The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-04
BIGGEST IN THE WORLD.
The Enormous Floating Derrick Used
by Cremp & Sons chip Yard.
From the NetU York Sun.


by Cremp & Sons chip Yard.
From the Ne,o York Sun.
When ship builders in this country began
to make modern war vessels nine years ago
they were especially handicapped for lack
Of tools. To turn out cruisers such as the
the Boston, Atlanta and Chicago with
almost no facilities for doing so when the
contracts were signed was an experiment.
that only undismayed energy would under
take. At that time England aud other
nations had been making such vessels for
ten and. in some instances, fifteen years.
They had immense forge hammers,
great derricks, plants for gun
making, for armor plato manu-
facture, for forming the thousand
and one parts of a vessel, and, perhaps
most important Of all, an abundance of de-
signs and designers. all of which this coun-
try lacked To-day the United States are
not only abreast of all other nations in the
equipment for building these monster en-
gines OF warfare. but excel them in the
ability 60 do the work speedily. American
armor plate, which was an unknown thing
three years ago, now leads the world, as the
recent tests in England show. We no longer
take foreign designs for our new navy.
We no longer import steel plates for the
protection Of our vessels or guns for their
armament. Every one Of our recent ships
Is American from bow to stern in design and
manufacture, and it is a matter for national
pride that in every instance OF practical
comparison our vessels have surpassed those
Of similar grades in other navies.
With the development of this industry,
now engaging plants worth many millions
Of dollars, there has been a constant struggle
TO get promptly the big tools necessary for
the work. This also has been accomplished,
aud now this country not only has the big
a M hoaf hav - h. AauN
steel plants, but within year 1t has been
t1und necessary to build the biggest float
ing llfting machine or derrick In the world.
After an armored cruiser has been
launched and her machinery and armor
plate have been constructed, the problem is
how TO lift her boilers and engines and put
them in the hold quickly, safely, and &C.
curately, and how to place the armor prop
erly in position with the smallest expendi-
lure OF effort. Every ship yard has a
stationary derrick or shears on the end Of a
pier with which to lift ordinary machinery
into vessel. But when armor plates have
TO be put in place with such derrick the
vessel must be moved frequently and with
great nicely. When lotion boilers have to
De raised there is great danger TO the der
rlok' to the pier on which the derrick is
anchored, 20 the vessel waiting for the boil
ers. and TO the boilers themselves.
10 obviate this difficulty the Messrs.
Caup Oh fhiladelphla have recently con-
structed derrick at cost Of 100000
which is the most complete and ingenious
thing OF the kind ever made 1t has the
superb record OF lifting 70-ton boiler off
bhe pier, towing itself distance of $50 feet
and lowering the boiler with delicate ad-
l1stment inuo the armored cruiser New
fork In less than twenty-five minutes. Only
Two men were required to operate the ma
cnihe, and TIE ease with which the 70-ton
bundle was lifted from one, place to another
suggested play rather than mechanical engi-
neerIng of high grade
Inc derrick IS II big cone, In the apex of
which is set a huge mast passing through
tue arms of the machine, which
stretch out from the top of the cone. This
cone is simply a series of steel uprights rest
ing on pontoon and inclosed with a wooden
mousse. Inside the house are four engines of
9V'horse power each controlling the drums
Tor the pulley cables and the machinery for
turning the arms around the propelling the
lifting pulleys toward the outer end Of the
main boom. The hight of the cone is
TO feet 1t is strongly braoed,
aud, on the ground floor, is
crowded with machinery. The mast is
81 feet high above the boom. II Is of steel,
and hollow, being feet in diameter and
nraced here and there inside with extra
thicknesses Of metal. 1t rests in socket