The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-28
sHr QUESTION OF BuIxHsADs
ln.porinnt Lessons Drawn from the Disaster
to the battle ship Victoria.

l
| to the uatl. ship Victoria.
WARRINGTON June 27.-The value Of water
tight compartments In ships and the proper
mode OF constructing them naturally continue
| to occupy tho foremost place In reflections
| upon the sinking Of tho Victoria.
| That vessel had. IL Is said. central longi-
| tudinal bulkhead extending throughout, be-
sides her traverse bulkheads: and some OF
tho English critics and experts have thought
that the former. by combining tho inrushing
water principally to one sido. caused her to list
| so much as TO turn her bottom up. Tho gen.
eral question has therefore boen started,
whether It Is not source OF danger to have n
ship 80 divided MS to make 1t impossible for
her to settle on level keel II q hole is broken
into her side. and one or several OF the COM
partmcnts on that side filled with water.
Tho best opinion OF the experts seems to be
that longitudinal bulkhcads must not be abar-
doncd. but that single one In the centre is not
the best form Of construction. There should
DO several OF them, so that q break on tho side
OF the vessel wilt let tho water In for only q
short distance. In our own battle ships there
are, to begin with. two central bulkheads. and
then two more. dividing tho sraccs between
the two former and the sides OF tho ship. These
latter also mark out tho limo o, tho cool bunk
ers. When you get four longitudinal bulk
heads making i've longitudinal compartments.
besides tho further cutting up produced by the
many transverse bulkheads the danger of
getting 80 much water on ono side Of vessel
as to cnpsizo her Ia lessencd.
That It cannot be wholly overcome 10 true.
While an increase In tho number OF water
tight compartments Is q decrease OF the dan
ger. and this is effected by longitudinal part-
ioning as by transverse. yet lmita to this sub
division aro imposed by tho great engines and
boilers carried in modern ships. 1t 10 the GUS
tom to put each engine ana each set OF boilers
In its separate watertIght compartment; but
IN the machinery spaces there are limits to
subdivisions. and yet tho machinery must be
carried below the water limo to protect 1t from
hostile fire. since the destruction OF the motive
power leaves the ship log on tho water. The
protective dock Is always slopinR. and while
not far bovo the water line at the fat. or In the
centre Of the vessel. It joins the sidos Of the
vessel several feet below that line. 1t is thought
that the ram OF the Camperdown may have
broken open the side OF tho Victoria both above
and below the protective deck. and TINT q
great weight Of water rested upon the latter.
as we'll as rushed below. no that this might
have caused her to carecn still more.
1t would accordingly seem desirable not
only to secure as many longitudinal bulk
heads as possible, instead OF only ono In the
centre and tho two at the sides which form
the conl burkers but also to carry them up
above the berth deck. 50 that in fact they may
protect the ship as high as water can enter.
In our battle ships. besides the large num-
Der Of longitudinal bulkheads. We have on the
protective dock. at tho ships side. belt Of
cellulosc. 1t Is six feot thick. and as high or
higher. so that It Nils the space UP to and
above tho water line. This material swels up
when wot and will close q shot
hole in q short time. 1t might not have boon
cfrectu0l in disaster so exceptional as the
Victoras but 1t has its value.
That longitudinal bulkheads strengthen a |
ship and also aid in further subdividing It SO |
as to increase the number OF separate water |
tight compartments is obvious enough. and it |
Ia also evident that. IL well placed. they may |
prevent so serious an influx Of water on one |
side rs to cause tho vessel to turn bottom UP. |
But in order to be efrectual the ship must have
proper stability. II she is unreaso nnbly top
heavy through the weight OF battery md its |
protecting armor carried too HIGH or from |
other causes. she will be likely to roll over |
when an thrush Of water uses her to list to one
side. Indeed, there is no absolute protection
against q fatal effect from such blow as that
which the Victoria received. Nevertheless. we
may be suro that builders both OF war ships
and merchant ships will go on constructing
longitudinal bulkhcads. and will mako more
Of them rather than fcwer
1t Is not unlikely that hereafter Tower doors
may be placed in the bulkheads of war
ships. and that tho latter will approximate to
passenger ships in the care with which their
com partment system is made to perform the
work for which it is designed. Constructor
in his report on European dock
Yards. speaking OF the Umbrn and Etruria,
hen under construction, noted that there
ire ten water-tight bulkheads. having no open
nGs. except the suice valves, below the pas
'enEcr decks" Tho temptation is to keep the
loors OF bulkhcads open. with view to get
no air and greater facility Of communication.
But We may surmise that hereafter. for n time.
It least. there will be n different code OF prac.
ice on war vessels. In compartments reach
ng below the load-water limo when con-
truct!on has done Its best in all particulars, |
ye are likely to see lax and easy going rules in
eRard TO keeping the doors open give way to |
ystem hardly less exact and stringent than
hat which now prevails In regard to tho ships
magazine. 1t Is possible that the aid OF ma
hinery may DO called in to close these doors
moro rapidly. but In any cnse. tho drill for this
purpose and tho system OF watching the doors
chon open may he revised. Not only In time
4 squadron manpuvres. but whenever there
3 possibility OF collision through tho pres
nee OF other vessels. or when the weather or
he position OF the vessel suggests the least
Htra care. tho watcr-tiGht com partments may
20 kept closed. This. at least should be tho
essen OF such disasters as those OF the Van
unrd. the Oregon, and the Victoria: and with
UGH precautions there will be no drawback on
he value OF the compartment system or Of
longitudinal bulkheads.
IN CHICAGO