THIS year has been one of exceptional interest with regard to the development of Marine Motors, and it will be satis- factory to the supporters of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION to know that the subject of placing motors in existing Life-boats and designing new Life-boats to carry them has occupied a very large part of the time of the Com- mittee of Management and Officers.

It will be remembered that the first experiment made by the Institution in having a motor Life-boat was described in the Life-boat Journal in August, 1904 (No. 213, p. 247). The Life-boat re- ferred to in that article was sent to Newhaven, Sussex, in November last year, where she won such golden opinions from the Coxswain and crew that, when she was transferred to Tynemouth as the Station Life-boat, the Newhaven men promptly asked to have their own Life-boat (a 37ft. by 9ft. Sin. self- righting boat) fitted with a motor. This was a most encouraging sign that the Institution was working on the right lines and that the efforts of the Com- mittee and their Officers were being applied in a profitable direction.

In July last it was decided, after the report of the Sub-Committee, specially appointed to consider the question of motor Life-boats, had been received, to order three more motors, and also that the new Life-boats for Fishguard, Stron- say, Stromness and Thurso should be specially designed as motor Life-boats.

The three motors to be installed were as follows:—• The Walton-on-the-Naze Life-boat, of the Norfolk and Suffolk type, 43ft. by 12ft. 6in., to be fitted with a 4-cyUnder " Blake" motor of 40 B.H.P., making 550 revolutions, and approximate weight of 16 cwt. Diameter of cylinder, 5jin., length of stroke, 6 in.

The Newhaven Life-boat, self-righting type, 37ft. by 9ft. 3in. to be fitted with a 4-cylinder " Thornycroft," 24 B.H.P., 1000 revolutions, 4jin. diameter of cylinder and 5in. stroke. Approximate weight, 8 cwt.

The late Ramsgate Life-boat, of self- righting type, 42ft. by lift., to be fitted with a 4-cylinder " Briton" motor, 30 B.H.P., 900 revolutions, 5in. diameter of cylinder, 5in. length of stroke and ap- proximate weight 8 cwt.In each of the three boats reversing gear will be used, and not "reversing propellers," and it has been left to each firm to fit their own gear.

Of course, fitting these Life-boats for motors entails considerable structural alterations, which have occupied a con- siderable time in carrying out, but as soon as all is completed, and the engines installed, a very interesting series of trials is anticipated. In the design of the new Life-boats for Stronsay, etc., it is arranged that the propellers are placed in the very best position for Life-boat work—that is to say, to have them far enough forward to prevent any possibility of " racing," or, in other words, coming out of the water when the boat is pitch- ing heavily; also a hatch is provided over the propeller to give access to it to clear it should it get entangled with ropes or other matter.

It will be readily understood that the nature of the Institution's work demands the very greatest caution in starting on such a new line. If there should be any doubt on such a subject the con- temporary events connected with motor boats built for pleasure are quite enough to show that, though the marine motor has come to stay, it, so far as this year's experience shows, has not reached that state of perfection as to be able to say •—expert management can be dispensed with.

There is no doubt that there are many marine motors which practically can be run without any skilled assist- ance, but • generally speaking they are not suitable for the Life - boat service.

One of the most advantageous developments of the use of marine motors is that relating to fishing boats.

Lieutenant Mansfield Cuming, R.N., has furnished the Scottish Office with an extremely interesting report on this subject. With the concurrence of the Admiralty, he was requested to inquire and report on the whole subject, and for this purpose he first visited ports in Scotland and then Scandinavian and German ports in which motors had been successfully used in fishing boats. He found that this method of propuls'on was in very general use in the countries he visited, and manufacturers had made a speciality of motor engines suitable for fishing boats.

Two points had to be considered, first, as to the installation of motors in ex- isting fishing boats ; and second, as to having specially-built boats for the pur- pose. Quoting from the report—the most important points to be considered were: (1) Safety. (2) Reliability. (3) Ease of management. (4) Handiness of con- trol. (5) Cost of working. (6) Original cost of installation. (7) General efficiency.

All these points are taken seriatim in the report, and (with the exception of No. 5, cost of working, which in the Life-boat service, on account of the very short time during the year when the engines would be working, need not be seriously considered) have their bearing on the Life-boat service.

