New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-01-24
nara, nrr peek q. sreeaIyn.

NAVAL Dry 1>9cA 81 SEcOhi9hs
We bsfeve something IS likely soon - GENE our
of the resolves and re-resolyes Of Congress that
Naval Dry Dock shall be constructed at the Brook
Ign Navy Yard 70 facilitate the repairs OF our Ma
tio1al vessels and to diminish the enormous e1-
pense to which such repairs have hitherto sub
.iecsed the Country. Probably the Government has
Suffered al least 100000 per amman fer many
years for the want OF such Dock; Until It has be-
come the unanimous opinion of all connected with
our Naval Service taa,it is ruinous waste and mad
ness to delay longer. ". presume Dock viii De
at least commenced, very after the rising ct
Congress.
But on what plan shall it be built This has
been perplexirg question. First come the adso-
Gates of Stone Dock, estimated to cost Two or
Three Millions Not word more need be sad
On that head, in the present state of the National
Finances though il is stoutly affirmed that the
sandy substratum OF Brooklyn renders the coz
siruction and preservation of such Dock i'm
possible.
The mex, plan is tha. of Section Deck. to
sist of seven sections estimated by its friends to
cost $457 900 if constructed for vessels OF the
walton, &c costing $4,000 more-in all $40, 600.
The Naval Commission sent here to examine this
matter last Fall report serious objections TO the
feasibility of this plan.
Last, not least, (e1cept;in expense comes the
Balance Floating Dock of Mr.. John S. Gilbert,
which has been for two years in operation
here on smaller scale-the first of the kind ever
buil.. 1t resembles in model the old Dry Dock,
with such improvements as adapt it to vessels of
any capacity and stations of any depth. 1t draws
but FIVE feet of water when sustaining heavy
vessel, and yet it may Immediately be sunk as
to take in seyenty.four. If the latter cannot come
up to her, the Dock goes out into the stream and
takes the ship on board. The Naval Commission,
Consisting OF Capt. Kennon, Col. S. Humphreys,
U. S. Naval Constructor, and W. r. johnson,
Professor of Mechanics, &C. report that they saw
this Dock filled and vessel Of $50 tons admitted
aud placed on her stocks in 80 minutes the water
pumped out dry, and the ship-carpen,ers at work
the vessels bottom in IS minutes more-two
hours in all. And all this by two men and two
boys 50 simply that any man of common ntel!i-
gence could direct the whole after seeing it done
once. The water is thrown out in torrents By a
steam-engine of fcur-horse power.) We have cx-
amined this Dock with care. and helieve that for
economy both of time and outlay it has no equal.
The great popularity of this Dock is the con-
structlon of gigantic chambers in its santng sides,
which, being filled at pleasure with water, de-
press the dock as deep as is desired, or, the wa
Ter being exhausted, the buoyancy of the cham
ing from the pressure of The element without, and
reducing the leakage nearly to nothing-As both
the Secretary's Commission and the Naval Com
nittee Of the House have reported strongly in IA
vor of this Dock as the basis of that to be con-
structed by the Government, we presume it will
be adopted