Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-03-15
LARGEST CONCRETE
VESSEL IN WORLD
THURSDAY

A Pacific port. March 1.-THE largest
concrete ship in the world was launch
cd here today. If the vessel stands all
tests, the builders hope this type will
help to solve the nations need for
ships. Every step of the construction
has been watched by the government.
The vessel is 800 feet between perpen-
diculars, 446 feet wide and 80 feet deep.
and when loaded will draw "a feet OF
water. Her displacement will be 1860
tons and she will have a carrying ca
pacits of 5000 tons and make 10 or Ii
knots an hour with triple expansion
engines furnishing 1850 horsepower.
She is 10 times larger than any corr
crete boat now on record in this coul-
try.
Advantages claimed for the new ves-
sci are that concrete construction does
not interfere with steel construction,
plenty of concrete can be had; con-
crete vessels can be built for the pres
ent cost Of wooden vessels; concrete
vessels Of 1900 tons can be launched
within 80 days after work starts: while
the cost of the plant" is las $685. ic
500, 600" compared with a steel ship
yard.
When the first steel vessels we:2
quilt, people said they'd not float, os
If they did, they would be too heavy 10
be serviceabie,' said W. Leslie Comyn,
president of the concern. which built
the boat. Now they say the same
thing about concrete. But all the engi-
neerS we have taken over this boat H.
Guiding many who said ii was an inl-
possible undertaking, now agree that
it is success"
Tho floor of the vessel is about 10
inches thick: the side four inches, with
a great steel shoe down the bow. In
bedded i'll the concrete are $40 tons Of
steel; continuous basket work OF
welded mesh and hundreds Of heavy
iron bars, also welded together.
A watertight wood flooring reslins on
the bottom beams constitutes the
double bottom of the vessel. No provis
ion is made for water ballast. the the
DRY being that the vessel will traNe
without ballast, riding safely with hel
heavy bottom. Six concrete bulkheads
divide the vessel. The main deck is
wood laid on concrete stfingers; th5
shelter deck is concrete. The deat
weight Is put AT ooo tollS llule tiaH ~
of the steel vessel of like capacity. The
vessel will burn oil, using 100 barrels {
DAY and her reinforced concrete TAM
will carry 30-days supply.
This boat will have to stand mel
tests. like any other vessel. SAID ttit
! builder today. II expect we will seh'
her to the orient, and when she get!
back we will know all about her. Al
present. there are no insurance quota
tons covering concrete vessels; II
all as new to everyone else as IL was
to us. as we had TO design our stee
and have il rolled as we needed IL.
Besides the low first cost. we Wy
save - per cent. of our lumber on laI
or boats. by refusing it. Two other YES
sells Of 1900 tons each, will be stai'e.
as soon as we get this one out OF 'ne
way. In these we will use forms Dun
in sections and bolted. When we stfil
them from the concrete, they Win com
off section at a time.
"A concrete boat will last don
know how long. We know that con
crete gets better the first nine yea
of its life and after that II snouio i"H
long while. The liA Of steel ooa
ordinarily is % years