Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-03-25

soiations - The Builders Aupremsly
Anxious Moment WHOM tho Weasel Ia /
Poised on the Ways
The launch % a modern vessel does not
differ materially from one Of blder days
except In detail and enlarged rcsponsl-
bility II Is now question of ihnthemat-
ics rather than of personal experience. Is
b. now "A matter of applied SCIENCE and nos
one of fortunate guesswork The CON
structor In these days does not d k the scale
OF the Inclined plane down which the ves-
sel will glide by his experience Ia suck
matters; does not smear the tallow on the
ways until IL seems TO ba enough; does not
adjust the size ~ the ways TO suit his
fancy. Vessels that cost from si 600, 900 10
~, COO, 600 are too valuable for the running
Of large risks, and hence the equation, the
formula, the methods Of applied mathe-
MATES, have suppianted old tithe ways OF
trusting 10 Individual Judgment and good
luck.
Three things are absolutely necessary In
launching vessel ia tidal Waters-ths
launch must take place on time, must 10
OF moderate speed. and all straihing Of the
vessel must be avoided IL Il la this iasa
particular that the greatest responsibility
rests nowadays. A wooden vessel may be
subjected To great strain, her seams may
spen and, rs naval constructor recently
put II. ''she may almost be ST dod on her
head and yet escape serious damage in
launching. The seams will close again
and the timbrrs and plsnks adjust them
selves. Not M with iron or stkel vessels
II the plates are strained, the rivets bent
or broken, the injury il perinaHent and q
matter Of the grave-t Importance
Preparations for launch are begun be-
fore the keel is laid. The incline Of the
plane has first to lie figured ont. 1t gen
orally varies from one half inchto one inch
to the foot Vessels Of a large tonnage
have iess inclination than smaller ones
The City Of Paris had only one half an inch
inclination when she was launnhed. The
cruiser Columbia, so long known as the
Pirate, and recently launched ht Cramps
shipyard in Philadelphia, giideh into the
water at an inclination Of thirteen.six-
teeuths of an inch 10 the foot. She went
down the ways like race horse. Mr.. Nixon,
the constructing engineer of the Cramps,
planned 10 have her in the watd r in thirty
seconds nfter she started She made it In
twenty-nine, More vessels are launched
at an inclination Of three-quaFters of an
inch 10 the foot. however. than at any other
plane.
The ways, as Is generally Known, con
sist OF two parts, the ways proper and the
cradle. The ways proper are stationary
aud firmly fastened to the gr1und. The
cradle rests on top nf the ways and up
against the vessel and slides intb the water
with the ship. Between the ways proper
and the cradle the tallow j. mdared. This
t. generally spread FIVE eighths Of an inch
thick and must he Of the highest grade
That used hy the Cramps Is mAde In Phil
RaelphiA and costs from seyeh 10 eight
cents a pound. About II coo pounds was
used in the launching Of the Pirate IL Il
heated in big kettles IN the slipyard aud
spread On by hand. In the dase OF the
Pirate the weather was snwarnl that there
was serious danger that the talow would
melt aud run away. Mr.. Nixon therefore
mixed 10 per cent. stearine with H. lie
also played hose nn the talloyF, and went
30 far 10 sit up nights with the mixture
70 watch the effect Of the weHther on ID
The stearine hardened the tallbw and the
launch was successful
Perhaps the most important Element to
be considered In the launch uf tbday Ii the
bnoyaney Of The water and is effect on
that part ot The vessel which is still ON the
stocks after probably one half oF the vessel
is In the water. Recently one bi the new
English battleships OF the IL, ,0b0Lton class
was wrecked at her launch. The bnoyapcy
OF the wufer lifted her up at thh heels and
threw her immense weight forward on her
shoulders, crushing the fraInes aud the
launching ways, anil running the boat
The modern naval constructor reduces this
question Of buoyaney 20 matte Or Of muthe.
matics at once. lie starts with the aues.
tion OF specific gravity of tho vessel. II
there were no water for the slip TO slide
into she would continue in the liue of the
ways until the center Of gravity would get
over the END Of the ways, ami then she
would tilt. but the water kcetI her from
dropping down aud holds the ya ssel In the
line OF the ways. This water II the safety
valve OF the launch. but il urisI not be too
safe. While the moment OF buoyancy
must always be greater than The moment
Of weight, IL must not be so nlIeh greater
n to throw a terrible pressure hn the for
ward end of the vessel and wreck IL.
Having arranged ali these things day
and an hour are set for the laGneh, the
time OF the high tide being the ahief factor
10 be considered. Most Of the prorG are
taken down and the vessel rests on the kesl
blocks and one or two sets OF stbcks at the
sides. The ways and cradle have been fixed
In place. and wedges have been adjusted
above the cradle aud under The poppet
blocks on which she rests. A batterinz
ram consists Of four men to piece of stout
timber. These four men take care OF four
wedges. The signal Is given and an i'm.
mense chatter begins as the men drive
home the wedges for five minutes The
vessel is lifted Just clear OF the keel blocks
and now rests on the ways Alternate keel
blocks are now knocked away, beginning
at the stern. Another "wed.ihg upn fol-
lows, and then all the props at the sides
are removed.
After a rest the third wedglng comes,
and then all the keel blocks nte knocked
down, the word j. given and the planks
that hold the cradle TO the ways proper "A
the bow are sawed off, aud the vAssel starts
down TO the water. This is the supreme
moment in the shiphnilaer's career. In
Atrty seconds all the responsibility Of hts
past and his future is crowded upon him.
Those who know tie intense strain thai
rested on Mr.. Nixon At the launoh of the
New York. tie gayest OCCASION In Khip.
bntldiug this country has ever Nnown. and
pf the Columbia, realized whA, the hlu
Egh meant that he dreN when the vessels
Koi od safely. lind he been woman In
thaFge Of 80 grave au occasion he probably
would have swooned after il pasAed of sue
sessfully. Il took ahnut co mer 10 launch
these boats, aud their services and the tall
low and other preparations brought ths
neehanieal cost af the launehas mp some
shore near E.0oe each.-Aev York sun.