The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-08-23
BUILD CONCRETE SHIPS
HAsPROvED SUCCESSFUL
MAY HELP SOLVE THE TRANS.
PoRTATloN PROBLEM CON.
FRONTING GOVERNMENT.

line pTODltlIl COlllloutS Nui
country of increasing the merchant
marine, says a bulletin of the Portland
Cement association. requires the con-
sideration of every possible method or
material of construction. Several pro-
minent engineers have suggested re-
inforced concrete.
A San Francisco paper mentioned in
A recent issue the interesting fact that
a local firm of engineers was design
ing ship with length of $50 feet,
a beam of "A feet, and depth of
81 feet. with a capacity of $500 tons
to be built of reinforced concrete.
This is nothing new. A. concrete
schooner was employed for some years
in the north Atlantic coasting trade.
having been constructed about 1898.
The London Times mentions a small
boat of reinforced concrete built by a
Frenchman in 1849 and still in service
after a test of 6S years.
The concrete ship is only a further
development of the concrete barge, and
such craft have been in successful use
for years. A concrete barge has been
in service on the Welland canal since
1910 and has seen hard usage. 1t has
a length of 80 feet beam of "a feet
and is feet deep. 1t is interesting
that the walls which were construct
ed between forms are " inches thick,
reinforced with steel rods, yet the
barge Is used for carrying loads of
stone, ETC., with conspicuous success.
Concrete lighters have been used for
the last six years on Chesapeake Bay,
supplying coal and water to dredges,
carrying loads of sand and gravel.
With such a craft there is no neces
sity for calking or painting, the up
keep is small and there is no danger
of decay Barnacles will not collect
on a concrete hull. Since 1910 REIN
forced concrete barges have been built
for use on the various sections of the
Panama canal, and their experience
has enabled the engineers to develop
a very efficient type Of vessel. Re-
Gently, concrete pontoons were con-
structed for service as landing stages
for boats up to 65 feet in length. These
pontoons have a length Of 120 feet, a
beam of 28 feet and are feet deep.
They. are%very thoroughly reinforced
Vessels that are more like ships than
barges have been built of reinforced
70 in
following quotations that have been
selected from the report of the AM
erican consul general at Christiania
indicate the extent of the work under
way at that time:
The inventor, NJ Nicolai Fougner,
an engineer, claims to be able to con-
struct ship of any size demanded.
He is now building lighter for a
mining company at Sydvaranger for
the oversee export Of iron ore and the
import of coal. The vessel, having a
displacement of 5000 tons, is to be
ready before the end of the current
year. 1t is stated that these concrete
ships can be sailed or engined like
other vessels, and experts consider
that a new epoch in shipbullding has
arrived.
The ship resembles a large barge
and is constructed entirely of concrete
with the exception Of the ribs, which
are of steel. This new method has
attracted much attention. The Swed-
ish minister of marine, M. Brostrom
one Of Sweden's largest shipowners
Immediately ordered lighter of some
thousand tons displacement and was
present when the craft was launched
at Moss. He was accompanied by foul
experts, all of whom expressed much
satisfaction at the result.
Two other lighters are now on the
stocks, and a large slip for 4OOO-tor
craft is nearly completed. More thar
200 men are working in the new yards
and five lighters have been contracted
for in addition to the one completed
and the two on the slips.
In view of such examples proving
the usefulness of concrete vessels o.
this character, the Cement association
bulletin urges the consideration O.
concrete in the construction of ships
which are to increase our merchan
marine to the proportions demanded
by the present requirements. If sea
going barges were to be constructed O.
smaller craft suitable for lake traffic
this would release for other purposes
many ships now in use in this capa
city. The presence Of the necessar.
materials for a concrete vessel at 81
many convenient places would make
possible to provide a large tonnage
and progress in construction would
faster than with ships OF steel
even wood. The system seems
have advantages Of great promise.