New-York tribune., 1922-11-12
Biggest ggg Ship to
Dry Dock at
Boston Nov.1O
Majestic TO Pat I'm Thursday
for 3 Days for Overhaul
ing in Only Facilities
Capable of the Task
Great Interest in Feat
Plates Will Be Cleaned,
Painted, and Four 10
Ton Propellers Replaced

The naval craving dock in South
Boston will have the distinction next
Thursday of holding the largest vessel
afloat, the Majestic, Of the White Star
Line. When this announcement was
made yesterday by officials of the line
it was said that the Commonwealth
dry-dock is the only one of its type
capable of being employed for the
monster ship, which is $50 feet long
and weighs Ga 900 tons
In Hamburg, there is floating dock
of the pontoon type available, which
was used in lifting the Majestic last
winter, but at present the River Elbe
is too shallow for the liner to navi-
gate safely, so it's use was not even
considered. This dry-dock was award
ed by the Reparations Commission to
Great Britain and was destined for
Southampton, but the British port has
insufficient depth of water at present
in which to operate it,
The Majestic is due in this port from
Southampton and Cherbourg next
Tuesday. AT $50 Wednesday morning
she Will leave here and steam slowly up
the coast and through the Broad South
Channel III Boston harbor on the last
flood tide, arriving at the entrance of
the dock at $3.50 Thursday morning
half an hour before high water.
Entrance Is Difficult Operation
This schedule must be maintained to
the minute. Tugs will be on hand TO
assist her in entering the basin del.
icate operation because of the danger
of wind that mi irb+ bo. c,.,,,
the course, At high tide she will have
only feet and 10 inches clearance be-
tween her keel and the sill of the basin.
When she is entirely within the dock
blocks will be placed under her and the
water pumped out.
When the Majestic rests upon the
bottom of the dock she will present an
unusual spectacle. The cubic contents
of the giant hull is equal to that of
400 ordinary eight-room houses, and
the vessel will loom with the bulk of
a block of ten-story buildings Her
bridge will be 1913 feet above the keel,
the tops of her three tunnels, 1870 feet.
and the tips of the masts will tower
246 feet in the air.
Captain Sir Bertram Hayes will be
on the bridge, in charge of the liner
when she is docked, and most of the
crew of 1902 will remain aboard during
her three days stay there Considera-
bic interest has been shown by ship
ping men and naval officials in this
event. Several naval officers from
Washington will be on hand to witness
the dry-docking as we'll as representa-
tlves Of the International Mercantile
Marine Company. Among the latter
will be Commodore G. A. Bartlett, for
merly commodore of the fleet and now
marine superintendent in Great Bri-
tain; Captain James Thompson, marine
superintendent in this city, and Cap
tain Roger Williams, U. S. N, head Of
the operating department here. w. D.
Wilson, of the shipbuilding firm of
Harlan & Wolff, of Belfast, who came
here last Thursday, also will be pres
ent.
To Put on New Propellers
While the Majestic is in the dock
large gang of painters will clean her
bottom plates and apply a coat of cop
per paint. Machinists also will work
OH her, removing her propellers and
possibly the tail shafts. There are four
propellers, each weighing sixteen tons.
which will be replaced with new ones.
The tail shafts weigh twenty-three
tons each
The Boston dry-dock will be utilized
by a private shipping concern for the
first time when the Majestic enters it.
The dock, known as Boston Navy Yard
Dock 8, is the largest craving dock in
existence, having an overall length OF
,204 feet and a depth Of water at the
entrance sill of 43 feet 10 inches, hold
ing 56,000,000 gallons Of water.
The dock was constructed by the
State Of MASSACHUSETTS, in 1913 and
sold to the United States government
in July, 1919,. with adjacent land. for