Mr. ROBERTS. The Diesel engine is reciprocating?

Mr. AYRES. No, sir; it is not. It is called an internal-combustion engine; it is entirely different.

The CHAIRMAN. But it is not turbine?

Mr. AYRES. No, sir.

Mr. HOBSON. Is it double action?

Mr. AYRES. I think it is compound, four actions. I am not technically up on the matter.

Mr. HOBSON. Does combustion take place on both sides of the piston?

Mr. AYRES. No; I think not. I think that is arranged by different cylinders. There are several types of engines, I believe.

Mr. ROBERTS. What is the horsepower of the Diesel engine on the ship that you spoke of that went around the globe?

Mr. AYRES. It only developed about 6,000 horsepower. That was enough for a cargo-carrying boat.

Mr. ROBERTS. Admiral Cone told us about the horsepower developed so far, and my impression is that your figures are away in advance of what he gave.

The CHAIRMAN. He said about 6,000.

Mr. AYRES. The point is right here. The Diesel engine is in its infancy. One of the important items is the very high price of fuel oil. Two or three years ago oil could have been bought from the Standard Oil Co., on time contracts, so that with the use of the Deisel engine the cost of operating a steamer would be very materially less than for the use of coal and steam, but within the last 12 months the Standard Oil prices have almost doubled, so that at the present time there is not very much advantage in the use of the Diesel engine. The Mexican oil, which is being exploited by the Pierces, they think they can make contracts at a low price, but I am not sure of that. In the early experiments with this engine a variety of fuel was used, not only the fuel oil, but carbon waste and powdered coal, but it was found that the powdered coal used by injecting it into the cylinder produced a bad effect.

In the Agricultural Department we have adopted the plan of making experiments and of developing advantageous methods of carrying on agriculture in this country. I can not see the reason why our country should fail to longer take advantage of the experiments and improvements made in foreign countries, and only get the advantage of those improvements three or four or five years later.

The CHAIRMAN. May I say that Admiral Cone expressed himself as anxious for us to provide an appropriation in order that he might pursue this matter at the New York Navy Yard and take up this question in its entirety, not only to experiment, but to construct an engine for use on one of the new ships, if it was found to be sufficiently reliable.

Mr. AYRES. Precisely. That is just what I am getting at, and more than that, to enlarge the scope of the investigation to include not only the Diesel type, but the powdered coal type, because it would revolutionize marine engine work.

The CHAIRMAN. His idea was not to limit it to any special type, but to secure the best engine possible.

Mr. AYRES. That is all I have to say, and I hope that you will include in your bill a sufficient amount to properly do so.

[No. 8.]

THE COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS,
Tuesday, January 7, 1913.

The committee this day met, Hon. Lemuel P. Padgett (chairman) presiding.

STATEMENT OF CAPT. J. H. GIBBONS, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY, ACCOMPANIED BY COMMANDER W. C. COLE, UNITED STATES NAVY.

The CHAIRMAN. Gentlemen of the committee, we have with us this morning Capt. Gibbons, superintendent of the Naval Academy.

Captain, I notice that the language under "Pay of professors and others, Naval Academy" remains the same until we reach the last line at the bottom of page 98, where you have 4 instructors at $1,800 each, instead of 10, a reduction of 6. I would be glad if you would explain that fully to the committee.

Capt. GIBBONS. These 10 instructors are at present assigned to duty in what we call the academic departments; that is, mathematics, modern languages, and English. It is proposed to gradually reduce all of these instructors and to replace them with naval officers. This has been the policy of the department, at least of the Naval Academy, since its foundation, the increase in the number of civilian instructors being due generally to war conditions. After the Spanish War, owing to the scarcity of naval officers, at the time that Capt. Brownson was the superintendent, it was impossible to get enough naval officers detailed for the instruction of the largely increased corps of midshipmen; at that time the number of appointments had been doubled. This was supposed to be a temporary measure until regular officers were available. The increased number of graduates has gone on now some 10 years, and we find that graduates of the academy, after graduation and the 5 years at sea, are available for shore duty, and can be assigned for duty at the Naval Academy. It has always been the policy to maintain a large percentage of the instructors at the Naval Academy from naval officers. There are to be retained, however, in these three departments, 4 professors in the department of modern languages, 2 in English, and 2 in mathematics. We employ in mathematics some regular professors of mathematics who are naval officers and who belong to the grade of professor of mathematics. I am referring only to those who are paid as civilian instructors.

The CHAIRMAN. You have three of those departments. Who is at the head of those departments?

Capt. GIBBONS. At the head of the department of mathematics is the professor of mathematics, Henry E. Smith, who is a graduate of the Naval Academy, but was appointed a professor of mathematics. The CHAIRMAN. He is a commissioned officer?

Capt. GIBBONS. He is a commissioned officer with the title of professor of mathematics and rank of commander. I think there are 12 or 13 professors of mathematics in the Navy.