New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-23
OrR ROTTTNG TIMBER DOCKS.

There seems 20 be, as time passes, no I'M
movement in the case of timber drydocks-the
wood-ned excavations. pershable and peril
OILS whose increase i'm number for Nauonal
use The Tribune has labored unwearyingly to
prevent The more public attention IS drawn
TO the subject the more recruits we find in the
crusade against their continuance. which mad
It's inception in this journal. There could he
no more gratifying Endorsement OF The IT'D
unp's course than the recent meeting or the
American Society of Civil Engineers called TO
consider this problem. While that distinguished
and conservative body takes part as society
in no controversy, and lends IT'S influence 10
no movement intended TO affect legislation, It
permits all proper discussion or engineering
questions and the presentation OF varying
views thereon. Under such circumstances the
case for stone and against timber drydocks was
presented by CommOdores Endicott and Mel
vile, both men Of more than National fame In
their professions. Their views met no dissent
ing voice in the audience Of over one hundred
prominent engineers. but received instead such
confirmation and support as TO leave no doubt
rs 10 the -socctys unofficial opinion in the
matter.
The timber drydock. while only about 20 per
cent cheaper in first cost than the stone one.
IS an exceedingly expensive luxury in the end
Within n little over eight years the Govern
ment has expended over 100000 in repairs
upon five Of these frail structures. Even exclud-
ing from this total the large sum of Sl11OOO
spent upon the notorious Drydock No. 3, at
Now-York there remains an amount which
makes the cost of maintenance Of four OF these
structures over eight and one-half times as
much por dock as the corresponding manten-
ance cost Of each Of the stone drydocks Of the
NAVY This however. is not all. The excess
cost Of maintenance of timber over stone repre-
scnts the interest at per cent Of nearly
100000 for each dock. or over 100000 more
than would have been required to build ii OF
stone i'm tho first place. on considerations of
economy, no further argument than this would
seem TO be necessary. When the Nation sees
such measures as the Nicaragua Canal and
Army Reorganization bills halted on the plea
Of q possihly empty Treasury in the future. 1t
will scarcely view with patience any further
snendthrift economy in the matter OF wooden
drydocks.
The weakness Of the case for timber is shown
most signaly in the character Of the arguments
presented by It's advocates. \ prominent dry
dock company has issued pamphlet contain
ing so-called estimates of the comparative cost
Of maintenance of the two types, with conclu-
slons overwhelmingly in favor of wood At the
meeting referred 10 these estimates" were
analyzed in the light Of the facts the result being
that they were ridded as If they had been the
target for machine gun fire Again. in explain
ing before COngressio committee the alb
sence Of timber drydocks in Europe. n naval
official declared that this lack Of timber docks
abroad was due to the fact that wood there
was so costly that even tOothpicks were made
OF iron. Another contention was advanced by
n legislator 10 the effect that the timber dock
would last for forty years. which was long
enough for anything 10 endure.
These. viewed in the most favorable light,
are the arguments Of children. They have no
worth in the serious consideration of this sub
ject. The duty Of Congress is plain Not only
should the policy OF timber drydocks be aban-
doned for the future but the appropriations
made at the last session for three of these