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MAIL NEWS FROM CHINA
SHIPPING AND RAILWAY
Hsuchow, April 2.
Construction work has been completed on the No. 1 Wharf at the port of Llenyunkang. the eastern terminus of the Lung-Hai Railway in northeastern Klangsu, enabling three 3,000-tons steamers to berth alongside. The No. 2 Whart has also been opened for eral transportation..
In order to improve landing facilities at the port, the Lung- Hal Railway Administration, In planning to erect a 1,000-kilowatt electric plant. Additional cranes will be installed for the loading. and unloading of cargo. The cost of the project is estimated at $2 millions.--
Kuo Min
STEEL PASSENGER- COACHES
Hauchow. April 3. The Lung-Hai Railway Adminis tration is understood to have placed an order in Europe for steel passenger coaches at a cost of more than $3,300,000. The new 'cars will be used on the direct
service between Hsuchow and Bian, the western terminus of the line.
It is also learnt that the Rail- way Administration is planning to purchase a number of high- speed locomotives-
Kuo Min
I.
NEW SERVICE
Changsha, April 2 Omnibus service Was started yesterday on the Taipingpu-
ira portion,
.north-
·Maanpu Western Hunan, of the Taoyuan- Yuanling section of the projected Hanan-Kwelchow Inter-Provincial Highway.
"
Surveys
the on
Taoyuan- Changte section has been « com- pleted and construction is to be started shortly. ---- Kuo Min
THE COAL INDUSTRY
Nanking, March 30. Plans to assist the development of the native coal industry are being formulated by the Ministry of Industry.
In view of the acute depression, resulting from foreigh dumping, and transportation difficulties other causes, the Ministry recently conferred with the interested Ministries and other Government organs with a view to adding the Industry. Measures for limiting foreign the excessive import of coal, increase of transportation facilities as well as reduction of overhead expenses at the mines have been under consideration. Centralized supervision over min- secure ing enterprises so as to greater efficiency in mining ad- ministration will also be intro duced.- Rua Min
SHIPYARD SURGERY
Sidelights On Water Transport
At Messrs. Smith's Dock Cam- pany's yard on the Tees the An- chor-Brocklebank liner Mathura, of 9.775 tons gross register, and' built on the "Clyde in 1921, bas been shortened on the Clyde in 1921, has been shortened by 'some 3711 The surgical operation in- volved the cutting out of a com- plete slice immediately aft of the bridge and slidng the forepart back. This was done on launch- ing ways; the 2,000 tons were hauled back by electric capstans "in 50 minutes. The two portions have been joined together, and the vessel is expected to be ready for sea very soon.
There are plenty of instances, both before and immediately after the War, where ships were leng- thened. One of the most extraor dinary examples of fashioning a ship for her particular environ- ment was provided towards the end of last century, Messrs. Swan, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson were commissioned to build the Glenledi for service on the Wel- land Canal, Ontario. She was de- signed to carry about 4.830 tons on 18ft. draught in fresh water, and her ultimate length was in- tended to be 379ft. But at this measurement it was found that she would be too long, to pass through the locks of the canal. She was therefore built to mea- sure 235ft, but the remaining 144ft., which were omitted amid ships, were also built, and this portion was conveyed in sections in the Olenledi herself when she set out for Canada. After pass* ing through the Welland Canal she was placed in dry dock and cut in two, and the 144ft. of the amidships portion was then fixed in position.
Backs Broken "
The possibility again, of repal?- ing vessels that have had their backs broken after being beach- ed has always been provided for and the great size of a sticker vessel has not deterred our ship- yards from saving a ship from the scrappers if they have seen the chance of restoring her w
her old seaworthiness
ardson's yard on the Tyne. A new forepart was constructed and fixed to the salved portion, and the Milwaukee eventually steam. ed from the Tyne to do excellent work on the North Atlantic route.
The spectacle of tugs towing half a ship may still be seen. A few years ago the estuary of the Thames and the portions were towed into Tilbury Docks. Never- theless it is believed that the Ma- thura is the first vessel of her size to be shortened; and her example will be followed by three- other ships of the same line.
Auxiliary Motors
In the present state of world trade, with its quotas, restrictions, and exchange fluctuations, it would seem that the merchant's transport' needs, whether ashore or afloat, are best served on the principle of little and often; and It is probably felt that "the al- teration to the Mathura is a step towards fulfilling that need. Other shipping companies will probably follow this example, in which case it will be of material ad- vantage to our shipyards; espe- clally to those near distressed areas.
