Northern Club. His son, Charles Cuningham Scott, was an original
member, but did not take the same active part in the pastime, the
claims of a quickly-developing industry being probably the reason. But
the records of the family were again revived by his sons--John Scott,
C.B., Robert Sinclair Scott, and Colin William Scott. They displayed
a preference for steam craft, although the first-named owned several
cutters, beginning with the _Zingara_; later several beautiful yachts,
each successive ship being named the _Greta_, were built for him. The
first of these, of 1876, and the last, of 1895, are illustrated on the
Plate facing this page. He was elected Commodore of the Royal Clyde
Club in 1895 in acknowledgment of his services to the club and to
yachting generally, and he occupied the post until his death in 1904.
[Illustration: Plate XXIII. THE "GRETA," OF 1876.]
[Illustration: THE "GRETA," OF 1895.]
These were exciting times in Clyde yachting. It was then that Lord
Dunraven and Sir Thomas Lipton made their gallant but unsuccessful
efforts to recover the America cup with Clyde-built boats, while the
performances of the _Britannia_, owned by the then Prince of Wales,
now His Majesty the King, and of the _Meteor_, belonging to the German
Emperor, gave a distinction to the sport which it had never enjoyed
before.
The Mudhook Yacht Club was formed in 1873 by a few skilled yacht
designers and yachtsmen, and included Robert Sinclair Scott, Colin
William Scott, and James Reid. The membership was limited to forty,
and the aim of the founders was to "encourage amateur yacht sailing."
There were many inspirations connected with the founding of the club;
there is a tradition that when a "Mudhooker" was being initiated, he
was usually confronted with a coil of rope, a small marlinspike, a
chart and dividers, a forecastle bucket and other implements; and,
before the hand of fellowship was extended to him, he was exercised,
with more or less of solemnity, as to their uses. From the foundation
of the Club until his death in 1905, Robert Sinclair Scott was Admiral
of the Club. For twenty-nine years from the same period his brother,
Colin William Scott, acted as Honorary Secretary, and his great
services were recognised on the club attaining its majority in 1894, by
the presentation by the members of a set of old candelabra and fruit
dishes. The present Honorary Secretary is R. L. Scott, son of John
Scott, C.B.
Although, as we have said, the Scotts never owned racing yachts, they
have built for themselves and for others a long succession of beautiful
steam yachts, as recorded in the Table on page 69. In all, seven yachts
have been built in succession for the Scotts themselves. Each was named
the _Greta_, after a small stream which runs through the Halkshill
Estate, excepting the last, which was called the _Grianaig_, the Gaelic
for Greenock.
The last _Greta_ is exactly double the length of the first, while
the yacht tonnage is practically eightfold. The successive steps are
marked. The _Greta_ of 1876 was 76 ft. long, and of 53 tons, and she
was at once purchased by a Kilmarnock lady, Miss Finnie. The vessel
built for John Scott, C.B., in the following year was slightly larger,
and she also was coveted and secured. In 1878 a still larger ship was
built, and for many years this craft continued in the possession of its
original owner, but in 1892 was displaced by a vessel of greater size,
of 135 ft. 6 in. in length, and of 230 tons yacht displacement. Other
vessels followed at periods of three years, and the _Greta_ of 1898 was
154 ft. long, and of 393 tons.
Many other notable vessels were constructed in the same period for
other owners; and while it is not possible to refer to all of them,
mention may be made of the _Tuscarora_, built in 1897, for William
Clark, Esq., of Paisley. This vessel, which is illustrated on Plate
XXIV., is 170 ft. long, and of 775 tons. She had a bridge and promenade
deck 104 ft. long; and there were ten state-rooms and large saloons for
the owner and his guests. Built for oversea cruising, she had a very
complete installation of refrigerating machinery. The triple-expansion
engines with which she was fitted developed 1030 horse-power when
running at 150 revolutions, equal to a piston speed of 675 ft. per
minute. Steam was supplied by a single-ended boiler.
A much larger vessel--indeed, the largest of the type constructed by
the firm--was the _Margarita_, constructed for A. J. Drexel, Esq., of
Philadelphia, to the designs of the late Mr. G. L. Watson, who did so
much for the advance of the science of naval architecture as applied
to sailing and steam yachts. This vessel is of 272 ft. in length, with
a displacement of 2522 tons. For the owner and his guests there are
thirteen large state-rooms, and the general saloons include dining,
drawing, and smoking rooms, a boudoir, and a children's nursery.
