The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-11-23
HAS OVER 100 PICKED
MACHINISTS ABOARD
Is Equipped With All Kinds
of Modern Machinery and
Can Make Any Repairs to
Battleships Where Dry
Docking Is Not Required
Will Go With North At
lantic Fleet.

| The largest repair ship in the world
a floating navy yard capable of MAX
ing any repairs to naval vessels which
do not require docking, a vessel so
complete in every department that
nothing can be added to further her
efficiency, and with one hundred pick
ed machinists aboard, correctly de-
scribes the pair ship Nestal, which is
now at anchor in Pensacola harbor,
and which is in command of Com
mander Beach, who spent several
months in fitting out the vessel for
the important work she is destined to
accomplish.
No repair work, no matter how big,
is too great for the Vestal, as, in addi-
ton to a, regular crew of sufficient
number to care for the vessel as other
ships in the navy are cared for. there
are one hundred skilled mechanics
aboard all of whom have been care
fully selected by the navy depart
ment from among the best men in the
COST NEARLY s2,ooo,ooo.
The VestaI as equipped at present,
represents an expenditure by the gev-
erument of almost two million dollars,
The ship, which was built fiye years
ago in the government navy yard at
New York originally cost $1,3o0,o0o.
She was built as a collier, but, ac-
cording to Commander Beach, the yes
SCI made only two trips in that ca
pacity.
One year ago congress appropriated
the sum of SS50,000 for the purpose of
converting the collier into a repair
ship. making the total cost of the
Vesta1 of today $3.50, 900.
The Vestal, which was only recently
commissioned, as stated, is the largest
repair ship in the world today, being
a 12,500-ton vessel, while the next
largest repair ship afioat is owned by
England and is a 7,000-ton vessel.
TO CRUISE WITH FLEET.
Commander Beach said yesterday
afternoon that the Vestal was equipped
and commissioned for the purpose of
being added to the North Atlantic
fleet and that the ship is now under
orders to join the fleet upon its return
from Europe and cruise with the re.
mainder of the fleet of the United
States navy wherever it may go. This
will enable any ship in the fleet which
may. need repairs to receive the neces-
sary attention by merely notifying the
vestaI and without having to go to
Equipment COMPLETE.
The equipment of the Vestal is com
p1ete in every detail, from the drafting
room. where drawings are made and
machinery designed, to the foundries, |
where it is moulded, and the work is
all planned and run on regular shop |
Some idea of the size and capacity |
fact that the storerooms, which are
filled with material for the repair and |
construction of ships, are three stories !
deep and are about the same size or |
a building 60xso feet, three stories In
height.
on the Vestal is a boring mill |
which, according to Commander Beach |
is larger than any that was ever at /
the Pensacola navy yard and she IS
also equipped with travelling cranes to |
handle any amount of heavy material. |
The vessel also has a complete cleo |
trio power plant to run the machlneS
and supply the power, everything /
being run by either electricity or COM
pressed air.
There are nine complete shops on
the Vestai: They are as follows: The
shop IN which are found high |
powered tools of various kinds, all of /
which are of the most modern type,
and all driven by electricity. Among
these are lathes. planers, boring mills,
vertical and horizontal, shapers, slot
ters, milling machines. grinders, and
all sorts of other and smaller ma
chimes: modern, big capacity foun- |
dry. in which castings are made from
steel, iron and brass, and where cast
ings can be made up to six tons in
weight; a blacksmith shop. in which
Is found one of the largest steam
hammers in the country, this being a
l50-ton hammer, great number OF
forges bending rolls, Hanging ma
chimes, machines for heavy border
work, etc; a pattern shop, thoroughly
equipped; strictly modern copper
smith shop, besides the optical shop,
where work on telescopes and range
finders is carried on
OFFICERS ARE EXPERTS.
The officers for the Vestal were very
carefully selected by the government
and every one of them has for years
seen identified with the special class of
work for which this ship was con-
structed and commissioned.
Commander Edward Latimer Beach, 1
IN command of the ship, was for
,hree and a half years in charge of
he Boston navy yard, before which
ne was for many years an engineer
officer in the United States navy.
Lieutenant Connolly was formerly
ehief engineer on a number of ships
It sea and while on shore duty had