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Make Smoke

11K views 27 replies 16 participants last post by  LouisB 
#1 ·
Hello everyone. I have searched nearly everywhere for someone who may know something about an Engine Room Telegraph that rings 'Make white -Make black' above a 'SMOKE' indicator. I am going to try and attach a picture of the Telegraph made by Chadburns Liverpool. It is marked with a number '1419'. All Chadburn's records were destroyed when the factory was bombed in the War.

It's fascinating me, and the Chadburn Society cannot help.

Best regards

Chris. (puffer)
 

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#2 · (Edited)
Welcome

Chris,

On behalf of the SN Moderating Team, a warm welcome aboard from the Isle of Anglesey.
I guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy the SN experience and I am also sure that someone will be able to help with your query – in the meantime have a good look around. (Thumb)*
 
#6 ·
Pure speculation on my part.

My impression is that it is an old telegraph, from the early days of steam military vessels. Yes, I think it's military, not a lot of call for merchant smoke. The 'Feed Trouble' would again indicate the early days of steam, with somewhat unreliable feed pumps. The separation of both feed trouble and voice tube 1 and 2 might indicate 2 separate machinery or boiler rooms. There could still be only a single engine.

I'm not totally convinced that it even is an engine telegraph, 3 'speeds, but no indication for reverse? More of a communication telegraph?

The whole thing just seems really odd to me. If I had to guess (and I AM just guessing) I'd say something off an early torpedo boat or destroyer?
 
#10 ·
Just guessing but boiler room seems to be the best fit. Instruction to stop smoke being as important as making the stuff. Presumably military astern turbine as inefficient as civilian and so absence of direction might suggest an up-and-downer or turbo electric?
 
#11 ·
An elder brother was on a tanker on passage from Alexandria to Benghazi under escort of a South African naval vessel. A signal was received from the naval vessel requesting that, as she had broken down would they make smoke to give her cover. Once they reached a position close to windward the chief engineer descended below and quickly thick black oily smoke came out the funnel. Shortly after it was noticed through the smoke the naval vessel's signal lamp was urgently flashing, " For Christ's sake stop smoke". (Cloud)
 
#13 ·
Now that a double ring is likely to bugger up the controls perhaps there should be two extra segments - FCS Full ahead. FCS Full astern although the non directional 'Utmost', as here, also has a ring to it- perhaps it was in more general use? (from 'Make a Signal' I understand it was used in messages maybe also flags?).
 
#19 · (Edited)
The 'Old' Tide class of fleet oiler had the 'make smoke' order on the backplate of the manoeuvring flat/boiler room telegraph. I often felt that there should have been a 'make less smoke'designation on the telegraph so that people could tell the difference from normal steaming :) Horrible class of ship, although a vessel of that class that the Australian Navy inherited, when properly manned and maintained was apparently a popular ship to serve on. Makes you wonder what the poor sods had been on before :(


LouisB (Scribe)
 
#24 ·
A speculation on my part James.

Before the advent of radar and other modern innovations, would not making smoke be the best option for a ship in distress. It could be clearly seen above the horizon, whereas distress flares could easily be missed. Distress calls could also be rendered inoperative in the event of equipment failure.
 
#23 ·
It certainly would Kauvaka. All of the class were more or less the same. Apparently the Australian Navy found the ship to be in a bit of a state when she was handed over but a lot more man power was appointed to her and she was rapidly brought up to scratch. I talked to a R.A.N. officer when I was on an exercise around the Australian coast. He had been appointed to her when she was taken over and said that quite a bit of work in the machinary spaces - including cleaning was required. to make the vessel presentable.

LouisB (Scribe)
 
#22 ·
When my little 'puffer', the VIC72, was in steam her engineer told me that there was only a 'voice pipe' which was seldom used. One stamp on the floor of the wheelhouse meant 'STOP', two stamps 'AHEAD'. There seemed to be no call for 'ASTERN' as the Skipper could turn her in her own length more or less. As 'Sparkie' says 'no reverse'. If they missed the quay they would go around again. If she went aground they would wait for the tide.

No telegraph exchanges here then.. just Mark 1 hobnail boot.
 
#27 ·
On the plates one day manoeuvring in to Sydney when the bridge phone rang you are making black smoke, advised stokehold, next came you are making white smoke, then advised making grey smoke. So I asked which colour do you want. Oop's the old man was on the other end, I can assure you the chief was not impressed, and being the only Jock on the manoeuvring plates he knew who it was, and I got a bollicking plus a nice we dram.
 
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