The Minneapolis journal., 1903-11-24
.CAVITE DRY DOCK
IA Great Floating Structure That
Will Be Built by the United
States.
A Total Length Of 500 Feet With a
Clear Width Of 100
Feet.
Engineering Record.

engineering Record.
The floating dry dock which the
for the bureau of docks and yards
marks distinct advance in a highly
specialized branch of engineering. 1T
Is the elimination, for the present, of
the rapid construction of dry-docks
which was begun shortly before the
Spansh-American war. The navy de-
partment possessed a few small but
well-built masonry craving docks and
number constructed of wood. The
masonry structures were built years
ago, when prices were entirely differ
ent from those of the present time, and
timber was used for the new work
mainly because congress believed it
VIZ. was enough cheaper in comparison
with masonry, despite it's lack of
permanence, for its adoption to be a
good business action.
fortunately the great success of the
hoat1ng dock at Algiers, opposite New
orleans, has enabled congress to solve
It's latest dry-dock problem in q man
ner that deserves attention.
When the Spanish authorities turned
over the Philippines to the United
states, among the other troubles to
Whch this country fell heir was the
choice Of q site for a permanent naval
station. The success Of the New Or
leans dock enabled congress to settle
the matter quickly, by calling for tend
ers Tor new steel floating dock which
can be used wherever it is needed.
Inc modern fleet is SO well equipped
Tor facilities for repairs that all
ordinary work can be done in such a
DOCK by the enlisted force. In case Of
more serious repairs, it will be possible
10 orlng men and materials from China
ana Japan. This dock will be built in
about half the time it would take to
construct a masonry dock and at about
the same cost and can be moved about
from place to place, as needed, until
Inc site OF the permanent station 1s
definitely determined.
opeclhcat1ons We're drawn up which
ailoWed the greatest latitude in de-
sign' ana 1t is satisfactory to know
that an American plan was considered
superior to thoserof foreign specialists.
A full discussion of all the plans ha q
oeen published by A. C. Cunningham
IN the journal Of the American Society
OF Naval Engineers. From this arti-
Gle 1t appears that the Cavite dock will
have a number of distinctive features
which may be briefly mentioned.
1t will have a total length of 6O0
Ieet, clear width of 100 feet and q
treeboard Of II feet when there is 80
rect or water above the keel blocks.
The lifting capacity is $4,000 tons, It
is a self-dock structure and for this
purpose Is made in three portions, so
that any one can be docked by the
remaining two. The design Of these
three parts Is unique. however, and
was evidently prepared to meet the
specifications for this particular struc-
ture. Each end pontoon is compara-
lively short, only 80 feet in length,
and extends under the overhanging
sides of the. central .pontoon, which
are the full 500 feet long. These pom
toons are provided with independent
pumping engines and the two of them
are able to dock the large central por-
ton, The latter can dock both end
pontoons simultaneously. This de-
sign possesses great rigidity and the
continuity Of the side walls permits
the mechanical plant to be arranged
to the best advantage.
The success of the floating dry dock
Is particularly pleasing because of the
tedious delays which have attended
the recent construction of craving
docks and the many strong complaints
against the management of the bureau
of yards and docks which have arisen
in consequences It Is important to
notice, however, that the two classes
Of docks are entirely distinct, and
the success with the floating type is
due to the cause Of the trouble with
the land docks. All such structures
are let Tor lump sum. In the case
Of the floating dock the builders can
plan every detail before submitting a
bid. With the craving dock, very lit
tie can be planned. The foundations
cannot be definitely investigated until
excavation is well advanced, and as
the work progresses it may be neces-
sary to make great changes in some
Of the details of the designs, All these
unforeseen developments may not be
to the contractors disadvantage. vet
they probably will be, and, as the
Engineering Record has often stated
before, lump sum bid for such work
is nothing but business gambling in