Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-11-11

rum 0Rrs Ine aim OF the Otf1cef In barge
Of this work Is to get the ship in such q
position that when the water is pumped
out Of the basin she will sink down on to
. series OF carefully arranged blocks along
tho ccntral line Of the dock. The Ore
gon. TOR instance, has q displacement OF
about 10000 tons, and her weight IL all
borro on $40 OF these supports, called
keel blocks" This Is about 100 tons to
9 block; hence the need of evenly distrib-
uting q. vessels weight on these blocks.
The outline Of one vessel differs from
another, however, and an arrangement Of
blocks that would exactly suit one would
DO sure to wreck another. Il ia custom
airy, therefore, at naval docks to prepare
an elaborate docking plan,', in advance
whenever q ship Is to be docked. Draw.
ings of the vessel herself are carefully con-
suited In order to ascertain the precise
shape and length Of her keel, the position
Of the struts that support her. screws III
she b q twin screw vessel), her rudder
and her bilge keels, II she has any,. The
officer in charge of the task-he belongs
to the construction bureau-also has meas
urements Of the dock into which tho yes.
sci is going. He thon makes q plan in
which the position of the ship is predeter-
mined to an inch-to a tenth of IN inch,
In fact. The keel blocks are all arranged
In advance. On either side Of the dock on
the stone coping chalk marks arc placed
to indicate where her bow and stern are
to come.
Tho great floating steel dam, or oaisson,
that serves rs a gate to the dock is first
hauled out of the way. Stout tugs then
seize the vessel and work her around grad.
ually into tho basin. II the vessel is a
small one, like q torpedo boat, perhaps
ropes in tho hands of a dozen men will
suffice. When sho is nearly in place, the
oaisson is awung back across the opening.
Water Is then admitted to sink 1t until It
rests on the bottom. Subsequently, when
steam pumps have %cxhaustod tho water
from tho basin, tho pressure Of that OUT
side against tho caisson holds it firmly in
place.
Meantime the officer in charge is direct
Ing tho final steps In the task Of plncinR
the ship. Lines have been run from the
bow and stern of the vessel out to the sides
Of the dock and thence to hugo oapstans.
By hcaving away on one Of these and
stacking up another the ship can be moved
forward or backward, and the right COM
bination of strains will bring her to any
desired position.
Opposite the bow and stern, on either
sido of the dock, at the chalk marks previ-
ously loft there, have hecn set up portable
stands called t'battens, "bymeans Of which
one can sight across tho dock and tell
whether the ship is correctly placed longi-
tudinally. Another set of battens at the
head Of the dock and on the cnissou give
the range for determining II she Is con-
trally situated with reference to the sides.
In this latter inquiry the officers assist
ants arc guided by plummets adjusted at
tho middle of lines that stretch across the
dock ct the bow and stern and that sag
enough to allow the plum,nets to go an
inch OF two below the surface.
It Is also necessary, II tho burden is to
be borne as 1t should be, that tho ship
bah stand upright and not have any
list" In case she is tilted over, ever
slightly, to one sido this difficulty is over
come by shifting the weights on board be-
fore tho pumping but Of the water let's the
ship come down on her supports. From
the sides Of the dock against each side Of
the vessel arc adjusted spars, called
Shores" These occupy q nearly hori-
zontal position and are designed to pre-
vent tipping over sideways when tho ship
finally rests on the keel blocks. II the
mess vow gant,v naainst ho. h,,t - ~, "a =.
not nronsriy he;anesa, It thsa ..o. :, I S = sas y.
thev NAV nnnch hosss ; ~ 1,or - s, gauges ena'
81 ~! .ho,,t lv 10. ~ !! ae a. sue.
pump out the small granite dock at the
Brooklyn yard and about five hours TO
th a wate n !, ., a,t s'. tha shs uTok s,as As ICON o.
fnslv cxam;n.d NJ Mr. ~ s ssaao ase o ~.
1T. f.on. f.. .,ds 80 49, ~. s ~ Ivy tn nN
sns;;shaii, iske hosn.., soka pa ~ sng slny
hasrv ~aea th.t 49, aua8 1 sha.. s = nv sI = 4.
done with = h,,sh a. .h,sh ~. h.,.t,as,
ara a. wire whanavsr - r..a,~ =" b.n.sna
the snrsaco = sh;D s s. .st = neppens
surfaoe. but this operation IA onstlv and n
seldom needed. Nd
Two or three coats: Of paint are then ap-
piled In rapid succession, special oomposi-
aationsl being used that dry quickly. One
Of these Il designed to protect the plates
from corrosion and goes next the metal.