The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1912-12-13
BIC SHIP BUILDING
The Planning and Constructing
Of an Ocean Liner.
FIRST A MINIATURE IS MADE.

Building a modern ocean liner Is an
interesting and complicated operation'
The ships plan is frst prepared IN
sectiors from owners specifications, on
a scale of quarter or half an inch 10
the foot. One set Of drawings, called
the sheer draft" is a plan OF tne
ships skeleton or framework withouI
the plates, the internal deck, bulkheao
and hold arrangements being indicated
by series of detailed drawings
Follows then the experimental stage.
A wooden block or casting OF parainh
wax is first made to scale from the
ships plans and tested in large tank
about 800 feet in length and eight rec.
deep. The model, weighted to the ioau
line. is towed to and fro by an over
head traverser at varying speeds.
Delicate instruments register the eA'
act pull" the displacement, the stapii'
ity and a host Of other in1ormatioh
The shape of the model is altereu
again and again, pieces being sha'eu
of here and others there. The final re-
suits gre carefully tabulated, and from
this ship in embryo the builders COM
plete their plans.
Inside the central shed. 2o0 yards
long end $50 feet In height. the snip 5
berth has meantime been prepared
Thoueands of wooden piles. about thir'
ty feet in length, have been driven ps
pile drivers deep into the ground. oh
these are laid huge beams ana the
floor completed with stout planKs'
Then in the center the keel blocks, sur
mourted by oak caps In groups or nVe'
ore assembled en- falling gradient 10
the river Of about half an inch foot'
All Is now ready for the reception OF
the ponderous keel. This-the Daek'
bone of the ship-is Of huge strength
measuring four feet across. ana Is three
and quarter inches thick Paraiie'
with the keel, but above it and nttac D.
ed by angle bars. is the central glrder'
Ave feet high. the space between FORM
ing the double bottom On eacb s'de'
at regular distances running iehs'h'
wise. nre seven other girders, the OUT
er one called the 'margin plate"
The water tight chambers are formed
by vertical partitions of plates extend
Ing above and beneath the floors up 70
the margin plate on each side
After the great cast steel stern frame
and the stem bar for the bows nave
been attached the plating begins The
steel strips of varying sizes, but av'
eraging thirty-four feet in length ana
about three tons In weight each, which
form the skin Of the ship. are laid on
in strakes like the bricks III wall
Fitting these strakes to the shape OF
ship Is n critical business. thin
wooden pattern or template is FIRST
prepared for each plate ana clanipeo
in posltion on the ships side. VIII
minute care every detail is marked on
1.-THE size and shape, the overlap aho
the rivet holes.
It is then transferred to its prot"
tvpe. the steel plate, which Is 0it
nunched and bent by wonderful ma
chinery that slices stce, strips. punche'
r,yet holes anG bends stcc' plate a'
easily and cleanly as though the ma
terlal were paper. Nin,hle traveiinf
cranes on gantries under the roof rirI
IN the huge plates when ready an'
convey them to their appointed place
where tue hydraulic riveter-a me
chanical marvel with Irresistible tor''
and rapidity drives each rivet nome
| In the building OF modern liner oVe'
4.OOO,OOO rivets are used. Each JOIN
is rendered water tight by calklng.
The outer shell finished and the IN
side work far advanced. the builders
turn their attention to the problem o.
the launch. the weight of the vessel a
this point on the keel blocks bet'i
something like 1900 tna. tn
launching ways. sloping gently tn tN
water are prepared. and cradles, fca
and aft, to guide the ship. are eref7S
with huge wooden beams. the whoi'
being finally fabricated by tallow nn'
train oil.
Amid acclamation the ship receive
its baptism and, whether for veal o
| woe. takes to its element. still nell
less, though. its motive power lacking
II Is afterward moored to the work
wharf under $50 ton titan crane
whereby its boilers-twenty-6ve o
them-are lowered into the abyss o
the hold and a multitude OF fitting
connected with the engines.
Dwarfng all else for size com
next the four tunnels. towering 10
feet above keel level and large enoug
for-two tramcars to be drawn throug
abreast These are fixed on the 8
gantic "uptakes." connecting with I'd
boilers by a network Of flues.
| A hoist of auxiliary machinery 10
lighting. ventilating. pumping an
steering the ship. as we'll as the pal
) senger lifts. Is being insdA8,ed at ID
same time as a swarm Ut wen wor
day aud night on the interAhl decor
tons. Electricians ehoirc~ the shi
with girdle Of light and install
telepbone and electric call service wit
800 stations.
In the chart room is fitted wonde
ful clock. which controls. synchron
calIy. fifty other clocks In diherer
parts of the ship. The lofty Mnrcol
mast is linked up with the mysterior
| Instruments In the wireless raDi'
Then. at last. after many months
toll. comes the welcome day when II
, great ship. pride Of her builders. sal
, forth upon its trial csip.-London Al
swers.
Gafrney Is. c. Ledger: IT'S pr
cious little comfort the boomers
Messrs. Harmon. Clark and Unde
wood are receiving In this state.