New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-01-17
The Louis Philippe on the Balance Fioating
Dry Dock.

W visited this noble ship Saturday in her pres
ent comfortable berth in the Balance Dock at the
foot Of Pike st. East River, where she has been IN
dergoing extensive repairs She has had an en-
tire new keel put in the most troublesome aod DIFF
GcuIt operation that can be performed On vessel
in dock Her repairs have been conducted by w.
Il. Webb, Esq. who coniesssdly stands at the head
Of his business ship builder in NewYork, and
therefore in the world, and who, as well as the
owners and officers Of the ship is in the highest
degree satisfied with the DOCK and with the man
ner in which the snip has been taken up and sus-
tanned. She will be let down into the water egain
in a day or two. as stout and staunch a ship. and
as ready TO do her battle with the winds ard waves
as when she first entered her element.
This heavy job on tho Louis Philippe has afforded
good opportunity OF proving the excellence of
Floating Docks for even the heaviest repairing
that can be required for ships Of any size and we
hope that it's influence will not be lost in Congress-
the next time they are applied to by the Navy De
pactment 10 sink another million or two Of dollars
IN huge pit OF masonry to repair vessels ia Tue
work done on the Louis Philippe, in less than two
weeks, would probably have taken two months 10
do in stone dock In the Balance Dock, the ship
is so elevated that the bottom of her keel is only
about TWO feet below the level OF the water while
in stone dock il would have been sunk down to
depth of thirty In the former there is every de-
srabe convenience OF room light, air dryne and
easy access for workmen and heavy materials,
while the latter presents strong contras. IN all
these important respects. IL is too late In the day
for naval hesd Of department or bureau TO dis.
parage Floating Docks for tha.sse OF the Navy, as
an Experiment" aud as less secure and satlSiac-
tory than the costly structures Of stone 10 which
they so much deight-atthe expense OF the public
treasury. We undertake to say that If stone
dock were this moment by the side Of the Balance
dock there is not a ship builder, intelligent
ship-o~nar in New. York who would not put their
heaviest vessels and for the heaviest repairs they
can require, in the floating, in preference 10 the
D,i dock.
We advise those Of our readers who would like
70 understand this subject little for themselves to
step up TO the foo. OF Pike st and look at the dock
and ship before the Louis Philippe is let down into
the water again, which is expected to be 10 morrow
or next day. She has already been visited by
many persons including most Of our ship-bOilders
snd We are pleased to learn that her docking has
Afforded the bighes, and most unanimous satisiao
ton 1t has fully established the character OF the
New York Balance Dock which though for SIEVE.
raj years In operation IN other ports has been but
recently constructed here on q large scale.
Ii any OF the official gentlemen IN the Navy Dc
pa ,ment have any farther doubts on the subject
why do they Tot send one OF their irgstes u be
docked on that dock The largest Of them would
be- as We are informed, only a small tax upon us
lifting noxrr