New-York tribune., 1885-07-14
EXPERT TESTIMONY ON THE DOLPHIN

CRrTiCisING THE REPORT OF THE ExAMINING
BOARD-sPEeD MADE on THE SEVERAL TRIPS.
The look of serenity which rests upon the
countenance Of John Roach remained unrued yester-
day. He about his Office attending to business as
usual He said that lie should continue for tho present
his plan oil silence the Dophin7matter, and then he
added with confident eye looking into the future:
Only wait" The following letter has been received by
Mr. Roach:
NEw-YoRK June 20, 1885.
DEAR SIR: The Undersigned having, at your request
carefully and critically examined the United States
Dry Dock " Rei Hods With reference to her materials
Workmanship, and strength have NOW to state rs FOL
sheets OF plating had been taken of TO make the
made by her having struck tue rocks
In the East R'er Immediately under the engine room
and the engine loors being taken bad every
opportunity 10 examine the construction OF tue vessel
such 0f the nature reported by the Board OF Naval
O,ncers and Mr.. Herman Winter to the Navy Depart
thercabouts; and tue extra cD-ffames, which that
BOara recommended should be llaced there. would, in
. our Judgment, bc suphriuous.
That Boarl having reported to the Secretary OF the
spring severely" examined those floors particu-
larry aud with the minntest examining all their con-
the strdining and Weakness which the report or the
suggests rather than staes and we we're unable
to mud the slightest evidence or Indication that any
even the slishest-sprinng the floors had occurred.
had 1t occurred In inbare evidence would have been
left Dehind and every such evidence Is wanting N our
OPINION the severe springng Of the noorS could not
possibly taken place.
The Board states only three defect5 Iii connecting
with the engine room ana slaIt alley; -,
a. The engine be,-pate was desl lgned to be sup
ported wooden bed laid between tue engine fonda-
tion and bed plato through which boiling passes Tor
securing lnem .ogoa, ~ ,h % av pV, y, @ & 10 80 n no,t,n~
the examination showed tnat some OF TIE bolts
strIin nI,osed ny Inc wording OF tho engime the ut
ELECTS OF which would tend to the loosenS of the
Whether the OF Killings constitutes defect Is
matter Of opinion Ia opinion 1t does not, bur the
hings can nc supplied without the slightest trouble
and Ut a very ,riirg expense.
2.j TIE engine l1ors cannot be regarded az OF
THIS Is again "a matter Of opinion; aud IN our opinion
they we'll laid. aud 'f proper workmanship and con-
o. supports OF the shaft alley are not first class
IN Workmanship the ANGLES ana pressts @ NOT neIo ,o
give the best support
proper and sufficient strength.
The support oi the nilzen mast was already 10 our
oplnlon amply sgcicni; Dnt. the Boards suggestOn
Il has doubled ia STRENGTH ON one side. The split
inches Ion - in the web, spoken OF b the report
ia perpen Ocular and ol Iucnce IN any wai
fhe Board reports: In the alter transom three beams
are unsupported by stanchions. rendering the deck
Of doubtful strength TO withstand tue shock ana
-tfriu 81 heavy boarding the vessel at that point
We informed that at hrst. designed 10 place
the IA rnt o tue Steering gear tncIc ai Tue a'ui
do Is another OF tne detects OF construction
which the Board charges against tine vessel Nlth mat
ia Wow this mter trah-on was pullt plI.cuhuy
strong and II the quadrant we're where the Board claims
II shOuid be- sancuions there would prevent tue rdcr
from being used at M IL the radicr gear remain aDbve
deck. the stanc0ms be placed there at very finng
ID
e Board ,lwels with some satisfaction the fact
that the vessel t the Boards suggestio) has been
stfencd forward In the fOrepeak abrci-t the hawse
pipes. by vertical plalebrace place where special
We fnica by the most careful examination to discover
any evidence OF weakness there In our opinion thht
plate only to make little stronger that
which already strong enough ,, -,
The Board says furtncr the bow or the snip does
not ,rs strong enough resist the shock aud pressure
~ hen butug into ]. In heavy weather; ana 10
prevent possible painting under such circumstances.
