The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1889-04-25
Ocean GreHhnundS.N y

/ j
The building of an Ocean Greyhound" "hy
William II. Rldeing, in the April Scribner, de-
| >crbeS pictureSquey and effectively the mar
Ncllous industry of the great Clyde ship-yards.
where the >Wifte>t trans Atlantic steamers are
made. The illustrations show the City of New
y lork ana other vessels in various stages of the
process Of building We make the following
extracts:
THE COST OF OCEAN STEAMSHIPS.
An order for a new Ship of the class requir
ed TO compete in the modern passenger service
OF the Atlantic j. MOI by any means matter TO
| be determined on without grave consideration.
speed = costly and a> You increase it it Is gen
eraN necessary to also increase the tonnage.
! hlo forces unon your consideration tides,
channels. harbor-bar> and dock accommodate
ton,, all OF which impose limitations upon
You. Aud then the cost Of the ship herself is
NOT matter which even the wealthest of cor
pOratiOn> :'an provide for al moments notice:
IL j. not one hundred thousand dollars, nor five
hundred thousand dollars that the work calls
for, but about five times the latter sum, for it
i safe to >ay that vessel superior to the City
Of New ok or the Etruria could not be built
tor less than two million and half of dollars
Sometimes the ship-buildcrs are willing to
become part owners Of the projected vessel;
sometimes they take aS part payment for the
work some Older vessel Of the line. which they
rent, re-englne. modernZe, and sell again. The
ability Of The builders to make an arrangement
OF tlN> KIND, Of course, influences the placing
OF lic contract, IN meas ure, but they must
also be- able 10 give certain guarantees. They
mU>t enter INTO an engagement that the pro-
1vctrd >hip shall be able 10 carry 50 many pas
~tn-er> ana 50 many tons Of cargo. and to at
tain specified speed on given consumption
OF coal per day. Let Us sag, for instance. that
the >lpul4tioE> are these: Accommodations
fpr 500 saloon passengers. 100 intermediate pas
,cn4rl,, and l,5Oe ~teerAge passengers; regis
tered tonnage. 5000; speed. l9 knots on a con
sumption Of 300 tons per day If the ship fails
~ NUM- tht>" conditions the builders agree to
forfeit part " the amount they would other
Wis lereiNe for hen, or they may br compelled
10 take her back altogether. This is the ease
With thy ltN ot Rome, which WAS built for the
lnlnan iuc hy The Barrow ~hip-buiIdiug Com
pauN.
FAIRINt \ olIIp.
Ihe kecl j. laid down on blocks four or i've
feet APART. which form Slope toward the wa
Ier 80 thai the hull may glie down easily when
the lin" for launching comes. 1t il not q Keel
A ALL in The sense that the word was formerly
used: aolcrn ship has a smooth bottom,
without amy projecting ridge or break to
the ourYc If her sides; it i simply the cen
traI series 0t plates, from which au inner Keel
= hullt up like An enormous backbone. and To
td> end lhe ribs are attached. The metal is
de!l} cred at The yard in the shape Of angle iron
1r an4ie ,trri. the latter being the material
which would be used in "A ship of the class we
have i'll mind Heated to Il White heat the |
anGie-barS are drawn ont OF the furnace into Il |
perfectly Icyc iron floor upon which they are |
bent TO the needed curve, and that which has |
been line Of ink in the original drawing. a |
chaik mark On the tloor Of the mould loft, and
groove in The surface Of the ..>crive board"
! noW embodied IN the heavy rib of the ship |
The bending j. doue thus the metal floor is |
perforated with thousands Of holes. into Which |
iron pes are inserted until thCl form the cur ,
Nature required. ana the long. pliahc bar of |
>ttD i PRESSED against them until il CORE |
spends exactly with the line exhibited in the |
">rrlNc board" which is always IN SIGHT of the !
Worhmcn for guidance and comparison. In |
banding the metal the men use ptchfork> |
and with the pruug> inserted in the holes they |
ret purchase enough to make The bar Weld: if /
It bends upward hammer is used upon it. |
E1ch rlt mas. Of course, to be duplicated with |
the almost precision in order that it shall be |
the same On both Sides of the ship. and each. |
after il has cooled, is lail upon the '>crye |
buard' ana compared with the lines thereon. |
e1cTy variation being corrected before it il |
passed. Having already been punched for riy- |
et-, II i then marked with a chi>eI to show |
3ft u Ill INTO II.
-,
Ho Ni ihItt months or les after the com |
rrlion OF the "failIt-. the Ship j. probably |
ria fralnr.' and look, like the skrlptou nf /