New-York tribune., 1898-12-27
STECKr:z!|I!js'I|.., r:|!'|.., ~ !IjI
Thu" old RELIABLE"
..*;!h ISL PIANOS
THE NEW NAVAL DRYDOCkS.
PLANS FOR THE MAMMOTH STONE
STRUCTURE AT BOSTON.
THE OTHER THREE TO BE BUILT OF WOOD.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE TEACHINGS
OF EXPERIENCE.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TEIBrNrl

my TELEGRAPH TO THE TEIBUNE
WASHINGTON Dec S-The Navy Department VII
issue advertisements tomorrow calling FOR DIGS to'
the construction OF granite and stone dryd"ch al
the Boston Navy Yard Congress at lis last ses-
sion made an appropriation OF N.O2o@ ior '"'S
structure at the same time authorizing three o.e'
docks to be made OF wood at cost not eNceeulns
ssa5 e0 each TO be located at Portsmouth. ~ IL
League Island Philadelphia and Mare Island. can
sornia The new Boston dock for which the ''''l
Engineer Corps Of the Navy has been Dusty pre-
pairing designs for the last four months. is 20 ne
the largest and finest public work OF us character
In the United States. II not in the world AdVan-
tace has been taken only OF the experience with
naval docks in this country. but the most success
fu and recent structures OF the Kind In Europe
have been thoroughly studied until the plans for
the Pc s,on dock represent the embodiment OF all
that is best In modern engineering practice. II
will he the largest drydock OF any kind in Amer
lea having ample capacity TO take In any snip
afoat or likely 10 be built for many years TO
come
Its length over ali will he 80 feet. and along the
bottom 10 the outer gatesill will be '2e feet the
latter figure representing the maximum kee! ieneth
Of ship that can be docked ia the structure It's
gateway will be an inverted stone arch, with thirty
fee, Of water over the keystone, and its water-ne
width will be exactly 100 feet which is about
twenty feet in excess OF the beam or the largest
ocean steamers. The site OF the excavation ior
this dock comedies win tne Nihpei paS'H Ut
,he Boston Yard. and is about three hundred rect
east OF and parallel with the present granite dry
dock there In which the frigate Constitution was
first docked on June p. 1893. The latter structure
which IS only 364 feet long, took more than SIX
years 20 build and cost about &O00O. In its sixty
Ave years of constant use this dock has cost ABOUT
10000 for repairs The dock will be built or
concrete lined with stone or altogether OF stone
the alternative being extended 10 bidders In the
effort TO secure contract for Its construction
within the Congress appropriation which 1t Is
feared Is insufficient for the purpose. especially
es the smaller granite dock. built forty years ago
q, BROOKLYN cost nearly Do000o. and the Mare
Island dock 800 feet long. built fifteen years ago.
cost nearly g 10000
The specifications for the new Boston dock An
clude the installation Of three enormous centrifugal
pumps 10 be placed between the new and old
s,CnStaTss with 10Th the f1RaGy to empty the wa,sr
es well all the capstans. winches and other aux
electricity transmitted from the central power sta
ton Of the navy yard. which is now in course OF
January 81 and must be accompanied by certified
checks for 81 cO on account Of motives OF econO-
papers one in Boston and one in New-York. al
though Il has hitherto been the custom in con
tracts Of this magnitude 70 provide for the widest
possible publicity. with the view OF securing gen
Closely following these advertisements soliciting
proposals for the splendid Boston structure the
Se @ s Of % T sze ad
superficial features. 10 be located a. League Island
Mare Island and Portsmouth which are TO be bulk
OF the most perishable material known in engineer
Ing construction, and usually chosen only for tenn
porary works. The limitation liking wood as a
material for these docks not only forced by
the meagre appropriations but especially stipu-
lated in the act Of Congress. notwithstanding the
unfortunate experience OF the Navy with similar
cheap structures which have been built at the
navy yards In the last ten years and are already
ro'ting away or colapsing on account OF their In
herent weakness.
The absurdity of wooden dock building has re-
Gently struck the naval authorities most forciby
account OF the Congress- provision which com
pels them 10 build public work Of this short
lived material at the Portsmouth Navy Yard where
the basin 70 contain IL must be followed out OF
eolid rock Test borings made by the engineers at
that naval station have failed 10 develop any site
where the New England granite will not have TO
be excavated for practically the entire structure.
unless the whole dock is bui In midstream. Cr-
der these circumstances. tie officials will be con-
PEELED by the legislative requirements 10 linz an
everlasting basin. lahoriousy cut out Of absolutely
indes.ructibe material. with veneer Of infamma-
be and rapidly deteriorating material.