Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-03-25
WHALEBACK VESSELS
AovANrAc Go or THESE pec,ulae, '
CO INSTRUCTED SHIPS.

sems OF the Dangers 20 which Thsx
Arc Lial 10 In a Rough season--rm.
por'ance NJ the Dcckhoase--They Are
Well SUIT led for Inland Navigation.
Visible eIhbodimcnts OF the wbalehach
method OF constructing vessels present
themselves from time 20 time In cur har.
bofe. aud they arv Of an ugliness which
cannot be gnored even by landsman.
The novel a nd peculiar shape Is urged by
the builder rs special advantage be-
cause II * o economical construction and
gives the eteatesi ilotative power In pro
portion 10 1he quantity Of material EN-.
pioyed In building il, hut this iron tank Is
formless and featureless for the greater
part Of its tngth and tapers abruptly Mt
the ends into truncated Genes. which are
turned LITTLE upward TO indicate at least
how aud stern. Near the latter stands
the principal deckhouse, which is a de-
parture alsp from familiar types. Its
lower half IL sort OF iron basement for
the upper STORY and Intended to lift IL
above the reach of the water, In which the
hull Is aim pst submerged when loaded,
and on chbppy day Its upper surface Is
a-wash. Suf h a deck promises but treach-
erous footing under these conditions, and
clearly II Was not planned to serve as n
promenade
One OF these vessels is propelled with
great economy OF power, because large
surfaces are not exposed above water to the
retaining Influence Of the air through
which she moves nor To the force OF adverse
winds. IL W claimed that the unfavorable
action of head seas in checking progress IL
lessened alsd.
The observer misses the graceful and
sweeping liues which have marked so long
the construction OF sailing vessels, and
steamships ave had beauty Of their own
In the curves which nccentrate the light
ness OF the ppsc upon the water and suggest
TO the eye THE speed and stanchness OF the
boat. In th 'se ships, OF proportions long
tried and iarniiiar, there are parts Of the
general contPur standing high above the
water, which represent n margin OF safety
ana gives activity to the vessel and the
power e save herself In trying situations.
IL IL n bold stroke that cuts away mt one
blow the vi ole upper structure that has
been preserved 80 long and 20 studionsly
improved upon with the progress OF cen
turtles
This has been reserve of buoyaney. NJ
which gre Eat portion was given 10 the
ends above I BE- normal water line, although
the largest displacement OF the submerged
hull II mad by the middle part rs the
snip hoats iil smooth water. When labor
ing In high seas the ends have motion
upward or downward like that OF a bal
anced tilt boArd on each side OF its support,
but the application Of much force IL re-
quired thus 10 swing the mass and make
the ship ride the waves she meets. This
cannot be accomplished artincially, for
there are neil her appliances nor the power
adequate 20 Operate them.
The ship must save herself The angle
OF the bow tnd it's shape. as well as its
bulk, make her responsive to the action Of
the sea against II.
The run and counter II properly modelled
have qualities resembling In some degree
those OF the bow, and II Is their duty to
throw up the stern to following wave
when the yesEel runs before the sea- Such
are the functions Of the various elements
In the accented types. jealously guarded
until now.
In so far ms the connguration OF the part
submerged inlay influence the movement,
it operates In harmony with the portions
that are visit l. TO the naked eye, but the
lifting effect pf the water upon the inclined
portion OF the fnrebody is not sufficient to
raise the bs'at upon wave Of considerable
height AMI velocity. The water may roar
In the hawse pipes and rise even TO the
bulwarks befpre the ships heavy mass re-
spends 10 the bnuyant action. Her whole
forward half becomes an immense lever
on which the sea operates, and it must
have n hold Up do the work
IL was the lIigh bows and the high sterns
OF the Nina and the pinta Of Columbus
which saved such craft many time In
storms now forgotten, which form no part
OF history. ON our own coasts the famous
Chebacco boat may be seen even In recent
years as survival OF the same type Of
construction, and they were accounted
great sea boats in their day.
The ocean moods have not softened II
i ~ no longer the same desperate venture
that once II W rs To cross it. steam is respon-
sihle In grtat measure for the change.
The carasals Of Spain and the "pinkes"
or Chebaceo Parish which were the con
crete expressions of their builders creeds
and plans, annunciated real danger.
With tue RAJ Ideally new type Of craft. al.
most Submerged, this danger must he met
again. The w'haleback has shown her fit
ness for infant navigation, but In the long
seas OF winter storms she meets new con
ditions. Pronortioned rs she is, the hull
Il exposed TO The sweep Of the seas, and IL
In pointing downward she encounters one
the hull may tnter bodily into the volume
OF water Diving is the name they giseit.
In this poss1 bility lies the danger TO YES
sells so constructed, or to any deep laden
craft OF but little sheer, when lying to the
wind or riding at an anchor; and for a ship
advancing Tho danger il not less, as the
momentum N her weight is opposed to
the impact OF mass of water still heav-
Ter, and rs IL sweeps over her the force il
exerted upon stlch portions as are salient.
That the buil ders OF the whaleback have
failed to anticipate this result Is not 10 be
supposed for he rounded top OF the hull
is adapted to withstand great pressure, as
well as the nipre tnsidiuus encroachments
OF the water OBJ this portion. but the deck.
house offers u point Of attack; the impetus
Of a direct rus h Of water may be enor-
NOUS, and the structure made to resist Il
must be Of a strength iu excess Of ordinary
marine construction and built to with
stand the twisting force developed by the
seas, a. well al their straight flow. for the
quickness and intricacy OF their move
ulents bailie an attempt at measurements
What they will do must be Judged from
thai which they have done. II has hap
pened TO "a ships boat in a seaway to have
the eutwater visited out Of her in weather
not the worst. Il Is to such dangers that
the projecting portions of a boat or vessel
are exposed. and II the deckhouse Of n
whalehack Is d stnyed the ship is crippled,
even IL she does not nh aud sink. A de-
pendence 80 corhplete upon single struo-
-. =. /.