The danger of explosion or from fire due to overheating is dwelt on, and'it is pointed out that, unlike road motors, where any leakage of fuel drops on the road and evaporates, in a boat it finds its way into the bilge, and the fuel vapour being heavier than air may remain there some time and be liable to explosion. As a very small pro- portion of vapour when combined with air makes an explosive mixture, a leak so small as to be unnoticeable might be a source of danger. For these and other reasons, always remembering that Lieutenant Mansfield Cuming is dealing with fishing boats, he considers that volatile oils and spirits, such as petrol, gasoline, benzoline, alcohol, etc., are unsuitable, and he decided that it would be useless to consider motors de- signed to work with this fuel. His remarks on reliability are much to the point, and he considers the qualificationsto be observed are as follows : quality of design, workmanship and material, absence of complications or numbers of small parts, slow running, efficient lubri- cation, absence of vibration, and pro- tection of the internal parts from sea water—this last quite as applicable to a Life-boat as a fishing boat, for it frequently happens that there is not a dry spot on board, and the motor must be well cased in. Coming to " ease of control," here again there are some useful remarks advocating that the clutch lever, reversing gear, reversing lever and throttle valve should be brought within easy reach of the man steering.

Under the head ing of General Efficiency there is nraeh discussed which has con- siderable interest for those contemplating either building a motor-boat or adapting a boat already built. Such questions as the H.P. to be selected, the method of reversing, etc., etc., are touched on.

The following remark is as applicable to Life-boat service as to fishing boats : " I consider that the average Scotch fisherman will have little difficulty in driving and managing a motor of low power, and no doubt, after handling, say, a 10 H.P. or 20 H.P. for some time, he would be competent to manage a more powerful engine. But there is consider- able difference in the skill required to run a small engine or a big one, and I think it would be risking failure to commence the trial of this form of power by setting the men too difficult a task." The report shows that the motors examined wei'e of two classes—those driven by petrol and those consuming petroleum crude oil. Motors of the petrol description were examined chiefly to find out whether one could be adapted to use petroleum by altering the system of carburation or of finding a better form of reversing gear than was then on the market. Some interesting ac- counts were given of the experience of the captains of some of the vessels who had had motors under their observation for upwards of two years, and it came somewhat as a surprise to learn that some 600 Scandinavian fishing boats were fitted with motors.

As is known, Lieutenant Mansfield Cuming recommended that the " Dan " motor be tried, it in his opinion being the most suitable type for installing in a fishing boat, and having also the advan- tage of having had most satisfactory trials extending over a period of some years. This motor burns any ordinary commercial petroleum, such as "Royal Daylight," " Tea Rose," etc. As stated above, it must be remembered that the report only deals with motors as applied to fishing boats. For Life-boat work the motor recommended would not be suitable on account of its weight, dimensions, and also for the fact that it takes about twenty minutes before the engine can be started running.

This able report has, however, much of interest and much valuable informa- tion, apart from the question of adapting motors to fishing boats.

For other commercial purposes the year has been prolific in the adaptation of marine motors. They have come into use both at home and abroad for passenger traffic, ferry boats, and barges, and one or two coasters have also ap- peared fitted with motors.

It is, however, in the direction of yachts and other pleasure boats that the greatest development has taken place, and 1905 will be always remembered by those interested in this particular branch of the motor industry. Many motors have been installed for auxiliary power in sailing yachts, with, it is understood, very satisfactory results. Motor boats, pure and simple, although perhaps the application of these words is hardly appropriate, have certainly been much in evidence, and it would appear, generally speaking, that the design of the boat itself has not kept pace with the ad- vance made in the engines. No doubtexcellent fine-weather racing machines ! have been turned out, and these are the boats mostly before the public, but there are other classes of motor-boats not so prominent where the seaworthiness of the craft has been, as it always should be, the first consideration.

Perhaps the most noteworthy incidents connected with the motor-boat racing which have taken place were those which occurred in the race which took place in the Mediterranean from Algiers to Toulon after leaving Port Mahon. On this occasion it was only too apparent that the boats were not of a design fit to undertake such conditions of sea and weather likely to be encountered in the open sea. One can but admire the great courage of those (and one was a lady) who undertook such a dangerous task.

It will be remembered that these boats were accompanied by French torpedo boats, and if it had not been for the skill shown by the officers in com- mand of these vessels in rescuing the crews of the motor-boats and taking their craft in tow it is more than likely there would have been considerable loss of life.

The reliability trials held in the Solent and other places were also of deep in- terest, and no doubt will have consider- able bearing on the future designs of engines and boats. An interesting novelty at these trials was the applica- tion of the use of suction gas to a marine motor in a boat designed and engined by Messrs. John I. Thornycroft and Co.

Those who have had the opportunity of j | visiting the Naval Shipping and Fisheries Exhibition at Earl's Court, London, this year, must have been struck by the suction gas engines belonging to Messrs.

Crossley, which were working there; the simplicity and economy claimed for them would apparently give them many ad- vantages. To recapitulate all the im- portant events of the year in which marine motors have figured would go far beyond the scope of this article. It must be evident to everyone who has spent any time by the sea or lakes and rivers this year that the motor-boat has indeed " arrived.".