Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-12-04
DOCKING A WARSHIP.
Fighting Machine Delicate and Hard
tc Handle When Not AfIoat.


Fighting Machine Delicate and Hard
tc Handle When Not AfIoat.
What is generally considered to be
one Of the most difficult and delicate
operations that enter into the care of
a modern warship is that of docking,
when either length of service Or some
accident makes such a course neces-
sary. Every precaution must be ex-
erc1sed by the officer in charge of the
work to see that it is properly done.
for it has been demonstrated in the
most indisputable way that the slight
est mlscalculation often results in an
accident that may. require thousands
of dollars to remedy
To the uninitiated the sight of 1O. 900
or 10000 tons of steel in the shape of
mighty fgu,lng machine resting in
a dry dock seems but the result of a
mechanical operation in which a num-
Der of heavy hawsers, a lot of men
and some solid looking blocks of
wood play the principal part. Such.
however, is not the case. To properly
dock battleship or cruiser is a prob
lem that has worried many a gallant
officer Of the navy, and experience has
shown that it is a work that can only
be Entrusted to the most competent.
Not only is great skill and care re-
CURED in the actual operation, but ev-
cry detail must be figured out with
mathematical accuracy before the
work is commenced. This is done
from plan of the ship to be locked.
The shape of the keel and hull, to-
gether with the draft and displace-
ment, must all be taken into considera-
ton by the officer in charge of the
work, who maps out the position of
the blocks on which the vessel is to
rest accordingly. In this way it is
possible to distribute the strain even
ly, and so prevent the bottom plates
from buckling, as in the case of the
Cincinnati a few years ago at South
ampton.
In this case man who had no
knowledge of the difficulties attending
the docking of a battleship proceeded
N' iiS "otAu " I'LL q H., us
ing blocks of nearly equal height in
the cradle, and it was not until the
bottom plates had buckled and caused
injuries that cost thousands of dollars
to repair that he learned his error
When war vessel is ordered into dry
dock copy Of her plans is handed to
the officer who is to superintend the
work tho ho E.,
reception. 1t is from these plans tha.
he determines the pOsluon of the
blocks. This must be done every time
a vessel is locked, as the conditions
vary with the draft and displacement
After the mathematical work has
been completed the stationary blocks
are set to conform as nearly as pos
sible with the curve of the keel On
top of these special blocks of heavy
oak or pine are placed in such a way
that when the vessel is finally locked
she will not only rest evenly, but
without straining. This delicate work
done, the vessel is towed up to the
dock, and warped in place. Heavy
cables attached to the bow are used to
bring the ship in, and every precaution
is made to prevent her hitting the
sides.
Before this is done stakes are driven
on either side of the dock at points
parallel to a line which it is proposed
to rest the stem and stern, and an
other marker is placed at the head of
the dock directly in the center. The
use OF these markers is shown after
the vessel is in, when she is ''lined'-
a technical term meaning that the boat
is in proper place for lowering on the
blocks at the bottom of the dock
When at last the great bulk of steel
is placed where she should be the cot
ferdam and gates of the docks are
closed and the water is gradually
drained off by means of hydraulic
pumps. AS the level of the water falls
the crew swarms over the sides and
proceed to wash the bottom, while
other men, armed with huge beams
are scattered around the dock ready to
place the "shorers" when the proper
signal is given.
So carefully are the details worked
out that when properly done the vessel
is washed and the more important
"shorers" are placed in position at the
instant the bottom touches the blocks,
which, with the beams used, are all
thoroughly tested before the operation
commences. This is all done by the
time the water has been drained from
the dock, and the only additional work
done before the repairs are started is
to strengthen the position of the ship
by placing supplementary "shorers''
under the hull and against the sides