The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-27
From the Philadelphia Ledger, April -.
Complete Success the United ssatss Basin and
Railway Dry-Dock.

The test of the dry-dock at naval station, the
newly invented plan of floating dock basin, and rail-
ways completed yesterday by taking out the steam
ship City of Pi,tsburg the permanent railway which
performed in the most successful manner in about
hours The operation witnessed BY the United
States board OF commissioners appointed TO make the
test, viz: Commodore Reed, Captain lngraham, and
Naval Constructor Grice-all OF the navy Among the
persons present were General C. B. Stuart,
chief OF the navy. Horato Allen, esq, an
eminent civil engineer and the inventor oil the hydraulic
locomotive cylinder, which moved the vessel from the
sections on the railway. Colonel Florence, the member
of Congress from the first district s " Mcrrick. esq,
and others, also interested ookers.on among the
thousands who attracted to the yard by the novelty
OF the undertaking The City OF Pittsburg being about
$50 feet long had OF TO be moved that distance 20
TO be removed entirely from the sections upon which
she previously rested The hydraulic locomotive accom-
plished this in the following manner:
The hydraulic power is obtained by forcing water into
hollow cylinder which forces the piston out, and the
frame work supporting the vessel being attached to tho
cross head of the piston the whole vast bulk is moved
together The apparatus remains immovable being Sc
curey keyed TO the railway but as soon as the piston
forced out to lis full extent, the keys removed and
the engines surmounng the apparatus, which previously
worked the pumps that forced the water into the cyn-
der. form the motive OF The apparatus, which
driven along upon the railway until the piston again
occupies its original position in the cylinder when the
same modus operandi is again gone over ,
The CITY OF Psburg about 6iiy feet longer than the
largest shin The ne and her actual weight is reported
BY the naval constructor be 2s00 tons, which 10
sideraby heavier than ship.otbe line would be when
| The dry.doek which Philadelphia can now boast OF
has advantages which place it far in advance
of any other dockn this any other counirythe basin
attached 10 the railway being OF sufficient capacity
six or eight railways Only two railways completed,
and with these alone vessels OF $50 feet in length could
be securely placed ashore for rebuilding repairs, while
the repairs OF a third ship the line two smalIer
ses could be in progress at he time the sections
This extraordinary capacity for docking s secured by
the basin and railway invention, which is the novel lea-
ture of this system now for the first time put into
actual operation. The important results attained IN mni
plying the capacity OF the work stamps as one oil inc
most important inventions of the day, and IKE the iee-
graph and other kindred achievements, - purely Amen
can No other known plan OF .dfy-dock 10 capable OF
taking more than oae hsrate ship out al once but BY
this new method any number oil any SIZE can be hken
out limited only by the size OF the basin and the number
In lime of war when il becomes necessary 10 repair
vessels and put them ahoat possible, II
complisb the object ten times faster than by the old
method In time OF peace, the railways would fofm
housed slips berths, which vessels in ordinary may
he laid up and protected from the weather and preserved
from decay; and at all times they form building ways
from which ships be delivered into the water with
the strain occssioned by launching down an inclined
plane in the usual way. The excavsed stone dock leaves
the ship down in narrow. dark, damp pit; this plan
brings her up fully into the light and air, where the
workmen can do their work to much better advantage,
and more TO their comfort and health The cost at which
all these superior advantages are attained IA much eas
than that of the old pann fact, only about o0ehird
Al much The works at the Philadelphia yard have cost
te government only about $500 000 whereas the stone
docf al the Brooklyn Yard capable of taking out only ono
ship has cost upwards OF So2)o.0oo. Esa .sin. a
The inventors OF thisnew method, who are aso me
contractors for It's construction, Messrs. Daken
Moody Of the city OF New York; who, II must be con-