Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-11-16

COMMISSION was apPointeu 10 IN
vestigate the relative merits Of iron
and wood for the purposes Of ship
building. After \ lengthy session.
interpreted with some very inter
es;ing experiments, elaborate re-
ports on the career and success OF
both wooden AMI iron ships during
the last ten years, and the united
opinions Of ship builders and nauti-
cal men, tie blue ribbon was given TO
wood. rs being, in ali points. the
most appropriate material for the
great majority Of sea-soins craft
This decision seems all the more
strange and unexpected when it is
remembered that, during the labors
of the commission, il Was fully and
eonciusively shown that iron was
yearly growing cheaper and wood
more scarce and dear. In fact,
since some Of the late great adj
vances made in the manufacture OF
iron, and its economical use in
ships, there is not SO wide a differ
eucs between the cost of this mate
rial, purchased in bulk and that OF
the hard woods, as existed but few
years ago. Of the number of sail
Vessels and ocean steamers lost
in various ways, including those by
fire, in twelve months, it is found
that, by far the greater number OF
disasters occurred among those ves-
sells constructed wholly or in part OF
iron.
When We take into consideration
the lasting qualities of ship-building
material. the advantage is largely in
favor of the hard and medium woods
of our forests. It would not be ex-
pedient for us to enter into the de-
tail of all the causes that lead to
the ultimate decay and failure of
either wood or iron, our object at
this time being more particularly a
due consideration of the ship timber
to be found growing in our own al
most interminable forests. The
world already bears favorable tes'
timony to the excellent qualities of
Puget Sound fir for such uses as
we have been discussing. It is well
known that there are varieties of this
timber that are equally as strong as
the oaks of the Atlantic States. Es-
pecially is this true where the force
has been applied longitudinally. In
cases of torsion and transverse
strains. oak has, probably, the adj
vantage as a rule, but the difference
I is fully made up by the superior
lightness and buoyancy of the fir.
Moreover, it is found that the sap of
oak or the sea water that finds its way
into its pores largely tends to induce
rust in the iron that comes in con-
tact with it. hence the rapidity with
which iron spikes are rusted off when
driven into some kinds Of oak, the var
, iety known as red oak, especially. In
, no kind of fir is such thing known
as the rusting of iron or the corrod-
ing of any other metal on account
of the moisture in that timber. On
the contrary, the abundant resinous
principle found in all varieties. OF
cone bearing trees, not only wonder
fully assists in holding the spikes
, driven into the timber but it also
acts as powerful preservation OF the
MEAL. The recent cargoes of fir
, lumber sent to various Eastern ship
Yards is q sufficient evidence of the
value attached to our ship timber
of all kinds. Our spars exceed in
size and symmetry all other foreign
specimens, and for strength and du-
, rability they are prcverbial the
world over. A ship that performs
long voyages over tempestueus
sailing ground, laden successfully
with lumber, coal and railroad iron,
without starting joint or opening
seam for whole year, may be safe
" rated A ]. But such is no un-
common record of numbers of our
Puget Sound built vessels. We
have thus far been preparing the
way for making a healthful applica-
ton of what we have been saying re-
lative to this absorbing topic.
Now it is estimated that, on an