1.
SCU DUKE OF EDINBURGH MAKES OPENING SPEECH
0.05

2.
GV ADMIRALTY STAFF LISTEN
0.08

3.
GV DUKE UNVEILS PLAQUE
0.14

4.
CU PLAQUE READING "MANOEUVRING TANK OPENED BY H.R.H. PRINCE PHILIP"
0.19

5.
SV SUPERINTENDENT HANDS DUKE "FROUDE WATER" SAVED FROM THE FIRST FROUDE TANK ERECTED IN 1887 AND DEMOLISHED IN 1950. DUKE POURS WATER INTO NEW TANK TO "MIX THE WATERS"
0.31

6.
CU DUKE AND SUPERINTENDENT WALK UP STEPS TO OBSERVE NEW TANK
0.40

7.
GV ROTATING ARM TESTS SUBMARINE MODEL SUBMERGED
0.51

8.
SCU MODEL OF SHIP IN TESTING TANK, IN CALM WATERS
1.01



Initials JRG/V/AW/FW



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A NEW GBP1,500,000 EXPERIMENTAL MANOEUVRING TANK, WHICH WILL PLAY A LARGE PART IN DEVELOPING THE SHIPS FOR THE ROYAL NAVY OF THE FUTURE, WAS OPENED DEC 18, BY THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AT THE ADMIRALTY EXPERIMENT WORKS, HASLAR, UK. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE UK THE ABILITY OF A WARSHIP TO MAINTAIN SPEED AND FIGHT IN ROUGH WEATHER WILL NOW BE STUDIED ON MODEL SCALE IN FULLY REPRESENTATIVE CONDITIONS BY WAY OF A NOVEL WAVEMAKING INSTALLATION WHICH CAN GENERATE WAVES OF ANY REQUIRED HEIGHT, LENGTH AND PATTERN.

HIGH SUSTAINED SPEED, STEADINESS, MANOEUVRABILITY, AND SEAKEEPING QUALITIES ARE REQUIRED IN HIGH DEGREE IN NAVAL VESSELS, BUT THE EMPHASIS ON ANY ONE OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS VARIES ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF SHIP. SOME OF THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE CONFLICTING AND IN ANY DESIGN THE OUTCOME IS OFTEN A COMPROMISE. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TANK EXPERTS TO ADVISE HOW THE BEST COMPROMISE CAN BE OBTAINED FOR EACH SHIP DESIGN. THE MANOEUVRING TANK IS IN AN IMPRESSIVE BUILDING OVERLOOKING HASLAR CREEK. IT CONTAINS A MAIN BASIN NORMALLY HOLDING ABOUT 40,000 TONS OF WATER, AND DRAWING OFFICES, LABORATORIES, WORKSHOPS AND STORE ROOMS.

AT ONE END AND ALONG HALF THE LENGTH OF ONE SIDE OF THE TANK ARE WEDGE SHAPED PLUNGERS, 40-FEET LONG CAN WAVE PATTERN. A TUBULAR STEEL ROTATING ARM ABOUT 100-FEET LONG CAN SWEEP OVER THE WATER TO GIVE SPEEDS UP TO 32 KNOTS TO A MODEL ATTACHED TO A CARRIAGE SLUNG BELOW IT. THIS SPEED WITH A 20-FEET MODEL, IS EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT 70 KNOTS FOR A FAST PATROL BOAT 100-FEET LONG. ARTIFICIAL BEACHES, RECESSED INTO THE WALLS OF THE BASIN, ARE DESIGNED TO ABSORB WAVE ENERGY AND PREVENT REFLECTED WAVES FROM INTERFERING WITH THE GENERAL PATTERN.