Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-11-28

Il
First Preparations When the Keel
Dleoks Are Laid.
1t has often been said that man be-
gins to die the moment that he begins
to live. 1t might also be said that
ship begins to be launched the moment
she begins to be built. The first thing
In the actual construction Is to arrange
the keel-blocks on which the ship Ii to
rest while she is building. They must
BE- placed ut certain distances apart,
and each must be little higher than
Its neighbor nearer the water. These
blocks are usually Of the stoutest oak,
and are placed from two to three feet
apart. They must have regular incli-
nation, or the ship cannot be launched.
In vessels like the st. Louis the incline
IL about one half an inch In height to a
foot In length. In smaller vessels II
is often more than one inch to the foor.
Larger vessels have so much weight
that sharp incline is not as necessary
as with smaller ones. The keel OF
the ship is laid on these blocks and as
fast as the sides of the vessel are built
up great props are placed against them
to make sure that by no accident Will
the vessel topple over.
At length the hull of the vessel Is
completed. Then II is that the launch
ing apparatus is prepared. This con-
sists Of two parts. one that remains
| fixed on the ground, and one That
glides into the water with the ship.
The part that goes into the water Is the
cradle. 1t is that part in which the
hull of the vessel rests snugly, and pro-
badly that is why it Is called cradle
| When the time comes for the launch,
| long row OF blocks is built under each
side OF the ship ut an equal distance
| from the keel-blocks and of the same
inclination On these blocks rest first
the stationary ways" These consist
of broad planks of oak, from three TO
| four feet wide, capable of sustaining
a weight of from two to two and one
| half tons to the square foot. On top
of these ways are the sliding ways"
Of nearly the same breadth, and be-
| tween the two the tallow is placed.
A narrow cleat runs along the edge OF
| the stationary ways, so that the sliding
ways shall not slip off as they carry
the ship along. Above the sliding
ways is what is called the packing.
This consists of pieces of timber pack
ed close against the curving sides or
the vessel to hold it firm to the sliding
ways beneath. The curves In the hull
vary so much that it would be impos-
sible to tit the sliding ways to them.
and so, by means of packing the ship
is fitted to the ways instead. The
packing and the sliding ways consti-
tute the cradle, and it is fastened to
the ship by stout ropes. Along its
length, at intervals of about eight
cen inches are big wedges, the points
of which are inserted between the
sliding ways and the packing. A rope
about the thickness of a clOthes-line
runs from wedge to wedge so that
none may be lost when they float into
the water.
We are now ready for the launch
Tallow to the thickness of about an
inch has been spread between the
ways as they were put in position
nearly sixty barrels being necessary
for q ship like the st Louis. Ine era
die sets snugly against the ships bot
tom. The vessel, however, is still
resting on the keel-blocks. The task
now is to transfer the ship from these
keel-blocks to the launching supports
and to take away the keel-bl0cks. Then
when the weight of the ship rests on
the launching-ways alone all that is
necessary is to saw away the sole
piece" at the bow, where the stationary
and slidingway are fastened together
and the ship by her own weight viii
probably slide into the water. If She
needs start, several Jacks" using
hydraulic power are ready beneath
the keel to lift her trifie and give he!
a push.