Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-08
Sectional Steamboat
On the Potomac

n does not appear to be generally known
that the only sectional steamboat in
the world is in operation on the Po-
= tomac river; yet such is the fact. The
vessel referred to is the Pontonier be-
longing to the engineer department of the
army and attached to the engineer post at
the Washington barracks. 1t has been in
service here several months, and is well
known by sight to all the rivermen, but
comparatively few of them know of her pc
culiar construction and capabilities
The Pontonier was built in sections for
purely military purposes, with the idea of
having boat that could be transported on
a large steamer or warship and assembled
where required for service in a moderate
seaway. The parts are four in number and
arranged SO as to be readily put together.
They are self-locking
1t Is believed that this type of vessel will
be of special service for the prompt ham
ding of troops and munitions in time of
war, the necessary war material, provisions
and men being easily transferred from the
army transport to any coast where it is nee
essary to make landing
The boat is built of steel, with twin
screws, and has two compound engines and
q Seabury water tube boiler. The vessel is
80 feet long, with a draft of SO feet and
beam of Is feet. She has a displacement of
- tons and operates a. speed of II knots
per hour. The section containing the en-
glnes has a space cut off fore and aft 115
feet with an inside bulkhead for the Off
GERS quarters.
x
The sections are fitted with cones one foot
two inches in diameter. In the section next
to the engine Is boiler installation. which
includes storage tanks for water and fuel
bunkers for 5000 pounds of coal. The en-
CINE section contains two double-cylinder
compound engines, with nine-inch stroke,
the high-pressure cylinders measuring six
inches in diameter and the low-pressure
cylinders twelve inches. The section ahead
of that containing the boiler installation has
quarters for crew of twenty men and also
serves as a hold for the cargo, while the
bow section has the necessary store lockers
and carries the chain and anchor equipment
as well as a derrick. -
The boom and derrick mast provided have
a capacity of 1900 pounds. The forward
deck has hatchways which are provided
with water-tight covering flush with the
deck. There are two light boats with davits
on the steel deck, which is constructed to
hold load of 10000 pounds, concentrated
on a truck of four wheels, having an eight
foot wheel base There is a windass on the
deck OF each section and a steel cable to
connect the sections, bolts being used for
reinforcement, and when the steel deck is
in place each section of the steamer be-
comes water-tight compartment. The YES
sci as originally constructed cost $1S,7o9.
*
Although the PontoDier was built for the
use of the engineer school," explaiHed one
of the engineer officers at the Washington
barracks, it was desired at the same time
to determine, experimentally, whether a
boat which would be serviceable in other
respects could be so built in sections as to
be capable of transportation the deck
of a transport other large steamer for
use in debarkation operations. The opera
tons of our army on the south coast of
Cuba, near Santiago, in 1898 were based
upon the landing Of troops and supplies