New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-22
DRYDOCKS FOR THE NAVY.
POSSIBILITY OF RETURN TO AN ADAM
DONED IDEA.

A BOARD APPOINTED TO CONSIDER The eoES
TON. BIT NO EXPERT coNsULTED-EX-
pERrENcE OF THE GOVERNMENT
WITH FLOATING DOCKS.
When Acting Secretary Roosevelt Of the Navy
Department appointed on Monday last poard
consisting OF Commodore Francis NJ. Bunce,
Commander F. E. Chadwick and Assistant Ma
val Constructor r. r. Dashiel to investigate
the condition of the Governments dock prop
erty. a step was taken In the direction Of avoid
ing the necessity Of sending American war yes
sells of heavy tonnage and great value to for
ejgn dock for cleaning and overhauliDg. The
Board was appointed in consequence Of the trou-
bic experienced with the big timber dock known
as No. g. in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. and Is
under orders to report before September ID. AS
a thorough examination Of the docks or the
country will involve a lot OF travel. including
trip to the Pacific Coast. it Is doubtful II the
report will be Of much value AS the result or
personal inspection. In pursuance OF the plan
outlined Mr. Dashiell sailed yesterday for Ham
burg where he will inspect the new floating
dock built for the Hamburg American Packet
Company. and intended TO accommodate their
largest ships. 1t is known that a majority OF
the Board is opposed to the construction OF any
more timber docks. and It's decision therefore
rests between stone. concrete or noating COCKS
and Constructor Dashells trip abroad Is taken
as an indication that the Board will finally de-
eide I'm favor Of docks of the balance or sectional
type.
WHY FLOATING DOCKS ARE FAVORED.
The floating docks are favored account OF
cheapness. their availability for employment on
the Atlantic Coast and the case with which they
can accommodate a disabled vessel according
to the latest accounts of the ideas Of the Board
members. and the recommendation Of the con-
struction Of dock at this station. another at
Boston and third at Newport News. is among
the possibilities.
There is considerable doubt among engineers
| however as to the ultimate cheapness Of the
floating docks. on the East River front OF New
| York, on the Hoboken shore. at Staten Island.
Erie Basin and other places there are docks
capa BILE Of taking out vessels OF five or six thou
sand tons. but none large enough to handle
vessel Of the Indiana class. OF II 900 tons. much
| less one Of the giants like the Kearsarge.
| Of a much greater displacement. a dock at the
Brooklyn yard. intended for the big ships. would
have to he at least 800 feet long, 80 feet wide,
and Is feet draught when sunk and TO accommo-
date the Indiana, which draws close to twenty
six feet when loaded. her keel blocks would
have 10 be at least thirty feet under water when
| the ship was noated In. This would require a
/ mean depth OF water where the dock was built
of nifty feet. and there Is no place around New
! York free from a strong tidal sweep where such
a depth can be obtained except at the cost OF
lot OF dredging. To accommodate the big box
which would support the ship an enormous hole
would be required as the folly of the idea that
Il could be handled in the river will be apparent
| TO anv one who thinks OF the enormous pressure
| ,na Lsoct Dix-or do
on box 800 feet long 80 feet wide and IS feet
deep sunk to a depth of 30 feet. As we'll
known engineer said yesterday, in speaking OF
the subject 1T would require an iron foundry
| full of anchor chains to hold 1t 80 steady that
! battle-ship could be floated I'm without danger"
DANGERS OF SECTIONAL DOCKS
| The argument has been advanced that other
vessels are taken out on docks much shorter
| than the ship as in the case of the Fall River
| steamers on the Pike-st. docks. but the point
was overlooked that the Sound steamers are not
weighted down with armor eighteen inches
| thick and do not carry pair OF D-ton guns
and turret OF steel foot and half thick at
| bow and stern. The British dock at bermuda
| the largest floating dock on this side OF the
water is Of the balance type. that is. built as
solid box and was constructed on the clyde
| II will float O vessel Of GOOO tons displacement.
| and one Of its size would be or no use lor the
| Speaking Of sectional docks, the engineer
| previously quoted remarked: The sectional
| dock has the advantage Of being capable OF IN
definite extension far as length goes. but Win
| every section added to the dock the danger OF
| a shifting OF the lines Of support Is Increased
| and II through wave action the centre sectioh
| OF n dock should rise while the bow and stern
! sank the consequences 10 heavy pattie,shlp
are only too plain. 1t is doubtful II the ofhcers
| Of the Government. on a careful CONSIDERATION
| Of the points involved, would be willing TO fisk
| tho safety Of one OF the big ships on dock OF
| that sort or for that matter on balance dock
| II is true that a box big enough TO take the
| Indiana out Of the water would be an enormous
| affair but even that could easily be slightly
tipped by a tidal movement OF swell and the
| shifting Of the centre of gravity when ship
| Is out of water is a serious matter Where there
| Is so much weight in so small space
EXPERIENCE WITH FLOATING DOCKS.
"The experience 81 the Government with float
| ing docks has not been Of a nature which should
| lead to their adoption at this late DAY. The OLD
| PHILADELPHIA dock built away back in the thir-
ties. and which was big enough for vessels Of
| the Wabash type in war times. was abandoned
az of no use later on. and towed to the League
| Island fats where II broken up The bal
ance dock at the Kittery Yard Is good FOR moth
! ing the Mare Island sectional dock was com
| plete failure and was abandoned after French
| man-of-war was nearly wrecked on II. while
the Pensacola balance dock is rotting on the
beach. and would he Of no use even If there was
| n basin Dig enouRH W H'ii II
IF the Government Is hunting for drydocks
| and wants to build some. why does il not learn
! the lesson taught by the Washes. who finished
the big dock in the Brooklyn yard? When the
| woodwork on that structure was completed. the
| contractors started in 10 build wing walls at
the entrance. and made compound Of cement
| and rubble which did not cost great deal. but
| which ! have noticed. requires as much drilling
4 and blasting solid rock would in the attempt
| to make a place for the ends OF the cofier-dam
! now being bull. stone dock would cost
| tint NJ m n
| build but cement is handy and cheap and Is
| easily handled and will last forever Tell them
| To use cement, and save some money for the
| people who pay the expenses Of all this red tape