Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-30

water portions of the off-shore dock, all
that is necessary Is simply TO unbolt and
separate any Of the pontoons and dock
them on the rest. and this same system
permits the easy extension of the dock to
meet the growth of ships, and also permits
the pontCons being used separately and
economically in handling small craft.
The Depositins Dock.
There is a valuable variation Of the off,
shore dock called the depositing dock. In
the case of the depositing dock tho shore
work and booms are attached to float
ing outrigger, and the whole dock can be
towed from place to place. The pontoons
are made in the shape Of fingers, with
water intervals between. A grid of heavy
steel beams Is fitted against the shore,
the fingers of the dock slipping in between.
ship Is taken upon the dock. lowed to
the grid, the fingers are run in. the dock
lowered and removed, and the vessel is
left deposited on the grid and convenient
for repair, while the dock Is free to go of
to handle other craft
In the self-docking. floating. craving dock
we have dock of exceptional scope of ap-
plication. Like the off-shore dock, the
pontoons and walls are of cellular con-
struction. but the pontoons only are in
separate sections. and. unlike the pom
toons of the on-shore dock, the pontoons
OF the floating craving dock are not an
integral part Of the sides. They are indie
pendent structures. firmly connected to the
handling to facilitate repair. When about
to dock craft. though, all of them are
rigidly bolted together, yielding a thor
oughly firm foundation for the support of
the heaviest vessel. The same system of
mechanical shores prevails. There are du-
pncate pumping plants to guard against
accident, and the dock is thoroughly in
dependent and self-suff1cient, save for the
means OF propulsion; 1t must be lowed This
dock ordinarily would have power enough
10 handle armored cruisers. but for the
purpose of docking shorter but heavier bat
tle SHIPS 1t has two movable caissons or
Ing power Of the dock 1t Is when using
Inese gates to shut of the ends of the
noat1ng dock that the latter, in fact. be-
comes GO a hoating craving dock susceptible
s,ft,n na'rsatlon. ny using the gates the
10 meet the local concentration of burden,
ana the i1fting power of the unbea ring
PaIts OF the pontoons is brought into play
" tn dnot Inc stress OF leverage to them.
nIeo, ana either the dock would be lowed
uhoer the vessel or the vessel brought in
ana over the dock. Once in the mechanical
tho would forcfbly center the craft, and
IN. me rising dock would catch her evenly on
Tue Keei blocks. while the bilge blocks
would be promptly screwed up or placed
uhoeI her to grip the ship firmly
-, COCK OF this sort. bearing $1,000 ton
SNIP, and with its burden brought hack
Wlthln the shelter Of only sixteen feet of
water and well away from the apnroach
of enemy ~
One naturally asks: what is the COM
paratfve cost of the floating dock7" In Eng
land even under circumstances most ad-
Vantageous to the stone craving dock. the
cost OF the floating dock of like capacity
tn as peen somewhat less, while normally
me hoatins dock can be built for half the
price or craving dock and in half the
time at the outside e