The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1912-10-25
BIC SHIP BUILDING
The Planning and Constructing
of an Ocean Liner.
FIRST A MINIATURE is MADE
This Small Model 10 Then Thoroughly
Tested, and the Story It Tells Whom
Perfected Will 30 the Story Of tho
New Vessel When Launched.

TefT0cIou WIN 90 eHo otoTy OF Inc
New Vessel When Launched.
Building IL modern ocean liner is an
Interesting and complicated operation
! The ships plan is first prepared in
sections from owners specifications. on
a scale Of a quarter or half an inch to
the foot One set Of drawings. called
the sheer draft" is Il plan of the
ships skeleton or framework without
the plates, the internal deck. bulEhead
aud hold arrangements being indicated
by Il series Of detailed drawings.
Follows then he experimental stage.
A wooden block or casting Of paratiin
wax is first made to scale from the
ships plans and tested in large tank
about 800 feet in length and eight feet
deep. The model. weighted to the load
line, Is lowed to and fro by an over
head traverser at varying speeds.
Delicate Instruments register the ex.
act pull" the displacement. the stabil-
ity and host of other information.
The shape Of the model is altered
again and again. pieces being shaved
off here and others there The final re-
suits are carefully tabulated, and from
this ship in embryo the builders com.
plete their plans. ..-
Inside the central shed; $50 yards
long and 1:O feet in height. the ships
berth has meantime been prepared.
Thousands of wooden piles. about thir-
ty feet in length. have been driven by
pile drivers deep into the ground. On
these are laid huge beams and the
floor completed with stout planks.
Then in the center the keel blocks, sur
mounted by oak caps in groups of five.
are assembled on a falling gradient to
the river Of about half an inch a foot.
All is now ready for the reception Of
the ponderous keel Thistle back
bone of the ship-is Of huge strength.
measuring four feet across. and is three
and Il quarter inches thick. Parallel
with the keel. but above 1t and attach
ed by angle bars. il the central girder.
five feet high. the space between form
ing the double bottom. On each side.
Mt regular distances running length
wise. are seven other Orders. the out
err one called the margin plate
The water tight chambers are formed
by vertical partitions of plates extend
ing above and beneath the floors up to
the margin plate on each side. t,
After the great cast steel stern frame
and the stem bar for the bows have
been attached the plating begins. The
steel strips Of varying sizes. but nv
eraging thirty-four feet In length and
about three tons in weight ench. which
form the skin of the ship. are laid on
in strakes like the bricks in a wall
Fitting these strakes to the shape Of a
ship is Il critical business. A thin
wOoden pattern or template is first
prepared for each plate and clanped
In position on the ships side. With
miliute care every detail is marked on
1.-THE size and shape. the overlap and
the rivet holes. .o.l
1t Is then transferred to its proto
type. the steel plate. which is cut
punched and bent by wonderful ma
chinery that slices steel strips. punches
rivet holes and bends steel plate as
easily and cleanly as though the ma
teria were paper. \mhle travelling
cranes on gnntries under the roof pick
UP the huge plates when ready and
convey them to their appointed place.
where the hydraulic riveter-n me
and rapidity drives each rivet home
In the building of Il modern liner over
4.NoOOOO rivrts are used. Each joint
In rendered water tight by calking.
The outer shell finished aud The In
side work far advanced. the builders
turn their attention to the problem of
the launch. the weight of the vessel AT
this point on the keel blocks being
something like 10000 tons. The
launching ways. slipping gently to the
water are prepared and cradles. fore
and aft. to guide the ship. are erected
with huge wooden beams. the whole
being finally fabricated 10y thilow and
train oil
Amid Hcclnmation the ship receives
Its baptism and. whether for veal or
woe. takes to its element. still heip
less. though. its motive power lacking
1t is nfterwnrd nlooreh to the works
wharf under II lIn ton titan crane
whereby its boilers twenty of
them lire lowered into the abyss Of
the hold ana a multitude of fittings
connected with the engines
Dwnrtng all else for size come
next the fOIr tunnels. towering 80
feet above keel level and large enough
Tor two tr;lllrarS to he drawn through
abreast. These are fixed on the ri.
yantic "uptnkeS." connecting with the
boilers by a network OF fiues
\ hoist of auxiliary machinery for
lighting. ventilating. pumping and |
steering the ship as we'll as the pas.
;engrr lifts. is l'eing installed ut the
same time as II swarm OF men work
lay and night OH th' internal decora.
ions. Electricians enrircle the ship
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