The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-27
MAKERS OF FUTURE FLEETS
BENEFIT BY NEW Bull DING
Novel Home of Department Naval Architecture at Msssa
chusets institute of TechnoogyRooms Set Aside ExcI
sNey for United States Naval Constructors Brick and Iron
structure That Has a Compass the Roof


BOSTON, Mass. Sept. 26-During
the past decade the development of
naval architecture in America, partic-
ularly at the Massachusetts Institute
OF Technology in this city, has placed
the United States on a par with
any country in the world in its knowl-
edge of the theoretical and practical
results of modern ship construction.
Inc art and craft of laying down the
plans for modern steamship war
vessel coastlng schooner or pleasure
yacht is one of the most complex and
important professions, particularly in
view or the present growth of Ameri-
can shfpyards and the optimism with
which many observers declare that
American commerce will before long
once more carry the stars and stripes
de lne masthead of a goodly number
of its ocean going vessels.
This goodly number of vessels must
however, be made in our own American
sh1pyafds, and the new technology
Duliolng which has gone up during the
past summer, in seaport Boston, all
most within stones throw of Rich
ardson's beautiful Trinity church. is
an interesting indication of the stead
lily growing Importance of the techni
cal study without which suecessfuI
modern shipbuilding is an admitted
llnpossloIllty. The new building, which
strands In neighborly relation with
what Is probably the best eouipped.
student laboratory of electricity vet in
exlstence-and electricity plays no un-
important part in modern shipbuiId
lns-ls TO be devoted entirely to the
ptaillilhg OF sea- going vessels, chiefly.
u course the great steel steamships
that have become the ocean type of orr
present civilization.
The structure has indeed ol1fte as
much the atmosphere of the shinvard
as that of the school room. The main
drafting room, large enough to accom-
modate some eighty students. is large
enough also to lay down the body
plans of four good-sized vessels in the
same fashion as these designs are laid
aoWn, at their full dimensions. in the
mould loft of a big shipyard. This
oraitlng room occupies the greater mart
VI the upper story of the new building.
ana Is supplemented by other smaller
rooms used as offices for the instruc-
tors and for the storing of the COM
pIetea plans of the various vessels
turned out by the students.
A smaller drafting room about forty
rect square. has, however, more direct
ana general interest, in that 1t is to he
the working quarters of the young men
Whom Uncle Sam selects from his
academy at Annapolis and sends to
Boston to receive postgraduate train
ing Tor naval constructors This mart
or the building will be done under the
immediate supervision of Capt How
gard, of the Danish navy now In tbis
country on leave of absence that per
mlts him to take charge of the special
course for United States naval CON
StruclorS which was arranged by Prof
=. II peabody, head of the institute de-
partment of naval architecture. The
naval academy makes its cadets cana
pie OF commanding warship and the
instltute completes their special educa-
tloh by making them capable of plan
ming one. Their special drafting-room
is, therefore, practically government
scnooI room, exclusiVeness being de-
slrable not only because the students
are here specializing on A single branch
or naval architecture, but also because
much Of the material upon which thew
are working comprises government Sc
cretS Which must be kept as carefully
as II the constructors were working in
United States navy yard The naval
constructors are really ION duty at the
institute, having been ordered there by
the government through the prescribed
official channels, the constructor on
duty at the Boston navy yard the COM
mandant of the navy yard and the bu-
reau of naval construction at Washing
'oii' <'AleA the complexion OF their terms
al Annapolis.
Another curious feature of the new
building is the fact that it has a com
pass on the roof, and that, theoretic-
ally, the brick and iron structure can
be swung about like ship at sea I'M
der the guidance of her big rudder.
The purpose of this instruments
standard Richie liquid compass, with
navy pinnacle and all the appliances
for a6iHSfin0 6QUiafin DC
found on modern ships-is to teach
students how to take into account the
relation which a steel vessel, practic-
ally great magnet in itself, bears to
the compass upon whose correct read
ing depends it's successful navigation.
In making the observations that are
needed in "compensating" the compass,
an ordinary steel vessel must answer