donbe an.leI siringers OF the present
upper aud lower Bulge keelsons shoad have been placed
midway between the upper and lower decks from tue
inucr art of the stem iorgins, etc. - -
No rule Tor building iron Vessels. either Of The Record
of American and Foreign Shppihs tiho s'unaara n
American authority, or Of" Dr. Loyd's.' or Bureau
vertas the standard foreign adthores requires sucn
Strengthening. Painting Is not ro' hl-i az M M'Ihs,,
except wherein the perpe icular deph ueiwceh
oean. greater tnan thrIseh ee ,ns 'ep,N % Vi 'h'
As many min defects referred to 10y tue Board sucn
a. shakes IN the deck plankiug etc. they are all
trivial In tneir obaracteI' can ." ri'ieu ~ sIsn, cA
pcnrc; aud IN ynec tho strength oi tue vessel
aro They bad w1tkuansh'p' OF b"i materials.
We examined the floors frames. engines, shaftng sup
ports boilers the machinery and the consruction on OF
mp hoorng all accessible places aud are OF tue opinion
that the aud materials use are OF tue oes
quality: and there not the slightest evidence ID q
served any part of the vessel that she Is struct-
uraliy weak. In any particular; ,,.,a..
tine heating OF the crank pln hs eNiuchc
OF the oi the vessel the Examining Board III
their report say: The only reason apparent Tor tho
trou ole or THIS ani the 10 which II was
doubtless due Is 70 be- found IN the following ihcts On
iron had been put In the forward part Of ship To trim her
five tons morr were added on thls occasion aud OF
course some PORTIONS the coal had been consumed
from her bnuEnr voD these slight changes IN the STU
alton OF weights seemingly sufiiclch To her hcr
shape 10 cause this after crank PIN TO neat almost
~ once"
Tnis Is a remarkable statement. and we do not believe
that these slight changes. much greater
had the least effect In dstortny the vessel 40 that any
extra steam change In the alignment Of the crank pins
occurred Tho statement Ia our opinion II unfair anu
absurd.
THOMAS +. ROWLAND. "Metal ship Builder and En-
gncer";
DR. 4. A. Smith, Naval Architect; - .
ASDREw FLETCHER. North River Iron Works. New
York; . ,, ~.
York; , a.. s,..,,
Company; 80, .,a.,. -,
Ano rioan and Foreign shipping
j. LACuLAS, Graduate Especial course) Saval Arch-
lecture aud Mechanics. Andersonlan University
GEORGE V. sLOAT superintendent Engineer TOT tho
Old Dominion steamship Company;
The undersigned u. T.. Le Fcvre, Andrew Fletcher.
Stevenson Taylor and James LOWS were ON board thc
Dolphin the second tri? IN the sound
the undersigned james Parker, Andrew tletcher,
Stevenson Taylor and James Lewis who were on board
on the trip sound state that during this trip
the vessels speed averaged fifteen and half knots sea
miles, PR hour Tor tue SIX ours, ala Tor part vi tho
time sixteen and "A hall knots a.,
The undersigned James Parker, Captain James Foger
Captain Thomas II. Morton sni Captain j. T. snnberg,
no the Trip state that during this trip her
AVERAGE speed under natural draugbt only Tor six
hours n trifo under fourteen knots hour. and
for about half the time te less than nfieen knots
Ter hour 49, -,
dence whatever OF weakness or change OF shape and
that the vibration to all screw steamers was
les tnan we have ordinarily Observed In the
vessels which We has commanded ana sailed in
JAMES PARKER, formerly Lientcnant-Comma
Unitcd states Navy and formerly Manager of the Re-
cords of American and Foreign Shipping"i
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