National Republican., 1885-08-03
THE TWO BOARDS.
ADVISERS AND EXAMINERS TELL THEIR
RESPECTIVE STORIES OF THE DOLPHIN.

ADVISERS AND EXAMINERS TELL THEIR
RESPECTIVE STORIES OF THE DOLPHIN.
The Secretary of the Navy on Saturday
made public the criticisms Of the naval
advisory board upon the report of the
Dolphin board of examiners together
with the reply of the latter. He also ad.
dressed letter to the president Of the
naval advisory board, expressing sur.
prise that the "board should have celti.
fed the vessel for acceptance with 80
many admitted defects ns shown by your
report 10 have existed
The statement of the advisory board
fills printed pamphlet Of forty good
sized pages. The board acknowledges
that the criticisms Of the examiners
clearly bring out against the Dolphin the
most serious charges of constitutional
weakness, due to faulty design and ag.
gravated by defective workmanship.
They proceed to argue that the Dolphin
is strong, stanch vessel, and claim
that the structure of the vessel in all es.
sential details is above the requirements
of Lloyds' rules.
Concerning the statement that slight
changes in the situation of the weight
carried by the Dolphin caused her shape
to alter and crank.pin to heat because
the engines were out Of alignment, they
say that il "could not have been due to
lack Of structural strength, and that if it
had been the crank.pin would have been
about the last place to show it, for the
engine shaft is elastic and bends readily
with the structure, and all structures of
elastic materials yield under loads to n
greater or less degree, but the shaft is
supported in some parts by long rigid
bearings fixed to the hull, and both
| theory and experience sustain the state
ment that excessive reflections of the
vessel are first shown in the line-shaft
bearings
They say that if the Dolphin showed
any signs of weakness IL must have been
local. Regarding the vibrations of tic
vessel and the srringing of the engine
room floors, charged by the examiners,
they believe that they have mistaken the
inevitable vibration and yield of the
structure for local weakness. Regard.
ing the vibrations which were observed
the board claims that the strength of n
/ sup Cdilnub DC ultucuItu ny lntlI tAltul'
Regarding the speed Of the vessel they
say it was intended that she should make
fifteen knots an hour in fair weather, and
"the various combinations of wind and
weather that can be imagined cannot be
regarded as proper circumstances for a
basis for design"
They say it is quite impossible to ex.
rect the Dolphin with her present design
10 make seventeen to seventeen and q
half knots per hour.
The answer of the advisory board was
examined and answered by the exam.
iping board, the latter udhering to its
previous statements. The departure
from Lloyds' rules are said to have con
tributed to the undesirable qualities.
The board says that on one occasion
they witnessed number Of ioiners
planning and scraping down the tops nc
edges of the wardroom dining table to
render it more presentable in appear.
ance, overhauling the stateroom doors
so that they could travel without jam
ming and other work OF n like character
though it did not observe any attempt tc
make good one of the bureaus in the cabir
apartments which had one of It's side
cut away in the toughest manner, th,
veneering all or mostly hacked off il
fact, apparently to make the bureau Il
in its intended place in one of the state
rooms"
In conclusion, the advisory board il
charged with not making the necessNr,
provision in the construction of the shil
in the matter of the air.tight lirc.room
and "this," says the board, dis what W,
comment upon and they fail to explain.