Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-01-07


1t is current report thai the dues
through the SucH canal Will be $4,000.
The Dewey was built ~ the plant OF
the Maryland Steel company in a great
excavation near the water front just
outside Of Baltimore. When il was COM
plctei bulkhead tina, separated the
Ta!auscO tom the hole 10 the ground
was cnI away ani The wafer ran In and
tioarrd the huge mass OF steel. while
Ii$s Maud Endico;;. daughter OF Rear
Aomiral Endicolt. chriStcucd tho dOrk
Dewey with hOitie OF cha mpagne
The dock was not only completed
Hheau of contract time. hut In excess Of
the rcQu.renen c. for It Will lisr a %
t0 ton bay'iesnil. ~hcrras the contract
called Tor only lGU'o IONS. 1t also ex-
cco'ied III" speed rcquircm nnts in lifting
Il snip.
When The big cruiser Colorado was
placed in the dock ~ Test it in the Pa
iGN"rt r'v'" the contract called for the
i!ftin: in to;I!' h";,rS. The Colorado was
Fitted uHuil her keel was six feet above
The water IN Il lew ,ninUtrS more than
two hours. Tn"n he do,l broke all rec
IL
l6Ha tonS, with heavy weights In her
'n"ccis ava anidships. in one hour nnd
thirty seven minutes.
y novel feature OF Tho dock is its abl-
lily :" Gcct jiI"it All steel vessels take
on mariu" growth on tA"ir bottoms.
Which n"'">sititrS hnu!ing tiicm on;
cN",Y wear o. 50. as ihoi- l!fc depends
on Iccriviu" p"in, 10 p:oJcct the hul,s.
Docks now ai,oai are SO gigantic tina
they caulo5 he 'iori:rd 10 he clnanct. or
repaired. win tie exception of the
Dewey
he Dewey can release the two side
walls aud disennnect the three pOnio cons
lhf! are iQ!ncd together in the flooring
or hull. Then the TWO smaller pontoons
are filled VITA water au.i sunk under
the la)S"~ o. center pontoon. They are
ihen pumped out. and the Two smaller
steel p"nt"1!iS rise with The larger one
Oh top Of them. Whom il IS desired 10
docl. thc smaller pontoons the condi-
tons are reversed. The big center pon-
foJn is sunk and the Two smaller ones
placed OH II nnd The big one pumped
oui 10 raise he little ones.
When itcHvy weather comes on at sea
the bottom sections ~ The Dewey will
bc f!iHd WA wa,cr Until tho BODY OF
;hc mas ~ ,tcn! is submerged and OH
Iy tie SiG" walls extend above The sur
race Sic = II present IL large surface
10 ihr wind. which, il has been caicU-
lated. Eay reach It pressure Of thirty
pounds Ia Ne >uudrc inch There vii!
Ia, IN /,
is ra'li, submerged. The towing yes
sells w::i simply hang oil, drifting along
VITA The eiunt where the wind chooses
20 snnd ii rni waiting until The storm
blows i,.cii ont for no headway can
he maGe with such u Tow in heavy
weather
Three Iwrniyfour inch centrifugal
pumps !he Steam 10: which is furnish
cd Ivy lili'rr scpara,e 90 horsepower
boilers. will puIp OK or food the
Dewey. Tl,"s" pumps are controlled
III the engine r0o!a. On the port side,
forward. is !hc valve house. where
!hcrc are twen,y-four levers. The
three sections OF The dock are divided
inio sixty water tight compartments,
ana each or these levers controls the
hoodng and pumping of several com
pa:imcnis. telephone gives commu-
nica'ion with The boiler room, and Il
pneumatic valve III the valve house an
n"tll,ccs The amount OF water in the
dacl.
On the s;artoard side is a machine
shop, quarters for officers ara crew,
Kitchen and bathrooms THO machin.
shop is forward 1t is fitted with cv-
cry appliance FOR minor repairs. On
this side of tho dock Is the diStilIing ap-
paraiiis. which has IL capacity of 1900
gallons of sen water n day 1t will
be used principally for feeding the
boilers. Th.re tanks contain Tie dis
titled wafer. an electric light plant
Oh the porf side gi"e.s light Tor the en-
Tire structure.
Everything possible for the comfort
~ officers md crew has been provided.
Their Gnarscrs are on the starboard
SIDE. Tho officers will occupy large
siaior0ons. ihat O. the dockmaster be-
I'M. biz enough for an office as well as
II sleeping apartment.
Next 10 the row OF officers state
rooms ~ lac ineNSroOin. between this
and that OF the crew Is the galley,
which ia lifted With large range and
with hot ana cold water. 1t has. like
the hoilcr and engine rooms, &C.
meat iioor. The pantry adjoins. and
next TO it il The crews mess:oom and
farther Oh. between their mcssroom
and The m0chinc shop. is the bunk
room OF The crew. Accommodation
are provides! for officers and thirty
men. Bathrooms. with hot ana cold
water. are provided for officers and
crew. On the por, side. Just aft Of the
boiler room. is Il shower bath for the
tlcmcn.
Eunnirg clear through the side walls
Of the doci; Is IL thorough vcnt!lating