The La Jara chronicle., 1906-02-09

lest battleships of the Navy, 1t can lift
itself as well. In other words, 1t
raises It's own bottom out of the water
whlle noatlns only upon its great hol-
low SIDE box. and the bottom in turn
lifts UP the side box to a sufficient
height to permit of its being scraped,
cleaned ana copper painted.
Notwithstanding the apparently In
trlcate problems confronted in the
construction of such a huge engine, the
Navy Department had a still greater
problem TO solve when it considered
methods of sending the Dewey to the
Philippine Islands. The great size of
the machine meant that it could make
but slow progress through the water
and the Government had had no expe-
rience In sending such structures
across the uncertain Atlantic. How
ever, the inducement of extra good
salaries enabled the officials to obtain
crew OF experienced men to handle
the dock. The hollow sides of the enor.
nous engine provide abundant living
quarters for the crew of thirty, and
are as good as the best quarters on any
| man of war. There is on board a com
plete distilling apparatus for making
| fresh water and the ration allowances
are double those received by the men
of the United States Navy. Since the
dock has left the United States, it has
been in almost continuous communica
tion with the shore by means of the
wireless telegraphy apparatus on board
as well as on the three naval vessels
towing 1t. 1t is supposed by the Gov
ernment officials that it will take near
ly four months for the structure to
make the trip to the Philippines.
| Games for the Mariners.
The great floor of the Dewey is Of
sufhcient size to allow of n regulation
game Of base ball. fact which prob
ably will be taken advantage of wher
the warmer climates are reached
Should the little fleet meet with a hur
ricane such as might usually be encoun
tered on the Atlantic in winter, the
towing steams could throw off the tow
lines and the Dewey could be filled
with sufficient water to sink to deptl
which would assure its safety unit
after the storm had passed away, while
the towing boats could find safe refug'
within the dock.
The route taken by the fleet is a.
follows: After passing out of Ches
apeake Bay. it takes course due east
ward across the Atlantic to the Ma
deira Islands, from whence it enter
the Mediterranean through the Strait
of Gibraltar. until the Suez Canal i
reached. The traversing of the Sue
Canal was another problem whicl
faced the officials of the Navy Depart
ment, but after making careful meas
urements it was found that the docl
would easily pass through the Canal
The fee that the United States Gov
ernment is called upon to pay for th
use of the Canal for this purpose il
$4,000.
After passing through the Sue;
Canal. the squadron of three TOWING
boats and the dock will sail through
the Red Sea between Arabia and AT
rica and thence on to the Indiar
Ocean. Singapore will probably be {
stopping place for the expedition ant
after going through the straits of Ma
lacca, 1t will pass up the China Set
and thence to the Cavite naval station
reaching there Just about in time fol
the Easter holidays.
Other Dry Docks.
The United States has a couple o
other floating dry docks, one at AL
giers, La, but recently completed, ant
another at Pensacola, Fla. formerly
stationed at Havana. Before the float
ing dry dock was considered success
the stationary dry dock was the onl!
kind available. This was completed
upon shore, generally of concrete ant
granite. with sloping sides and con
cave trough for the hulls of vessels t
fit into. The Navy has sixteen o
these, four being situated at Brooklyn
three at Norfolk, two each at Philadel
phia and Mare Island. California, AM