Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-05-14
From the Philadelphia Ledger. April n.
Complete Success OF the United States Basin and
s Railway Dry.Dock.

From the Philadelphia Ledger. April q.
Complete Success OF the United States Basin and
Railway Dry-Dock.
The test of the dry-dock at naval station, on
the newly-invented plan of floating dock basin, and
railways was completed yesterday, by taking out
the steamship City of Pittsburg on the permanent
railway which performed in the most success
fu manner in about seven hours. The operation
was witnessed by the United States board OF commits
sioners appointed to make the test, viz: Commodore
Reed, Captain Jngraham, and Naval Constructor
Grice all of the navy. Among the distinguished
persons present were General C. B. Stuart, engineer
n-chief of the navy Horatio Allen, ESQ., an eminent
civil engineer and the inventor of the hydraulic To-
connective cylinder which moved the vessel from the
sections on the railway. Colonel Florence. the
member of Congress from the first district, s. v.
Merrick ESQ.,, and Others also interested look
ers-on among the thousands who were attracted to
the yard by the novelty of the undertaking. The
City of Pittsburg being about $50 feet long had OF
course be moved that distance to be removed
entirely from the sections upon which she previously
rested The hydraulic locomotive accomplished this
in the following manner
| The hydraulic power is obtained by forcing wa
ter into hollow cylinder, which forces the piston
out and the frame work supporting the vessel being
attached to the crosshead of the piston, the whole
vast bulk is moved together, The apparatus
mains immovable. being securely keyed to the rail-
way but the piston is forced out to its
full extent. the keys removed, and the engines
surrounding the apparatus which previously worked
the pumps that forced the water into the cylinder
now form the motive-power of the apparatus which
is driven along upon the railway until the piston
again occupies its orig final position in the cylinder
when the same nl0duS OperGndl is again gone over.
The City of Pittsburg is about fifty feet longer
than the largest shpof-the-line, and her actual
weight is reported by the naval constructor to be q
800 tons, which is considerably heavier than ship
of-theline would be when prepared for docking.
The dry-dock which Philadelphia can boast
of has ADVANTAGES which Mace it far in
advance of any other dock in this or any other
Countrywide basin attached to the railway being of
sufficient capacity to six or eight railways On
ly two railways completed and with these alone
two vessels Of $50 feet in length could be securely
placed ashore for rebuilding or repairs, while the
repairs of third ship line two smaller YES
sells could be in progress at the anne time on the
sections.
This extraordinary capacity for docking is secured
by the basin and railway invention which is the
novel feature of this new system, for the first
time put into actual operation. The important re-
suits attained in multiplying the capacity of the
work stamps it as of the most important inven-
tons of the day, and like the telegraph and other
kindred achievements, is purely American. No 9TH
err known plan of y-dock is capable Of taking more
than first rate ship out at once but by this new
method any number of any size can be taken out
limited only by the size of the basin and the number
of railways.
In time of war when it becomes necessary to re-
pair vessels and put them afoat possible
it can accomplish the object ten times faster than by
the old method. In time of peace, the railways
would form housed slips berths, in which vessels
in ordinary may be laid up and protected from the
weather and preserved from decay and at all times
they form building ways from which ships can be de-
ivered into the water without the strain occasoneC
by launching down an inclined plane in the usua
way. TIE excavated stone dock leaves the ship
down in narrow. dark, damp pit; this plain brings
her up fully into the light air, where the work
. men can do their work to much better advantage
and more to their comfort and health. The cost a
which all these superior advantages attained il
much less than that of the old plan-in fact. only
about one-third as much, The works at the Phila
delphia yard have cost the government only abou
100000, whereas the stone dock at the Brooklyn
Yard, capable of taking out only ship, has cos
upwards of 50, 100000.
The inventors of this method. who ais
the contractors for its construction, Messrs. Da
den & Moody. of the city of New York, who it mus
be confessed have evinced high degree of fnechan
ical ingenuity and skill, and are worthy of grea
commentator for the successful manner in whicI
they have thus brought their valuable invention int
practical use. Indeed, it is truly wonderful tina
they able to put this, their first work built OF
their pan in full and successful operation with
out the slightest defect difficulty causing mo
ment's delay throughout the whole process Mucl
of this triumphant success is due to the admirabl
working of the hydraulic cylinder, invented and con
structed by Horatio Allen, Esqr., of New York; an
: also to the beautiful machinery for moving tn
pumps and floats, devised by Mr.. Phineas Burgess
the ingenious engineer of the contractors. The gen
Y eral superintendent has been conducted by Mr..
i T. Dean, whose courteous and gentemanly depor
: ment has endeared him to all who have had occa
: sion to visit the works.