The yacht is equipped with all the accessories of the modern liner,
including refrigerating appliances. It is propelled at a speed of
over 17 knots by twin-screws, operated by two independent sets of
triple-expansion, four-cylinder engines, balanced to obviate vibration.
[Illustration: Plate XXIV. THE "MARGARITA."]
[Illustration: THE "TUSCARORA."]
TABLE VI.--GENERAL PARTICULARS OF PRINCIPAL STEAM YACHTS BUILT BY
SCOTTS' SHIPBUILDING AND ENGINEERING COMPANY, LIMITED, GREENOCK.
-----------+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+------
| | | | | |
| Date of | | | |Displace-|
|Construc-| | | | ment in |
Name. | tion. |Length.|Breadth.| Depth. | Tons. |Speed.
-----------+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+------
| |ft. in.| ft. in.|ft. in.| |knots.
| | | | | |
_Greta_ | 1876 | 76 0 | 12 0 | 9 3 | 53 | 7.5
| | | | | |
_Greta_ | 1877 | 84 0 | 12 6 | 9 6 | 73 | 8.25
| | | | | |
_Greta_ | 1878 | 90 0 | 14 0 | 9 6 | 86 | 9.33
| | | | | |
_Ulva_ | 1879 |162 0 | 21 0 | 15 6 | 350 | 11.08
| | | | | |
_Griffin_ | 1879 |120 0 | 16 6 | 11 0 | 152 | 9.8
| | | | | |
_Eagle_ | 1879 | 84 0 | 12 6 | 9 6 | 77 | 7.7
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
_Retriever_| 1884 |123 0 | 17 0 | 12 0 | 144 | 11
| | | | | |
_Alca_ | 1887 | 80 6 | 14 0 | 10 0 | 93 | 10
| | | | | |
_Santanna_ | 1887 |180 0 | 24 0 | 15 6 | 495 | 13.6
| | | | | |
_Foros_ | 1891 |236 0 | 30 6 | 20 6 | 1170 | 12.5
| | | | | |
_Greta_ | 1892 |135 6 | 18 6 | 12 0 | 230 | 11
| | | | | |
_Kittiwake_| 1893 |113 0 | 21 0 | 13 6 | 210 | 9.55
| | | | | |
_Lutra_ | 1894 |117 0 | 18 0 | 12 0 | 200 | 10.75
| | | | | |
_Greta_ | 1895 |145 0 | 22 0 | 13 5 | 338 | 11
| | | | | |
_Erin_ | 1896 |252 0 | 31 6 | 20 6 | 1330 | 15.6
| | | | | |
_Tuscarora_| 1897 |170 0 | 26 6 | 15 7 | 775 | 12.5
| | | | | |
_Greta_ | 1898 |154 0 | 22 9 | 13 6 | 393 | 12.25
| | | | | |
_Lutra_ | 1899 |140 0 | 21 0 | 13 0 | 348 | 11.65
| | | | | |
_Margarita_| 1900 |272 0 | 36 6 | 28 0 | 2522 | 17.1
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
_Waihi_ | 1900 | 82 0 | 14 6 | 10 0 | 102 | 10.3
| | | | | |
_Saevuna_ | 1901 | 76 4 | 14 6 | 9 3 | 95 | 8.4
| | | | | |
_Grianaig_ | 1904 |160 0 | 23 9 | 14 0 | 435 | 12.6
| | | | | |
_Beryl_ | 1904 |160 0 | 25 0 | 14 6 | 500 | 13.3
-----------+---------+-------+--------+--------+---------+------
------------+------------------------+------+------+-------------------
| |Indi- | |
| |cated |Boiler|
| |Horse-|Pres- |
Name. | Type of Engines. |power.|sure. | Owner.
-----------+------------------------+------+------+-------------------
| | | lb. |
| | | |
_Greta_ | Compound | 58 | 74 |John Scott, Esq.,
| | | | C.B.
| | | |
_Greta_ | " | 76 | 78 |John Scott, Esq.,
| | | | C.B.
| | | |
_Greta_ | Compound tandem | 105 | 78 |John Scott, Esq.,
| | | | C.B.