This policy of supplying little "and often is exploited by the coastwise and Inland water trades, whose activity is reflected in the
the barge-building » energy in yards on the Thames in Llaying down lighters and motor barges and in shipyards elsewhere in building coasting-vessels of from 000 to 1700 tons. Even the kall- ing-barges are doing a brisk busi- ness in carrying cargoes” of bricks, wood, cement, sand, and ballast to places in the estuarly, and 'the "sea-going barges are getting their fair share of freights. No steps. are being taken to build new. sailing-barges; indeed none has been built for about six years, Nevertheless demand has caused many to be reatted, in the small number of yards on the Thames, and not a few have been given auxiliary motoza,
Inland the Grand Union Canal Company has lately augmented Towards the end of last cen-its fleet of motor-bargen, to oper- tury the liner Milwaukee lay a victim to the mighty wash of the sen after she had gone ashore off the rugged coast of Peter- head. A survey showed that she Could not be dosted, but she was sound from amidahipa to the stern. It was therefore decided. to cut her in two and to save the stern, The division was made with the use of explosives, and the sound half was, towed to Mesurs awan, Hunter, and Wighaz Bich
ate upon its 280 miles of water- : way, which stretches from "the Midlands to the outlets into the Thames at Limehouse and Brent- ford. On the whole the activity on the navigable tributaries of the river,
and the statistics of coastwise and river tramc record ed by the Port of London Author= ity give ground for the belief that the little ships of our home waters are successfully weathering, the economic blizzard.
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1935.
ENGINEERING
ENGINEERING
CONTRACTS
Messrs. Harland and Wolf, Limited, North Woolwich, London, E.16, have received an order from Mesars, C. and A. Etheredge,-Lim- Ited, London, for six open swim barges, each 89 ft. 6 in. length.
Messrs. John M. Henderson and. Company, Limited; King's Works, Aberdeen, have received an order for two 2-ton electrically-driven transporter cranes for the East Indian Railway.
AND
BUILDING
NEW WEATHER PATROLS
Tests Six MilesTM Up
At a time when the thoughts of most people are turning lightly to the question of spring weather Air Ministry officials are planning a change in the wonderful daily routine whereby officers of the Royal Air Force ascend great "heights, under all manner of con
ditions to take temperatures and "read" wind directions. i
Messrs. The Buell Combustion Company, Limited. 49. Moorgate, London, EC.Z have secured.an fmportant contract for drying co- conut from Messrs, Blue Bar Co-
For ten years, "the weather conut Company, Limited, Laguna,
fight" has carried on allently and Philippine Islands. The plantunobtrusively at the RAF, station consists of three Allen-Buell bt Duxford, near Cambridge. (Buttner-system) vertical turbo Six days every week, year in and dryers, each of which will be cap- year out, officers have climbed able of dealing with 17 tons of
distances of from 15.000 to 30,000 wet material every 24 hours. The
feet to provide data not only for quantity of dried material deliver-
the benefit of the service to which the ed from each dryer will amount
they belong, but also for approximately to 5 tons in 24
general public.. bours," The wet material has an initial moisture content of 70 per cent, and this will be reduced to 3 per cent. The dryers are heated- by waste steam at a pressure of 5 lb. per square inch. Other con- tracts, recently secured, include extensions. to drying plant at the Lincolnshire Beet Sugar Com-.. pany's factory at Bardney and the Second Lincolnshire Beet Sugar Company's factory at Brigg, and a dryer for dealing with digested bones at the works of Messra, The British Glue and Chemical Com-; pany, Limited-
CONFERENCE ON INDUSTRIAL PHYSICS
A conference on industrial phy- sics, organised by, the. Institute of Physics, was held in Manchester from March 28 to 30. The subject of the conference was "Vacuum Devices in Research and Indus try," and the President was Pro- fessor W. L. Bragg, FRS
An exhibition of instruments, apparatus, and books cognate to the subject of the conference held in the laboratories of Manchester University. Visits to local works and research laboratories are be-- ing arranged, and a conference dinner held in the College of
Technology.
