Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1899-12-02
LAUNCHING BIG SHIPS
An Undertaking Calling for Careful
Calculation.
The Slightest Hitch OF Mistake
Would Result In Untold Disaster
ana Possible Loss Of
Huanan Life.

According TO NJ. V. d. Doughty, the
feelings Of n man who Is charged with
the responsibility Of the launching of a
great ship nre by no means pleasant
when the fateful moment arrives which
is to decide whether the vessel will
glide gracefully OF the ways or stick.
Mr.. Doughty has had charge OF the
arrangements of more launchings than
any other man in the United States,
and possibly in the world.
During his connection with the ship
building industry he has superintended
II successful l~aunchings. Among the
vessels that have left the ways under
his direction were the first-class battle
ships Kearsarge. Kentucky and Illinois,
the gunboats Nashville, Helena and
Wilmington, the four steamers which
were transformed into auxiliary cruis-
ers in the war with Spain and the
was used as a transport. The Creole,
now the hospital ship Solace, also re-
ceived her baptism under his direction.
In speaking of the anxiety felt by the
man who has charge of the launching.
Mr.. Doughty says: THE launching Of
a modern ship, with such enormous
dimensions. is not only a matter OF
careful calculation, but n Of great
skill and labor. Should anything hap
pen, such as delays in clearing the ship
Of her shores and blocks or caused by n
passing vessels. then comes a moment
Of intense anxiety to the man having
the launching in charge.
"He knows just how long he can wait
and when the limit OF safety is reached.
Should the ship refuse to slide from the
ways or stick, as IL is termed, not only
is the safety of the vessel involved, but
such a catastrophe means a great pc
cuniary loss to the builders. The aus
for sticking is invariably blamed on the
tallow with which the ways are creased.
and while this may not always be
responsible, 1 will not dispute its Jus
tice.
SHOULD the vessel stick, he is forced
to go all through the same process
again, and the conditions in the second
case are not always so favorable as
in the first. Consequently his doub'
and anxiety are doubled at the second
attempt.
Even after the ship has started down
the ways to meet her watery bed there
is a severe mental strain upon the
nan having charge of the launching.
While the ship is in motion he is think
ing about how she will be received by
the water.
"Should he have been mistaken in his
calculations and the ship fall after her
stern had passed the outer end OF the
ground ways, instead OF raising, as in
tended, the probability is that she
would dislodge the cradle at the for
ward end and fall between the ways.
"On the other hand, should the stern.
or after end OF the ship, raise sooner
than intended, thus throwing too much
weight on the forward end Of the pack
ing upon which the ship is resting, the
vessel would be subjected to an ex-
traordinary strain, as she would then
be borne forward by the timber as well
as by the water nj her stern.
"There are also other dangers caused
by the ship lifting al the after end too
soon. thus throwing too great weight
forward. Should there be a break in
the thrappinR, or lashings, which are
placed to keep the packing and bilgc
ways, or slides, from spreading, the
probability is that the vessel would fall
between the ways; or, II the thrapping
should not part at the proper moment,
the danger is that the forward packing
would be forced through the bottom
of the ship, causing her to fill and 90
down.
'"rhc danger Of disaster in launching
large ships should cause the man hav-
ing charge of the launching to calcu-
late carefully all conditions when he
lays the keel OF the ship. This, with
the careful lying Of the lower ground
ways, upon which the ship is to slide
down, insures a successful launch
n. Y, Press. q.