_Ulva_ | " " | 277 | 70 |F. A. Hankey, Esq.
| | | |
_Griffin_ | " " | 130 | 78 |C. E. Dashwood, Esq.
| | | |
_Eagle_ | Compound | 74 | 75 |Count Stackleberg,
| | | | St. Petersburg.
| | | |
_Retriever_| " | 215 | 90 |O. Randall, Esq.
| | | |
_Alca_ | Triple-expansion | 110 | 160 |Colonel Malcolm,
| | | | Poltalloch.
| | | |
_Santanna_ | " " | 780 | 150 |M. Louis Prat,
| | | | Marseilles.
| | | |
_Foros_ | " " | 960 | 160 |M. Kousenzoff,
| | | | Moscow.
| | | |
_Greta_ | " " | 280 | 160 |John Scott, Esq.,
| | | | C.B.
| | | |
_Kittiwake_| " " | 185 | 160 |Lord Carnegie.
| | | |
_Lutra_ | " " | 250 | 160 |Colonel Malcolm.
| | | |
_Greta_ | " " | 340 | 170 |John Scott, Esq.,
| | | | C.B.
| | | |
_Erin_ |Triple-expansion, 4 cyl.| 2500 | 180 |Sir Thomas Lipton,
| | | | Bart.
| | | |
_Tuscarora_| " " " | 1030 | 170 |Wm. Clark, Esq.,
| | | | Paisley.
| | | |
_Greta_ | " " " | 480 | 170 |John Scott, Esq.,
| | | | C.B.
| | | |
_Lutra_ | " " " | 480 | 170 |Lord Malcolm of
| | | | Poltalloch.
| | | |
_Margarita_| {Twin-screw, triple} | 5200 | 200 |A. J. Drexel, Esq.,
| {expansion, four } | | | Philadelphia,
| {cylinders in each } | | | U.S.A.
| {engine } | | |
| | | |
_Waihi_ | Triple-expansion | 130 | 170 |J. Bulloch, Esq.
| | | |
_Saevuna_ | Compound | 75 | 130 |Maurice Bernard
| | | | Byles, Esq.
| | | |
_Grianaig_ | Triple-expansion | 740 | 190 |R. Sinclair Scott,
| | | | Esq.
| | | |
_Beryl_ | " " | 910 | 200 |Baron Inverclyde.
-----------+------------------------+------+------+-------------------
The _Erin_, now owned by Sir Thomas Lipton, Bart., was designed and
built in 1896 for a Sicilian nobleman and was purchased later by the
popular baronet and sporting yachtsman. One of the largest vessels of
her time, she was 250 ft. long, and of 1330 tons displacement. The
four-cylinder, carefully-balanced engines, of 2500 horse-power, gave
her a sea speed of 15-1/2 knots. A view of this well-known yacht is
given on Plate XXI., facing page 63.
Much might be written about the decoration of these yachts; but it may
suffice to give illustrations of the dining- and drawing-rooms in the
steam yacht _Beryl_, owned by the Right Hon. Baron Inverclyde. The
saloons are in the Old-English style, and are treated with decorative
freedom, but with strict simplicity. The walls in both cases are
framed in solid figured white Austrian wainscot oak, highly finished
and polished. The drawing-room has silk tapestry panels, relieved with
chaste carving on the window canopies, dado rail and mantelpiece, and
divided with bevelled and carved pilasters, with carved Corinthian
capitals. In the dining-room, on the other hand, there is no tapestry,
the whole being of oak, suitably carved. In the ports there are large
plate-glass windows, fitted with Greenwood springs. In each room there
is a large cupola skylight, which, with its rich stained glass, gives
a fine decorative effect. The drawing-room cupola is fitted with a
brass mushroom ventilator. The ceiling in each case is of yellow pine,
moulded, ribbed, and beamed in the Tudor style, and painted flat white,
picked out with gold.
[Illustration: Plate XXV. THE DRAWING ROOM. THE DINING SALOON.]
[Illustration: THE STEAM YACHT "BERYL," OWNED BY LORD INVERCLYDE.]