RECORD RAILWAY RUN -
of
During a trial run from New- castle to London, one of Mr. H. N. Gresley's Pacifics, Papyrus, No, 2750, hauling a train weighing 213 tons, maintained a speed of 108 near Little mph for 10 sec.. Bytham and exceeded a 'speed over 100 m.ph for more than 12 miles between Corby, and Tallington. This, it may be confidently, asserted, marks a re- cord for railway travel. The whole Journey from Newcastle to King's Cross, a distance of 268 miles, was completed in 3 hours 51 minutes, at an average speed of 69.6 mph. In spite of a long slack owing to a derailment near Doncaster. The down journey, undertaken earlier in the day, with the same engine and train, took 3 hours 67 min utes at an average speed of 67,5 m.ph, a maximum or 88 m.ph. being attained near Hitchin. This tance and, anally, a stop of 19 Included a crawl for a long dis
seconds at the scene of the derail- ment-
ITALIAN NAVAL CONSTRUCTION WORK
Most days there are two "wen- ther patrols." "The first ascends about 6 o'clock in the morning: the second early in the afternoon. If conditions are unusual, there is
occasionally a third patrol. Bad. weather alone does not stop the patrol, but there are certain fog conditions which very rarely keep the ardent flying meteorolo- gist to earth.”
For just over ten years this has been the duty of certain selected officers at the Duxford station. duty which, owing to proposed changes in organisation, is to be transferred to the Midenhall star tion, Suffolk. Both these stations, Indeed which jointly will prepare the great Royal Air Review in connection with the Silver Jubilee celebrations are in the process of change.
Novel Besearch
In that ten years there has been only one fatal accident, and the work accomplished in the Interests of aeronautics and, meteorology has been well-nigh incalculable. Weather research on these novel and trying lines was initiated on the Western Front during the last two years of the war, and proved of great value to General Headquarters.
It was abandoned until the late -days of 1924, when its usefulness- was again appreciated and the "dawn patrol" was started Off- cers who take part receive special Instruction" at the Meteorological Section of the Air Ministry, and henceforth their task is regarded as just in the nature of an ordi- nary duty fight.
There are two pilots detailed for this work, and they usually take it in turn to fly in the swift single-seater Bristol Bull-dog 3A fighters to ascertain what is hap pening above the clouds. Part of. their knowledge is retailed in the weather bulletin broadcast 10.30 each morning.
Bo swift is their work that when they climb to the maximum dis- tance of 30,000 feet they are "on top" in approximately half an bour, and by tying at roughly 200 miles per hour reach an altitude of nearly six miles But more often than not these we ther pilots can obtain all their formation at lesser altitudes...
Their task is anything but pleasant, for when high distances nre attained it is necessary to use the oxygen apparatus, while on practically nearly every flight the pilot has to wear electrically heat- ed clothing, the cockpit also being heated from the exhaust.""
They take with them an aneroid. and various thermometers, and at stated heights record the wet and dry bulb readings, while a rough log is kept of wind pressures. These are coded and sent at once to the Air Ministry, forming valu able guidance for all air pilots during the day.
Trials of the two aubmarines Rubina and Topazio, built for the Royel Italian Navy by Messrs. S A. Cantieri Navall del Quarnaro, were satisfactorily carried out off Flume recently. These two unite are small vessels for coastal service. Further, with the re- "cent launch of the Galileo Fer- raris, another addition has been made to the Italian Government's Settembrini class of submarine. "This vessel, it is stated, bas a surface displacement of about 1,000 tons and a submerged dis- placement of 1,300 tons. Her armament comprises eight 21-in. torpedo-tubes and two in guns. She has been built by Messrs. Cantieri Navall Franco Tom, Tár anto. A constguard motorship ordered recently by the Boviet expert attached to the Government from Mesars SA Ansaldo, Genas, has now been launch A sistership, it is stat
is to be launched shortly a
TO PREVENT FLOODING
Pelping, ApHI £ The engineering work for changing part of the course of the Pelping-Butyuan Railway in eastern Sulyuan, in order to im prove trame and prevent fooding, will be completed by the end of June according to schedule, it is learnt at the Rallway, Administra tion
AGRICULTURAL TEACHING
Institute In Shansi
A Commercial Helicopter
