New-York tribune., 1899-02-11
ALL FAVOR STONE DRYDOCKS
STRONG ARGUMENTS AT MEETING OF
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL

ENGINEERS
.'Drydocks. stone versus Wood the sub
ject discussed at special meeting OF the American
Society OF Civil Engineers held last night in tho
society house. No. go West Fifty-seventh-st More
than one hundred engineers present, and the
lvellest interest manifested by all IN the topic
Of the evening The three papers which were read
were exhaustive and showed that the stone dry
dock IS fer and away ahead of the timber drydock.
both in regard cost OF maintenance and stability
and safety. The weight % the arguments was
added by the prominence and experience IN the
construction OF drydocks ~ the speakers. Iney
were William l. Cathcart. late Chief Engineer. I.
s. y. and professor of marine engineering az the
Academy of Naval Architecture IN this city. Com
nodore George W. Melville. Engneer-in-Chief
Bureau OF Steam Engineering T. 5. y. and Com
modore " 7 Endicott Chief y, Bureau OF Yards
and DOCKS I. :. y After the reading Of these
papers lively informal discussion OF the relative
merits of stone and timber in the construction OF
drydocks took place. and was participated IN by
several well-known engineers. The discussion. both
formal and informal one-sided in that it was
all in favor of the OF stone. The unanimous
opinion OF the body seemed be in favor o: that
material
Last nights meeting important in that Il
was a protest against the bill before Congress
authorizing the construction OF three new Govern
drydocks made OF timber. Naval officers.
engineers the public and The Tribune have worked
Is feared that the bill vii pass n view o. the ap
parent economy from the % timber. The pub
lie has become thoroughly aroused by ne recent
war. however 70 the necessity OF having stone dry
docks for the best interests q the Nay. and the
enthusiasm OF last nights meeting was striking
evidence ot this feeling
NJ Cathcart devoted himself 70 showing that
the maintenance Of a stone drydock IS IN the END
far cheaper than that of a wooden drydock. and
supported his statements by carefully compiled
figures He said in part
The modern war vessel is practically helpless
wi hout the drydock. IN which she must be placed
periodically for the cleansing OF the hull. and with
more or less frequency for the examination and
pair all exterior parts below the water-iine. The
expansion Of the feet and thst ot the system o.
National drydocks should. then. 20 hand IN hand.
and yet with rehabilitated Navy. which Is al
ready formidable IN strength the United States Is
far behind the other great Powers Of the world.
not only IN the number bur apparently IN the
material Of it, drydocks Of The eleven which our
Government controls and operates. only four
are Of masonry. the remainder being Of timber
construction and IT IS proposed further. in recent
legisa tion build three more docks Of wood. our
Government IS the only one On rhA world that has
directly constructed timber drrGock All other
countries have none but stone drydocks. Timber
drydocks are subject 20 decay especially in the
upper parts which alternately wet and dry. on
the other hand. the masonry dock. = buit Of gran
ire or other enduring stone and mortar - the hest
Portland cement Is permanent work Also II
may be stated a general principle that II Is
possible 10 make a drydock Of masonry absolutely
water light whereas this Is impossible m The case
% a timber drydock.
Mr Ca-hcar, then compared figure nv figure.
the comparative cost 70 the United States In the
past Of the maintenance o. IFS timber and stone
drydocks He cited the store drvdocks a. Bos' on
Norfolk Brooklyn and Mare Island. and ne I'm
Der drydocks at New-York League Island. Norfolk
% COsf
Of maintenance O: the dock structure proper had
been for the stone docks t.55s year. ana for
those OF timber sl3 ~ year or more tnan e4gni
and one-han times much. He criticised the
uan7phlet recent issued BY the simpson Dry DOCK
Company which gave figures H. favor OF timber
d-vdocks h pointed several reasons why
their statistics faulty and unfair TO the stone
drydocks Mr. Cathcart was heartily applauded.
Commodore Melville then spoke IN part as follows
limiting his argumen; TO the superiority OF stone
over timber insuring the stability and SAFETY o.
drydocks:
with the requirement Of distant island territory
sv,s rrnirg with bronze hued aliens. The White
Mans burden Of Thtch ~ h1tIs O w ee1t n suF
pe5r,ies is laid az lest on the broad shoulders OF
he United states With tns there looms up ior
US a. well q golden iuture on The Pacihc N the
extension OF trade 20 rs uttermost Island ana
10 the Asian httorsl beyond. Ana hnalIy ne
lime seems ripe for our merchant marine - take
again its proud place. as OF old. when lts nag
these tonsiderations Sir. point with uncertain
Nations need. in the early -uture or 4
strong force ahoat. and. In maintaining the eff
cheney o. that force. wort ny system ot dock con,
srr.rtIon 5 In my view. cardinal essential
We In our day are true % this principle IN
+hA tfrnber-veneered excavations peT1snable and
rerilous which for ten years past nave Deeh IN
aicted upon the Navy. - - NJ,
PtIt sr the matters Of first cost and OF cost or
| maintenance are minor issues only which should
have no determinate bearing. The real question IS
he stability and safety Of q structure Whlci may
A. any time hold within + q our great battle
ships costing millions Of dollars and sWarIiihg
t+b hundreds of men The Nation, 70 save dollars
MOI tfford 10 iuperil Its naval strength or 70
riek human life and these very things, SIR. Us
nou,y Of unWisdom 20 docks cornpels dsly N llS
ar-rtnce Of ships into struc lures WHlcH nav
srou-r time and again their weakness
commodore Melville went on 10 prove tne superl'i
s-ariiifv and safety OF stone and MS hna4 appeal
no the conmon-sense of the American peoPle % %
de.tts rght in this question which 20 closely
efee.ts our Navy and welfare. was greeted WIN
| an 0ut burst Of handclapplns 1T. 49,.
commodore EndcOtt said mat timber oocAs W.
d,sosrded bv Queen Elizabeth, and that as 70 ory
49, We were now Just where Great brltaln Was
80 CENTURIES ago He pointed out me Ialse econ
-. ~ ti-nber dock which might cost Nttle l-ss
- mid tbar stone dock. but would cost Hu-H
,ore IN ne end besides being unstable ana unseIs
III p,ndicott's description or bow ne ana oeCle
-e-v Long appeared before President Mckinley aAo
d committees and argued successfully lor stone
dr,,docks was received with shouts or apptoEs III
said that the Naval Appropriation pIl' Wh.ch W W.
sO0n come before Congress. "ouio IecOil''HV'''
stone.
TIE WEATHER REPORT.