The San Francisco call., 1904-07-18
FLOATING SHOPS
IN THE NAVY OF
GREAT BRITAIN


workshops in which young men will be
trained for the rating of engine-room
artif1cers and other mechanics. The
old ships thus utilized are the Defence
OF 627O tons. built in 1862-lately re-
named Indus-the Bellerophon, 1900
tons, built in 1866, and the Temeraire,
S54O tons, built in 1877. These ships
are henceforth to be designated as In
dus l, II and III, and will be stationed
at Devonport dockyard. Two hundred
boys have been entered on the Bel
lerophon, who, after passing through
the training ship, will be drafted on
TO the various ships in commission.
forming nucleus crews of highly train
ed men. In this way many repairs will
be effected afioat which at present
necessitate a period at a dockyard
The Bellerophon's upper deck has
been fitted out as machinery hall with
machine tools of all descriptions, and
a galvanized iron and glass roof over
it gives the requisite protection and
light. The Temeraire will serve as an
electric power generating station, and
also as a school for carpenters, cleo
tr1cians and ordnance, while the De-
fence will be used as a shop for the
engineer artif1cerS employed in keep
ing the fleet reserves in repairs. The
ships will be connected by means of
bridges, thus affording easy communi-
cation. The expense Of fitting out
these ships with shops, tools, class
rooms, gymnasiums, drawing office,
messroom, berthing accommodations,
baths, etc., has been large, but will un-
doubtedly prove an economical invest
ment, for it is not alone that special
classes Of mechanics will be thus OBJ
tanned for the navy, but the shops
ashore will be relieved of much repair
work of minor character which hitherto
clogged the operations Of the new work
and heavy repairs on machinery and
ordnance outfits. The greatest saving
and convenience, however, will be real
lied on cruising ships on which train
ed mechanics may be able to make such
repairs which otherwise would have to
be done at shore station, involving
loss of time in steaming and great ex-
pense In consumption of coal.
AN AMERICAN IDEA.
The idea of having a vessel specially
fitted as a floating machine shop orig
mated in our navy, and was put to
practical test during the Spanish
American war. A small steamer, the
built in 1885, was purchased May 2, 1885,
for $350,000, renamed the Vulcan, and
fitted out with machine tools. The YES
sci rendered good service for a few
months, but with the termination of the
war her usefulness ceased. The hull
was found to be in bad condition and
after expending SOS, 900 in vain efforts
to prolong her service, the vessel was
sold at auction July 49, 1899, for $175.-
700 There is not, as far as known,
any vessel of that special usefulness in
our navy, but Russia has adopted and
improved the idea in the steamer
Okean; Germany has also converted
sCme of her obsolete ironclads for this
important purpose, and perfection has
been reached to a wider extent in the
British navy in its recent adoption of
the American suggestion, as in addition
to the stationary floating workshops
cruising repair ship is being built. This
vessel, named the Assistance, is of $500
tons displacement, 1000 horsepower and
twelve knots speed and its estimated
cost is $1,000, 600.
Further changes in the regulations
for steam trials in the French navy
have been promulgated by the Minis
ter of Marine The tests are in three
stages as follows:
First-A coal consumption trial of
six hours, under one-half boiler power.
Second-One machinery trial of ten
hours under full power and another of
three hours with three-quarters power.
Third-A run of twenty-four hours,
at cruising speed.
The time between the trials is not to
exceed three days, except under special
circumstances, which must be reported
to the Minister of Marine.
The first vessel thus tried under the
new regulations was the armored
cruiser Conde, built at the L'Orient
dockyard, laid down March 20, 1901,
launched March IL, 1902 and tried in
May last. The trials were completed
in seven days, whereas under the old
regulations they might have lasted
weeks and even months. The Conde
is of 1856 tons, 20,50O horsepower
and calculated speed of 21 knots. She
is fitted with twenty EIGHT Niclausse
boilers. The coal consumption trial
showed a consumption of 1928 pounds
per square foot of CRATE surface. The
full power test gave %, 800 horse
power and 21.35 knots, and the
twenty-four hours run at ordinary
cruising speed developed IL, 900 horse
power and 1875 knots speed. There
are five vessels of the Conde class the
others being the Aube, Gloire. Mar
seillaise and Sully. The Aube and
in the dockyard, and there has been
no material difference in time of COM
pletion between the contract and dock
yard built ships.
NEW WARSHIPS FOR FRANCE
Thirty-three new vessels have been
authorized to be built for the French
navy during 1904-5. OF this number,
however, twenty-eight are submarine
boats, four torpedo boats and only one
armored cruiser. This latter ship,
four torpedo boats and eight subma-
rines are to be built in dockyards and
twenty submarines by contract. The
total sum for new construction and
completing vessels ins hand is about
$13. 100000.
The German cruiser Hamburg was
delivered by the builders within six
teen months after the signing of the
contract. The vessel is wood
sheathed and coppered and cost about
$780, 600. She is of 1852 tons dis
placement, BAL feet length, 1926 feet
beam, 16.5 feet draught and her en-
gines are of 10000 horsepower, calcu-
lated to give a speed of % knots. The
vessels ten water-tube boilers are of