VERTICAL ASCENT AND FORWARD SPEED
Sur
A helicopter, which promises to ally à forward speed of at least 100 miles hour with the power to haver and to make a stow vertical descent in the event of engine failure, will probably be dying in Britain by the end of the summer. It will also have a three-day-agricultural in rate of climb, achieved by vertical stitute for rural workers met in assent, in excess of that of any Talku, under the auspices of the commercial aeroplane. It will be Shans! Christian Rural Service bull to take a pilot and passen Union, from March 20 to 22 mm- ger and about 100lb. of baggage. clusive. This was the Arst gather-In this form it will use a 300 h.p. ing of its kind to be held in Shans In spite of this fact, nearly 40 delegates, representing most of the Christian bodies in Shansi, attend, ed. Several came by bicycle from places over 100 miles distant, tak-. ing two days each way for the journey. Rural evangelists, coun- by school teachers, and laymen all evinced keen interest in the problems of rural reconstruction and of modern agriculture in par- ticular,
At the request of the Shans Christian Rural Service Union, the institute was planned and conduct- by the Agricultural Department of the Oberlin-Shansi Memorial Schools. "At present this is the only Institution in Shansi which is fac- Ing agricultural problems in a mo
dern scientific way. For years the
Agricultural Department has been
carrying on careful scientiac ex- periments in seed selection. anf-. mal husbandry, poultry breeding, eradication of plant pests, etc. Valuable results have already been obtained. The farmer can now be
assured a substantial increase in yield by planting improved seeds which have been developed on the Taiyuan plain. It has also been clearly demonstrated that deeper ploughing will definitely increase the Field. These are but two ex- amples of what has been accom~ plished. Both are of vital interest to the farmer.
A Good Object Lesson
Also the Industrial Department of the school, working hand in hand, with the Agricultural Department. Is producing modern agricultural implements sulted to the needs of the Chinese farmer. Their pro- ducts are becoming increasingly popular: Steel ploughs particular- 1y are in such demand that the Department can hardly keep up with orders. One recent order, placed by the Taiku County Gov- ernment, calls for thirteen ploughs.
engine, and will have a duration of about two hours. The work of construction will be undertaken by the Blackburn Aeroplane Com- pany, at Brough, rear Hull.
This type of helicopter, invented and developed by Herr Oskar Asboth owes its special. char- acteristics to the type of alz- screw used to obtain lift. In most other helicopter models a limit on height of operation ap- pears to have been determined by the diameter of the airscrew em- ployed. The Ascanio type, which holds the world's records" for he Hcopters, reached a height of 18 metres when using airscrews of 12 metres diameter, and it has been held that ft rapidly de- creases when the hellcopter moves above the area of cushioned air created where the down- wash from the screws strikes the earth. One of the earlier As- both helicopters, using screws of less than five metres diameter and an engine of 85 hp...resched a height of 15 metres and made over 80 Alghts to prove it auto- matic stability.
Slow Descent
The bigger model, now to be bullt, is an improvement in sever- al respects. A start on its con- struction has been delayed-until → a series of tests at Gottingen and Aachen should have been com- pleted. The forecasts of perfor mance are based on those tests. The helicopter, -carrying a useful load of 880lb., will have a total weight of 3,6801b. "Its initial rate of climb will be 1,5001t, a minute and this will take the form of vertical ascent. The rate of des- cent without engine will not ex- ceed 15ft. a second, the rate at which the more lightly load ed parachute sinks. Up to a forward speed of about 22 miles an hour part of the engine-po- wer
will be required for the operation of the rotors, but above. that speed Uft is obtained by aut- orotation and the whole of the engine-power is available for
For three days the entire re- sources of the Agricultural Depart- ment were placed at the disposal o; the delegates: Classes met in the Agricultural Headquarters, in a de-speed. cidedly rural atmosphere, close to the sheep and the chickens, and within reach of all the various ex- periments and exhibits. The de- legates were, therefore, able to see what has been accomplished, and what is being attempted, as well as to hear about it in the class-room.
