The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-12

middle frames for the vessel 10 taken 70 what Is
called q bending table, or a steel platform with
square holes for steel pegs all over IL. The tenn.
| plate 10 stretched out upon the floor and the
exact shape of the template is marked in chalk
across the bending table. Tho franc itself is
then placed In a furnace at one side OF the bend
ing table and heated to n yellow heat. when II 10
dragged from tho furnace door and stalwart
men with immense sledges, by the use of pins
and steel dogs. beat the frame into the exact
shape 1t will occupy on tho ship. The first frame
TO be placed in position Is the one exactly in tho
middle of the ship. The other frames at regular
distances follow tho first frame. fore and aft,
and are regulated both by their own bearings
to tho keel and by that OF their next nelRhbors.
Then comes the plating OF the ship. Tho
plates come to tho shipyard practically OF tho
Rize that are needed in each case, but simply as
fiat plates. They are shearod and the places for
the rivets are punched out. The plato itself Is
put into n furnace. and. when heated, 10 bent
into the exact shape required in its place on the
ship. II the bending Of tho plate requires deli.
cate curving, the contractor frequently makes
an iron mould in addition to the template. and
the bent plate Is not only fitted to the template
but also to this mould. and in some cases is even
taken to the mould loft and placed upon the
floor to insure exact compliance with the re.
quiremcnts for that individual plate. SO the
work of plating and framing a ship goes on from
day to day, much rs the work OF framing and
plating any other vessel.
Up to this time, except in the multiplicity OF
preparation. in tho rigorous inspection, and In
the detailed plan drawing, tho construction OF
the battleship has differed very little from the
construction OF an ordinary merchantmen.
1t is when the plans are being made for the ma
chinery that n decided difference becomes no.
tlcoable. The approximate horse power OF the
engine to drive the ship having been agreed
upon. plans are drawn up to show. first, the size
and dimensions of the boilers and all other de-
tails regarding them; second. all the details
regarding the engines proper; third. details
regarding the arrangement of what are
known as auxiliaries. 1t is when we come
to this matter Of auxiliaries thnt one be-
gins to see how complex the modern bat
tleship is and to understand why lite c%onstruc-
tion is a matter of great skill and delicacy. The
auxilinries consist not only of the various kinds
of pumps and condensers. such as an ordinary
merchant ship has. but. in addition, of numerous
other appliances that are found only on a man
of-war, such as machinery which has to do with
the operation OF guns and turrets. The cleo
trical appliances are also far more intricate and
extensive than in any other manufactured
thing. The steering gear and the hosting gear,
rs we'll as the evaporators and distillers, and the
thousand and one other details are so elaborate
that only a warship has them on a big scale.
While the framing and the plating have been
going on the castings are being mado for the
various parts of the engines. such as bed plates,
supports. tubes. blocks, and the forging of crank
shafts. various kinds of rods and bars arc being
made, and the propellers are being cast. Day by
day the machinery is gradually set UP in the
shops, every bit of which is tested thoroughly by
inspectors, until, finally, the engines are COM
plcte and are " turned over" This Is one OF the
most delicate processes in building ships. II the
engines do their work properly. they are then
broken up" and by means of derricks are
lowered into the ships hold and put to-
gether. The armor plates now begin to
arrive from the factory, and they are bolted on
the inside to the sides of the ship. Tho turrets
and the barbettes meanwhile have also begun
to arrive in the shipyard. as we'll as the cannon
of various sizes. and all these with the greatest
care and delicacy, a matter involving the
handling and adjustment of great weights, are
placed In position. What is known as a dock
trial follows usually. and then comes an elabor-
ate official test of running at full speed for four
hours under the Government supervision. after
which, II the vessel is satisfactory, she takes
her place in the navy.
THE WEIGHTS OF VARIOUS PARTS OF THE SHIP.
Mention was made of the fact that after
having settled upon the size of the guns and the
kind OF armor tho vessel is to have, as well as
the speed md the character Of her engines, the
first thing Of importance in drawing up the gen.
eral plans Of the ship is to settle the probable
tonnage or weight of the vessel. Up to within
a few years ago 1t was all a matter Of guesswork
as to the probable weights of the various things
that entered into the construction of a battle
ship. When the Iowa was designed in 1892
the Navy Department estimated that the total
weight of the ship would be IL, 10s tons. The
experiment was then made for the first time of
weighing everything that went into the makeup
of the vessel. These items were placed in eight
groups, and when the vessel was completed an
allowance was made for everything on board. in
Guiding even the weight of the men constituting
the crew. 1t was found that the actual estimate
OF the weight of the ship had been exceeded by
only nineteen and a half tons. This was a re-
markable showing and illustrates some OF the
clever work that has been done in the con-
struction OF our warships. Along this line,
it is interesting to note that when the battle
ship Indiana was launched she came within
one-siXteenth OF an inch of the estimated line of
her displacement in the water. Frequently YES
sells vary in this respect from six inches to a
foot, especially in English shipyards. And
when a test was made TO determine the lndi-
ana's mctacentre 1t was found that the calcula-
tons were correct within one-fourth of an inch.
In the case OF the Iowa there were several i'm
portant changes made in the weights during the
period OF construction. but tho additions and de-
ductions practically equalized each other.
Some OF the weights, actual and estimated,
for a ship like the Iowa tell a characteristic
story. For example, the weight of the steel in
the hull amounts to 4, 800 tons; the estimated
weight vas 4, 200 tons. The weight OF the wood
in the ship. except the backing for the armor
and the furniture, amounts to 2Os tons; the
49,. .l H. ~ -a-l .-NI -.NE - -.-
244 tons. The decrease was caused by a change
made during construction with the purpose Of
eliminating as much woodwork as possible
The Rrmor fittings for the ship weigh 2,7sO
tons; the estimated weight was 2,sl2 tons
The weight OF the engines and all ma
chincry connected with them is 1918 tons
the estimated weight was 1912 tons. thu
:. increase of more than 100 tons being du'
, to placing in the engine schedule certain
5 material that was grouped under tho head
3 ing of ordnance. The weight of the guns ant
, their complete outfit. including ammunition anC