Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-09-14
SHALL EXPERIMENT STATION
BE REMOVED /?

Considerable concern is now being
manifested regarding the talked-of re-
moyal of the u. S. Naval Experiment
Station from this city, as published
IN the Capital Tuesday. on account OF
the delay and apparent inability to
clear the title to the ground, the pro-
posesd site for the plant for expert
montal research in mechanical branch
es OF the Navy. And we'll might this
concern be manifested could the An
napolitans only realize what the future
of this station will be. The advan
harbor, and the financial end are we'll
worth considering. instead of idly nj
lowing, his valuable proposed plant to
be- removed to another place without
making any attempt whatever to hold
IT, A great deal of difficulty was ex
perienced in the selection of suitable
Site and now that Annapolis has had
the honor, it is strictly up to her citi
zens to show how much IL is appre-
oiated. In 1909, nearly four years
ago. Congress appropriated $500, 600
for the erection of an experimental
laboratory and testing station. OF this.
$3.50, 900 was for the building and
$3.50, 600 for its equipment. The only
step that could be made toward carry
ing out the directions was made last
winter, when series of test borings
were driven TO determine the nature
of the soil and its strength and bear
ing power to support the structure.
In this &c was found satisfactory. and
the drawings and specifications for
the first building hurried through in
order to start in the spring. From
present plans it is intended that the
jetty, which will extend out on the
natural flats about 500 feet from shore,
built of n concrete seawall and filled
in six feet above water will be
covered with several buildings of sim
liar style and architecture, costing
collectively nearly. if not fully, mil
lion dollars. On the hill in the rear
overlooking the river and bay will be
built number of houses for the Off
cial staff and coy cottages for the
workmen who will have constant EN-.
ployment and opportunity to rise.
Beside this, it is intended to con.
struct large reservoir. recent ANALYSIS
showing water which can be equaled
in few parts of the country.
Regarding the function which this
station will perform aud what it's
final status will be when completed,
as we'll as the opinion of the authori-
ties ON the chosen location of the site.
we can but refer to the report of tho
Chief of the Bureau of Steam Engi
neering, in which he says: The
board appointed to select site chose
/. an admirable one across the Severn
river, at u distance of only half mile
from the Santee wharf, where the
building can be erected within 200
wards of the dredged 80 foot channel
and with very little dredging, Mater
enough can be obtained to allow q
battleship to approach within 80 feet
of the building. The advantages of
having the building close to deep
water are numerous and obvious
Vessels of all kinds and descriptions
will always be required at the Naval
Academy for the instruction of the
mldshipmen. During the interval
when they are not needed for purposes
of instruction they can readily be
moored alongside the experiment
building and series of tests made on
any new machines that might be in
stalled aboard. BY proceeding in this
manner there would ultimately be ac-
cumulated a mass of raliable data con
corning the working of every type of
machine used in the naval service.
These tests being made on machines
installed in the ships and worked I'M
der service conditions would be of far
greater value than similar tests made
Mt the builders works. For instance,
the amount cf coal which eau be
burned per square foot of CRATE with
economy in the boiler located in the
hold of a gunboat. with the usual con-
tracted matches and ventilators masked
by the boats and bridge screens, must
lie far less than could be burned in
the same boiler located on shore in an
open boiler room.
"Other advantages to proximity to
deep water will be the facility with
which a large stream of water can be
supplied to tank for testing screw
propellers; also the water Will be &C
oessible for testing circulating pumps
which do not have and are not re-