Most of the classes were taught by the regular star of the Agricul tural Department, beaded by the Dean, Raymond T. Moyer. But the Institute was fortunate in securing the assistance of two other men. Methods of agricoltural extension were ably presented by Yao Kuang Hsuan, Mr. Yao is a member of
This machine will be simlar in some respects to the ordinary aeroplane. It will have a fuse lage, with an engine in the nose and the usual control organs at the tall A cabin with side-by side seating will be set aft of the engine, and somewhere near the centre of gravity will be placed the rotor-standard carrying, one above the other, two-airscrews, which turn in opposite directions. The diameter of these will ba 30ft...
and each will have three blades. On either side of the fuselage.... booms set at right angles to ita d centre will carry vertical stabilf- rers intended to secure lateral slability when the helicopter is hovering. In that condition - an air-stream to make them effec“
the down- tive is provided by wash from the rotors. For for- ward fligh; an ordinary tractor airscrew is fitted to the engine and ordinary controls serve.
The lifting screws themselves supply the means of automatic stability and of adaptation to the requirements of autorotation. The principle on which they are de- signed may not yet be described In detall, but it may be said that cach blade is divided into two portions, one of which is fixed and the other variable. The en- gine is
all three coupled to screws-the tractor and the two lifting rators: A clutch allows the tractor screw to be engaged. A trip device in the couplings be- tween the engine and the rotors 'causes it to be disengaged when autorotation affords the rotors a higher rate of revolution than is appropriate to the engine. Up to that point all three screws may derive their power at the same time from the engine. The controls. permit the helicopter to glide without engine at any 'an- gle between 20deg, and 90deg.
MANY - ADVANTAGES
In hovering fight the question of engine-cooling has generally -presented some difficulty. The model "now" to be built appears to provide no special cooling ar- rangements, though the choice of a water-cooled engine may mark the Intention to place the radia- tor in the most favourable reia- tion to the downwash. The per- lads of hovering in a commercial machine would, however, be limited to the take-off and land- ing and to the process, in con- ditions of bad visibility, of ascer- taining position or making an emergency landing. The advant- ages of vertical ascent and de scent are fully appreciated by this time. The operator would no longer need big aerodromes. Els Journeys might begin and end is the centres of big towns. For military purposes, the helicopter
might be used in the most dim-:
cult country, and it might land on vessels which have no special fying deck. Its rapid rate of ver- tical ascent would also make it difficult to attack with ordinary aircraft.
so many possiblities lie in the production of a really efficient helicopter that the simultaneous building of the latest Asboth type at Brough and by the Henschel firm in Germany will be watched with great interest. An earlier model was flown by Captain R. N.
introt, of the Air Ministry, at Budapest six years ago. That model was flown for a total of 280 hours by a mechanic who had no pliot's licence.
the staff of Nanking: University THE TAIKOO DOCKYARD & ENGINEERING
College of Agriculture and Fores- try, assigned to extension work in Hopei Province, with Tungbslen as a centre, Wang Hsueh Jen, pastor of the Kung Li Hút church fri Tal-
·ku‘also dealt with the relation of the Christian Church to the com- munity,
Keen Interest
The delegatos evinced remark- able interest in the whole subject.. As might be expected, the practical aspects of modern agriculture proved of greatest interest to these rural leaders. They wanted some- thing definite and tangible which could be put in practice immediate-- ly on returning home. So keen were they that after six hours or more or classes during the day. they insisted on firing questionin at- the various members at the "Agri- cultural Department until nearly Len: o'clock at night.-
The institute proved a decided success, at least from the stand- point of interest and enthusiasm
it wee far But the delegates ins toc short. They are asking for another institute least two weeks in Bhansi Christian Union
technical
ball
Ministry
gester-
COMPANY OF HONGKONG, LIMITED.
BUILDERS OF ALL CLASSSES OF SHIPS. BUILDERS OF RECIPROCATING STEAM ENGINES. BUILDERS OF MARINE AND LAND BOILERS. BUILDERS OF TURBINE MACHINERY
Under License From Messrs Parsons! BUILDERS OF DIESEL ENGINES
Under Special License From Messrs Suizer Bros., Winterthur.
Licensed To Manufacture Lanz Perlit Iron, Specially Suitable
For Internal Combustion Engine Working Parts.“
DOCK & SLIPWAYS.
POR DOCKING VERY LARGE AS WELL AS SMALLER VESSELS,
ON ANYTIDE
ALL CLASSES OF SHIP. ENGINE AND BOILER
REPAIRS AND EXTENSIVE
WELDING BOTH ELECTRICAL AND OXY- ACETYLENE SKILFULLY AND PROMPTLY
~~ CARRIED OUT
BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE, Agents,
HONG KONG, CHINA & JAPAN.
#Hose Kore,