The drawing-room has a slow-combustion grate having
brass mounts, with richly-carved oak mantelpiece, marble jambs,
tiled hearth, and fire-brasses and fender. The dining-room has a
steam radiator enclosed in a cabinet with Numidian marble top and
brass-grilled front.
The _Beryl_ is a vessel of 160 ft. in length, with a displacement of
500 tons at slightly less than 12-ft. draught. She steams at 13.3 knots
with the engines indicating 910 horse-power, steam being supplied from
a large single-ended boiler with three furnaces.
As typical of the engines adopted in the yachts built by the Scotts, we
give an illustration on Plate XXVI., facing page 72, of the engines of
the _Grianaig_. In the thirty years that have elapsed since the first
_Greta_ was built, the ratio of horse-power to tonnage has increased
from 1 to 1 to 2 to 1, the steam pressure from 74 lb. to 200 lb.; and
the piston speed from about 300 ft. to 675 ft. per minute. The aim has
been to ensure reliability by a steady- and easy-running engine.
An effective appearance has always been aimed at, and the result has
invariably been a highly-finish design. Yachts' engines are invariably
balanced, whether so specified or not, as the gain in comfort to all on
board, owing to the absence of vibration, is so marked as to more than
compensate for the extra cost involved. Forced lubrication has also
been applied, although the engines may be of the ordinary open type:
the main bearings, crank-pins, cross-heads, eccentrics, valve gear,
pump gear, etc., are all included in the system, which has given every
satisfaction.
The _Grianaig's_ engines developed on trial 740 indicated horse-power
at 148 revolutions per minute, with a boiler pressure of 190 lb.
per square foot, and a condenser vacuum of 26.5 in. Some of the
details, being typical of the practice of the firm in respect of yacht
machinery, are quoted from the specification on the next page.
The arrangement of cylinders is as follows: H.P. 14 in. in diameter,
I.P. 22 in. in diameter, L.P. 35 in. in diameter, Stroke 24 in. The
piston and connecting-rods are of steel; the guide-shoes for the
crossheads are of cast iron, the ahead face having white metal, and
the astern face being left plain. The back columns are of the usual
cast-iron box type, the front columns, being steel, are turned. The
high-pressure cylinder has a piston valve, and the intermediate- and
low-pressure cylinders flat slide-valves. None of the cylinders is
provided with liners. A single-stroke reversing engine is situated
at the back of the main engine, but is operated from the starting
platform. The condenser is of the surface type with a circular
cast-iron shell; the total cooling surface is 1300 square feet.
Steam is supplied to the main engine by one single-ended cylindrical
boiler 13 ft. 9 in. in diameter by 10 ft. long, working at a pressure
of 190 lb. per square inch. There are three furnaces, the mean internal
diameter being 3 ft. 5-3/4 in. and the length 6 ft. 10 in. The grates
are 6 ft. long, giving an aggregate area of 61.5 square feet. The
boiler tubes are 3-1/4 in. in diameter and 6 ft. 10-3/4 in. long, the
total heating surface being 1899 square feet.
[Illustration: decoration]
[Illustration: Plate XXVI. ENGINES OF THE YACHT "GRIANAIG."]
[Illustration: Plate XXVII. DINING SALOON IN A MAIL STEAMER.
(_See page 81._)
DRAWING ROOM IN THE STEAM YACHT "FOROS." (_See page 81._)]
[Illustration: decoration]
The Twentieth Century.
[Illustration: decoration]
Prophecy has its allurements even in the domain of applied mechanics;
and having reviewed progress during the past two centuries in naval
architecture, as embodied in sailing ships, merchant steamers,
warships, and yachts, there is a temptation to speculate on the
prospects of the future. The possibilities of the steam turbine, for
manufacturing which the Scotts are laying down a special plant; the
potentialities of the producer-gas engine as applied to the propulsion
of ships; and even the solution of the problems which stand in the way
of the application of the universally-desired oil turbine, are all
topics which would prove interesting, even although no conclusion could
be arrived at. It is enough, however, to say here, that each is having
careful consideration by the firm.
