The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-05-25
HUGE A0AT TING DRY DOCK
Built at Spanows Point, Nd,
for Use in the Philippines.
TO BE TOWED $4,000 MILES
Cost S12A,ooo, and Is Considered a
Good lnvestment--Can Lift 10000
Tons-Five Months Required for
Trip-largest Ever Constructed.
There Are 100000 Rivets.

The largest floating steel dry dock
. the world is nearing completion at
he plant of the Maryland Steel Co.,
1t Sparrows Point, Md. 1t is being
1uilt for the United States govern.
Bent, and when finished will be
owed $4,000 miles to the Philippines,
where 1t will furnish much-needed
locking facilities for American war
hips on the Asiatic station, says the
brooklyn Eagle.
At the present time the navy has
practically no docking accommoda-
ions whatever in the Philippines.
rhe Spaniards paid no attention to
his very important detail. They con-
itructed couple of runways into the
water at Cavite, on which it was pos
Sible to haul up small craft of few
nndred tons displacement. These
nakeshift facilities have been utilized
~ our government In docking torpedo
l0ats, but when 1t becomes necessary
q put a cruiser or battleship into
lock for repairs, painting or cleaning,
must be sent to the ports of China
r Japan. Excellent docks are main
aimed at Hongkong and Nagasaki
The floating steel dock is the
iheapcst Ct all ship basins. 1t would
ave cost the government about ST.
100000 tc construct a modern stone
n concrete dock in the Philippines.
rhe floating affair that is now being
finished will cost only $4,000 yet 1t
xill answer all the purposes of the
rest and most expensive granite dock.
Z is a mammoth structure, with a
fitting capacity of 10000 tons. A COM
2arison of its power with similar
locks shows that 1t is the king ot
them all. The next largest dock m
he world is that at New Orleans,
which has lifting capacity Of 1900
.ons. 1t was built for the naval sta
ION at that place, because the rapid
currents of the Mississippi render the
construction of a craving dock i'm
practicable. The Spanish govern
nent purchased floating dock few
rears before the war Of 1898, and
shen peace was declared the structure
vas in the harbor of Havana. Our
sovernment generously paid to Spain
he sum of s165,O00 for the dock, and
{ is now being used at Pensacola.
The new dock is 500 feet long, with
width of 100 feet between the fend-
srs. 1t las a freeboard of II feet,
With 80 feet of water above the keel
blocks. II contains 11,000 tons of
steel and has 100000 rivets. 1t will!
'eQuire 120 tons of red lead and lin
4eed oil to paint the dock. The side
calls are AZ feet high and have a
thickness Of II feet This monster
structure draws only 61s feet OF
water
The dock is very simply built It
'onsists Of three pontoons, or metal
anks, with two side walls. The CEN
er one is 800 feet long, and the end
anks measure 80 feet each in leigth.
These pontoons are constructed on
he principle of huge sponge. Tnere
re ai cells in the middle tank, and
8 In each of the others. But in
tead Of cells they are called water
ight compartments. From these d.
isions small pipes run out, leading
nth general waterway. They are
II connected with an electrical pump.
ag plant, located on one of the side
rails
90
1ret "a horizontal, centrifugal pumps.
When 1t IS desired to submerge the
ock in order to receive a vessel, the
alves leading into the water tight
Compartments are opened. In rushes
he water and the pontoons gradu-
lily sink. When the required depth
as been attained the ship is placed
The proper position over the keef
ll'es. Blocks and supports are ad-
isted, and then the pumps are set to
York to eXpel the water from the
teel tanks, An electrical device indi-
Tates whether the water is being
ijrhped out fast enough and evenly.
that there will be no danger of
training the vessel by lifting one end
II t.Ie docl; higher than the other.
floating dock will automatically
ut load equal to its own displace-
nent, less its weight. II it is unable
% LIT the vessel high enough from
he water, caisson gates are resorted
%. These are inserted at either end
uF the dock, forming practically a
craving dock, The water in the basin
's pumped out and everything is clear
for the workman to inspect the bot
ION. and sides Of the craft During a
ieries Of tests that We're made some
lme since to determine the rapiditv
with which a vessel could be docked
ind retloatod, a 5000 ton cruiser was
lifted clear OF the water and again
returned to the water, ali in a period
Of o5 minutes
Cne Of tie great advantages of a
f'oa'ing dock over the craving type Is
the fact that It can be dismembered
snG removed from place to place.
For Instance, If this country were TO
become involved in a war and the
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