The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1847-01-07
n exists between The Iron Balance Duck and

ton exists between the Iron Balance Dock and
that termed the Sectional; hut ought this to pre-.
vent forever the adoption Of one ar the other? A
Fl"aiing Dry Dock mus, he ordeicd for the Pen
sacola station and it is inperali sely necessary Ia
do il now. Congress hay pass law directly. or
II may direct the Secretary to institute n commits
sion at compeicn, scientific and praciica men
whose decision shall settle the question There
is little chance OF an incorrect decision. fur the
responsibility will be of ton wcighty nature To
permit of an erroneous conclusion. II The dec
sions heretofore made by the men deemed he's,
calculated in this and oiher countries to decide
the question. aud il science, in harmony with
Practical results, is To avail anything--f use or
experience he worth more on large scale than
on small one, and in many cases than in few.
or in one, then il would seem that the Balance
D"ck is decidedly preferable. II has been pre-
ierred, after an examination Of both plans ia all
cases, both for Commercial and Naval purposes.
and is now in use at New York. at Charleston. a,
New Orleans. al Havre. al Marseilles, at Amst r
dam. (where there are two docks on this plan. }
at Men DIePPe. and at Batavia. fur the Dutch
Royal Navy. The French government is build
ing one at f"nlon as an auxiliary Ia the three
Stone Docks alteady bnilt there, and another dock
is in progress of constrnciun for the port of Rio
de Janero. The Sandman government, has like
wise adopted the Balance Duck, and is about Ia
"uliu. again arrangements are partially made Il,
build large Balance Dock for the por, of Hava
ma. and Balance Dock large enough To take up
seventy. four gun ship is now in an advanced
stage uf construction al The foot nf 'rhirie,h ST
~ Il. II will be finished and put to use at this
port in March next.
As between the rival Decks nu" claiming the
attention Of The Government and the Public gu
original preference was given 10 the Sectional
and was freely stated. We did not. however,
lay much stress on our avn opinion. nur wisl,
others To do so. hu, desired that the Judgment If
Naval Architects. Ship Builders and practical
men should nc deemed conclusive Time and
experience appear Ia have virtually settled the
question against our first mprcs ions and in favor
of the Balance D,ck. While that has been
adopted and put in use in nearly every quarter OF
The globe, we are Informed that there is but a
single Sectional Dock now actually al work, and
That hut three have ever been constructed The
objections urged against il by scientific men are
lis comparative frailiy, IFS resemblance. when in
use, to vessel loaded entirely on deck. with
nothing in the hold, and It's want of power fur
taking mp readily and fely the largest class oil
ships. IL must be moured in smooth water, and
smooth water is not usually deep. Ii requires a
great depth for its operation, and an excavation
Tor II tends to fill up. Our decided preference
therefore, is now given to the Balance Dock
while we hold either an improvement on the old
Stone Dock. Why should the Government 90
on expanding hundreds of thousands on these cost
Nv and announcement structures, when Flolting
Dock may be built ST. vastly cheaper and demon
slrably better answer the purpose Will no,
the attention OF lax payers be drawn to this sub
ipct2