The historian is not, however, concerned with the future, and the
only justification for the title given above is the intention here
to briefly review the state of marine construction, as represented
at the beginning of this new century by typical vessels built or
being built by the Scotts. It is difficult, where so many ships of
distinctive design and equipment have been constructed, to select a
few representative types. Amongst the countries which have had new
ships in recent years are France, Russia, Italy, Denmark, Holland,
Portugal, Greece, India, the Straits Settlements, China, Australia,
New Zealand, Brazil and other South American Republics, and the United
States of America. This list of foreign _cliéntele_, however, is
being diminished, owing to the influence of subsidies paid by foreign
Governments to shipowners or shipbuilders.
Taking account only of large vessels built during the past fifty years,
there are one hundred and five of Scotts' steamers now trading in China
seas, twenty-six in the Indian Ocean, ten on the North Atlantic, nine
in the South African seas, thirty in South American waters, eighteen in
the Colonial service, and ninety-seven on the European coast; while in
home waters there are many more.
One of the gratifying features in connection with the commercial
relationship of the Scotts, too, is the continuance of confidence over
a long period of years of several of our large steamship companies.
This is, perhaps, the best indication of the satisfactory character
of the work done. The Holt Line have had built for them within forty
years, by the Scotts, forty-eight vessels of 148,353 tons. The China
Navigation Company have had a greater number of ships, namely,
sixty-four, but as the size is smaller the total tonnage is less,
namely, 115,600 tons. An important Continental firm has had twenty-one
vessels; while for a Portuguese Company five large vessels were built,
and for the French Trans-Atlantic Company eleven fast liners. Other
cases might be mentioned, but these suffice.
[Illustration: Plate XXVIII. THE DONALDSON LINER, "CASSANDRA."]
As regards fast steamers, the recent warships built and described in a
previous chapter may be accepted as typical in so far as the problems
of marine engineering are concerned. In each of these cases the design
of the machinery has been prepared by the firm, and the difficulties
were more complicated than in the case of merchant work. Moreover,
it must be remembered, that the maritime predominance of Britain is due
as much to that enormous fleet of moderate-speed intermediate and cargo
ships, which maintain exceptionally long voyages with regularity and
economy, as to the fast ships engaged on comparatively short routes.
Of the nine thousand odd British ships included in _Lloyds' Register_,
less than 2-1/2 per cent. have a speed of over 16 knots: a fact which
in itself proves that economy, rather than speed, is the primary
consideration.[68]
The new Donaldson liner, now being constructed by the firm, may be
accepted as representative of one of the most useful types of steamer
in the British fleet. An illustration of this vessel is given on Plate
XXVIII., facing page 74. While primarily intended for the Atlantic
passenger trade, she is of such moderate dimensions as to suit almost
any service, having a length of 455 ft. between perpendiculars, a
breadth of 53 ft., and a depth, moulded, of 32 ft.; the draught will
not be more than 26 ft. with a displacement of 13,500 tons. While
designed to carry 8000 tons of deadweight cargo in the four holds, the
vessel has accommodation for a large number of passengers, who are
afforded more room than on the larger and faster liners, with the same
luxury and comfort. This latter fact accounts in large measure for the
growing preference of a great proportion of the travelling public for
the intermediate ship.
The machinery has been designed with the view of attaining the
highest economy. For driving the twin screws there are two separate
three-cylinder triple-expansion engines, which are to indicate together
5500 horse-power when running at the moderate piston speed of 680
ft. per minute. The cylinders are respectively 26 in., 42 in., and
70 in. in diameter, the stroke being 48 in. There is a very complete
installation of auxiliary machinery. In all, there are fifty-seven
steam cylinders in the ship, each having its special function.
Steam for all of these is supplied at a pressure of 180 lb. per square
inch, by two double-ended boilers 20 ft. long, and two single-ended
boilers 11 ft. 6 in. long, the diameter in all cases being 15 ft. 9 in.
The total heating surface is about 15,000 square feet, and the grate
area 435 square feet. In the design and construction of the engines
and boilers every consideration has been given to strength in order to
ensure reliability.
In dealing with the development of the steamship we had occasion to
refer to the Holt liners, which inaugurated the first regular steamship
service to the Far East, _viâ_ the Cape of Good Hope. That was in 1865,
and since then a long series of most successful steamships has been
constructed by the Scotts for the China trade of the Ocean Steamship
Company. As representative of the modern ship for this service we take
four vessels just completed, three of them taking the names of the
pioneer ships of the line--the _Achilles_, _Agamemnon_, and _Ajax_,
while the fourth is named _Deucalion_; one of these is illustrated on
Plate XXIX., facing this page.
