The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-27

United States possesses eleven dry
docks Of more or less usefulness. but
nom a statement made to the Eagle
correspondent by Admiral Matthews.
Chief ofthc bureau OF Yards and Docks.
THIS estimate should be cut down to
SIX, which is Il liberal count. The report
of';hc l3unce Board states that we have
docks At the following places: Ports
mouth, lioSton, New York Uhrcc)
League Island. Norfolk uwo), Port
Royal. Mare Island and Puget Sound.
OF this number" said Admiral Mat
theWs, only six are capable of recciv-
ing ships Of the Texas and New York
class. which are not the largest vessels
owned by the United States by any
means. Dry dock No. =. at Brooklyn
Navy Yard. and dry dock No. . al the
NorfGlk Navy Yard, can accommodate
the New York and Texas under The most
favorable conditions only. These sh;ps
can pass over the stills of these docks
at high tide. The craving dock at
League Island and the docks at Port
Royal. Mare Island and Puget Sound
can also receive these war ships. The
Indiana has been locked at POM Roval
but the circumstances surrounding this
lsal were so dangerous that the Gov
eminent later on concluded TO send this
ship To Halifax rather than risk her
the entrance to the dock al Port ROYAL.
The new dock III i'uga: Sound is all
right. and can easily take the largest
vessel wc have"
This statement Of Admiral Matthews
puts this country practically below Ger
many and Japan. Great Britain heads
the list with 81 docks and > locks. To-
Gated at the following places: Thirteen
dry docks and = locks at the Chatham
Sheerness naval stations, 16 dry docks
and locks 1T the Port s,nou,h naval
station, dry docks and dock at the
PiEnr1uth naval station, dry docks at
Malta and under construction at
Gt"raltar. There are III docks scattered
around at other naval stations
hrance has dry docks az the Tolrlon
naval station, docks nj the Brcst naval
station and docks ut the Chcrhour..
naval station. She also has 10 docks
located at Cr.hcr naval stations. Ger
many has . docks at the Kiel naval sta
ZION and docks al the Wilhclmshavcn
naval station, ana dock at the Daut
nc naval station.
There are dry docks at The snezio
HAY, naval station ana dry docks at
other naval stations. Japan has drv
docks at th= Nokosukt naval station
and docks mt o;hcr points Spain
owns " dry docks at he Cadiz naval
station and has Il floating structure ut
tartaGcna ana at Subic. and a wooden
dock at Fenoi. The holting dock AT
Suh.c is monster, being 40 feet in
length. III feet wide and has depth Or
" feet i inches over the sill The docks
at CadiZ have Ghc following d!men-
sons: 30 feet long, 80 fset M entrance
~ feet over sill; Ri feet long 40 feet
q. entrance, n feet over sill; 2l9 feet
long, 81 feet at entrance and IS feet
over sill. The floating dock at Carta-
grna IS go fact long. 1O5 feet at en-
trance and - feet over sill. The Ferrol
dock is i'' feet long, SO feet at entrance.
with u depth over sill OF 50 feet inches.
While none OF these docks compares
IN poin'; Of size with dry docks No. .
or " ~: the brooklyn Navy Yard, they
are all good scrviceabic structures in
good condition. Spain has now also n
new floating steel dock in the harboy
o: havana.
Great britain has the largest naval
dock in The world She is now build :
ing az Gibraltar a dry dock which viii
!neasur4, when completed $40 / ct in