Sessional_Paper_1929 — Page 39

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Kong Government held at the Chamber Room, Chartered Bank Building, on Tuesday. 22nd January, 1924 at 4 p.m. :—

"PRESENT.

Messrs. R. Sutherland, (Chairman), R. M. Dyer, J. Reid, Captain W. Davidson, Captain T. Arthur, Mr. W. Lang, Secretary (Mr. D. K. Blair), and the Assistant Secretary, (Mr. M. F. Key),

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(3)-SINGLE OR TWIN SCREW.

The merits of single and twin screws were considered and it was unanimously agreed to recommend the former,

(4).-BOILERS.

The meeting was unanimous on the desirability of installing Scotch boilers adapt- able either for oil or coal fuel i.e. forced draught boilers developing about 1200 H.P. (triple expansion engines),

It was generally considered that it would be quite feasible to have steam on one boiler with typhoon weather in the vicinity and that no difficulty would be ex- perienced in raising the necessary full head of steam by the time the vessel came into commission.

In connection with the Water Tube boilers the meeting were unanimous that they were not desirable.'

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Government accepted the recommendations of the Committee in principle with slight modifications put forward at a further meeting of this Committee of Experts which was attended by the Acting Harbour Master Lt. Comdr. Conway Hake R.N.R.,) and Mr. L. H. King the Government Electrical Engineer.

These modifications were adopted and tenders were called for by Government Notification No. S. 208 dated 25th July, 1924 and the tender put forward by the Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Co., Ltd., of Hong Kong was accepted and the tug was accordingly built with Scotch boilers and single screw.

2. It has been now found from practical experience of the "Kausing" that:-

(a) owing to having only a single screw she is practically unmanageable in

typhoon weather when attempting to manoeuvre alongside a ship,

(b) from cold boilers it takes 12 hours to raise steam and that even with fires banked in one boiler it is not considered safe to send her outside Harbour Limits until such time as steam has been raised in the second boiler.

3. The question of converting the "Kausing" to motor engines has been carefully gone into and I forward herewith a memorandum by the Government Marine Surveyor on the subject.

As all the machinery in the "Kausing" is at present steam driven it necessarily follows that if the present boilers and engines are removed to make way for motor engines all the present auxiliary machines (Capstan, steering engine etc.,) must be removed also, and electrical machinery fitted in lieu thereof together with a large dynamo to supply the necessary power. The estimated market value of the present machinery is about $25.000 and the estimated cost of the alterations $330,000 leaving a Debit Balance of $355,000.

As this tug, fitted with only a single screw, is very difficult to manage in typhoon weather and cannot be considered a success for the purpose for which she was provided and as the building cost in the first instance was only $250,000, I am unable to recom- mend a further expenditure of $355,000 on her, for which sum the sole gain would be that of being able to get under weigh at quarter of an hour's notice.