The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-01

NAVAL DRY DOCK.

sremsly allow IN providing the facilities Ter
locking ane repairing sDea vsszeiS, not
recognizing the important fact that modern
steel vessels require docking and e.sanihs
Al comparatively short Intervals, II they
are to be kept Up 70 the highest state o.
effscienay The great length ard oeep
araugh; os the rev hattieships has mace
me old government dry docks useless. ex-
cepf for the email vessels, and there are
today sat tArse docks in the United states
which are capable Of receiving the largest
vessels OF the navy. and of these bat one
u really available for al uses
OF these three docks. the one at Port
Orchard. across The Sound from Seattle,
Il by Odds the best ard the best situated
II ranks among the great docks OF the
world. II IL SIS feet IA length. lsl feet IN
width al the coping. and sIs feet long and
g. feet wide at the bottom. and at mean
hlgh-water mark there Is q depth over TIE
shore K.li AZ the entrance Of 3 feet IL -
oanable OF accommodating any vessel
arsoat IN The naval service or among the
merchant marine Of any country. Yet this
magnificent dry dock Is rendered Of com
paraflsesy little use TO the navy because
congress has failes 20 make any apprc-
prlafion for repair shops al that point All
mat the dock can be used for Is for dock
ing vessels FOR cleaning purposes ana FOR
sach minor affairs as can be effected By
the crew.
The Port Royal dry dock. while so feet
long, has a depth over the ell al mean
hlxh-water mark OF but rs feet, which Is
less than the actual draught OF some or
the battieAhips now anost. AT sxtraordi-
nary high tide II is possible 10 dock bat
tlsship there. but II IS difficult and very
risky task. TIE more 50. a. the channel to
the dock entrance is narrow. torsuous
ard requires constant dredging 70 keep II
open for usa. For emergency purposes as
Ear as the great battieships are concerned
the Port Royal dry dock may be eiAsssd
as practically useless.
The third OF the large decks. ard the
one which Is so situated that ali facilities
ate at hand for repairs. is the enc just
completed at the Brooklyn navy yard. II
is nearly equal to the Port Orchard dry
deck In availability. being larger IN soms
dimensions. IL has a length OF 6-S feet at
the bottom and an entrance width Of Isl
feet: su. the depth over the slii Is bat Is
feet at mean high water. TAis two feet
less Of depth ls q very important matter,
when Il is taken In consideration that some
of the battlcships have . draught OF y
feet. and would have 10 be hghtened some
what By taking OF their armament befors
4, would De absolutely safe to dock them.
This dock IL built OF oak, with concrete
bottom, and coat little over Ssoo.oo. It's
great advantage OF location Is that 1t ad-
Joins the Brooklyn navy yard, which has
fully equipped plant 90 make all re-
pairs which may become necessary.
According TO the New York sun the total
number OF dry decks In TIE world Is g., Of
which Great britain owns or controls
about - per cent. OF the entire number
80 being within the confines OF England,
Ireland and Scotland. while she has at
least % n Australia. L IN China. 80 IN In
dla and tae East Tudlan Islands. In Africa.
T. 81 Canada ana British Columbia, zfn ihe
West Indies and al Malta. TIE remainder
are divided among twensy-one ether na-
tlons. the United States havins s.. France
a. Germany Sc. spain ~ Holland - Italy
a. Sweden - and Belgium H.
IN England sbe naval dock yards At
Chatham contain sovea docks with from
sb 10 81 feet og water on the siis. A.
Portsmouth there are nine dry docks. hav-
ing from Ss's % Ub feet Of wafer: at
Devonpart there are .hree docks wita
from IS. to ss's fee, OF water al Queens
town there are two docks. with S@'s feet
ot water TIE two private docks as I'll
bury. en the lower Thames. have respect
svsly = and g feet 81 water.
TIE dry dock IA connection Win ne
Empress dock az Southampton ia the lars-
ess single gravinS dock in she eeg.d. pc
ms FL Fses 3oar. SSas Zee, vide snd havtns
dep,a 81 ssKs feet. lis capacity Is ia5so.
go gallons. Shlch. wgth saip "a. eau b
empued In from one 70 Two houvs Russls
aas three large sosks At Cronsta3f. eapa.
Pile cf acls5ug ne largest vessels. France
has. on tAe norsa coast az Havre. tive ery
docks. eaca with 80 feet ~ water On ths
SIS. and - Cssvoourx there are thvss
docks vHa 81 feet ard ore Sita 8 feet
og water. ON tAs south coast. a, Toa.oa
there 80 no docks Rsth 81 Feet % safe;
cach. sn8 tWa wi5s Sess feet - wa,sT eaea
Spain has gsvernraen; dock a. Ferrol
agsh Ssa sc@t % watey ga the All italy
hzs twa decks ct Gsaaa. NIB = ara 81
fees respectively. AZ sw3 a: SPe.sts. Nltn
e fact each. ara tSe Nib ~ fett casa,
s-e a. laramie. attn -. fse'. snt ose Al
Ke1see. ntts . fest of r&srr. Aus.ra sas
fva decks 50 Pea. wlth - sra e fss.
af water. Turkey hss aack ~ Csss,4-ii-
s wlta s. gee; 81 water. sni E1e,s-1
las r., Asits tse 5eeks- sigh 81 ana ~.
fees 81 ssseF Canada has csc lax az E.s-
eaA.t H G.. wlfa - ;eel az aa-tas-
g. Lewis tsa $50 &C. Laerescea. Nt}h 81,
t ae~ fss EFatlas eoeE AZ }tR1.zx.
e. So ~tee SIS op#ar3 go $50 .snsaee
3ss IS sae st sts largest saess - rs s,r.
GO sas reuss er, sns esn - adapted g,
vessels ca fsat laar
WA sse extremely sns&e toekass fae1s
ties ssg sAe s&ry. a So-i4 sssa sas FArf