Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-02
citing, which is now begun to build
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citing. which is now begun to build
them fast to the keel.
The side and bottom plates are cut
by shears to the exact size necessary.
and most Of them rolled into the shape
required to ht the curve of the boat
This is done by resting the plate upon
two heavy parallel rollers. while
third is forced down upon the plate.
The rollers are revolved, and by reg
ulating the pressure of the upper one
the plate is given the desired curve.
The plates vary greatly in size. but
some are twenty-five feet long and ten
feet wide. from n to Ia inches thick
and weigh 5000 pounds apiece. Their
edges are run under heavy machinery
which punches out clean holes for the
rivets which fasten them in place on
the sides or the bottom of the ship
A. soon the frames have been
completely riveted in place the side
plates are brought to their positions
in rows called strakes, and after be-
ing bolted in place are riveted fast in
their position-being built into the
ship.
All battleships are built with doubls
bottoms: the inner being several feet
from the outer: but how this space Ia
treated no orthodox builder will dis
close. Some of il Is utilized for carry
ing oil fuel and various devices are
placed therein to make the hull PROOF
against torpedoes. AS long as the In
ner shell remains intact the ship can
not sink through injury to the outer
hull from collision or explosion.
In the same manner that the frames
are assembled and riveted together. the
bulkheads which divide the ship into
comps rtments are assembled and then
built into their place in the ship. BY
this time the hull has taken shape, al
though it is not yet ready for launch.
ing.
When the inner bottom is in place
the firerooms and the enormous boilers
with their fire boxes are put in place
and secured. At this time the barbette
and the dia gonal armor are usually set
up. The barbettes. which are made OF
armor steel. so tempered that only the
hardest tools will touch it, are really
hollow cylinders running from the pro-
tective deck at the waterline level to .
height few feet above the upper deck.
The balanced turrets revolve within
the barbette. which protects their gear:
and ammunition for the guns is passed
up from the ammunition room at the
base of the barbette.
The diagonal armor runs from the
extremes of the side armor belt to-
ward the center line of the ship; and
all the armor when in place forms a
steel fortress impenetrabie to all but
the most powerful projectihes and a
protection to the vitals. i.e.. the engine
rooms and magazines of the ships.
When all this work is done the ship.
which is now about half completed. is
ready for the launching. and about
fourteen months have elapsed from the
time her keel was laid.
AS soon as she has gone overheard
and been tied up at her berth the work
continues. If the construction has been
well timed and done according to COR
tract, the engines are ready and their
installation is begun at once. The
decks are laid. and the work of piping.
ventilating and wiring is carried on as
rapidly as possible. At this time about
the multifarious details of completion.
The government provides the armor.
but the builder must put 1t in place As
it is impossible to bend these plates.
which weigh perhaps $4,000 pounds.
wood filling is cut to exactly fit the
sides of the ship and SO adjusted and
trimmed that the surface of the armor
is left even throughout. In some Of the
latest ships cement backing has been
substituted for wood.
Meantime the department furnishes
and puts in place guns. torpedo tubes
and the rest of her armament. AS many
men as can work to advantage are en-
gagged in doing the thousand details
which have not been mentioned, ana AZ
last, when the ship is about 80 per cent
completed, she has her trial trips.
X
1t is DraCtlcdl1y CeTtdiI tldt BIC " M
be successful: for from the day tho
first stroke is taken nothing is left to
chance The design was the result OF
long study and based upon well estab-
lished principles: the engines were the
result of careful calculation. and their
designs had to pass the approval or
the bureau of steam engineering. Tho
builder, who is under bond in a heavy
penalty to complete the ship, could not
have received the contract unless he
had proved his capacity and fitness. He
always employs the best engineers.
foremen and artisans he can find. and
spares no pains to make the last war
machine the best-just a little better
than the one before.
1t is said that the president of the
Union iron works of San Francisco in
formed his directors that they might
EXPECT no direct profits from the first
battleship contract: for cost what II
would he would turn out a perfect
ship. The result was the Oregon.
Resides the care taken by the build
or. the work upon the ship, including
the engines. is under regular and
steady inspection by naval officers
and constructors. whose certificates OF
approval must be obtained before the
contractor can receive his payments.
If everything goes right on the trial
trip the vessel is delivered about three
wears after authorization, by the build
err and accepted by the Navy Depart
ment, which directs payment to be
made according to contract.
Meantime the bureau of navigation
will have detailed officers and crew
1000 to 1000 in number. They go
aboard: the crew is called to quarters:
the captain reads the order detailing
him to the command: the colors are run
up and the ship, about three years
after the act of Congress authorizing
its construction, is in COMM sSion,
integral part of the United States
Nayy