The sun., 1895-02-24
FOR BETTER PROTECTION OF SHIPS
Shipbuiider's Idea or Strengthen enIng the
sIdes OF Passenger Graft.

" In the various comments on the loss OF tho
steamship Elbe and the lessons TO be learned
therefrom." said one OF the best known of the
younger shipbuilders on the Atlantic coast to a
Sun reporter last week, IL have failed to find
suggestion of what seems to me to be OF great
Importance. 1t is that the double bottom which
Is now built in all our first-class vessels should
he extended up tho sides OF the vessels 10 the
first deck above the water line. The space be-
tween the inner and outer skins should be filed
as is done with our men-of-war, with cellulose
or some other obturating material, so that In
case OF collision the rush OF the water could be
kept out and the chances Of sinking lessened.
THE builders of first t-class passenger ships
have much TO learn from the construction of
the modern war ships, IL they would produce u
craft that Is nearer approach to the unsink-
able vessel to which all are looking forward.
They must also have drill OF their crews sew
eral times at sea during a voyage, where every
man will know his post and be prepared to do
his duty on the instant. The boats should he
lowered and preparations made for abandoning
ship such as tho crews OF the men-of, war 20
through constantly, Th"ii, in case of n col
lision the loss Of life will bs reduced TO a
minimum. ,
ship both have twin screws nowadays. Tho
war ship, however, mas an inner and outer skin,
and this is not only filled with celulose. but is
suhdivided by numerous bulkheAdS OF very
light but strong metal. In caso of n wound in
the hull Of the ship. the water will swell the
CCllulose and the leak he arrested partially. II
not too serious. the rush OF the water will bo
stopped entirely. Moreover. the war ship is
equipped with leak nrrcsters and collision mats
and has numerous life rats. The lite-Sayiug
equipment OF passenger ships usually consists
of u few odats, NJ tied up and slowed away that
There are Do collision mats. and even the means
OF Stopping u burst in AN air port Is usually lack
Ing. The bulkheads are Few and the doors be-
tween them almost invariably open.
Now, II a transatlantic company should
make craft WITH all the buikheads solid. as
some or them already are, aud, in addition,
should extend the double bottom mp the sides
above the water line with numerous subdi-
visions each nlled with water absorbent, the
extra eNpense wonld be serious matter. but |
am sure the traffic attracted thereby would 10
the long run. am sure that had IL been known
that the GaScoRne WAS equipped In this manner.
there would have been very little anxiety rs to
her safety.
The only dangers Of moment 10 the large
passenger ships Of the present day are from fire
and collision. They will Withstand any storm
that the ocean can Kick NJ. There Is an enor-
nous amount Of inhannabe material in pas
senger boats that does not exist IN war ships.
The liRhtest OF metal buIkheads, or some ma
tsrial OF woody nature that Will not burn
easily when coated with uninhammAble mate
rial would seem 10 be the next step in ad vance to
there should be no wooden subdivisions in .
boat. craft such as have INDICATED would
prove q gold mine in earning capacity to its
owners. Very little space noed DO lost 10 secure
these improvements. and the nous n-sinkable ship
would be much nearer Al hand