.087 feet per