[Illustration: Plate XXIX. THE HOLT LINER "ACHILLES," OF 1900.]
Throughout the forty years that have elapsed since the first vessels
were built, each successive steamer of the forty-eight built by the
Scotts has marked an increase in size, and an improvement in
economy. In the former respect the advance is not perhaps so striking
as in some other trades; but it must always be remembered that a ship
which is to steam for 12,000 or 13,000 miles without many opportunities
of coaling cannot be of high speed; otherwise the bunker capacity
would be so great as to seriously reduce the available cargo space;
while the running expenses would be so heavy as to materially decrease
the utility of the vessel as an aid to the development of commerce.
There is ever the happy mean, which has here been realised with
characteristic prudence and enterprise.
The forty years' progress in the case of the Holt liners has brought
about an increase of 50 per cent. in the dimensions of the ship, the
later Scotts' vessels being 441 ft. between perpendiculars, 52 ft. 6
in. in breadth, and 35 ft. in depth moulded, with a gross register of
7043 tons. In respect of deadweight capacity, however, there has been
considerable development, due to the adoption of mild steel having
permitted a reduction in the weight of boilers and engines, and in
the scantlings of the hull. The new vessels, with a draught of 26 ft.
6 in., carry 8750 tons of deadweight cargo--two and a-half times the
weight carried by the earliest Holt liners.
In forty years the steam pressure in the Holt liners has increased from
60 lb. to 180 lb.; and the piston speed from 400 ft. to 720 ft. per
minute. The heating surface in the boilers has decreased from 6 square
feet to 3 square feet per unit of power; and the condenser surface from
1.83 square feet to 1.3 square feet per unit of power. On the other
hand, each square foot of grate gives now 14 horse-power, as compared
with 6.6 horse-power formerly.
As a result of increased steam pressures and greater efficiency of
propulsion, it may be taken that, notwithstanding the increase in
dimensions and capacity of the ship, and the consequent advance in
engine power, the coal required for a voyage half way round the world
has been reduced to one half that of 1865.
Another notable feature in the economy of the ship is that twenty-five
derricks have been fitted for dealing rapidly with the cargo, and
one of these has a lifting capacity of 35 tons, to take such heavy
units of cargo as locomotive boilers and tenders. In addition, there
are eighteen steam winches. The reduction in the time spent in port,
because of the facilities thus provided, is another element in the
economy of the modern ship.
The largest oil steamer yet constructed, the _Narragansett_,
was completed by the Scotts in 1903. This vessel, built for the
Anglo-American Oil Company, carries in her sixteen separate
compartments, 10,500 tons of oil, at a speed of 11 knots, for a fuel
consumption of 4.9 lb. of coal per 100 tons of cargo per mile. This
result is deduced from steaming, in ordinary service, over nearly
24,000 miles, and is consequently as reliable as it is interesting.
The _Narragansett_, which is illustrated on Plate XXX., facing this
page, has a length between perpendiculars of 512 ft. and overall of
531 ft.; the beam is 63 ft. 3 in., and the depth, moulded, 42 ft.
The deadweight carrying capacity on a draught of 27 ft. is 12,000
tons. The engines are of the triple-expansion type. Interest in the
machinery is associated principally with that fitted for the pumping
of the oil cargo. There are two pump-rooms, one located conveniently
for the oil in the eight compartments forward of the machinery space;
the other in a corresponding situation for the same number of tanks
abaft the propelling engines. The 10,500 tons of cargo can be loaded or
discharged in less than twelve hours. While primarily for the Atlantic
trade, the vessel was designed to undertake, if required, the much
longer voyage of the Eastern service.
[Illustration: Plate XXX. THE LARGEST OIL-CARRYING STEAMER AFLOAT, THE
"NARRAGANSETT."]
Because of the uniformly good results with ordinary coal, we give the
details as received from the superintending engineer of the owners:--
TABLE VII.--RECORDS OF COAL CONSUMPTION OF STEAMSHIP "NARRAGANSETT."