In an interview Herr Flettner said :- " The first
trip with the Iluckau ' has been successful beyond. expectations. Its extraordinary superiority over ordinary sailing ships in exploiting wind-power was shown beyond dispute, and it was shown that steam and motor ships, even the largest ocean liners, will need only 10 per cent. or so of their present fuel supply when using my invention. The wind-power ship makes full use of the millions of horse-power latent in the wind. It costs no more to build than existing types. Only 2 per cent. of applied power is necessary ; the remainder of the power required can be drawn from the wind. Great ocean liners will be able, with necessary adaptation, to obtain 10,000 to 20,000 horse-power entirely out of the wind. So is solved the problem of the full exploitation of wind-power, the blue coal.' " Herr Flettner estimates the power of the wind on the cylinders as being fifteen times that of the wind on sails. If there has been no exaggeration the invention is a most important as well as a most unexpected develop- ment. The wind-driven ship will come back to life. The saving in labour will be enormous. No sails will have to be hoisted ; the cylinders will always be in position. Only a few switches will have to be worked to start, regulate and stop the cylinders.
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